Students have a reputation for living on pasta, baked beans and Pot Noodles. But not Bobby Odu and Keziah Whittaker whose culinary skills have taken them to the final of BBC Three's Young MasterChef tonight (Monday January 23).
The duo, who are studying for degrees at the University of Nottingham, have wowed judges, Michelin-trained internet sensation Poppy O'Toole, and Kerth Gumbs, who was a finalist on Great British Menu 2020. Bobby and Keziah are up against Jordan Pomerance, a 21-year-old vegan entrepreneur from Knebworth.
Mechanical engineering student Bobby, who cooks every day and is a big fan of Southeast Asian cooking, said: "Cooking in the MasterChef kitchen is like a tough workout. It’s really difficult in the midst of it, things may not go to plan and you may feel like throwing in the towel.
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"But, if you push through, the relief and joy you feel once you get through the challenge are immeasurable. It’s also very surreal being in the kitchen. As someone who watches MasterChef, it’s crazy that I’m really here."
The 19-year-old likes to dream big. "I’ve got so many ideas and aspirations. One is owning a food truck, where'd I'd drive around all over the world cooking, adapting the menu to the area I'm in based on local produce and season. Another dream is to own a restaurant. Perhaps a bakery by day and a restaurant by night. The menu would change often, maybe even every fortnight and would be an opportunity for people to try things they wouldn't usually eat."
Keziah, a law student, said the experience had been "eye-opening." The 21-year-old said: "I’m acknowledging my flaws and working on them. I’m meeting amazing people and I am becoming more confident. It’s just very humbling and surreal."
Her ambition is to create a cookbook with "amazing tasting meals at affordable prices" and open a restaurant. Keziah, who shares her recipes on TikTok, at thekeziahdior, said: "I would still like to maintain my social media presence and build on sharing my recipes far and wide. But I think the ultimate goal is to just have people eat my food and whether that’s by becoming a restaurant owner, caterer or author I’m ready to find out," she said.
The final is on BBC Three at 8pm and on BBC iPlayer.
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