Age: 37

State: Western Australia

Occupation: Homemaker

Instagram: @hannahjohnson.food

For the past 13 years, Esperance-based mum of four Hannah Jonhson has put her dreams and desires on the back burner to nurture her growing family. But the time has arrived for her to put herself first and step into the MasterChef Australia kitchen.

Hannah wed husband Tim at age 18, and they remain happily married 19 years later, with Hannah describing Tim as energetic and adventurous, always her biggest supporter. Raising three sons and a daughter, ranging in age from 13 to seven, Hannah has been the backbone of the family as they have grown, and while she wouldn’t change a thing, she admits the kids can be some of her harshest critics in the kitchen!

Hannah’s passion for food started young. Growing up with three brothers, she would play ‘Restaurants’ and recalls cooking for her mum, Tracey, and the neighbours’ parents at age 10, feeling the instant joy and reward of sharing food with others.

While family might have taken priority, Hannah’s passion for food has remained strong, as evidenced by her collection of around 250 cookbooks! As a curious cook, she is always out to learn more about techniques or ingredients that help continue to her level up her food. Hannah loves cooking for family and friends, priding herself on creating community wherever she goes, always with generosity. Her no-brainer food dream is to write her own cookbook, to share with others that cooking from scratch is fun, delicious and achievable.

Having worked casually in hospitality over the years, Hannah is now also studying for a diploma of nutrition, and notes her palate has changed in recent times, moving from being anchored on the sweet side, to now embracing more savoury flavours.

With a cooking style that can stretch from homely to more up-market, Hannah loves trying new things and thinks her all-rounder skills will be an asset in the competition. One of her goals in the kitchen is to elicit a “‘fan-tas-tic”’ from Jean-Christophe Novelli!

Inspired by a host of chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Samin Nosrat, Heston Blumenthal and Emelia Jackson, with her family firmly behind her, Hannah is ready to put herself first and push beyond her comfort zone to cook without limits.