MasterChef: The Professionals 2021 Champion Tom Rhodes will be on stage at Malton Food Lovers Festival this bank holiday weekend.

Ahead of his visit he tells us about his food passions

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First dish you learned to cook?
I think it was probably scrambled eggs. I think every cook should learn how to make great scrambled eggs. I remember following a Gordon Ramsay recipe for Mother’s Day one time, it had loads of butter and a little creme fraiche to make them extra creamy, Mum loved them.

Childhood food memory?
I spent a lot of time, as a child, watching my parents cook elaborate dinner parties. Mango and goats cheese spring rolls and salmon with champagne granita were favourites of theirs. It wasn’t long before I was helping them out in the kitchen.

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Ingredient you love?
Citrus - oranges, lemons, limes and yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit. I always have loads of different types in the fridge and their acidity can bring great balance and freshness to all sorts of dishes. It’s an easy way to make an everyday meal a bit more special.

Inspirational chef?
Yotam Ottolenghi - he’s able to use flavours and ingredients in such interesting and sometimes unexpected ways. I also love how he really celebrates vegetables in his cooking, something I think we could all do more of.

Most memorable meal?
I’ve been lucky enough to eat in some fancy restaurants, but I always come back to an amazing bowl of Beef Pho in Vietnam, I think it cost about £1.50! It’s a Vietnamese noodle soup, the broth is cooked for hours so it’s packed with flavour and it’s finished with fresh herbs, chillies and lime. They were simmering the broth in these giant stock pots at the front of the restaurant, the smell was out of this world.


The year ahead
My life has changed so much since winning MasterChef and I’m now doing all the things I’ve ever dreamed of. I’ve got a summer jam packed with food festivals. I love the festivals, they’re tonnes of fun, and a great chance to meet loads of people and share the food and flavours I love cooking with. I’m also working on a book, which I’m really excited about, writing and developing recipes is something I’ve always wanted to do.

Tom will be at the free Malton Food Festival this weekend