WEBVTT - UNPACKED REALITY - MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA - STEVE 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.360 It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV. 0:00:02.200 --> 0:00:04.040 Reload the podcast last week airline. 0:00:04.440 --> 0:00:06.840 Hey guys, welcome back to TV Reload. I want to 0:00:06.840 --> 0:00:10.039 thank you for clicking and downloading on today's episode with Steve, 0:00:10.280 --> 0:00:14.200 the ninth eliminated contestant on mastershef Australia for twenty twenty four, 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:17.239 which is on Network ten from Sundays through to Wednesday 0:00:17.320 --> 0:00:21.000 nights at seven point thirty. Steve's experimentation in the kitchen 0:00:21.200 --> 0:00:24.200 saw him stand out to the judges, his fellow contestants, 0:00:24.280 --> 0:00:27.120 and fans of the show. His love of Australian native 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:30.720 ingredients sits tandem with his favorite refined flavors, and we 0:00:30.840 --> 0:00:32.120 definitely got to see that a. 0:00:32.120 --> 0:00:33.760 Lot throughout his time on the show. 0:00:34.159 --> 0:00:36.760 One of my favorite things about Steve was when I 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:38.839 was trying to do the research for this interview, I 0:00:38.840 --> 0:00:41.000 found this story about how he had a collection of 0:00:41.040 --> 0:00:43.800 cookbooks and that it all started with his mum gifting 0:00:43.880 --> 0:00:46.519 him the Australian Woman's Weekly Cookbook when he was at 0:00:46.560 --> 0:00:49.360 the age of eighteen, which of course he still uses 0:00:49.440 --> 0:00:52.360 as a resource to this day, something that he really treasures. 0:00:52.800 --> 0:00:55.280 Steve is a father of two, He's got two Boys. 0:00:55.600 --> 0:00:57.920 Steve has been fortunate enough to travel the world with 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:01.959 his work, experiencing many different cuisines along his way. He 0:01:02.040 --> 0:01:05.240 has mentioned the Japanese in French are amongst his favorite flavors. 0:01:05.560 --> 0:01:08.080 I absolutely loved catching up with Steve today and I'm 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:10.160 sure you're going to enjoy the chat. It is filled 0:01:10.160 --> 0:01:12.839 with a very similar warmth that you saw him putting 0:01:12.840 --> 0:01:15.880 into his cooking throughout the series. Steve will talk about 0:01:15.880 --> 0:01:18.720 his journey to Master Chef and how he was nearly 0:01:18.760 --> 0:01:21.760 the first contestant ever to step into the kitchen. We 0:01:21.800 --> 0:01:25.040 will also unpack his age and how agism still plays 0:01:25.080 --> 0:01:28.959 an unfortunate card in the Australian workplace. I will find 0:01:28.959 --> 0:01:31.720 out who of the Master Chef judges have contacted him 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:34.760 since he was filming the show, and how Jamie Oliver 0:01:35.000 --> 0:01:38.119 managed to surprise him. We will also discuss what big 0:01:38.200 --> 0:01:40.480 changes he would make if he was to step back 0:01:40.520 --> 0:01:43.280 into the kitchen, and why making your food with a 0:01:43.319 --> 0:01:47.280 little extra can help you survive an elimination. There's actually 0:01:47.280 --> 0:01:49.920 so much to unpack with Steven, so sit back and 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:54.200 relax as we unpack the wonderful world of Master Chef Australia. 0:01:54.760 --> 0:01:56.240 Hey Steven, How are you good? 0:01:56.240 --> 0:01:57.280 Staking How about you? 0:01:57.520 --> 0:02:00.120 Yeah, I'm very happy to be catching up with you. 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:03.360 A little bit surprised because I kind of feel like 0:02:03.400 --> 0:02:04.840 saying this to you, but you kind of were one 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:06.680 of the biggest characters of the season. 0:02:07.160 --> 0:02:09.600 Yeah, I am a bit surprised myself. 0:02:09.880 --> 0:02:11.400 That's how it goes, I guess, isn't it. 0:02:11.560 --> 0:02:14.760 Well, your elimination to me was the most emotional so far. 0:02:15.160 --> 0:02:16.880 Was it hard not to let it out? Am I 0:02:17.000 --> 0:02:19.040 right by saying that when I was watching your face 0:02:19.040 --> 0:02:21.160 in that elimination that you were trying to hold a 0:02:21.200 --> 0:02:21.600 lot in? 0:02:21.880 --> 0:02:24.640 I was definitely trying to hold lot in because I 0:02:24.639 --> 0:02:29.440 found it very difficult because the week before that, you know, 0:02:29.680 --> 0:02:32.720 the elimination before that I was in, I was standing 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:36.520 next to je and One and I are very good friends. 