With arguably the most infectious smile in the MasterChef Australia kitchen, Juan De La Cruz brings bold Latin American flavours and a whole lot of fun to his recipes.

Juan’s love of cooking began with his mother, Cristina, who cooked four meals a day for 11 people for many years. She taught him the power of good food to not only nourish, but also serve as a salve for difficult situations. Asthma kept him indoors as a child, where he became her official taster and developed a sharp palate early on.

Family continues to shape Juan’s food journey. He embraced the challenge of gluten free cooking to support his partner after her diagnosis, learning all the intricacies of label reading, ingredient alternatives, cross-contamination protocols, and tricks for spotting hidden gluten! Now a fully gluten free cook, Juan has mastered everything from bread and pasta to empanadas—sharing his creations through his digital platforms and proving you can enjoy delicious food without gluten.

Read our Q&A with Juan here, and be sure to follow him on Instagram and TikTok for more recipes!