Dunstable Young Masterchef finalist Bobby is finding the right ingredients for success

A Dunstable teenager has big plans for the future after making it to the final of the Young Masterchef competition.

The former Queensbury pupil, who studies mechanical engineering at Nottingham University, was in the final three for the first ever Young Masterchef shown on BBC Three on Monday.

Olatunde, known as Bobby, had already seen success as Bobbie’s Bakes before going on the show.

He describes the event as a dream come true. He said: “I’m constantly trying to learn new skills, taste new food, and meet new people with the same passion for cooking. I also love a challenge, being pushed out of my comfort zone, and having my limits tested, which allows me to create new and exciting food combinations and dishes. I've always thought of having a food-related career and if Young MasterChef can help me get closer to that goal, it would be a dream.

"Cooking in the MasterChef kitchen is like a tough workout. It’s really difficult in the midst of it, things may not go to plan and you may feel like throwing in the towel. But, if you push through, the relief and joy you feel once you get through the challenge are immeasurable. It’s also very surreal being in the kitchen. As someone who watches MasterChef, it’s crazy that I’m really here!”

The 19-year-old describes his earliest memories as cooking at home with his mum, in Dunstable.

He said: “Being Nigerian, food is always an important factor at any celebration or occasion. I cook a whole range of food from all different parts of the world. That’s one thing I really love about food, how it connects people from all over the globe. Particularly, I love Southeast Asian cooking, it's so fast and really easy to put your own unique spin on it and tastes way better than takeaway!”

He says his cooking idols are Luton’s Nadiya Hussain, J. Kenji Lopez Alt and his parents.

"But, I think the main one is Andrew Rea, founder of the YouTube channel, Babish Culinary Universe,” he said. “As an internet chef without any formal culinary training, seeing him improve his skills, create amazing dishes and work alongside chefs with years of experience is inspiring. As well as this, I admire the way he fused his love of TV, movie and video games into his cooking, recreating dishes them. For me, the most inspirational thing is, he still was able to make a career in food even after studying something unrelated at university.”

And he has big hopes for the future. “I’ve got so many ideas and aspirations,” he said. “One is owning a food truck, where'd I'd drive around all over the world cooking, adapting the menu to the area I'm in based on local produce and season. Another dream is to own a restaurant. Perhaps a bakery by day and a restaurant by night. The menu would change often, maybe even every fortnight and would be an opportunity for people to try things they wouldn't usually eat. As well as being able to work with people with knowledge of food from different places around the world. Right now, I have Bobby’s Bakes and I’m eager to build on and adapt it into something bigger!”