Surprises and twists, a long series of unexpected events, and then, finally, the long-awaited shower of golden confetti: Teo wins MasterChef Italy.

His is the name shouted by Antonino Cannavacciuolo, judge of the culinary competition together with Bruno Barbieri and Giorgio Locatelli in the last episode of the Sky Original cooking show produced by Endemol Shine Italy.

Matteo Canzi, 24, is from Olgiate Molgora (Lecco) in Brianza, and is an International Marketing student. He faces off against Carlotta, 25, from Candelo (Biella), who entered MasterChef Italy while unemployed. Dounia, a 28-year-old Moroccan-born OSS (healthcare assistant) from Bassano del Grappa (Vicenza), and Matteo Rinaldi, a 28-year-old graphic designer from Boltiere, in the province of Bergamo, narrowly missing out on the final showdown.

The winner will receive €100,000 in gold tokens, a higher education course at ALMA - The International School of Italian Cuisine, and the publication of his first cookbook: "The Taste of Why – Nothing is Created. Nothing is Destroyed. Everything is Cooked," out March 12 (Baldini+Castoldi).

Before starting his journey on MasterChef Italy, the new winner explained that he was drawn to the world of cooking at a very young age: "I enjoyed messing around in the kitchen with my grandmother," he said. His "illumination" came four years ago, when he prepared Beef Wellington for his family at Christmas: "It was my first technically complex recipe, and it turned out really well, so this is my path," he said. Since then, he hasn't stopped, studying and experimenting with every dish and technique, even foreign cuisines (his favorites are Spanish and Japanese). He loves sports, having played several before slowing down due to an injury, but in recent years, cooking has become the center of his world: "I study marketing, but I ask myself why I'm doing it. I want to cook," he explained upon entering the Masterclass, also revealing how his parents initially frowned upon his passion for cooking. He signed up for MasterChef Italy with the dream of becoming a private chef and with three goals: "To increase my experience, to make myself known so I can build a client base, and to win."

During the season, Teo took home two Golden Pins (thanks to victories in the Mystery Boxes dedicated to clay-crusted baking and cucurbits), passed three Skill Tests, always at the first step, and withstood six Pressure Tests.

Teo's announcement came at the end of this season's final episode, where the finalists competed to present their own complete four-course menus, evaluated directly by the three judges. But the journey was full of unexpected twists and turns, starting with the two-way showdown—a first for the past few years: an unexpected decision announced by the judges at the end of the evening's first episode and greeted with amazement by all four amateur chefs competing. Furthermore, during the decisive cookoff, Chef Chiara Pavan unexpectedly appeared on Masterclass, having the two super finalists prepare an amuse-bouche with edible flowers, and Chef Giancarlo Perbellini, who tasted the main courses.

The winner's menu is called "All of Me," and includes the appetizer "The First Nail" (dashi broth chawanmushi, giardiniera vegetables, crispy leek nest, and "nail" carrot), the first course "Confrontation" (smoked pumpkin risotto with catfish and porcini mushroom cream), the second course "The Courage to Change" (slow-cooked pigeon breast, crispy glazed leg; smoked potato and Jerusalem artichoke puree, sautéed dandelion, red port gastrique, melted onion), and the dessert "The Cherry on the Cake" (mascarpone and Greek yogurt parfait, balsamic vinegar marinated cherry heart and sauce).

Teo described his dishes thus: "With this menu, I want to take you into my world and tell you 'All about me.' It's a personal journey in four stages that speaks of childhood, difficult choices, courage, and growth. The appetizer is my first act of love for cooking: a modern reinterpretation of the "zuppa del chiodo," a soup born with my grandmother Egidia . This dish is our "chiodo," planted together. The first dish represents the conflict between the heart and other people's expectations: the rice is the safe path, the one that was shown to me, the catfish and fruit represent my desire to break the mold, to seek something more genuine. The second dish is a declaration: this is who I am, this is how I am. It's a tribute to the dish that brought me into the Masterclass, revisited with technique and maturity, a silent dedication to those close to me, to those who understand that cooking is my way of saying 'I love you.' Finally, the dessert is what closes the circle, a cherry on top that speaks of conquest, technique, joy; it's not just a dessert: it's the signature dish on this journey." And mine is not just a menu: it is my voice as a chef."

Carlotta's menu also received rave reviews from the judges. Carlotta proposed "Balance in Taste," which she introduced as follows: "In this journey, I chose to start with simple ingredients, because I believe the power of flavor lies in the balance of essentials. Therefore, my goal is not to dazzle with excess, but to let each flavor speak with depth and precision. I present to you the Carlotta I recently met, a version of myself who has learned to listen, to pause, and to understand how the fear of failure is a fundamental ingredient for change. That's how this menu was born: from a search for balance, both on and off the plate. A cuisine that doesn't shout, but speaks clearly. That doesn't want to shock, but to make an impression with its authenticity. It's my way of saying 'Here I am' without making too much noise, but with the awareness that my path is cooking."

Carlotta's menu consisted of the following: "Illusione" (an imaginary tomato stuffed with panzanella, served with tomato water) as an appetizer; "Vitimi" (a first course), cappelletti stuffed with goat's blue cheese, served on a Carmagnola pepper sauce, with balsamic vinegar-infused red onion zest; "Umami selvaggio" (Wild Umami), a wild boar fillet with its stock and two textures of Swiss chard; and "Sottovoce" (a dessert), a dark chocolate bar filled with elderflower-flavored mascarpone cream, cinnamon- and elderflower-infused apples, and a coffee mousse.

Just one step away from Olympus, Dounia and Matteo Rinaldi's run came to a halt, eliminated at the end of the first episode after failing to pass the Mystery Box and the Invention Test created by chef Norbert Niederkofler , 3 Michelin stars and 1 Green star at the Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico (Bolzano), who brought his incredible culinary philosophy “Cook the Mountain” to the Masterclass.

(Unioneonline)

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