Nickname: Flight Attendant 

What is your signature dish?
So far, friends like my beef Wellington, char kway teow, and paella, among other dishes. 

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is…
Chef Damien. He is very knowledgeable and the most experienced, and his style of cuisine is what I grew up with — Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan. He is also well-versed in French cuisine, which I cook frequently at home. 

The toughest judge is…
Chef Damien as well. With his experience, he is the toughest to impress. His remarks will either send us to Cloud 9 or hit you hard in your face. A very straightforward and hard-to-please gentleman!

How did you prepare for the show?  
Cooked nonstop, sent food to and invited friends over for tastings, and read and watched tons of cooking shows, especially MasterChef. 

Favourite part of being on the MasterChef set?
The first moment when Uncle Roger appeared on the TV screen live from UK. (Spoiler alert: The famed online comedy character and champion of fried rice is a surprise guest in Ep 2). 

What else to know?
Mitchelle likes to collect crazy glasses, is armed with a quirky sense of humour, and lives with her British partner. She is a veteran flight attendant who has travelled to exotic corners of the world in search for the greatest eats, before recreating her favourite dishes at home. Her food ambition is to create a first-class cabin menu for Singapore Airlines. 

Nickname: Spice Queen 

What is your signature dish?
Spiced Roast Rack of Lamb with Saffron Sauce.

The toughest judge is…  
Damian de Silva and Bjorn Shen.

How did you prepare for the show? 
In the weeks leading up to the show, I read up on cooking shortcuts and recipes and revised techniques such as filleting fish and deboning a chicken. I also stalked Instagram accounts that showcased beautiful plating so that I could brush up on my plating skills. 

How do you plan to use your MasterChef prize? 
The prize money would go a long way in kickstarting my dream of having a thosai business and hosting a supper club featuring regional Indian food at my home. I'm passionate about cooking and researching about South Indian food. 

What else to know?
This self-proclaimed “Thosai Queen” and food blogger can ‘Indianise’ any dish and is known for being unafraid to speak her mind and her “spicy” comments. Vasun is an English tutor, ex-discipline mistress and schoolteacher.

Nickname: Soul Woman 

What is your signature dish?
It’s a dessert I call 'Shakes-PEAR in Love'. It has balsamic spiced poached pears, hazelnut sponge cake, pumpkin seeds plus hazelnut streusel and an earl grey-infused chocolate ganache. One of my favourite playwrights is William Shakespeare, and [I came up with this as] I enjoy word play and fun puns. 

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is… 
Chef Bjorn, as his food motto, personality and style are similar to mine. And he enjoys music and puns too!

The toughest judge is… 
Chef Damian is the toughest to impress due to his wealth of knowledge and experience, especially in heritage food. 

How did you prepare for the show?
I have been preparing for the show since I was in my mother's womb! Jokes aside, it was 20 years ago that I really fell in love with food. Before Instagram came about, I was already posting my noob-looking food photos on Friendster, Multiply and Myspace. 

What did you learn about cooking on TV?
Being in the Masterchef Kitchen is a totally different ball game. You never know what to expect and there are a lot of guessing games, which will put not just on your culinary prowess but also your mental, emotional and physical strength to the test. Cooking on TV has taught me to be more confident, fluid and versatile. 

What else to know?
Nor lives and breathes all things sweet and is an expert in halal-customised deconstructed desserts and an enthusiastic pastry artist and home baker. She is also a hands-on mother of two children and holds baking classes for kids and teens. 

Nickname: The comeback singer 

What is your signature dish?
An otah appetizer. 

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is… 
Damien D’silva 

The toughest judge is… 
Damien D’silva 

How did you prepare for the show?
Fed all my friends and family silly.

How do you plan to use your MasterChef prize? 
Create more opportunity for art and food to collide.  

What else to know?
Known as a local indie pop singer and songwriter, and loves to indulge in her other love besides music: Cooking. However, she has no plans to give up singing for a culinary career. Her ex-boyfriend was the winner of MasterChef Asia.

