Masterchef star Khanh Ong, who auditioned for The Block, joins Melbourne restaurant The George on Collins Street

Now in its 11th season, MasterChef Australia has proven a fruitful formula for contestants who want to become much more than TV stars who slice, dice and smile for the cameras.

Khanh Ong, who finished third in last year’s MasterChef on Network 10, is proof that you don’t need to win the series to be successful.

In less than a year since leaving the show, the Melbourne-based chef has scored a spot on a new TV cooking show, signed a book deal and is now a business partner at The George on Collins, an established business housed within the iconic Collins Street building.

It’s certainly not a bad effort for a 25-year-old former DJ who also dabbled in work as a fashion stylist and spun vinyl at VIP parties attended by celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber.

“MasterChef was great for me, I would not have had the chance to do what I am without it,” says Ong, who was born in an Indonesian refugee camp to Vietnamese parents and grew up in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

“I would have stuck with my vlogging and writing a food blog and hoped it would lead me somewhere, but MasterChef opened doors a lot quicker and if you’re a determined contestant you can get things happening much faster.”

The Asian-inspired menu at The George on Collins captures the flavours of his Vietnamese upbringing and reinterprets some dishes he ate as a child. He worked alongside head chef Quim Hernandez to curate the menu. “The flavours in all the dishes are very Vietnamese; with some modern takes on classic recipes,” Ong says.

“Some are peasant home dishes that you wouldn’t necessarily find in any restaurant.”

Ong says a popular dish, and one that has many diners curious, is the caramel rockling with crispy pork belly. “People don’t necessarily see the connection between the rockling and pork, but I grew up eating it and it’s delicious,” he says.

“Combining a river fish with pork in a sauce that is peppery and sweet is a definite highlight. I was accustomed to the flavours growing up and now I get to show others.”

Ong, who also auditioned for Channel Nine’s The Block, was keen to shift gears from DJ work to a role where he could channel his passion for food.

“I never thought I would start a restaurant this early in my career but when Greg Kahan [owner of the original venue The Long Room] approached me to join forces I couldn’t resist,” he says.

In another career coup, Ong will also co-host Network 10’s afternoon cooking show My Market Kitchen, alongside 2016 MasterChef Australia winner Elena Duggan.

“I am doing exactly what I want to be doing,” he says. “Who knows what the future holds. I’d love to do travel cooking shows and return to Vietnam to explore my family’s culture and cuisine.

“Life’s pretty damn good right now and I am going with the good energy and nurturing all opportunities.”

thegeorgeoncollins.com.au

My Market Kitchen \ Network 10, Monday to Friday, 3.30pm.