Lisa wins praise for her fine dining dishes
A Killearn mum has successfully negotiated her way through the opening round on the latest series of MasterChef.
On Wednesday, we told how Lisa Addison had set out to use her appearance on the hit cookery series to set an example to young people who are struggling with their identity.
The 39-year-old appeared on the opening episode of the series on Wednesday where she impressed judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
In the opening challenge she served up a tasty dish of pork fillet wrapped in Parma ham and stuffed with mushroom duxelles, Hasselback potatoes, roasted asparagus, courgette chutney, an onion tuile and a port sauce.
Whilst Gregg and John enjoyed her dish, she was made to cook again, this time serving up a dessert.
In her second challenge, she knocked up a mille-feuille with chocolate orange whipped ganache, pear jelly, a poached pear and a nut praline.
The sweet treat was enough to seal her place in the next round, as the judges handed her a coveted MasterChef apron.
Lisa previously told the Observer how she had taken the opportunity to develop and practice recipes throughout the Covid lockdown for her wife, Rachel.
She described how appearing on the show is a dream.
Previously married to ex-husband, John Wilson, for 14 years, Lisa has three children, Kieran, Morgan and Johnny. At the age of 34 she made the brave decision to come out as gay. She has now been married to Rachel for three years and also has a 14-year-old step-daughter, Sian.
Earlier this week she told the Observer: “It’s something I thought I could hide from, but it wasn’t to be the case. My ex-husband is my closest friend and he and I are an amazing team alongside my wife.
“I set up a cleaning business almost four years ago that I ran with my wife until recently. I started cooking when I first married my ex-husband. He was from a farming background and his mum was a brilliant cook and baker. I could cook the basics and enjoyed barbecuing but my more fine dining aspect of cooking started when I met and moved in with my wife.
“She liked the fancy meals and so I guess I set out to impress. My ex-husband was my guinea pig for a long time and he encouraged me no end. My wife gave me a different belief and helped me up my game as it were.”
She added: “I wanted to know if I was good enough. I spent lockdown like most at home because I couldn’t work, and that really ignited my passion for learning new techniques and recipes.
“It hasn’t sunk in that I’m going to be on MasterChef.
“I’m just a regular girl from Stirling, who lives in a small village and who had a dream. I’m proof that it’s never too late to be you, to open yourself up to the world and follow your dreams. Cooking gives you a sense of freedom, and I’d love to instil that in people.”
She added: “I want young people who are struggling with who they are and their sexuality to be able to read my story and see that it’s only scary for so long.”
She will appear once again in the next round of MasterChef on BBC One at 8pm tonight (Friday).