KADEENA COX MBE WINS CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF 2021

After four heat weeks, one week of semi-finals and an impressive final week, Kadeena Cox MBE (30) has beaten 19 celebrities to be awarded his trophy by judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

Gold-medal winning Paralympian, Cox, says: “I gave everything I could today. I am absolutely buzzing. This smile is not disappearing from my face for a while. I am just proud of myself for doing it. I didn’t change who I was, I learnt along the way but I was still Kadeena right to the end. It has just been a great journey and one that I am never going to forget.”

John Torode says: “So many times during this year’s competition I forgot Kadeena had Multiple Sclerosis and was not only battling for the trophy but had her own personal battle going on. She just never let up, she didn’t stop! For me she is a true inspiration. Her food is special, not just because it is technically brilliant but also because it has heart, it’s got soul and it’s got love.”

Gregg Wallace added: “What a lovely, lovely final. Today from Kadeena we got very special dishes. It’s not just the quality of Kadeena’s cooking, it’s the originality of the ideas. There is a reason she has a bedroom full of medals, she is a serious competitor.”

In the final episode, Kadeena, alongside other finalists Megan McKenna and Joe Swash, had two hours to present a flawless three-course meal, cooked to the very highest standards to impress the judges.

Her winning menu was a starter of torched salmon marinated in lime juice with caviar, tempura prawn topped with a crab meat mayonnaise, asparagus salad and a Bloody Mary granite; a main course of French trimmed rack of lamb, Caribbean curried goat pie, roasted carrots, spinach, silver skin onions and a lamb curry sauce; and to finish Choux au Craquelin filled with mascarpone whipped cream with hazelnut praline crumb and tempered chocolate.