Ashley McConnell is a contestant on MasterChef Australia Season 8. He is placed 24th.
Biography[]
Retrieved from 10play.com.au
Growing up in Rockingham, Western Australia, as the middle of three boys, Ashley recalls spending quality time in the kitchen cooking with his mum, around age five, baking cakes and making a mess in the kitchen. Ashley loved to cook and his mum bought him cookbooks over the years, encouraging his interest further.
After high school, Ashley studied computer programming at TAFE before heading to business college to pursue further study in IT in order to study network engineering.
After working in hospitality alongside his studies, Ashley held a procurement role for several years in the industrial plastics industry. He now works in sales for Agworld, a farm management company which designs mobile apps and cloud-based software to aid farmers and agronomists in managing their agribusiness.
Ashley has kept up his cooking practice over the years, enjoying indulging his kitchen hobby almost every day. He tried his luck in last year’s competition after friends encouraged him to apply, but it was not to be. This year proved a different story as Ashley has nabbed a coveted Top 24 apron.
Along with his family, Ashley is supported in the competition by his girlfriend, who is a psychologist for children with autism.
Ashley is inspired in the kitchen by the likes of Thomas Keller, whose cookbook French Laundry he has been working his way through. His other kitchen idols including Yotam Ottolenghi, Paul Bertolli, Grant Achatz and Daniel Boulud.
Ashley would love to start running a local market stall before one day owning and running a small café in a heritage building, with a relaxed day time vibe and then dinner by candlelight in the evenings.[1]
Competition History[]
| Week 1 | Eliminated |
|---|
References[]
External links[]
Ashley McConnell on Instagram