Age: 56

State: Victoria 

Instagram handle: @cathskitchen_au

Previous season & place: Season 15, 5th place 

Having brought the wow-factor to Season 15, Cath Collins now brings her bright, infectious positivity Back To Win.

After claiming fifth place in 2023, Cath returns to the competition a wiser, calmer cook, and says she is ready to have more fun this time around, and feel less pressure.

Cath embraced change in a big way since her last appearance in the MasterChef Australia kitchen, moving away from the family construction business to follow her dreams and launch her own food business, Cath’s Kitchen. The self-taught cook now runs cooking classes and small group catering from her Melbourne home’s beautiful kitchen, and also loves the time she gets to spend running all-abilities cooking classes for the disability sector. In addition, Cath’s business has consulted to the corporate world, incorporating food into executive leadership programs.

After bravely diving headfirst into her mid-life career change and now reaping the rewards, Cath hopes that her Back To Win appearance will inspire others to believe in themselves in pursuit of a goal.

Inspired by recent travels to Europe and Singapore as well as eating out, Cath is always developing recipes and has begun work on another dream project, writing her own cookbook.

Supported by husband Brad and adult daughters Alexandra and Abby, Cath looks forward to rubbing shoulders with MasterChef Australia royalty as she gets back into the kitchen, ready to push herself and make the most of this unique opportunity.

Fuelled by nostalgic memories of growing up in a big family with bustling mealtimes spent gathered around the table, this warmth translates directly into Cath’s cooking style.

But while she loves to pay homage to time-honoured family favourites, or ‘cuddle recipes’ as she calls them, Cath is also intent on showcasing how her skill and repertoire has evolved, with dishes set to be more varied and adventurous.