Jess Hodge transforms passion into new perspectives, on MasterChef, travel and designing with Country.

When the COVID lockdowns hit Sydney, landscape architect Jess Hodge turned to cooking for stress relief, discovering a talent that got her into Season 13 of Masterchef Australia. 

Her passion for plants and food sparked a hunger to learn about native ingredients and collaborate with Indigenous knowledge holders. Now, Jess is principal landscape architect at Yerrabingin, a Designing with Country practice in Sydney. She shares the milestones, mentors and attitudes that helped shape her unconventional career journey. Find out how to ride waves of opportunity, keep an eye out for burnout, and what to do when a prime minister walks out of your presentation.