Lebanese Larissa Takchi won the 11th edition of MasterChef Australia. Takchi, 22, who was born and raised in Sydney, is the youngest chef to win this title in Australia.  

She is studying for her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She also works as the restaurant manager in her mother’s restaurant, The Wild Pear in Dural.

A Szechuan Pavlova finished with a beetroot and blackberry sorbet, beetroot syrup and lemon cream, was the final dish which granted the young chef the title. 

With her USD 250,000 award, Takchi is planning on launching a ‘destination restaurant’ with a farm on a land plot in Dural. “What I want to do is buy a block of land in Dural – which is where I’m from – and build a farm and restaurant on it, so diners can really experience farm-to-table dining,” she said.