Iwaidja man Robbie Cooper takes on Masterchef challenge

A Northern Territory youth worker will swap paperwork for kitchen utensils in a bid to win the latest round of Masterchef. Meet the Darwin footy legend ready to do us proud.

Robbie Cooper will be on Masterchef.

A Darwin footy legend and youth support worker will be cooking up a storm on national television this year.

Iwaidja man Robbie Cooper is entering the MasterChef kitchen to share his cooking talents and is Indigenous culture and history.

At 65, Cooper is the eldest of the challengers on this year’s series, which kicks off on May 1 at 7.30pm on the 10 Network.

One of six children, Cooper was raised in Darwin and grew up to be an AFL and rugby league player.

When he’s not fishing, boxing or kicking the footy around, he’s helping the Territory’s young people navigate a supported bail program.

Cooper’s ancestory is Indigenous, Torres Strait Islander, Malaysian, Indonesian and Filipino - and all of this heritage can be found in his cooking, which he calls Aboriginal Asian fusion.

Expect the dad of 10 and granddad to 14 kids to whip up awesome curries and to make the best of seafood throughout his Masterchef journey.

Cooper’s country is at the Wiligi Outstation in West Arnhem Land, which is nestled on the Cobourg Peninsula and overlooking the Arafua Sea.

When at home, Cooper fishes and hunts, collects oysters, spears stingrays and catches crabs. He also has a vegetable patch and grows tropical fruit trees.

Originally published as Iwaidja man Robbie Cooper takes on Masterchef challenge