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:37.760 Would have got a very good. 0:02:37.639 --> 0:02:41.680 Friendship from that show, from that competition, spending that time together, 0:02:41.919 --> 0:02:45.600 cooking every day, you know, our social time we spent together. 0:02:46.000 --> 0:02:50.360 And I found it extremely difficult standing next to Hugh 0:02:50.560 --> 0:02:53.920 for that elimination, and then the very next one I 0:02:53.960 --> 0:02:57.080 was in, I was standing next to Alex, who also 0:02:57.240 --> 0:03:00.520 was very close. So you know, there were three people 0:03:00.560 --> 0:03:02.880 that I'd say I was really close with and that 0:03:03.080 --> 0:03:06.280 was pezzat Alex a one and I had. 0:03:06.160 --> 0:03:07.959 Two of them in basically a week. 0:03:08.280 --> 0:03:10.799 And to be honest, I didn't want Alex to go 0:03:11.160 --> 0:03:14.120 because you know, she's young, she's given up a job, 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:16.360 is hoping for a career, and I was. 0:03:16.400 --> 0:03:19.640 Quite upset for her. But at the same time, I 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:21.560 didn't want to go. I was very torn. 0:03:21.880 --> 0:03:24.400 I'm wondering whether because like I just think about it 0:03:24.400 --> 0:03:26.640 from my perspective, if I were standing in your position 0:03:26.960 --> 0:03:29.800 and forgetting all of those relationships that you've built, you know, 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:32.600 whatever emotion has been created by being a part of 0:03:32.639 --> 0:03:35.560 this show. I just wonder if anyone's ever been unconsolable, 0:03:35.600 --> 0:03:36.600 do you know what I mean? Like, I wonder if 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:38.560 they've ever had to cut to a long break and 0:03:38.600 --> 0:03:42.120 pull that person together before finishing off their sendoff. 0:03:42.360 --> 0:03:43.240 Yeah, I don't know. 0:03:43.840 --> 0:03:47.720 It was very difficult, I have to say, standing there. 0:03:48.480 --> 0:03:51.440 So I did find it a real challenge In some ways. 0:03:51.480 --> 0:03:54.280 I was thinking, Okay, well, I'd be rather go than Alex. 0:03:54.720 --> 0:03:58.240 I would rather sacrifice my spot than her. But then 0:03:58.600 --> 0:04:02.040 I'd spent so many years, you know, thinking I should 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:05.120 have done this on the first view and here I 0:04:05.160 --> 0:04:08.320 am now, and I thought, well, you know, like it's 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:11.120 at my age, it's hard to get opportunities, you know 0:04:11.120 --> 0:04:14.000 what I mean. People at sixty two people you know, 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:16.440 I mean, no one likes to say it, but it's 0:04:16.520 --> 0:04:18.760 very difficult to get employed, you know, if people don't 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:20.640 want to give you a job, not that you can't 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:22.760 do it, but it's just the wight the world is. 0:04:23.000 --> 0:04:24.760 It's interesting you say that because I was having this 0:04:24.800 --> 0:04:26.800 conversation with a friend of mine the other day, and 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:29.479 we are in our mid forties, and he said that 0:04:29.560 --> 0:04:32.719 he's starting to see the effects of this is the 0:04:32.760 --> 0:04:35.400 peak of my career. I have nowhere else to go 0:04:35.480 --> 0:04:39.240 from here because of my age, and it seems like 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:41.279 that has happened far too quickly. 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:43.440 You know, to discount one. 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:46.040 For their age at forty four, you know, to stop 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:48.160 them from the ridiculous. But you know, this is why 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:50.520 I love seeing people like you on this show. And 0:04:50.600 --> 0:04:52.919 I know that then it seems like I'm singling you 0:04:52.960 --> 0:04:55.600 out for it as well. But seeing sixty as an 0:04:55.640 --> 0:04:59.039 age on this show is exciting because you're proving to 0:04:59.200 --> 0:05:03.080 people that they shouldn't just hear that conversation in the 0:05:03.080 --> 0:05:05.719 workplace wellances as far as you're going to go, you know, 0:05:05.839 --> 0:05:09.200 because you're still doing extraordinary things, you're still adding to 0:05:09.240 --> 0:05:12.080 your resume in a really powerful way that, as I said, 0:05:12.160 --> 0:05:12.880 is inspiring. 