MasterChef: The Professionals fans ‘crying’ after winner reveals devastating family history

MasterChef: The Professionals viewers were left ‘incredibly sad but inspired’ by how winner Dan Merrimen dealt with ‘so much pain and grief’.

After weeks battling it out against 31 other ambitious chefs, the 29-year-old became the 18th champion of the BBC cooking show, impressing judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace.

But before he earned MasterChef’s coveted trophy, Dan, who lives in Accrington, spoke movingly about losing several multiple family members at an early age.

He explained his father suffered permanent brain damage from an attack and later died from his injuries when Dan was 17. Five years later, Dan’s mother also sadly died.

From the age of 22, Dan was raised by his grandparents until their deaths when the cook was in his mid 20s. Dan now lives with his partner Chloe and their baby boy Ernest.

‘I struggled,’ Dan said of his grief.

‘I lost my self confidence. I lost all of that. There’s been a lot of death in my life but I’ve brought life. That’s what matters.’

On X, viewers were in floods of tears, with @_Neelsreeldeel saying: ‘What an incredibly sad but inspirational story from Dan. To go through so much pain and grief that early on and yet come out on the other side of that to become so successful professionally and personally, beautiful. #MasterChefTheProfessionals #MasterChefUK.’

Echoing their sentiment, @BorrowKeith said: ‘I am crying i want Dan to win #MasterChefTheProfessionals.’

@sharonlhanley commented: ‘Dear god, @MasterChefUK is a total tearjerker. Bless Dan! What a life #MasterChef.’

@WinstonsButler added: ‘Good luck Dan. What a truly lovely person. #MasterChef.’

In the Grand Final, Dan was up against runners up Chiara Tomasoni and George Birtwell, with the chefs all having to prepare a spectacular three course feast.

Dan’s winning menu started with barbecued scallop, served with pickled cucumber, filled with roasted garlic and lime yoghurt and a tomato red pepper and fennel ragu.

For his main, he served ex-dairy beef cooked in beef fat and smoked butter, mushrooms, a beef hash brown, topped with a dairy cow tartare, beef fat mayonnaise, grated truffle and a dashi and mushroom powder.

To finish, Dan served a dish inspired by his grandfather – a blackcurrant cassis mousse topped with a yuzu curd, wood sorrel and honey tuille dusted with a blackcurrant and sherbert powder and grated macadamias, finished with frozen clotted cream pearls.

After tasting the three dishes, Monica told Dan: ‘You’ve been one of the most humble chefs I’ve seen walk in here – very reserved, quite unsure where he stood – maybe not just in the kitchen, in the world.

‘I almost feel like this has been a bit of a haven for you to rediscover your love for your craft and for yourself. Take my word for it, we see something great in you.’

After being announced as winner, Dan shared his plans for the future and said his dream was to open a restaurant.

He said: ‘At the moment I’m working on getting guest chef appearances and intimate dining experiences.

‘My ultimate ambition is to have free reign to cook all my own food and share it with as many people possible.

‘I want to cook in my own restaurant and make a big impact on the industry. I love what I do, and I want my food to be remembered.’

Dan joins fellow MasterChef: The Professional champions Derek Johnstone; Steve Groves; Claire Lara; Ash Mair, joint winners Keri Moss and Anton Piotrowski; Steven Edwards; Jamie Scott; Mark Stinchcombe; Gary Maclean; Craig Johnston; Laurence Henry; Stu Deeley, Alex Webb, Dan Lee, Nikita Pathakji and last year’s winner, Tom Hamblet.

MasterChef: The Professionals is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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MasterChef: The Professionals winner Dan Merrimen has triumphed through grief (Picture: BBC/Shine TV) MasterChef: The Professionals viewers were left ‘incredibly sad but inspired’ by how winner Dan Merrimen dealt with ‘so much pain and grief’. After weeks battling it out against 31 other ambitious chefs, the 29-year-old became the 18th champion of the BBC cooking…