Alexina Anatole's Storecupboard

These are the Sous Chef ingredients Alexina keeps in her storecupboard. Alexina Anatole's journey from investment banking to the MasterChef final is a story about following your passion, no matter how unconventional the path. Born in Brighton but raised in Paris until age eight, Alexina grew up surrounded by French patisserie perfection before settling in South London, where she's remained ever since.

Her mixed heritage - Saint Lucian grandparents who arrived during Windrush and Cambridgeshire chicken farmers - shaped her understanding of how food carries culture and memory. After Cambridge and a decade in the City, cooking remained her sanctuary, the thing that made everything else bearable.

MasterChef changed everything. Reaching the final in 2020 gave Alexina the confidence to leave financial security behind and build a career around her true passion. Her multi-book deal with Penguin explores flavor through its fundamental dimensions - starting with "Bitter" in 2023, followed by "Sweet," "Sour," "Salty," and "Umami."

Alexina's approach to food is deeply thoughtful, exploring not just how things taste but why they matter. Her philosophy examines the dimensions that give food meaning beyond mere sustenance - culture, memory, place, and the stories we tell through what we cook and eat.