G'day, I'm Hayden.

I'm a cook, surfer and food adventurer, and a proud Northern Beaches local. I live in Sydney with my wife Jax and daughter Rosie. I studied marine biology, so it's no surprise that if I'm not in the kitchen, I'm probably in the water surfing or swimming, or out on the trails with Vipers Run Club (opens in a new tab).

It all started back in 2011 with a life-changing application to MasterChef Australia. I cooked my way through season three, then came back for All Stars and Back to Win. Since then I've judged Family Food Fight, written my cookbook Dish It Up, and taken my cooking on the road with Surfing the Menu and Hayden Quinn South Africa.

These days, my main gig is Taste of Australia with Hayden Quinn (opens in a new tab). I created it, I host it and I executive produce it. Eight seasons and two BBQ specials in, it's taken me from Darwin to Hobart and Sydney to Albany. I get to meet the growers, makers and local characters behind our food, then cook with whatever makes each place special. You can watch all eight seasons on SBS Food (opens in a new tab).

My food is simple, fresh, vibrant and packed with flavour, made with local ingredients you can actually find. It's the kind of food you'll want to cook on a Tuesday night that'll still impress at a dinner party. I reckon the best way to eat is to share it with friends, with a few stories and a good laugh along the way. And it's all about balance, so there's always room for a little treat.

I'm lucky to work with some great long-term partners, including Jeep, who I've been with since 2011, and Woolworths, since 2024. Away from the camera, I co-own The Cube Gym (opens in a new tab) and Studio Maybe (opens in a new tab), the studio where I shoot my recipes. I'm also an Ambassador Investor in Hard Fizz (opens in a new tab), and a proud ambassador for the Starlight Children's Foundation (opens in a new tab) and the LifeChanger Foundation (opens in a new tab).

Thanks for stopping by. Grab a recipe and get cooking!