The contestants on Masterchef may be amateur cooks, but they’re held to a professional standard by the accomplished judges, as well as world-famous guest judges.
This time around, Brent, Declan, Malissa and Theo will be tasked with cooking a sweet dish that features coffee. Whoever wins, will progress into round two to go head-to-head with guest judge and acclaimed pastry chef Kay-Lene Tan. If the home cook reigns triumphant, they will win an Immunity Pin.
Who is Kay-Lene Tan?
Kay-Lene has worked in the industry for over a decade and is currently the Executive Pastry Chef at The Ritz-Carlton in Melbourne.
“As executive pastry chef, I’m responsible for all the sweet and bakery items available in the hotel, which includes all the desserts in Atria, the Lounge, room service, and all events and functions within the hotel.” she recently told Broadsheet.
Kay Lene made waves as the Pacific region’s San Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year 1st runner-up in 2015. She also claimed the Rising Star Award from FoodService Magazine at their Women in Food Service awards in 2017.
The pastry chef will also be competing in the upcoming season of Dessert Masters.
How did Kay-Lene get her start as a chef?
Kay-Lene didn’t start in the industry until she was 25. Prior to becoming a pastry chef, she was working as a documentary maker.
“I went through a ‘quarter life crisis’ at the age of 25, and began questioning what I really wanted to do for the rest of my life,” she told ChefWorks.
“The idea of becoming a chef was a bit of a lightbulb moment for me. I asked myself, ‘What better job could there be than being able to work around food every single day?’ So I did some research, enrolled myself in At Sunrice Global Chef Academy, and took up a Diploma in Pastry & Bakery Arts. I guess you could say that the rest is history; it is a leap of faith that I have never regretted taking.”
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday – Thursday at 7.30pm on 10 and 10Play.
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