Age: 30

State: Victoria

Occupation: Chartered Accountant

Instagram: @petropapa

With his Greek/Cypriot background, good food has always been the fabric of family life for Petro Papathomas. Memories of lighting the wood-fired oven at Easter, having the kontosouvli at Christmas, and many big get-togethers combine to create Petro’s food identity, made up of all the tiny moments, woven together over time.

His love of food was innate from an early age, learning to cook by watching his mum, Georgia and yiayiathes (grandmothers) Sophia and Christina. He was inspired by spending many hours with them in the kitchen, learning about quality ingredients and pouring love into every meal. As he grew up, Jamie Oliver became an inspiring teacher, as did idols Rick Stein, Maggie Beer and Anthony Bourdain.

A savoury cook with a passion for cooking over fire, on a trip to Greece, Petro had the honour of cooking on a 100-year-old wood-fired oven. Serving 25 diners, it was a surreal moment for him to cook dishes his yia yia had taught him, blowing his guests away. Perhaps a taste of what’s to come?

Working as a chartered accountant in the family firm by day, cooking is Petro’s creative escape and his love language. Petro gets joy out of cooking for his nearest and dearest, not just plating up delicious meals, but ensuring that dining is a special experience.

Passionate about Greek and Mediterranean flavours, Petro has spent countless hours perfecting his halloumi recipe over the years and is working on production and distribution plans, eager to collaborate with chefs to showcase its versatility.

Outside of cooking, Petro is passionate about fitness and spends time on his other very creative outlet, as a talented musician who has written, produced and released original music.

Petro prides himself on giving things a crack and anticipates handling the pressure of the MasterChef Australia kitchen well. Alongside his halloumi, Petro also dreams of opening a modern Cypriot restaurant, passionate about sharing the cuisine with a wider audience.