17c起草社区

鈥∕asterchef brings a healthy queer contingent to its 2013 season, with 40-year-old insurance underwriter-turned-gourmand Andrew Prior and domestic goddess Christina Batista (pictured) representing culinary queens everywhere on the hit cooking show.

Prior鈥檚 passion for food was piqued thanks to a stint in Paris last year, living in the city for nine months while his partner Peter completed his PHD.

鈥淲hen I came back from that, I needed a job but I didn鈥檛 want to go back to insurance. I was sitting at home applying for jobs when I saw an ad for Masterchef 鈥� next thing you know I鈥檓 on the show,鈥� he told the 17c起草社区.聽Dinner parties have always been Prior鈥檚 forte, allowing him to hone his culinary skills amongst friends in a relaxed setting.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e always been my social outlet. In my 鈥�20s I was a party animal, but nowadays, having people over on a Saturday night is what I prefer.鈥�

Prior admitted he was hoping Masterchef would kickstart his cooking career (鈥渙ne of my goals in life is to be a cross between Nigella Lawson and Delia Smith鈥�), but that he had other ambitions for his time on the program.

鈥淚 said to Peter before I went on the show: 鈥淚 could be bigger than Lara Bingle! Hell, she could be my new best friend!鈥欌��

For 31-year-old Batista, Masterchef represents a very public entry back into 鈥榞rown-up world鈥� after several years spent as a stay-at-home mum, caring for children Damian (nine) and Anabelle (six).

鈥淚 was extremely nervous. When you鈥檙e a stay at home mum, your brain works differently 鈥� my life was all about playdates, reports and after school activities. I was really nervous about stepping away from that and following my own passions for a while,鈥� she said.聽鈥淚 was also really nervous about the kids missing me, but they鈥檝e been fine 鈥� I鈥檓 not sure how to take that…鈥�

Batista has one of the more fascinating backstories of this year鈥檚 crop of contestants 鈥� originally married to her children鈥檚 father, she and the kids now live with her current partner, Kate. Indeed, it was Kate who took the reins with Batista鈥檚 application, filling it out before Christina gave it a final once over and removing a few of the more gushing compliments (鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to sound like a complete tool!鈥�).聽Batista said her own style of cooking involved presenting traditional, much-loved dishes with a fresh twist 鈥� be it presentation or flavour-wise.

鈥淢y poor children can attest to that, because we鈥檝e had some not-so-successful trials of things. I made fluoro green pasta one time which tasted amazing, but it kind of looked like playdough,鈥� she laughed.

鈥淭hey yearn for chicken nuggets or a hamburger, but instead they get a deconstructed burger I鈥檝e spent three hours perfecting.鈥