20th MasterChef winner is crowned

May 22 – Veterinary surgeon, Brin Pirathapan, has claimed the prestigious title of MasterChef Champion 2024, triumphing at the end of the 20th series of TV’s biggest cooking competition. Brin was awarded the coveted MasterChef trophy by judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace on BBC One.

Becoming part of MasterChef history, 28-year-old Brin (now 29) joins two decades of outstanding champions – 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, Eddie Scott, and last year’s champion, Chariya Khattiyot.

Cooking his way past 57 other culinary competitors after eight weeks of increasingly tough challenges, Brin’s high stakes cook-off was in the Final Three, against the exceptional runners-up, Louise Lyons Macleod, 44, (43 while filming) and Chris Willoughby, 44.

John told the finalists: “Twenty years, we’ve been doing MasterChef. That is the best final we’ve ever done.”

On his win, Brin reacted with: “I’m absolutely chuffed to bits. I can’t breathe! I’m a big mix of my background, my culture and all the opportunities my parents have given me. They’ve been incredible and I’ve done it for them as much as I’ve done it for myself. The experience itself has been incredible and to top it off with this is just the most amazing thing, ever.”

MasterChef judge, John Torode, says: “Brin is an extraordinary cook and an amazing talent. He takes combinations that don’t sound like they belong together, but they actually work. Today, he’s delivered three absolutely sensational courses that could grace the table of any restaurant up and down the land.”

MasterChef judge, Gregg Wallace, commented: “These are ingredient combinations that Brin is inventing. That makes him dangerously clever. He’s got technique, he’s got creativity. In my experience, Brin is unique. One of the cleverest talents I’ve ever, ever seen.”

In an exhilarating and intense final week, MasterChef has offered Brin on the trip of a lifetime with the Final Four, travelling to Singapore – one of the world’s most vibrant and multicultural food cities. Brin took on a trio of challenges: celebrating Singapore’s dizzying array of ingredients at a hawker market, cooking for discerning locals under the godfather of Singapore heritage cuisine, chef Damian D’Silva; producing a spectacular dish from Michelin-starred Chef Malcolm Lee’s high-end menu at his most recent restaurant Pangium; and finally, taking what they’d learned cooking at Singaporean stoves to host a VIP lunch of their own creation, at the five-star Fullerton Bay Hotel, for some of the island’s leading culinary figures.

An incredible Chef’s Table then took place at Le Gavroche, one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, at the forefront of gastronomy for the last 35 years. Brin had the honour of cooking for one of the iconic restaurant’s last ever services – guided by Michel Roux Jr. himself. Taking on one of the Le Gavroche’s star dishes, Brin served illustrious diners including revered chefs who have grafted in the same kitchen – legendary three-star chef Pierre Koffmann, MasterChef’s Monica Galetti and Michel Roux Jr.’s daughter and chef, Emily, who said of Brin’s lamb raviolo dish: “This was amazing. For an amateur chef, this is pretty mind-blowing”. The penultimate test back at the MasterChef kitchen was to create one exceptional dish dedicated to something or someone they love – food that comes straight from the heart.

The Final Three took on the most high-pressured challenge of the competition – cooking the best three-course meal of their lives to prove to John and Gregg that their culinary skill, determination and creativity could earn them the MasterChef title.

Brin’s winning menu started 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, on a romesco sauce. Gregg told Brin: “It’s delightful. This is a beautiful piece of work,” and John added: “Your mind and how it works, I’m not quite sure. But I’d eat the whole plate. I’d eat three plates.”

The main course was spiced venison loin, beef short-rib and pickled mushroom tartlet, celeriac and miso purée, salt-baked beetroot and pak choi, served with a gochujang and red wine sauce split with a herb oil. John reacted with: “You eat it and your palate comes alive… …it’s a huge amount of work and it tastes delicious,” and Gregg said to Brin: “I could dip venison into your sauce all day long. I think your ideas are absolutely inspired.”

Brin finished his menu with a dessert of white chocolate and cardamom and saffron cremeux, with pistachio meringue shards, whisky-poached mango, raspberry gel, pistachio crumb and a mango, lime and chili sorbet. Gregg commented: “My friend, the warmest congratulations on an absolutely knock-out of a dessert,” and added after the tasting: “I so admire your courage. You are such a brave cook. Don’t ever change.”

Brin grew up in Chelmsford, Essex and moved to Bristol for his veterinary studies, where he still lives with his fiancé, Anna – who he says is his biggest supporter (and occasional critic).

He credits his parents, who are originally from Sri Lanka, for inspiring his love of food and flavour: “Cooking definitely runs in my family. I’m really lucky that I’ve got this amazing spicy culinary background from my parents. They are great cooks and I’ve been lucky enough to be treated to amazing Tamil Sri Lankan flavours throughout my life.”

alking about what drives his creativity in the kitchen, he added: “The areas of cooking I love are truly an amalgamation of my Tamil Sri Lankan heritage and my British upbringing. I have a passion for creating dishes with bold flavours but refining them to high standards with European techniques. I like to pull flavour combinations from all over the world and create balanced dishes.”

Looking back over his time on MasterChef, Brin says: “My personal highlight of the competition was the 20th anniversary 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”.

On his next goals, Brin says: “I’d love to have a future in the food industry. Waking up every morning knowing that I’m doing something I absolutely love would be a great feeling. It would be incredible to write a cookbook and, explore supper clubs or private dining. Longer term, I’d love food to take me all over the world. MasterChef has already given me an opportunity to cook for some of my absolute heroes – including Tom Kitchin, Monica Galetti, Pierre Koffman. I’d love to do another Chef’s Table for some more of the greats and see what they really think of my food! I feel like I’ve got so much more to learn and this is hopefully just the beginning.”