We’re well into MasterChef Australia‘s 16th Season and I’m sure you’ve been following along closely. But if you’re not caught up on all the deets, here’s a cheeky guide on the 2024 cast!
The iconic — and surprisingly generous — cooking show is well into its 16th season and fans are eating up every single episode like it’s a tasty dish prepared by one of the amateur chefs themselves.
In case you’re joining the season late, or you’ve been following along closely but want a lil recap of what’s gone down, we’re serving up every single deet you may have missed.
Here’s everything we know about MasterChef Australia‘s 2024 season so far!
Table of contents
- Where is MasterChef Australia 2024 filmed?
- Where to watch MasterChef Australia 2024
- What day and time will MasterChef Australia be on?
- Latest MasterChef Australia News & Rumours
- When does MasterChef Australia 2024 start?
- Who are the Masterchef Australia judges?
- Who are the MasterChef Australia contestants for 2024?
- Is there a trailer for MasterChef Australia Season 16?
Where is Masterchef Australia 2024 filmed?
MasterChef Australia‘s 16th season was filmed in its studio kitchens, in Centenary Hall in the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds. However, there will also be three episodes where contestants will head overseas to Hong Kong.
Where to watch MasterChef Australia 2024
You can watch MasterChef Australia 2024 on Channel 10. You can also stream it on 10 Play.
What day and time will MasterChef Australia be on?
MasterChef Australia kicked off on Monday April 22 at 7.30pm and airs every week from Sunday to Wednesday at 7.30pm AEST.
Latest MasterChef Australia News & Rumours
July 1, 2024
MasterChef Australia contestant Savindiri ‘Sav’ Perera shared that she almost didn’t go on the show due to body dysmorphia issues.
In a touching statement to social media, Sav opened up about her struggles and admitted that she was scared to appear on TV.
“I’m not skinny and pretty like TV personalities usually are. I am blunt and direct and I knew the audience [would have] a problem with it. It is sometimes really, really hard for me to watch myself purely because of the intense fatphobia I have towards myself,” Sav shared.
The 30-year-old banking consultant hoped that sharing her story would empower other people who are being held back by the same challenges.
“I hope you know, you should do what you wanna do anyway. I hope it doesn’t stop you from going where you want to go,” Sav closed her statement.
June 30, 2024
MasterChef Australia 2024 brought back the infamous Time Auction Challenge, which saw Lachlan cop the chopping block from this year’s season.
For folks who aren’t familiar with the Time Auction Challenge, contestants must bid on ingredients using their cooking time. Although Lochy came out of the auction with the most time, he was sent home for his lamb kofta, paired with beetroot purée, roasted carrot and sweet potato chips.
The MasterChef judging panel loved his dish, but it was the lack of cohesiveness that sent him home.
Despite his MasterChef journey being cut short, Lochy has continued to chase his culinary passions, revealing that he’d like to host pop-ups across the country.
June 27, 2024
Have you ever wondered how much dosh the contestants on MasterChef Australia make? Or what the prize is?
Well, PEDESTRIAN.TV has done some sneaky stalking and unearthed a bunch of tea about how much MasterChef Australia judges and contestants make, as well as the celebrity guests.
On top of that tea, MasterChef Australia judge Jean-Christophe Novelli was roasted for calling okra “the most boring ingredient on the planet.”
LMAO, I can just hear my Lola running out with a backscratcher over this comment. You take it back, mister man!
June 26, 2024
MasterChef Australia fans notice a cheeky little detail in this season’s special where the remaining contestants were flown to Hong Kong for an immunity challenge.
Alongside the Hong Kong mystery detail, a spokesperson from Network 10 also spilled on why there was only one Immunity Pin Challenge in this year’s season as well as why Katy Perry‘s “Hot N Cold” was no longer the theme song.
June 25, 2024
MasterChef Australia fans have come up with theories as to why Savindri ‘Sav’ Perera was unable to join the rest of the remaining contestants in Hong Kong.
At the start of the Hong Kong episode, MasterChef judge Andy Allen shared that she wouldn’t be joining them due to “personal reasons”. Don’t fret! Allen reassured the group that they would reunite with their fellow participant back in Oz.
June 24, 2024
MasterChef Australia fans are frothing the differing opinions amongst the judges this season. Specifically the differences between MasterChef icon Poh Ling Yeow and Sofi Levin in the eggs and bacon reinvention test.
