Bio
George Calombaris is an Australian chef and television personality best known as a judge on the cooking competition reality series MasterChef Australia, since 2009.
Calombaris has been awarded numerous accolades for his work. Before joining the MasterChef team, Calombaris had been voted as one of the Top 40 Chefs of Influence in the World by the Global Food and Wine Magazine.
An internationally successful restaurateur, George owns four restaurants in Melbourne and one in Mykonos, Greece. His flagship Melbourne restaurant, The Press Club, was awarded The Age Good Food Guide Best New Restaurant 2008 with George named Chef of the Year 2008.
It was also in 2008 that The Age Melbourne Magazine placed George in the Top 100 Most Influential People.
Along with his many restaurants, Calombaris has found time to write a number of cook books including Greek Cookery from the Hellenic Heart, and Your Place or Mine with fellow MC judge Gary Mehigan.
Although Calombaris is currently flat out in the MasterChef kitchen, he also manages to find time to inspire his team and create new restaurant concepts such as St. Katherine's in Kew.
Calombaris draws on his Greek and Greek Cypriot heritage for inspiration.