MasterChef Australia 2023’s Rhiannon Anderson may have placed second during the Grand Finale on Sunday, July 16; however, don’t you worry, she’s still “stoked”!
Given the final episode was filmed with two alternate endings, the mother-of-five celebrated the final episode surrounded by her loved ones — and of course, a few glasses of champagne to celebrate. But it was one moment on-screen that fans resonated with, an impassioned speech about “chasing your dreams” no matter your age.
“I’ve raised five kids,” she said. “I looked after my mum while she was sick and I work in our transport business,” she told Mediaweek during an interview after the finale.
“But that’s not what I love. That’s what my husband loves. “I have loved food my whole life and cooking and I’ve always wanted to go MasterChef, it had just never been the right time. I just went, ‘I’m gonna go for it’. I’m not going to just sit here and go, ‘You know what all the kids have left home, so I’m just gonna coast along, I’m gonna go and chase my dreams.”
Rhiannon Anderson and her family. Ten
Anderson’s mum Sue was a huge influence in her life, having been a pub and bistro chef. In fact, her final cook — the Secret Challenge — was dedicated to her late mum who passed away of cancer in the last few years. “Before she passed away, she said, ‘Go and chase your dreams’. So I did and here I am!”
Rhiannon Anderson shares her MasterChef highlight
One of Anderson’s most memorable moments was meeting Maggie Beer who was coincidentally her mum’s — and several of her aunties, who had also passed away from cancer — favourite TV chef. “I felt like I had my mum and my aunties standing in front of me,” she said. “We have all loved Maggie our whole life. So, it was really special…I was getting messages from my cousins saying, ‘You’re bringing all our mums into the kitchen and their light is shining through’.”
Even though she placed second, Anderson still walked away with $40k, something that she will put towards a cookbook to honour her mother and her love of food.
“I loved cooking different cuisines for my kids,” she said. Like I’d say, ‘Tonight, we’re going to Mexico’. I’d love to do a cookbook with all different cuisines in it, not just one, just to show that’s who I am. And my mum, her first job was in a curry house, so I would definitely put some of her recipes in there.”
After her mum died, Rhiannon found a book that belonged to her, with an inscription from her mum’s sister.
“My aunty had written a note in it. It was from when mum was 19 years old, and it said, ‘I expect to see your name in print’. I was like, ‘Oh my god’. So, my mum actually always wanted to do a cookbook and I didn’t even know that. I would love to do a cookbook and dedicate it to her.”
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Rhiannon Anderson reflects on her relationship with Jock Zonfrillo
Like Draper, Declan Cleary and Theo Loizou, Anderson had a special relationship with the late Jock Zonfrillo.
“When I say this, I really mean it,” she said. “I loved him from the second I met him. He was so kind to me, he gave so much of himself to all of us and I really felt like the reason I got so far was a lot to do with Jock because he really made sure he put the time in to help you grow.
“So, when he passed away, I was like, I don’t even know if I could watch the season. But then when I started watching it, it was really comforting.”
Rhiannon with Jock Zonfrillo and Emilia Clarke. Ten
However, it was during her viewing party, that Anderson said she became very emotional.
“It all became very final,” she admitted. “All I could think about was how lucky I was. I feel so blessed to have got to do his last season with him and he’s truly one of the greats. I am forever grateful to have ever even crossed his path.”
Stream MasterChef Australia 2023 on 10Play.