After 24 contestants walked into the MasterChef kitchen, it’s now down to the top five after months of high-pressure challenges and eliminations.
Vinnie, Casper, Annabel, Petro, and Aaron have all made it through to the pointy end of the competition after Luke left on Monday, July 20. With some exciting guest judges still to come this season, such as Meghan Markle on July 26, the top five contestants have teased even more exciting moments that audiences can look forward to as the series comes to a close.
Speaking to WHO, each of the contestants shared a sneak peek into the “special cooks” and the hardest challenges we’ll see them face from this week until the finale.
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.
Vinnie told WHO that he has been waiting all season to cook with judge Andy Allen, and the time has finally come.
“I had been hanging out for the chance to cook alongside Andy Allen, so [that] is a special cook for me,” he said. “Being in the kitchen with him was the biggest buzz and gave me so much inspiration and motivation to keep pushing.”
Casper Kenworthy
Age: 28
State: ACT
Occupation: Technology Consultant
Instagram: @gucci_schooey
Growing up watching his idols Josh Niland, Kate Reid, and Gordan Ramsay on MasterChef, Casper has always been a food nerd. Even since he moved out at the age of 17, learning everything he can about cooking became a core part of his life.
Casper also enjoyed the high-stress cook set out by Andy during Level Up Week.
“Because I missed out on the service challenge during Knockout Week, I’m really looking forward to being put through my paces with Andy in a higher stress cook,” Casper he said. “Keeping up with a highly awarded professional chef is a challenge that I think will replicate some of the high intensity moments you might come across during a restaurant service.”
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.
Petro confessed that it was Poh’s pressure test during Level Up Week that was the “most thrilling” for him throughout the whole competition.
“I think definitely Poh’s Pressure Test was the most thrilling cook so far as it’s the most pressure I’ve faced in the kitchen,” he said. “Mistakes were made early, but when you’re cooking on MasterChef you have no choice but to lock in and get it done.”
Annabel Lloyd
Age: 30
State: NSW
Occupation: Registered nurse
Instagram: @annabellloyd_
As a nurse working in the ICU, Annabel found cooking to be a much needed respite, particularly during the COVID pandemic. Growing up around a vegetable garden, Annabel loves the farm-to-table approach to cooking and has adopted a rustic style of cooking.
Annabel explained that the audience can expect to see some of her biggest growth yet!
“Without giving too much away, I’d say keep watching because I think people will see the biggest growth in me over the next few challenges,” she confessed. “Once you get towards the pointy end of the competition, the learning is honestly exponential.
“You’re constantly being exposed to completely new techniques and skills, then expected to turn around and execute them under huge time pressure and the clock ticking. Then on top of that, you’re competing against some of the best home cooks in the country, who also happen to become some of your closest mates.”
She added: “It’s such a unique environment that you almost can’t help but grow, and I don’t think I realised just how much I was learning until I looked back on it afterwards.”
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.
Aaron had a similar sentiment to Petro when it came to Poh’s pressure test set during Level Up Week.
“I learn something so deeply rooted in my heritage, something that I’ve always wanted to learn but never got the chance to,” he said. “Forgotten techniques and snacks that we grew up eating, the nostalgia of it all and also how much meaning it held.”
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