Interview with Celebrity MasterChef 2023 contestant Wynne Evans

What made you want to do Celebrity MasterChef?

I wanted to do Celebrity MasterChef so I could learn some tips, improve my skills and try to get better at cooking for the kids. I want to be able to surprise people a bit more when they come round and say ‘oh look what I’ve done with this poussin!’

What was it like walking into the MasterChef kitchen?

Absolutely petrifying, I couldn't sleep! It was really, really scary, but as soon as you start cooking you start to relax.

How have you prepared to take on the challenge?

I did a bit of prep beforehand. I’ve done a bit of cooking at home. I’ve got my kids to turn up with surprise ingredients and I have to try and make something out of it.

What do your family think of your cooking?

My children think that my cooking is ok but they constantly say, ‘so and so’s roast potatoes are better than yours or so and so’s bread and butter pudding is better than yours, or they do this better,’ which I find quite irritating because I’m competitive. So now, I’ll say ‘but has so and so ever been on MasterChef? No. So go away, leave me alone.’

What’s your desert island dish?

I don’t have a desert island dish, right. What I have is a death row dish. So imagine today is the last day of your life, but you know that it is. Scallops to start, then steak, chips, peppercorn sauce and peas. For pudding: rhubarb crumble and custard. For my 50th I had a death row meal and everybody came and presented a case for the defence as to why I should be put to death, but before I was put to death I was able to enjoy my death row meal!

What are the three things you always have in your fridge and why?

Wine. Also cauliflower – because I’ve been on a diet and I’ve lost six stone, so I always have cauliflower because, cauliflower mash, cauliflower rice, cauliflower and chips, cauliflower curry, everything cauliflower. Then milk is what I’ve always got in there because I love coffee and milk kind of goes hand in hand, right? One thing I don’t have in my fridge: cheese. I can’t be trusted with it. Every cheese. My downfall is cheese and jam. I love cheese and jam together. I don’t think John and Gregg have tried cheese and jam, but they should. They’re missing out.

Favourite dish to cook at home?

I love cooking anything Italian – lasagne, preparing a burrata, all that kind of stuff. But not here, I’ll avoid fresh pasta like the plague, that’s pressure.