Nikita Pathakji was on Sunday (11) crowned MasterChef: The Professionals Champions 2022 where she was pitted against 31 other professionals, all in the pursuit of culinary perfection, and eventually came out with flying colours at the end of the six-week affair.
The 25-year-old, who became the 16th professional chef to win the esteemed MasterChef crown to join champions such as Derek Johnstone, Steve Groves, Ash Mair, among others, impressed judges Marcus Wareing, Gregg Wallace, and Anna Haugh, all accomplished names in the field, with her innovative dishes that were inspired by her travels around Asia.
Nikita, who was shocked over the results, said, "This is incredible and I can't put it into words. It surpasses every achievement of my life.
"I don't know how I'm going to top this. This is the peak, I think I've reached it!"
Critics and experts were equally excited over Nikita's feat. Well-known food critic William Sitwell called her "a force to be reckoned with".
Michelin-starred chef Jun Tanaka was so impressed by Nikita's octopus starter at Chef's Table that he said it took him back to his childhood days in Japan.
"You absolutely nailed it," he said.
Wareing, also Michelin-starred, called Nikita a chef who has grown right in front of their eyes.
"Her food has been sublime and she's always come up with an amazing twist," he said.
Haugh, an acclaimed chef, said Nikita was on her way to creating a very unique cuisine.
"And that is why she's our champion. As soon as Nikita walked into the kitchen I could see she had class," she was quoted as saying by the Mirror.
Wallace, a seasoned MasterChef judge, said, "Nikita is using food that she fell in love with from her own travels around Asia.
"That chef is completely and utterly in love with the food she's producing. She opened up the larder of the world and brought us stunning dish after stunning dish."
In a competitive final week of the cooking event, Nikita, who works at London's Kitchen W8, was up against fellow finalists Sagar Massey and Charlie Jeffreys and had to accomplish tough culinary tasks with the best of her creativity, technique, and skill to outperform them.
The Derby-born chef's winning menu started with sea bass cured in a citrus dressing, spicy red pepper purée with pomegranate, smoked aubergine purée, preserved lemon, parsley oil, and a side of aubergine crisps.
To conclude, Nikita served cardamom and custard tart, apricot poached in honey syrup, topped with a honey tuile and an apricot, honey and lemon sorbet.
Needless to say, each of her offerings received immense appreciation from the judges.
Nikita grew up in a family which has always focused on food. She now resides in Clapham, London, with her mother, stepfather, sister, and a dog named Dexter.
Speaking about her growing up as a chef, Nikita said she always cooked with her father and her mother threw elaborate dinner parties with several courses. She also took her to Michelin-starred restaurants and introduced her to the London food scene. Nikita said she never considered it as a career because her family has been an academic one.
So what made her participate in the competition?
Nikita said MasterChef is something she has always thought about but never felt ready for. She also said that her family always wanted her to do it, especially her mother.
"So I entered partly just to get her off my case! I decided this was the year because I'm now in a restaurant environment where I'm very comfortable and confident… but that's dangerous! It was time to push myself that much further. The Chef's Table was the most intimidating moment of the competition," the Mirror quoted her as saying.
"The Chef’s Table was the most intimidating moment of the competition. Cooking for that room of people was such an immense challenge. I felt like I needed a shot of something strong before going out there to receive their feedback. Equally though, it was an amazing experience, and for it to be hosted in the hotel where I first joined this industry was utterly incredible."
"I didn't let myself dream of getting to this point when I entered. I've given everything to this. Sleepless nights is an understatement!"
What's her next plan? Nikita said she would love to do pop-ups and festivals to cook for as many people as possible physically.
"It would be brilliant to work alongside the other MasterChef finalists to do bespoke menus and events. My long-term goal is to be a chef-owner of a successful restaurant where I get to cook my own food every day," she was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
"I'd want to foster a great working environment, much like my current workplace. Championing women in the industry, as well as creating a good work life balance, is so important to me."
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event