Andy Allen is an Australian chef and television personality. He shot to fame after winning the MasterChef Australia title in the fourth season of the cooking competition in 2012. Allen has since gone on to enjoy a successful career in both television and the catering and hospitality industries. Although fans of the cooking series probably know who he is, there are many Andy Allen facts that they do not know.
For Andy Allen and MasterChef Australia fans, here are some interesting facts about Andy Allen that you might not know. These include facts about his career, personal life, and Andy Allen’s net worth.
Andy Allen Facts: Life Before MasterChef Australia
- He Is from New South Wales, Australia
Andy Allen was born in Maitland, New South Wales, on 30 April 1988. Both his parents are teachers, and his father was also a cricket coach. Allen attended Maitland Grossman High School.
2. He Was an Electrician
Prior to embarking on a culinary career after entering the MasterChef Australia cooking competition, Andy Allen was an apprentice electrician.
3. Allen Was Also a Basketball Player
Andy Allen is known for his culinary talents, but his kitchen skills are not the only talent he possesses, as he is also a talented athlete. He was an amateur basketball player before he became a television personality and chef. Allen played for the Maitland Mustangs.
Facts About Andy Allen and MasterChef Australia
4. He Won Season Four of MasterChef Australia
Andy Allen competed in the fourth season of MasterChef Australia in 2012. He made the final, along with Audra Morrice and Julia Taylor. Morrice had the lowest score in the first round of the finals and was knocked out of the competition. Andy Allen went on to win the competition with a score of 76 to Taylor’s score of 68.
5. Andy Allen Appeared as a Professional Secret Chef
Allen returned to the MasterChef Kitchen as a guest on two occasions. In 2012, he took part in an episode of MasterChef Australia All-Stars. In 2019, he appeared as a professional Secret Chef in an episode of the eleventh season. He competed against Sandeep Pandit in an immunity challenge. Pandit won the challenge as he got a perfect score of 30, compared to Allen’s score of just 24.
6. He Is Now a Judge on MasterChef Australia
In 2020, Andy Allen became one of the MasterChef Australia judges. His co-judges are Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo. The trio replaced the three original judges; Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston, and George Calombaris. The first series he presented was the Back to Win version of the series, which included former contestants such as Poh Ling Yeow and Hayden Quinn, although Emilia Jackson took the title.
His Culinary and Television Career Outside MasterChef
7. He Co-Owns the Three Blue Ducks
A year after winning MasterChef Australia, Andy Allen began working part-time at the Three Blue Ducks restaurant. The Sydney restaurant was owned by Mark LaBroory and Darren Robertson. Allen persuaded the owners to let him become a partner in the business. He oversaw the restaurant’s expansion, opening two further restaurants in New South Wales, one in Brisbane and another in Melbourne.
8. Allen Has Hosted Three TV Series
Before he became one of the MasterChef Australia judges, Andy Allen hosted two other television series. While ‘Farm to Table’ aired on Ten, ‘Andy and Ben Eat Australia’ aired on SBS. Allen co-hosted the latter with Ben Milbourne, his friend and a former MasterChef Australia competitor. Andy Allen then became the co-host of the television series ‘Three Blue Ducks’. The six-part series followed Allen and his business partners as they travel around Australia looking for inspiration for their restaurant menu.
9. He Has a Web Series
After winning MasterChef Australia, Andy Allen launched his own YouTube channel and began posting videos online. It led to him creating the web series ‘Andy & Ben Do Mexico‘, along with Ben Milbourne. Old El Paso sponsors the web series.
10. He Is a Brand Ambassador
One of the ways Allen has become so wealthy is as a brand ambassador. He has endorsed brands in many ways, including on his social media, his web series, advertisements, and his various television series. Some of the brands Allen endorses include Jack Daniel’s, Red Rock Deli, H2 coco, and GQ’s Online Shopping Night.
11. Allen Has Published a Cookbook
Andy Allen has authored a cookbook since he won MasterChef Australia. He published his 240-age debut cookbook ‘The Next Element’ in November 2012, and it became an Australian bestseller in.
His Personal Life and Other Andy Allen Facts
12. Andy Allen’s Net Worth
According to Now to Love, Andy Allen’s net worth is $5 Million. He has earned his fortune through his restaurants, books, television career, web series, and endorsing brands.
13. Who Is Andy Allen’s Girlfriend?
Many people wonder, who is Andy Allen’s girlfriend? His long-term girlfriend is Alex Davey, and the couple became engaged in May 2020. According to the Daily Mail, Allen proposed to Davey in a New Zealand getaway prior to the borders being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The couple plan to marry at The Orchard, which is an events venue on the grounds of Allen’s restaurant Three Blue Ducks.
14. What Is Andy Allen’s Favourite Food?
A question that many people ask about celebrity chefs is ‘what is their favourite food?’ If this is something you have wondered, then Andy Allen’s favourite food is Mexican cuisine. During his time as a MasterChef Australia competitor, he often cooked dishes inspired by Mexican flavours. Mexican cuisine is also the focus of his web series.
If you have enjoyed reading our Andy Allen facts, then you might also like to read our facts about other celebrity chefs and people in the food industry. These include: