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After a year in which it has been beset by scandal<\/a>, is the rocky MasterChef <\/em>ship steadying at last? The unveiling of its latest recruit indicates that it might well be. Chef and television presenter Matt Tebbutt<\/a> has been confirmed to join MasterChef: The Professionals<\/em> as its new presenter-cum-judge. Stepping into the shoes of the disgraced Gregg Wallace<\/a>, he feels like a breath of fresh, untainted air.<\/p>\n For the next series of the popular Professionals <\/em>spin-off, Tebbutt will line up alongside incumbent pair Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti. The news was announced on BBC One\u2019s Saturday Kitchen<\/em>, which Tebbutt has hosted for the past eight years. The messaging was clear. He\u2019s one of us. Part of the gang. This is an internal promotion. Everything will be fine now.<\/p>\n Tebbutt was widely tipped for the gig, so it isn\u2019t what you\u2019d call an exciting appointment. The 51-year-old might be a predictable choice, but under the circumstances, he\u2019s a canny one. Tebbutt is a safe pair of hands, which is precisely what the ailing foodie franchise needs.<\/p>\n Unlike glorified greengrocer Wallace, he has a wealth of experience in the restaurant industry. He trained at Prue Leith\u2019s cookery school before working in some of London\u2019s most celebrated kitchens, including Marco Pierre White, Chez Bruce<\/a>, The River Cafe<\/a> and Alastair Little<\/a>. For more than a decade, he owned and ran the award-winning Foxhunter<\/a> restaurant in South Wales. He knows his craft, so his opinion will be respected.<\/p>\n