What dish would be the way to your heart? Anything made by my grandma.
Next on:
Network Ten Header
Adam Q and A
Favourite chef?
Morimoto.
Favourite restaurant?
Mutsukari, Ginza, Tokyo.
What are your favourite tunes to cook to?
It all depends on the dish and the meal. I always try to match the music in my kitchen to what I’m cooking. Maybe Jack Johnson when I’m making a casual Sunday lunch, or Tony Bennett for a weeknight pasta dinner.
What do you think you’ll learn from being on MasterChef?
I will learn a lot about the kind of person I am and whether the food industry is the right place for me. Of course, on top of that, the wisdom we receive from the judges and visiting chefs is priceless.
Which judge makes you the most nervous?
Matt Preston. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of food and an extremely discerning palate. If we make some mistakes in our cooking or presentation, he is right on to them.
Tell us about how you got into cooking and how old were you?
When I was 14 I moved out of home with my brother and my grandmother would always show us how to cook for ourselves. She is my cooking inspiration.
What’s the first meal you remember cooking and was it a success or a disaster?
The first full meal I cooked for my family was orange glazed baked chicken. I was living with my mum and stepdad and our family of eight kids when I was around 13, and each of the kids had to cook the family meal once a month. Everyone loved it and it was a great feeling!
What three ingredients would you take with you to a desert island and what would you cook with them?
I would take coriander, onion and chilli. Then I could pick coconuts, catch fish and make fish curries every day.
If you were having any three people, alive or dead, over for dinner, who would they be and what would you cook for them?
My grandma, Miyamoto Musashi and Ghandi. I’d make them an Okinawan banquet, with some vegetarian options for Ghandi.
What inspired you to go on MasterChef?
I was living in Japan throughout the first season so I never actually saw the show. My friends and family all called and emailed me to encourage me to apply.
