You, Matt Preston and George Calombaris gave us 11 seasons of Masterchef Australia, making global flavours and techniques accessible to the average TV viewer. Stepping away must’ve been hard. How did you fill up that void?
I couldn’t have wished for something more amazing in my life. It was a game changer. It was the longest job I ever had — nearly 12 years. The three of us always knew that when we leave, we’d do it gracefully and pass the baton. In our final year, I felt it was time to do something else. I’ve been a restaurateur for 18 years, a chef for 35, and on TV for a long time. Masterchef was the biggest part of that. But food and travel is what gets me going. And then, 2020 happened. Leaving Masterchef wasn’t a shock; the year 2020 and the COVID-19 experience was. But I’ve been doing lots of things — a podcast, and working on a book. I’ve been doing many Zoom events and consultancy. I’ve also been pitching new food ideas to networks. I’m hoping that once restrictions ease, you’ll see me back in a different guise.

The F&B industry has undergone an overhaul since last year. What are some of the key trends that you think are here to stay?
It’s been a decimating time for restaurants. The question was how the hell are you going to survive? How do you bring a restaurant experience home? But people have done that, and it’s exciting. Of course, we all want to step out and grab a bite, but dining at home is here to stay, along with the clever technological innovations that make it possible. This period has given a new lease of life to an industry that was operating in the same way for 100 years.