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A STOCKTON chef is sharing his expertise in a new TV show helping people who are deaf improve their cooking skills.

Dad-of-one Scott Garthwaite, who is deaf, will present Punk Chef, starting on Film4 next month.

The former Beverley School pupil said: “What the deaf community are very passionate about are programmes that feature deaf people.

“They also appreciate programmes that include sign language and will hopefully see someone like myself as a role model.”

Hartlepool-born Scott, who lives in Stockton with fiancee Jessica and their son Rocco, four months, qualified as a chef in 2011 after study professional culinary art and patisserie at Newcastle College in partnership with Leeds Metropolis University.

He was asked to front the TV show after starting up cookery blogs spotted by London-based deaf-run production company Remark!

“They see me as the perfect person to front Punk Chef due to my unique character - I have a pink and black Mohawk which I have had for years,” he said.

The 32-year-old proved a big hit with executives at sign language broadcasting organisation BSLBT when the programme was trialled on Sky and Virgin Media last year. He has since been working on the new series.

Born able to hear, Scott became deaf due to meningitis aged two.

“Punk Chef is easy for deaf people to follow as it includes things like subtitles and sign language, as well as a voice over to help widen its appeal among non-deaf viewers.”

He said: “The fact that I’m deaf myself means that I’m able to relate to deaf people on a much more personal level, making it easier to guide them through the cooking process.”

Cooking has always been a passion for Scott, who loves to watch cookery programmes and perfect his recipes.

“Eventually friends and family persuaded me to take up cooking professionally, so I decide to take a course in catering.”

He studied Professional Cookery level 1 at Hartlepool FE College. A three-month placement at a Michelin-starred restaurant gave Scott a taste for fine dining.

His ambitions are to work alongside the likes of Heston Blumenthal, or top chefs like Tom Aikens, Tom Kitchin, Simon Rogan or French classic chef, Michel Roux Jnr.

“I don’t see why I can’t become a head chef in the future and dream of my own restaurant and maybe becoming the first deaf chef to gain a Michelin star.”

The pilot of Punk Chef can be viewed at www.bslzone.co.uk . The first episode of the new series will be shown on March 4 at 8am on Film4.