Nickname: The dutiful son

What is your signature dish?
Roasted Spiced Chicken, stuffed with various vegetables and marinated with my own secret mix of spices.

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is…
Damian. He has a very scary aura, but deep down I think he has a kind, soft and lovable heart.

The toughest judge is…
Damian. As I said, he has a very scary aura. His facial features scare the heck outta me!

How did you prepare for the show?
Frankly, I had little time to prepare. Two weeks before filming began, my little princess was born, and much of my time was dedicated to my wife and baby girl. The spare time that I had, I would practise cooking and watch YouTube videos. One way I practised was cooking my wife's confinement food. I had to research and study the various nutrients needed for her to recuperate. It went well too! So any expecting mothers out there needing a MasterChef confinement meal, hit me up!

How do you plan to use your MasterChef prize?
I want to open a cooking school and teach kids that aren't well off. As I did not come from any culinary background or school, I know it can be costly to learn, and I want these groups of kids not to be left out and not stop chasing their dreams.  

What is your favourite part of the MasterChef set?
The entire kitchen itself! Once you are in the kitchen, the feeling is formidable. There are no words to describe it. Watching on TV and being there physically is a totally different thing!

What else to know?
Danial is the son of Diana Ismail from MasterChef Singapore Season 1, so he has big expectations to fulfil. He hopes to one day publish a cookbook with his mum. He wants to win the title for his newborn daughter and his dream is for her to carry the culinary torch and to impart his culinary passion to her.  

Nickname: The perfect professional

What is your signature dish?
Seafood pasta dishes, particularly those that are shellfish-based.

How did you prepare for the show?
Cooking after work or on my off days, and trying to do it with a time limit. Trying out new cuisine types to get familiar with stuff I haven't tried before, and reading lots of cookbooks. Most importantly, sharing the food with loved ones.

What is your favourite part of the MasterChef set?
The top-of-the-line equipment that we get to use, like the amazing combi oven.

What else to know?
Auditioned for MasterChef Australia in 2018 but didn’t get through. This time, he is determined to bring his A-game. Oon is an avid horticulturist and gardener and grows his own herbs, chili and tomatoes.

Nickname: The underdog’s hero

What is your signature dish?
Lemon Cheesecake. I have a recipe I have been working on since I was 21 and it has been with me through the ups and downs of my 20s. I used this recipe as part of a charity fundraiser, and I managed to raise over $3,500 for the Singapore Children's Society.

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is…
Chef Audra. I think that she embodies sophistication and rustic flavours in her cooking and that resonates a lot with me. She is also highly perceptive and offers great advice that elevates our dishes.

The toughest judge is…
Chef Damian, and I think his strictness stems from his passion for food and the care he has for each and every contestant. I truly believe he wants to mould us into our best selves during the competition, which is why he portrays himself as a tough judge.

What have you learned from MasterChef so far?
I learned to trust my instincts and to be more confident. The judges have been very encouraging and try to give as much constructive feedback as they can. Their comments allow me to be more aware of my own strengths and flaws. Cooking on TV, especially in the MasterChef Kitchen, is very different from cooking at home. Time flies and before you know it, you are into the final moments of that cook. But the pressure is also good as it gave birth to many ideas that I would otherwise not have had.

What else to know?
The loveable underdog that everyone wants to root for, Leon also has the voice of an angel, and signed up for Singapore Idol in his late teens and still joins singing competitions. He was bullied when he was young and suffers from low self esteem, and uses cooking as an outlet to express himself. His dream is to help young students pursue their culinary passion.

Nickname: Lady Luxe

What is your signature dish?
If I had to narrow it down to two dishes, it would have to be my Tonkotsu Ramen and Mentaiko Tart, which is my own original creation. It comprises a mentaiko-infused pate sable as a tart base, a seafood filling enriched with home-made bisque, three types of cheese, and my super secret torched mentaiko sauce. I sold this, amongst other bakes, during the circuit breaker period, and hit five-figure monthly sales, purely through word of mouth.

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is…
Chef Bjorn! I came to know of Artichoke in my SMU days, and it is really a testament to him and his staff that the establishment is still standing a decade later. I also find his wit and straightforwardness very refreshing. He strikes me as a rebel at heart, but he is a rebel with good business and common sense.

