Brent Draper is a contestant on MasterChef Australia Season 13 & winner of Season 15. He is placed 13th on Season 13.
Biography[]
Retrieved from 10play.com.au
Season 13[]
A hardworking Aussie tradie by day, Brent Draper knows this opportunity in the MasterChef kitchen is a big one. Keen to explore life away from the tools, he’s ready to step into the kitchen and explore his passion: working with culinary delights.
Born in the rural Queensland town of Beaudesert, Brent is the oldest of four children and spent several years in the Northern Territory before stints in Brisbane, Perth and Palm Beach.
He admits his path to MasterChef Australia started on shaky ground, cooking out of necessity when he lived in a share house at the age of 18 with roomates who couldn’t turn on a stove. Dinner duties fell to Brent and he soon found time to master more than the basics, turning the necessity into a passion.
A master of remaining calm under pressure, Brent hopes his strengths in the kitchen will be working with proteins including fish and lamb and says his favourite vegetable to cook with is eggplant, citing the versatility of the humble ingredient. Brent’s Middle Eastern lamb with roasted eggplant and flatbread wowed the judges at auditions, securing him his coveted apron.
When he’s not cooking up a storm, Brent enjoys surfing and fishing, and says his greatest ambition is to give his adored two-year-old son, Alfie, a lifetime of adventure. He admits his weakness is working with sweet treats and his fondest food memory is a night out with his wife and newborn son at Chin Chin in Melbourne’s iconic Flinders Lane.
With a dream to one day travel Australia in a campervan, cooking and teaching others how to prepare quick and easy meals, Brent takes comfort in the support of his amazing wife Shonleigh back home.[1]
Season 15[]
A familiar face returns to the MasterChef kitchen to add to the surprises in 2023, with former boilermaker Brent Draper back for a second tilt at the title. Having stepped away from the competition in Season 13 (2021) to prioritise his mental health, Brent has since worked hard to change both his and his family’s lives, for the better.
Following his dream, Brent purchased and renovated a bus to hit the road with wife and their young son for the adventure of a lifetime travelling around Australia. For the best part of a year, the Drapers led a simple yet rich life, meeting people, cooking and sharing good tucker and good times.
Now working as a digital content creator for brands, Brent has worked as a National Coles Ambassador for the past two years, developing recipes and content for the retailer.
Brent remains passionate and committed to sharing his mental health journey with the hopes to inspire others to also tackle their problems head-on. He wants to show people, and men in particular, that you can endure hard times and come out stronger on the other side.
Brent returns to the competition equipped with a toolkit ready to help him navigate the challenges ahead, with exercise, meditation and mantras key. While the aim is most definitely to take home the trophy, for Brent, his driving motivation is to make his wife and son proud.
Back in the MasterChef kitchen, Brent plans to bring the big flavours he’s known for. We can expect seafood and meat over coals, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern flavours, and always as much umami as possible.
With a revitalised outlook, Brent hopes that his inside knowledge of the MasterChef kitchen will make it easier to handle the secrets and surprises that the judges have in store.
Inspired by his 2022 travels, next on Brent’s agenda is to buy a farm in South Australia, with a small campground where he would welcome and cook for travellers.[2]
Trivia[]
- He is the first contestant in MasterChef History to be tested positive for COVID on 2 seasons.
Season 13[]
- On Week 3, Brent had to be quarantined because he was tested positive for COVID. He is still in the competition but have to compete in next week's Pressure Test.
- He left due to physical and mental health issues.
Season 15[]
- He is the only returnee of the season.
- On Week 2, he & Rue had to be quarantined because they tested positive for COVID. Because of this, they have to compete in the next Pressure Test.
References[]
External links[]
Brent Draper on Instagram