A strong contender from day one, it feels like MasterChef Australia’s Savindri “Sav” Perera was destined to be on the show – and it turns out, that’s the case!
“I actually applied in 2022, and got through to the stage where we were all flying in [to film],” Sav, 30, reveals.
(Image: Ten)
“But I had to pull out. I was in a different relationship at the time and [under] a lot of mental strain. I wasn’t in the right headspace.
“I think it was a big sign from the universe that it didn’t work out then, but it worked [for this season]. I’m in a much better space to actually handle the pressure.”
Calling on her Sri Lankan upbringing to create dishes full of flavour, Sav has been impressing the judges every week. The banking consultant credits her beloved mum, Chandrika, who passed away in 2017, with giving her the skills to get this far in the competition.
(Image: Ten)
“She was a curious cook and she did some wacky stuff sometimes,” Sav recalls with a laugh. “It’s encouraged curiosity [in me] because there’s nothing she wouldn’t try. My palate comes from her.”
Sav knows Chandrika would be supporting her MasterChef adventure every step of the way.
“She would be frothing, honestly,” Sav says. “I’ve thought about it a lot. She would literally call up every single person she knows, and then wait for me to finish [MasterChef] and be like, ‘Alright, come back to Sri Lanka so we can have a big party.’ She’d be going so over the top. She would have been insanely proud of me.”
