MasterChef winner Justin reveals how he’ll spend his $250,000 winnings

Justin Narayan swept to victory in last night’s MasterChef grand finale – and he has a humble plan for his $250,000 winnings.

Justin Narayan swept to victory in last night’s MasterChef finale, finishing just one point ahead of frontrunner Pete and taking home not only the title but also the $250,000 winnings.

So now, the big question for the 27-year-old WA youth pastor: What to do with a quarter of a million dollars?

Justin told news.com.au today that as an outsider to the food industry, he still wasn’t quite sure how far $250,000 would stretch in achieving his career goals. The first step: Get more experience.

“I need to get some more work done in the kitchen and go from there,” he said.

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Justin scored perfect 10s for his golden crackle.

“I’ll try and make some smart investments, and I’ll start to create some online content. But I need experience in the kitchen to work towards opening up my own place,” he said.

So don’t expect Justin heading his own restaurant right this second – although it’s “on the cards for sure”.

He certainly proved his credentials during last night’s grand finale, nailing guest Peter Gilmore’s daunting squid noodle and golden crackle dishes. He said the impossibly detailed dessert – featuring seven layers of cake, mousse and fondant, along with individually hand-dipped Rice Krispies – tested him the most.

“If you don’t have the right balance … there were a lot of elements and a lot of work that went into that golden crackle,” he said of the epic five-hour cook.

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MasterChef’s 2021 winner Justin Narayan.

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He had his family cheering him on, though – including his father, back on his feet after a worrying week-long stint in intensive care while MasterChef was filming. Justin admitted the family crisis had been “tough” to deal with while keeping his head in the game.

“We had a short gap in filming, so I got to go see him. He was in ICU and got out just as I came back, and he was really determined that I stick with what I signed up to and do well.

It’s awesome to be able to take the title out and do him proud.”

Originally published as MasterChef winner Justin reveals how he’ll spend his $250,000 winnings