#187 The Kitchen Prescription with Dr Saliha Mahmood Ahmed

GUEST: Dr Saliha Mahmood Ahmed

After facing off competition from 63 other determined contestants, through seven gruelling weeks of culinary challenges and an exhilarating final cook-off, I became the thirteenth amateur cook to lift the MasterChef trophy.

In a punishing final week, I cooked for the American Ambassador under one of Britain’s best chef’s, Paul Ainsworth. I embarked on a culinary adventure to South Africa and took on three exceptional challenges - firstly mentored by one of South Africa’s most celebrated Reuben Riffel, then under British-born Luke Dale Roberts at the world-renowned The Test Kitchen cooking for leading figures in Cape Town’s cultural and food community. In the penultimate programme, I cooked for The Chef’s Table, overseen by one of the country’s most creative chefs, the two-Michelin starred, Sat Baines.

The final task was to prepare a three-course meal for judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace. My winning menu started with a venison shami kebab with cashew and coriander green chutney, chana daal and a kachumbar salad – in memory of her grandmother’s house in Pakistan. The main course was a Kashmiri style sous-vide duck breast, with crispy duck skin, freekeh wheatgrain, spiced with dried barberries, walnuts and coriander, a cherry chutney and a duck and cherry sauce. The final dish in my menu was a Saffron rosewater and cardamom panna cotta, served with a deconstructed baklava (inspired by my childhood love of baklava), including candied pistachios, pistachio honeycomb, filo pastry shards and kumquats.

I am a junior doctor working in the NHS. I graduated from Kings College London in 2012. Starting my career at St Mary’s Hospital, I have subsequently worked in Hillingdon Hospital and Watford General Hospital.

I am training to specialise in Gastroenterology, focussing my energies on the treatment of Digestive disorders. I am a member of the Royal College of Physicians, having completed my postgraduate exams. I work on a shift pattern rota, where I routinely work long days on calls as well night shifts.

In the future, my dream is to continue working as a doctor – and also to combine it with my passion for gastronomy. I hope to be able to help drive the country towards healthier meals - and work on national campaigns to tackle obesity, particularly in children.