Owen, 50, works front of house as a hotel supervisor. Born in South Africa, he spent 15 years living in Dublin before moving to the UK. He now lives in Harrogate and has two children.

How would describe your style of cooking?

“My style of cooking is South African/ Indian which relates to my culture, infused with European influences and British references. I admire Sashi Cheliah, who won MasterChef Australia in 2018. His style is Singaporean, Indian and Fusion which really inspires my own cooking and the fusions I like to make.”

What is your earliest cooking memory?

“Back in South Africa I recall my grandmother cooking on a coal stove - curries, rotis, fried fish, using produce from her farm, all local and everything organic. The scents and flavours were incredible. My mother is also a fabulous cook, and I remember, as a child, watching her preparing food. Whilst it was cooking, I pestered her, as I could not wait to taste it.”

Why did you enter MasterChef?

“My friends and family always enjoy my cooking and over time I have created lots of different styles of food, which is influenced by my heritage, and my time travelling around Europe in my twenties. My partner, Sam, said I didn’t appreciate just how good a cook I was, and so she researched how to apply for MasterChef, hoping that it would boost my confidence. Being selected for the competition did just that.”

What is your food dream?

“I am hoping that local restaurants in Harrogate will give me opportunities to work with them after seeing me in the cook in the MasterChef kitchen. Being able to help create new dishes, demonstrating cooking, and experience working as a chef would be a dream. Eventually I’d love my own business within the hospitality industry bringing my unique style of cooking to North Yorkshire for more people to enjoy. It would be nice to have my food appreciated by a wider audience and of course I’d love to write my own cookbook, to add to my collection!”