Zee for MasterChef 2025 / BBC
Age: 46
Occupation: Jeweller
From: Lancashire via Toronto
How would you describe your style of cooking?
“I’m a feeder, I love to cook food that pleases large numbers so we can all enjoy a meal together. I want to cook food which still gives me the chance to be present at the table. So meals with a lot of prep in the run-up like pastas, risottos, roasted and slow cooked meats. Dishes packed full of love and flavour. I’m known for rich flavours and luxurious ingredients. I believe in using the best possible produce – home grown where I can, it’s not always successful but we try our best. High welfare standard meats and local butchers are a priority too.
“I love to try all sorts of cuisine from Chinese to Italian, Indian, Mexican and classic French. I don’t really do fusion style, just food people like eating!”
What is your favourite ingredient to cook with and why?
“It’s almost impossible to choose a favourite ingredient! Eggs are incredible, and versatile – from cakes to pasta, and all the incredible deserts. Plus there’s nothing quite like a simple poached egg on toast is there. But then there’s mushrooms, with so many varieties and possibilities for accompaniments with deep flavour following over into the truffles too. Then there’s eastern spices, I love the freedom of bringing them together in varying levels of heat and flavour profiles. I could talk about my favourite ingredients for pages and pages. I simply love to eat and love to cook with old favourites and to discover new possibilities!”
Why did you enter MasterChef this year?
“I entered MasterChef because I’d made a promise to my ten-year-old son, William, after years of encouragement from my family and supportive husband – and some nagging from my Dad – to finally give it a go. My Dad, who sadly passed away in July, was constantly telling me ‘you should apply’, ‘you should work in food’, ‘you should open a restaurant’, right up until very recently, even as his health declined. It became a bit of a family joke, but he would have loved to see me take part, and while I can’t share this with him, I know he’d be so proud. William is still my number one supporter and he is already enjoying learning to cook alongside me which means the world to me. Showing him that doing something outside of your comfort zone and giving it your best no matter what was my sole motivation and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity the programme gave me to do that.”
MasterChef continues Wednesday and Thursday at 8pm and Friday at 8.30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
