I know I am not the only person who watches Masterchef (the original, not the very good Professional spin off or the utterly awful Celebrity version) and thinks that I would really like to try the food of the winner. Which, perhaps unsurprisingly as it is an amateur competition, is not that easy.
Yes, there have been a couple of restaurant openings in recent years – Chariya Khattiyot – winner in 2023 – opened ‘Khao Soi By Chariya’ in Alton, Hampshire and Eddie Scott – the 2022 winner – opened his restaurant, L’Opaline Bistrot, in Beverley, East Yorkshire. Top town by the way Beverley, and well worth a trip up from London to see beautiful Beverley Minster. Not that anyone will.
Anyway, before that you need to go back to Kenny Tutt (2018) and Simon Wood (2015) and even then, like Chariya and Eddie, their restaurants are not in London. How very annoying.
So, the news that the most recent, and rather excellent, winner, Harry Maguire is going to cook in London at a one-night only event is very interesting news for those of us who are long term fans of the show – particularly at the moment with it’s future still in the balance after the, ahem, unplanned departures of the previous-presenters-who-must-not-be-named.
Then to add the icing to the cake, the event is taking place at what is one of the true special occasion restaurants in London – Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester. It is a temple to perfect French cuisine, deservedly has three Michelin Stars and is a reminder of why the phrase fine dining is positive. Among other dishes to many to list, you simply have to try the hand-dived scallop, citrus beurre blanc and Kristal caviar – a dish rich and wonderful beyond belief, and if you don’t fancy fillet of Cornish turbot, crapaudine beetroot, wasabi and sorrel then there is probably no hope for you. Plus it has one of the best private rooms in London – a shimmering curtain of silver sealing off an (in)discreet space in the centre of the room. To be clear, this is a serious restaurant with a spectacular dining room that you have to try at least once.
And now Chef Patron Jean-Philippe Blondet is welcoming Harry Maguire, the newly crowned amateur winner of MasterChef 2025, for an exclusive, one-night-only dinner on Wednesday 25th February 2026. This extraordinary collaboration marks the first time Maguire steps into the restaurant’s legendary kitchen since his appearance on MasterChef series 21 where he cooked alongside Jean-Philippe Blondet in one of the show’s most iconic episodes featuring globally recognised chefs including Alain Ducasse Clare Smyth, Claude Bosi, Alex Dilling and Tom Kitchin.
The evening will see Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, this epitome of modern French cuisine which has retained three Michelin stars since 2010, create a collaborative tasting menu with Harry Maguire, a fishmonger by trade and a chef by passion. Maguire will reimagine the dishes that propelled him to victory on MasterChef, whilst Blondet and the team will add their creativity, precision and philosophy to each dish on the menu.
Jean-Philippe Blondet commented “we are so excited to welcome Harry back into the Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester kitchen, this time as a partner. His talent, enthusiasm and respect for the craft were clear from the moment he presented his plate to us during MasterChef. Together we will create a menu that celebrates both his journey and the philosophy of precision, provenance and passion which we champion at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester.”
Harry added, “Cooking at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester during MasterChef was one of the most inspiring moments of my life, so to return here to create a menu alongside Jean-Philippe is an incredible honour.
The opportunity to evolve my dishes in a three-star kitchen and learn from one of the best teams in the world is truly special. At Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Chef Patron Jean-Philippe Blondet continues to evolve Ducasse’s philosophy with his own contemporary interpretation of French gastronomy, one that honours quality, seasonality and sustainability while delivering dishes of emotion. Earlier this year Jean-Philippe Blondet was honoured by the French Republic as Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit.
There are special events and then there are special events. This collaborative dinner will take place from 6.30pm on Wednesday 25th February 2026 at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, with a set menu priced from £300 per guest, not including wine pairings. Guests can make reservations here.
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, The Dorchester, 53 Park Lane, London W1K 1QA
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