Emelia Jackson Wins 2020 MasterChef Australia Grand Final, Laura Sharrad Is Runner-Up

As his cooking career has progressed over the past few years, MasterChef Australia star Reynold Poernomo has also focused on exploring his cultural identity.

The 26-year-old said being an immigrant kid was tough after he moved to Australia from Indonesia with his family at age four. Feeling Australian and not really much Indonesian after years of living in Sydney, he has more recently taken steps to reconnect with his culture.

Speaking to HuffPost Australia on Monday, Reynold said the family memories challenge this season where he was shown a childhood photo was an emotional and important opportunity to speak about his heritage.

Well, I couldnt hide it. As soon as I saw the photo, it really struck me, said Reynold, saying he was touched by how many viewers related.

Its interesting to see a lot of migrants have similar stories of similar upbringings and thats how a lot of us connect because it comes from humble beginnings.