This is Bristol --BRISTOL'S MasterChef star Larkin Cen says he is proud of his effort after he was beaten in this year's final.
The 28-year-old lawyer from Ashley Down failed to win over the judges in a competitive final round of the BBC One amateur cooking show.
Larkin, who works for Morgan Cole on Victoria Street, was overshadowed by the series winner, former credit controller Natalie Coleman, from Hackney.
But he told the Bristol Post: "It was an amazing competition to have been part of.
"Obviously looking back I am really disappointed but I am also extremely proud.
"I had to really, really push myself throughout the series and I learned so much along the way.
"If I think back, I feel like I have done really well and I'm proud of myself for getting so far.
Over three nights this week, Larkin, along with two other amateur cooks, faced a string of challenges, putting their skill, ambition and tenacity to the test.
Judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace sent them on a culinary adventure to Italy, where they learned from and cooked for some of Italy's most highly-regarded chefs.
The contestants started their journey on the Amalfi Coast – where they meet the legendary rustic cook Mamma Agata, who made her name cooking for visiting film stars like Humphrey Bogart, Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie Kennedy.
From Amalfi the contestants went to Florence, where they faced cooking at the opposite end of culinary spectrum, aiming to prepare dishes deserving of a three-star Michelin rating. After taking in as much as they could, the contestants were then given free rein of the kitchen and asked to recreate signature dishes.
Finally, all three travelled north to Fiesole to face their final challenge and put their Italian experiences into practice. Cooking an elite lunch attended by luminaries of the Florentine art world, they were tasked with producing three show-stopping dishes to demonstrate their skills.
Larkin said: "The last few shows were amazing and the experience is something special."
Looking back on the contest overall, he said: "I have expanded my repertoire enormously, learning from top chefs in a difficult environment. But I have also taught myself a lot at home, to get myself up to scratch for the competition."
But Larkin admitted the last leg of the competition was too much.
He said: "I made a lot of mistakes in the week, so it would have taken something amazing to pull it back in the last show. I needed an especially strong finish to the series to pull off a win.
"I did all I could and I feel like I really pushed myself to the limit. It was hard to keep on top of it all and I thought I wasn't going to make it on deadline.
"But I managed it somehow, and on time too, but it wasn't enough for the judges."
Ms Coleman, 29, was crowned the overall winner of MasterChef and is the third woman to take the title in nine years.
She said: "It's a dream come true. This is probably the best thing that's ever happened to me in my life.
"It's like a fairytale really, the girl from Hackney done good."
Mr Torode said: "I think Natalie is destined for great things. She not only understands finery of great food but she cooks for the people, food that people want to eat. She makes people smile. And she's not fazed by a thing.
"She also has a great palate and understands flavour combinations. Natalie's got it, she is a very, very clever woman and her food is fantastic.
Mr Wallace said: "Natalie is an incredible talent, who grew in stature day after day. I don't think she is fully aware of how good she really is." Reported by This is 10 hours ago.