After five weeks in the MasterChef kitchen, the MasterChef: The Professionals winner has been revealed.
Dan Lee, 29, was named as the 2021 champion, making him the 15th winner of the BBC One series.
“It’s an overwhelming feeling. It’s incredible. This competition has meant everything. It’s built my confidence and now I really know what it means to back yourself,” he said following his win.
Marcus Wareing – who has been a long-standing judge on the series – commented: “I think Dan is a fantastic chef. For me, he is a star in the making.”
Fellow judge Monica Galetti said: “He has given exciting, innovative flavours on a plate.”
Gregg Wallace added: “Dan found his style, he worked on it, he got stronger and better and better.”
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Dan was the first of 32 professionals through the doors of the MasterChef kitchen, battling it out for the gastronomic glory.
He managed to win the three judges over with his Asian and Modern European style of cooking. In the Critics Round during the Quarter Final, Jimi Famurewa loved his sauce, calling it “almost delirious”.
He also was congratulated by leading UK chefs during the competition including at the Chef’s Table where Matt Abé described the chicken feet in his dish as “outstanding” and Nieves Barragan Mohacho told Dan they were on a “different level”. Ollie Dabbous said his dim sum were “delicious across the board”.
And during the final, Dan well and truly outdid himself with his three courses, which Marcus dubbed “a final like no other”.
For starters, the 29-year-old served his take on a classic ‘Singapore Chilli Crab’ – a Mantou deep-fried Bao Bun topped with Crab, Chilli Oil, Nashi Pear, Lime Juice, Salted Egg Yolk and Szechuan Pepper, topped with a Squid Ink Tuile, served with a Soft Shell Crab Tempura and Basil Cream with Crab and Chilli Oil.
The main course was ‘Singapore Chicken Rice’ – Chicken Breast stuffed with Chicken Thigh Mince, Sesame Oil, Spring Onion, Ginger and Thai Pandan Leaves, Choi Sum – a Chinese cabbage blanched in garlic, chilli and oyster sauce – a Red Chilli Sambal Sauce, Chicken-Infused Steamed Rice with Garlic and Ginger, and a Chicken and Pandan Leaf Broth.
To finish, Dan delivered a dessert of Smoked Hay Treacle Tart, filled with Yuzu Curd-toasted Breadcrumbs, Pickled Ginger, Clotted Cream Ice Cream, Japanese Shiso Leaves, Shiso Crumb and Smoked Hay Butter Tuiles. Monica reacted with: “It’s just a wonderful dessert.”
Talking about his MasterChef: The Professionals experience, Dan said: “It’s been such an incredible time on MasterChef – intense, stressful and so exhilarating. I feel over the moon and so proud to have reached this point. I love what I do, but sometimes struggle to completely back myself and have full confidence in my food, so to get here is mind-blowing.”
MasterChef: The Professionals is available to watch on the BBC iPlayer. Want something else to watch? Check out our full TV Guide or visit our Entertainment hub for the latest news.
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