MasterChef is back and ready to fire up and grill a new batch of contestants hoping to impress the judges.
With Grace Dent and Anna Haugh at the helm as the new hosts, the 22nd series of the BBC cooking competition is making sure this is one to remember.
Taking over from John Torode and Gregg Wallace, both Haugh and Dent shared during an interview with Radio Times that they’re not worried about grabbing the reins.
“Well, it’s bigger than any one person,” Haugh said, “and the contestants are brilliant. The show is a reflection of them.”
But who will simmer under the pressure and who will reach boiling point as the heats get under way?
With 48 contestants all fighting for a handful of the sought-after white MasterChef aprons, they’ll have to whip up something special in order to make it through.
Meet the team of amateur chefs ready to take on the challenge, and why they’ve decided to do the show.
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Brendan
Age: 57
From: Essex
Job: Construction project company director
Brendan has loved cooking since he was a child, with one of his first memories being helping his mum and parents make Christmas dinner.
He now considers the kitchen his “happy place”, and likes to show his love for his family through the meals he makes them.
Speaking ahead of the series, he said: “Over the years, many people have said I should enter the competition, especially my wife and children, so back in 2020 I entered for the first time and decided that I would keep on entering every year until I made it onto the show.
“Five years later it happened and my long-term dream became a reality – definitely a major thing on my bucket list ticked!”
Jhané
Age: 29
From: North London
Job: Tech program manager
Jhané grew up in Islington with her family, and found her passion for food from her mum, who loved hosting guests and friends in their home for dinner parties.
She says her cooking style is all about bold flavours, fresh ingredients, and portions as big as possible.
“For me, the best meals happen when everyone is reaching over each other for a second helping and sharing stories,” she said. “I want my food to be the loud, messy centrepiece of a great night and fun party.
“When I cook, it’s not so much about tweezers and dainty garnishes and more about high heat, fresh herbs, and lots of chilli.”
Jhané hopes that MasterChef will give her a platform to turn her love of cooking into a career.
Matt
Age: 41
From: West Yorkshire
Job: IT manager
Matt admits he was a late bloomer when it comes to learning how to cook, considering himself a picky eater when he was younger.
He finally found a passion for whipping up meals during the COVID lockdown in 2020, and since then has been enjoying experimenting with recipes.
Matt takes pride in dishes that are flavour-driven, combining small elements together for something special, and hopes to inspire others to do the same.
“Cooking has quietly become a huge part of my life, and I reached a point where I thought why not push myself and see how far I can take it? MasterChef feels like the perfect challenge,” he said.
“It forces you out of your comfort zone and tests your creativity and technique.”
Rosdip
Age: 33
From: North Shields
Job: Digital portfolio manager
Rosdip grew up in Nepal before relocating to the UK at the age of 17. His cooking style is heavily influenced by his Nepalese heritage, and he takes pride in creating dishes from the heart.
He credits his mum for helping him learn how to create delicious dishes from minimal ingredients, and his Scottish partner Gregor for introducing him to a new mix of flavours.
His dream is to bring his Nepalese cuisine to a global stage.
“I’m talking about generational home-cooking that usually only lives in memory of family members, without any recipe books,” he explains.
“In near future, I would absolutely love to serve the North-East community refined home cooked Nepali dishes that deliver nostalgia and bold, authentic flavours without compromise, so they get a taste of Nepal and my heritage!”
Sabina
Age: 49
From: Greater London
Job: Environmental consultant
Sabina grew up in Gulshan, Dhaka, but now lives in London with her husband and two teenage children.
She loves to experiment, and considers her kitchen a “flavour lab”, and takes pride in trying new things, often being influenced by her Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage.
Sabina particularly likes cooking with chillies, and finding that perfect blend of flavour and heat.
This isn’t Sabina’s first time trying to take on the challenge for MasterChef, first applying 16 years ago, but was forced to pull out of filming due to her pregnancy.
“I was due right around the time of filming, and it just wasn’t meant to be,” she said. “Life got busy, and I put the dream aside.”
“Fast forward sixteen years, and my kids started getting after me to apply again. They’d seen me cooking all these years, experimenting in my kitchen, and they kept saying, ‘Mum, you have to do it’,” she added.
“There was something about their encouragement that felt like serendipity, they were the reason I couldn’t do it the first time, and now they were the reason I was giving it another shot.”
Samantha
Age: 39
From: St Albans
Job: Accounts assistant
Living with her husband and two children, Samantha likes to experiment and doesn’t feel like she has one particular cooking style.
She first found a love of cooking through her family, helping them make breakfast even as a small child.
“I have always been a huge fan of the show and watched it since it started,” she said about her reason for taking part.
“I always wanted to give it a go, and I did apply a few times over the years and then work and having a family took up a lot of my time, so I thought being 40 next year, let’s get it off the bucket list. And here I am!”
MasterChef continues on Tuesday 21 April at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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