0:05:13.120 --> 0:05:15.880 Yeah, that's I mean, that's all part of why I 0:05:15.920 --> 0:05:18.320 did the show, you know I did. When I got 0:05:18.480 --> 0:05:21.719 offered that position on Marster Chef, I was very cautious, 0:05:21.760 --> 0:05:23.720 you know, because I thought, gee, you know, like all 0:05:23.720 --> 0:05:26.919 the other people that were cooking, you know, in the tryouts, 0:05:27.000 --> 0:05:28.040 were all in their. 0:05:27.880 --> 0:05:28.919 Twenties and thirties. 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:32.479 Yeah, and I just wondered how I would be able 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:36.120 to relate. You know, I knew that potentially you couldn't 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:38.479 be gone for months, and how that was going to 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:39.479 affect me mentally. 0:05:39.520 --> 0:05:41.440 You know, could I relate with these people? 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:41.760 You know? 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:44.159 Would they accept me for what I am? So that 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:46.120 was all part of it, and I have to say 0:05:46.240 --> 0:05:48.640 they were great. It was really good. 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:51.919 But I wanted to prove, I guess, to myself and 0:05:52.160 --> 0:05:55.640 to people my generation that you know, I've got quite 0:05:55.680 --> 0:05:59.200 a few brands, especially after to COVID, you know, because 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:03.160 the tourism in three were sick badly where suddenly unemployed, 0:06:03.400 --> 0:06:05.240 you know, they've been doing the same sort of thing 0:06:05.320 --> 0:06:08.480 for the last thirty years and no work, and you know, 0:06:08.600 --> 0:06:10.880 you can't just give up. You just have to keep 0:06:10.880 --> 0:06:13.160 on going. The way I look at it, you never 0:06:13.440 --> 0:06:17.080 turned out an opportunity, just take it and do your best. 0:06:17.240 --> 0:06:19.560 I think there's something really powerful in that. And I'm 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:21.120 here to tell you as well, which I think is 0:06:21.160 --> 0:06:23.279 something off the back of what you were saying about 0:06:23.440 --> 0:06:26.200 the other younger people in the show. I've been chatting 0:06:26.200 --> 0:06:28.200 to everyone as they've come out, and I can't exactly 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:30.800 remember who said what and how they've said it, but 0:06:30.880 --> 0:06:33.560 your name has come up more often than not when 0:06:33.560 --> 0:06:36.839 it comes to reflecting on the other participants in this show. 0:06:37.040 --> 0:06:39.400 And that is because they kept saying and now I'm 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:41.680 putting words in their mouth because I'm sort of abbreviating it, 0:06:41.760 --> 0:06:44.279 but they said that it was really amazing to watch 0:06:44.279 --> 0:06:47.479 you because you did a lot of experimental cooks that 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:48.839 was really impressive. 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:49.920 Is that fair to. 0:06:49.880 --> 0:06:51.839 Say that you showed some of these young people that 0:06:51.880 --> 0:06:53.160 it's important to take risks? 0:06:53.320 --> 0:06:56.400 Well, I think so. I mean, I've stuck to my 0:06:56.960 --> 0:06:59.800 guns on my cooking. So look, a lot of the 0:07:00.360 --> 0:07:03.400 you know, they came in there, they had their their suitcases, 0:07:03.440 --> 0:07:06.520 full of cookbooks and you know, we're all cooking on 0:07:06.560 --> 0:07:08.760 the weekends together, and you know, it was a great 0:07:08.839 --> 0:07:11.400 social thing as well as a learning experience. You know 0:07:11.440 --> 0:07:14.560 a lot of them were just recreating what they're reading 0:07:14.840 --> 0:07:15.760 and learning. 0:07:15.520 --> 0:07:17.760 It, which is great, you know, and they're learning the 0:07:17.840 --> 0:07:19.480 recipes off by heart. 0:07:19.680 --> 0:07:22.040 They could go into the kitchen if they had opportunity 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:25.240 use that particular recipe. They knew it, they were comfortable 0:07:25.240 --> 0:07:27.400 with it. They could cook a beautiful meal and do 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:31.760 something really successful. But I made a commitment to myself 0:07:31.800 --> 0:07:34.920 that it's such an important opportunity for me that I 0:07:35.080 --> 0:07:38.320 decided that I wasn't going to do that. I was 0:07:38.400 --> 0:07:41.800 going to do every dish I cooked was going to 0:07:41.840 --> 0:07:47.240 be my original. You can't google that recipe. It's my recipe. 0:07:47.320 --> 0:07:49.000 If you want to cook it, you have to get 0:07:49.040 --> 0:07:49.400 it from me. 0:07:49.680 --> 0:07:51.520 Sorry to jump in there, but you know, that's what 0:07:51.560 --> 0:07:52.640 this show should be about. 