Ten years of MasterChef: past winners

MasterChef is back on our screens, and the tenth anniversary series is more challenging than ever. Tasks include catering for the entire cast of Eastenders and creating a dish out of rubbish scraps. We take a look at what some of the past winners are up to and chat to Dhruv Baker and Ash Mair to find out more about the show.

Critics Jay Rayner, Tracey McLeod and Charles Campion return to judge the contestants’ attempts, while renowned perfectionist Marcus Wareing will be rating the quarter finalists’ food. Additionally winners and finalists from across the last nine series will be appearing to give their opinions on the up and comers’ food. Who is it harder to cook for, other chefs or the critics? “I wasn’t really that fussed about the critics but that could have been a reason why it was one of my weaker rounds” says Ash Mair, winner of 2011’s MasterChef: The Professionals. “It was definitely tough cooking for the chefs though knowing that they are masters of the same profession and will see straight through any mistakes.” Dhruv Baker, the 2010 winner, echoes this sentiment. “I find [cooking for chefs] more stressful because you’re being judged by your peers, but then there’s the satisfaction you get from it which outweighs that. To cook for a chef, if they enjoy it, I think is one of the most satisfying things to do.”

One of the show’s most distinctive aspects is its US thriller-style tension. But how much of it is made up for the cameras? Dhruv says there’s no need to add dramatic music as there’s enough suspense on the show already. Ash believes it’s worse in real life. “I think it’s actually more tense as the viewers don’t get to see what goes on behind the scenes. For the contestants there are a lot of sleepless nights so along with the tiredness there is a huge build-up of stress in regard to performing well at every stage of the competition. There’s just so much pressure and each day as we walked into the studio kitchen there was always such a tense atmosphere which is impossible to translate to TV.”

Thomasina Miers
As stressful as the show may be, it has transformed the lives of many contestants. The biggest success story is Thomasina Miers, the 2005 champion. After her win she went to work at the acclaimed Petersham Nurseries, where she met the business partner she would found Wahaca with in 2007; the budget Mexican-inspired chain now has 11 branches. Additionally she’s written five cookbooks and a column for the Times, and taught masterclasses for the Guardian. Next month she’s taking part in Chilli Chilli Bang Bang, a pop-up restaurant serving food from around the world with chillies as the star ingredient, alongside Jeremy Lee, Tom Parker-Bowles and Stevie Parle among others. She’s also set to open a new restaurant in July that will be totally different to Wahaca.

Andy Oliver
Andy Oliver ended up as a finalist on the 2009 show. One of our chefs to watch this year, he worked at the now defunct Nahm, and is planning to open Thai restaurant Som Saa shortly.

Natalie Coleman
The most recent champion, Natalie Coleman, has been working in the kitchens of Simon Rogan, Michel Roux Jr and Nuno Mendes as well as teaching school children how to cook.

Marianne Lumb
Marianne Lumb, the 2009 finalist of MasterChef: The Professionals, opened her 14 cover fine dining restaurant Marianne in September, and has won plaudits from critics as well as Michel Roux Jr.

Ash Mair
At the end of April Ash will open the first London branch of Bilbao Berria, a Spanish restaurant that specialises in Basque food. “Bilbao Berria London will have elements from our menus in Spain but also new dishes we have developed here. We will also be introducing some fantastic English ingredients into our menus which we don’t use in Spain. We are quite a casual restaurant and there is no trickery in our food, there are no bells and whistles, it’s more of a traditional approach. We work very closely with small producers and have sourced some of the most spectacular ingredients for our menus. At the end of the day, Basque cuisine is all about great ingredients cooked well.”

Dhruv Baker
Others are involved in food writing or TV presenting. Dhruv runs catering company Earlsfield Kitchen, has hosted supperclubs at Benares and the Jam Tree and presents on Waitrose TV. His first cookbook, ‘Spice, Layers of Flavour’, comes out this summer. What would he like to be doing in five years? “I’m doing it! I love writing, I love presenting, and I love cooking. Obviously I’d like to be doing more, though I don’t know where I’d find the time. The book doesn’t come out till the 4th of July, but hopefully that’ll do well and if it does then who knows.”


MasterChef is on BBC One on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 pm and Fridays at 8:30 pm.