35, Optometrist, VIC

To Jessica Perri, food is many things. Not simply nourishment, but love, passion, comfort, tradition, education and much, much, more.

Jessica is most inspired in the kitchen by her two Nonnas who taught her to cook from the age of three. The method wasn’t to follow recipes, but to cook “alla buona”, or “effortlessly, with minimal fuss”. Only after her Nonna passed away did Jessica realise the gift and responsibility she had been given to continue the family legacy through food. It’s a task she doesn’t take lightly.

Her family moved to a 30-acre property when she was in high school, and Jessica learnt a great deal about produce as her dad cultivated a thriving vegetable garden. With a library of cookbooks at home that she consults regularly, Jessica loves cooking all types of pasta, and would love to make a living from the ‘pretty pasta’ she enjoys making.

Jessica moved to New York City in 2015 on a whim (and a Green Card), with her husband and the pair stayed four years. They returned to Australia after their first child was born, and now they have a family of four. A huge part of Jessica’s motivation for taking on the MasterChef competition is to show her two children that you can take risks, be brave and pursue your passions. Jessica will draw on her tenacity and determination during the competition and will tap into the food skills she’s learnt from her Jewish husband’s family.

An optometrist by trade, Jessica has been in practice for 13 years. Working in a scientific field and juggling the demands of motherhood, Jessica often craves a creative outlet and she finds it in the kitchen.

Backing herself to fare well under the pressure of the MasterChef kitchen, Jessica is here to see whether she has what it takes to change her path in life towards food.