0:07:52.720 --> 0:07:53.040 Really. 0:07:53.120 --> 0:07:55.280 I mean, we are all at home books and what 0:07:55.400 --> 0:07:59.360 separates us all making you know, following a recipe and 0:07:59.440 --> 0:08:01.920 doing the bait. I think if this show is to 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:04.720 continue to work in this space, it needs to be 0:08:04.880 --> 0:08:08.120 that level up from home cooks, someone who can take 0:08:08.200 --> 0:08:10.840 what you could normally do at home and elevate it 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:13.000 and inspire the people at home. And I think that's, 0:08:13.120 --> 0:08:15.120 you know, the inspiration of the show is the magic, 0:08:15.160 --> 0:08:16.680 it's the currency of it. 0:08:17.040 --> 0:08:18.080 I agreed completely. 0:08:18.280 --> 0:08:21.119 I mean, that's that's exactly why I watched the show, 0:08:21.320 --> 0:08:23.160 because that's what I wanted to see, and I want 0:08:23.200 --> 0:08:27.280 to see people building new dishes from their own experiences 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:30.160 in life and be experimental. And I guess, you know, 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:33.959 in some ways, that's why although I was disappointed to 0:08:34.040 --> 0:08:37.800 go when I did, I wasn't devastated because I stuck 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:39.360 to my guns, and at the end of the day, 0:08:39.440 --> 0:08:42.679 if I go, it's because the dish I made myself 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:45.480 wasn't good enough. And I'm sort of okay with that 0:08:45.559 --> 0:08:49.160 because you know, like I can then just say to myself, Okay, 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:50.560 it wasn't good enough, but I'll do it again. 0:08:50.600 --> 0:08:52.720 I've done it. I've actually done. 0:08:52.520 --> 0:08:54.839 It with other dishes, and I've cooked on the show 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:57.400 which weren't as successful as I thought they were. 0:08:57.840 --> 0:09:00.360 I've actually recreated those dishes. 0:09:00.280 --> 0:09:03.280 Out of hours and perfected them, not to cook them 0:09:03.280 --> 0:09:05.280 again on the show, but to say, okay, well let 0:09:05.320 --> 0:09:06.760 me make that dish work now. 0:09:06.920 --> 0:09:09.280 It didn't work from let's make it work. So it's 0:09:09.320 --> 0:09:12.680 about the love of giving food. How can I explain this? 0:09:12.760 --> 0:09:13.720 It's about me with you. 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:16.280 I've been saying this a lot throughout these exit interviews, 0:09:16.320 --> 0:09:18.880 and I think there's something really powerful and amazing and 0:09:18.920 --> 0:09:21.960 cooking for someone and putting good food in someone's belly. 0:09:22.240 --> 0:09:23.439 That's exactly what it is. 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:26.920 It's that pleasure, the look on their face when they're 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:30.319 enjoying the meal and you know you've made that, you 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:33.439 know you've created that dish. My friends, when they come 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:36.280 to dinner, I always call my meals. I call them 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.600 my thirty second artworks, because I've said it's like a 0:09:39.640 --> 0:09:42.440 piece of art, but in thirty seconds it's gone. So 0:09:42.480 --> 0:09:45.439 I said, you get to view that artwork for thirty seconds. 0:09:45.080 --> 0:09:49.000 But they're standing at your house well pretty quickly. 0:09:50.960 --> 0:09:53.720 So you know that's what I do, I guess, and 0:09:54.160 --> 0:09:56.840 it's a pleasure I get from fooding people, giving them 0:09:56.840 --> 0:09:57.600 beautiful food. 0:09:57.920 --> 0:09:59.920 Was I right to say that you were pretty much cast, 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:02.240 locked and loaded to do a very early season of 0:10:02.320 --> 0:10:04.959 Master Chef and then something put in a way? I mean, 0:10:04.960 --> 0:10:06.960 how many times do they circle back and ask you 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:09.000 to do the show? Or were they waiting for you 0:10:09.040 --> 0:10:10.840 to go through the application process again. 