MasterChef Australia star Jess Liemantara announces engagement to Nick Chen after elaborate Valentine’s Day proposal

By MARTA JARY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 12:10 GMT, 15 February 2025 | Updated: 12:23 GMT, 15 February 2025

Jess Liemantara is set to walk down the aisle.

The MasterChef Australia star announced the good news in an Instagram post on Saturday, after becoming engaged on Valentine’s Day. 

The 26-year-old flashed her diamond ring as she posed beside fiancé Nick Chen in a video shared to the social media platform.

Nick, who is a home loan specialist, set up an elaborate and romantic proposal that included a path lined with candles, rose petals and framed photos of the pair. 

It all led to a picnic set up with a bottle of champagne and a blanket, where he got down on one knee.  

‘I said yes!’ the pastry chef wrote in her caption alongside the moving video. 

Jess Liemantara is set to walk down the aisle. The MasterChef Australia star announced the good news in an Instagram post on Saturday, after becoming engaged on Valentine’s Day. The 26-year-old flashed her diamond ring as she posed beside fiancé Nick Chen. Both pictured

‘A beautiful night full of surprises, I am beyond grateful for my partner, someone I can now call my fiancé, for planning out such an incredible set up that left me in tears of joy’ she continued. 

‘We first met on the 15th of May 2022 at this specific park overlooking the view, spending the whole day together until the moon came up, to see how much we’ve flourished as a couple is nothing short of a blessing’ Jess went on. 

She then thanked her friends for ‘the subtle girls night that ended up with convincing me to get my nails done’. 

‘But most of all thankyou Nick my best friend, soul mate and love of my life’ she concluded. 

Jessica was a contestant on MasterChef Australia in season 10 in 2018 before returning for season 12 in 2020.

She placed fourth in season 10, before placing 12th on on season 12.

The chef was just 19 when she first appeared on MasterChef and was the youngest contestant on season 10. 

At the time, she revealed the show took an emotional toll.

Nick, who is a home loan specialist, set up an elaborate and romantic proposal that included a path lined with candles, rose petals and framed photos of the pair

Jessica was a contestant on MasterChef Australia in season 10 in 2018 before returning for season 12 in 2020

Speaking to PopSugar at the time, Jess said she ‘cried every day’ as a result of the pressure cooker environment.

Jess was back for Dessert Masters Australia for season one in 2023, where she placed third. 

‘Being a viewer is so different to actually being there. I can understand how much stress, hard work and passion these people put into the competition,’ Jess explained.

‘I think I cried every day about how badly I wanted to win and how it can really change someone’s life. I’m so glad to have experienced it,’ she added.  

Jess experienced mixed emotions during her tenure on the show.

‘It was good and bad’ the talented cook told the publication. 

‘The good was when you never expect to make it far, and the bad side is when you have a bad cook, you come home being regretful and thinking, how embarrassing’.

Also known as Jess Lemon, Jessica is a pastry chef, author and Head of Innovation and Development at Ned’s Bake in South Yarra, Victoria.  

She released her first cookbook in 2019, called A Zest of Jess. 

InstagramMasterchef Australia

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MasterChef Australia star Jess Liemantara announces engagement to Nick Chen after elaborate Valentine’s Day proposal

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