IT has been a busy year for Charlotte Seddon following her appearance on Masterchef.

Flintshire amateur chef Charlotte, 35, reached the semi-finals of the cooking competition in 2020.

While it has been a challenging year for everyone, Charlotte has been kept busy planning her fine dining business while renovating her dream home in Shotton with husband Rhys.

All while continuing her day job from home.

Charlotte Seddon is looking forward to hosting parties in her garden again

Charlotte Seddon is looking forward to hosting parties in her garden again

Charlotte has been preparing her business which will see her visit people's homes to prepare meals for special occasions when lockdown allows.

Charlotte said: "I've not started it yet but its something I've been working on slowly since the lockdown. I've started practicing on friends and family, and getting some dishes ready for it.

"Some people want a private chef to come in to prepare a meal with friends and family rather than going to a restaurant. It's something a bit different.

"I come in with a set menu, normally it will be something more fancy than a pub-type menu. There will be four or five courses, all the prep and cooking is done by me. I use their kitchen but I bring my own pans and plates, all they have to provide is cutlery and wine glasses. Everything is served for them, I do the washing up and leave. It's basically a dinner party with someone else doing all the hard work."

She said she has been able to do a few practice runs

Charlotte Seddon with her Halloween Sausage and Pumpkin Casserole

Charlotte Seddon with her Halloween Sausage and Pumpkin Casserole

Charlotte added: "It was petrifying. I did it for my best friend's family just before the last lockdown when they were still allowed people round.

"It just reminded me of being in MasterChef again. I usually only cook for my close friends and family who have tried my food before and it doesn't matter so much if it goes wrong. But some of these people were strangers and as it was a practice they were judging my food. But it went really well and was really helpful. The rush I got after it was quite exciting."

Charlotte has been working fulltime from home as an insurance project manager during lockdown. She says the fine dining business is perfect for her as she will be able to fit it around her job.

She added: "Hopefully I'll be able to start it as soon as possible, but I've just been snowed under with my own work. It's been trying to juggle both aspects."

Charlotte Seddon in the garden of her home in Shotton

Charlotte Seddon in the garden of her home in Shotton

Originally from Hawarden, Charlotte has been living in Shotton for the past six years where she and her husband Rhys have been working to create their dream home from an old farmhouse that had fallen into disrepair.

Charlotte said: "It's been going well. We've mainly been focussing on the outdoors. We have built a pizza oven and a patio area, so now we can have people round in the garden the pizza parties will be coming out.

"We have put five years of hard work into the house and now we're going to enjoy it."

Charlotte added that she had not watched the latest series of MasterChef.

She said: "It was so stressful doing it last year, even when I see that set I just panic again. I would quite happily not be put through that pressure again."

Charlotte is on Instagram as @charlotteseddonfood