Adam Q&A
Fast facts:
1. Favourite chef: Morimoto.
2. Favourite restaurant: Mutsukari, Ginza,
Tokyo.
3. Favourite cuisine: Okinawan. The islands
of Japan have an amazing and unique cuisine that blends Japanese
and Chinese flavours.
4. Favourite place to travel: Italy - there
isn't a single place in that country that isn't beautiful.
5. Favourite dish to cook: Siew Yuk (roasted
pork belly).
6. Favourite vegetable: Chinese
cabbage.
7. Sweet or savoury: Savoury.
8. How do you like your eggs: Slow cooked at
65 degrees C.
Q&A
Favourite ingredient and why?
Yuzu. It's a Japanese citrus that has a really unique flavour that
is fresh but deep. It works really well with winter dishes.
What's your favourite meal of the day - breakfast, lunch or
dinner?
Dinner. I love sitting down with my family and friends at the end
of the day and relaxing over a meal.
What dish would be the way to your heart?
Anything made by my grandma.
What are your favourite tunes to cook to?
It all depends on the dish and the meal. I always try to match the
music in my kitchen to what I'm cooking. Maybe Jack Johnson when
I'm making a casual Sunday lunch, or Tony Bennett for a weeknight
pasta dinner.
What do you think you'll learn from being on
MasterChef?
I will learn a lot about the kind of person I am and whether the
food industry is the right place for me. Of course, on top of that,
the wisdom we receive from the judges and visiting chefs is
priceless.
Which judge makes you the most nervous?
Matt Preston. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of food and an
extremely discerning palate. If we make some mistakes in our
cooking or presentation, he is right on to them.
Tell us about how you got into cooking and how old were
you?
When I was 14 I moved out of home with my brother and my
grandmother would always show us how to cook for ourselves. She is
my cooking inspiration.
What's the first meal you remember cooking and was it a
success or a disaster?
The first full meal I cooked for my family was orange glazed baked
chicken. I was living with my mum and stepdad and our family of
eight kids when I was around 13, and each of the kids had to cook
the family meal once a month. Everyone loved it and it was a great
feeling!
What three ingredients would you take with you to a
desert island and what would you cook with them?
I would take coriander, onion and chilli. Then I could pick
coconuts, catch fish and make fish curries every day.
If you were having any three people, alive or dead, over
for dinner, who would they be and what would you cook for
them?
My grandma, Miyamoto Musashi and Ghandi. I'd make them an Okinawan
banquet, with some vegetarian options for Ghandi.
What inspired you to go on MasterChef?
I was living in Japan throughout the first season so I never
actually saw the show. My friends and family all called and emailed
me to encourage me to apply.
