Dan Merriman, who has been revealed as the winner of MasterChef: The Professionals, has given his verdict on Gregg Wallace.
Gregg recently stepped down from his MasterChef role following a BBC probe into allegations of inappropriate sexual remarks and conduct, which he has strongly refuted. His legal team asserted: “It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”
Despite the controversy, he appeared on our screens for the show’s finale, recorded three months prior to the claims surfacing.
However, Dan shared that his time on the show was positive: “My experience with Gregg was great. He’s a happy-go-lucky kind of bloke, very encouraging and very supportive. He gave me some great comments and feedback.”
After learning of his win in September, Dan returned home to an amusing surprise – a life-size cardboard cut-out of Gregg, courtesy of his partner.
Celebrating with a curry, Dan recalled: “I came back, and it was just my partner Chloe here, and I walked into the front room and there were balloons everywhere, party poppers, a bottle of wine and an Indian takeaway on the table, and there in the corner was a life-sized cardboard cut-out of Gregg Wallace with a party hat on top.”
Dan spent a year honing his skills at the Michelin-starred Northcote in Langho, close to Blackburn in Lancashire, before opting for a role that provided him with a more favourable work-life balance.
He mentioned that having Gregg present during the competition eased some of the tension as he vied for the top award amongst other professional chefs.
He detailed: “You’ve got two professional idols: Marcus Wareing is serious, he’s there for the win; and you’ve got Monica who brings a bit of nurturing to the table. And then you’ve got Gregg who is just a normal person. Obviously he is who he is, but you haven’t got that pressure of cooking for a legend who you watched on Boiling Point, or a Samoan ambassador. He’s just the veg guy.”
In light of the recent controversy surrounding Gregg, he added: “At the end of the day the programme is all about the contestants.
“We’ve had a lot of support from the public, from social media, and I don’t feel like it’s been overshadowed. Nor should it be. It shouldn’t take away from the achievements of any one of the 32 chefs who took part.”