Jhané was crowned the winner of MasterChef 2026 after a rigorous three-hour final cook-off judged by Anna Haugh and Grace Dent. According to Radio Times. The competition. Which spanned seven weeks. Culminated in a final showdown where the three remaining cooks were tasked with creating their best three courses. Jhané outperformed fellow finalists Kristen and Matt, impressing the judges with her bold flavors and confident food identity inspired by family parties, as After being awarded the trophy, Jhané expressed her excitement: ‘I am a MasterChef champion!… I can’t wait for all the exciting things that are coming next.’

Anna Haugh: A Culinary Star in the Spotlight

Anna Haugh, one of the judges of MasterChef 2026, is a well-known Irish chef born in Dublin in 1980. According to hallmarkchannel.com, she honed her skills at the TU Dublin School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology and has worked with renowned chefs such as Derry Clarke and Gualtiero Marchesi. In 2019, she opened Myrtle in London, a restaurant named after Irish food legend Myrtle Allen. She has also appeared on various cooking shows, including Ready Steady Cook and Saturday Kitchen. In 2022, she joined the judges’ table on MasterChef: The Professionals.

Anna Haugh’s Big Irish Food Tour

In 2025, Anna Haugh embarked on a 15-part culinary tour of Ireland titled “Anna Haugh’s Big Irish Food Tour,” as reported by Mail Plus. The series, which aired on BBC One Northern Ireland, took her from Ballycastle in Co Antrim to Cork, showcasing the country’s rich food culture. The show featured celebrity guests such as comedians Katherine Ryan and Ed Byrne, singer and actor Shayne Ward, presenter Laura Whitmore, and boxer Carl Frampton. These guests shared their Irish food memories and assisted Anna in the kitchen. Notable highlights included snooker legend Dennis Taylor helping catch an ingredient for one of Anna’s dishes and gardener Diarmuid Gavin supplying potatoes for a goat hotpot.

More MasterChef on the Horizon

With Jhané’s win, the MasterChef brand continues to expand. According to Radio Times, the celebrity edition of the show will return this summer. Giorgio Locatelli has been confirmed as a new judge on the upcoming season of Celebrity MasterChef, joining Grace Dent. Meanwhile, Anna Haugh is also continuing her culinary journey through writing and television. In 2024, she released her first cookbook, Cooking with Anna: Modern Home Cooking with Irish Heart, which features recipes, stories, and a celebration of Irish ingredients.