NSW Season 7 @billie_mckay15

Few MasterChef Australia contestants can boast the incredible beauty of Billie McKay’s childhood on a dairy farm in the peaceful, lush surrounds of New South Wales’ mid-north coast. As one of five siblings, Billie often pitched in with family chores, and making dinner was the norm rather than the exception.

Her passion for cooking and experimenting with different flavours and ingredients at home led to a career in the hospitality sector. While working as a restaurant manager, and after a lot of encouragement from her now husband Haydn, Billie sent off an application to appear on Season 7 of MasterChef Australia.

After successfully being crowned the winner and taking home the coveted trophy, Billie moved to London to take up an offer to work in Heston Blumenthal’s famed three-Michelin star restaurant, The Fat Duck.

On returning home she continued to pursue her love of cheesemaking on the family dairy farm alongside her mother Alison. Billie remains passionate about creating soft-style cheeses with raw, unpasteurised milk, something she believes creates unique and exquisite tasting cheese.

Billie’s passion for food and cooking is unmatched, and she remains committed to focusing on food that is real and most importantly makes people feel good. Leaving her cheer squad at home including two-year-old daughter Ada, Billie is back in the MasterChef kitchen with hopes of claiming her second MasterChef Australia trophy.

Following this season, Billie dreams of opening her own café and restaurant with a farm shop for those passing by.