The MasterChef 2024 champion has been revealed following eight weeks of progressively difficult tasks.
Brin Pirathapan, a veterinary surgeon from Bristol, won the long-running BBC show after dominating the high-stakes cook-off.
The 29-year-old defeated fellow finalists and runners-up Louise Lyons Macleod (33), and Chris Willoughby (44), at the final hurdle.
Brin received the coveted award from judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace after preparing an outstanding three-course feast.
John told the contestants, “We have been doing MasterChef for twenty years.” That was the best final we have ever done.
In tonight’s final, the Final Three faced the most stressful challenge of the competition: making the best three-course meal of their life.
Brin’s winning menu began with fried capers, pickled chilli, pickled and charred shallots, orange and honey-glazed octopus with tempura mussels, herb tuilles dusted with scallop roe, an orange gel, and samphire served with romesco sauce.
After having a bite, an astonished Gregg told Brin: ‘It’s delightful. This is a beautiful piece of work.’
The main course included spiced venison loin, beef short-rib and pickled mushroom tartlet, celeriac and miso purée, salt-baked beetroot and pak choi, and a gochujang and red wine sauce mixed with herb oil.
Brin’s dinner concluded with a dessert of white chocolate, cardamom, and saffron cremeux, pistachio meringue shards, whiskey-poached mango, raspberry gel, pistachio crumb, and mango, lime, and chilli sorbet.
Looking back over his time on MasterChef, Brin said: ‘My personal highlight of the competition was the 20thanniversary dinner. Receiving a huge standing ovation from a room full of culinary royalty was one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had.
‘I’ve loved cooking for John and Gregg but it’s been absolutely nerve-racking and waiting for their feedback during tastings feels like an eternity! They are such a pleasure to cook for.
‘No matter how stressful this competition can be, it’s been fantastic. It’s been one of the greatest experiences of my life and all I know is, I have to involve cooking in my future.’
Brin stated that he would “love” to work in the culinary sector as a cookbook author or chef for supper clubs and private dining.
Previous champions of MasterChef include Thomasina Miers, Peter Bayless, James Nathan, Mat Follas, Dhruv Baker, Tim Anderson, Shelina Permalloo, Saliha Mahmood Ahmed, Kenny Tutt, Irini Tzortzoglou, Thomas Frake, Tom Rhodes, and Eddie Scott.
Last year, Chariya Khattiyot won the BBC series.
MasterChef is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
