A financial analyst by day, Derek Lau is confident his sweet skills will take him to the top of the MasterChef leaderboard.
Born and raised in Perth, Derek learnt the ropes cooking at home with mum. Able to make simple meat and rice dishes, she also made great cakes, passing on her tips and tricks.
In 2014, Derek graduated with a double Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Commerce from the University of Western Australia, before travelling through Europe and the United States for three months. It was in the U.S. that he developed a love for Texan restaurants dishing out incredible ribs cooked over fire pits.
While sweet treats are definitely his strength, Derek openly admits his knowledge of different flavours and making sauces may be his weakness, often relying on cookbooks and recipes.
Derek’s inspiration comes from Katherine Sabbath, Adriano Zumbo and Gordon Ramsay, and when he’s not cooking, he enjoys 4WD driving, motorbike cruises and dim sum with his family on the weekend.