Where are MasterChef winners now?

As series nine of MasterChef starts tonight we look back at the past winners

(Shine TV )

Every MasterChef contestant has a desire to do one thing: open their own restaurant. But how many winners have done?

Just two winners Tomasina Miers (2005) and Mat Follas (2009) have opened their own bricks and mortar restaurants, with 2011 winner Tim Anderson set to open his southern Japanese eatery in East London this spring.

The other five winners are working on books, heading up their own catering companies or have crossed over to the commercial world to become brand ambassadors.

Thomasina Miers won the first revamped series of the show in 2005 after Greg Wallace and John Torode replaced Gary Rhodes as presenter.

Miers has had the most commercial success of all the winners, having opened nine branches of Mexican restaurant Wahaca, written four cook books and made two TV series.

Finalist Hannah Miles (2007) is the programme's most published cook book writer with 13 titles.

MasterChef starts tonight at 9pm and continues tomorrow at 8.30pm on BBC One. The new cookbook, MasterChef Cookery Course , is out now (DK, £26).