MasterChef 2025 Heat 10 contestants hopefuls: MasterChef is back uncovering the country’s best amateur cooks as they battle it out in the MasterChef kitchen.
Who will be the 2025 Champion? Let’s meet the Heat 10 contenders…
Meet the MasterChef contestants
Olivia: Talent Acquisitions Manager, age 36
Lives in London. Olivia was born and raised in Naples, Italy. She has also lives in the US, Portugal Spain and the Maldives.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
Italian with influences from all the places I have lived.
How did you get into cooking? Earliest cooking memory?
I started with my Nonna when I was a child and haven’t stopped since then.
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with and why?
I love cooking seasonal, fresh ingredients. Especially Octopus that I fish myself in the summer in Naples.
Why did you enter MasterChef this year? Do you have a dream of working in the food world? What is it?
I entered MasterChef this year, to expand my cooking audience on socials, write a book, do cooking events, maybe one day own a restaurant.
Gabriel: Head of E- Commerce-Fashion, age 31
Lives in London with his family. Gabriel was born and raised in Brazil. He has lived in Londrina in Brazil, London and Surrey for university.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
My mother and aunties inspired my cooking. Food is tied to celebration and is an ingredient to happy memories for me. Therefore, the style of cooking I’ve acquired is one of comfort food, large portions and crowed favourites. I like to host my friends whenever I can. I tend to always have something to welcome them with, from a homemade focaccia to a charcuterie board as I’m a big lover of cheeses. Cooking while hosting is great so in an open plan kitchen/diner I’m always connected with my guests. Pastas are crowd pleasers and quick to assemble so I have a couple of recipes always at the ready. Brazilian food can take a while as we tend to have several dishes. It can include rice, beans, potato salad, green leaf salad, with sometimes two or more proteins and table side condiments. So when cooking Brazilian I tend to start early.
How did you get into cooking? Earliest cooking memory?
My mother worked a lot so I took on the cooking role in the house as young as 13. My earliest memory of interacting with food was sorting through black and pinto beans we would buy at the market in Brazil.
Since I was four or five years old on Sundays I would go to my grandmother’s house and sit at the table with her selecting the good beans and washing them for cooking. One of the dishes I remember fondly is a beef roulade with madeira sauce that my aunt Ivone used to make. Such a nice treat and the first dish I remember as a child.
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with and why?
My favourite ingredient is garlic, it’s such a diverse ingredient and we use it a lot in Brazilian cuisine. It brightens the food and adds a unique signature profile, it’s hard to find someone who does not like garlic.
Why did you enter MasterChef this year?
I tried a couple of times before and finally got chosen to go on this year’s MasterChef UK. I have been eager to see myself in the MasterChef kitchen and prove to myself I can cook as well as most while under an immense amount of pressure.
Do you have a dream of working in the food world? What is it?
Ideally, I would like to be a full-time eater, taste all the greatest dishes out there to enjoy. If I were to open up my own restaurant it would be one that blends all things Brazilian soul food and experimental fusion.
Ali: Professor, age 31
Lives in Cambridge with his wife. Ali was born and raised in Bath. He has also lived in London.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
A mixture of different styles, including classical European, South Asian, and East Asian cuisine, as well as a fusion between those three styles.
How did you get into cooking? Earliest cooking memory?
I started cooking from a young age, helping my mum and grandma in the kitchen, as well as cooking for the family.
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with and why?
Miso – it can transform very simple dishes into super moreish meals for a quick weekday lunch or dinner. I love to mix it with butter and drizzle on mushrooms.
Why did you enter MasterChef this year?
I’ve been enjoying cooking for a while now and wanted to go on MasterChef to try and learn some more about the craft.
Mel: Software Developer, age 62
Lives in St Albans with his fiancé Sophie. Mel was born and raised in Lowestoft. He lived in London during his 20s which is where he was introduced to fine dining and learned to love food as an experience. He also lived in Cambridgeshire for a significant period and this is where his daughter and eldest son were born.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
I love to play with classic dishes and then add a twist of modern simplicity to the presentation. The goal is always to make my food seem effortless and then surprise with flavour and depth.
