MasterChef's 2025 Runner-Up Is The Show's First-Ever Vegan Finalist

MasterChef runner-up Sophie Sugrue is the cooking show’s first-ever vegan finalist.

Sugrue competed on the 21st season of the British TV series, which shows amateur chefs competing in timed cooking challenges. While the program has previously had vegetarian competitors, Sugrue is the first vegan to compete in the final.

Twenty-six-year-old Sugrue has said she grew up watching MasterChef at home and was inspired to apply by her late father. She competed against 60 other chefs to reach the finals, becoming known for her unique, plant-based plates. Some of her dishes included a chamomile and agave leek tarte tatin with whipped feta and pistachio, and cola-braised short rib tacos served with pickled red onions, charred corn, salsa verde, and avocado cream.

Sugrue told Plant Based News (PBN) that being able to share plant-based food on such a large platform “meant the world” to her, and said she was “incredibly grateful” for the opportunity.

“Competing on MasterChef was truly a dream come true,” she continued. “To reach the finals cooking entirely plant‑based dishes was beyond anything I imagined. I feel deeply honored to be the first-ever plant‑based finalist, and incredibly proud to have carried that torch all the way to the end.”

‘That moment really opened my eyes’

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Sugrue has now been vegan for more than 10 years. She told PBN that her decision to adopt a plant-based diet was “completely driven by ethics.” Not because she didn’t enjoy the taste of meat, but because she could no longer justify eating animals.

“I first decided to go vegetarian when I was around 14, and by 16, I had started experimenting with plant‑based cooking,” she said. “Funnily enough, it all began when my Dad showed me the song ‘Meat is Murder’ by The Smiths. That moment really opened my eyes, and I realized I no longer wanted to eat meat.”

Plant-based recipes, pop-ups, and dining experiences

Photo shows a vegan dish cooked at home by Sophie Sugrue, the first-ever vegan runner-up on MasterChef — Sophie Sugrue ‘There are some exciting things in the works,” said Sugrue

Sugrue grew up in Basildon, Essex, but now lives in London. She frequently shares recipes and dishes on her Instagram and also posted videos, photos, and behind-the-scenes notes about her experiences on MasterChef while the latest season aired.

When asked about what she will be working on next, Sugrue said, “I’m focused on continuing to share plant‑based food with a wider audience. I’ll be posting recipes and food content on my socials, planning pop‑ups and collaborations, and offering private plant‑based dining experiences. There are some exciting things in the works – so stay tuned!”