Alexina with fellow finalist Mike Tomkins, judges Greg Wallace and John Torode, and 2021 champion Tom Rhodes. (Image: BBC)

As she’s hoping to write cookbooks, the skills Alexina gained from her English degree will soon be combined with those gathered in the kitchen. In 2020, mid pandemic, I submitted an application for MasterChef — a decision that led me all the way to the final. It was an exhilarating experience and helped me to better understand my philosophy on food, and the dimensions that give food meaning and flavour (read more about what I mean by this here). It would be great to spend time in professional kitchens as even after over 20 years of cooking I know I still have so much to learn. I’d also love to see more of East and South East Asia, to learn more about their food and culture." Read More Related Articles It’s very special. I’ve also recently developed an obsession with adding sumac to strawberries, where its citrusy notes provide a counterpart to strawberries’ inherent sweetness.During the competition, I have realised my love for developing recipes and cooking for other people outside of my friends and family, so would love to do more of this after the show.” Fearlessly bringing together the best flavours and culinary strategies from around the world, Alexina Anatole will help you befriend bitterness - one flavour-balancing technique at a time. Using ten ingredients to walk you through every type of bitterness and how to tame it - from grapefruit and bitter oranges, bitter greens, tahini, beer, walnuts, cranberries, tea, coffee, cocoa and liquorice - each recipe will expand your repertoire and open the door to new worlds of deliciousness, using bitterness in both savoury and sweet dishes to elevate the taste of everything you make.

Tonight's result comes almost a week late as the final of the series was postponed due to Prince Philip's death, leaving millions of MasterChef fans in suspense.Speaking after his win, Tom said: “Being this year’s MasterChef Champion, after watching and admiring so many past Champions, seems like a dream come true. Read More Related Articles Who’s the author? Alexina Anatole started her career on a trading floor in the City of London but had always been obsessed with food. In her late 20s – after years of watching the show – she decided to enter MasterChef, reaching the final in 2021. The competition, in which she came runner-up, led her to realise that she had a talent for cooking but, more importantly, helped her to better understand what it is that gives food flavour and meaning, and how our individual palates mean that we experience flavour and taste in different ways. Bitter is her first cookbook, but with more to follow (the second, Sweet, will be published in 2025), she is building an impressive career around her true passion: food.

TRY: Alexina's recipe for salmon tacos with grapefruit - delicious! What are the components of a good meal for you?The BBC dropped their regular output on Friday across BBC One and BBC Two to instead air special coverage dedicated to the Duke of Edinburgh - with the MasterChef final rescheduled to Wednesday.

Festival Director Sue Hitchen said: “I’m delighted we are returning to Bristol this year, bringing top chefs to cook live and big name music acts to our stage.As we are outdoors and in local parks we are able to plan Covid safe festivals, and our experienced Health and Safety team are working closely with local councils across the country to make sure we take all appropriate measures and follow government guidelines to keep everyone safe. MasterChef viewers will have seen him do just that on this series - learning new things and combining them with his love for East and South East Asian food. Alexina Anatole started her career on the trading floor in London. But food was always a big focus. After many years of watching the show, she decided to apply for MasterChef, and reached the final. Her book Bitter is a celebration of the complexity of sharp, tart and acidic flavours. With ideas and recipes you won't have thought of before... Is it weird to say a salad? There’s this raw kale and grapefruit salad in Bitter that everyone seems to be going mad for! I think it’s just a really perfect combination of flavours: bitterness from the kale and grapefruit, toasty notes from the almonds, sweetness from the dressing, a little punch from the spring onions and shallots. What is it about cooking and food that makes you really happy? Meanwhile, crush the saffron in a pestle and mortar, then combine it with the yoghurt and boiling water until you have a gleaming golden-coloured mixture. Stir through a third of the cooked rice.