Delighted Strictly Come Dancing star Vito Coppola is celebrating after being awarded the title of Celebrity MasterChef Champion 2024. Dance choreographer and Strictly star Vito, 31, claimed victory after six intense weeks of cook-offs and culinary tests, ending in a thrilling challenge against his fellow finalists TV host Craig Doyle and actor Rochenda Sandall. He paid tribute to his family and said they were the recipe for success when it came to appearing on the BBC show.
Vito said: “I cannot believe it! Look [the trophy] it’s so beautiful. ”People think that food is just food, but no, I keep saying food is life. It’s the first love of my life, food, and I cannot just wait to share all of this with my family.
” The first thing Vito did after his win, was call his delighted Nonno (grandfather) and tell him in Italian: “Nonno, I won! I won with your ingredients. I came first! I love you.” In the final episode, Vito, alongside Craig and Rochenda, had two hours to put on their Ultimate Dinner Party Menu and produce the best food they have ever cooked.
Vito’s winning menu featured a main of Scialatielli Allo Scoglio, an Italian seafood pasta with scialatielli, clams, mussels, calamari and prawns. For dessert, he presented Babà Di Vito,a small cake soaked in rum and served with zabaione, a marsala wine cream, and cherries in syrup.Talking about his menu, Vito said: “One day, my family and I went to Positano and we had this Scialatielli Allo Scoglio, just eating in front of the sea.
It was one of the best days ever, so I want to bring that day to MasterChef. The dessert is Babà, which is like my mum and my Nonna used to make for me on Sunday.” Both judges were unanimous that Vito should be the winner.
John Torode said: “Vito came into this competition with a purpose: he wanted to show us his life on a plate. What he’s grown up with, the food he loves and why he loves it, and what he’s done is made us love it too. That’s what good food is all about.
” While Gregg Wallace added: “He’s in love with creativity. He is something quite special." Vito follows in the footsteps of previous winners: Wynne Evans, Lisa Snowdon, Kadeena Cox MBE, Riyadh Khalaf, Greg Rutherford , John Partridge, Angellica Bell, Alexis Conran, Kimberly Wyatt, Sophie Thompson, Ade Edmondson, EmmaKennedy, Phil Vickery, Lisa Faulkner, Jayne Middlemiss, Liz McClarnon, Nadia Sawalha and Matt Dawson.
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