Sagar Massey's MasterChef adventure comes to an end

Sagar Massey, from Johnstone, reached the final episode of the latest series of MasterChef: The Professionals, along with Nikita Pathakji and Charlie Jeffreys.

However, it was Nikita who was declared champion at the end of Sunday's show after impressing judges with her innovative dishes inspired from her travels, mainly around Asia.

After learning the result, Sagar said: "Surprisingly, I'm feeling good. I made some great friends.

"I had so many good rounds. So yeah, I'm pleased. Everything will be alright."

Finalists Charlie Jeffreys, Nikita Pathakji and Sagar Massey (Image: Shine TV/BBC)

In an intense Final Week, Sagar was cooking against exceptional fellow chefs in increasingly tough culinary tasks and had to bring the very best creativity, technique and skill to the table to impress the judges.

With the stakes at an all-time high, Sunday's exhilarating last challenge for the final three professionals was producing the best three courses of their lives in just three hours.

Tasting their way through the final menus were judges Marcus Wareing, Anna Haugh and Gregg Wallace, who expected nothing less than the finest cookery on show.

Sagar's menu started with his version of raj kachori, a fried Indian puri bread topped with tomato powder. Inside, there was spiced potato and chickpeas, a mint and coriander chutney, tamarind jelly, fresh apple and mango, sev - a crispy Indian snack - and a yoghurt foam.

Anna said: "I think, genuinely, this is the best dish that you have done to date."

Sagar (right) in the famous MasterChef kitchen with the show’s host Gregg Wallace (Image: Shine TV/BBC)

For his main course, the senior sous chef served a loin of Scottish roe deer marinated in spices on a bed of creamed spinach, salt-baked beetroot smoked with hickory essence, celeriac puree, pickled walnuts and a cardamom and roe deer sauce.

Gregg said: "That roe deer is perfectly cooked. Sagar, I am absolutely delighted by this dish."

To finish, the 24-year-old made his own take on a traditional Scottish cranachan. It contained caramelised white chocolate mousse, whisky gel, fresh raspberries and raspberry puree, topped with a disc of raspberry jelly, honeyed oats and a raspberry sorbet.

Marcus said: "I think the crumble is delicious. Lots of whisky, it's almost like jumping into a barrel of the stuff. Raspberry jelly's got great flavour and, of course, the sorbet on top is refreshing. You've done a great job."

Despite the high praise for Sagar's dishes, the judges decided that Nikita should be the 16th chef to be given the esteemed MasterChef: The Professionals title.

Reacting to her win, the 25-year-old said: "This is incredible and I can’t put it into words. It surpasses every achievement of my life. I don’t know how I’m going to top this. This is the peak, I think I’ve reached it."