Winner crowned in MasterChef: The Professionals
Alex Webb has been crowned as the winner of MasterChef: The Professionals.
The 25-year-old chef impressed in the series finale after being tasked with creating a three-course meal for judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace.
After being announced as the winner, Webb said: “It is the best feeling I have ever had in my life.
“To walk away with the trophy is incredible. I am so proud.”
Webb, who was born in Essex, works as head chef in a restaurant he started working in as a pot wash when he was 15.
Webb added: “I decided to enter MasterChef because I wanted to see how far I could go; winning is something I will always be very proud of.
“I really wanted it and all the blood, sweat and tears and sleepless nights have paid off.”
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He said he has “lots of ideas for a book” and would like to do more television work.
“I will continue to work in the restaurant I do now, and I would like to keep learning and pushing myself,” he added.
“Then, hopefully one day, I will be able to achieve my big dream of owning my own restaurant.”
🍽 Pan-seared trout, with flavours of parsnip and parsley👨🍳 Alex🗣 "What a cracking piece of work" – @marcuswareing#MasterChefUK pic.twitter.com/CBAX2kxL3b
— MasterChef UK 🍴 (@MasterChefUK) December 17, 2020
He saw off competition from Bart and Santosh in the final of the BBC programme.
For his three-course meal, Webb made a scallop ceviche with an artichoke and pickled pear tartare with yoghurt foam, parsley powder and capers.
For his main course he made pan seared trout with a number of parsnip sides, plus a mussel and caviar cream sauce alongside a mini potato fish pie.
For dessert he made a white chocolate passionfruit dome.
Wareing said: “Today was Alex’s finest day. We have seen a young chef come of age.
“He is a brilliant young chef, I love his thirst for knowledge, and he has cooked beyond his years.
“MasterChef is about the next generation and for me as a chef I see Alex as the future.”
Judge Monica Galetti said: “Alex’s food has a cheeky sense of humour in it.
“There is a bit of Alex’s youth which comes through in his cooking which makes it very different and that is something I have really enjoyed.”
Wallace said: “He has a sense of fun our Alex, and when he brings a little bit of theatre into it he hits notes of absolute brilliance.
“He combines good cooking with style and theatre and he ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to brilliant fine dining.”
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