A favourite on the MasterChef show, Marion Grasby has since carved a successful name for herself as one of Australia’s best-loved chefs. Off the back of her beautifully designed cookbook, Marion: Recipes and Stories from a Hungry Cook, in 2011, Marion is also set to appear on the next season of Celebrity Apprentice.
MY IDEAL KITCHEN WOULD HAVE … space! I spend so much time in my kitchen I prefer an open-plan style where I can see the dining and lounge room while I’m slicing and dicing. I’d also love to have two ovens.
EVERY KITCHEN SHOULD HAVE … a cook! No point in having a kitchen if no-one wants to use it.
MY KITCHEN AT HOME HAS … a U-shaped bench that wraps around my kitchen, which means I can move about and access pots, pans, the stove and sink without too much trouble. It’s also right in the hub of our living space so when we have friends for dinner it becomes the main entertaining area as people watch and chat while I cook.
THE INGREDIENTS I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT ARE … coriander, chillies, garlic, fish sauce and mint. Having grown up with a Thai mother, I simply wouldn’t be able to live without these ingredients. Plus, I’d never be able to make my favourite Thai dishes.
MY TOP FIVE KITCHEN ESSENTIALS ARE … a sharp knife, a mortar and pestle, a good frying pan, a stock pot and an efficient dishwasher.

COCONUT AND KAFFIR LIME PANNA COTTA WITH STRAWBERRIES AND LIME SYRUP
• MAKES 6
2 cups coconut cream
1½ cups pouring single cream
¼ cup white sugar
8 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced
3 sheets gold-strength (6g) gelatine leaves
250g strawberries, hulled and sliced
LIME SYRUP
½ cup white sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp lime juice
1. Put the coconut cream, cream, sugar and kaffir lime leaves in a saucepan over low heat, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for five minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes for the lovely kaffir lime fragrance to infuse.
2. Return the pan to low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water until softened. Gather up the gelatine in the palm of your hand and squeeze out the excess water. Whisk the gelatine into the coconut cream mixture until dissolved. Strain into a pouring jug and discard the lime leaves.
3. Pour into your choice of glass tumblers, martini glasses or even plastic cups for a more laid-back affair. If you use about half a cup per serve, then you’ll have enough for six. Refrigerate for at least four hours or until set.
4. For the lime syrup, heat the sugar and half a cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir through the lime zest and juice. Set aside until ready to serve.
5. Just before serving, toss the strawberries in the lime syrup. Top each panna cotta with a spoonful of the strawberries and a drizzle of lime syrup.