Meet the MasterChef: the chefs of Professionals 2024

This week’s second batch of professionals wait in the wings, ready to prove themselves in the MasterChef kitchen. There are two challenges ahead, so any jitters should be calmed as they will need every ounce of culinary skill to see.

Please note that this information is correct at the time of filming; certain aspects may have changed since then, but this represents the contributors when the competition begins.

Meet the chefs

Alijn

Location

Coventry, originally from Romania

Chef Bio

Twenty-three-year-old Alin moved to Great Britain at the age of 14. Born and raised in Romania, he grew up surrounded by family, with four brothers and sisters. He met his wife Naomi as a teenager at school, where they bonded over their Romanian roots. They now live in Coventry with their 18-month-old son Levi.

Current and past experiences

Alin had grown up eating and cooking from an early age and knew that cooking was his path. After completing school, he immediately went on to study catering at Coventry College, where he completed his NVQs levels 1-3. He then started working at The Jacobean Hotel as Commis Chef. Three years later he works there again as a chef.

Who and what inspired you to become a chef?

“I have always loved cooking and my family are all good cooks. Growing up in Romania, all family events revolved around food and I always helped with the preparations. My whole family inspired me to become a chef, especially my mother.”

How would you describe your cooking style and any influences on it?

“I would say I cook refined pub dishes, but with classic techniques. I also like to draw on my Romanian heritage, which always inspires me.”

Why did you want to participate in MasterChef: The Professionals?

“I did a lot of cooking competitions in college and I learned a lot from them. So I think participating in MasterChef will really help my professional career and give me a boost. I want my food to be reviewed because I believe criticism is an important part of cooking. All feedback is welcome!”

What are your passions outside of cooking?

“I’m a big football fan and occasionally do video gaming. I have a big family, so I see them as much as I can. My dream is to one day have a family-run restaurant where everyone can participate.”

Than

Location

Accrington, Lancashire

Chef Bio

Twenty-nine-year-old senior sous chef Dan has been a chef for twelve years. Originally from Worcestershire, Dan grew up on an estate as the eldest of five boys. He started working in kitchens as a necessity to earn money, but soon discovered that this was his destiny. He has worked in award-winning restaurants and now lives in Accrington with his partner Chloe and their son Ernest.

Current and past experiences

Dan got his first job as a kitchen porter when he was a teenager and was taken under the wing by his head chef at the time who encouraged him to study catering. Dan did his NVQs whilst working and has worked at the Michelin-starred Plas Bodegroes, The AA 3-Rosette Cottage in the Wood, Fishmore Hall in Ludlow and most recently Northcote Manor where he worked for over a year under award-winning chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen. He recently moved to be closer to his partner and now works in a local pub, The Black Bull Inn.

Who and what inspired you to become a chef?

“I never saw food as a career. I grew up eating frozen foods and the occasional Chinese. My mother was a single mother of five boys, so she cooked quick and easy meals that filled our bellies. I had to get a job and start making money, so I started working in a kitchen. I was fortunate to have a great mentor who gave me opportunities. I remember the first time I learned to bake bread, just something simple, but that was it. I was obsessed and it inspired me to become a chef.”

How would you describe your cooking style and any influences on it?

“I think my style looks simple, but is technically complicated. I want to get the maximum flavor from ingredients and like to use different techniques. My dishes are a reflection of me, they show where I have worked and what I have learned along the way.”

Why did you want to participate in MasterChef: The Professionals?

“Following MasterChef has always been a dream of mine, but I only had the confidence to do it when I found out my partner was expecting our first child. I want to take care of her and my family, I think this will boost me and my career. Even though I’m terrified, it’s worth the opportunity to learn and show who I am as a chef.”

What are your passions outside of cooking?

“My first priority outside of work is my family, spending time with Ernie as he grows and changes so quickly. When I have some time for myself I have always enjoyed music, darts, snooker and BMX.”

Paul

Location

South East London and was born in Ivory Coast and raised in France.

