Andy Allen's journey with MasterChef Australia began when he was just 23, with little professional experience in food and a career as an electrician waiting for him back home in Newcastle. More than a decade later, he is not only a former winner of the show but also one of its judges and a restaurateur.
In an exclusive conversation, Allen looked back at the decisions that took him from the MasterChef kitchen to the restaurant business, his experience on the other side of the judges' table and what could come next for Three Blue Ducks.
When Allen entered MasterChef in 2012, he describes himself as "quite green". He had no family, mortgage or job that he was particularly attached to, which allowed him to throw himself into the competition. "I was young. I was green. I was fresh. I was willing to learn," he said.
Allen does not believe he won because he was the best cook in the competition. Instead, he feels he was able to handle the pressure at the right time. "I probably won MasterChef because I wasn't the best cook on the show, but I was probably in that beautiful sweet spot of being able to deal with pressure the best."
From Contestant To Judge
Years after competing on MasterChef, Allen found himself returning to the show in a very different role: as a judge. Having experienced the pressure of the competition himself, he says being on the other side comes with its own challenges. As a contestant, Allen loved the opportunity to learn about ingredients, different cultures and cooking techniques. As a judge, however, he is conscious that a decision can have a significant impact on a contestant's journey.
"Being a judge is also hard," he said. "So much of the contestant's future is in your hands."
The judges, he explained, try to separate their feelings about the contestants from what is actually on the plate. Their guiding principle is simple: "We don't eliminate people, we eliminate dishes."
Interestingly, Allen says his experiences as both contestant and judge have shaped who he is today.
The real test, however, came after his MasterChef win. As the initial opportunities began to slow down and a new winner took over the spotlight, Allen considered returning to Newcastle and going back to his old job as an electrician. Instead, he decided he wanted to keep learning about food.
Photo Credit: Instagram/MasterChef Australia
How Andy Allen Became A Restaurateur
That decision led him to Three Blue Ducks. Allen had first met the restaurant group when its founders appeared on MasterChef as guest chefs. He was impressed by the way they worked and eventually approached them for work experience.
"I just went and knocked on their door and said, 'Hey, remember me from MasterChef? I'd love to just have some work experience.'"
Two weeks of work experience turned into a full-time job. A few months later, he was offered the opportunity to become head chef at a new 230-seat Three Blue Ducks restaurant in Rosebery. It was a major step up from the group's 50-seat seaside cafe, and Allen admits he was nervous.
"I'd never been a head chef at that point," he said. "I was very nervous. And again, I wanted to impress."
He worked his way into the business and formally became part of the wider group in 2015. Today, Three Blue Ducks has grown into a multi-venue restaurant group, with its latest project, Three Blue Ducks at Burradoo, reflecting the group's long-standing focus on sustainability and produce-led cooking.
Set inside a restored 1823 heritage farmhouse at the 600-acre Burradoo Park Farm in the NSW Southern Highlands, the 45-seat restaurant is built around what is grown, grazed and harvested on the property. Allen is a co-owner, working alongside Darren Robertson, with the kitchen led by group executive chef Troy Crisante and head chef Rhys Connell.
The restaurant offers five- and seven-course menus, with the food changing according to the farm's produce. "Everything really starts with what's coming out of the farm," Allen said. "We're building the menu around that and trying to use everything properly."
For Allen, the focus now is on growing the business carefully. He says Three Blue Ducks has spent the past 12 to 24 months getting the business back into shape and is now looking at adding more restaurants to the portfolio.
An international expansion is also not off the table. And when asked about India, Allen had a particularly open answer: "I'll never say never to India."
Looking back, Allen says he rarely stops to reflect on how far he has come. But one thing is clear to him: MasterChef changed the course of his life.
"It's crazy that MasterChef has literally brought me everything that I had," he said. "If I didn't fill out that application, I could have been a bloody school teacher."
About Neha GroverLove for reading roused her writing instincts. Neha is guilty of having a deep-set fixation with anything caffeinated. When she is not pouring out her nest of thoughts onto the screen, you can see her reading while sipping on coffee.