Waste matters a lot and I’ve been inspired by chefs like Marcus Wareing to respect every part of every ingredient.
I would say I cook mostly European food with a love of Italy but more recently I’m inspired by Middle Eastern recipes and flavours.
How did you get into cooking?
I got into cooking when I found myself single with two small children to look after and didn’t want to be the dad that simply relied on takeout and child friendly restaurants. I wanted to re-create home as much as possible, so that meant learning to cook as I believe mealtimes are fundamental to building family.
I was fortunate enough to visit a Gordon Ramsey restaurant in the late ’90s. Before that, food was simply fuel. Honestly, I have never tasted anything like that meal I ate in the restaurant. My entire attitude to food changed and I’ve never stopped tasting since.
Earliest cooking memory?
My earliest memory would be at middle school when I was around nine or ten and making bread and stuffed tomatoes!
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with and why?
Garlic and anchovies. They’re fundamental flavourings and as I cook a lot of Italian inspired dishes, they’re almost always to hand.
Why did you enter MasterChef this year?
MasterChef is a show I’ve followed for so many years, and you can’t help but think you could do better than some of the contestants, given a chance! Also, I’ve had family and friends telling me for years that they thought I could do rather well on the show, so I just thought “Let’s see if they are right!” I had applied once before so I just thought I would give it another shot. After 20 years of cooking, from a complete novice (Spag Bol seemed a triumph) to the cook I have become that will confidently host friends, I am determined to keep learning and experience as many different aspects of cooking as I can.
Do you have a dream of working in the food world? What is it?
If I did work in the food industry, it would be a social media channel to teach simple techniques and dishes to inspire all the suddenly single dads out there to cook. Not just for themselves and their own health but mostly for their children. I really do believe that shared, home cooked food is the most compelling way to show someone that you love them. And isn’t love what children need the most? Especially when other areas of their lives are so full of uncertainty.
Zee: Jeweller, age 46
In Lancashire with her husband Pete, her son William and their dog Ash who is the favourite in the house! Zee was born in Toronto, Canada but grew up in Lancashire.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
I’m a feeder, I love to cook food that pleases large numbers so we can all enjoy a meal together. I want to cook food which still gives me the chance to be present at the table. So meals with a lot of prep in the run-up like pastas, risottos, roasted and slow cooked meats. Dishes packed full of love and flavour. I’m known for rich flavours and luxurious ingredients. I believe in using the best possible produce – home grown where I can, it’s not always successful but we try our best. High welfare standard meats and local butchers are a priority too.
I love to try all sorts of cuisine from Chinese to Italian, Indian, Mexican and classic French. I don’t really do fusion style, just food people like eating!
How did you get into cooking? Earliest cooking memory?
I’ve always cooked, from being very young. I can remember watching my mum make sauces from scratch and learning my own as soon as I could. Ready Steady Cook was a firm TV show favourite after school too, and I can still remember recipes from the show that I took on board.
My mum cooked a lot from scratch at home and watching her work made me want to get my hands on the ingredients and see what I could do. The first dish I made without a recipe, just with feeling, was a chicken stir fry. I thought I had used too much soy but got away with it. The family ate it all, I still remember how happy I was watching them eat it.
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with and why?
It’s almost impossible to choose a favourite ingredient! Eggs are incredible, and versatile – from cakes to pasta, and all the incredible deserts. Plus there’s nothing quite like a simple poached egg on toast is there. But then there’s mushrooms, with so many varieties and possibilities for accompaniments with deep flavour following over into the truffles too. Then there’s eastern spices, I love the freedom of bringing them together in varying levels of heat and flavour profiles. I could talk about my favourite ingredients for pages and pages. I simply love to eat and love to cook with old favourites and to discover new possibilities!
Why did you enter MasterChef this year?
