Before MasterChef, before any celebrity chefs, stood one woman Anastasia (Tess) Mallos, a child of Greek immigrants who taught Australian’s for the very first time how to be adventurous with their palate and eat ‘foreign food’.
Mallos passed away, aged 79, but not before leaving a stamp on Australian food and the way we eat. She authored over 16 cookbooks, including the bestseller The Complete Middle East Cookbook and also pioneered television food presenting.
Even though it is estimated that the author sold more around 1.5 to 2 million cookbooks worldwide, it’s her impact on the way Australian’s eat and watching it progress over the years that bought her the most satisfaction.
Mallos is survived by her husband John, children George, Anthony and Suzanne, five grandchildren and siblings Ellen and Tony.