The toughest judge is…
All the judges have been very nice to me, but I think Chef Audra is a pretty tough nut to crack. To me, she is the toughest judge because our philosophies in cooking differ. Chef Audra seems to have a preference for dishes that are cooked with emotion. This is something I find challenging to relate to, because coming from a business and operations background, consistency, sticking to tried-and-tested recipes, and pushing for better tasting food every time is of primary importance to me. Perhaps unlike other contestants, I do not have the benefit of receiving heirloom recipes and everything I have amassed is through professional courses and research. Not that there is anything wrong with the emotional approach, but it is something that I cannot relate to because as an aspiring entrepreneur, managing a business is fraught with difficulties, and we have to set aside our emotions to get things done. Therefore mental strength is something I appreciate over drawing from my emotions at this point in time.

What have you learned from MasterChef so far?
I learned that failure is not final. In fact, every success story worth following almost always starts with failure. Success is not linear and you have to be prepared for false starts, and valleys of failure. Given that there will be only one winner, I am fully prepared that the viewers might only see a facet of me that might not be truly representative of who I am or what I stand for, but that is TV at the end of the day, so I hope my presence in the cast will at least add some entertainment value for the viewers. Part of the reason I joined is because I knew that the pressure will allow me to grow exponentially. I am a big fan of growth hacking, and being able to master a skill faster than my peers is definitely a secret to success, and I want to be able to say the same with my MasterChef experience. 

Please tell us something about yourself that not many people know about.
This is a secret that I have kept under wraps for a while, but as we speak, I am planning for my very first F&B concept to open in Manila. [Ed: Her family has a hotel business; she is the manager of an independent hotel in Manila.] I will be selling tea-based beverages (I did a stint in Koi to understand the workings of the business), modern French pastries such as entremets and viennoiseries, and working with cacao farmers in the region to develop a chocolate line.  

Nickname: Kitchen whiz kid

What is your signature dish?
Right now, it’s something that I’ve created myself — spiced poached apples served with Camembert ice cream, basil lemon curd, macadamia honey caviar, walnuts and apple granita.

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is…
Having all three of them as my mentor would be great! But I would say all three judges have a specific style. Damian is more into heritage food, Bjorn is more into funky Middle Eastern fusion and Audra is home-cooking style. So I’ll take any three of them as mentors any day.

The toughest judge is… 
Damian.... He expects a lot from everyone in the competition and also is very strict with his comments and feedback.

How do you plan to use your MasterChef prize?
I think I will use the money to buy more kitchen equipment! My next machine to buy would be the PacoJet. I want to be able to make ice cream ala minute with perfect texture and no ice crystals.

What else to know?
An engineering student and self-proclaimed gadget man, Derek is seen as a geeky whiz kid/mad scientist with a young but complex mind who loves to experiment with flavours, techniques and textures. A molecular gastronomy enthusiast, Derek opened his own private dining business “Twelve Flavours” in his uni dormitory, and has ambitions to open a restaurant and get a Michelin star.

Nickname: The funny gentle giant

What is your signature dish?
Lamb Biryani!

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is…
Chef Audra. She is really someone who is very nurturing and she really shows that she cares by constantly checking in. I think I would learn best under someone with her demeanour because you get this feeling that you always wanna do your best and not disappoint her.

How did you prepare for the show?
Lots and lots of reading and mental practice. I try to read up on new techniques and recipes. I don’t have a lot of time to physically cook the dishes, so it's really a lot of mentally practising the dishes and figuring out flavour pairs according to theoretical knowledge.

What is your favourite part of the MasterChef set?
I would have to say the best part of the set is the viewing gallery. Because if you're standing up there, it means you don't have to cook and are safe from elimination.

What else to know?
He gave up his military career to become a professional chef. Aside from working odd jobs to save money for culinary school, Ganesh poured his passion into cooking during the Circuit Breaker and even founded ‘The Biryani Brothers’; an online biryani delivery business. A big, bold and cheerful personality, Ganesh’s food represents himself in his truest form. He is also an acrylic painter and an embroidery artist, constantly creating new and unique designs to sell online.

