Who is Anthony O’Shaughnessy? MasterChef 2018 contestant who shocked the judges with his chicken parmo
ANTHONY O’Shaughnessy is a contestant on MasterChef 2018 - and he documents his gorgeous culinary creations on his popular Instagram account.
But, who is exactly Anthony, and what do we know about the budding chef who made Chicken Parmo for the judges? Here's the lowdown.
Who is Anthony O’Shaughnessy?
Anthony, 26, is a 999 call handler who lives in Newcastle.
He is a keen traveller and a self-taught cook who has also previously applied to appear on the Great British Bake Off.
According to Anthony's profiles online, he graduated from Bangor University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Neuropsychology.
He says he originally wanted to go to medical school and study medicine as a graduate, but is now more interested in pursuing creative endeavours.
What did he serve up on MasterChef?
Anthony served up Teesside’s classic chicken parmo when he appeared on the show - and viewers were thrilled.
Describing the dish to the judges, Anthony said: "A parmo is a deep fried breaded chicken cutlet.
Anthony added: "Many people in the North-East and on Teesside and will be thinking 'Oh God, he's made a chicken parmo on Masterchef, it's bit risky. Making it glamorous, that's going to be a bit of a challenge, but really it's all about the flavour and that's what I want to get across."
But judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace looked far from impressed.
Shaking his head, John said: "I don't know where to start and where to finish...it's a chicken burger without a bun!" while Gregg admitted: "That parmo with beetroot ketchup sounds absolutely hideous!
"I don't mind telling you now John, I want to run away and hide!"
But despite their preconceptions, the judges had to eat their words once they had tasted Anthony's chicken parmo.
John said: "The problem is, it just looks really bad but also it tastes quite good. The chicken is really moist and lovely."
Gregg added: "It tastes a lot better than I thought it would, I am pleased to say."
Former finalist Steven Wallis, who won Masterchef in 2007, added: "This is the most original plate of food we have had the whole day. Who knows, this could be the next big thing #chickenparmo."
In fact, it was so popular that chicken parmo started trending on Twitter.
One viewer wrote: "Next big thing? It ALREADY is!" while someone else said: "#chickenparmo is trending and this literally the greatest thing to happen in the history of Teesside".
Another added: "I absolutely love that Anthony did a chicken parmo on Masterchef and made it through. He has got to win now."
"And then you cover it in bechamel sauce, really strong Cheddar cheese on top and then you grill it.
"It's from an Italian chef who came here in World War Two and opened a restaurant on Linthorpe Road."
Anthony O’Shaughnessy on Instagram
On Instagram, Anthony posts stunning pictures of his various dishes, travels, and himself.
He also posts entertaining - and educational - cooking videos to his Instagram account.
If you want to follow Anthony on social media, he's active on both Twitter and Instagram.
- He's on Instagram
- He's on Twitter
MORE FROM MASTERCHEF 2018
How does MasterChef work?
The format of MasterChef sees amateur cooks competing through a variety of heats, knockouts and quarter finals until the ultimate winner is crowned.
“Competitors face a gruelling series of culinary challenges as they first have to get through their heat and quarter final.
"From inventing dishes on the spot, to cooking their own menu for the nation’s fiercest food critics, the pressure is on from the very outset.
"Only a handful survive to take part in the semi-final and final challenges.”
Gregg Wallace and John Torode judge the dishes being served - with all the action, tantrums, successes and burning disasters caught on camera.
The winner walks away with a trophy and the prestige of being THE master chef of the series.