46, Administration, QLD

Bringing her sunny presence to the MasterChef kitchen, Rhiannon Anderson is ready for her moment. The mum of five and grandmother from Townsville has always cared for others, but it’s time to put herself first.

Having worked in finance for 18 years – including 11 as a bank branch and lending centre manager – Rhiannon now works alongside husband Dean running the family transport business. Outside work, her love of cooking has been a constant.

With her daughter and stepchildren now grown, Rhiannon has the family’s full support to follow her food dream. She plans to prove to her kids that anything is possible, at any age.

Inspired in the kitchen by Rick Stein, Clare Smyth, Gordon Ramsay, Matt Sinclair and Maggie Beer, Rhiannon also admires Charlie Carrington’s globetrotting menus at Atlas Dining, having prepared dinners for her young kids in this vein years ago, instilling cultural awareness through food.

Without doubt, Rhiannon’s biggest inspiration in life has been her mum, who sadly lost her battle with ovarian cancer in 2021. Her mum became a chef when Rhiannon was 11 and taught Rhiannon all she knows in the kitchen. She told Rhiannon that she must apply for MasterChef, which makes Rhiannon’s spot in the Top 18 all the more special.

For Rhiannon, fresh produce is key and Asian flavours merge with the tropics to deliver bold, punchy flavours. Not daunted by the MasterChef kitchen, Rhiannon backs herself to handle the pressure.

The other ace up her sleeve is her competitive spirit. An accomplished water-skier, Rhiannon holds the title as the 2022 national women’s 45+ champion, achieved at her first ever nationals, no less. Along with water-skiing, Rhiannon keeps fit with bike riding, walking and weights.

Intent on soaking up all the knowledge she can, Rhiannon dreams of opening her own restaurant in Townsville, bringing global cuisine and big flavours to far north Queensland. She would love to pen a cookbook with three-course dinner party menus from cuisines around the globe and would dedicate it to her mum, who always dreamed of having a cookbook too.