Growing up in Sydney's Nothern beaches, Hayden Quinn set a few hearts aflutter on MasterChef, with viewers and contestants alike being drawn to this talented surfie with equal enthusiasm for the beach and great food. Learning to cook from his mum at a young age, we ask Hayden about his confidence in the kitchen and positive attitude towards life.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt about yourself in the past year?

That I have been able influence people's lives by being myself and having a positive attitude towards life.

What is the best thing you've learnt about food in the past year?

That it is one thing that can really bring people together. I guess I already knew this but in the last year this has really been evident to me on a grand scale. Food is fun, food is people and people love sharing.

What three tips do you have for at home cooks?

Have a sharp knife, don't follow the recipe and enjoy.

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What's your ideal dinner date meal?

Man date equals steak and ribs (nothing wrong with going out to dinner with a mate), lady date equals anything from Sake Restaurant and Bar, The Rocks (Sean Presland always makes that special for me).

What's your fall-back dish to impress people?

A massive paella.

What's the last thing you cooked for friends?

here.

What initiatives have you been working on lately?

I have been extremely busy since finishing up on MasterChef, things really haven't stopped. There are a number of bigger projects underway, one of which I will hopefully be able to share with everyone before the end of the year (#haydencooks). I have been lucky enough to be working with Murdoch Books and have just released my first eBook, Hayden Cooks Summer which is the first instalment of a three part series which will be available in a print version by 2013. Hayden Cooks Summer is a collection of some of my favourite summer dishes, where they have come from and why they are special to me. Super simple to create and focused around sharing and having a good time. The eBook is available on iTunes and Amazon along with a number of other eTailers and on a wide range of platforms. Also throughout the summer I am going to be working as part of the Channel TEN Sport Commentary Team on the Kellogs Nutrigrain Ironman Series which kicks off this weekend (18th Dec) and runs for six rounds over Summer. It is great to be able to show a number of different sides to myself and let people know that food is just one of my many passions I take on smaller projects where I am able to cook for different people in different situations, one of which was for the LG Life's Good Project, cooking down at Bondi Beach which was great fun. I have also been doing work experience at a few different restaurants including Ormeggio on The Spit and also at Patisse in Waterloo, which has been great to further my knowledge in food.

What do you have planned for the next year?

In the next year I want to get away and do a little travelling, surf somewhere new, eat something interesting and share the experience with a few people when I get home.

What dish or cuisine do you want to master?

I want to work more on my desserts and maybe get a little more finesse down on my French cookery.

What would you like a girl to cook for you?

Mum cooks for me most nights so I'm pretty lucky there! Ha-ha. But I think if a girl was to cook for me I would be fairly stoked. Sometimes I have trouble making decisions, especially when it comes to food so if someone can take that out of my hands I would be extremely happy no matter what it is!

Related: Watch a sneak preview into Hayden cooks summer.