Yonina ‘YoYo’ Yang | Season 13 MasterChef Australia Contestant

< Chinese + Pan Asian Cuisine

Yonina Yang is the youngest contestant to have ever competed on MasterChef Australia. After wowing the judges at auditions with her signature Korean, American and Taiwanese inspired fried chicken, teenage medical sensation Yonina Yang, better known as YoYo, is determined not to let her age and status leave anyone in doubt of her ambition, talent and ability to create impressive food!

Born in the United States, YoYo moved to China before making the move to Adelaide, Australia. Crediting her father with teaching her spaghetti marinara and her mother with sweets and cakes, it was from her grandparents that YoYo learnt how to wrap dumplings, make steamed buns and scallion pancakes. YoYo admits her personal spice tolerance knows no bounds!

As a second-year medical student, hoping to one day enter the competitive field of Orthopaedic surgery, YoYo has spent many long days studying on campus, organising events and running medical societies. It’s these experiences which led to her food dream, to open a university café offering nutritious, affordable and beautiful food.

When YoYo’s not busy studying Medicine and cooking, she is passionate about sharing her love of Asian food through hosting cooking classes and catering for her friends, family and university. YoYo also enjoys making cards for friends and learning new musical instruments. She’s currently mastering the oboe, French horn, piano, viola, guitar and percussion, but still hopes to add the flute and Guzheng to her repertoire. YoYo has also created her own brand of food earrings which you can check out here!

You can follow along YoYo’s food journey via her social media platform here.

COOK WITH YOYO YANG

Coming from a Chinese heritage, YoYo is incredibly passionate about Pan Asian cuisine and sharing its diversity with others. Growing up immersed in her Chinese culture and cuisine, it was YoYo’s grandparents that first taught her the ways of making traditional dishes such as wrapping dumplings, making steamed buns and scallion pancakes. However through her love of food and curiosity to explore other Asian cuisines, YoYo is versed in Korean, Japanese, Pan Asian and South East Asian fare. From traditional dumplings to handmade noodles, to moon cakes and fried chicken, choose what you would like to cook with Chef Instructor YoYo.