What MasterChef Winners Did Next and Where They Are Now?
Over the course of 30 years, MasterChef has become a British institution and a global phenomenon. The show first hit British TV screens in 1990. There have been a few name changes and years skipped, but since 2009 MasterChef has been broadcast annually on BBC1. Recent series have attracted an average audience of four million viewers.
The show has spawned several spin-offs. There have been 17 series of Celebrity MasterChef. MasterChef: The Professionals is into its 16th year and has recently been promoted to BBC 1 following growing success on BBC 2.
Thomasina Miers has had an eventful and successful time since her 2005 MasterChef victory. ©GettyImages
Even the Junior MasterChef show has been reincarnated. It is now called Young MasterChef and broadcast on BBC3. And then there have been the obligatory Christmas specials, charity specials, live shows, and a six-part documentary chronicling the show’s history, and a selection of books. Betting on MasterChef has become one of Britain’s most popular betting markets when the show is on too.
The Prize Is the Platform
Thousands of amateur cooks with aspirations to become professional chefs have applied to take part in MasterChef. Hundreds have made it onto the TV screens, but only a select few have taken the MasterChef title.
There is no cash prize for winning the primetime show, but MasterChef winners can use the title as a huge platform to launch their careers as professional chefs. How have previous MasterChef winners fared after their time in the spotlight, and what are they doing now? Read below what those past champions did next.
2005: Thomasina Miers
After a four-year hiatus and a change of name – the program was called MasterChef Goes Large for three seasons – the cooking show returned to the BBC screens in 2005 and became one of the organization’s biggest success stories.
Judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace loved Thomasina’s Miers bold and, at times, eccentric cooking style. Then 29, she had already honed her skills in Ireland’s Ballymaloe Cookery School and was a freelance cook and writer.
With a co-founder, Miers opened Wahaca, a brand that became a chain of Mexican ‘street food’ restaurants in 2006. She remained in the public eye by co-presenting and presenting Wild Gourmets, A Cook’s Tour of Spain, and Mexican Food Made Simple for Channel 4 and Channel 5.
Concurrently the MasterChef winner saw her Wahaca business thrive. By 2017 the chain had 25 branches, three bars, and two street kitchen locations. A year earlier, Miers and her co-founder were voted restaurateurs of the year by Caterer Magazine. Two years later, she was awarded an OBE by Prince William.
But all good things must come to an end. In August 2020, Wahaca announced that it was closing 10 of its 28 restaurants due to a downturn in business caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
By late 2020, with a new majority shareholder, Wahaca entered into a Company Voluntary Arrangement that led stakeholders and lenders to write off £25 million of debt. The Mexican food chain now has 13 restaurants in its portfolio.
2006: Peter Bayless
Bayless, the second oldest MasterChef winner, is now 77. He entered the show following a 40-year career as a creative director in advertising. Within months of joining the list of MasterChef winners, UK fans were able to buy Bayless’ book, ‘My Father Could Only Boil Cornflakes’. The publication gave readers a behind-the-scenes account of the winner’s experiences on MasterChef.
Now, on LinkedIn, Bayless states: “Since winning BBC MasterChef 2006 I have become a full-time independent chef working directly for clients in the UK and France. I teach frequently at four of this country’s top cookery schools, demonstrate at food fairs, etc., and appear live on TV and radio”.
2007: Steven Wallis
Seeking culinary adventures, MasterChef winner Steven Wallis packed his utensils and traveled the world following his victory. He now lists himself as a “writer, private chef, and flavor consultant”.
He has worked with Sainsbury’s, The Co-Op, Rachel’s Organic, and the 2 Sisters Food Group (producers of packaged foods including Goodfellas Pizzas and Fox’s Biscuits). Wallis currently produces recipe kits for the home delivery start-up Chefs For Foodies.
