On Tuesday evening Carlton’s first-year players stepped off the footy field and into the kitchen for the Club’s 2017 Master Chef grand finale.

Marking the completion of the Blues’ four-week ‘Nutrition and Food Preparation Program’, the cook-off saw the youngsters put their skills into practice as they battled it out at LaManna Direct in Essendon Fields.  

The junior Blues worked in pairs to execute their menus before plating up to a judging panel comprised of Carlton development and transition coach Andrew Walker, dietician Sarah Jenner, welfare assistant Lilian O’Sullivan, AFLW administration manager Tara Bonello, young Carlton member Matthew Garbett, Northern Blues captain Tom Wilson and LaManna Direct manager Patrick LaManna.

The culinary duos were Sam Petrevski-Seton and Cameron Polson, Zac Fisher and Kym Lebois and Patrick Kerr and Tom Williamson.

When the clock struck six, the players weaved through the LaManna Direct aisles to purchase their ingredients before they made their way into the kitchen.   

With one hour on the clock, the game-faced Blues got to work and as the kitchen heated-up, concentration levels sky-rocketed.

Carlton rookie and 2016 Master Chef participant Andrew Gallucci inspected the players’ precision behind the counters before the three meals were critiqued on nutritional value, how they aid performance, taste and presentation.

While each pair managed to successfully serve the seven judges, it was Patrick Kerr and Tom Williamson who triumphed with their salmon and salad dish to be crowned the 2017 Master Chef champions.  

Following the pair’s victory, Kerr put their success in the kitchen down to “good cohesion”.

“We had it (plan) set in stone from the start,” Kerr said after the challenge.

“We knew what we were doing and organised ourselves accordingly.”

With the tall stocks delivering in each category to take out the title, a proud Williamson said the knowledge he had acquired across the four-week program would be “extremely beneficial” in the future.

“Overall, it was a really good experience,” Williamson said.

“There’s a lot that we learnt that we will take forward into our lives.”

Here's a selection of Carlton Media’s snaps from the grand finale:

Andrew Gallucci ensures his younger teammates are in control in the kitchen. (Photo: Carlton Media)

Pat Kerr discusses a few of his cooking tricks with the LaManna Direct Chef. (Photo: Carlton Media)

Kym Lebois gets to work in the kitchen. (Photo: Carlton Media)


Samo Petrevski-Seton and Cameron Polson are impressed with the progress of their chicken involtini. (Photo: Carlton Media)

The judges deliberate their scores. (Photo: Carlton Media)

Tom Williamson and Pat Kerr speak to Andrew Gallucci after being crowned Carlton's 2017 Master Chefs. (Photo: Carlton Media)

The players unite with the judging panel following a successfull cook-off. (Photo: Carlton Media)