North-east MasterChef fans may recognise a familiar face on the long-running BBC programme tonight as it returns to our screens for series 19.
Those tuning in to the show, which kicks off at 8pm on BBC One, will see Aboyne and Upper Deeside councillor Geva Blackett competing against eight fellow home cooks in the first heat of the next series.
The episode will see Geva, 66, create her ‘family favourite dish’ and take part in an invention test.
The mum-of-four’s cooking skills will be put to the test by judges and presenters John Torode and Gregg Wallace.
For those of you keen to find out more about the Aberdeenshire councillor, who resides in Braemar with her four daughters, husband and two cocker spaniels, ahead of her TV appearance, here is a brief Q&A.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
Lazy… But I do plan for the week ahead and I do experiment a lot. I could probably open a cookbook shop as I have shelves full of them.
I cook from scratch 99.99% of the time – my husband loves puddings and cakes and I guess I show my love for my family by cooking them nice food when they come home.
What is your earliest cooking memory?
I feel like I’ve always cooked but it was only really when I met my husband almost 40 years ago that I really bothered to cook from scratch.
I guess falling in love was a huge inspiration and then there were four daughters to feed and often their friends too and now their husbands and our grandchildren too.
Why did you enter MasterChef?
It seemed like a good idea at the time… I’d love to inspire young people to learn to cook from scratch and maybe even become chefs.
By me showing myself completely out of my comfort zone and giving this a try, hopefully others might do the same and who knows what rewards lie ahead. Take a chance! Be brave!
The bank holidays are nearly over but there's one more treat to come! 🐰 Brand new series of #MasterChefUK with @JohnTorode1 and @GreggAWallace, tonight at 8pm on BBC One and @bbciplayer pic.twitter.com/z7PGHiYn3S
— MasterChef UK 🍴 (@MasterChefUK) April 10, 2023
What is your food dream?
That someone watched me on MasterChef and thought ‘I could do that’ and then went on to change their life.
As the old saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
More local talent
Also featuring on tonight’s episode is 26-year-old Zoe Fraser, who works as a manager in a tech start up.
Born in Aberdeen, Zoe studied in Edinburgh and now lives in Stirling with her fiancé Matteo.
She will be tasked with the same challenges as Geva in the first heat.
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