2008: James Nathan
The barrister turned cook who won MasterChef in 2008 as the bookmaker’s favorite continued to hone his craft by taking a role at Bentleys Oyster Bar in Piccadilly, London, and at the Michael Caines-owned Bath Priory in Bath. He later worked as a chef at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow and had a short-lived spell as a restaurant owner in Cornwall.
When it closed, Nathan took a head chef role at the St Enodoc Hotel (also in Cornwall). He now works as a restaurant consultant and private chef, creating bespoke food for events and weddings.
2009: Mat Follas
New Zealand-born Mat Follas briefly returned to his IT job after his success. But the MasterChef winner opened The Wild Garlic in Beaminster, Dorset, in 2009. The restaurant quickly gained notoriety – it was awarded two AA Rosettes and was recommended in both The Good Food Guide and The Michelin Guide. Sadly an unavoidable change of venue was not well received, and the restaurant closed in late 2013.
Follas, who has published three books: ‘Fish’, ‘Vegetable Perfection’, and ‘Afternoon Tea’, now runs foraging and gin-making courses and, two nights a week, opens and cooks at his new restaurant, ‘Bramble’, in Sherborne, Dorset.
2010: Dhruv Baker
The Mexican-born, Indian-raised Baker was formerly working in media sales. Becoming a MasterChef winner allowed him to gain employment with Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche and De Librije in Holland.
In 2014 he released his cookbook ‘Spice: Layers of Flavour’. Now, in partnership with MasterChef UK 2011 finalist Tom Whitiker, he runs Tempus Foods, which makes high-end charcuterie.
2011: Tim Anderson
The youngest of all MasterChef winners, Anderson, an American-born craft beer bar manager, impressed judges by using elements of Japanese cooking in his dishes and had stints at Le Gavroche and the Fat Duck after his MasterChef success.
In 2015, Tim opened two Nanban restaurants in London, but he left the business in 2021 stating: “My priorities now have shifted to focus on my family, my cookbooks, and other opportunities”. His books, ‘Your Home Izakaya’, ‘Vegan Japaneasy’, ‘Tokyo Stories’, ‘Japaneasy’, and ‘Nanban: Japanese Soul Food’, have all sold well.
2012: Shelina Permalloo
Shelina Permalloo’s career has headed in a similar direction to Anderson’s. Her CV since winning MasterChef includes two books, plenty of TV work – on Lorraine, This Morning, Sunday Brunch, The Food Network – and head chef duties in a handful of quality London-based restaurants.
A panelist on Radio 4’s The Kitchen Cabinet and sometime judge on MasterChef, Permalloo opened her own restaurant, Lakaz Maman (a Mauritian Street Kitchen) in Southampton in April 2016. It still operates today.
2013: Natalie Coleman
A year after her MasterChef victory, Londoner Natalie Coleman wrote her cookbook, ‘Winning Recipes: For Every Day’. She also teamed up with the runners-up from her series, Dale Williams and Larkie Cen, to write ‘MasterChef: The Finalists Cookbook’.
Originally a credit controller and techno DJ, Coleman runs cookery courses for children during the school holidays and she has broadened her knowledge by working in some of the UK’s finest restaurants. These include Le Gavroche (Michel Roux Jr), Viajante (Nuno Mendes), St Johns (Fergus Henderson), The Kitchin (Tom Kitchen), L’enclume (Simon Rogan) and The Berkeley Hotel (Marcus Wareing).
2014: Ping Coombes
Malaysian-born Ping Coombes was made redundant shortly before taking part in MasterChef. Since her victory, she has been in big demand. Now running street food classes, appearing at food festivals, and pop-up at restaurants, her obligatory cookbook was given the title: ‘Malaysia: Recipes From A Family Kitchen’.
Ping had a role as a culinary partner for Scott Dunn – the premium travel operator – where she designed its winter and summer menus and trained its chefs. She also served as executive chef of Ping Pan-Asian, located in Selfridges, London. In December 2021, she justified cramped betting odds to see off other MasterChef winners to claim the BBC’s MasterChef Champion of Champions title.
