THE secret of success as a TV chef is shop in Tavistock — and that's official!

Julie Donvin-Irons has just finished filming the regional final of TV's popular Masterchef programme and claims the local produce she bought in the town made all the difference.

Julie comes from Tavistock and swears by the town's individual shops.

'My Tavistock butcher came up trumps!' she said.

'Downings were absolutely fantastic — the lamb they provided for the competition went down so well, I couldn't have got better quality,' she said.

A keen cook, Julie entered the competition after watching the programme on television.

'I kept looking at these things they were doing and I thought I'd better put my money where my mouth is, I just thought I'd have a go,' she said.

Not only did Julie buy her meat in Tavistock, she also came to the town's award-winning Country Cheeses shop for her very original pudding — chocolate and cheese ice cream.

'They asked me where I got the idea on the show,' said Julie, who now lives in Plymouth.

'When we go out my husband always has the cheeseboard and I always have a chocolate pudding — the idea just happened from there.

'Originally I gave people samples and said "Try that". Everybody came back and said it was lovely,' she said.

The pudding is made with 'really really' dark chocolate, cream cheese, goat's cheese and Cheddar cheese, and is served with a rhubarb and Grappa coulis.

Not only did the ice cream impress the judges, it has also passed muster with Julie's teenage daughters.

'They think it's the best ice cream ever!' she said.

Julie has been sworn to secrecy as to the result of the regional final, but said she loved the experience, apart from the preparation.

'It was a lot of work, there is loads to go through beforehand — all the paperwork was a bit of a nightmare,' she said.

Her complete menu starts with a parsnip and roast garlic soup with Parmesan and pistachio bread, followed by lamb in a Thai marinade with tomatoes, sweet potato mash with basil and crispy kale, finishing with that unusual ice cream.

The judges for the South West heat of the competition were Anneka Rice and Shaun Hill,who used to be head chef at Gidleigh Park near Chagford before he moved to Shropshire.

Julie said she has no ambitions to open a restaurant or go on to become a TV hot chef.

'I would like to do some writing — I don't think I'd want to cook for a living,' said Julie.

The South West heat of Masterchef is due to be transmitted on the afternoon of March 19.