29, Oral Health Therapist, WA

For Rue Mupedzi, it was her first fine-dining experience in Sydney in 2014 that set her on the path towards the MasterChef kitchen.

It opened her eyes to a whole new world and Rue began to cook more at home, inspired by eating at restaurants and coming home to recreate dishes. In 2021, Rue took a break from her role as an Oral Health Therapist to pursue her passion for the kitchen, launching a macaroon business. A model of persistence, it took her 10 months of trial and error to perfect her recipe.

Perseverance is a trait she brings to the MasterChef kitchen, having failed at various attempts to complete her university degree before the satisfaction of graduating.

Moving to Australia from Zimbabwe aged 15 with her parents, older sister and younger brother, Rue loves food because in her culture, it brings people together and she knows just what joy it can bring.

A fan of cooks such as Kirsten Tibballs, Yotam Ottolenghi, Shannon Bennett as well as Reynold Poernomo and judge Jock Zonfrillo, Rue is also inspired by the grit her parents showed by moving their whole lives for the sake of their kids.

Her mum taught her the basics of cooking, and she has layered this learning with her library of cookbooks, YouTube videos and social media content.

A calm presence in the kitchen, Rue anticipates working well under pressure in the MasterChef kitchen and is ready to learn all she can from the judges and guest chefs, and to push herself outside her comfort zone.

Though a comfortable savoury cook, desserts are her forté and she is intent on further refining her skills. She is also conscious that sometimes, paring things back may just be the secret ingredient.

With her mega-watt smile lighting up the room, Rue is ready to bring her unique brand of joy to the MasterChef kitchen as she works towards her dream of opening her own dessert bar.