Andy Allen

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, and for being a judge on MasterChef Australia from 2020.

Allen was originally an electrician by occupation.

He was also a basketball player with the Maitland Mustangs.

and also volunteered to work on extensions to his local basketball stadium.

Allen's father, Peter, was a teacher at Bolwarra Public School, and was also the primary cricket convenor for the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association.

Allen pursued a career in the hospitality.

He now co-owns a restaurant, Three Blue Ducks, that has five locations around Australia, in Rosebery, Byron Bay, Nimbo and Bellingen in NSW, as well Melbourne in VIC.

Allen appeared in an episode of MasterChef Australia All-Stars in August 2012.

He returned in the eleventh season as a professional Secret Chef, and lost to Sandeep Pandit by a perfect score, 30, in an Immunity Pin Challenge.

His score was kept secret, but was revealed on Facebook to be 24.

In 2018 his restaurant was awarded a Chef's Hat, making Allen the first MasterChef Australia contestant to be awarded the highly sought-after honour.

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

Allen won the fourth season of MasterChef Australia.

After making it to the final, Allen beat fellow finalists Audra Morrice and Julia Taylor in a three-way contest.

Facing only Taylor for the final two rounds, Allen won with a score of 76 to Taylor's 68.

In October 2019, he was announced as one of three of the new MasterChef judges who will replace George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston.

In May 2023, he was a pallbearer for Jock Zonfrillo with Laura Zonfrillo.

Allen became engaged in May 2020 and married his wife Alex Davey on 8 October 2022.