MasterChef Ukraine — known locally as МастерШеф — has been STB channel’s flagship culinary reality show since 2011, launching the careers of some of the country’s most recognizable chefs, restaurateurs and food personalities. Here’s the complete rundown of winners, judges and standout stories from the show’s first six seasons.
Quick Reference: MasterChef Ukraine Winners (Season 1–6)
| Сезон (Season) | Год (Year) | Переможець (Winner) | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011 | Світлана Шептуха (Svitlana Sheptukha) | Donetsk |
| 2 | 2012 | Єлизавета Глинська (Lisa Glinska) | Zaporizhzhia |
| 3 | 2013 | Ольга Мартиновська (Olga Martynovska) | Mykolaiv |
| 4 | 2014 | Євген Злобін (Yevgen Zlobin) | Mariupol |
| 5 | 2015 | Євген Клопотенко (Yevgen Klopotenko) | Kyiv |
| 6 | 2016 | Асмік Гаспарян (Asmik Gasparian) | Ukraine (Armenian heritage) |
Season 1 (2011): Svitlana Sheptukha
MasterChef Ukraine premiered on STB channel in 2011, and the very first title went to Svitlana Sheptukha, an accountant from Donetsk who worked at a coal mine before entering the competition. Her home-style recipes and heartfelt cooking won over the judges. After her victory, Svitlana emigrated to the Netherlands, where she turned her prize into a genuinely global journey — she has since traveled to 41 countries, building a bakery business that blends Ukrainian traditions with European flavors.
Season 2 (2012): Lisa Glinska
Lisa (Elizaveta) Glinska, born in Zaporizhzhia, won Season 2 in a career pivot few could have predicted — she originally studied at a Crimean pedagogical university to become a singing teacher and later trained as a makeup artist before finding her true calling in the kitchen. Following her win, Lisa became one of the franchise’s most enduring figures: she went on to found her own culinary school (GL School), publish cookbooks, and later returned to the show as a judge for several seasons, including MasterChef Professionals and MasterChef Season 9.
Season 3 (2013): Olga Martynovska
Olga Martynovska, from Mykolaiv, claimed the Season 3 title in 2013. Like Lisa Glinska before her, Olga’s post-show career extended well beyond the competition — she later became a judge on the show herself starting in 2020, in addition to running her own culinary academy and blog.
Season 4 (2014): Yevgen Zlobin
Yevgen Zlobin, from Mariupol, won Season 4 and earned one of the show’s most prestigious prizes: a place at the legendary Le Cordon Bleu culinary academy in Paris. He has since built a career around street food and modern Ukrainian culinary trends.
Season 5 (2015): Yevgen Klopotenko
Yevgen Klopotenko, from Kyiv, is arguably the most internationally recognized MasterChef Ukraine winner. After his Season 5 victory in 2015, he built an enormous following — over half a million Instagram followers — and became a UNESCO-recognized ambassador for Ukrainian borscht, campaigning successfully to have the dish added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. He has since opened multiple restaurants and founded the food-focused initiative Cult Food.
Season 6 (2016): Asmik Gasparian
Asmik Gasparian, a Ukrainian of Armenian heritage, won Season 6’s grand prize in 2016. She went on to open her own confectionery business specializing in desserts and spices.
MasterChef Ukraine Judges
The one constant across nearly every season has been Hector Jimenez-Bravo, the show’s permanent head judge since its 2011 debut. The rest of the panel has rotated frequently over the years, featuring names such as:
- Anfisa Chekhova — original co-host/judge who departed in 2011
- Zhanna Badoeva — travel show host (Orel i Reshka), later joined the panel
- Tetiana Litvynova — culinary expert and restaurateur
- Lisa Glinska and Olga Martynovska — both former winners who returned as judges in later seasons
What Came After Season 6?
The MasterChef Ukraine franchise has continued to expand significantly since Season 6:
- 16 main seasons have aired on STB as of 2025
- MasterChef: Діти (Kids) — two seasons for young cooks
- MasterChef: Підлітки (Teens) — one season
- MasterChef: Професіонали (Professionals) — four seasons for working chefs, won by Pavlo Servetnyk (S1), Yevgen Hrybenyk (S2), and Artem Kabulakhin (S4)
- МастерШеф: Битва сезонів (Battle of the Seasons) — a 2022 all-star special bringing back past winners and standout contestants like Yana Baloh, Dmytro Balyta, and others
- 12 celebrity specials under the MasterChef Celebrity banner
Fun Facts About MasterChef Ukraine Winners
- Global ambassador: Yevgen Klopotenko (Season 5) became Ukraine’s unofficial borscht ambassador on the world stage
- Return as judges: Both Lisa Glinska (Season 2) and Olga Martynovska (Season 3) later became judges on the very show they once won
- International training: Both Yevgen Zlobin (Season 4) and later winners earned scholarships to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris
FAQs
Who won the first season of MasterChef Ukraine? Svitlana Sheptukha, an accountant from Donetsk, won Season 1 in 2011.
Who is the most famous MasterChef Ukraine winner? Yevgen Klopotenko (Season 5) is the most internationally recognized, known for his work promoting Ukrainian borscht globally.
Who is the permanent judge of MasterChef Ukraine? Hector Jimenez-Bravo has served as head judge since the show’s very first season in 2011.
Have any winners become judges themselves? Yes — both Lisa Glinska (Season 2 winner) and Olga Martynovska (Season 3 winner) later joined the judging panel.
How many total seasons has MasterChef Ukraine produced? As of the latest count, the main series has reached 16 seasons, alongside multiple spin-offs including Kids, Teens, Professionals and Celebrity editions.