MasterChef crowns 20th winner in 'best final ever'

What did you miss?

MasterChef has crowned its 20th winner - Brin Pirathapan, who fought off tough competition in a showstopping final.

The veterinary surgeon fought off tough competition from circus performer Chris Willoughby and farmer Louise Lyons Macleod, impressing with his Sri Lankan-inspired flavours.

Chris stunned viewers with a circus-themed menu, while Louise stuck to her roots of showcasing local ingredients at their best.

What, how and why?

Veterinary surgeon Brin Pirathapan has been named the 2024 MasterChef champion – the BBC cooking contest's 20th winner, in what judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace called the "best final" they had ever seen.

Torode said: "Twenty years we've been doing MasterChef, that has been the best final we've ever done."

Viewers agreed on social media as one person said: "This must be the best final of #MasterChef," and someone else wrote: "These all look insanely amazing."

As they announced Brin was the winner, he looked completely shocked and said: "I am absolutely chuffed to bits. The experience itself has been incredible but to top it off with this has just been the best thing ever."

Wallace said: "Brin is unique, one of the cleverest talents I've ever seen." He praised the chef's unusual flavour combinations.

Talking about his winning menu which featured the flavours of his family's Sri Lankan roots, Brin said: "I'm a big mix of my background and my culture and all the opportunities my parents have given me. They've been incredible, I've done it for them. It's kind of sinking in and sinking out, but when it sinks in it's amazing."

Brin's menu included a starter of octopus with honey and orange, a main course of venison, a short rib tart, beetroot and celeriac, and a white chocolate and cardamom dessert with mango, lime and chilli sorbet.

Chris looked to his background as a circus performer with a starter titled The Tightrope Walker featuring Japanese custard, raw sea urchin and flying fish roe. His main course – The Acrobat – was red mullet, frogs' legs and squid ink tuille, while his dessert was called The Clown and was a berry sugar sphere with green apple candy floss and liquorice ice cream.

Louise served ingredients inspired by her Exmouth farm and Scottish family, with a starter of parsnip and cheese, a main course of venison, turnips and a venison tartlet, and for dessert a whisky and heather mousse with blackberry and pepper sorbet.

One viewer commented: "Fabulous Masterchef final. All 3 finalists did really well but Brin was a very worthy winner." Someone else agreed: "Brin was peerless, all cooked well but Brin was different gravy."

What else happened on MasterChef?

Brin might have been the winner, but viewers were all talking about Chris's main course The Acrobat - particularly the very muscular-looking frogs' legs featured on the plate.

One viewer commented on X: "The way those frog legs were presented will haunt my dreams." as someone else wrote: "Were the frog's legs doing the can-can?"

However, lots of viewers admitted that while finding Chris's cooking impressive, they weren't sure they would order it.

One person wrote: "Amazing skill, imagination and presentation, Chris. Wouldn’t eat it though." Someone else added: "Chris's food looked amazing but I couldn't eat any of it."

Another viewer wrote: "Oh @Chrisalyscircus was really hoping for you keep going and get your crazy restaurant open. I’d come but your food terrifies me oh and the clowns nose bloody genius!"

MasterChef's full series is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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