Best Home Cook: Ulster’s Suzie Arbuthnot is crowned queen of the kitchen

The Lisburn woman beat finalists Sarah Woods and Georgia Salamat to the title after impressing judges with her three-course dinner party meal.

Beetroot tartlet, roast chicken and a sticky toffee sponge with almond ice cream were on her menu.

Suzie said: “Being crowned Best Home Cook was something I never imagined when I started out on this journey.

“It has been life-changing and equally a life-affirming experience, where I am now genuinely excited to pursue a career in cooking - which has always been my lifelong dream.”

Mary Berry, Angela Hartnett, Chris Bavin and Tom Kerridge are on the judging panel for the competition.

Sarah was eliminated from the competition before the final round, leaving Suzie and Georgia to battle it out in the final.

Suzie added: “The amount of support, encouragement and compliments I have received both locally and nationally has been humbling and has given me so much self-belief and confidence in who I am.

“Being in the pressure cooker of the Best Home Cook kitchen and experiencing the highs and lows with the other contestants has left me with some unforgettable memories and some new amazing friendships.”

Throughout the competition the judges were impressed with Suzie’s range of techniques, as well as her ability to think on her feet.

Berry said: “We are there to choose the best home cook and we’ve loved every minute. And I think we’ve come to the right conclusion.”

Many viewers in Northern Ireland were glued to BBC One to see if Suzie could beat off the stiff competition and bring the crown home to Lisburn.

Suzie had been a firm favourite with the judges - Mary Berry, Angela Hartnett and Chris Bavin - throughout the competition and her Steak and Guinness Pie also won rave reviews from acclaimed chef, and guest judge, Tom Kerridge.

She reached the final after a nail-biting semi-final last week as the four contestants cooked up a storm in an attempt to secure a coveted place in this week’s final.

With all four eventually battling it out in the dreaded Elimination Round, Oli Mannion was sent home, leaving the three ladies - Suzie, Georgia Salamat and Sarah Woods to compete in the final.

Suzie told the News Letter ahead of the final that nerves were starting to build up but that she’d been overwhelmed by the amount of support she has received from everyone at home in Northern Ireland and would like to thank everyone who had been tuning in to see her progress each week.

“The amount of support, encouragement and complements I have received both locally and nationally has been humbling and has given me so much self belief and confidence in who I am,” she continued.

“So as a way to thank my local friends, family and viewers who have been rooting for me throughout this journey,” said Suzie who hosted a screening of the final episode in her hockey club (Lisnagarvey).

“I am very grateful for all the support. It has been an amazing once in a lifetime experience and I am so honoured to have been picked as a contestant for the show.”