Andy Allen

Andy Allen

Apprentice Electrician

State: NSW

Age: 23

Andy’s current job as an apprentice electrician does not inspire him like food does. He is at a cross roads in his career and hopes that MasterChef will help to give him a new sense of direction.

“I don’t want to continue being an electrician, I am in love with all things food.”

Incredibly close to his family, Andy lives at home with his mum and dad - neither of whom he says are great in the kitchen - so he does most of the cooking.

Andy says he taught himself to cook through hours spent watching the food channel but most of his earliest food memories involve fishing with his family and cooking up the catch!

“For Mum’s 50th, Dad and I caught some whiting and cooked them up for all Mum’s friends and family.”

More recently Andy has done dinner parties for friends but says he has really only started to take cooking seriously in the last two or three years. He loves to cook with seafood . especially if he has caught it - as well as Spanish style tapas dishes and anything Mediterranean.

“My mates used to eat rubbish food but I think now because of me they are all trying new things and buying good produce.”

Andy’s proudest food moment was when he was asked to cater for a friend’s wedding - which he did, for 90 guests.

As well as cooking, Andy is a great sportsman and has played basketball for Australia. He describes himself as “laidback’, an “entertainer” but “super competitive”

Andy readily admits his inexperience with desserts and baking and limited knowledge of techniques are his weaknesses - and that he is not a risk taker in the kitchen. Despite this, it was his Peach Melba for Shannon Bennet that won him his place in the Top 24.

Andy dreams of travelling the world and immersing himself in the food of other cultures. His favourite chef is Jamie Oliver.