Sunderland chef cooks up a storm in Channel 4 kitchen

Stacie Stewart is back in the How to Lose Weight Well kitchen after the series returned to screens this month for a five-part run.

It sees the Roker chef, who rose to fame on Masterchef, whip up recipes from different diets which are put to the test by people wanting to lose weight.

She stars alongside Dr Xand Van Tulleken and dietician Hala El-Shafie as dieters road test some of the most popular, and some of the most bizarre, diets on the market.

Stacie said: “The first series did really well and had good viewing figures, so it was great to be invited back for a second series. I think viewers like the fact that it’s informative, as well as being entertaining.”

The 34-year-old is no stranger to diets after losing five stone, dropping from a size 16 to 8-10, after adopting a clean eating lifestyle.

“I’m not a fan of crash diets and that’s not something we endorse, there’s a proper way to lose weight and that’s through a healthy diet and exercise,” she said. “What we do is look at the various diets that are out there, break them down and put them to the test, and see if they actually work. There are so many diets out there that are all vying for our attention and money, but some of them are just lip service.

“Hopefully we can give people the tools to make changes for themselves.”

The self-taught chef, who was inspired to cook by her nana, has appeared in many TV kitchens, from Masterchef and This Morning to being one of the judges on ITV’s Food Glorious Food, which was produced by Simon Cowell’s production company.

Stacie, who has also had success with her own cookery books, now lives in Brighton where she runs a clean eating deli called Eat Naked, but makes regular trips up to Roker to see her mum.

She said: “The deli’s doing really well, we sell out every day. Although there’s lots of healthy eating places, ours is the only clean eating deli so it’s niche.”

Stacie’s TV kitchen skills have impressed Channel 4 bosses so much she’s been signed up to star alongside Michelin star-chef Michel Roux Jr in a new show to be aired later this year.

The Ultimate Shopping List will see industry experts compile a guide to the best food and drink products available in Britain.

Across the series, Stacie and the other experts will look at products available across the board - from top range, expensive to own brand budget items - to reveal the qualities that make one product more appealing than another and when it might be worth spending a little extra or trying to save a few pennies.

•How To Lose Weight Well is on Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4.