5 Reasons Why We Think MasterChef Contestant Hayden Quinn Is the Next Curtis Stone

We don’t mean to be biased, but MasterChef contestant Hayden Quinn has been one of our favourites from the beginning. He cemented his status as the one to beat when he competed in the first immunity challenge of the series — and won. Last night he faced his second chance for immunity after acing Sunday night’s Korean-themed invention box challenge, and even though he didn’t beat pastry chef Vincent Gadan in a pork roast cook-off we’re still predicting he’ll go on to great things in the culinary world. In fact, we think he’s got what it takes to be the next Curtis Stone! It’s a comment Hayden is “flattered” by and he told us, “[Curtis has] done extremely well. He’s done some amazing cooking . . . If I could achieve anything like what he has then I’d be a very, very happy man. It’s funny, he’s a young, Aussie guy who obviously loves the beach as well — there are definitely similarities there and it’s pretty cool.” Here are five reasons why:

1. They can both cook. We know this is stating the obvious, but is there any girl who doesn’t love a guy who can work his way around a kitchen? Curtis’ cooking ability has given him an international profile — Oprah loves him! — while Hayden has produced some of the best dishes on MasterChef this year and hasn’t found himself doing a pressure test.

Keep reading for more similarities . . .

2. The surfing connection. Hayden is a lifeguard from the Northern Beaches of Sydney and showed off his fine surf form when he stripped to his budgie smugglers during the Cronulla Beach team challenge. Curtis combined food and the beach on his TV show Surfing the Menu, where he and chef Ben O’Donoghue left the kitchen to discover the best of what Australia’s coastal regions had to offer.

3. The good looks and blonde hair. Not much needs to be said, but Hayden and Curtis are both easy on the eye. Curtis was even listed as one of the sexiest men alive in People magazine in 2006, and he’s also dating US TV star Lindsay Price.

4. They’ve both got TV star quality. Even though MasterChef is about the food, you need a personality to stand out. While some contestants are only just coming out of their shells, Hayden has been shown himself to be well-spoken and a great team player (despite the omen!) from the beginning. And yes, his youth and good looks probably don’t hurt. He also told us that he’d definitely consider a TV career after the show’s over. Curtis, on the other hand, has cooked on the biggest stage in TV: on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He treated Oprah — and the world — to a big Aussie barbecue on Whitehaven Beach in Queensland when she was on her Ultimate Australian Adventure last year.

5. They’re all-round nice guys. No one has emerged as a villain on MasterChef (it’s just not that kind of show) but every time Hayden’s on camera, he seems like a super-friendly guy! Whether he’s racing kids on the beach or doing a great job of selling his team’s food to customers, he always has a big grin on his face. (His good guy personality came through in our phone chat with him yesterday.) Curtis also appears to have a cool, laid-back personality that differentiates him from some of the scarier chef stereotypes.

6. The MasterChef factor. Here’s an extra reason for fun: they’re both connected to MasterChef! Curtis made two appearances on the first series and was a guest judge on the all-important deciding episode, when Julie Goodwin won the title of Australia’s first MasterChef. He also makes weeknight appearances on the Coles commercials that run during the show!

Hayden photo courtesy of Network Ten