Tim Bone is swapping the school kitchen garden for the small screen.
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The Yuille Park Community College integration aid runs the school's Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program and this week fulfils a dream of cooking on MasterChef.
"It's something I have always wanted to have a go at but haven't had had the confidence to apply," he said.
"I finally worked up the courage to apply for this season and made the judge's audition when I got to go down and cook for the judges, which was very nerve wracking."
The MasterChef hopeful's love of fresh, home-grown food flows through to his cooking.
"My style of cooking is home-style food done well and I try to pack as much flavour in to things to elevate it as much as I can."
That passion for fresh, tasty food is passed on to pupils at Yuille Park who spend up to two hours a week working in the garden then get to harvest and cook the fruits and vegetables they have grown.
"I love teaching kids about healthy eating and getting them to appreciate where food comes from ... that it doesn't come from a packet or a McDonalds' box," he said.
"We go back to the kitchen and cook with the produce or eat it straight away."
Food grown in the garden is also used in the school's cafe, which opens every Thursday. "The parents and families come in, all the students run it and they serve the food, help cook it, make the coffee ... it's great life experience," he said.
"We've even had former students go on to be baristas or go in to hospitality."
Mr Bone said watching children try something new, and enjoy it, was one of the highlights of his role as was feedback from families that children were encouraging them to eat new foods at home.
"We've got a big problem now days with childhood obesity. The goal of the garden program is getting kids to enjoy food and try different things and not just be pigeonholed in to eating processed junk. We're giving kids an appreciation of fruit, vegetables and quality foods that taste delicious.
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"It's amazing when new kids start the program and you can tell a few of them are apprehensive about trying new things but once you get them to have a try and realise they are actually kind of tasty it gives them a new appreciation of eating food."
MasterChef airs on Channel 10 from April 29.
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