Eddie Scott has been crowned the champion of Masterchef 2022. The 30-year-old from the Midlands saw off competition from fellow finalists Pookie, 45, and Radha, 23, to lift the coveted trophy after six gruelling weeks of cooking.
The marine pilot has been a popular contestant throughout the series, with viewers describing him as "adorable". His likeability is also matched by his cooking skills, as he was described by judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace as a "culinary powerhouse" and a "future great chef" after serving up three jaw-dropping dishes in Thursday night's final.
45 chefs had entered the Masterchef kitchen in March, but this number was whittled down to three after a month and a half of inspired dishes and dramatic challenges. Wednesday night's episode even saw Gordon Ramsay make his debut on the show, which you can read more about here.
Read more: Masterchef fans are all saying the same thing as 2022 final gets underway
After being named as the winner, Eddie said: "It's everything, my whole life feels like it has been building up to this moment. I can't believe I'm standing here as Masterchef champion, wow."
He added: "All of my family will be so pleased and proud. It's been the most stressful but the most enjoyable experience. I think I've really discovered who I am as a cook. It's the best feeling ever."
Eddie grew up in Leicestershire, but currently lives in Yorkshire. His cooking is partly inspired by his childhood holidays in France as well as his Indian heritage. As a viewer of MasterChef for years, Eddie decided to enter the competition so that he could cook for a wider audience than just his family and friends.
His winning menu wowed the judges and consisted of turbot topped with caviar, tempura oyster and champagne beurre blanc; a Hyderabadi dum biriyani and his take on a St Emilion au chocolat. John described it as "stupendous" and "absolutely wonderful," while Gregg claimed that his "very, very impressive" cooking was already at a professional standard.
"He is nothing short of a culinary powerhouse," said John. "Those three dishes were delicious, exciting and opulent. Full of spice and full of love." Gregg added: "I think we've just seen the birth of a future great chef."
