"There's loads of heat in there, there's richness, there's depth."
Sabina Khan secured a place in the semi-finals of MasterChef 2026 after impressing the judges with her bold pizza.
The environmental consultant has emerged as one of the standout contestants, combining Bangladeshi and international flavours.
In the quarter-final, the contestants were tasked with making a gourmet pizza.
Inspired by Chinese and Korean cuisine, Sabina’s pizza had a roasted pepper and gochujang sauce, with duck breast glazed in hoisin sauce and pickled red onions.
Judge Anna Waugh initially admitted she was “nervous” about the various flavour profiles.
But when it came to trying the pizza, the reactions were positive.
Grace Dent said: “I think your duck with the homemade hoisin that has orange and sesame in it is very good.
“There’s loads of heat in there, there’s richness, there’s depth.”
While Anna said the gochujang flavour was too mild, she commended the ambitious nature of the pizza and its uniqueness.
Sabina’s pizza proved good enough to earn her an automatic place in the semi-final.
Sharing the news with her followers, Sabina thanked supporters who backed her throughout the competition, particularly members of the Bangladeshi community.
She wrote on Facebook: “I’m so grateful to every single person who has supported me along the way, especially my Bangladeshi audience.
“Your encouragement has meant everything. I honestly couldn’t have done this without you.”
Sabina also reflected on how MasterChef has shaped her ambitions as a cook.
She added: “I’ve become a much more innovative cook, and now I’ve realised that this is all I want to do with my life.”
Originally from Bangladesh, Sabina’s love for cooking began during childhood.
She said: “Eating out wasn’t something we did often growing up, so my mother would create magic in our kitchen.
“Nothing was off-limits. She would make everything from scratch, whether it was pizzas, burgers, kebabs, biryani, or orange bundt cake, chocolate cookies, doughnuts, and Danish pastries.
“Watching her and my grandmother cook, I saw firsthand how much care and effort went into every dish.”
“I still remember coming home from school and sitting down for lunch with my mum and siblings; those moments shaped my love for good food.”
As she prepares for the semi-final stage, Sabina encouraged supporters to continue following her culinary journey through her social media pages, including Sabina’s Flavour Lab on Facebook and Instagram.
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