Age: 23

State: VIC

Occupation: IT Tech Support

Mat Beyer was a 23-year-old with a successful career in IT Tech Support when he decided to transform his life and apply for MasterChef Australia.

Chasing his love for food, Mat said, “I kind of fell in love with the fine dining scene and I guess it’s novel being treated with respect, even though I look like I might rob you in the alley way!"

"My current job isn’t really fulfilling or satisfying me every day, my real passion is food, so that’s where I want to be. I love to cook food that is exciting and that has a little bit of theatre to it, that is playful and creative, but still respects the ingredients. We can get all technical and all jazzy but if you know the ingredients aren’t respected then you’ve got a whole bunch of fancy stuff on the plate."

With an ambition to make a mark in the food scene, Mat created impressive dishes that excited the judges.

One of his most memorable dishes was his famous Confit Pork Belly and you can watch him re-create his signature dish here.