Laura Sharrad (né Cassai) is the Runner-Up of MasterChef Australia Season 6 & 12 & a contestant on Season 17.
Biography[]
Retrieved from 10play.com.au
Season 6[]
Seldom without a smile, Laura Cassai lives, breathes and dreams food.
Growing up in Templestowe, Victoria, Laura now lives on a vineyard in McLaren Vale, South Australia, overlooking the Gulf of St Vincent after moving there in 2013.
Laura is close to her family, including stay at home mum Anita and dad Sandro, a carpenter and builder. Sister Natalie, 21, is studying to be an Italian and psychology teacher, while brother Aidan, 17, is at secondary school.
With a rich Italian heritage, Laura grew up under the watchful eyes of her nonna Maria and nonna Rosa.
Laura’s connection to her Italian roots strengthened as a child when the family lived in Tuscany for two years, when she was aged six to eight.
Laura says cooking is in her blood. Her early memories include sliding a chair up to the bench and standing on it to help mix the pasta dough with her mum and nonna.
Laura names mum Anita as her number one mentor.
“She has taught me everything I know, she has supported me in everything I have done and has shared a lifetime of knowledge.”
Deferring a Bachelor of Health Science degree at Flinders University, Laura had planned on adding a further teaching degree to spread health and food messages in schools.
Laura tragically lost her cousin David to an alleged one punch attack in Rye on New Year’s Eve 2012. His loss was incredibly tough for the whole family, but Laura says that his untimely death has encouraged her to follow her passion.
“I have used his positivity to continue through life and appreciate everything around me. It was his strength and the fact that he would have been so supportive of me that I decided to apply for MasterChef Australia.”
Laura’s food heroes include Jamie Oliver, Donna Hay and Antonio Carluccio. A massive fan of Stephanie’s Kitchen Garden Program, Laura hopes to become an ambassador.
Success would be to open an Italian style café or dessert bar near the beach in McLaren Vale. She would use only the best local produce to create dishes inspired by her Italian roots.[1]
Season 12[]
After coming in runner-up in season six, Adelaide chef Laura Sharrad knows she only needs to break down one more wall to claim the coveted trophy which eluded her so many years ago.
Far from the fresh-faced teenager who battled it out against eventual winner Brent Owens, Laura (known then as Laura Cassai) took the skills and opportunity from the MasterChef kitchen and parlayed them into an enviable food career. After the show she worked as the pastry chef alongside new judge Jock Zonfrillo at his acclaimed hatted restaurant Orana, before moving onto Andres Cucina for three years. She spent time at the award-winning Hently Farm in the Barossa Valley in 2018, before embarking on her own restaurant, Nido Bar and Pasta which she opened last year. The venture was a special one for the now 24-year-old, opening the space alongside her new husband and fellow chef Max Sharrad.[2]
Season 17[]
Adelaide chef Laura Sharrad hopes that third time will be the charm as she returns to her old stomping ground of the MasterChef Australia kitchen to get the job done. Coming tantalisingly close both in seasons 6 and 12, Laura knows what it takes to get all the way to finale, she simply needs to take the final step.
But this time things are different. This time, Laura has a whole new motivating force driving her: daughter Florence. Since becoming a mum in 2024, Laura’s decision to re-enter the kitchen is not one she has taken lightly, knowing the sacrifices she would need to make, and small moments missed. But with the support of husband and fellow chef Max Sharrad, Laura is energised by the prospect to make her family proud and inspired not to waste a single moment; to be an example for her daughter of chasing your dreams.
Stronger, wiser and more determined than ever, Laura has parlayed her skill and hard work over the years into an enviable food career. After season 6, Laura worked as a pastry chef alongside the late Jock Zonfrillo at his acclaimed three hatted restaurant Orana for two years, before moving to Andre’s Cucina & Polenta Bar, headed of course by Back To Win colleague, Andre Ursini, before she spent time at Hentley Farm in the Barossa Valley.
In 2019 Laura became co-owner of Adelaide’s successful pasta bar Nido, and followed it with a second venue in 2021, Fugazzi Bar & Dining, a New York inspired Italo-American Bar & Dining Room in the heart of Adelaide.
While her rich Italian heritage often underpins her dishes in the MasterChef Australia kitchen, pigeonhole Laura at your peril. Comfortable with both sweet and savoury and with a nuanced hand at layering of flavours, Laura is also well-versed in the use of Australian native ingredients.
With her talents spanning all corners of the kitchen, expect Laura Sharrad to bring out the big guns as she aims to take home the title of MasterChef Australia in 2025.[3]
Trivia[]
Season 6[]
- At 18, she & Georgia are the youngest contestants of the season.
Season 12[]
- She only won 1 Team Challenge on this season.
- She is the third returning contestant to finish in the same position twice. First being Bank, second being Quest.
Season 17[]
- At 29, she is the youngest woman of the season.
References[]
External links[]
Laura Sharrad on Instagram- Laura Sharrad on Facebook
