I’m Irini Tzortzoglou
MasterChef UK 2019 winner, Greek chef, olive oil and honey sommelier, retreat host, author, and eternal student of food and life.
I was born in Ano Akria, a small Cretan village where life was simple, food was fresh, and the kitchen was the heart of our home.
My childhood was full of contrasts: there were few luxuries, but always an abundance of home-grown produce, shared meals, and people around the table. From my Cretan mother I inherited hospitality, pride, and responsibility; from my Asia Minor father I learned humility, appreciation, and a zest for life.
In my twenties, life took me from Crete to London, where I built a 30+-year career in banking, studied History of Art, and threw myself into theatre, community, and cultural life. Yet food — and the joy of sharing it — was always my true constant.
In 2010, I moved with my husband John to Cartmel in the Lake District, where I rediscovered the rhythms of village life and a connection to the land that reminded me of Crete.
Then came MasterChef. Entering the competition in 2018 was one of the bravest (and best) decisions of my life. Winning in 2019 opened a new chapter: one where I could bring together my heritage, creativity, and love for people through food.
Since then, I’ve written Under the Olive Tree, trained as both an Olive Oil and Honey Sommelier, and collaborated with organisations from the Royal Overseas League to Women in the Food Industry. I am also a regular columnist for Cumbria Life Magazine and honoured to serve as a judge for the Guild of Fine Food. I now lead retreats in Greece, Morocco, and beyond — experiences that blend food, culture, and connection, helping guests rediscover joy and themselves through the simple act of cooking and eating together.
For me, food is never just food. It is memory, identity, belonging. It’s how I honour my past, share my present, and create moments that will stay with others for life.
My Philosophy on Food & Connection
From an early age, I understood that food was about much more than sustenance. My grandfather, a priest, taught me that to feed others is one of life’s greatest blessings. I watched the women in my family — my mother, grandmother, and neighbours — gather in the kitchen, cooking and baking while sharing their problems, aspirations, dreams, and daily lives. Around food, everything felt easier, lighter, more possible.
That lesson has stayed with me. I believe food is the ultimate unifier. I have seen it again and again: strangers from different countries and walks of life sitting down at my retreats, only to leave as friends, still chatting in WhatsApp groups long after the retreat has ended. These human connections are the heart of what I do — and they are especially meaningful for those who may live alone, or who arrive as nervous solo travellers.
To me, cooking and feeding others is an act of nurture that extends far beyond the table. Whether it has been for my mother and mother-in-law in their later years, my stepchildren and grandchildren, my friends, my community, or festival audiences (where I always make sure there’s a bite for everyone to try at the end of a demo), sharing food is how I show love, care, and hospitality.
Food has always been my language of connection — and I cherish the way it continues to bring people together, create memories, and nourish not just the body, but the spirit.