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In Pictures: Meet this week's new MasterChef contestants

Meet the nine contestants entering the MasterChef kitchen in the fourth heat.

Another nine hopefuls enter the MasterChef kitchen tonight as the fourth heat gets underway.

As usual, the first challenge is to recreate their favourite family dish - and the best three will be put straight through to the next round. An invention test then awaits for the remaining six, after which two cooks will be sent home.

Scroll on to meet this week's contestants!



Anurita on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Anurita

Age: 30

From: Bristol, originally from India

Occupation: Fashion artist

Cooking Style: "My mum is my biggest inspiration, she never follows a recipe and cooks the best food in the world. I used to help my mum in the kitchen and seeing her cook amazing dishes made me develop an interest in cooking. I have been cooking for about 20 years now and most of my dishes are vegetarian. To me, cooking comes from the heart. To emulate the complex flavours and to understand the distinct taste and aroma each ingredient brings forward, is a work of art."



Chariya on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Chariya

Age: 40

From: Farnborough, originally from Chiangmai, Thailand

Occupation: Master coffee roaster

Cooking Style: "I love cooking the food of my heritage from the Northern areas of Thailand but I like using the ingredients that I can find locally in the South of England. In many ways my dishes are a fusion between south east Asia and western food. I spend hours and hours in the kitchen perfecting my recipes but I also love to have fun with them. I love seeing people's faces light up when I put a plate down in front of them and then smile when they eat it."



Chris on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Chris

Age: 43

From: Henley-on-Thames, originally from the Cotswolds

Occupation: Circus performer

Cooking Style: "My cooking style is like my job 'performative!' I love nothing more than the pressure of cooking and making sure all the timing is right! I always want the person eating my food to be wowed with the flavour and excited by the theatrical take on the dish. I've been inspired by restaurants where they have performers too but i've always wanted more connection between the two. If you're eating octopus with black rice, let's see a giant underwater theatrical scene with sound immersion going on around you, I want the full effect. I'm all about the senses when cooking whether it be visually, musically and last but key is taste great!"



Emma on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Emma

Age: 42

From: Glasgow, originally from Houston, Texas

Occupation: Property management

Cooking Style: "I'm not sure I necessarily have a 'style'. I am definitely a 'home cook' - I am more about making food delicious rather than following fads and using showy techniques. I'm inspired by my mum and my grandma who are both amazing cooks - they cook with love and that is the most important ingredient I can add to any dish!"



Fabio on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Fabio

Age: 38

From: London, originally from Newcastle

Occupation: Tree surgeon

Cooking Style: "My food is centred in European cooking, specifically focusing on 'cucina povera' meaning 'poor cooking', a traditional Italian style of cooking which my father taught me. He was a chef and loves like me to focus on simple ingredients to make simple dishes that taste amazing."



Josh on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Josh

Age: 25

From: Stratford-upon-Avon, originally from Tring

Occupation: Recruitment consultant

Cooking Style: "Classic cooking with a modern twist. I used to be a science teacher and I'm still passionate about the subject. I think this is reflected in the style of food I make. I am no Heston that's for sure but I do enjoy the processes involved in cooking."



Nikka on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Nikka

Age: 27

From: London, originally from the Philippines

Occupation: Neonatal nurse

Cooking Style: "I love to cook different types of food but I always come back to my Filipino roots. My dishes tend to be a mixture of the traditional dishes I grew up eating with my own twist inspired by travels and living in the UK."



Robin on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Robin

Age: 28

From: Cardiff, originally from Crewe

Occupation: Child rights officer

Cooking Style: "My girlfriend is a conservation horticulturist and we are both massively inspired by our garden. I really enjoy growing produce then taking what we've grown and turning it into simple, comforting dishes using locally sourced Welsh produce."



Ryan on MasterChef 2023 heat four© BBC

Ryan

Age: 27

From: Wigan

Occupation: Fire and security officer

Cooking Style: "I love making something out of nothing, I hate food going to waste so I'll always try and come up with a decent dish for the whole family from few ingredients. I love taking quite classical and traditional recipe and adding in my own bit of Northern flair."



MasterChef continues tonight at 8pm on BBC One.


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Written by
Neil Wilkes

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