Masterchef UK 2023: Peterborough's Fannata hoping to serve up success on BBC1 cookery competition

A top Peterborough home cook is hoping success will be on the menu as she bids for a quarter final place in Masterchef

Fannata (29) impressed judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode with her ‘Spanish style fish and chips’ in Monday night’s episode – and now the health and safety specialist will be aiming to serve up more first class dishes to advance in the BBC1 cookery competition.

On Monday night Fannata explained how she had been inspired to cook by her grandfather in Ghana, where she grew up.

She was born in Accra, Ghana and has since lived in New York, Los Angeles and now in Peterborough. She said: “My cooking style is quite experimental. I would say it’s very west African, the kind of food I ate growing up with influences from amazing food from around the world. I am inspired by my grandparents especially as well as my countless family members who have shown me different delightful ways of approaching cookery.”

In the first round, where nine cooks compete for three places in the next round, Fannata tried to impress with a pear frangipane tart. But while her ‘creamy, silky and soft’ ice cream impressed John, her slightly overdone pastry meant she had to cook again for a spot in the next round.

But she did not miss her second chance, with her hake, crispy potatoes and Spanish Romesco sauce – labelled as Spanish fish and chips by the judges – getting top marks from both Gregg and John, and earning a place in the next round.

Should she survive tonight’s episode, she will cook for a place in Friday’s quarter final

She is hoping her Masterchef experience will give her a springboard to open her own restaurant. She said: “My biggest dream is to learn from the best and own a restaurant. On this journey I would absolutely love to document the growing international food scenes and recipes that are out there. The current global food scene is becoming more accessible than ever and I’d love to be part of that – showing the wonderous recipes of the past that form traditions but also new fusions that excite me.”

The next episode of Masterchef is on BBC1 at 8pm on Wednesday, May 10