MasterChef: The Professionals 2024 winner revealed

Dan Merriman, senior sous chef at the Blackbull Inn Old Langho, Lancashire, has been crowned winner of MasterChef: The Professionals 2024.

 

The 29-year-old beat 31 other chefs to the title in a seven-week competition that saw him gain confidence and impress judges, restaurant critics and leading chefs with his cooking.

 

Originally from Droitwich in Worcestershire, Merriman is the eldest of five brothers and now lives in Accrington with his partner, Chloe, and their baby boy.

 

He grew up with his mum, who was a single parent, and was also raised by his grandparents.

 

The chef started out as a pot washer at a local hotel before moving into pastry, where he fell in love with fine dining.

 

Family losses and difficulties saw Merriman struggle with a lack of self-confidence, but he applied to MasterChef: The Professionals with Chloe’s encouragement.

 

“I didn’t even expect to get into the competition, let alone win,” said Merriman.

 

“MasterChef has changed everything for me. It’s made me realise that I am talented. I am good at what I do.”

 

The MasterChef grand final

 

The competition’s final challenge saw Merriman compete against Chiara Tomasoni, sous chef at River Cottage in Devon, and George Birtwel, senior sous chef at the Black Swan, Oldstead.

 

The chefs had to serve three of the best meals of their lives to judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti, and Gregg Wallace.

 

Merriman’s starter was barbecued scallop glazed in a sumac, chilli, paprika and Turkish red pepper paste, served with pickled cucumber, filled with roasted garlic and lime yoghurt, a tomato red pepper and fennel ragu, marinated gooseberries, finger limes and a red curry sauce, spiced with cumin and lemongrass, split with a parsley oil.