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Meet MasterChef Australia's top 24 contestants

A who's who guide to the cooks battling it out in season 10. - by Gavin Scott
  • 09 May 2018
Meet MasterChef Australia's top 24 contestants

After last night's episode of MasterChef Australia, this year's top 24 is complete. Here's the full list of who made the cut...

RELATED: All the 2018 MasterChef Australia contestants on Instagram

Adele Eliot

 

Adele Elliot Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 34

From: NSW

Job: Student enrolment officer

Adele has a degree in Health Sciences and Nutritional Medicine, and dreams of opening her own food truck.


Aldo Ortado

Aldo Ortado Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 31

From: NSW

Job: Restaurant manager

Aldo grew up in Italy, moving to Sydney in 2013. He is currently planning his wedding with fiancé Mark.


Ben Borsht

Ben Borsht Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 31

From: Qld

Job: Builder

A seafood specialist, Ben hopes to start a charter boat company that would take groups out to catch their own fish and then cook them onboard.


Brendan Pang

Brendan Pang Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 24

From: WA

Job: Social worker

Brendan's cooking is influenced by his family's Mauritian heritage, having spent plenty of time growing up visiting the island nation.


Brett McGrath

Brett McGrath Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 29

From: Qld

Job: Coffee roaster

Based in Noosa, keen surfer Brett is a self-taught cook, who sources much of his produce from a farm co-op nearby.


Chloe Carroll

Chloe Carroll Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 28

From: Qld

Job: Nutritionist

Mother-of-two Chloe's biggest strength is her ability to make her own pasta, sausages, pastries, cheeses and more from scratch.


Denise Valdez

Denise Valdez Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 37

From: Vic.

Job: Stay-at-home mum

Although born in Mexico, Denise has lived everywhere from Manchester in the UK to Kuwait, and from Norway to Melbourne, all of which have influenced her palate.


Genene Dwyer

Genene Dwyer Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 49

From: Vic.

Job: Recruitment coordinator

Growing up with very traditional meals being served, "late bloomer" Genene now has to cater to a pescatarian and a vegetarian in her household. 


Gina Ottaway

Gina Ottaway Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 54

From: NSW

Job: Disability support

Another contestant who hails from Italy, Gina came to Australia as a toddler. As the competition's oldest contestant, she has years of experience perfecting the recipes passed down to her by her mother.


Hoda Kobeissi

Hoda Kobeissi Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 32

From: NSW

Job: Social worker

When she was a teenager, Hoda took over cooking duties for the family while her parents worked late. Now, she dreams of launching a pop-up cooking school for disadvantaged families.


Jenny Lam

Jenny Lam Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 28

From: WA

Job: Entrepreneur

Another contestant that cooked for her family as a teenager, Jenny has worked in marketing for a decade with the dream to cook professionally niggling away in the background.


Jess Liemantara

Jess Liemantara
Network Ten

Age: 19

From: Vic.

Job: Waitress

This season's youngest contestant comes from a cooking family—her parents ran a fusion cafe and restaurant. Jess herself works at Nobu restaurant in Crown Casino, Melbourne.


Jo Kendray

Jo Kendray Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 46

From: Vic.

Job: Travel manager

In 2015, Jo moved back to Australia after a stint in New York where she got to live out her foodie passion. She'd love to combine her love for travel and food by running culinary tours. 


Khanh Ong

Khanh Ong
Network Ten

Age: 25

From: Vic.

Job: DJ

Khanh lived the first two years of his life in an Indonesian refugee camp, his family arriving in Australia in the early '90s. He combines his Vietnamese heritage with the skills he learnt in his parents' butcher's business in his food.


Kristen Sheffield

Kristen Sheffield Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 27

From: SA

Job: Urban planner

Skilled in both sweet and savoury styles, South African-born Kristen has a degree in Architectural Studies and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning.


Lisa Diep

Lisa Diep Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 33

From: NSW

Job: Senior IT analyst

Food has always played a huge part in Lisa's life, with family events marked by all the relatives gathering for a big feed. She and husband Haw have an 18-month son, Hunter.


Loki Madireddi

Loki Madireddi Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 34

From: Vic.

Job: Stay-at-home dad

Another contestant used to huge family dinners is Loki, who grew up surrounded by cousins in India and moved to the Gold Coast in 2004. He met his wife, Ishani, on a yoga retreat.


Metter Chin

Metter Chin Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 54

From: NSW

Job: Project manager

Yet another globe-trotter, Malaysian-born Metter has also lived in New Zealand, Hong Kong and the US. Settled in Sydney with long-term partner Joey, Metter manages IT projects for a living.


Michelle Walsh

Michelle Walsh Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 47

From: NSW

Job: Writer

The final contestant admitted to the competition, Michelle is a former model and travel reporter who now runs a blog. The mum-of-two is also an adrenaline junkie into climbing, skating and skiing.


Reece Hignell

Reece Highnell Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 28

From: NSW

Job: Recruitment consultant

A true twentysomething, Reece has developed his cooking skills by consuming information on YouTube and social media. Frozen desserts are a favourite, and would be the selling point of the cafe he hopes to open.


Samira Damirova

Samira Damirova Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 36

From: WA

Job: Stay-at-home mum

Their family are settled in Margaret River now, but Samira and husband Troy, who met in her homeland of Azerbaijan, have travelled extensively throughout Europe and Asia. The mum-of-two makes pasties, pies and bread from scratch.


Sarah Clare

Sarah Clare Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 33

From: NSW

Job: Stay-at-home mum

One of nine children, Tasmanian-born Sarah is married to a chef, Brazilian-born Doug. Mum to three-year-old Elvis, she has taken to making her own sauces from scratch to ensure she is providing healthy food for her family.


Sashi Cheliah

Sashi Cheliah Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 39

From: SA

Job: Prison officer

Like Sarah, Sashi comes from a big family, with six siblings. Unlike anyone else in the competition, he worked in the police force in Singapore, where he was born, and was trained in counter-terrorism and riot control tactics.


Tim Talam

Tim Talam Masterchef
Network Ten

Age: 28

From: NSW

Job: Butcher shop assistant

He started an Engineering degree and finished a Communications ones, but his love for food led Tim to his current job, learning the skills of the meat trade. With a love for slow-cooked meat, he'd like to open a BBQ joint in the future.

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Gavin Scott
A pop culture enthusiast from a young age, Gavin is equally passionate about great pop music (’80s synthpop, ’10s dream pop), gripping TV series (Friday Night Lights, The Handmaid’s Tale) and trips to the cinema (I love a blockbuster as much as anyone, but I’m done with the superhero thing).

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