Thomas Frake has taken the title of Champion of Champions 2025 in the MasterChef Festive Extravaganza on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
In a festive show of gastronomic glory, four outstanding MasterChef Champions – now with established reputations to protect - returned to host the ultimate party and prove to judges Grace Dent and John Torode they are the cream of the crop. Thomas, who claimed the MasterChef crown in 2020, outcooked 2013 trophy-holder Natalie Coleman, 2023’s champion Chariya Khattiyot and Brin Pirathapan, who triumphed in 2024.
During the judges’ deliberations over all their cooking that day, John Torode says: “I need to be truthful, that was probably the best food I’ve ever eaten in the history of MasterChef. That was extraordinary.”
After the initial overwhelm of his win, Thomas Frake says: “This feels amazing. I’m grateful more than anything. MasterChef is what got me onto this journey in the first place. To come along five years later and be validated that my food was worthy again of another trophy is incredibly special.”
He adds: “The first trophy will stay at home, this trophy is going straight to my pub.”
John Torode says: “Thomas’ love of great British food and what he likes to call pub grub, is so infectious that it’s only when you eat his food that you understand what sort of cook he’s become since he’s left the competition.”
Grace Dent adds: “Thomas Frake is a fascinating chef. He cooks crowd-pleasers absolutely beautifully with loads of finesse and that’s why Thomas is our champion of champions.”
Taking on two demanding challenges, the returning champions had to first deliver a dish fit for royalty – the ultimate end of year showstopper for the judges and critic Tom Parker Bowles. The next round would prove just how far these chefs have progressed since their original MasterChef competition as amateurs – as they were tasked with creating two of the best courses they have ever cooked.
Thomas’ final winning menu started with a main course inspired by a dish he cooked for Grace in 2020, was roast venison marinated in treacle, served with a venison and pear barley stew, wild garlic purée, charred shallot, bubble and squeak, and a venison and port sauce. John described his bubble and squeak as “majestic” and his main as “comfort food personified”, with Grace adding that Thomas “got it exactly right.”
The dessert was a brioche bread and butter pudding, coated in panko breadcrumbs, topped with butterscotch raisins, in a Pedro Ximénez sherry sauce, served with a brown butter ice cream. Grace told Thomas that the panko breadcrumbs around the brioche was “pure wickedness”.
After the tasting, Grace said of Thomas: “He takes great British crowd-pleasers and he elevates them. That was pure pleasure”, with John adding: “It was exemplary food.”
Picture Credit: BBC/Shine TV/Patch Dolan
