Antos for MasterChef S22 Heat 6 / BBC
Age: 29
Job: Corporate Banking Relationship Manager
From: Highgate
How would you describe your cooking style?
“Playful and imaginative. The greatest compliment I can receive is for someone to say that they’ve never had something like this before. My poor flatmate has been subjected to some weird and wonderful food creations, although we weeded out the truly bizarre ones before the show.
“Away from my experimental meals, I take real joy in cooking for others. Regularly seeing my 15 cousins, at any get together you’ll usually find me in the kitchen. From hearty roasts or baking cakes to bring into the office, there’s hardly anyone left who hasn’t tried my food.”
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with?
“Miso! I always have a big tub in my fridge and find a way to add it to everything. It gives such a great depth of flavour and punch of umami, while also adding a salty hit that doesn’t need to be cooked out. It’s the perfect ingredient to add near the end of a recipe and works in both hot and cold dishes. Is a bolognese a bit flavourless and needing more depth? Add miso! Does your dessert need a smidge of seasoning and something to take it to the next level? Add miso! I think I’ve made my point…”
Why did you take part in the show?
“While I’ve always considered myself a keen and accomplished cook, I’ve recently found myself reconnecting with my Polish heritage. With my grandma getting older, I wanted to ensure I didn’t lose that link to my Polish roots and started to explore more of the food. By putting a refined spin on a cuisine that is widely under-appreciated, and sometimes rightly so, my ambition was to introduce more people to a culture that means so much to me.”
Would you like to work professionally in the food industry?
“Anything where I can combine my loves of cooking and presenting; whether by hosting supper clubs, teaching cooking classes, or dreaming big, to have a cooking and travel show. Here goes nothing, if I manifest it, I feel it’s more likely to happen so – I want my future show to win a BAFTA!”
MasterChef continues on BBC One and iPlayer.