0:10:11.000 --> 0:10:15.320 It's a funny story because my wife actually applied for 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:19.400 me on the very first show, Master Chef number one, Wow, 0:10:19.800 --> 0:10:22.400 And I didn't know at the time. And this is 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:24.800 when we were living in Port Douglas and we were 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:28.319 actually out sailing one day and we're sailing back into 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:31.640 port and my phone rings with some phone number. I 0:10:31.720 --> 0:10:33.959 didn't recognize it, and I answered the phone and someone 0:10:34.080 --> 0:10:36.120 started talking to me about, Oh, you've been selected to 0:10:36.600 --> 0:10:40.080 come and try out for Master Chef's Series one. You'd 0:10:40.120 --> 0:10:42.240 have to come to Brisbane and it'll be fantastic. And 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:45.200 I also thinking, oh, this is some sort of hoax, 0:10:45.559 --> 0:10:47.760 And then I think my wife heard me starting master 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:49.959 step and then I can see a waving her arms 0:10:49.960 --> 0:10:53.160 frantically going yes, yes, I put your application in, so 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:57.040 all ready to fly to Brisbane for that? And would 0:10:57.080 --> 0:11:01.760 you believe a cyclone came through a late cyclone. 0:11:00.520 --> 0:11:01.480 The airport closed. 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:03.160 But the main thing that happened is we had a 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:06.240 big landslide between Port Douglas and Cairns which used to 0:11:06.320 --> 0:11:09.400 often happen, and the road closed and just couldn't get 0:11:09.520 --> 0:11:12.040 out of town. So it was about about a week 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:14.640 the road was closed for and I completely missed the 0:11:14.640 --> 0:11:15.280 first season. 0:11:15.600 --> 0:11:18.760 So the actually of the road sixteen years. 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:22.880 You get out that well funnyness that may actually offered 0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:26.120 me an opportunity to do the second season. Because I 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:27.920 rang them and told them what's happened. They said, well, 0:11:27.920 --> 0:11:29.800 that's fine, Look, don't worry, we're going we have to 0:11:29.840 --> 0:11:32.439 continue shooting, so we're happy to have you come for 0:11:32.559 --> 0:11:35.920 season two. So they told me they'd emailed me well 0:11:35.960 --> 0:11:38.640 and truly before the show the season started, so I 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:39.880 could come for season two. 0:11:40.360 --> 0:11:43.760 And my wife's English and we're in the UK. They 0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:46.199 emailed me to my work email. 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:49.760 Address, and of course we're in the UK for four 0:11:49.840 --> 0:11:50.600 or five weeks. 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:51.920 Got back and. 0:11:51.800 --> 0:11:55.240 We're sitting in the lounge room and suddenly I see 0:11:55.240 --> 0:11:57.400 them advertising Mastership and I told them to my wife 0:11:57.400 --> 0:11:59.160 and I said, Jilly, I said, they said they're going 0:11:59.200 --> 0:12:00.880 to tell me all about it it she goes they did, 0:12:01.040 --> 0:12:03.480 and I said, that's weird. So I went to work 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:06.959 the next morning and sure enough in the deleted emails 0:12:07.120 --> 0:12:10.880 was the email from mastershif no yeah, so someone was 0:12:10.880 --> 0:12:14.040 obviously on my desktop. They saw the email come through 0:12:14.080 --> 0:12:16.120 while I was on holidays and just thought, don't mail. 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:18.080 I just deleted it so I never saw it. 0:12:18.200 --> 0:12:20.600 And then they said to me, look, there's always next year. 0:12:20.640 --> 0:12:22.319 Because I ran on the top of what happened. They said, 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:24.960 there's always next year. But then life, I think life 0:12:25.040 --> 0:12:27.600 got in the way. You know, things got busier. 0:12:27.800 --> 0:12:30.000 It's a bit like you're saying with your friend. You know. 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:32.520 I was in my forties and I was seeking these 0:12:33.080 --> 0:12:36.960 are my important years to make some money, make my career. 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:39.839 And by the third year came around and just thought, no, 0:12:39.920 --> 0:12:42.800 I just can't give up work now. It's too critical. 0:12:43.080 --> 0:12:45.959 So I didn't do it. And it was only series 0:12:46.040 --> 0:12:49.360 sixteen where I thought to myself, you know I could 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:51.959 do this again. I thought, it's my last chance at 0:12:51.960 --> 0:12:53.920 my age, I said, but I couldn't do it again. 