Billie McKay, winner of the 2015 Australia Masterchef, is every bit the calm and poised chef that impressed Heston Blumenthal. She was in the city at ITC Gardenia for the Societe De Chocolat masterclass series, in which she spoke about how chocolates are processed, how to plate chocolate and how chocolate could be used in home cooking. “We worked on traditional Australian desserts, one of which was the ice-cream sandwich, which is ice-cream sandwiched between two biscuits. We turned the biscuits into macaroons and added apple and custard jelly, semifreddo and frozen chocolate mousse.”
This is Billie's first trip to India, where she visited Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Due to a hectic schedule in Bengaluru she wasn’t able to explore the city much. But she did sit out at the balcony of her hotel and described how, when she looked over the city, “couldn’t believe how green the city is!”
Billie's passion for cooking developed as a child. “My mum was always a good cook. I mostly made sweets, cakes and biscuits. As I grew up I discovered there were more things I could cook.” Prior to MasterChef, Billie was a restaurant manager. “At my job, I had learnt the management aspect of restaurants. But I always dreamt of applying to MasterChef. I never thought I would get into it!”
But she confesses the final competition was tough. “The recipe in the final challenge had 52 steps. But I reigned it all in. I didn't worry too much and forgot there were cameras all around. I pretended that I was home, cooking.”
She adds: “Before each challenge you have no idea what the dish could be. An idea of basic dishes helps because you can change it to whatever the challenge requires.”
She likes Chinese cuisine and has experimented with it. “I have taken whatever fibres they use in their savoury cooking and use it in a sweet way.”
About Indian food she says she doesn't mind the spice. “I love making curries at home.”
Though her personal life, she says, feels much the same after MasterChef, Billie says that she has got a lot of opportunities. “I have visited many countries,” she adds. Billie reveals she loves music. “It is one of my greatest passions! I play the piano and a little bit of guitar for relaxing.”
