MasterChef: The Professionals crowns winner as final has fans in tears
What did you miss?
MasterChef: The Professionals viewers have said the right cook won as Dan Merriman was crowned the winner of the 2024 series.
The 29-year-old senior sous chef had been a favourite throughout the current series of the BBC cooking show, and beat George Birtwell and Chiara Tomasoni to take the title. He was emotional as his name was announced, admitting: "This whole competition has completely changed my life."
Viewers were moved too, saying that watching Dan win had them in tears.
What, how and why?
Thursday, 12 December’s show was the final instalment in the BBC series, which has aired despite the investigation following allegations that host Gregg Wallace made inappropriate comments while filming TV shows. His lawyers have said: "It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”
The three finalists were tasked with preparing a three course meal in three hours. For his starter, Dan served barbecue scallops glazed in a sumac, chilli, paprika and Turkish red pepper paste, with pickled cucumber. His main was beef with mushrooms glazed in black garlic and a truffle and mushroom ketchup, while he served up a mousse that included frozen clotted cream pearls for dessert.
Judges Wallace, Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing were blown away by Dan's culinary skills, and didn't have anything negative to say about his final meal. Galetti said his dishes made her "smile".
Dan told them: "I can't say enough to you three. You sparked something back in me which I felt when I was 17 when I first ever walked into a fine dining restaurant. I really fell back in love with food. It's life-changing, it really is. This whole competition is life-changing."
As his name was announced, he said: "I am always going to remember this, no matter what happens, no matter where life takes me."
"To walk away as MasterChef champion, it means the world to me," he went on. "There has not been that many times where I have been proud of myself in my life, but I have hit the pinnacle haven't I?"
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Fans were touched, saying that while all three finalists were incredible cooks, Dan deserved to win the series.
"So happy for Dan, from the moment we saw him, I thought he'd make the final and I picked him to win," one said on X. "What an incredible chef Dan is, so pleased he won, fully deserved," said someone else.
Another posted: "Dan is some chef. I knew he was going to win from the beginning. Super talented. He's going places." One viewer remarked: "Worthy winner. What a lovely humble bloke."
Others were emotional after hearing Dan tell how he lost his father at 17 and his mother at 22.
One commented: "What a final! Congratulations Dan, you had me tears." Somebody else wrote: "Never been as happy for a #MasterChefTheProfessionals winner. I'm in tears here. Such a humble, genuinely lovely lad. His story is incredible."
"Oh @MasterChefUK you made me cry!" said another. "The biggest congratulations to Dan. Such a brilliant series, amazing talent."
What happened with Gregg Wallace?
An investigation is taking place into historic allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Wallace, a presenter and judge on the cooking contest. He is alleged to have made inappropriate comments over 17 years of filming television programmes. His lawyers have said: "It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”
MasterChef: The Professionals has stayed on air despite the allegations, with the BBC noting that success on the series could have a huge impact for the chefs.
A BBC spokesperson said the show was “an amazing competition which is life-changing for the chefs taking part”. “The celebrity Christmas specials are obviously a different type of show and in the current circumstances we have decided not to broadcast them,” the spokesperson added.
MasterChef: The Professionals series 17 is currently available on the BBC iPlayer.
This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/masterchef-the-professionals-crowns-winner-223544536.html
