Andrew Peter Allen (born 30 April 1988) is an Australian cook. He is notable for winning the
fourth season of ''
MasterChef Australia
''MasterChef Australia'' is an Australian competitive cooking reality show based on the original British '' MasterChef''. It is produced by Endemol Shine Australia and screens on Network 10. Restaurateur and chef Gary Mehigan, chef George Ca ...
'' in 2012, and for being a judge on ''
MasterChef Australia
''MasterChef Australia'' is an Australian competitive cooking reality show based on the original British '' MasterChef''. It is produced by Endemol Shine Australia and screens on Network 10. Restaurateur and chef Gary Mehigan, chef George Ca ...
'' from
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in ...
.
''MasterChef Australia''
Allen won the
fourth season of ''MasterChef Australia''. After making it to the final, Allen beat fellow finalists Audra Morrice and Julia Taylor in a three-way contest. Facing only Taylor for the final two rounds, Allen won with a score of 76 to Taylor's 68.
Allen appeared in an episode of ''
MasterChef Australia All-Stars
''MasterChef Australia All-Stars'' is an Australian cooking reality show which screened on Network Ten from 26 July 2012. It featured a number of returning contestants from the first three seasons of ''MasterChef Australia'' (including season 1 a ...
'' in August 2012.
He returned in the
eleventh season as a professional Secret Chef, and lost to Sandeep Pandit by a perfect score, 30, in an Immunity Pin Challenge. His score was kept secret, but was revealed on Facebook to be 24.
In October 2019, he was announced as one of three of the new ''
MasterChef
''MasterChef'' is a competitive cooking show television format created by Franc Roddam, which originated with the UK version in July 1990. The format was revived and updated for the BBC in February 2005 by executive producers Roddam and J ...
'' judges who will replace
George Calombaris
George Dimitrios Calombaris (born 4 October 1978) is an Australian chef and restaurateur. Calombaris was one of the judges of the Network 10 series ''MasterChef Australia'' from 2009 to 2019. Prior to his role on ''MasterChef Australia'', Calom ...
,
Gary Mehigan
Gary Mehigan (born 12 February 1967) is an English-Australian chef and restaurateur. Mehigan was one of the original judges of the Network 10 series ''MasterChef Australia''.
Career Chef
Mehigan trained at The Connaught and Le Souffle in ...
and
Matt Preston
Matt Preston (born 21 July 1961) is an English-Australian food critic, writer and television presenter. He is best known for his role as a judge on Network Ten's ''MasterChef Australia'' between 2009 and 2019, and for his weekly national food ...
.
Personal life
Allen was originally an electrician by occupation. He is also a basketball player with the Maitland Mustangs. He also volunteered to work on extensions to his local basketball stadium.
Allen's father Peter is a teacher at Bolwarra Public School, and was also the primary cricket convenor for the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association.
Career
Allen has pursued a career in the Hospitality industry and now co-owns a restaurant, Three Blue Ducks, that has five locations around Australia, in Bronte, Rosebery and Byron Bay in NSW, as well as Brisbane and Melbourne. In 2018 his restaurant was awarded a Chefs Hat, making Allen the first ''MasterChef Australia'' contestant to be awarded the highly sought-after honour.
In 2021, he appeared as a co-host in ''
Three Blue Ducks,'' a cooking show based on travelling throughout Australia to find inspiration for new dishes that will appear on the permanent restaurant menu.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Andy
Participants in Australian reality television series
Reality cooking competition winners
Living people
Australian television chefs
MasterChef Australia
1988 births
People from Maitland, New South Wales