We’re officially in Top 3 territory on MasterChef Australia, and the stakes have never been higher. As the show enters the pointy end of the competition, fans have watched some heartbreaking eliminations as their favourite cooks say goodbye to the MasterChef kitchen.
Vinnie, Aaron, and Petro are the last three standing this year after Casper was eliminated on Monday, July 27, during the Letters from Home Elimination challenge. There was not a dry eye in the house during the task, which saw each contestant read out encouraging letters from home and cook a dish spotlighting an ingredient chosen by a loved one.
Now, with just days left, the top three contestants spoke to WHO about their strategy for entering the semi-final.
Aaron Kher
Age: 32
State: VIC
Occupation: Medical Product Specialist
Instagram: @aaronkher_
Aaron grew up cherishing the ritual of cooking and eating good food, taking inspiration from his grandmother’s Malaysian and Chinese dishes like Nyonya, as well as his grandfather’s hospitality. Born in Malaysia, Aaron moved to Melbourne when he was five years old and has always had a curiosity for food and cooking technique.
The contestant revealed that his strategy going into the semi-final was to lean into his personal journey and what brought him to the kitchen in the first place.
“Going into the semi-final, I just wanted to cook dishes that truly represented me and my journey on MasterChef,” he told us. “I wanted my food to reflect how much I’d grown throughout the competition, and I wanted to walk away knowing I’d left everything on the floor, with no regrets.
“The only person I felt I had to beat was myself. It was about overcoming the self-doubt and quieting the negative voice in my head. Of course, I knew I was cooking alongside Vinnie and Petro, but my mindset wasn’t that we were competing against one other. It felt like we were cooking with each other.”
He added: “We’d become so close over the course of the competition, and getting to close this chapter alongside the two of them made the semi-final even more special.”
Petro Papathomas
Age: 30
State: VIC
Occupation: Chartered Accountant
Instagram: @petropapa
Good food has always been a fabric of Petro’s family life. With a Greek/Cypriot background, this home cook developped a love for food from an early age, learning to cook by watching his mum Georgia and yiayiathes (grandmothers) Sophia and Christina. He has spent countless hours perfecting his halloumi recipe over the years and is passionate about Greek and Mediterranean flavours, hoping one day to open a Cypriot restaurant.
Going into the semi-final, Petro revealed that his strategy was simply “to try and keep calm and enjoy the experience”.
The contestant had earned his Top 3 spot earlier than the others during Meghan Markle’s guest judge appearance, where his celeriac dessert earned him immunity from the following elimination.
Vinnie Gibaldi
Age: 25
State: VIC
Occupation: Registered Nurse
Instagram: @cookingwithvin
Growing up in a big Italian family, Vinnie notes that food has always been at the centre of his life as its been how they expressed love, celebrated milestones and stayed connected. Vinnie’s father owned a restaurant on Melbourne’s famous Lygon Street which became his second home as he spent countless hours learning from his dad and what it takes to run a successful business. Vinnie dreams of one day opening a small panini shop, ‘Vinnie’s Panini’s’ where everything would be made from scratch.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