0:12:54.320 --> 0:12:57.560 So I started to think about filling the application, and 0:12:57.559 --> 0:12:59.520 so I basically got on there and I think filled 0:12:59.559 --> 0:13:03.800 out first page and I thought, nah, I'm being silly, 0:13:03.960 --> 0:13:06.960 won't worry about it. And anyway, I didn't worry about it, 0:13:07.000 --> 0:13:08.959 and about two hours later I got a phone call 0:13:09.040 --> 0:13:09.760 from Mastership. 0:13:09.840 --> 0:13:11.240 I jumped on and they see it. 0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:13.960 It's started filling it out and they said, I noticed 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:16.959 you know, you put details in about being in number one, 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:19.840 you being applied for number one, and they said, oh, 0:13:19.880 --> 0:13:21.760 I'd love you to do fill out the application and 0:13:21.800 --> 0:13:23.920 come to the try it anyway. So in the end 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:26.120 I thought, yeah, why not, I'll do it, so I did. 0:13:26.360 --> 0:13:26.520 Well. 0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:28.840 I think it's really great that you've done this because 0:13:29.000 --> 0:13:31.040 I think when people look back at seasons of shows, 0:13:31.040 --> 0:13:33.360 they kind of remember certain people. And I know that 0:13:33.480 --> 0:13:35.640 this will sound strange to you because you're watching it 0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:38.400 through that your your own lens, your own self critical lens, 0:13:38.400 --> 0:13:40.280 and you know, however it else did you see it? 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:42.160 But I think that people are going to remember you 0:13:42.200 --> 0:13:45.320 from this show more than anyone else. There's just something 0:13:45.559 --> 0:13:48.480 quite real about you. And it was kind of funny 0:13:48.520 --> 0:13:50.560 because like when they first started seat of introducing you 0:13:50.880 --> 0:13:53.640 like almost like a little crocodile Hunter person from Queensland, 0:13:54.520 --> 0:13:57.840 I thought that's TV magic because that didn't really bode 0:13:57.840 --> 0:13:59.560 well with me at the time. I thought, No, there's 0:13:59.559 --> 0:14:01.760 something more more than that. There's more. There's more than 0:14:01.760 --> 0:14:04.960 the shark tooth on the necklace, definitely, And I think 0:14:05.000 --> 0:14:07.960 people won't remember you as that package, that crocodile Hunter 0:14:08.000 --> 0:14:09.600 package or whatever they were trying to do. I think 0:14:09.600 --> 0:14:12.200 people are going to remember you for your heart and 0:14:12.679 --> 0:14:15.199 your ability to take risks and show different food. 0:14:15.280 --> 0:14:16.840 And I think that's something to be proud of. 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:18.680 Oh look, and I agree with you. 0:14:18.840 --> 0:14:21.240 I think, you know, like I think I look, I'm 0:14:21.240 --> 0:14:23.440 so happy with what I did. Funny enough, I was 0:14:23.480 --> 0:14:26.000 talking to my wife about it this morning. I'm saying, look, 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:29.720 I didn't. I just didn't stick with any genre of food. 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:32.880 I was happy to do anything, and I think that's 0:14:32.960 --> 0:14:36.480 becoming rare, you know, Like I think people in the 0:14:36.520 --> 0:14:38.720 show tend to be you know, they either do their 0:14:38.760 --> 0:14:41.720 tie or they do their their Indian, or they do 0:14:41.840 --> 0:14:45.840 their you know, South American or and they don't experiment enough. 0:14:46.160 --> 0:14:48.400 And you can carry a long way with that, but 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:51.120 you know, in life, I think in real life, you 0:14:51.560 --> 0:14:54.880 need to take the chances and experiment with different things 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:57.520 because you know, you'll never know, I mean with food, 0:14:57.560 --> 0:14:59.680 you'd never know you might love it. I mean, I 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:01.880 didn't cook a lot of Indians until I married an 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:05.960 english woman and suddenly she demanded Indian because that's like 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:10.080 the second cuisine. And initially I started doing like everyone 0:15:10.120 --> 0:15:13.080 else does and buying the pre mixed sources and things 0:15:13.080 --> 0:15:14.960 like that, and I thought, no, you know, I can 0:15:15.040 --> 0:15:17.840 do this, So bought all the spices and just read 0:15:18.080 --> 0:15:21.680 thought myself, and now I cook Indian once a week. 