Victoria, 19, Student

One of MasterChef Australia’s youngest contestants, Michelle is vying for the title of dessert queen, after wowing the judges at auditions with her golden chocolate ball.

Born in Bandung, Indonesia, Michelle was just 11 when together with her parents and younger sister Maureen, she relocated to Melbourne to be with her great-grandmother. Settling in Box Hill, Michelle excelled in high school, describing herself as a diligent, dedicated and hard-working student.

After graduating, Michelle commenced a Nutrition and Food Technology degree.

Growing up, Michelle loved to watch her grandmother and mother cooking traditional Indonesian food in the kitchen, but her real cooking love has developed as she has uncovered her sweet tooth.

Passionate about health and fitness, Michelle hits the gym most days and does well not to overindulge on her own beautiful desserts and sweets. Her dream is to one day open a dessert bar and café that she hopes to name Mishpattiserie.

Shy at times, this quietly competitive cook is a force in the kitchen. She excels at multi-tasking and technique. Michelle loves to make extravagant layer cakes and work with different types of chocolate to make sweets and desserts for family and friends. Largely self-taught through YouTube videos, Michelle says she is inspired by chocolate queen Kirsten Tibballs. She also admires the work of Adriano Zumbo, and loves watching Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal.

Michelle says one of her greatest food moments to date is creating an eight-tier cake for her cousin’s 21st birthday.

Michelle is very close to her family and loves to eat out at Melbourne’s cafes and restaurants. She also loves to play futsal with friends, head to the gym and compose music on the piano.