My name is Kim; I’m a mother of three and a restaurateur. My journey began when I was 12 years old, helping my brother cook in the kitchen. I’ve been working in all types of restaurants in various roles since I was 15 years old. I’ve been a waitress, a bartender, a kitchen hand, an assistant manager and eventually a manager. Working in restaurants gave me not only a love for food but a love for people.

After completing my double degree I worked as a real estate agent then moved into property management. During this time, my love for food grew—I would always find a reason to cook, even if I was working six, sometimes even seven, days a week. When I was 29, I had my first child and decided to become a stay-at-home mum. I liked to cook different cuisines for my family. The kitchen made me calm. This is when my dream of opening a café or restaurant came about.

On May 20, 2017, I joined My Kitchen Rules (MKR) and fought my way to the finals. My time on MKR taught me that reality TV is not what it seems on TV. I learned how to compromise, how to cook under competition pressure, under harsh time constraints, and in different types of conditions. I learned problem-solving, how to present food professionally and what running a restaurant would be like. Along the way I met so many wonderful people who were part of my MKR journey and are still a part of my life now. They’ve been very supportive of my becoming a restaurateur. If you ask me what I gained most being on MKR, I’d say it was the confidence to open Ms Kim.