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:23.680 Yeah, you can. 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:26.480 Cook good Indian food is huge for me. I love 0:15:26.520 --> 0:15:29.600 it and cooking it yourself, if you can do it well, 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:30.880 is a real skill. 0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:31.400 Yeah. 0:15:31.480 --> 0:15:34.160 Well, my wife seems to think I'll do the best. 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:36.960 Indian now, so because your wife is at though, because 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.440 my partner loves to tell me that I cook really well, 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:41.360 and that's just so that I do it and that 0:15:41.520 --> 0:15:42.280 he doesn't happen. 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:44.400 No, no, not really. 0:15:44.400 --> 0:15:46.520 Well, I do all the cooking anyway, I always have, 0:15:46.920 --> 0:15:49.720 so I don't think she really needs to do that. 0:15:49.960 --> 0:15:52.440 I think I think my Indian is pretty good. 0:15:52.560 --> 0:15:55.160 I'll get pretty good feedback from my friends. 0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:57.480 They all tell me that our house is the best 0:15:57.520 --> 0:16:01.000 restaurant on Bribe Island, so I love it. 0:16:01.040 --> 0:16:01.200 Well. 0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:03.200 It'll be remiss with me not to ask a few 0:16:03.280 --> 0:16:05.000 quick questions about that final cook. 0:16:05.040 --> 0:16:07.240 I mean, but I was curious to know about Andy 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:07.880 and Poe. 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:11.200 What's it like working alongside these two chefs that have 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:14.800 been contestants in the show. Are they more accessible to 0:16:14.960 --> 0:16:18.000 you being first time cooks in the Master Chef kitchen 0:16:18.120 --> 0:16:20.440 because they've done it, and are they able to help 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:21.840 you in a way that's more relatable. 0:16:22.000 --> 0:16:26.080 It's interesting, It's an interesting comment. So Andy's quite an 0:16:26.120 --> 0:16:30.720 interesting character. I would say Poe was definitely more accessible 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:33.760 than Andy, and he was nice enough, you know, and 0:16:34.320 --> 0:16:38.480 good with feedback. But Poe I walked out thinking I've 0:16:38.480 --> 0:16:42.400 got a friendship rather than a judge who was really 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:45.560 easy to get along with. But then John christa an 0:16:45.600 --> 0:16:48.680 amazing man, very passionate. I don't think I've met someone 0:16:48.760 --> 0:16:51.800 so passionate about food in my life. Passionate to help 0:16:52.040 --> 0:16:55.320 to teach the guide, to give you advice, you know, 0:16:55.440 --> 0:16:57.600 Like I think the judges, it was a good mix 0:16:57.680 --> 0:17:00.560 because I think, you know, we had two judges really 0:17:00.680 --> 0:17:04.119 that were very good at exhibiting their passion, Poe and 0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:06.919 Jean Christoph. And then we had Sofia at Aley who 0:17:07.000 --> 0:17:10.760 were very good at grounding you giving you good advice, 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:13.960 you know. So it was actually a very good mix 0:17:14.040 --> 0:17:16.879 because you couldn't have them all the same. It wouldn't work. 0:17:17.080 --> 0:17:20.800 You needed that mixture of personalities. And also, of course 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:24.240 there's a very mixture in taste between the judges which 0:17:24.240 --> 0:17:26.840 also can be interesting when you're cooking, you know, because 0:17:26.880 --> 0:17:29.639 you're trying to cater I guess to their taste buds 0:17:29.720 --> 0:17:30.800 as well as do. 0:17:30.800 --> 0:17:31.399 A good dish. 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:34.600 Well, yeah, it's interesting though when you're getting these people 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:37.920 with different personalities trying your food. And someone the other 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:39.359 day was trying to put out like a bit of 0:17:39.359 --> 0:17:41.879 a MythBuster about master chef and that the food can 0:17:41.920 --> 0:17:45.320 be tried as you're cooking by those by those judges, 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:48.280 so that it's not reliant on just you know, tasting 0:17:48.320 --> 0:17:50.400 the food. When they finally get at was there any 0:17:50.440 --> 0:17:53.040