2015: Simon Wood
Following his MasterChef win, Wood, a former data manager, was appointed executive chef at Oldham Athletic FC and Oldham Event Centre working across fine dining events in the club and masterclasses.
His first cookbook, ‘At Home with Simon Wood’ was published in 2016. A year later he opened the first of his three ‘Woods Restaurants’ in Manchester. He now owns and operates two other venues in Chester and Cheltenham.
2016: Jane Devonshire
One of the most memorable MasterChef winners – bravely opening up on her 10-year cancer battle during her time on the show – the mother of four has created her own website and posts recipes and blogs about her culinary delights.
Devonshire has taken a keen interest in preparing gluten-free meals because her son was diagnosed with Coeliac disease aged two. This led to the penning of two gluten-free cookbooks, and Coeliac UK appointed her as its ambassador to spearhead the national charity’s Awareness Week in 2020.
2017: Saliha Mahmood Ahmed
After Doctor Saliha Mahmood Ahmed won MasterChef in 2017, she attended various food shows across the UK and hosted cookery classes. But she continued working as a doctor and fulfilled her dream of working in gastroenterology at Watford Hospital.
Her 2018 book, ‘Khazana’, won the Observer Food Monthly Best Cookbook of the Year. Subsequent books have received excellent reviews. Saliha was also the winner of the ‘Best Chef’ title at the British Restaurant Awards 2019. Her latest book, ‘The Kitchen Prescription’ was released in April 2023.
2018: Kenny Tutt
Once a bank manager in Brighton, Tutt turned his back on his career of 17 years after his success in MasterChef. Kenny now offers private dining and also hosts live cookery shows at food events and festivals.
One of the only MasterChef UK winners not to publish a book, Tutt and his wife also run their own restaurant in Worthing, West Sussex. They also opened a food truck during the Coronavirus pandemic. Serving food such as wild boar sausages and mash, and a herb chicken dish, it can still be found on the streets of Sussex.
2019: Irini Tzortzoglou
Greek-born and a former banker, Irini Tzortzoglou won the first all-female final. In the process she became the oldest MasterChef winner, she was 61. The MasterChef 2019 winner has not followed in the footsteps of most previous winners in opening her own restaurant.
Tzortzoglou has been active in showcasing Greek food at festivals and on Facebook and Instagram. Touched by the plight of university students during the Covid lockdowns, she has also designed a program of nutrition and cooking classes called Uni Yum.
2020: Thomas Frake
The MasterChef 2020 winner was unfortunate not to make the media rounds that usually act as a victory lap for winners. The Covid pandemic put paid to these appearances, albeit he has since appeared on The One Show and Saturday Kitchen.
Frake has ambitions to run a gastro-pub and publish a cookbook. For now, he writes recipe features for Delicious Magazine and The Observer. He has partnered with Sainsbury’s and has returned to MasterChef as a guest judge.
2021: Tom Rhodes
Tom Rhodes, the MasterChef winner in 2021, entered the show as an assistant manager at Nando’s. He still works in Nandos, explaining he “needs the security of a regular wage”. But the 32-year-old MasterChef winner has a sideline as a private chef, and he has garnered a big following on social media where he shares his most recent recipes.
2022: Eddie Scott
Scott, a 31-year-old former navigation officer in the Merchant Navy, fended off 44 rival amateur cooks to take the MasterChef 2022 UK title. Afterward, he said: “It’s everything. My whole life I feel has been building up to this moment. I can’t believe I’m standing here as the MasterChef champion. I feel like I’ve just discovered who I am as a cook. It’s the best feeling ever”.
His MasterChef 2022 success saw Scott turn to cooking full-time and he secured a position in London’s Restaurant Gordon Ramsey – it is a renowned three-star Michelin establishment. Other doors are opening for the Yorkshireman. During the spring of 2023, he was booked to create special dishes and host cooking demonstrations at the renowned Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort.
