Hugh Allen (born 1995) is an Australian Chef. He is the executive chef of Vue de Monde in Melbourne, Victoria.
Executive Chef Hughs Allen returned to the 2024 MasterChef Australia kitchen for Season 16. Three contestants found themselves in a pressure test to recreate his dish. He received the 2016 Gault Millau Young Chef of the Year Award.
| Hugh Allen | |
|---|---|
 Allen has gained experience, won awards, and graced many TV shows, including as the guest judge on MasterChef 2024. | |
| Quick Facts | |
| Name: | Hugh Allen |
| Born: | 1995 (age 29 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Australia |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Parents: | Roger (father), Anna (mother) |
| Siblings: | Fraser, Lachie |
| Occupation: | Chef |
| Known for: | MasterChef Australia |
| Restaurant: | Vue de Monde |
Early Life
Hugh Allen was born in 1995 to Roger, a pediatric rheumatologist, and Anna, a nurse. He has a twin brother, Fraser, and a big brother, Lachie. He grew up in North Melbourne and became passionate about food, while watching Rick Stein, Maggie Beer, and Heston Blumenthal.
Since his parents were not good cooks, Allen watched well-known chefs. He would mimic them while he made a videotape of a ‘pretend food television show with his twin brother. His desire to be a chef grew stronger.
Hugh Allen liked schooling, but his grades did not reflect it. His father had to confirm from a clinical psychologist if he had a learning disorder. He was eventually enrolled in the Too Cool program as his teacher thought he was delinquent.
As a teenager, Hugh landed a job as an apprentice chef at Rockpool, which marked the beginning of change for him. He received an apprenticeship offer and accepted even though he knew nothing. He sharpened his knives, learned, and developed his basic culinary skills.
Career
Hugh desired to work as a chef from a young age and began as an apprentice chef with the Rockpool Group as a teenager. After learning, developing, and sharpening his culinary skills, he joined the kitchen team at Vue de Monde as a stagiaire.
His culinary expertise earned him the 2015 Gault Millau Young Chef of the Year Award. This recognition took global and created the opportunity to stage at three Michelin Star restaurants in Paris.
Hugh spent three years at Vue de Monde before other experiences started to unveil, including Scandinavia. He joined the multiple-award-winning Rene Redzepi’s Noma in 2016. The restaurant boasts two Michelin Stars and four World’s Best Restaurant awards.
The chef worked at Redzepi for almost three years, including the original Noma, both the 2016 Sydney pop-up and the 2018 Mexico pop-up, and was part of the opening team of Noma 2.0.
In 2018, Hugh returned as Vue Group Sous Chef in Melbourne. At the Melbourne dégustation fine-dinner 55 storey above, Allen had worked as the founding owner and chef Shannon Bennett’s protégé for three years before heading to Copenhagen.
After his return to Australia in 2018, Hugh returned to Vue de Monde. In 2019, he was promoted to executive chef after Bennett left the building. His experience in modern and classic kitchens has influenced his cooking style.
Australian chefs have overwhelmingly named Hugh Allen their choice for the 2023 Chef of the Year. In 2021, at 26, he received three hats in the Good Food Guide, making him the youngest chef ever to be awarded.
