Reynold Poernomo is a contestant on MasterChef Australia Season 7, 12, & Dessert Masters Australia Season 1. He is placed 4th on Season 7, 3rd on Season 12, & is the Runner-Up of Dessert Masters Australia Season 1.
Biography[]
Retrieved from 10play.com.au
Season 7[]
Born in Surabaya, Indonesia, to restaurateur parents, Reynold Poernomo grew up in a world surrounded by passionate and talented cooks.
Moving to Australia at age four, Reynold watched on as his parents worked in hospitality and his two elder brothers entered the industry. His family were firm that they didn’t want their youngest son to pursue a career in the industry, knowing it can be tough.
But Reynold had a passion for food and worked on his skills, cooking after school and picking up tips from his mum, from cookbooks and online. He also cooked for girlfriend Sarah, trying to impress her with his creativity.
Reynold continued to pester both his mum and eldest brother Ronald to be allowed to help in the family business, Sydney patisserie Artplate. Eventually they relented and he juggled a casual role as a delivery driver and kitchen hand with his full-time studies.[1]
Season 12[]
Since bowing out of the seventh season of MasterChef Australia in fourth place, Sydney’s Reynold Poernomo has gone onto become one of the most successful alumni of the highly competitive show.
Shortly after he finished, he joined forces with his brothers to launch KOI Dessert Bar in 2016. The successful venture featured innovative and creative desserts, and the family has now expanded with KOI Dessert Kitchen, Monkey’s Corner and TiNi Artisan Bakehouse.
Alongside his burgeoning businesses, Reynold was also named a finalist in the Gault & Millau Pastry Chef of the Year awards in 2017, was listed in Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30 the same year, appeared on the fifth season of MasterChef Indonesia as a guest judge, and hosted a TEDx talk.[2]
Dessert Masters Season 1[]
His name is synonymous with some of the most spectacular desserts ever created in the MasterChef Australia kitchen. Think the iconic ‘Golden Snitch’ and ‘Down the Rabbit Hole’. For Reynold Poernomo, walking through those kitchen doors is like having permission to fly.
With a style described as a mix of avant-garde and contemporary, Reynold credits his time spent in this kitchen amongst his most creative, and he is thrilled to return to his culinary playground.
Dubbed the ‘Dessert King’ of MasterChef Australia seasons 7 and 12 (finishing in 4th and 3rd places respectively), Reynold has since gained huge recognition – and a huge social media following to match – for his creative concepts and mind-blowing desserts.
Moving to Australia from Indonesia aged four, Reynold grew up in a hospitality-focussed household and in 2016, teamed up with mother, Ike, and elder brothers Ronald and Arnold to open Sydney’s Koi Dessert Bar.
Koi now operates across two Sydney locations with cakes, classes and experiential dining on offer. Small Japanese-influenced eatery Monkey’s Corner joined the fold in 2017, boasting a full menu and cocktails, with Reynold serving as Creative Director.
Named a 2017 finalist in the Gault & Millau Pastry Chef of the Year awards, in the same year Reynold was also listed in Forbes Asia’s ‘30 under 30’. He has appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia and MasterChef Indonesia and in 2021, Reynold released a cookbook, The Dessert Game: Simple tricks, skillbuilders and showstoppers to up your game, to share his incredible inside knowledge with fans.
Having partnered with local and international brands on countless collaborations over the years, looking forward, Reynold has plans to further expand the Koi Dessert Bar footprint, with sights set on a Melbourne opening, as well as exploring opportunities in Singapore.
A chef constantly inspired by his travels, chefs abroad, his multi-cultural childhood and art, Reynold’s conceptual dishes, combined with his relentless pursuit of perfection, never fail to impress with both flavour and form. He stands poised to flex his creative muscles once again during Dessert Masters.[3]
Trivia[]
- He is the brother of MasterChef Indonesia judge, Arnold Poernomo.
- He is the third contestant to improve their previous placement. First being Brendan, second being Reece.
- He is the second contestant to win Immunity twice in a row. First being Reece.
- He is the last man standing in Season 7 & 12.
- He & Jess ranked higher than all former guest judges on MasterChef: Kirsten Tibballs, Andy Bowdy, Anna Polyviou, Kay-Lene Tan and Adrian Zumbo on Dessert Masters. However: Both never won in any of the three seasons.
Season 7[]
- At 21, he is the youngest man of the season.
Dessert Masters Season 1[]
- He won the first and only Immunity Pin of the season.
- On the chocolate challenge, he revealed that he isn't a fan of chocolate except white chocolate (which isn't real chocolate as it isn't made from cocoa beans), and the fact that he conceptualized the dish while he was making the dish.
- His family doesn't really celebrate Christmas.
- He recreated Martin Benn's Autumn Leaves, the same element that got him eliminated on Season 12.
Gallery[]
Season 7[]
References[]
External links[]
Reynold Poernomo on Instagram