Adam Liaw
Adam Liaw | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 8, 1978 Penang, Malaysia |
| Occupation(s) | Chef, television host, author |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Known for | Winner of MasterChef Australia (season 2), host of Destination Flavour series and The Cook Up with Adam Liaw |
Adam Liaw (; born 8 September 1978) is an Australian chef, television host, and author originally from Malaysia. He emerged as the winner of the second season of MasterChef Australia, triumphing over student Callum Hann in the final round. Liaw has developed, written, and presented culinary shows such as the Destination Flavour series and the cooking and talk program The Cook Up with Adam Liaw broadcast on SBS Food.
Early life
Born in Penang, Malaysia, Liaw is the son of a Malaysian Chinese father, Dr Siaw-Lin Liaw, and an English mother from Singapore, Dr Joyce Hill AM. He is the middle child among three siblings. When he was three years old, his family relocated to Adelaide. Following his parents’ separation and his mother’s relocation to New Zealand, Liaw was raised by his paternal grandmother, whose influence significantly shaped both his culinary skills and personal development.
Liaw completed Year 11 at Prince Alfred College by the age of 14 and commenced university studies at 16. He earned a double degree in Science and Law from the University of Adelaide at 21.
After graduating, Liaw joined Kelly & Co Lawyers in Adelaide where he specialized in technology law, commercial and corporate law, business consulting, and international trade matters. He also held roles as a committee member, legal advisor, and secretary for the Hong Kong Australia Business Association, assisting South Australian enterprises in expanding into Hong Kong and mainland China markets. In 2004, he relocated to Japan to pursue work in media law with The Walt Disney Company.
MasterChef Australia
On 29 September 2009, Liaw publicly announced via Twitter his plan to audition for the second season of MasterChef Australia. By April 2010, he had secured a position among the top 24 finalists. Although he won a challenge involving dishes by renowned chefs, he initially questioned whether his skills would be sufficient to claim the title.
On 22 July 2010, Liaw was officially named as the first finalist for the grand finale. Three days later, on 25 July, he secured victory over Callum Hann with a score of 89–82. This finale remains one of the most viewed non-sporting television broadcasts in Australian history.
Following his win, Liaw pursued various ventures including opening an izakaya-style restaurant alongside Tokyo-based Australian chef Matthew Crabbe. He returned to MasterChef Australia as a guest judge during its fourth and sixth seasons.
Books and writing
After winning season two of MasterChef Australia, Liaw published his debut cookbook titled Two Asian Kitchens (), released by Random House Australia in April 2011. The book is divided into two parts: Old Kitchen and New Kitchen, featuring both classic recipes and innovative dishes, receiving favorable critiques from Australian media outlets.
Since then, Liaw has authored several other cookbooks such as Asian After Work (2013), Adam's Big Pot (2014), Asian Cookery School (2015), and The Zen Kitchen (2016). He regularly contributes to Fairfax newspapers’ Good Food, Sunday Life magazine, and The Guardian, and has previously written for The Wall Street Journal’s Scene Asia.
Television
On 14 March 2012, Liaw was revealed as the presenter of the travel and culinary television series Destination Flavour, which debuted on SBS in August 2012. The initial seasons featured co-hosts Renee Lim and Lily Serna, but later installments saw Liaw take on hosting duties solo. These included Destination Flavour: Japan (2013), Down Under (2014), Scandinavia (2016), Singapore (2017), and China (2018).
In March 2017, Liaw introduced Hidden Japan with Adam Liaw on SBS Food. He made an appearance in the finale of season seven of Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery in 2019 and went on to host Adam Liaw's Road Trip for Good on SBS Food toward the end of 2020.
April 2021 marked the launch of The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, a nightly cooking and talk show on SBS Food, which boasted a record-breaking first season of 200 episodes—the largest order ever commissioned by SBS. The program includes culinary demonstrations and interviews with distinguished guests such as Colin Fassnidge, Julie Goodwin, Jock Zonfrillo, Yumi Stynes, Jessica Rowe, and Jimmy Barnes. Later that year, in October, Liaw collaborated with season one MasterChef Australia runner-up Poh Ling Yeow to present Adam and Poh’s Malaysia in Australia, a series highlighting their shared Malaysian roots.
In 2022, Liaw became a panel member on the ABC series Tomorrow Tonight.
Other
Liaw holds the position of National Ambassador for Nutrition at UNICEF Australia. In 2016, he was designated Goodwill Ambassador of Japanese Cuisine by the Japanese government. Additionally, he serves on the board of the Australia-Japan Foundation.
His brand is bolstered by a robust social media presence; BuzzFeed Australia recognized him in 2015 for his compelling content across Twitter and Instagram. In 2017, All Nippon Airways appointed him as Culinary Ambassador for ANA Australia, where he crafted two seasonal menus.
Expanding his influence in food media, Liaw launched a seven-episode podcast titled How Taste Changed the World on Audible in May 2022.
Filmography
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| MasterChef Australia | 2010 | Contestant |
| Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield | 2012 | Guest |
| Destination Flavour | 2012 | Host |
| Destination Flavour: Japan | 2013 | Host, developer and writer |
| Destination Flavour: Down Under | 2014 | Host |
| Destination Flavour: Christmas | 2014 | Host |
| One Plus One | 2016 | Guest |
| Destination Flavour: Scandinavia | 2016 | Host |
| Destination Flavour: Singapore | 2017 | Host |
| Hidden Japan with Adam Liaw | 2017 | Host |
| Play School | 2017 | Guest |
| Makers Who Inspire | 2018 | Guest |
| Destination Flavour: China | 2018 | Host |
| Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery | 2019 | Guest |
| Dateline | 2019 | Guest |
| Life Drawing Life | 2020 | Guest |
| Adam Liaw's Road Trip for Good | 2020 | Host, executive producer and writer |
| Adam and Poh's Malaysia in Australia | 2021 | Co-host, executive producer and writer |
| The Cook Up with Adam Liaw | 2021–present | Host |
| Tomorrow Tonight | 2022 | Panellist |
| ABC 90 Celebrate! | 2022 | Guest |
| Dishing It Up | 2022 | Guest |
External links
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1978 births
- Living people
- Australian individuals of Chinese heritage
- Australian individuals of English heritage
- People originating from Adelaide
- People originating from Penang
- 20th-century Australian legal professionals
- Australian chefs on television
- Winners of MasterChef Australia
- Alumni of Prince Alfred College
- Graduates of Adelaide Law School
- Malaysian-born immigrants to Australia
- Malaysian individuals of Chinese heritage
- Australian naturalised citizens
- 21st-century Australian legal professionals
- Australians with Malaysian ancestry
- MasterChef Australia winners