Here’s everything you need to know about the filming locations for the nation’s favourite cooking competition.
1
Where is MasterChef filmed?
London
Since 2014 MasterChef has been filmed at 3 Mills Studios, east London.
The only time it wasn’t filmed there was for the 2021 series when social distancing was introduced.
For the 20th anniversary season, filming took place in the London Borough of Newham, which is in between Bromley-By-Bow and West Ham tube stations.
It’s the site of a former distillery that is now a film and television studio.
The studio has also been used for Gordon Ramsey: Cookalong Live, Million Pound Drop Live, Stand Up To Cancer, and Bad Girls.
For the 2024 quarter-finals the cooks will work in professional kitchens at the London restaurants Nessa and Joia.
And in a twist to the usual format, the final four contestants will travel to Singapore to cook for special guests including
MasterChef Singapore judge Damian D’Silva at The Fullerton Bay Hotel.
They will then jet back to London to take on the chef’s table at Le Gavroche under the watchful eye of past MasterChef: The Professionals judge Michel Roux Jr.
Birmingham
It’s been announced that from 2024 MasterChef will be filmed in Birmingham.
The show will be shot at the Digbeth Loc studios founded by the Peaky Blinders creator, Steven Knight.
Producers have signed a six-year deal at the studio, meaning the show will be filmed there until at least 2030.
Spinoff shows such as MasterChef: The Professionals and Celebrity MasterChef will also made in Birmingham.
What restaurants have previously featured on MasterChef?
Over the years the team has headed to some of the most wonderful restaurants across the UK and beyond.
One restaurant that is well remembered is Sartoria, in Mayfair, London, where the contestants had to prepare every dish on the menu.
The show has also filmed at Carlton Towers in North Yorkshire, which is home to Lord and Lady Fitzalan-Howard.
Although they live there, members of the public can stay and eat there, and the contestants were tasked with cooking for the Lord and Lady, as well as local Yorkshire producers.
Another time the team were taken to Peru to work with chef Virgilio Martinez.
The contestants were made to work the hectic lunch service at his world-famous restaurant Central, and were given three hours each to cook a dish from his impressive 17-course tasting menu.
Another year saw contestants head to the the Glyndebourne opera house, before having to cook a five-course tasting menu at the Royal Society in London.
The team even flew out for the culinary adventure of a lifetime in Hong Kong.
When is MasterChef 2024 on TV?
MasterChef 2024 kicked off on April 1 at 6.30pm on BBC One.
There are a whopping 24 episodes in the series — the show will play out over eight weeks, with three episodes a week.
Broadcast days vary week to week — check the BBC schedule to ensure you don’t miss out.
Where are the past MasterChef winners now?
- Series 1, 2005 – Thomasina Miers. Became the co-founder of Wahaca chain of Mexican Restaurants.
- Series 2, 2006 – Peter Bayless. Published My Father Could Only Boil Cornflakes and teaches at various cookery schools.
- Series 3, 2007 – Steve Wallis. Became the group head of culinery innovation at Two Sisters Food Group.
- Series 4, 2008 – James Nathan. Opened The Green Room restaurant in Cornwall and took over St Enodoc Hotel in Rock.
- Series 5, 2009 – Mat Follas. Wrote two cookery books and opened Bramble Cafe and Deli in Dorset with his wife.
- Series 6, 2010 – Dhruv Baker. Wrote Spice: Layers of Flavour and children’s cookery book Spice Story, and became co-owner of Earlsfield Kitchen and The Jolly Gardeners in Wandsworth
- Series 7, 2011 – Tim Anderson. Opened Nanban Japanese restaurant in Shoreditch and wrote Nanban: Japanese Soul Food.
- Series 8, 2012 – Shelina Permalloo. Wrote Sunshine On A Plate and opened Lakaz Maman restaurant in Southampton.
- Series 9, 2013 – Natalie Coleman. She has written her own cookbook and is Head Chef at The Winchmore pub in London.
- Series 10, 2014 – Ping Coombes. She published her first book in 2016 and is a culinary partner and executive chef.
- Series 11, 2015 – Simon Wood. Has opened his first restaurant, called Wood, in Manchester’s First Street.
- Series 12, 2016 – Jane Devonshire. Jane has written two acclaimed cookbooks, run pop-ups and raised money for cancer charities.
- Series 13, 2017 – Dr Saliha Mahmood Ahmed. Runs her own website where she hosts a seasoned cookery school.
- Series 14, 2018 – Kenny Tutt. He is opening a new two-floor restaurant in his home town – Worthing, which is expected to open in May.
- Series 15, 2019 – Irini Tzortzoglou. She has published her first book, Under the Olive Tree: Recipes from my Greek Kitchen.
- Series 1, 2020 – Thomas Frake. He took part in Fantastic Food Festivals for 2021.
- Series 17, 2021 – Tom Rhodes. He now has his own cookery website and is a food influencer on Instagram.
- Series 18, 2022 – Eddie Scott. He has worked at Michelin starred The Pipe and Glass in East Yorkshire, and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, as well as working on his debut cookbook, ‘Misarana’ due out in Spring 2024.
- Series 19, 2023 – Chariya Khattiyot. She has appeared on MasterChef Thailand as a guest chef and is opening her first restaurant near her home in Alton in 2024.