Brin Pirathapan, who grew up in Chelmsford, and now lives in Bristol, beat his fellow finalists at French fine dining venue Le Gavroche, which closed down earlier this year, in the BBC One show yesterday. The 29-year-old beat farmer Louise Lyons Macleod, 44, from Exmoor National Park, and circus performer Chris Willoughby, also 44, from Oxfordshire. Judge John Torode told the finalists: “20 years we’ve been doing MasterChef.
That is the best final we’ve ever done.” Pirathapan said: “I’m absolutely chuffed to bits. I can’t breathe.
“I’m a big mix of my background, my culture and all the opportunities my parents have given me. “They’ve been incredible and I’ve done it for them as much as I’ve done it for myself. “The experience itself has been incredible and to top it off with this is just the most amazing thing, ever.
” He was awarded the trophy by Torode and fellow judge Gregg Wallace after cooking fried capers, pickled chilli, pickled and charred shallots, orange and honey-glazed octopus with thinly-battered tempura mussels, herb-baked wafers called tuiles dusted with an orange scallop roe, and an orange gel and sea plant samphire on a romesco tomato-based sauce for his starter. Pirathapan was guided by Le Gavroche owner and former MasterChef: The Professionals judge Michel Roux Jr and served chefs including Pierre Koffmann, MasterChef: The Professionals judge Monica Galetti and Emily Roux, who had worked at the restaurant. His main course was sp.