Local MasterChef Australia season four contender Beau Cook, 40, is back on our television screens as one of the contestants on MasterChef Australia: Back to Win currently airing on 10 and 10 Play.
MasterChef Australia: Back To Win marks the 17th season of the popular show and is full of fan favourites from seasons one to 16.
The series sees some of the kitchen’s most iconic cooks put up the fight of their lives to impress judges Andy Allen, Sofa Levin, Poh Ling Yeow and Jean-Christophe Novelli in a bid to claim victory and $250,000 in prize money.
When Beau last appeared on the television series 13 years ago in 2012, the Castlemaine resident was a construction worker by day and amateur chef by night.
He powered through the competition with his passion for barbecuing and Italian fare and finished eighth.
He has since settled at Harcourt and fulfilled his dream of becoming a firefighter.
“I have been working as a firefighter for around 11 years now. After completing my training, I was stationed at Bendigo for a couple of years and I am now based at Sunbury.”
Beau said that cooking had remained a passion and his firies colleagues were certainly not averse to seeing him in the station kitchen.
“I usually have to cook something that can be left at a moment’s notice if we get called out to a job, like a good slow roast. They love it though!”
Beau has also produced a cookbook and also been sharing recipes through the quarterly Bendigo Magazine.
“It has kept my hand in and kept me creating. I have a veggie garden at home and every meal has something from the garden in it whether it’s garlic or parsley and I love using fresh local produce.”
Beau is currently working on a new project with his best friend Brent and their mates, local brothers Kye and Quinn Livingstone, operators of the Harcourt Valley Vineyard.
“The four of us are creating a new naturally flavoured hard lemon beverage, which will be rated at 8 per cent. We are just refining the recipe.
“Our all new Wildpoint Hard Lemon will be available at Harcourt Valley Vineyards and local bottle shops in July. So watch this space.”
MasterChef Australia: Back to Win continues Sunday at 7pm, and Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm on 10 and 10 Play.
