Junior chef blends food and science
Inspired by Heston Blumenthal, a young chef's culinary passion is taking him around the world, writes Chris Lau
The fact that young Jack Lark has a zeal for food isn't entirely surprising. After all, he was among the four finalists in the first Junior Masterchef Australia contest in 2010. Less well known, however, is his interest in science. "I have a passion for science, forensic science, in particular," he says.
That may explain why Jack's idol and inspiration is British celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, whose brand of culinary creativity rather resembles science experiments. The teenager from Hobart regularly tries out Blumenthal's recipes and besides impressing judges with his recreation of the chef's snail porridge, whipped a Christmas pudding featuring hidden candied clementines for his family this year.
Hong Kong viewers who followed the reality show will know Jack didn't win Junior Masterchef Australia (the title went to Isabella Bliss from Queensland). But the competition has opened up a world of opportunities for him.
Now a towering 15-year-old (he's grown to 190cm), Jack has since got to meet leading food producers in Tasmania and travelled around the world to culinary events, including a recent food challenge in Hong Kong.
Gastronomic interests run in the Lark family, so he has been introduced to all sorts of different flavours since he was little.
"His dad and I are really interested in food, too," says Lyn Lark, who accompanied her son to Hong Kong. (Lyn and her husband Bill run Lark Distillery, which makes a range of fruit liqueurs and is said to be pioneering a whisky revolution in Australia with its single malt.)