Pete Campbell – Absolutely Anyone Can Learn to Cook, but Being Passionate About It Is the Most Important Part (MasterChef Australia Runner Up)

Absolutely Anyone Can Learn to Cook, but Being Passionate About It Is the Most Important Part.

1. Tell us about your background and journey?

Born & raised in Australia. I moved to Los Angeles when I was 30 years old, for a change of career and adventure. While living there I began to teach myself how to cook and discovered that I really enjoyed it. 

A year ago when I decided to move home to Australia I applied to be on MasterChef (with NO expectation I would actually make it on). It’s been an incredible journey & now I am able to pursue a career as a chef.


2. What led you to take up this career path?

Luckily, making it onto Masterchef! That has opened up the opportunity for me to follow my passion.

3. What does your typical day look like?

Sydney is currently in lockdown so a typical day can be a bit boring.
Cooking, helping my kids with schoolwork, more cooking. Soon we will be out of lockdown and I will be back in the kitchen and lots of time at the beach.


4. Does one's approach change when cooking professionally and at home?

For me, there is no difference between how I approach cooking for my family or cooking professionally. Of course, cooking at home allows you to make mistakes and trial new things. Professionally though, everything must always be perfect.

5. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?

Yes, my Coffee Beef dish that won me my apron on Masterchef was the first dish I made that seemed to really impress my family and friends so it's a special one for me.


6. Can cooking be learnt in culinary schools or natural talent is required?

Absolutely anyone can learn to cook, but being passionate about it is the most important part.


7. What is your favourite book and why?

‘A Book of Ideas’ by Christian Puglisi is by far the most significant book I have read. It opened my eyes to a really beautiful style of cooking.

Brief Bio:

Pete Campbell – MasterChef Australia Runner Up

Currently cultivating his fine-dining culinary skills under the tutelage of renowned Executive Chef Peter Gilmore at Sydney’s most prestigious dining room, Quay, Pete Campbell is on his way to becoming one of the country’s finest self-taught chefs. As runner up in this year’s nail-biting finale of MasterChef Australia, not to mention the mastermind behind the two-minute tasty peanut butter muffin viral sensation, this former high-flying corporate exec turned tattoo artist proves you don’t have to be classically trained to perfect classic cuisine that’s not only the talk of the table but the talk of the town!

Pete’s love of food was surprisingly pre-determined from a young age (notwithstanding the meat and potato years!), taking a temporary backseat while he fine-tuned his creative skills as a talented singer/songwriter. It was a year of gourmand travel exploits with his wife across Asia, Europe and the US that ignited his inner ‘foodie’ and he was able to understand food’s influence over the place and personal perspective. Uprooting his family to Los Angeles saw Pete delve deeper into flavour combinations and crafting his culinary techniques. 

Fast forward a few years and today Pete finds himself at the centre of a new culinary culture post-COVID-19. His life philosophy is all about facing the as-yet-uncharted road. And while it can be scary, when you do, it will ultimately lead to a life of doing what you love. It’s an adage he hopes to instil in his two young daughters. In the meantime, Pete is excited to play a part in helping people experience food that elevates a moment and creates lifelong memories. After all, this is what he loves most.

Interviewed by - Vanshika Jain