“[This] opinion division between judges [hasn’t been] seen in a very long time,” one fan shared. on Reddit.
June 19, 2024
In a surprise elimination challenge, the remaining MasterChef Australia contestants were asked to transform the classic bacon and eggs dish.
This year’s sauce boss Sumeet was the cook who unfortunately faced the chopping block for her egg, bacon and blue cheese stuffed naan.
You see, the 46-year-old took a risk by using frozen eggs in her naan to avoid overcooking the bad bois. But instead of overcooking the eggs, the naan was featured a bunch of inconsistencies.
Although she lost this year’s season, at least she was able to have her Italian-Indian simmer sauce sold in Coles. How cool!
June 18, 2024
In Hugh Allen‘s pressure test, contestants were tasked in recreating a Banksia pod made out of macadamia and wattleseed mousse, an espresso gel with a chocolate and macadamia base, chocolate caramel stem and tuile leaves.
Unfortunately, it was 27-year-old Alex who was sent home for her recreation of the difficult dessert.
Allen’s Banksia pod extravaganza was also clowned on social media after some folks reckoned it looked like poo. IDK y’all, I’d still eat it because I’m a sucker for macadamia!
June 17, 2024
Online recipe GOAT and author Nagi Maehashi blessed us with her presence for MasterChef Australia‘s biggest Mystery Box Challenge.
For folks who don’t know who Maehashi is, she’s the founder of RecipeTin Eats and the author Dinner, which both feature easy-to-make and cheap recipes for everyday folk!
Unfortunately, Prince Dozer — her beloved dog — was not in attendance for the taste tests!
June 16, 2024
The latest MasterChef Australia contestant to be eliminated was Gillian for her Vietnamese coffee créme caramel with coconut cream and a sesame tulie.
ICYMI: This week was Sweet Week, so it’s been desserts non stop!
In this week’s elimination challenge, the remaining contestants were tasked with creating a coffee-inspired sweet treat. When it was time to serve up her créme caramel, Gill admitted that she didn’t drink coffee.
“It was like being slapped in the face from the start of Sweet Week to then, here you go! Here’s an ingredient that you don’t drink and never loved eating, trying, consuming,” she shared.
Although the taste was pretty good, our MasterChef Australia panel noticed that the caramel itself was overcooked and “grainy.”
Unfortunately, the taste wasn’t enough to save her from the chopping block.
June 12, 2024
As we inch closer to the MasterChef Australia top 10, viewers are already making their predictions for this year’s winner.
June 11, 2024
MasterChef Australia Redditors have conjured up a cheeky little drinking game to play when the show is on.
BEWARE: It’ll fuck ya up if you binge all the aired episodes that are out right now!
June 9, 2024
After a brutal plant-based challenge, Josh C was eliminated for his carrot steak and jus.
In this week’s elimination challenge, the MasterChef Australia contestants had to celebrate meat without using any animal-based product. So, no eggs, no meat, no butter, no nothing!
Josh dished up a carrot steak alongside a jus. Although the meal looked delectable, the 27-year-old admitted that he “wasn’t very confident” in what he dished up.
Unfortunately, the carrot steak did not translate with our MasterChef Australia judges, with Andy Allen saying Josh “missed the brief by so much.”
While one-half of the MasterChef Australia were sobbing over Josh’s elimination, the other half noticed that Josh ‘Pezza’ Perry was nowhere to be seen in the last couple of episodes.
Thankfully, his time on the show isn’t over just yet! According to Network 10 spokesperson, Pezza sat out of a couple of challenges due to his health. He has since returned to the MasterChef limelight.
June 7, 2024
In this year’s MasterChef Australia sauce challenge, it was Sumeet‘s InTalian simmer sauce that won the judges over!
Not only was she awarded immunity, but her Indian-Italian fusion sauce was made available on Coles shelves for a limited time.
Grab it while it’s hot!
June 5, 2024
After a difficult cook-along challenge with Curtis Stone, Sue was the next contestant to be dropped from the MasterChef Australia competition.
In this challenge, contestants had to follow along with the celebrity chef as he cooked one of his classic dishes: a spice rubbed pork with smoked beetroot and hasselback potatoes.
Throughout the challenge, Sue struggled to keep up, resulting in her dish featuring a bunch of issues. Sue’s spuds were “undercooked”, her cabbage was “burnt” whilst “having a bite” and the pork was “overdone”.
The 38-year-old mother described the cook-along challenge as “traumatising”. However, it didn’t stop her love for the culinary arts.
