She’s considered a petite powerhouse, and after securing a place in the top 24 on last year’s season of MasterChef Australia, Minoli De Silva is back to claim the top prize.
Born in Sri Lanka, Minoli was six years old when her family moved to Melbourne. But despite the migration, her childhood was heavily influenced by Sri Lankan culture, more specifically, its food.
Watching her mother use seasonal produce to prepare delicious Sri Lankan curries, she herself quickly learnt the art of cooking.
After coming 10th place on season 13 of MasterChef Australia, Minoli has gone on to host pop up restaurants and run cooking classes back home in Darwin, where she now resides.
Minoli worked as an engineering portfolio manager before entering the hospitality industry, delivering projects across the NT Defence Estates.
Her food idols include Charmaine Solomon, Yotam Ottolenghi and Eyal Shani, but at the end of the day, there’s one person who beats them all: her Amma (mum).
Now, as she re-enters the MasterChef Australia kitchen, we know she’s going to be tough to beat, as very few understand fragrance and flavours as she does.
Boasting over 30,000 followers on Instagram, Minoli regularly shares her food creations, often filled with spices and colour that jumps off the screen.
We can’t wait to see what she cooks up next when MasterChef Australia: Fans & Favourites starts on April 18.
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