Chef Bio

Paule lived in Ivory Coast until she was fourteen. She then moved to France, where she spent the rest of her childhood. She moved to Britain in 2011 and now lives with her daughter in South East London.

Current and past experiences

After school, Paule studied business administration and worked in the corporate world as a project manager. She always knew that cooking was her passion and retrained as a chef 10 years ago. Paule then set up her own private catering company called Douceurs D’Ivoire, which she still runs today.

Who and what inspired you to become a chef?

“My father was a chef and my mother was a great cook. We used to throw big parties, entertain and cater for guests at home. I was always part of that, but never saw it as a career; it was just something I loved. It wasn’t until I started working in the corporate world that I realized that I wanted to turn my passion into my profession. In the kitchen I feel like a maestro creating a symphony of flavors, something that I truly own and forget the rest.”

How would you describe your cooking style and any influences on it?

“Bold and full of flavour, I love combining Ivorian or other African ingredients and dishes with French or Western techniques. For me, food is full of emotion and I create my dishes inspired by people I meet, memories, seasons and places I have visited. I provide a cooking process of emotions to nourish body and soul.”

Why did you want to participate in MasterChef: The Professionals?

“I entered the competition to see how far I can go and I’m excited to showcase my style of eating to the judges. It’s a real honor because they are so respected in the industry. I would like to make Ivorian food as popular as other cuisines in Britain, such as Chinese or Italian. I also want to draw attention to sustainability, which is very important to me.”

What are your passions outside of cooking?

“I like traveling, painting, dancing and making tableware or anything else that has to do with the art of dining. My daughter is seven and I like to cook with her too.”

Ritchie

Location

Nottingham

Chef Bio

Ritchie, 33, born and raised in Nottingham, has been working as a chef for 10 years. Ritchie celebrates plant-based cuisine and runs his own restaurant with his wife Lauren.

Current and past experiences

Without much formal training, Ritchie learned his trade working in the kitchen. In his first kitchen, he worked his way up from chef to line cook and worked at Jamie’s Italian for six years.

He and his wife then decided to take the plunge and open their own building, No. Twelve Restaurant, which they have been running for seven years now. The space started as a small cafe serving brunch and sandwiches. Within two years, they moved to a larger restaurant to realize their plant-based gastronomic dreams, offering both an a la carte and a luxury tasting menu.

Who and what inspired you to become a chef?

“My passion for food grew when I became a vegetarian at a very young age, around 12 years old. At the time I was asked to do a project at school about something I knew nothing about, of course, as a big meat eater, I did it about vegetarianism. A week later I stopped eating meat and fish.

My parents jokingly said that if I didn’t want to eat their food, I should cook for myself, so I started exploring the world of cooking as a young man. Excited by TV chefs, I paused the show to capture their recipes. I started teaching myself how to add flavor to a vegetarian diet.”

How would you describe your cooking style and any influences on it?

“I think plant-based dishes are often associated with ‘junk food’ and ‘dirty vegan’ burgers and fries. My focus is on combining classic techniques with modern kitchens. I wanted to provide a luxurious experience where seasonal vegetables are the stars of the show, not just to accommodate a dietary choice. My influences span rustic Italian, classic French and Japanese cuisine, with an emphasis on the seasonality of ingredients and how best to use them. I have developed my skills in fermentation and other techniques in recent years.”

Why did you want to participate in MasterChef: The Professionals?

“I joined MasterChef: The Professionals to show the world how delicious plant-based food can be. I would like to show a different eating style that everyone can enjoy, whether you eat meat or not. Now is the time to represent vegan cooking as a cuisine, with a growing curiosity about getting more plants into your diet, plus the health and climate benefits. I would like to show others that it doesn’t have to be boring!”

What are your passions outside of cooking?

“Food and music are my passions, even better when they go hand in hand. As a trained musician, I have been in countless bands throughout my life, with many different hairstyles to suit me! Food used to be my hobby and music my job, but now I enjoy it the other way around.”