But despite the world's media clamouring at her door, she still finds time to talk to reporter BEN TRUSLOVE.

I'VE interviewed chef Marianne Lumb several times over the last few months as we've followed her meteoric rise in the world of food.

Every time I speak to her she's just finished another exciting project or stormed through the next round of BBC's Masterchef: The Professionals.

And even though each time a call her, she's had umpteen calls from journalists far more important than me, she's always more than happy to share her story.

The last time I spoke to her, she was coming out of The Times' office, and nursing what was probably a thumping hangover following a starstudded launch of her book Kitchen Knife Skills.

"It's been non-stop since the end of Masterchef, it's absolutely manic but it's fantastic," she tells me.

"Doing Masterchef was superb, I'm still getting recognised in the street! Michel Roux Jnr said to me, 'not winning Masterchef is irrelevant, you are all winners and all fantastic'.

"He came to my book launch and was telling me how much he liked my food. Coming from someone like him is superb. I couldn't have asked for more."

Marianne also recently presented an award at Red magazine's Hot Women of 2009, alongside Sarah Brown, Jools Oliver and hosted by BBC Radio One's Jo Whiley.

But Marianne hasn't forgotten her roots, recently returning to her home village of Long Clawson to open the village food fair.

She went to King Edward VII School before studying as an architect for a year but realised her true calling was food, training at the Olde Stocks restaurant in Grimston and Michelin-starred Gravetye Manor in Sussex.

She is now a freelance chef cooking for rock stars, racing drivers, politicians and more.

She puts part of her inspiration down to her dad, who died in 1992. He was a butcher who supplied most of the Vale of Belvoir.

Marianne said: "Dad taught me the importance of really beautiful ingredients. A talented chef can't make something out of nothing.