Fishmonger Harry Maguire crowned MasterChef winner in tense finale

Harry Maguire, a fishmonger by trade who has risen from kitchen novice to MasterChef champion, was crowned the winner in Friday night’s finale after a high-pressure three-course cook-off with finalists Claire Syrenne and Sophie Sugrue. The London-born, Edinburgh-raised 32-year-old completed the season’s tests under the gaze of judges John Torode and Anna Haugh, delivering a menu that the pair called “magic” and “a magical gift” in the climactic tasting.

Maguire’s triumph came after a tense final that tested the three contestants’ range, technique and balance. The trio had to synthesize all they had learned across the competition to produce a cohesive lunch service-in-miniature, with each dish examined for texture, flavor, timing and creativity. As the moment of judgment approached, the studio buzzed with anticipation, and Maguire secured the title amid a chorus of praise from the judges.

The judges’ assessments underscored the significance of Maguire’s progression from amateur cook to master chef-level execution. Torode, who has guided the show’s ups and downs as it plays out for a broad audience, lauded Maguire’s “determination, the skill, the style” and described the three courses as “absolute magic.” Anna Haugh echoed the sentiment, noting that some professional chefs might struggle to recreate what Maguire accomplished, stating that “there are restaurants across the country trying to do food like that and not succeeding.”

Maguire presented a menu titled Past, Present and Future, which began with a modern take on a prawn cocktail featuring dill mousse, salmon roe and avocado cream. The centerpiece was a main course built around a poached brill, accompanied by a courgette and potato croissant and a braised fennel and burnt leek sauce. The finale’s tasting sequence culminated in a dessert built around kombu seaweed, citrus and olive oil—an unusual combination that impressed the panel, with Torode remarking that he would eagerly pay to eat the dish again. In the post-tasting moment, Torode commented on Maguire’s relentless pursuit of perfection, urging him to recognize how far he had come while acknowledging the personal pressure that can accompany such a competition.

Beyond the kitchen’s glare of the final, Maguire’s journey this season highlighted a striking range of experiences that helped shape his performance. As part of the final task, the finalists traveled to Athens, where Maguire engaged with Greece’s culinary scene. He cooked with Argiro Barbarigou, one of the country’s best-loved TV chefs, at a renowned Athens restaurant, and also prepared courses in the tasting circuit at Patio, a Michelin-starred venue led by Panagiotis Giakalis. The challenge’s final phase took place at Akti in Vouliagmeni Bay, where the competitors delivered a sea-front dinner for Greece’s leading chefs, testing their ability to adapt to a new culinary milieu while maintaining their own voice.

The last act of the Athens arc occurred in London’s Mayfair, where Maguire faced the Chef’s Table at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. Working under Jean-Philippe Blondet, Alain Ducasse’s long-serving executive chef, Maguire prepared one of the restaurant’s celebrated dishes for diners including Ducasse himself and four of his protégés: Tom Kitchin, Clare Smyth MBE, Claude Bosi and Alex Dilling. The dessert and accompanying courses impressed the table, with Ducasse commenting on the dessert’s balance and the other judges nodding at its refinement. Maguire’s main course in that tasting—his brill-centered plate—was singled out by John Torode for its potential to satisfy a wide spectrum of diners, with Anna Haugh noting that the dish demonstrated a high level of skill that even some professional kitchens would find challenging to replicate.

In the moments after Maguire’s victory, the winner reflected on the emotional arc of the season. He spoke about how the experience had transformed his approach to cooking, saying that MasterChef had “redefined the way I approach cooking” and that he was overwhelmed but grateful for the opportunity. He also spoke about his personal background: born in London, he grew up in Edinburgh, and he spent four years at university in Newcastle. In the episode’s broader arc, Maguire described how his family and friends had supported him throughout the competition, giving him the confidence to pursue his culinary ambitions.

Maguire’s win comes as MasterChef’s professional and amateur franchises undergo a broader reshaping of presenting duties. The season’s close occurred amid reports and official statements about changes in the show’s presenting team, including questions around the roles of John Torode and Greg Wallace, and the broader cast adjustments announced by the network. The publicly reported context surrounding the judging panel has framed this finale as part of a transitional period for the show, though the competition itself remains focused on the culinary feats of its contestants.

Harry Maguire’s victory marks a notable milestone for a cook who began the season with limited professional kitchen experience and grew into a champion capable of executing complex flavors and techniques at a high level. The judges’ praise underscored the extent to which his work resonated with a broad audience and with culinary professionals, particularly in his daring approach to seafood and his ability to render high-concept dishes approachable and satisfying. Maguire’s journey—from a fishmonger in London to a MasterChef champion—will be remembered as a testament to the reach of competitive cooking to alter life trajectories and to redefine what amateur cooks can achieve on a national stage.