By Grace Henry

Published: Wednesday, 23 March 2022 at 12:00 am

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This March, 45 new chefs will enter the MasterChef kitchen with the hope of becoming this year’s champion.

To begin with, they’ll compete in five heats of nine contestants and be tasked with cooking several dishes.

They’ll be hoping to impress judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace in order to secure a place in the semi-final and progress to the final, where the winner will be crowned.

So, who are the chefs taking on the challenge? And what are their cooking skills like?

As season 18 begins on BBC One, here are all the chefs in the first heat who will be stepping into the kitchen in Week One.

We’ll keep you updated on the Heat 2 contestants as soon as we know.

MasterChef 2022 contestants

Heat 1

Clive

Age: 50

Job: School facilities manager

From: Chafford Hundred, near Grays

Clive is a school facilities manager. He is married with three children, aged 24, 23 and 18.

“I predominantly focus on Caribbean cooking but am happy to try my hand at everything, including Thai, Italian and Chinese cuisine,” he says.

“I take inspiration from my family, and the food I ate as a child but also where I have travelled to as an adult. I’d love to be able to elevate Caribbean cooking and bring it into a fine dining setting. This is what I hope I can show in the competition.”

Eddie

BBC

Age: 30

Job: Marine pilot

From: Beverley, Yorkshire

Eddie is a marine pilot from Yorkshire. As a child he travelled to France, which inspired his love for the classic regional dishes of France.

He says: “My Indian heritage also plays a huge part in my cooking style. I love to cook the Punjabi dishes I grew up eating with my family. But my real passion is the great Mughlai cuisine: the historic royal dishes of Old Delhi, Lucknow and Hyderabad. I also love to combine classic techniques with Indian flavours, creating my own fusion.”

Haylee

BBC

Age: 29

Job: Events manager

From: London

Haylee is an events manager from London. She lives with her boyfriend, and her cooking is inspired by her Jamaican-Finnish heritage.

“My mum is Finnish, my dad’s family is Jamaican and I grew up in the UK so I am a Fimaican! My cooking is a combination of my heritage. I love the big bold flavours of Caribbean food but also the lighter touches of Nordic dishes,” she says.

“I’ve always wanted to work in the food industry and competing in MasterChef is a way to see if that can become a reality. It’s a test of my skills and a test of how I handle the pressure.”

Laura

BBC

Age: 32

Job: Politics student

From: Bath

Laura’s big passion is Sri Lankan soul food.

She says: “My mum is Sri Lankan and is a wonderful cook. I love recreating the dishes I grew up eating and those I’ve tried whilst visiting family in Sri Lanka. I have a 110-year-old cookbook that has been passed down in my family so I love working my way through that.

“Having been a single mum for a few years now, I wanted to finally do something for myself. Cooking for my friends became a weekly tradition. My friend encouraged me to send in the application and I ended up here!”

Lisa

BBC

Age: 39

Job: Cleaning business owner

From: Killearn, north of Glasgow

Lisa owns her own cleaning business in Killearn. She lives with her wife Rachel, and between them they have four children who are 19, 17, 13 and eight.

“I’d say I’m quite a classical cook. I like cooking hearty dishes but in a fine dining way. I particularly love cooking with game, taking inspiration from the amazing Scottish produce I’m surrounded by. And any opportunity to make burgers and barbecue, I take it,” Lisa says.

Paul

BBC

Age: 53

Job: Builder (ex police officer)

From: Christchurch, Dorset

Paul is a builder. He lives in Christchurch with his girlfriend.

“I love cooking a whole range of dishes from all over the world, and also traditional British dishes, all with the focus of packing a punch with flavour. Living on the coast I cook a lot of seafood and I also take massive pride in making really good sauces,” Paul says.

Pookie

BBC

Age: 45

Job: Beauty salon owner

From: Solihull

Pookie is a beauty salon owner, who lives in Solihull with her husband. She was born in Bangkok, Thailand and moved to the UK after her degree.

“I am Thai with Chinese heritage and although this has a huge influence on my cooking, I don’t limit myself to Thai-Chinese food. I like cooking international foods but love introducing my own style with all the foods I’ve cooked. Most of all I want my food to be flavoursome, delicious, fun and put a smile on people’s faces,” she says.

Rachel

BBC

Age: 22

Job: Beer bike tour guide

From: Belfast

Rachel is originally from Derry. She now lives with her fiancé in Belfast.

“I love using interesting ingredients. My dad once drove 80 miles to drop off some fresh nettles from his garden for me to cook with! My nana was a baker by trade and my mum is a fantastic cook. My fiancé’s mother was a chef in her younger years and she was definitely my main inspiration to cook,” she says.

Rishi

BBC

Age: 26

Job: Dentist

From: Pinner, Harrow

Rishi is a dentist from Pinner, Harrow. He grew up in North West London but lived in Bristol for five years whilst he was at university. He now lives at home with his mum and dad.

“I’ve been a vegetarian all my life and really want to showcase the potential that vegetarian and vegan food really has, especially with a fusion of pan-Asian flavours,” he says.

MasterChef starts on BBC One on Wednesday 23rd March at 8pm and you can catch up on BBC iPlayer. To find out what’s on telly tonight, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.

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