As we set to work warming up our personal crème brulee blowtorches, our graters, dicers and slicers, ahead of the MasterChef Australia: Secrets & Surprises premiere, The Water Cooler was given exclusive access to all 18 contestants before any of them were forced to say ‘See ya, ladle’.
Software developer, and friend of this publication, Antonio, moved from Venezuela to Australia in 2015 to pursue a better life. Learning to cook from his mother and grandmother, he is confident in both the sweet and savoury categories.
With such a beautiful story, we couldn’t help but ask Antonio: “Penne for your thoughts?”
Where did your love of food start and what drove you to apply for MasterChef Australia?
I’ve always been very interested in the making of things, and since I was a kid, I would always lurk around the kitchen when my mum and my grandma were cooking, so I could sneakily grab a cookie or anything that was in the making. Ever since I moved to Australia in 2015, I started watching the show and fell in love with the format and the contestants right away.
And the reason for me to apply for MasterChef Australia was my grandmother. We would often chat jokingly about what it would be like for me if I ever was on the show, and what would I cook. Before she passed away during lockdown, she made me promise that I would apply even if I didn’t get in. I guess she didn’t want me to live with the regret of not even having tried.
But hey! I made it! Who would’ve thought? Maybe she knew something I didn’t back then.
How did you feel when you got the call up to be on the show? What was the first thing you did?
I think it took me more than a few minutes just to process what just had happened. It was a mixture of feelings ranging from freaking ECSTATIC and being honoured. Also knowing that this would mean a big responsibility for me. Firstly, because I wanted to honour my grandmother and my family, but also representing my culture and my country, Venezuela.
The first thing I did was to go on our family WhatsApp group chat to announce the news to my mum, dad and three sisters. The next thing I did was inform my close circle of friends in Australia, who have become my family. I broke the news and we all shared an amazing bottle of rum from home that I had reserved for a special occasion. Talk about a special occasion, right?
Who have been your favourite past contestants on the show and why?
I would have to say Billie. She’s won it twice, she always looks so in control of the cook and there is a calmness and restraint in her dishes that is something to strive for. (Also, may or may not be a crush there haha!).
And also definitely Keyma. She was so amazing, and I think she did a great job representing Latin American cuisine while always showing a big smile in the MasterChef kitchen.
There is such enormous pressure on the contestants when you cook, what do you do to calm your nerves and stay focused on the task at hand?
I’m a very analytical person. So, every time I’m in a situation that I feel is getting out of hand, I try to go back to basics and assess what the soul is of what I’m cooking. I try to ditch the noise that surrounds the situation, because more often than not, that’s what is causing the problems.
What has surprised you most from going from viewer to contestant?
As a viewer, one tends to underestimate the difficulty of the challenges presented in the MasterChef kitchen. The time constraint plays a vital factor and time absolutely flies in the kitchen.
Also, the amazing equipment and ingredients available to the contestants! I often felt like a kid at a candy store – I just couldn’t really believe that I was actually there cooking for the judges.
And, last but not least, the AMAZING team of people that make the show possible, including the art team, food team and floor team, who are the heroes of the show even though you never see them.
What’s your advice for people who desperately want to be better at cooking but can’t master anything beyond toast?
Start slow, keep it simple, and most importantly cook with love.
I think for me, food is a way to express love for the people you care about. With that in mind, also love what you cook, try to replicate a dish you love to eat, and try to start with single elements using them as a building block until you get an amazing dish. Doing this also will make you more intuitive in what to mix and match.
Also, fail! You learn more from your mistakes in the kitchen than anything else. Every time you mess something up, you will remember it and also your friends will make fun of you, so it’s a win-win. It’s a lesson learned and a fun story to share with them.
