Tom Hamblet, 24, has been awarded the prestigious title of MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2023.
As the 17th chef to claim the coveted trophy, Tom takes his place in MasterChef history alongside other exceptional champions: Derek Johnstone; Steve Groves; Claire Lara; Ash Mair, joint winners Keri Moss and Anton Piotrowski; Steven Edwards; Jamie Scott; Mark Stinchcombe; Gary Maclean; Craig Johnston; Laurence Henry; Stu Deeley, Alex Webb, Dan Lee and last year’s winner, Nikita Pathakji.
Tom, who comes from a cheffing family, took on 31 other professionals, all striving to make it to the end of seven weeks of increasingly demanding culinary challenges. Along the way, he delivered some outstanding plates of food, impressing not only the judges but also the restaurant critics and some of the country’s leading chefs. In the Quarter Final, Grace Dent said: “That is the best dessert I’ve had on MasterChef in all the years I’ve been here.” and Michelin-starred Jun Tanaka said his food was “absolutely on point” during the final week Chef’s Table challenge.
Reacting to his win, Tom said: “I’m lost for words. It’s been such a good experience. I’ve done it! The trophy’s here. I’m holding it! I couldn’t be happier right now. I’m just going to enjoy the moment.”
After calling his parents to give tell them the news, who are also both chefs at the same hotel as Tom he said: “It’s really nice to hear how proud they are. It’s a big moment for me and them.”
Marcus Wareing commented: “From the minute that young chef stepped into this kitchen he’s been consistent and he’s delivered at every single level. Tom’s food today was technical, it was beautiful and most importantly, it was delicious.”
Monica Galetti said: “I find now he’s bringing his little modern twists, his personality, his cheekiness into his cooking. His food has been cracking throughout, and he’s still so young.”
Gregg Wallace added: “The flavours of his dishes, for me, enter the world of exquisite. His food is beautiful and it’s absolutely banging delicious. Tom is a talent. I think today, we watched a very young chef come of age. Someone who’s always had the technical ability, but today was brave enough to put his own stamp on the classical.”
In an intense Final Week, Tom was up against ambitious and talented chefs: Charlie Walters (22 at the time of filming, now 23), who left on Wednesday; Kasae Fraser (29); and Tommy Thorn (27) who both also competed in tonight’s Grand Final. Tom had to use all of his skill, creativity and determination to best his competitors through high-stakes rounds. The first challenge of the week saw them cooking a four-course dinner at the daunting Chef’s Table, hosted in the legendary Midland Grand Dining Room in London’s King’s Cross. The diners were 24 culinary giants with 22 Michelin stars between them and included three former MasterChef: The Professionals contestants who have gone on to have stars of their own*. The Final Three then embarked on the trip of a lifetime to the boundary-pushing two Michelin-starred Alchemist in Copenhagen, Denmark, as Head Chef Rasmus Munk led them into an immersive, breath-taking world where science, art and food collide. The chefs had just hours to master extraordinarily creative dishes as part of an epic 50-course tasting menu and deliver to a whole new level.
In tonight’s ultimate bid for glory, the three chefs poured everything they had into serving the three most spectacular courses of their lives to MasterChef judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace. In three hours, they needed to bring together a starter, a main and a dessert of their own creation, surpassing all the culinary ability, technique and knowledge they had demonstrated so far and impress enough to be the last chef standing.
Tom’s winning menu started with a poached native lobster tail with blanched red and yellow cherry tomatoes, filled with lobster claw meat in a lobster and chilli oil, topped with a lemon verbena gel, courgette balls and a creamy lobster and tomato sauce Américaine. Gregg told Tom: “This is a great, light dish that really packs a flavour punch.”
The main was seared beef fillet on a bed of pan-fried oyster mushrooms, served with braised beef cheek wrapped in brick pastry, topped with a poached oyster, a lovage emulsion, salsify, beef and red wine sauce and a beef and oyster tartare. Marcus reacted with: “I’m finding it really difficult to find a problem with this. Everything on this plate is cooked beautifully and your attention to detail is exquisite.”
To finish, Tom served an olive oil sponge filled with an olive oil jam, topped with a set lemon curd, crème fraiche cream, fennel tops and a fennel pollen tuille, served with a fennel seed ice cream. Monica’s take on the dessert was: “It’s just a delightful way to finish your meal. I love it, love it, love it!”, whilst Marcus added: “Absolutely sublime. You’ve just hit the notes beautifully. It’s like a great piece of music. You get to the end of it and you want to play it again.”
Tom is classically trained and went into an apprenticeship at 17 with Westminster Kingsway College, London. Since then, for the past seven years he has worked at both Michelin-starred and AA Rosette-winning restaurants. He is currently Sous Chef at Camellia, a three AA Rosette restaurant within South Lodge Hotel, Horsham. His parents, with whom he lives, are also chefs within the same hotel.
“We are all obsessed with food and cooking, so I do think it’s in my blood,” Tom says: “My dad is an Executive Chef and my mum is a Pastry Chef. My dad’s attempts to convince me not to be a chef made me want to do it even more! It’s nice that we can work so close by each other.”
Tom said of his food passions: “I love anything that tastes good. I love the jobs that take a lot of time and care and using good quality ingredients and really making the flavours shine. Well-balanced dishes takes a lot of skill and patience to get right, which I really enjoy.”
Tom credits his dad and girlfriend for pushing him to enter MasterChef: The Professionals and on his experience he says: “I was absolutely terrified and almost dreading it. I didn't believe I was good enough. But during the competition I learnt to have more trust in my abilities. How differently things have turned out!”
On how this has affected him as a chef, Tom says: “My dad’s got quite a few years on me in terms of experience, but I like to think I’m catching up to him. Especially doing all this amazing stuff on MasterChef - I feel like I’ve aged cooking-wise, about three years!”
Speaking about life after MasterChef, Tom says: “I'm still at South Lodge, working hard to deliver high standards. I'm still young, so feel like I'm working out my ambitions every day. I want to have a successful career and that means continuing to learn and progress. I’d love to aim for my own Michelin-starred restaurant and maybe do more TV. I’m keen to take on projects that allow me to become a better chef and person so hopefully there are more exciting things coming!”
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