MasterChef: The Professionals winner Dan Merriman launches ‘At home with Dan’

Dan Merriman, the 2024 winner of MasterChef: The Professionals has unveiled a new venture, 'At Home with Dan.'

Originally from Droitwich in Worcestershire, he is the eldest of five brothers and now lives in Accrington, Lancashire, with his partner Chloe and son Ernest.

After winning MasterChef: The Professionals, Dan wasted no time channelling that momentum into something of his own. He launched At Home with Dan - a private dining experience designed to bring Michelin-level food and service into the comfort of people’s homes.

Reacting to his win, Dan said: “To walk away as MasterChef champion, it means the world to me.

“There’s not been that many times where I’ve been proud of myself in my life, but I’ve hit the pinnacle! This whole competition has changed my life. I’m forever grateful.”

Read more: Changed my life’ - Dan Merriman wins MasterChef: The Professionals 2024

Working alongside Northern Dining Group’s Oli Martin and Alex Blamire, the concept goes far beyond just great food. Every event is completely bespoke, with Dan curating the menu and atmosphere around each individual client, delivering something genuinely special and intimate

He said: "I’ve always dreamt of leaving the restaurant world and pushing myself, pushing my food to the next level. But when I became a father, I started questioning whether the traditional path - long hours in a kitchen, working nights and weekends - was the right direction anymore.

"At the same time, I didn’t want to give up cooking at a high level. I still want to create dishes that make people stop in their tracks. I still want to give guests those unforgettable experiences.

"So I thought, what if I could do that differently? I’d seen people doing private dining, but not many who treat it as a proper luxury experience - not just a chef coming into your home, but something more focused around creating really special memories. That's the heart of it for me. The whole ethos of At Home with Dan is to offer something you would never get in a restaurant, because of the intimacy, the closeness, and the care that goes into every little detail - from the menu to the music to the wine to the conversation. It’s personal, and it’s real."

The impact of MasterChef

"Winning MasterChef completely shifted everything for me. It opened up this whole world where I suddenly realised that anything’s possible - without the restraints of bricks and mortar. I’d always worked in restaurants, even Michelin-level ones, but you’re kind of boxed in. You don’t always see the bigger picture of what hospitality can be.

"The show gave me confidence and exposure. It also reminded me that what we do - cooking, hosting, storytelling - it’s a craft, and it’s also an art. You don’t have to fit the mould of a traditional restaurant to express that. The opportunities that came off the back of the show were a bit mind-blowing. Suddenly people wanted to work with me, collaborate, book me - and I realised I could create something entirely my own. That’s where At Home with Dan came from. It’s not just food; it’s an experience. It’s about giving people something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives, in the comfort of their own home."

"Honestly, the pressure of cooking for the MasterChef judges is massive - they’re icons of the industry. But when you're cooking in someone’s home, it's a different kind of pressure. It’s deeply personal. Some of my guests have saved up for months to book one of these dinners. That means everything to me, and I feel the weight of that. You want to give them a moment they’ll never forget. You want to exceed every expectation, and that’s not just about the food - it’s about the feeling. You’re in their space, sharing stories, laughing with their family. It’s a privilege, and it keeps me grounded."

Evolving his style

"Since the show, my style has evolved massively. I used to be very concerned with what other people thought - chefs, critics, social media, whatever. But now I’m driven by what I think is right. I trust my instincts more. And I remind myself: there’s no such thing as wrong in cooking. You can’t get it ‘wrong’, you just learn better ways to do it. So now, my menus are more me. More refined. I cook with feeling. I care less about ego and more about connection. That’s the biggest shift, and it’s made me a better chef."

The ultimate experience

"This isn’t just turning up and cooking dinner. We go all in. I bring a sommelier, we curate prestige wine pairings, we offer 10-course tasting menus with selected caviar, we’ll even do caviar bumps at the table. We’ve got custom chocolate boxes, handmade snacks - everything’s elevated. It’s basically Michelin-style dining in your home.

"We tailor the entire thing to the guest. I’ve had people say it’s better than some of the best restaurants they’ve been to - and that means the world, because that’s exactly the goal. I want it to feel like a luxury, but still warm, still human. Not stiff or overly formal. Just beautifully done, thoughtful, and truly memorable."

Written by ABi Kinsella