RIP Laura Buckley Noonan
Search
06 Sept 2025
Search
06 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Nikita Pathakji, who has reached the final three of MasterChef: The Professionals, said standing in front of the judges is “genuinely terrifying”, but receiving glowing feedback is “the best feeling in the world”.
Following weeks of intense competition, three chefs have made it to the last round of the BBC cooking show after 32 ambitious cooks from across the country originally embarked on the journey.
Sagar Massey, Charlie Jeffreys and Pathakji will battle it out to impress judges Marcus Wareing, Gregg Wallace and Anna Haugh to be named MasterChef: The Professionals champion 2022 on Sunday.
Junior sous chef Pathakji said of making the final three: “I find it honestly unbelievable. I still have to pinch myself to know that it’s real.
“Of course you enter a competition to go all the way, but I never let myself dream that big. I always took it round by round. The first milestone for me was the critics round.
“I thought I would be satisfied with getting through at that stage, but as you get further and further, it’s hard to not want it more and more. I’ve definitely dreamt of getting that trophy.”
The 24-year-old said she learnt how competitive she is from being on the show, and that she can compose herself under “immense pressure”.
“Every time I stand in front of the judges, it’s genuinely terrifying. Even after receiving glowing feedback, it’s never gotten easier,” she said.
“But the most valuable part of MasterChef has been to receive in depth analysis of your food and when the critique is flawless, it’s just the best feeling in the world.
“To have the best chefs in the field tell you the food you’re creating is amazing is the ultimate validation.
“I’ve learnt how competitive I am. I think I knew this before, but getting positive feedback is addictive.”
Pathakji added that TV chef Jun Tanaka’s comments about her dish following the Chef’s Table challenge will stay with her “forever”.
The final of MasterChef: The Professionals will air at 6.15pm on Sunday on BBC One and iPlayer.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
