26-Year-Old ‘Favy’ Makes History After Winning 13-Week Culinary Competition
Favour Bessan, popularly known as Favy, has been crowned the winner of the inaugural season of MasterChef Nigeria, emerging victorious after a thrilling 13-week competition and taking home a grand prize valued at ₦73 million.
The 26-year-old chef secured the historic title after defeating fellow finalist Fads in the grand finale, where both contestants were tasked with preparing a three-course menu that showcased their culinary skills, creativity and personal identity.
Favy impressed the judging panel, led by renowned chefs Chef Stone and Chef Eros, with a menu that combined technical excellence, creativity, presentation and compelling storytelling. Her starter, featuring smoked salmon served with potato mash and roasted bell pepper soup, received high praise and contributed significantly to her winning performance.
Throughout the competition, Favy established herself as one of the strongest contestants, consistently demonstrating innovation, resilience and exceptional cooking ability.
She also made history during the competition by becoming the first contestant to win the MasterChef Nigeria Immunity Pin, a strategic advantage that helped secure her place in the latter stages of the competition before ultimately claiming the championship.
MasterChef Nigeria, the country’s first adaptation of the internationally acclaimed MasterChef franchise, premiered earlier this year and featured talented amateur cooks from across Nigeria competing in a series of culinary challenges designed to test their creativity, technique and versatility.
The reality cooking competition has been widely praised for showcasing Nigerian culinary talent and offering one of the largest prize packages ever awarded in a Nigerian reality television programme.
With her victory, Favy joins the global family of MasterChef champions and is expected to leverage the platform to advance her culinary career both within Nigeria and internationally.
Her triumph has drawn widespread congratulations from fans, fellow contestants and members of the culinary community, many of whom have described her victory as well-deserved and an inspiration to aspiring chefs across the country.
