A Killyleagh man whose whole life revolves around food has wowed the judges of MasterChef with his flair for local fayre in what he described as a “dream come true” experience.
Adam Morrison curated culinary creations such as veda tart to progress through the knockout stages of the popular BBC show, which regularly leaves audiences at home hungry for more.
Fired by a lifelong love of cooking inspired by his parents, Adam has even dedicated his education to food, studying the subject at PhD level at Ulster University.
Appearing in the current series, Adam stood out among fellow competitors for the creativity of his dishes and his strong gastronomic skills, earning high praise from judges chef Anna Haugh and food critic Grace Dent.
Adam, who is 24, used locally sourced ingredients and drew on classic French techniques for both sweet and savoury dishes.
Reflecting on his time in the MasterChef kitchen, he said: “I really enjoyed the whole experience, and getting onto the show from thousands of applications was a dream come true.
“It’s a pressured environment with nowhere to hide. The cameras catch everything. You have to concentrate on the dish, and everything is different — ovens, equipment, and a full film crew.”
He described the judges as “fantastic”, saying they helped put contestants at ease while pushing them to do their best.
One of his standout dishes was a treacle and veda bread tart, which helped secure him one of his first MasterChef aprons.
Adam said his love of cooking began in childhood.
“Mum and dad were always keen cooks, and I was always in the kitchen helping from a young age,” he said.
“My earliest food memory is helping my mum make birthday cakes. They were always chocolate cakes, and the best part was licking the spoon.”
His palate has since developed, with a particular love of cream as an ingredient, which he uses across savoury and sweet dishes.
“I have always watched MasterChef growing up and thought I’d love to do that one day. Food and cooking are my passion,” he said.
Looking ahead, Adam hopes to build a career in food.
“One day I would love to have my own fine-dining restaurant serving great food and drink. First, I’d love to gain experience in a great restaurant kitchen.”
Food NI chief executive Michele Shirlow praised his achievements, saying she was delighted by his performance on the BBC series.
The current series of MasterChef continues on BBC One.
