A former Paisley Grammar School pupil came so close to tasting success as he narrowly missed out on being crowned Masterchef in the latest series of the hit TV show.
Sagar Massey, 23, had been competing in the finals of Masterchef: The Professionals having made it all the way through six weeks of competition to be one of the last three competitors.
The grand finale of the show aired on BBC One on Sunday night but it would not go the way Sagar planned as he would lose out on top spot to Nikita Pathakji.
Despite not winning, Sagar, who lives in Johnstone, was serene in defeat and, after it was revealed that Nikita had won, said: “Surprisingly, I’m feeling good. I made some great friends.
“I had so many good rounds. So yeah, I’m pleased. Everything will be alright.”
For the tense final task, the three chefs had to cook the three most spectacular courses of their lives for the MasterChef judges Anna Haugh, Gregg Wallace, and Marcus Wareing.
Sagar’s starter was his take on raj kachori, a fried Indian puri bread topped with tomato powder. Inside, there was spiced potato and chickpeas, a mint and coriander chutney, tamarind jelly, fresh apple and mango, sev – a crispy Indian snack – and a yoghurt foam.
And it seemed he was off to a good start, with Anna saying: “I think, genuinely, this is the best dish that you have done to date.”
With his confidence running high, Sagar hoped that his main course would impress the judges just as much.
Sagar, who works as a sous chef at the Marine Hotel in Troon, South Ayrshire, has previously spoken about his love of Scottish produce. His dishes have consistently combined his love and knowledge of Indian cuisine, he comes from New Delhi, with the ingredients from his adopted homeland, which he moved to in 2014.
His main dish was a loin of Scottish roe deer marinated in spices on a bed of creamed spinach, salt-baked beetroot smoked with hickory essence, celeriac puree, pickled walnuts and a cardamom and roe deer sauce.
Gregg said: "That roe deer is perfectly cooked. There’s a mild curry flavour across the top, like a korma. Real big smokiness on that beetroot that I love, and the pickled walnuts, little bit of sharpness as well. Sagar, I am absolutely delighted by this dish.”
It was all looking good for Sagar but when it came time for Anna to reveal her thoughts on the dish, Sagar’s excitement was soon checked.
She had found two pieces of piping bag in the dish that should not have been there.
Sagar’s dessert – his own take on a traditional Scottish cranachan – contained caramelised white chocolate mousse, whisky gel, fresh raspberries and raspberry puree, topped with a disc of raspberry jelly, honeyed oats and a raspberry sorbet.
It went down a treat with the judges but the damage had been done to Sagar’s chances with the previous dish. They would go on to announce Nikita as the winner.
But it’s not the end of the road for Sagar who studied professional cookery at West College Scotland. He has plans to one day open his own restaurant, so his Indian and Scottish fusion dishes could yet be making another public appearance.
He said: “Soon, I’d like to host a few pop-ups around the UK to share my food, showcasing my heritage.
“But one day, I’d like to own my own fine dining restaurant serving Indian-inspired dishes using Scottish produce.
“If I can, I’d love to open a restaurant in India too!”
Don't miss the latest Renfrewshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
