Jhané Gibson's will to win - ‘MasterChef UK’ champ chalks up J'can heritage as major ingredient for victory

 A week later, amateur cook Jhané Gibson has yet to fully process that she's the winner of one of Britain's enduring reality shows. "I still can’t believe that I am a ‘MasterChef UK’ champion! I worked so hard throughout the show to improve with every dish, so winning really feels like all of the hard work paid off," said Gibson, a second-generation Jamaican born to a father who hails from Clarendon and an English mother whose parents grew up in Kingston. The 30-year-old — raised in a family of fervent yardie cooks — was the last woman standing last Friday of the BBC TV-aired cooking competition that began with 48 contestants.

That number was dramatically whittled down over the show's 21-episode run. Gibson advanced over a series of challenges that included 'The Calling Card', where hopefuls had 75 minutes to prepare a dish from scratch to prove their cooking mettle, and 'The Impression Test' that presented the task of crafting a two-course menu for a panel of past ‘MasterChef’ champions and finalists.

"The journey throughout the show was an experience I’ll never forget. Every week, I was pushed to cook the best food of my life. It was definitely challenging at times, but I think that’s why the experience was so valuable," Gibson tells The Gleaner in an exclusive interview, shortly after wrapping an in-studio appearance on the TV morning show, BBC Breakfast.

"I’m so different from the cook I was at the beginning of the competition, and my food has never been so good. I was able to cook with some of the best chefs in the world, at some of the best restaurants in the world. At first, this was scary, but by the end, I felt like a pro."

She tasted sweet success over finalists Kristen Dodd and Matt Willett. For the finale episode in which the show's cast and crew headed to Antigua and Barbuda to film last year, Gibson dazzled the palates of judges Grace Dent and Anna Haugh. The British-Caribbean cook whipped up a fried snapper with escoveitch pickles as her starter, a piri piri poussin for the main course, and closed with a Jamaican-inspired rum cake that was a constant in her household, made by her maternal grandmother. "It's full of rum, and I added ginger to mine to give it an extra kick. My grandma makes this for every family celebration and, even at 95, she's still making it," she divulges to The Gleaner. Another well-received hit on the show was her Thai green curry fried chicken, the menu item she's most known for. "It was the first dish that I made on ‘MasterChef’, and it’s definitely a crowd pleaser at every event that I bring it to. In general, my culinary style involves bold flavour, lots of spice, and turning classic humble dishes into fine dining."

The fortuitous ride to becoming the much-desired MasterChef was not factored into Gibson's life plans. In fact, the Londoner, who attended school in the borough of Islington, went to the University of Nottingham to study psychology. "I really enjoyed it, but I knew it wasn’t my calling. When I was younger, I never thought I could turn my love for cooking into a career," she notes. Descended from a family of what she considers great cooks, Gibson said, "many of my food memories involve me in the kitchen watching my grandparents and parents making great dishes. One particular inspiration is my mum and all the parties she used to host in our little flat. Even though we didn’t have loads of space or fancy tableware, she’d make the best food and do the best job of making everyone feel at home." An intrepid Gibson saw potential in her passion. "Food has always been a big part of my life, and I always loved cooking and eating. I was spending so much of my spare time cooking and thinking about dishes, so it only made sense that I should try and take it more seriously. Then ‘MasterChef’ came calling."

She experienced a baptism by fire on the reality TV series, albeit a thoroughly relished learning curve. "Before ‘MasterChef’, I had never even set foot in a professional kitchen. I’m completely self-taught. So, if I can do it, anyone can," the resilient Gibson informs. "I had to pick things up very quickly. Throughout the show, we cooked in Michelin-starred kitchens such as Opheem by Aktar Islam and Mauro Colagreco's restaurant at Raffles at The OWO. We also got to cook in Antigua at a private island for top chefs and cricket legend Sir Viv Richards."

Gibson's partner of 10 years, Matthew Bates, an antiquities and collectables dealer, is a main ingredient in her current success. "He encouraged me to apply for ‘MasterChef’ and has been my biggest cheerleader on this journey. I couldn’t have done it without him and my family. They really kept me going through the more challenging parts of the competition, and they were the best food critics." All aglow but refreshingly humble in her victorious turn, Gibson is still getting used to random strangers walking up to greet her when out and about. "The reaction is beyond what I could ever have imagined. People have shown so much love. From people saying they've been inspired to start cooking to saying they were jumping up and down in front of their TV (when she was announced the winner), I'm so grateful for all the support, and it's really encouraging me to keep going for my dreams." The culinary aspirations are manifold.

"It really feels like the world is my oyster. The first thing I plan to do is bring my food to people through culinary events such as pop-ups around the UK and then hopefully around the world, especially Jamaica," she shares. "I’ll continue to share recipes on social media.” Her Instagram handle is @jhane_gibson. “So follow along so you can cook with me from your home. In the future, I want to write a cookbook that includes all of my family recipes that have been passed down from my grandma and parents,’ she added. 

While her triumph on ‘MasterChef UK's amateur cook iteration traditionally does not come with cash winnings, for Gibson, there's a larger prize. "I’ve received so many valuable things, such as training and mentorship from some incredible people in the culinary industry. I hope to lean on everything that I learned throughout the process to become one of the best chefs in the industry." 

In the meantime, travel is of paramount importance for Gibson, who recently jetted off to Thailand. "I spent a month there to learn more about Thai food and culture," she revealed. Next on the itinerary is a flight to The Rock. "I love visiting Jamaica and had a trip booked last year that was sadly cancelled due to Hurricane Melissa. I plan to visit next year to eat some great food and hopefully cook! I’d love to work with some hurricane relief organisations whilst I’m there and to host some cooking events. Some of my favourite places to eat and drink include Shark’s restaurant in Negril and finding great roadside jerk spots." For the psych major-turned-celebrated cook, food made with love wins every time.

lifestyle@gleanerjm.com