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Future Food Stars contestants: Meet those taking part in Gordon Ramsay’s BBC One show

The contestants taking part in Future Food Stars with Gordon Ramsay on BBC One.

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The new TV show will see twelve up-and-coming food and drink entrepreneurs to compete to earn an investment into their businesses from Gordon Ramsay.

The chef will be offering up £150,000 of his own cash to the winner – but it will take more than a good idea.

Each week, Gordon will put the contestants through a series of challenges to test their character and showcase their business skills.

Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars starts Thursday, 31 March on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Meet the contestants below!

Future Food Stars contestants

Amit Panwar

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars -  Amit Panwar - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Amit Panwar – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 38
From: Malvern Hills, Worcestershire
Business: Pandeli – bottled Indian sauces
Instagram username: @pandelifoods

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Amit is a chef and pub/restaurant owner who has developed a range of small-batch authentic Indian sauces using the family recipes.

 

Asher Flowers

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars -  Asher Flowers - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Asher Flowers – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 28
From: The Rhondda Valley
Business: Rogue – jams, chutneys and marmalades
Instagram username: @enjoyrogue

PR graduate Asher saw his mum making and selling home-made jams at local markets and decided he wanted to make his own to appeal to a younger market.

 

Bola Adegbenro

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars -  Bola Adegbenro - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Bola Adegbenro – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 46
From: Hertfordshire
Business: Jitterbug – apple cider vinegar seltzers
Instagram username: @jitterbug.life

Health coach and 50s enthusiast Bola was inspired after swapping fizzy drinks for a tonic she made with apple cider vinegar blended with fruit juices and sparkling water.

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Jamie Savage

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars -  Jamie Savage - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Jamie Savage – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 36
From: Macclesfield
Business: Savages Mussels – mussel bar
Instagram username: @savagesmussels

Jamie is an ex-Navy head chef who decide to take his cooking skills and open his own business showcasing his favourite ingredients: mussels.

 

Jen Wright

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars - Jen Wright - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Jen Wright – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 35
From: Castleford
Business: The Cocktail Pickers Club – bottled cocktails
Instagram username: @cocktailpickers

Cocktail lover Jen decided to start her own bottled cocktail business after realising it could prove very expensive trying to make your own cocktails at home.

 

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Leah Harkness

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars - Leah Harkness - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Leah Harkness – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 38
From: London
Business: Norah’s Brownies – free-from brownies
Instagram username: @norahsbrownies

Leah wanted to create cakes for people with allergies or dietary requirements. Cupcakes and cookies had already been done, but she saw a gap in the market at that time for homemade, dairy-free, gluten-free brownies.

 

Matthew Watts

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars - Matthew Watts - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Matthew Watts – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 33
From: London
Business: Jackdaw – zero-waste restaurant

Matthew lives and breathes hospitality and feels now is the time to go it alone and open his first place with a zero-waste ethos and a social enterprise ambition.

 

Michelle Maddox

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars - Michelle Maddox - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Michelle Maddox – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 45
From: Abernethy (Perthshire)
Business: Clootie McToot – clootie dumplings
Instagram username: @clootiemctoot

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After helping her son to run a stall at the school fair, Michelle was persuaded to go into business and sell her clootie dumplings.

 

Stephanie Buttery

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars - Stephanie Buttery - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Stephanie Buttery – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 30
From: Manchester
Business: Chu Lo – Japanese-inspired soft drinks
Instagram username: @chulo_drinks

Steph is a former Navy Lieutenant who has retired after 12 years as a Warfare Officer to pursue her business dream. She was inspired by a sour alcoholic drink she loved when stationed in Japan and decided to create her own soft version to market to gamers and the premium drinks market.

 

Valentina Fois

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars - Valentina Fois - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Valentina Fois – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 37
From: London
Business: Lele’s – vegan cake mixes & café
Instagram username: @leles_london

Famed for her vegan cakes, Valentina researched the vegan cake mix market and realised there was huge opportunity. She developed three mixes: vanilla cupcakes, banana bread and brownies.

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Victoria Omobuwajo

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars - Victoria Omobuwajo - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Victoria Omobuwajo – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 28
From: London
Business: Sunmo – plantain based snacks
Instagram username: @sunmohq

As part of her business degree, Victoria launched a range of healthy snacks inspired by her mum’s plantain crisps. She has now expanded the range into other naturally vegan snacks.

 

Vincenzo Gentile

Gordon Ramsay's Future Food Stars - Vincenzo Gentile - (C) Studio Ramsay - Photographer: Colin Hutton
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars – Vincenzo Gentile – (C) Studio Ramsay – Photographer: Colin Hutton

Age: 27
From: London
Business: Smokin’ Brothers – smoked salmon company
Instagram username: @smokin_brothers

After a job working for a smoked salmon producer, Vincenzo saw their smoked salmon process and thought he could improve it, so wrote a business plan and pitched himself as a superior supplier and launched his business in 2019.

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Future Food Star airs on BBC One.

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