A finalist in hit TV show MasterChef has said he is excited about working in a west Suffolk kitchen.

Oli Boon and his partner Erin Summers will start work at the Petrus Wine Bar in Whiting Street, Bury St Edmunds later this month.

The 23-year-old, who previously worked at Odette’s Restaurant and John Salt in London, was runner-up in MasterChef: The Professionals 2012, losing out to joint winners Keri Moss and Anton Piotrowski.

Mr Boon said: “I had a lot of job offers after MasterChef but this is what I wanted to do. It is the first time I’ve been running a kitchen, so we’ll start quite simple and then build. It will be a really good experience.”

He added: “I was brought up around here, so it is really good to be back in the area. I’m really excited.”

Owner Ryan Smith said he believed that working with the 23-year-old chef was an “awesome opportunity” to create a unique wining and dining experience. The official launch of dining at Petrus will take place on February 27.