MasterChef 2024 winner: Bristol's veterinary surgeon Brin crowned champion as winning dish revealed

Brin has been crowned the winner of the iconic BBC One series MasterChef. The 28-year-old veterinary surgeon from Bristol fought off competition from 57 contestants over the course of an intense eight week process - including runners up Louise and Chris.

Judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode offered glowing reviews of Brin’s winning dishes. Wallace, initially sceptical about the combination of honey, orange, and octopus, was delighted by the outcome. He said: “A beautiful piece of work. I have to confess, I was deeply concerned about the honey, orange, and octopus, but I was wrong. It's delightful. The octopus is perfectly cooked with the right amount of give without any rubberiness. You've used the orange gel for sharpness as much as for sweetness. There's a chiliness and pepperiness running through, giving it a constant mild heat.”

Torode echoed the sentiment, praising the dish's complexity and Mediterranean flair. “Different flavours of the sea run through the whole plate, and then that lovely, rich flavour of the romesco makes you feel as if you're on holiday in Spain. The richness of the pepper holds the whole thing together. Your mind and how it works—I’m not quite sure I would eat just one plate; I’d eat three.”

For the main course, Brin presented a sophisticated dish of spiced venison loin, beef short rib and pickled mushroom tartlet, celeriac and miso puree, salt-baked beetroot, and pak choi, served with a gochujang, red wine, and herb oil split sauce. Torode was impressed by the dish's complexity and execution. He said: “It looks sophisticated, and when you eat it, your tongue comes alive. Your tart is delicious, the short rib pulls apart, and the pastry is crisp and light. Wonderful. It's a huge amount of work, but it tastes delicious.”

Agreeing, Wallace highlighted the perfection of the venison and the brilliance of the sauce. He said: “Your venison is perfect. It's browned on the outside and beautifully juicy and pink in the middle. That sauce is an absolute knockout. I could dip your venison in your sauce all day long. I think your ideas are absolutely inspired.”

The dessert, a white chocolate and cardamom cremeux with pistachio meringue shards, whisky-poached mango, raspberry gel, pistachio crumb, and a mango, lime, and chili sorbet, left both judges almost speechless.

Wallace praised the balance of flavours and textures. He said: “Perfect cardamom headiness, absolutely lovely. The shards are perfectly made. The warmest congratulations on an absolute knockout dessert.”

Torode, known for his discerning palate, was also thoroughly impressed. He said: “Very rarely do I find myself speechless. It's great. The sorbet is creamy and rich, paired nicely with the mango. A really delicious dessert.”

In response to the judges’ praise, Brin said: “I just wanted to give back to you what you and this competition have given to me: this incredible experience and a huge amount of learning about myself. I wanted to give you three plates that showed that journey. The fact that you understood them is just perfect.”

Wallace, moved by Brin's words and creativity, added, “I admire your courage. Please don't ever change.”

After being named the winner, Brin, who appeared shocked, said: “I am absolutely chuffed to bits. The experience itself has been incredible, but to top it off with this is just the most amazing thing ever.”