State: WA

Age: 29

Occupation: Brewery Sales Manager

Brewery sales manager Kyle knows nothing goes with a good beer like a good meal, and he’s confident if he plates to his strengths he has what it takes to hold high the coveted trophy at the MasterChef grand finale.

The middle of three boys, Kyle was born and raised in Perth, graduating high school in 2006. He went on to study Environmental Biology and Conservation Wildlife at TAFE before tackling Environmental Science and Psychology at Murdoch University.

In 2015 he moved to Melbourne to work on the ski fields of Mount Buller, working as a venue manager for a small restaurant during winter and running a coffee business with a friend in the city in summer.

He returned to Perth the following year where he met his now wife Helen and after three months the pair decided to move to Canada. They returned in 2017 and welcomed son Leo soon after.

A drummer in a band in his spare time, Kyle credits his mum with showing him the basics of cooking, but says he learnt a lot from cooking shows and online, practicing what he saw on early seasons of MasterChef.

Strong with balancing flavours and celebrating vegetables, it’s little wonder he cites the master of Middle Eastern cuisine Yotam Ottolenghi as his food hero, alongside Rene Redzepi and David Chang.

Describing his own food style as Asian inspired, Kyle says the Thai and Indonesian influences in Perth have shaped his cooking, admitting he’s not confident with technical deserts and baking.

When his MasterChef journey comes to an end, Kyle hopes to gain experience in commercial kitchens before owning his own microbrewery where diners can enjoy sustainable meals alongside a cold beer.