Who is chef Chris Bartlett on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026?

With MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 now in full swing on BBC One, we find out more about Chris Bartlett, one of the chefs taking part in this year’s competition.

Originally from Ipswich, Chris now lives in Walpole, Suffolk, with his wife and son.

Age at start of filming

38

Job role

Stay-at-home dad/part-time at Meadowsweet

Chef background

“I learned everything on the job. My first experience was a two-week stage at Lyle’s, Shoreditch which opened my eyes to the world of professional kitchens.

“The place that’s had the biggest impact on me is Meadowsweet, where I worked during filming. I also ran a pop-up called elda for six months, which is now becoming a full-time restaurant.

“One of the major highlights of my career was working with Heston Blumenthal in France - an experience that shaped my understanding of discipline, precision, and creativity.”

Who and what inspired you to become a chef?

“After I stopped cycling, I struggled with a 9–5 job. I missed the physicality and pressure of racing.

“I remember watching a documentary about a chef in Missouri who specialised in seafood - the control, discipline and intensity in his kitchen were inspiring.

“I tried to make a bouillabaisse immediately after watching it. I hoped I could find that same adrenaline rush in the kitchen, and I did. Cooking is the best job in the world.”

How would you describe your style of cooking and any influences on it?

“I’d say I’m still finding my way. I was obsessed with the science of cooking for most of my career, but later realised that you don’t need to understand the science to appreciate or make beautiful food.

“Now I combine both - curiosity about why we find things delicious, and the joy of flavour for its own sake. I’m fascinated by perceived complexity and how to achieve it.”