Anna Polyviou (born 9 October 1979) is an Australian TV personality, pastry chef, and cookbook author. She is best known as a judge on Masterchef Australia and appearing on Season 9 of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Her pink mohawk, quirky urban style, contagious fun attitude, and colourful creations will have everyone wanting more. She has appeared on television shows, including Family Food Fight, and released books, such as Sweet Street and Kids’ Corner.
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Quick Facts | |||
Name: | Anna Polyviou | ||
Born: | 9 October 1979 (age 44 years old) | ||
Nationality: | Australian | ||
Occupation: | TV personality, pastry chef, cookbook author | ||
Cook books: | Sweet Street, Kids’ Corner | ||
Partner: | Casey | ||
Website: | www.annapolyviou.com |
Early Life
Anna Polyviou was born on 9 October 1979 in Melbourne, Australia. Growing up, she hoped to be a rapper and break dancer.
At 12, she knew she wanted to be a chef. She started to cook from a young age with her mother and grandmother at home. She sees her mother’s kitchen as her first professional kitchen.
She did her apprenticeship at Hotel Sofitel Melbourne. She won a scholarship to work under Pierre Hermé, a French pastry chef and chocolatier.
Career
Anna Polyviou started at Melbourne’s Sofitel and later worked at KFC, where she learned about rotating food and coating chicken.
The beloved TV pastry chef entered the reality television format I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here and exited on 16 April. In an episode, she revealed she played for a non-profit organization, Dress for Success. She also had stints on MasterChef Australia and Snackmasters.
Anna Polyviou landed a stint on Dessert Masters and the Family Food Fight. She is the Executive Chef at Sydney’s exclusive Shangri-La Hotel. She regularly bakes cakes for A-listers such as Kelly Rowland.
After arriving at Sydney’s Shangri-La Hotel, her signature style did not exactly fit the mould of its kitchen staff. She struggled there after walking in. They did not like her hair, her vision, and her piercings.
Polyviou creates jaw-dropping sweet creations for luxury hotels and top brands. She honed her cooking talents in the best kitchens in the world. She worked at Paris’ Pierre Herme Patisserie, London’s Claridge’s Hotel, and the Sofitel Melbourne.
Her cooking skills earned her several awards, such as Best Dessert in the UK, Hotel Chef of the Year in Australia, and Pastry Chef of the Year. She was a guest judge on MasterChef for over three years.
Anna has collaborated with top brands and is the creative director of her business. She has cooked for many notable personalities, including her culinary hero, Christophe Michalak, one of the best pastry chefs in Paris.
Cook Book
Polyviou wrote her first book, Sweet Street, in May 2018. The masterpiece sold out within weeks. In November 2019, she launched another book Kids’ Corner. She wrote a Barbie cookbook in 2024.
Personal Life
Anna Polyviou and her partner, Casey, came for the 31st Annual ARIA Awards in November 2017 at The Star. They have been together for over 14 years. Cooking for her partner and eating together makes Polyviou very happy.
Speaking to Refinery29 Australia, Polyviou said, “Food is my love language, and I think I was able to show that while I was cooking.”
Reference
- Anita Anabel. “How the I’m a Celebrity jungle was instrumental in “healing” Anna Polyviou“. www.mediaweek.com.au.
- “Anna Polyviou reveals her biggest cooking mistake“. www.nowtolove.com.au.
- “Sweet talk with Anna Polyviou“. www.gourmettraveller.com.au.
- Laura House. “‘They didn’t like my hair and they didn’t like the piercings’: The punk princess who was forced to overcome the distaste of the food industry to establish herself as one of Australia’s leading pastry chefs“. www.dailymail.co.uk.
- Alexandra Koster. “We’re Literally A Family”: Anna Polyviou Says BTS On Dessert Masters Was As Sweet As You’d Imagine“. www.refinery29.com.
- www.famousbirthdays.com/people/anna-polyviou.html