How passion and purpose have driven Masterchef’s Dan Churchill to global success

Many Aussies best remember Dan Churchill as the young fitness coach and ‘dude food’ proponent from season five of Masterchef Australia, but he’s come a long way since competing on the popular cooking show. He joined Adam Bub on the First Act podcast to share his inspiring journey from his dad’s kitchen to a globally-recognised chef and entrepreneur.

As one of three sporty brothers, exercise and food were always on a hungry young Dan Churchill’s mind. His foodie father, keen to teach his sons to cook as a life skill, implemented a cooking roster for his boys when Dan was 11 years old … and the rest is history.

Dan gained his Masters degree in Exercise Science and self-published his first cookbook, Dude Food, filled with easy recipes to encourage young ‘dudes’ to create healthy meals for themselves, all before the age of 23. By his 2013 stint on Masterchef Australia, there was no doubt in Dan’s mind that his future was in food.

“Masterchef was the one show we would watch together as a family,” Dan recalls fondly. “I thought it’d be a great crash course in learning more about cooking in a unique environment. It was a remarkable experience to learn from. I was genuinely shocked by how much the judges gave their time to us; it was amazing that I could ask questions. They don’t need to do that; their job is to essentially present on TV.

“That was a remarkable takeaway for me,” he says. “If you are passionate about food, I want to help you because it’s cool to see people in it for the right reasons. To this day, I still jump into some of the most amazing kitchens in the world and learn from some amazing chefs. This series has created passion and helped people at home, and now I do the same.”

Dan Churchill, owner of Charley St Café

Life after Masterchef

While Masterchef was a handy leg-up for Dan’s career, he admits he distanced himself from the show afterwards to cement his reputation as a serious chef.

“I say this very clearly; it’s not that I didn’t want to be associated with Masterchef,” Dan insists. “It was one of the best times in my life, but for my professional career to move forward, if I always were associated with that, people wouldn’t notice me for what my mission was.

“There are certain things you work hard for. A bit of fortune comes your way, but you do not take it for granted,” says Dan. “So, I dug my heels in and worked hard to be consistent with the content and brand I was putting out. I knew this was not a three-year plan but a rest-of-my-life plan. If I was dedicated to doing that for the rest of my life, I couldn’t be solely known for this one thing. So, I set about knowing what my vision would be and how I could action it.”

American ‘ego’ vs Australian tall poppy syndrome

Moving to the U.S. was a long-standing dream for Dan. Still, he admits infiltrating American food and media culture were not without its challenges as an Australian brought up under ‘tall poppy’ rules.

“The biggest lesson was how to communicate,” Dan says of his early times in the U.S. “Learning to be more direct and come across confidently has been the biggest challenge coming to America – speaking in media in a way that relates to the audience over here versus the audiences in Australia.

“In Australia, we have ‘tall poppy syndrome’, let’s face it. But in America, it’s not good to have that same mentality. They’re not here to see arrogance, but they are here to see confidence. So, when I was asked a question on live TV about succeeding well at a young age, I shrugged it off and delivered something very humble. It didn’t go down well because to broader America, it looks like this young man doesn’t think too much of himself and is not confident enough. Learning that has helped me change how I see the questions that are asked, not just on air but off it. It has been a humbling experience.”

Listen to Dan Churchill on the First Act podcast:

Passion drives decision-making

Since his move to the U.S., Dan has had one exciting opportunity after another. Now a globally-renowned chef, cookbook author and wellness coach, he is also the owner of the popular Charley St café in Nolita, New York, bringing Aussie brekky culture to the hungry American public. He’s also the host of The Epic Table podcast, chef and nutrition expert for Chris Hemsworth’s CENTR health advice app, and recently joined Australian Eau De Vie grape spirit brand, Feels Botanical, as a partner and major investor.

When deciding to start a breakfast café in the heart of New York’s Manhattan area, he admits, “The selfish answer is I wanted coffee that was awesome for the rest of my life. We often get the comment that Aussies do breakfast really well, so we wanted to help bring that Aussie influence to Manhattan and do it in our unique way, initially starting as a fast-casual and then navigating to a café concept. Now it’s evolved into having our own product line, which has paved a pretty exciting future for us.

“It’s more than just a café; it’s the vibe we provide and the social outing. People grab a coffee in the morning, chill out, and catch up with their mates before work. We all know this culture in Australia, but it’s not the same in the U.S., though it has gotten much better in the last six-and-a-half years. It’s awesome to be that coffee spot for people who need it,” Dan says.

On working with Chris Hemsworth’s team on his CENTR health advice app, Dan says a mutual passion for health and wellness brought them together.

“I remember chatting to Chris at a Tourism Australia event about health and fitness and food; then his team got in touch with me regarding the concept for his app. It’s an awesome role; I love it. It started as a good solid Australian company and has evolved into a global impact app. Ever since, it’s been a dream to work with fellow experts like Chris’ personal trainer, Luke Zocchi, and the team who produce the content. It’s one big happy family and an awesome team.”

Dan says teaming up as partner and investor in the Australian Eau De Vie grape spirit brand, Feels Botanical, is another passion-driven collaboration for him.

“It’s such a passionate opportunity for me; I’ve never done alcohol before. Everything from the look and feel was so Australian, and it just connected with me. Using a unique concept of creating the alcohol through the eau de vie process – which uses the natural sugars found in grapes – and using a sustainable fruit to do so; the kicker for me was that I’m passionate about sharing more about Indigenous Australians and the foods that are associated with them. It’s something that I cannot help but be super passionate about. Finding a product that connects to my country and uniquely – I don’t see it too often anywhere else. So, I think there’s a good point of difference in the market, and it has an impact. It’s a unique proposition, and at the same time, the product tastes fantastic.

“I’ve been offered opportunities to do things with companies in the past, but they’re very much transactional, whereas I feel this brand stands for everything that I want, which includes enjoyment and satisfaction.”

Health equals happiness

But does alcohol stand with Dan’s overall brand of healthy, holistic wellness? Dan says his philosophy has never been about abstinence but rather health on all fronts.

“I often talk about unrestricted choices,” Dan explains. “What I mean by that is we often associate health with having steamed broccoli and the most basic grilled chicken. It’s healthy. Well, health encompasses so much more than we used to envision with simple nutrition and physical activity. We have social health and the endocrine system, which is responsible for our hormones. Some people are very spiritual, and that’s a big part of their lives. So, to be ultimately healthy, we have to be somewhat happy.

“In order to have that balance and release the serotonin and endorphins to our brain, which light up when we enjoy a beautiful pasta dish or our favourite vegetable, you have to allow that to happen. So, sitting down and enjoying a beverage, or something that may not be considered the best for you nutritionally, encompasses what health on a holistic scale stands for.”

Dan shares lots more insight into his journey from his dad’s kitchen to global foodie entrepreneur in this episode of First Act – listen now!

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