Andy Allen (chef)

Andrew Peter Allen (born 30 April 1988) is an Australian cook, food critic and television presenter. He is notable for winning the fourth season of MasterChef Australia in 2012,[1] and for being a judge on MasterChef Australia from 2020.

Early life

Allen was originally an electrician by occupation.[2] He was also a basketball player with the Maitland Mustangs.[3] and also volunteered to work on extensions to his local basketball stadium.[4]

Allen's father, Peter, was a teacher at Bolwarra Public School,[5] and was also the primary cricket convenor for the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association, while his mother was also a teacher at East Maitland Primary School respectively.[6]

Career

Andy pursued a career in the hospitality industry. He now co-owns a restaurant, Three Blue Ducks, that has five locations around Australia, in Rosebery, Byron Bay, Nimbo and Bellingen in New South Wales, as well as Melbourne in Victoria.[7] In 2018 his restaurant was awarded a Chef's Hat, making Andy the first MasterChef Australia contestant to be awarded the highly sought-after honour.[8]

In 2021, he appeared as a co-host in Three Blue Ducks, a cooking show based that travels throughout Australia to find inspiration for new dishes that appear on the permanent restaurant menu.[9]

Personal life

Allen became engaged in May 2020[13] and married his wife Alex Davey on 8 October 2022.[14] Their first child, a son named Jude Jackson Allen, was born on 13 April 2026.[15]