Favour Epiphany Bessan, popularly known as Favy, has made history as the first-ever winner of MasterChef Nigeria, emerging as the winner of the show’s inaugural season.
The 26-year-old content strategist from Shomolu, Lagos, clinched the coveted title after 13 weeks of intense culinary challenges, beating fellow finalist Fads Segun to become the first person to be crowned MasterChef Nigeria. Favy was also previously a contestant on Delicious or Disaster, a cooking show by Diary of a Kitchen Lover.
Bessan’s historic victory, which was announced following the grand finale broadcast on July 19, 2026, came with the MasterChef Nigeria trophy and a ₦73 million cash prize.
The grand finale saw Bessan and Segun go head-to-head in the final challenge, where they were tasked with preparing a three-course menu that reflected their individual culinary identities.
Judged by renowned chefs Chef Stone and Chef Eros, the showdown tested the contestants’ creativity, technical ability, presentation, and capacity to remain composed under pressure.
Bessan ultimately won over the judges with her approach to the final challenge, securing her place in history as Nigeria’s first MasterChef champion.
Her journey throughout the competition was marked by resilience, creativity, and a willingness to push herself beyond her comfort zone. She also became the first contestant in the competition to win the MasterChef Nigeria Immunity Pin, where she was awarded ‘Dish of the Day.’ This achievement helped propel her further into the competition and ultimately towards the grand finale.
MasterChef Nigeria season 1 premiered in April 2026 as an adaptation of the globally recognized MasterChef television franchise.
The competition was created to spotlight home cooks and celebrate Nigeria’s rich and diverse food culture while allowing talented contestants to develop their culinary skills.
Favy’s victory comes weeks after another Nigerian, Rita Igbinoba, was selected to represent Africa on MasterChef USA.