ICMS Bachelor of Business Alumnus Jack Hosking Competes on MasterChef Australia

ICMS alumnus Jack Hosking is currently competing on MasterChef Australia, one of the country’s most watched cooking competition series.  

Jack, who founded his own marketing company after graduating in 2018, says his time at ICMS gave him the confidence and practical skills that shaped both his career and his willingness to take a chance on the show. 

From Manly to the MasterChef Kitchen

Jack’s love of cooking started young.  

“Cooking became a passion of mine when I was around 12 years old, watching MasterChef with my Nan,” he said.  

“We used to recreate recipes from the show together, and from there my love for food just kept growing.” 

He attended Radford College and after graduating from ICMS, life got busy.  

Jack says he stepped back from cooking for a while during and after college, but the passion eventually returned.  

“Once life settled down a little, my passion for cooking came back stronger than ever,” he said.  

“Applying for MasterChef felt like the perfect opportunity to challenge myself and pursue something I genuinely love.” 

Three Standout Moments on the Show

Jack points to three highlights from his time in the competition so far. 

The first was earning his apron.  

“Winning my apron to get into the competition meant so much to me because just getting to that stage felt like a mammoth journey in itself,” he said. 

The second came during a dessert challenge alongside Catherine Zhang, where he drew inspiration from chef Callum Hann and Hann’s cooking school, Sprout.  

“To now call him a friend is a real pinch-me moment and I’m so glad I made him proud on that day,” Jack said. 

His third highlight was a team relay challenge.  

“It was one of the challenges that genuinely scared all of us, so to perform well under pressure and come away with the win gave me a huge amount of confidence and self-belief,” he said. 

ICMS Built the Foundation

Before MasterChef, Jack built a career in marketing that traces directly back to his student days.  

While studying Bachelor of Business at ICMS, he ran his own social media business, an experience he describes as hands-on preparation for everything that followed. 

“ICMS gave me the skills and confidence to build something of my own, and balancing study with running a business taught me a lot about discipline, communication and problem-solving,” he said. 

He went on to found his own marketing company after graduating and credits the Bachelor of Business degree with giving him tools that work across industries.  

“I genuinely think it’s one of the best degrees you can choose because business skills are transferable to almost any industry,” Jack said.  

“The course taught me how businesses operate, how to think strategically, and gave me the confidence to take risks.” 

MasterChef Australia contestant Jack Hosking at the 2018 ICMS Graduation

His Advice to Current Students

Jack has a clear message for ICMS students watching him on screen: back yourself. 

“My biggest piece of advice would be: take a risk, especially while you’re young,” he said.  

“It’s very easy to sit back and wonder ‘what if?’, but if you back yourself, step outside your comfort zone and have a go, you might surprise yourself with what you’re capable of achieving.” 

Why He Recommends ICMS

Jack recommends ICMS without hesitation, and not only for the academic experience.  

He singles out the global network he built and the lifestyle of studying in Manly at the Northern Beaches Campus. 

“Studying at ICMS and living in Manly was one of the best experiences of my life,” he said.  

“What stands out most to me is the network of people I built from all over the world. Even now, when I travel, I still catch up with friends I met at ICMS and it feels like no time has passed.” 

He adds that the professional value of that network has been just as significant.  

“While ICMS definitely gives you the skills and knowledge to succeed, the relationships and connections you build are just as important.  

“In business, sometimes it’s not only what you know, it’s who you know, and ICMS offers both.”

Jack was recently eliminated from the show, congratulations for making it this far, ICMS is proud of what he has achieved. 

Disclaimer: Jack Hosking’s career path and personal outcomes reflect his individual experience as an ICMS graduate. Results, career pathways, and experiences will vary between students.