Thomas Frake has been crowned the Champion of Champions 2025 in the MasterChef Festive Extravaganza on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The 2020 champion outperformed fellow winners Natalie Coleman (2013), Chariya Khattiyot (2023), and Brin Pirathapan (2024) in a festive showdown judged by Grace Dent and John Torode.
John Torode described the food as "probably the best I've ever eaten in the history of MasterChef." Thomas expressed his gratitude, saying, "This feels amazing. I’m grateful more than anything. MasterChef is what got me onto this journey in the first place." He added that while his first trophy stays at home, this one will go straight to his pub.
The champions faced two challenges: a dish fit for royalty, judged alongside critic Tom Parker Bowles, and two of the best courses they have ever cooked. Thomas's winning menu featured roast venison marinated in treacle with a venison and pear barley stew, wild garlic purée, charred shallot, bubble and squeak, and a venison and port sauce. His dessert was a brioche bread and butter pudding with butterscotch raisins, Pedro Ximénez sherry sauce, and brown butter ice cream.
Grace Dent praised Thomas as "a fascinating chef" who "cooks crowd-pleasers absolutely beautifully with loads of finesse." John Torode noted that his "love of great British food and what he likes to call pub grub is so infectious." Grace concluded that Thomas "takes great British crowd-pleasers and elevates them. That was pure pleasure."
