Celebrity MasterChef winner revealed after grand final
The 2023 Celebrity MasterChef victor has been unveiled, and the winner confessed to celebrating their victory with a simple meal of beans on toast immediately after the filming concluded.
While a total of twenty amateur celebrity cooks initially entered the competition, the grand final ultimately boiled down to a trio of contestants: Amy Walsh from Emmerdale, Luca Bish from Love Island, and opera singer Wynne Evans.
In a gripping cook-off that included dishes like Welsh lamb and bara brith for dessert, 51-year-old Wynne emerged as the winner of the BBC show.
Judge Gregg Wallace was effusive in his praise, remarking that he had never witnessed a celebrity cook quite like Wynne and doubted if they would again.
Wynne expressed his gratitude for the transformative experience of Celebrity MasterChef, describing it as “beautiful” and hoping that it would make his children proud.
Overwhelmed by his victory, he declared himself thrilled to be the first Welsh winner of Celebrity MasterChef.
In response to Wynne’s win, the opera singer was left speechless when Judge John Torode announced him as the 2023 champion.
Fellow contestant Amy congratulated him with a warm hug, acknowledging that he deserved the win, while Luca, despite not winning, expressed satisfaction in reaching the final, considering it a great experience and acknowledging that the best person had won.
Gregg Wallace lauded Wynne’s cooking for its theatrical flair, while Torode commended the performer’s culinary prowess, stating that each dish told a compelling story.
With a wink, Wynne shared his uncertainty about how a MasterChef winner celebrates but hinted at a more down-to-earth celebration typical of someone from Carmarthen.
He later confessed to enjoying celebratory drinks with Luca and Amy after the show but admitted to a momentary panic upon waking up, thinking he had left the prestigious MasterChef trophy in a taxi.
Fortunately, the trophy had been safely taken from him in the studio to prevent any accidental reveals.
The singer from Carmarthen also revealed that his first post-filming meal was a humble dish of baked beans on toast, as he needed a break from cooking after the intensive program.
Throughout the series, Wynne consistently showcased Welsh produce, including Pembrokeshire oysters and laverbread, which continued into the final.
His winning menu featured a starter of Carmarthen-Japanese sumo tuna tartare with avocado, edamame beans, and wasabi, accompanied by deep-fried cockle popcorn and a mango egg.
For the main course, he served a bread of Evans cannon of lamb on samphire with wild garlic, porcini mushrooms, and lamb-rendered fried bread, accompanied by pomme dauphine and a fondant leek, finished with a red wine and redcurrant jus. His dessert was bara brith with Caerphilly cheese and fig jam, complemented by brie ice cream on crumbled bara brith and poached figs.
