Matt Preston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt Preston
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Preston in 2016
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| Born | 21 July 1961 London, UK
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| Occupation | Food critic, writer, television presenter |
| Years active | 1990−present |
| Spouse(s) |
Emma Preston
(m. 1999) |
| Children | 3 |
Matt Preston is a well-known English-Australian food critic, writer, and TV presenter. He was born in London, UK, on July 21, 1961.
Matt Preston writes a weekly food column for major newspapers across Australia. He is also a senior editor for Delicious. and Taste magazines. He has written several popular cookbooks. Before his current roles, he was a judge on MasterChef Australia and later on My Kitchen Rules.
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Early Life and Education
Matt Preston grew up in London. His father, Antony Preston, was a British naval historian and journalist. Matt went to Worth School, a boarding school, from age 11. He later studied Politics and Government at the University of Kent. In his younger years, he was a DJ and played punk rock music.
Matt Preston's Career Journey
Matt Preston moved to Australia in 1993. He first worked as a TV correspondent, writing about popular Australian soap operas like Neighbours and Home and Away. He then started writing for various Australian magazines and trade publications.
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In 1996, Matt began writing food reviews for Inside Melbourne magazine. By 2000, he was writing reviews for The Age newspaper. He also became a regular food writer for other publications like Taste and MasterChef Magazine. For many years, he wrote a weekly column for Epicure, reviewing cafes and restaurants.
Today, Matt Preston is famous for his TV work and his food columns. His weekly food column reaches millions of Australians. He continues to be a senior editor for Delicious and Taste magazines.
Judging on MasterChef Australia
In 2009, Matt Preston became a judge on MasterChef Australia. He joined Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris on the show. MasterChef Australia is a reality TV competition where amateur chefs compete. The show won several Logie Awards for Australia's Best Reality Series.
Matt judged MasterChef Australia for eleven seasons, from 2009 to 2019. He also judged Celebrity MasterChef Australia (2009) and Junior MasterChef Australia (2010). In 2013, he hosted MasterChef Australia: The Professionals with Marco Pierre White. This show also won an award for Best Reality Show.
In 2019, Matt Preston and his fellow judges left MasterChef Australia. New judges, including chef Andy Allen and food writer Melissa Leong, took over in 2020.
Other TV Appearances
Matt Preston has appeared on many other TV shows. These include The Project, Good News Week, and The Living Room. He has also had small acting roles in shows like Offspring and Neighbours.
In 2020, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan started a new show called Plate of Origin on the Seven Network. In 2022, Matt joined My Kitchen Rules as a judge. He worked alongside Manu Feildel and international food icon Nigella Lawson.
In August 2022, Matt Preston was revealed as the Gnome on The Masked Singer Australia. He was a wildcard contestant but was eliminated after one performance. In May 2023, he joined Dancing with the Stars Australia. However, he had to leave the show early due to an ankle injury.
Writing for Food Magazines
Matt Preston has written for Australia's top food magazines, like Vogue Entertaining + Travel and delicious. He writes about restaurants, chefs, and food destinations. This work has taken him to many places in Australia and around the world.
Contributions to The Age Newspaper
From 2000, Matt regularly wrote for the Epicure food section of The Age newspaper. He had a weekly column called 'Unexplored', where he reviewed cafes and eateries. He also wrote cover stories for Epicure and won awards for his writing.
Other Professional Roles
- Creative Director for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (2004–2009).
- Contributor to The Age Good Food Guide.
- Chief Judge for Restaurant and Catering's National Awards for Excellence for five years.
- Radio presenter for Saturday Mornings on ABC Radio Melbourne (2022-2024).
Books by Matt Preston
Matt Preston has written several popular cookbooks:
- Cravat-A-Licious (2009)
- Matt Preston's 100 Best Recipes (2012)
- Matt Preston's Fast Fresh and Unbelievably Delicious (2013)
- Matt Preston's Cook Book (2014)
- Matt Preston's Simple Secrets (2015)
- Matt Preston's Yummy, Easy, Quick (2017)
- Big Mouth (2023)
Awards and Recognitions
Matt Preston has received many awards for his work in food media:
- 2003: Best New Writer Award from the Food Media Club of Australia.
- 2004: Best Food Article Award for "The Temple Kitchen" in The Age.
- 2006: Best Recipe Feature Award for "Preserving knowledge" in The Age.
- 2008: Food Journalist of the Year at the Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards.
- 2010: The Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent (Male).
- 2011: Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Winner – Awesome Oldie.
- Matt Preston is also listed in Who's Who in Australia since 2011.
