She’s proved she can cook up a storm in the MasterChef Australia kitchen now, but a year ago, Karlie Verkerk would have liked to have had her chance on reality renovation show The Block.
The Sydney-based copywriter currently works for home-furnishings company Williams-Sonoma and has previously worked with a design magazine.
She says appearing on The Block would have been the “perfect pairing” for her and boyfriend Adam, who used to be a builder.
“It was a really big consideration about a year ago,” Karlie, 26, reveals. “Adam said, ‘Should we apply for The Block?’
“He did his building apprenticeship, so can build anything, and I have an interior-design background.”
But there was one thing that deterred Karlie from applying for The Block.
“It sounded far too hard for me!” she laughs. “I didn’t know if I was up for that.”
Opting for the MasterChef apron, Karlie says she’d like a career in the food industry.
“I didn’t apply for MasterChef for the reality side of it – I’m not in it for TV,” she says. “I’m in it to better myself as a cook and understand food on a different level.”
In the future, Karlie hopes to combine her love of writing and her passion for food to become a writer within the culinary industry, developing recipes and critiquing food.
“I don’t think I’m cut out to being in a professional kitchen day in day out. There is too much stress,” Karlie tells The Daily Telegraph.
“It takes a special type of person to be a chef,” she says. “I’m happy to be doing the eating.”
