Emily Sue’s life-changing surgery shock that led her to MasterChef Australia

Emily Sue is a constant ray of positivity in the MasterChef Australia kitchen. But behind her newfound zest for life is a frightening health scare that completely changed her perspective.

“I went in for a short surgery because I had a fist-sized fibroid, but when they opened me up, they realised I had stage four endometriosis,” Emily, 37, tells TV WEEK.

“It went from a two-hour surgery to an eight-hour surgery. My partner thought I had died on the operating table.”

Emily met Hidemi when she was teaching English in Japan. (Image: Supplied)

The terrifying experience became the push she needed to finally apply for MasterChef.

“It made me realise you only get one chance at life,” she explains.

“I’m always teaching young people to really go for gold, so I thought I should give MasterChef a shot too.”

The Sydney youth worker discovered her passion for helping others after studying psychology and later working in a 24-hour youth rehabilitation unit supporting young people battling addiction.

“Every day there was something happening,” she recalls. “Our job was teaching them life skills like budgeting money, hygiene and cooking. I found it really rewarding helping them learn simple but important skills that could help get them out of difficult situations – but still, it can be hard, and you have to be wary of burnout.”

The Sydney youth worker also helps teach cooking skills. (Image: MasterChef)

Her passion for helping others also took her overseas where she taught English and met her partner, Hidemi, while living in Japan.

“We thought we would just be friends because neither of us believed in long distance,” she says with a grin.

“But it just felt right, and now she’s moved to Australia.”

Emily is proud of herself for stepping outside her comfort zone to go on the show. (Image: MasterChef)

For Emily, who is of Chinese heritage, coming out to her more traditional family was initially difficult – but things have changed over time.

“It’s very hard in Asian families when you come out,” Emily admits. “But when they met her, they realised she is genuinely just a nice person who wants to help everyone.

“My dad doesn’t really speak much English, but he’s tried to speak to her in English, and my partner is learning Cantonese to speak to my dad. So I think she’s got the big fat tick of approval.”