Nickname: Mini Maverick - The petite pilot’s wife

What is your signature dish?
Poached Fish Roll with Mushroom Dashi Consumme & Nori Cracker. I use locally farmed barramundi to make my dish and I would roll the fish with shredded scallions, radish, red chillies and carrots to make into a roulade. The fish roll is carefully poached in Kombu butter and I serve it with a mushroom dashi stock broth and a deep fried seaweed cracker which was inspired from my favourite Chinese New Year snack.

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is…
Chef Damian. I love cooking local heritage food and Chef Damian’s background and knowledge in heritage food is something that I always looked up to. I admire him for his relentless fight in preserving Singapore's culinary heritage.

The toughest judge is…
Chef Damian! I feel he can look intimidating, with his towering height looking down at me, as I am 158cm. It can be stressful to look at him. Chef Damian is extremely honest with his feedback and if you cook a bad dish, he won’t go easy on you with his comments and will not hesitate to criticise.

How do you plan to use your MasterChef prize?
I will use it to buy ingredients and cook a good meal for my family and friends. The rest of the money will be put into my capital fund to fulfil my dream of starting a central kitchen. My food dream is to start a catering business and at the same time offer job opportunities to people like my younger brother who has intellectual disability. During Covid, I started to sell homemade kimchi and salted egg snacks online on my own website (dopenkitchen.com.sg) and my family has been very supportive of my decision and has been helping me with the orders.

Please tell us something about yourself that not many people know about.
I acted part time with Mediacorp during my secondary and poly days to earn some pocket money. And when I was young, my dream was to be a TV host! I guess by joining MasterChef, I kinda fulfilled my childhood dream!

What else to know?
A bubbly and expressive cook with picturesque plating and a well-rounded Asian palate, Trish is married to a fighter pilot in the Singapore Air Force, and spent the last few years in the US supporting her husband while he was deployed in Arizona. She delayed starting a family because she wants to be in the MasterChef competition.

Nickname: Peranakan Princess

What is your signature dish?
It’s a Peranakan classic — Nasi Ulam. It is a dish that rarely appears on restaurant menus these days because it is extremely labour-intensive and requires fine attention to detail.

The MasterChef judge you’d love to have as a mentor is…
Damian D’Silva. I love the fact that Damian also has a Peranakan background and I can learn so much from him, given his vast culinary experience. Throughout my MasterChef journey, he was always honest and candid with me, and more importantly he was a good listener and sounding board.

How did you prepare for the show? 
One can never prepare or practise enough for Masterchef. No matter how many recipes you memorise or practise in your head, there is always something that can throw you off. In the lead up to the show and each ensuing episode, I did my best to practice what I’d learnt from my mum, mother-in-law and friends, who were kind enough to share their culinary expertise with me.

How do you plan to use your MasterChef prize?
If I win, I would use the prize to re-invent and augment Rumah Bebe, my mother-in-law’s business, into a world-renowned household name for Peranakan cuisine. I hope to also be a positive influence and inspiration for others to follow their own dreams and passion, be it in or out of the kitchen.

What is your favourite part of being in MasterChef?
My favourite part has to be the friends I’ve made here. This includes fellow contestants, producers, and people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this production a success. The whole journey was extremely intense and experiencing this together strengthened our bond. This entire experience was and always will be unique to us, something only those who went through the MasterChef trials and tribulations (and somehow survived!) would deeply understand!

Please tell us something about yourself that not many people know about.
During my MasterChef journey, I would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night thinking I had to fry a fish or take a pie out of the oven. I would start counting down “5,4,3,2…” in my sleep and my husband would wake up in absolute bewilderment.

What else to know?
Zephyr is a real estate broker with a passion for Peranakan culture and cuisine, and lives with her husband and her son. She is a strong believer in preserving culture and heritage and makes sure to reflect that in her cooking. Competitive when it counts, Zephyr is an avid tennis player, who brings her strong service from the court to the kitchen.