A Norwich chef has been cooking up a storm after reaching the semi-finals of the National Chef of the Year competition.

Marcin 'Magic' Pomierny, 34, head chef at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich, is one of 40 chefs going head-to-head at the Craft Guild 2019 competition semi-final.

It is the second year running that Mr Pomierny, who was chef of the year in the EDP Norfolk Food and Drink Awards in 2016, has reached the semi-final of the competition.

The chefs will be competing on June 11, with the winner of each heat, plus the six best runners up, to go through to the final at The Restaurant Show on October 1.

Mr Pomierny's semi-final heat is at Sheffield College, where he has been tasked to produce a creative three-course summer lunch menu.

He said: "I am very excited to have reached the semi-final of the National Chef of the Year competition for the second year running.

"I learned a lot at last year's semi-final and will do my very best to secure a place in the final for the Maids Head and Norwich."

Christine Malcolm, general manager at Maids Head Hotel, said: "Magic has worked very hard over the last six years to raise the profile of the hotel as a fine dining destination.

"We achieved a second AA Rosette in 2016 and Magic's ambition is to raise the bar further and achieve a third AA Rosette.

"We wish Magic all the best for the National Chef of the Year competition and will have our fingers firmly crossed."

Mr Pomierny is originally from Poland where he trained as a chef and studied catering for diabetics as an additional subject.

He moved to Norwich in June 2005 to join his brother and sister who were already living in the city.

He spoke little English at the time and his family helped secure him a job as a kitchen porter at Tatlers, where he did washing up and food preparation for one year.

He also worked for Pulse and The Library for 18 months, followed by McIntoshes Kitchen for another 18 months before becoming a sous chef at Rare Steak House and The Mad Moose.

He arrived at the Maids Head in May 2013 as a sous chef before being promoted to head chef just four months later.