From YouTube Fame To The Great Australian Bake Off: Natalie Tran Relishes The Sweet Taste Of TV Success

If there were certain ingredients that would make for an entertaining cooking show host, they'd be a sense of humour, familiarity with the camera, and of course, a love of food. As someone who effortlessly embodies all of these with more than 15 years in the public eye, Aussie comedian Natalie Tran makes for a refreshing and welcome addition to The Great Australian Bake Off.

The 36-year-old will co-host the reality TV show's sixth season alongside fellow comedian, Cal Wilson — a gig she never dreamed of having, though obviously couldn't say no to when it was offered to her.

"When we watch cooking shows, we all want to be on them," Tran tells Refinery29 Australia. "I usually pay for cake, so it's exciting to be paid to be around cake for a change," she laughs.

The beloved baking show has undergone a major shakeup this year, with not only two fresh hosts, but two new judges as well. British cook Rachel Khoo and acclaimed Australian pastry chef Darren Purchese replace the show's most recent judges, Maggie Beer and Matt Moran. Just as two Asian women are in the hosting and judging panels, the cast of 12 amateur bakers hailing from places such as Singapore, Sri Lanka and Lebanon, is also very reflective of multicultural Australia.

Seeing this is particularly important to Tran, who grew up in western Sydney as the daughter of refugees who came to Australia from Vietnam in 1981.

"I grew up in the western suburbs [of Sydney], and I think seeing any kind of diversity is very normal. I think to not see it is actually abnormal," she explains.

"So, honestly, seeing a mix of people is very comforting. I think if I were ever on a show and didn't see that, I'd be very uncomfortable."

Describing food as "an international language", Tran says viewers will see the power of food to convey emotion, personal stories and culture. One of her personal highlights during filming was seeing a contestant using durian — a fruit commonly consumed in many parts of Asia — in their cooking. She also admired watching judge Khoo, a fellow Asian woman, demonstrate cooking techniques that reminded her of her own upbringing.

"I get very emotional seeing that kind of stuff," says Tran. "Australia now is very different to what it was before. So, it's wonderful to see people so proud of their backstories, talking about them openly and being encouraged to bring them to the table.

"For one of her techniques, Rachel brings a special dish. To see a dish that was similar to something I'd grown up with being highlighted on screen, was very special."

Since launching her popular YouTube page called 'CommunityChannel' in 2006, Tran's career has taken some unexpected but welcome turns over the years. She made her acting debut on Netflix teen drama, Heartbreak High, last year, before landing this job that perfectly serves her inner foodie. To this day, Tran still gets recognised from her YouTube era, mainly by Aussie millennials.

"YouTube was so different back then," she reflects. "I feel very close to most of the people who I've met who say, 'I used to watch you', because I guess we shared something... it was a bit more of a community at the time."

Community and positivity are also what makes The Great Australian Bake Off the heartwarming watch it is. "I think we all have a varying degree of passion towards cooking and food," she says.

So whether it's her long-time YouTube followers, dedicated Bake Off viewers or a batch of new audience members, she promises the show will cater for all appetites.