From farm girl in Bowraville, Australia, to chef at The Fat Duck in Berkshire, the UK, Billie McKay can safely say that MasterChef Australia changed her life. “It has been full-on since then,” says the 26-year-old Australian, who was in Chennai recently for the launch of Fabelle’s Société de Chocolat.
The very zen McKay was a fan favourite to win the title in the 2015 edition of the reality cooking TV show. A lot of her time in the MasterChef kitchen was spent creating savoury masterpieces, such as the twice-cooked orange and cinnamon chicken that won her the first immunity pin of the season, along with the power apron and the marron tail with avocado purée that wowed diners at Circa. “When all the other contestants were around me, and a lot of them were very dessert strong, I wanted to stand out from the crowd and make something savoury. I always loved making desserts, and it has developed more after travelling and working with people across the world,” she says.
Sweet on her
The world got to see her dessert skills in the five-hour marathon cook-off against fellow contestant Georgia Barnes in the finale, where she recreated Heston Blumenthal’s Botrytis Cinerea, with an ease that “knocked (Blumenthal’s) socks off.”
McKay calmly worked her way through the 55-stage recipe, which had 17 elements, including a number of different spheres on top of a cheese crumb soil, along with a citrus sorbet and churro twigs. At the end of it, Blumenthal offered her a job at The Fat Duck on the spot, saying, “I saw something in you today that I have not seen in many professional chefs… You’ve shone and shown poise and professionalism, that makes you the most complete chef we’ve ever seen in this competition.”
And now, working with him, McKay says, “The main thing I learned was the eye for detail and precision, and taking a lot of care with that. It makes such a difference.”
- “I was very pleasantly surprised to find the chocolate movement so big in India and to learn that India was producing and teaching about chocolate as well. I think that was one of the things that got me excited: that we are teaching people how to make chocolate and where it came from. That’s really important to me, teaching people where food has come from. So it was a no-brainer when I was invited to do the launch of the Société de Chocolat. I always like to make chocolate dessert, warm ones in winter, like puddings with soft centres and even just chocolate cakes, building them and sharing with family.”
Keeping it simple
While her mentor is extremely experimental, she prefers to keep it simple. “I think it’s the kind of background I come from; I’ve always known where my food comes from. Going local started as a big trend — especially when you are using sustainably produced products like single-origin chocolates — and you know where it’s coming from. When you’re eating the final product, you’re aware of how it was produced. Now, it has grown beyond that: I think it’s going to be there forever now, I don’t think it will go out of style,” she explains.
Her short-term plans involve more cooking, but it’s her long-term plans that are keeping her on her toes. “Eventually, I would like to open my own restaurant back in Australia. I’m not sure exactly what it would be yet, because I’m still discovering and learning about food.” The recently viral story of Toronto resident Robert Maxwell, whose essay titled A Restaurant Ruined my Life details the many things to know before entering the business, is a cautionary tale to anyone who wants to open a restaurant. “So I’m taking time to learn about it before I take the plunge. There are just so many different facets to it, the business side of it being the toughest. I’m learning how to do that as well now. You can know how to make food, but knowing how to sell it as a product is a completely new story,” says McKay.
Whirlwind tour
Her first trip to India has been a short and quick one, covering four cities in seven days, but she has experienced a whole lot of hospitality and culture, she says. “I got to try the cuisine as well. I think I tried landu ,” she looks quizzically at one of her hosts. “ Laddoo ,” he corrects. “Yes, that was it. It was delicious. We also ate at Peshawari at ITC Grand Chola. The naan was so big,” she laughs, indicating the size with her outstretched hands. “We all shared it together. That’s one thing I really like about Indian culture and feasting — the sharing. You don’t eat on your own, everyone eats together and it’s a family-oriented activity.”
