Alex Webb has been crowned as the winner of MasterChef: The Professionals.
The 25-year-old chef impressed in the series finale after being tasked with creating a three-course meal for judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace.
After being announced as the winner, Webb said: “It is the best feeling I have ever had in my life.
“To walk away with the trophy is incredible. I am so proud.”
Webb, who was born in Essex, works as head chef in a restaurant he started working in as a pot wash when he was 15.
Webb added: “I decided to enter MasterChef because I wanted to see how far I could go; winning is something I will always be very proud of.
“I really wanted it and all the blood, sweat and tears and sleepless nights have paid off.”
He said he has “lots of ideas for a book” and would like to do more television work.
“I will continue to work in the restaurant I do now, and I would like to keep learning and pushing myself,” he added.
“Then, hopefully one day, I will be able to achieve my big dream of owning my own restaurant.”
🍽 Pan-seared trout, with flavours of parsnip and parsley👨🍳 Alex🗣 "What a cracking piece of work" – @marcuswareing#MasterChefUK pic.twitter.com/CBAX2kxL3b
— MasterChef UK 🍴 (@MasterChefUK) December 17, 2020
He saw off competition from Bart and Santosh in the final of the BBC programme.
For his three-course meal, Webb made a scallop ceviche with an artichoke and pickled pear tartare with yoghurt foam, parsley powder and capers.
For his main course he made pan seared trout with a number of parsnip sides, plus a mussel and caviar cream sauce alongside a mini potato fish pie.
For dessert he made a white chocolate passionfruit dome.
Wareing said: “Today was Alex’s finest day. We have seen a young chef come of age.
“He is a brilliant young chef, I love his thirst for knowledge, and he has cooked beyond his years.
“MasterChef is about the next generation and for me as a chef I see Alex as the future.”
Judge Monica Galetti said: “Alex’s food has a cheeky sense of humour in it.
“There is a bit of Alex’s youth which comes through in his cooking which makes it very different and that is something I have really enjoyed.”
Wallace said: “He has a sense of fun our Alex, and when he brings a little bit of theatre into it he hits notes of absolute brilliance.
“He combines good cooking with style and theatre and he ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to brilliant fine dining.”