Ben Macdonald is a contestant on MasterChef Australia Season 6 & 17. He is placed 6th on Season 6.
Biography[]
Retrieved from 10play.com.au
Season 6[]
IT consultant Ben Macdonald’s love of food and a penchant for globetrotting have delivered him to the MasterChef Australia kitchen.
Ben grew up two hours north of Auckland in Whangarei, New Zealand. It was a childhood filled with vivid memories of his grandparents’ 10-acre block. A hands-on helper on the farm, when he wasn't mucking in to pick plums and shear sheep with his granddad, he was cooking with his grandmother.
Having lost his Dad in 2009 to a sudden heart attack, Ben says it is his Dad who inspires him in the kitchen.
“One of the reasons I love to cook so much is it makes me think about good times with Dad – my passion for food is one that he instilled in me.”
After gaining an Honours degree in Manufacturing and Industrial Technology, Ben travelled overseas. He has since worked in the US, France, Denmark, Spain, New Zealand and Australia and been based in the UK for the majority of his career.
It was while living in Newcastle Upon Tyne in 2002 that Ben confronted one of the biggest challenges of his life.
Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Ben spent six months in and out of hospital, followed by a further three years of treatment. Now in remission for more than 10 years, the illness was a turning point in his life, proving his resilience and tenacity.
Ben’s love of food intensified as he indulged his love of travel from his UK base. He clocked up visits to almost 100 countries, including India, Thailand, Morocco, Egypt, Mexico, Cuba, Argentina, Japan, Costa Rica and more. Along the way he enjoyed street food, fine dining and everything between.
Two highlights in particular were life changing.
“Eating at Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck changed the way I thought about food forever,” says Ben.
Now back at home in the Brisbane suburb of New Farm, Ben enjoys cooking for his girlfriend of six years, Robyn.
Robyn was a vegetarian when they met, but after trying Ben’s lamb tagine on their first date she was a convert.
Ben's ambition is to run a restaurant by the sea, combining modern European cuisine with the finest Australian produce. He dreams of inviting chefs from around the world to visit and cook with him.[1]
Season 17[]
It might be 11 years since Ben Macdonald set foot in the MasterChef Australia kitchen, but he returns with the same dry sense of humour and steely determination that he is remembered for.
Ben has been busy in the years in between, returning to his New Zealand homeland and becoming dad to two daughters, now aged 9 and 7. Ben’s girls are a big part of him jumping back into the frying pan. As food lovers and big MasterChef Australia fans, they can’t wait to see what Dad has in store for Back To Win.
Following season six, Ben worked in Brisbane restaurants before returning to New Zealand in 2017 to manage kitchens. He ran the kitchen at top Auckland café Buoy for two years, before setting up Ben’s Kitchen, offering bistro style food and catering which he ran for five years.
A Covid-era pivot also saw Ben launch a fresh pasta home delivery service which became another success story. Leveraging his IT background and skillset, in recent years Ben also launched a successful payroll software start-up.
Laid-back Ben brings a quiet confidence to the competition in 2025, focussed on taking care of unfinished business. Last time the learning curve was exponential, so he is strapped in for a wild ride. After a break from cooking professionally, Ben admits to craving the passion and adrenaline of a fast-paced kitchen again, and there is no better place for it than the MasterChef Australia kitchen.
Where last time he was technique-driven, this time Ben’s MO will simply be to create delicious food. Continuing to draw inspiration in the kitchen from his late Dad, Ben plans to showcase his expanded experience into more creative dishes as he eyes the top prize.[2]
Trivia[]
Season 17[]
- He won the first and only Immunity Pin of the season.
References[]
External links[]
Ben Macdonald on Instagram