‘Amazing’ experience for Fil-Aussie ‘MasterChef’ contestant

JOHN Carasig says theTV show concentrates on food, compared to other cooking contests. Facebook

Filipino-Australian chef John Carasig moved to Australia from the Philippines when he was a kid in 1988. But the former flight attendant and recently eliminated “MasterChef Australia” contestant was able to use his knowledge of Filipino dishes in the show’s cooking challenges.

Carasig, 36, told the Inquirer in a phone interview that his specialty is Italian cuisine, but grew up appreciating the Filipino meals that his parents cooked. “I don’t normally cook Filipino food at home, but in the competition, I sort of figured that, for me to stand out, I needed to bring out Filipino cuisine,” he related.

That worked in his favor during the competition, which is being aired locally on Lifetime (weeknights, 8 p.m.). Carasig, who made it to the Top 13 and won a number of challenges, added that he didn’t struggle with the recipes because he knew the “flavor profiles.”

He explained, “I knew how things tasted, and that’s basically how I cook.”

Culinary delights

The adjustment from being a flight attendant to pursuing cooking wasn’t that difficult, as it helped expose him to a variety of culinary delights: “It allowed me to travel pretty much around the world and I’m very lucky to have been able to taste food, authentic dishes, from other countries.”

His old job also allowed him to fulfill a dream.

“Growing up, we never really traveled because we couldn’t afford it. When Qantas Airlines had a job opening, it was the perfect opportunity for me to travel,” he said.

Australia, his home for 27 years, is a place that encourages him to explore cooking possibilities, he said. “You’ve got so much produce that lends to the multi-cultural society that we have, and people are introduced different flavors, different ingredients. I guess that’s why we’re lucky in Australia because we’ve got an abundance of those.”

Carasig, the eldest of three siblings, described this iteration of “MasterChef” to be more food-centric, compared to other cooking contests on TV. “‘MasterChef’ concentrates on the food—it actually brings out good food and showcases that. Other competitions sort of concentrate on personalities, their differences,” he said.

His boyfriend Dave Evangelio and other loved ones were totally supportive of him, he related: “They were actually the ones who pushed me to audition. I never wanted to audition for ‘MasterChef’… I hate being the center of attention. But every year, every time I cook for them, they’d be like, ‘Just give it a go.’”

Carasig finally took the time to try his luck. He landed a spot in the seventh season.

“Last year, when I applied for it, I thought, ‘Okay, well, I’ve got nothing to lose; I might as well try out for it.’ And I don’t regret it. It was an amazing experience,” he said.

Now that he is out of the competition, he intends to focus on his new career.

“I’m actually starting my own food line,” he revealed. “I’m still developing it. What I’m calling it is ‘Adobo Kitchen.’ Basically, I’m going to introduce cheese-flavored ice cream to Australia because… we get imports from the Philippines…but while it’s nice, it’s not as appealing to the Australian market,” Carasig said.

“I’m also going to develop desserts in a jar. Hopefully, I’ll have that out in the market by the end of the year!”

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“OUTBACK Nation” is hosted by Australian designer Jamie Durie.

‘Outback Nation’

Lifestyle channel FYI will air “Outback Nation,” where families transform their backyards into the outdoor space of their dreams. It starts airing July 27, 8 p.m.