MANY people think Lina Siciliano is the master chef of Melbourne’s west.

“Everybody lines up to come here to help harvest grapes, because we pay them back by cooking them a meal,” said her husband Tony.

On the couple’s Rose Creek Estate in Keilor East, they harvest grapes to make into wine and olives from which they create olive oil.

In addition, Lina is known for her home cooking, which uses vegetables and herbs she grows herself.

Earlier this year, one of the Sicilianos’ daughters sent an application to the hit television show MasterChef on behalf of her mother.

“I got a call at two in the morning saying, ‘Congratulations, we selected you to audition for MasterChef.’ I said, ‘I’m in Italy!’” Mrs Siciliano said.

Due to being overseas and a 24-hour flight home, she could not attend the MasterChef try-outs, but hopes to apply again if there is another series. The family’s land and its 300 olive trees have been part of state’s annual olive festival for the past nine years.

The event was on again last Sunday, giving Mr Siciliano an opportunity to show the public his passion for the olive oil creation process.

Although he is a painter by trade, the 67-year-old became interested in making olive oil when he saw the big production factories in his Italian home town of Varapodi.

After moving to Australia at 21, he imported a European machine to help with his olive-oil making hobby.

He turned professional around 15 years ago, after entering the Rose Creek Estate olive oil contests and taking out several prizes.

His passion for the land has helped keep him healthy throughout his more mature years.

“I am always outside with the rotary hoe. I am pretty fit,” Mr Siciliano said.

Rose Creek Estate will be open to the public as part of the national Open Garden Scheme in February.