Eleven of the MasterChef Season 13 contestants, including top 5 finalists Kishwar Chowdhury and Elise Pulbrook are getting the gang back together to form a superteam to move for meals in the FareShare FootSteps Challenge.
Joining Kishwar and Elise, are Katrina Dunnett, Tom Levick, Scott Bagnell, Trent Vu, Aaron Sanders, Yoyo Yang, Minoli De Silva, Sabina Newton, and Wynona Davies.
One week out from the Challenge, we spoke to some of the contestants to see why they’re taking on the Challenge and what they’re up to.
Kishwar Chowdhury
Why are you doing the FareShare FootSteps Challenge? I’m doing the challenge to bring attention to the importance of access to nutritional meals but also the need for movement and exercise.
What’s your message to people who may consider sponsoring you? I’m not a pro athlete, but I’m setting myself this challenge to bring attention to the importance of movement and nutritious meals for young families.
What’s life look like for you post MasterChef? Busy! I’m surrounded by good food, good people, and working every day to share my food with the world.
Tom Levick
Why are you doing the FareShare FootSteps Challenge? FareShare is an incredible organisation with an amazing purpose and fantastic volunteers. The FootSteps Challenge is a great initiative and I hope that by joining in I can help do some good.
What would you say to anyone else who needs some inspiration to get involved? Make the decision and do it! The first step is the hardest one and you’ll feel great after getting into the routine of moving.
What’s life look like for you post MasterChef? Life is great! I’ve moved to Melbourne from Newcastle, and I landed my dream job working as a pastry chef at Martin Benn’s new restaurant, Society.
Elise Pulbrook
Why are you doing the FareShare FootSteps Challenge? FareShare is an impressive organisation with values that align with my own. Access to food is highly, and unacceptably, uneven. Millions experience scarcity and hunger. Concurrently, there is over-production, over-consumption and excessive waste. Food matters. Yet it is an area where globally we are failing to meet humanity’s current needs.
What’s your message to people who may consider sponsoring you? Every person who sponsors me is voting with their hip pocket for a world where food waste is repurposed in meaningful ways. FareShare is correcting a serious flaw in our food system.
What’s life look like for you post MasterChef? Since MasterChef, I have been reconnecting with what I love most about food. Cooking honestly, simply and for pleasure rather than for competition has been incredibly healing after a very intense six months.
Sabina Newton
Why are you doing the FareShare FootSteps Challenge? I’ve just finished footy for the year so looking for a way to get involved with the community and get back into touch with MasterChef contestants.
What’s your message to people who may consider sponsoring you? This is a cause that means a lot to me and often we take good food for granted. I personally can’t imagine my life without cooking and food and it’s our responsibility to look after those that are vulnerable in the community.
What’s life look like for you post MasterChef? Currently, I’ve an advisory job and have been doing catering on weekends. Still loving cooking.
Trent Vu
Why are you doing the FareShare FootSteps Challenge? Supporting FareShare’s mission to get meals out there to those who need them is such an awesome way to give back to the community.
Why do you think it’s important for everyone to have access to nutritious food? Costs and lack of financial privilege shouldn’t be a barrier for people to be able to eat well, because it’s so important for everyone’s health and wellbeing!
What’s life look like for you post MasterChef? Not too shabby! I’ve moved house, recently started a new marketing role with a restaurant group and have been playing around with desserts whenever I have a spare moment.
Scott Bagnell
Why are you doing the FareShare FootSteps Challenge? I am pretty unmotivated when it comes to exercise – so I love a challenge that scares me into being accountable for achieving an unrealistic goal!
Why do you think it’s important for everyone to have access to nutritious food? Healthy eating is so important for our physical and mental wellbeing. Nutritious food gives you energy and helps you enjoy life to the full.
What’s life look like for you post MasterChef? Things have been incredibly busy. Elise, Sabina, and I have embarked on an epic adventure! We are making 100 cakes in 100 days! I am also continuing to follow my passion for food and combine my current design career, love of teaching, and cooking into a new and exciting career path. I am looking to specialize in restaurant design where I can utilize both my passions of design and cooking. I have also recently launched a new business Growkery.
Wynona Davies
Why are you doing the FareShare FootSteps Challenge? I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work a shift in the FareShare kitchen and see firsthand the amount of work that goes into the daily running of it. I am passionate about the cause and the incredible work FareShare do so immediately put my hand up for the challenge.
What would you say to anyone else who needs some inspiration to get involved? Do it for a great cause, it will make you feel good physically and you can really have a positive effect on others’ lives by getting involved.
What’s life look like for you post MasterChef? Life is good, I’m still doing what I love. Lots of cooking for the family, zoom cooking classes and enjoying lots of family time in lockdown.
Keen to join the MasterChef team and take part in the FareShare FootSteps Challenge? Sign up here and join the ‘MasterChef Season 13 Contestants & Friends’ team or make a donation. All funds raised will go toward cooking more free, nutritious meals for people in need.
