Masterchef star Reece Hignell on the power of precision and why it's time to embrace vegan baking

Baking and family

'Cake boi' Reece Hignell on the special way he honours his late nan.

Cook Reece Hignell (aka ‘Cake Boi’) opens up about his baking inspiration, processing grief and why he went vegan.

You went from being a guy who likes to bake, to becoming a star on Masterchef’s 10th season and its series. How have you handled being in the public eye since rising to national TV fame? 

I went on a show to do something I really love, and I’ve been lucky enough to do it a couple of times, which has given me a bit of exposure. If someone comes up to me and says hi, I think that’s the ultimate blessing. That won’t be the case for the rest of my life. So while it is, I just like to embrace it, treat people with kindness and receive each little interaction with gratitude.

Your love of baking originally came from your late nan, Heather, who you shared a close relationship with. In what ways did she inspire you?

In every way! The second time I appeared on [on its season], I’d be on the phone every night calling her for tips. Every time she’d make something, it would taste exactly the same, and when I would try, it would be different. I’d be on the phone to her after filming, and she’d say things like, “Reece, did you use a metal bowl or another bowl?” That’s how I realised how precise she was. She mentored me throughout the process. 

Your nan passed away just days before an episode aired where you recreated her sponge cake. How did you process your grief, and how did her passing affect your career? 

It was rough, even thinking about it now, I’m feeling upset. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through. I decided to dedicate my career to her, which helped me move past some of my grief and replace it with pride. My biggest fear was that all these amazing things she made would no longer be around. So I made it my mission to make them, and to perfect them, which turned into my mini cake empire here in Newcastle, Cake Boi. 

You opened Cake Boi and authored a cookbook Cakeboi: A Collection of Classic Bakes. How do you go about setting goals and achieving them?

I do have a process. Once I think it’s the direction I want to go in, I vocalise it, whether it’s to myself or others. Once I’ve said my goal out loud, I feel obligated to do it and I hold myself accountable. 

Your next cookbook is called Cakeboi Goes Vegan: 60 Classic, Plant-Based Bakes. Why was it so important to you to do a vegan baking book? 

About four or five years ago, I started trialling a plant-based diet, and it worked for me. I committed to doing it full-time, which led me to experimenting with cakes, because, well, I wanted cake! After some trial and error, I started to make really good ones and posted the recipes online. The reaction has been so great that it made sense to do a book and share them. 

You joined the 2024 cast of , which returns to Channel 10 this month. How did you mentally prepare yourself for that experience?

I don’t think you ever can, because you never know what they’re going to throw at you. I did feel as though I went into this competition not as a contestant, but as a professional. I’ve created my own brand and style and what I think is worthy of being up next to the best. That was my mentality going in… but you don’t ever know what’s on the other side of that door. 

Cakeboi Goes Vegan: 60 Classic, Plant-Based Bakes by Reece Hignell, $33.74 from amazon.com.au

Cakeboi Goes Vegan: 60 Classic, Plant-Based Bakes by Reece Hignell, $33.74 from amazon.com.au

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Originally published as Masterchef star Reece Hignell on the power of precision and why it's time to embrace vegan baking