Brent Owens crowned MasterChef champion

Bobcat driver, Brent Owens, has been crowned the winner of MasterChef 2014.

During tonight’s emotional and heated grand final cook-off, the 24-year-old from Victoria proved exactly why he is one of Australia’s best amateur cooks.

Round one saw both contestants, Brent and Laura Cassia, compete in their last Mystery Box Challenge.

While Laura’s confident and elegant Grilled Scampi with Anchovy Butter and Roasted Garlic

Cream creation went down a treat, it was Brent who served up the winning dish of

Textures of Pearl Barley with Poached Scampi and Pickled Cabbage.

Round 1: Brent 27/30  Laura 25/30

However, it wasn’t long before the tables had turned.

In round two, the young guns had to cook for the Chef’s Table. Not only did they each have to serve up flavoursome and original dishes for the judges, but family members too.

And while Brent’s mouthwatering interpretation of a Lancashire Hotpot was near perfect,

it wasn’t enough to beat Laura’s faultless Lobster inspired dish.

Round 2: Brent 21/30  Laura 24/30

For the third and final round of the competition, the contestants faced their toughest pressure test yet, tackling one of Peter Gilmore’s lavish dessert creations.

Renowned for his signature ‘Snow Egg,’ which was the deciding factor in the finale of the 2010 series of the Channel Ten reality cooking  show, this year, the culinary genius brought along an even harder and more technical dish for the contestants to recreate, a Chocolate Ethereal.

Round 3: Brent 35 /30  Laura 31/40

With a total winning score of 83, Brent will now take home $250,000 cash, a Hardie Grant cookbook publishing deal, work experience in some of Australia’s best kitchens and a new car.