Age: 25

Occupaion: Stokman

A top end stockman, Lynton grew up on a remote cattle station, 230km from the nearest town.

"My father would fly a helicopter and my mum, my sisters and I along with the jackeroos would be riding horses. We would have a cook for the season and I was always impressed by the skill in which they were able to whip up meals on an open fire. My favorite memory would be fresh damper and golden syrup."

Lynton's mum has heavily influenced his love of cooking, whether it was cooking for the whole station of up to 27 people or a big beautiful feast at Christmas for the family. Once a year they would travel to Darwin and it was here that Lynton was exposed to the flavours of Asian food.

"I grew up loving the freshness of the Asian food as a counterbalance to the meat and three veg back on the property. My mum had a pantry and growing up I was fascinated by all the mysterious items she would put up on the high shelves after her trip to Darwin? star anise, juniper berries, assorted dried fruits."

The past two years have been tumultuous for Lynton and his family. His younger sister Emily was seriously hurt in a horse riding accident and his parents have recently lost their farm. Lynton has spent 12 months in America with Emily, cooking for her to ensure she received the best nutrition possible to complement her rehabilitation program to learn to walk again.

Lynton hopes MasterChef Australia will give him the skills and exposure to techniques that will take his food dream to the next level. He dreams of opening the first hatted restaurant in the Northern Territory.