Chef Jessica Liementara

As a child, Jess Liementara had no idea that the warm glow from the back of the oven would one day become a guiding light in her life.

As a seven-year-old, Jess, now affectionately known as Jess Lemon, would watch in awe as the Betty Crocker cakes she baked with her grandma would transform magically from sticky dough to a delicious, spongy creation.

“When I was a kid, I would cook with my grandma, and we would use the olden day scales. I would always be so impatient during baking that I would knock over the flour,” she laughs.

Then as MasterChef graced our screens, then 9-year-old Jess watched with endless inspiration, setting her sights on one day becoming a chef.

Jess Lemon is Flourishing with Her Own Cookbook and MasterChef Success

Fifteen years later, Jess’ impressive and extensive CV includes three stints on MasterChef (Season 10, 12 and Dessert Masters), having her own online dessert range, writing her own cookbook A Zest of Jess, becoming Head of Production for product development at Ned’s Bake, and now the latest Chef Works ambassador.

“Thinking of where I am now, it’s amazing to see the growth and how I still love cooking,” she says.

Jess’ favourite flavour to cook with is citrus and it’s how she got her name – Jess Lemon.

“I love citrus. I love working with all kinds of citrus – kumquats, calamansi seeds, lemon, lime, blood orange, yuzu and passionfruit - basically anything that’s sour. My mum loves lemon tarts, and lemon tart was the first audition dish I did for MasterChef for which I got into the second chance cook as it wasn’t good enough. I made another citrus dish using orange and that just stuck; I just love making everything with citrus.”

Cooking extends far beyond food for Jess, it’s also about putting on the chef whites, which is always thrilling.

“I always wanted to become a chef ever since I was little, so wearing the chef whites gives me a feeling of professionalism and respect. It’s a big responsibility to have your hand in producing great food. I feel very proud to be a chef.”

Now as a Chef Works ambassador, Jess is particularly proud to wear the vast range of uniforms on offer.

“The opportunity to work with Chef Works is exciting. I particularly like the dressy Chef Works chef jacket. It’s like wearing a shirt - it’s a nice comfy fit yet professional,” she says.