Masterchef 2024 contestants: Aspiring Yorkshire chef to compete in Heat 5 of the BBC cooking show judged by Gregg Wallace and John Torode

Masterchef is back for a 20th series on BBC One and BBC iPlayer with judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace who will embark on an eight-week journey to discover the best amateur cook in the UK.

A third week of culinary heats will continue this week on one of the biggest cooking competitions and 12 more of the country’s best amateur chefs will go to great lengths to reach the quarter-final.

The first six go all out to prove they deserve one of the four coveted Masterchef aprons on offer, as John and Gregg set their first challenge - Basic to Brilliant. They impress the judges with a dish that celebrates a staple ingredient.

The two who come up with the best plates will head straight into the next round wearing gleaming new Masterchef aprons.

The remaining four will need to think on their feet; this time John and Gregg are looking for a brunch dish. Their creation must include a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, but the cooks have been given agency to elaborate from a bounty of brunch goodies, including avocado, bacon, mushrooms and smoked salmon. There are one two more places in the next round, so rubbery eggs and split hollandaise will not be well-received.

Abi, 21, who lives in Leeds, works in sales at her family’s business and was born and raised in Harrogate.

When describing her style of cooking, she told the BBC, said: “Food has always been as massive part of my life.

“My family have always enjoyed eating out, everywhere we went when I was growing up was influenced by where we could eat.

“I think this has massively impacted my own cooking style - I love to cook what I love to eat.”

Her earliest cooking memory was eating in a restaurant in Barcelona when she was 12 years old that inspired her.

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“I’ve been lucky to be able to travel a lot and visit lots of amazing restaurants,” she said.

“One of my most vivid memories was eating in a lovely restaurant in Barcelona when I was 12 - it was amazing.

“I always remember food being important, and when I was a teenager helping out with dinner parties at home.

“As I got older that grew and I remember my mum asking me to make sushi for her and her friends. We didn’t have much time to prepare, but I loved making it.”

When asked to share her earliest Masterchef memories, ahead of the show’s 20th anniversary, and why she applied to the show, Abi said: “MasterChef is nearly as old as me! Me and my family have always watched it, especially my mum, who I always watch it with.

“I remember binging series after series when I should have been revising for exams. It’s so surreal to now be competing on it!

“My mum has always pushed me to apply! I love cooking and I love food, and wanted a challenge and to see that I really can cook.

“A lot of my friends have gone off to university and I was wondering what was next for me. I love working for my dad and am proud of what we’ve done, but I also wanted to do something for me.”

Heat 5 of Masterchef will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 9pm.