Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate Berowra constituent Larissa Takchi, who was crowned the winner of MasterChef Australia last night. Larissa is just 23, making her the youngest winner in MasterChef history. Larissa was well regarded by the judges throughout and capped off the final with a remarkable score of 85/90. Larissa rose to the occasion in a difficult challenge which involved preparing a three-course meal for 20 people. She served roasted bone marrow with onion soubise, and marron with fennel puree and bisque. However, it was her dessert which was the real show stopper: Szechuan pavlova with beetroot and blackberry sorbet—what a combination of flavours!

Larissa was known for pushing herself and pushing boundaries throughout the competition. Alongside studying a business administration degree at Macquarie University, Larissa, a former Mount St Bennies girl, manages her family's restaurant, the Wild Pear Cafe at Dural. Wild Pear is a favourite spot for local residents and a top foodie destination for people across Sydney. Wild Pear supports local farmers by buying their ingredients fresh from small producers around my electorate. Larissa was known on the show for her unique flavour combinations, which reflected her exposure to a range of ingredients and an ingredients-first approach at Wild Pear, as well as for her desserts, which are another strength of the restaurant. Wild Pear is particularly famous for its rosewater milkshake, and its Instagram page will make your mouth water. Wild Pear is consistently busy. I suspect that, with Larissa's win, it will be even busier now. She credited Wild Pear and the busyness there for helping her to cope in the heat of the MasterChef kitchen.

Larissa grew up in the Berowra electorate, and her big family was an early influence on her love of food. She drew on her family for inspiration throughout the competition, with her dad's love of meze inspiring her mystery-box-winning dish, the mouth-watering lemon parfait with black olive madeleine and poppy seed cream. Larissa credited her mum's talent as a cook for shaping her love of good food from a very young age. Nonetheless, Larissa's passion and drive are illustrated by the fact that her culinary skill is largely self-taught. She has long dreamed of opening her own paddock-to-plate farm and restaurant in Dural. I share Larissa's belief that people shouldn't have to travel to the city for good-quality food, given the standard of fresh produce in our electorate.

Larissa received $250,000 in prize money, which will now be instrumental in making her restaurant dream a reality for her and her fiance. However, that doesn't mean she is leaving Wild Pear behind. She has been back working hard on the cafe's famous veranda since the show finished a few months ago. Wild Pear exemplifies what is best about my electorate: a family business showcasing local produce, surrounded by natural beauty and serving as a hub for the community. And Larissa represents the best qualities of young people in our community: resourcefulness, commitment and talent. The local community have been cheering Larissa on throughout the competition and we are very proud of what she has achieved. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for Larissa. Big congratulations from all of us.

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