Meet the MasterChef 2021 finalists

They'll face a Chef's Table challenge at Michel Roux Jr's acclaimed restaurant Le Gavroche in the upcoming final, which was due to air on Friday 9th April but was dropped from TV schedules as the BBC announced changes to programming following the death of Prince Philip.

The episode will now air on Wednesday, and will see either Tom, Alexina or Mike take the prize. But, who will it be?

As the final approaches, here's everything you need to know about the MasterChef 2021 finalists.

MasterChef 2021 finalists

Tom

Age: 31

From: Newcastle

Job: Front of house manager at high street chain restaurant

Instagram: @rhodeskitchen

Originally from Manchester, front of house manager Tom has loved cooking since he was just four years old.

"I loved experimenting with ingredients and flavours, with varying degrees of success! I became more curious and skilled in my teenage years when I started to teach myself to cook properly and would often cook for my parents and their friends," he said.

On the 2021 series, the chef has shown great promise. He is particularly inspired by ingredients from the East and South East of Asia, having travelled to this part of the world before.

He also draws inspiration from previous MasterChef winners, saying: "I was inspired by past MasterChef champions like Tim Anderson and Ping Coombes. I’ve always been a huge fan of Yotam Ottolenghi too. As I’ve got older, I follow cooks from all over the world like Nik Sharma, Eric Kim and Sohla El-Waylly.”

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Alexina

Age: 30

From: South London

Job: Management role in start-up

Instagram: @alexinaanatole

Alexina was destined to be a chef, given her family's foodie background.

"Cooking runs in my family," she previously revealed. "My maternal grandparents were chicken farmers, and my grandmother was a classic British home cook; her apple and blackberry pie is legendary! My paternal grandmother trained as a chef. Going over to her house was the classic Caribbean experience in so far as the table would be groaning with more food than could ever be eaten."

She counts cooks such as Nigella Lawson and Ravneet Gill as her inspirations, and as well as winning the show, of course, Alexina would love to pair her business background with her passion for cooking.

She added: “I would like to run a hospitality business, pairing my business background with my love of food. I have always loved eating out, because it's those moments where you make memories with the ones you love. The food is important of course, but the atmosphere is also critical. Danny Meyer is an inspiration."

Mike

Age: 27

From: Guildford, Surrey

Job: Works in sales, for a tech company

Instagram: @thenotecook

Mike's girlfriend "nagged" him to sign up for MasterChef, and a good thing, too!

Speaking of what it felt like to get to the semi-finals, Mike revealed: “I kept saying to myself, as long as I don’t go out in this round, I'll be happy. The whole thing is quite an emotional experience; no one can prepare you for it. Getting through has made everything worth it and I feel vindicated for the blood sweat and tears I have put into the competition!"

Although he's managed to make it so far, the experience has been "daunting" for the chef.

"Cooking for John and Gregg is pretty daunting. I'd hate to play poker against them! I always thought I was good at reading body language and facial expressions, but when they're tasting your food they're impossible to read!” he said.

The MasterChef series 17 final will air on Wednesday, 14th April at 8pm on BBC One. If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide. Also visit our hub for more Entertainment news.