I entered MasterChef because I’d made a promise to my ten-year-old son, William, after years of encouragement from my family and supportive husband – and some nagging from my Dad – to finally give it a go. My Dad, who sadly passed away in July, was constantly telling me “you should apply,” “you should work in food,” “you should open a restaurant,” right up until very recently, even as his health declined. It became a bit of a family joke, but he would have loved to see me take part, and while I can’t share this with him, I know he’d be so proud. William is still my number one supporter and he is already enjoying learning to cook alongside me which means the world to me. Showing him that doing something outside of your comfort zone and giving it your best no matter what was my sole motivation and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity the programme gave me to do that.
Do you have a dream of working in the food world? What is it?
If I could have any job with food I would want to travel and experience the food of different areas and cultures with my son, engaging more young people with the vast flavours and styles out in the world. The dumbing down of young people’s diets and the amount of UHP food consumed makes me sad when there are so many wonderful things to discover and eat!
Molly: Assistant Psychologist, age 30
Lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with her husband and their dog. Molly was born and raised in Bristol. She went to university in Bath.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
My style of cooking is one that is influenced by many corners of the globe. But it’s important to me that it’s the best British produce that takes centre stage in everything I cook. I focus on creating delicious dishes that are nutrient dense and beneficial for optimal gut health. This has led me down a rabbit hole of fascinating techniques; fermentation and pickling and using as many plants as possible. I think carefully about creating dishes for pure enjoyment and health, without restriction. I always use whole ingredients, try to minimise waste and if I cook with fish or meat, I do my best to source it as ethically and sustainably as possible.
I love the work of Tim Spector and Dr Kimberly Wilson. Their work on understanding the importance of feeding your gut and the impact that this has on your physical and mental health is inspiring, and proves how essential a diverse diet, rich in nutrients, plays a huge part in our wellbeing and longevity. I also love the food of Yotam Ottolenghi. His sharing style, middle eastern dishes provide such great centrepieces to a social gathering.
How did you get into cooking?
I learned a lot about traditional home cooking from my mum and my maternal grandma. There are certain recipes that are my grandma’s which I use (ginger biscuits, runner bean chutney). All family gatherings have been and still are centred around delicious meals and everyone in my family cooks from scratch.
Earliest cooking memory?
I have been fortunate to travel frequently, particularly in Europe. My early memories of holidays in Greece, eating Greek salads and souvlaki by the beach really stand out as key moments. There was one time where I watched fresh swordfish that had just been caught, cooked on a BBQ next to me, drizzled with olive oil and then served minutes later. It captured my love for celebrating each ingredient and taught me that the most satisfying, delicious and nourishing food is often that which is prepared as close to its origin as possible.
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with and why?
Miso paste is super versatile. I use it to add depth to stews and soups, in salad dressings and in desserts.
Why did you enter MasterChef this year?
Since losing my dad suddenly a few years ago, I have been living life as fully as possible and applying for MasterChef was something that I had always thought about doing. I feel as though this experience, the trauma and the grief, has changed the way I live my life. It is deeply sad, and I still have days that I find very challenging, but I also seize more opportunities, experience so much joy in the small things in life and am incredibly grateful for each day I spend in this beautiful world.
Do you have a dream of working in the food world? What is it?
I have always loved cooking, and I am at a stage in my career with psychology that I am expanding my practice and skillset. Food is about to become a central part of the therapeutic advice I offer. I am currently studying Nutritional Therapy and Gut Health Restoration. My goal is to be able to offer a broad, holistic approach to wellbeing, and the food we eat plays a pivotal part in that.
I would love to have my own business that promotes nutrition for your mind and body, through delicious food combined with therapeutic practices. I would develop workshops, cookbooks, and host demos and private events that centre around educating people on the importance of eating whole foods in a rich and diverse diet. I also recognise that there are barriers to eating whole foods (such as education and affordability) so a large part of what I aim to do is geared towards accessibility, inclusivity and education.
Masterchef continues tonight at 8pm on BBC1.
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.