Delighted to welcome our new batch of dessert stars to the kitchen and critique the most mind-blowing desserts we have ever seen, are judges Melissa Leong and Amaury Guichon.
Melissa Leong said: “I could not be more thrilled with the calibre of this season’s Dessert Masters line up! Building on our amazing first season, this year’s crop only further celebrates and showcases the diversity and creativity of Australia’s pastry scene. With sugar on top…of course!”
Without further ado, let’s meet our 2024 Dessert Masters.
Alisha Henderson
Alisha is known for her online business, Sweet Bakes, which offers a range of delicious cakes made for every occasion. Over the years, the following of her Sweet Bakes’ Instagram account grew rapidly and now reaches an audience of 228,000 followers. In 2023, Alisha co-founded the Co. Bake space, a premium event and activation space available for hire in the heart of Richmond, Victoria.
Multi-talented, Alisha is also the author and illustrator of the Storybook Sweets, a series of children’s books which offers easy-to-follow recipes for kids.
Christy Tania
Originally from Indonesia, Christy is one of Australia’s most creative and inventive pastry chefs. In 2017, Christy launched GLACÉ – artisanal dessert stores across Melbourne that reinvented the way Australians see desserts.
With credits including The Ritz Hotel in Paris and Head Chef at Om Nom at the Adelphi Hotel, Christy is also recognised from her appearance as a guest chef on MasterChef Australia. Christy is excited to dive back into cooking after becoming Mum to son Ben, now one.
Emelia Jackson
Emelia is widely recognised from her MasterChef Australia journey, placing third in 2014 (season 6) and returning to win MasterChef Australia: Back to Win in 2020 (season 12).
Emelia has enjoyed great success following the launch of her first cookbook, First, Cream The Butter And Sugar: The Essential Baking Companion. Her second cookbook, Some Of My Best Friends Are Cookies is due for release late October 2024. Emelia is now mum to two young children, Addie and Mac.
Dan Pasquali
Best known for his outrageously glittery cakes, Dan Pasquali is one of Australia’s most creative bakers. In 2019, he was the runner-up in The Great Australian Bake Off, but won the hearts of the nation with his joyful persona.
Dan shares his beautiful cakes on his popular Instagram account and can be found at cake conventions and pop-ups. He has also appeared on Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield. Dan enjoys blending the old with the new and throwing in something that has not been imagined yet, to create a true show-stopper.
Darren Purchese
One of the most sought-after and respected chefs in Australia, Darren Purchese is renowned for his exquisite and extravagant sweet creations. Darren has appeared as a guest chef on MasterChef Australia many times, always bringing mesmerising dishes to the table.
Training in the UK and France, Darren worked at Vue de Monde and Bennelong, before co-founding Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio alongside wife Cath Claringbold, a dessert stalwart in Melbourne for over a decade. The pair have since launched recipe and food news platform, Studio Kitchen.
Donato Toce
Donato Toce is Gelato Messina’s Chief Creative Chef. The gelato doyen earned his stripes in Melbourne kitchens from the age of 13, before heading to Sydney in 2007 to work as Head Chef at hatted restaurant A Tavola.
Donato would cross the road after close each night to enjoy Messina’s evolving creations, and it wasn’t long before Donato and Messina founder Nick Palumbo began collaborating on new ideas. Donato quickly established himself as the chief creative force behind the brand which now boasts 30 Australian stores, and one in Hong Kong.
Jana Lai
Pastry is in Jana Lai’s blood. Growing up in Melbourne, Jana remembers baking with her mum and grandfather, who was also a baker. Beginning her studies at William Angliss Institute in Melbourne, she travelled to Paris and fell in love with the pastry capital of the world and followed her heart to fulfil her dreams of being a Pastry Chef.
Now a Pastry Chef Instructor at Ecole Bellouet Conseil in Paris, Jana became the first female to join Team France in the 2023 Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie (World Pastry Cup), where she secured second place.
John Demetrios
John Demetrios started his career as a baker and at age 19 moved overseas to work in restaurants in London and Sweden, where he met his wife.
Working for three Michelin starred Pierre Koffmann in London at his flagship Knightsbridge restaurant, and Magnus Ek at the two Michelin starred restaurant Oaxen Krog, John honed his craft before returning home to Australia and overseeing the pastry in some of Melbourne’s finest restaurants including Vue de monde, under Shannon Bennett. John is currently Executive Pastry Chef at Omnia in Melbourne.
Katherine Sabbath
Katherine Sabbath is a former high school teacher turned talented cake creative. With 475,000 Instagram followers, Katherine’s sugar rush to the baking scene has brought her international success. In 2015, Katherine made the decision to take a leap of faith and pursue her passion for creating cakes full time in Sydney.
She’s authored three best-selling cookbooks, Katherine Sabbath Greatest Hits: The Pop Edition (2017), Bake Australia Great (2019), and Bake My Day (2022). In 2018, Katherine appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia.
Reece Hignell
MasterChef Australia fan favourite, Reece Hignell placed sixth on season 10 and returned to claim fourth place in season 12 of MasterChef Australia: Back To Win. Now a successful business owner, Reece is founder of Newcastle’s Cakeboi, and has recently launched Acacia Dining and a 12-month residency at QT Hotel Newcastle.
Along with his successful businesses, in 2022 Reece authored his cookbook Cakeboi: A Collection Of Classic Bakes. Recently, Reece has announced the upcoming release of a new cookbook, Cakeboi Goes Vegan.
Dessert Masters is coming soon to 10 and 10 Play
