(Photography: Network 10)
Callum Hann came back to win in season 17 of MasterChef Australia, and now, after three incredible seasons, he’s a two-time runner-up.
Having opened up his own restaurants in the heart of Adelaide, Olive and Roma, he’s an accomplished chef with a strong passion for food education and sustainability. Callum has since opened a cooking school, Sprout and he’s published 3 cookbooks. He’s a force to be reckoned with, but he didn’t simply come back to win.
“It’s been such a formative part of my life since I was young, so it feels like more than a cooking competition. Yes, I’ve always wanted to win, but it’s shaped my life in such a wonderful way that I want to give back, whether that’s saying yes to a third chance or trying to raise the bar of the competition,” he told us in an interview.
“The first time I went on MasterChef [in Season 2], I wanted to see if I wanted to cook for a living, and I achieved that. Most people go on MasterChef to chase their dreams, and I’m living my dreams right now, so I didn’t need to go back for that reason. I felt like I owed it to the competition that’s given me so much.”
While Laura may have earned the crown of winner for season 17, Callum said he still feels like a winner.
“Poh Ling Yeow once told me, ‘You don’t have to win to win’. She is an amazing example of this with the incredible food and media career that she’s built despite not winning the competition. If you have the right attitude, an open mind, and an idea of what you want to do after the competition, all 24 contestants can be winners in their own right.”
While spending time in the kitchen, on MasterChef and at home, Callum revealed four cooking tips that he believes would benefit everyone.
4 of Callum Hann’s top cooking tips
1. Temperature is key for cooking protein
When cooking protein, take it out of the fridge 30 mins before you want to cook it and rest it after. Many home cooks don’t, and it makes such a tangible difference to the end product. When you cook something from room temperature, it cooks quicker and more evenly, so the result is a lot better. You don’t have to buy the most expensive piece of protein, just cook it with care.
2. Taste as you go
Taste your food! It’s amazing to me how many people follow a recipe and the first time they taste it is when they put it on the table. A pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon can have such a transformative effect on your dinner.
3. Cook with company
When you can, cook with company. 50 years ago, the heart of the home was the dining table. For me, it’s the kitchen with people gathered around chatting about their day, someone is cutting the onions, and another is stirring the pot. When cooking doesn’t feel like a chore, you’re more likely to do it. There are so many other ways to eat nowadays with takeaway and the like (which isn’t a bad thing by any means!), but I find there is something heartwarming and fun about jumping into the kitchen and cooking with someone. Every time I’m at home with my wife, we’re cooking. It’s our way of checking in with one another (usually with a glass of wine in hand!)
4. Simple trick to crispy skin
When you buy protein, take it out of any packaging and put it on a plate or a cake rack. It won’t make your fridge smell, it slightly dry ages it, so when you go to cook it, you get a crispier skin.
