Master Chef final - how did Bristol vet get on?

Brin Pirathapan was competing to win the prestigious prize

Author: Anthony ZahraPublished 23rd May 2024

Bristol veterinary surgeon, Brin Pirathapan, has won the 20th series of MasterChef.

He wowed the judges in the final with dishes that included octopus and venison.

He beat farmer Louise Lyons Macleod, from Exmoor National Park, and circus performer Chris Willoughby, from Oxfordshire.

Judge John Torode told the finalists: "Twenty years we've been doing MasterChef. That is the best final we've ever done."

Brin said: "I'm absolutely chuffed to bits. I can't breathe.

"I'm a big mix of my background, my culture and all the opportunities my parents have given me.

"They've been incredible and I've done it for them as much as I've done it for myself.

"The experience itself has been incredible and to top it off with this is just the most amazing thing, ever."

Pirathapan was guided by Le Gavroche owner and former MasterChef: The Professionals judge Michel Roux Jr and served chefs including Pierre Koffmann, MasterChef: The Professionals judge Monica Galetti and Emily Roux, who had worked at the restaurant.

His main course was spiced venison loin, beef short-rib and pickled mushroom tartlet, celeriac and soybeans paste miso puree, salt-baked beetroot and pak choi, served with red chilli paste called gochujang and red wine sauce, split with a herb oil.

His dessert was a white chocolate and cardamom and saffron cremeux, with pistachio meringue shards, whisky-poached mango, raspberry gel, pistachio crumb and a mango, lime and chilli sorbet.

Pirathapan's parents are from Sri Lanka, which he says has given him an "amazing spicy culinary background".

"The areas of cooking I love are truly an amalgamation of my Tamil Sri Lankan heritage and my British upbringing," he added.

"I have a passion for creating dishes with bold flavours but refining them to high standards with European techniques. I like to pull flavour combinations from all over the world and create balanced dishes."