Alongside Sue’s elimination, a MasterChef Australia fan group lit up with complaints over the contestants cooking the same thing over and over again.
June 2, 2024
After a two-round elimination challenge, and a cheeky cameo from celebrity chef Rick Stein, it was “mad scientist” David who was sent packing.
In round one, David dished up tuna with a raspberry and apple purée. Unfortunately, his first meal wasn’t a favourite amongst the judges as the fish was “overpowered” by the raspberry flavour.
In the second round, the “mad scientist” served a hot smoked salmon with a side of couscous and fennel salad.
Although the fish was cooked to perfection, it wasn’t enough to save David from the chopping block.
Following his MasterChef Australia journey, David told 10Play that he’s been working on his food dream while keeping busy with his full-time job.
May 28, 2024
After a brutal four-hour pressure test where the MasterChef Australia folk were tasked with recreating Darren Purchese‘s “Cherry Blossom” dessert, it was Savindri who was sent home.
But just like the WWE’s Undertaker, Savindri wasn’t eliminated that long.
The banking consultant clawed her way back into the MasterChef Australia race after winning the redemption challenge by cooking up a Sri Lankan feast that featured black pork curry, coconut milk prawn, chive and coconut sambal, deep-fried cashews and curry leaves, eggplant and mustard pickle, creamy potato curry and rice.
Oh, mate. I AM STARVING.
May 26, 2024
In this episode of MasterChef Australia, it was 62-year-old tour guide Stephen who faced the chopping block. But on the lighter side, viewers were graced with the presence of TikTok chef and culinary world DIVA (in the best way possible) Mikiko Terasaki, who made her iconic omurice dish.
After watching Mikiko on an oversized phone (LOL what in the world), the contestants were tasked with serving up eggs in a “clever and creative” way within 75 minutes.
Stephen chose to cook up twice-cooked tempura eggs with miso sauce. Unfortunately for our tour guide king, only one of the eggs had that IG-worthy ooze.
The lack of ooze was what sent our friend home, with the judges noting it “ruined the whole dish.”
May 21, 2024
Although viewers got to feast their eyes on Anna Polyviou, her desserts and perfectly quaffed hair, it was Snezana who was eliminated from the MasterChef Australia comp.
In Anna Polyviou’s pressure test, contestants were challenged to recreate one of her iconic desserts titled “Sunny Side Up”.
This dessert featured a brown sugar sponge, caramelised bacon, passionfruit curd, sourdough mousse, coconut panna cotta and pabana yolk. UGH, get it in me.
Unfortunately for Snezana, the 40-year-old struggled throughout her challenge. In the end, Snezana’s rendition of Polyviou’s dessert didn’t “leave a good taste” in the judges’ mouths, resulting in her elimination.
Alongside Snezana’s departure, MasterChef Australia was reportedly referred to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for its “renewable gas” sponsorship.
According to Comms Declare — a group aiming to stop the promotion or marketing of fossil fuels — it claimed that MasterChef could be deceiving viewers into thinking the gas on the show is “green” and “renewable” after the cooking competition claimed it was “going greener with renewable gas” at the start of the show.
Yikes.
May 19, 2024
In this episode of MasterChef Australia, which featured celebrity chef and mama’s icon Luke Nguyen, it was board game designer Juan was eliminated from the competition for his soybean tacos and orange and soybean empanadas.
In MasterChef Australia‘s ingredient gamble challenge — where the contestants could either use the ingredient they could see before the challenge began or the other ingredient that would only be revealed once the challenge started — the 39-year-old opted to go with his visible ingredient, soybeans.
In the first round, Juan served a Vietnamese-style soybean taco. Despite the presentation being spectacular, the dish lacked flavour and the shells were too dry and thicc.
In the final round, Juan dished up orange and soybean empanadas. Although it looked cute, the taste wasn’t a vibe for our judges, dubbing the pastries as “surprisingly sweet” and “one dimensional”.
Empanadas usually save me from hangovers, but unfortunately, they couldn’t save Juan in the MasterChef Australia comp.
May 16, 2024
Speaking to Yahoo! Lifestyle, a cheeky MasterChef Australia insider spilled a bunch of tea about the show. This included how the judges taste the dishes, how long filming lasts and who’s responsible for the MasterChef ‘fits.
Spicy, spicy, spicy!
May 14, 2024
Lourdes was unfortunately the next MasterChef Australia contestant to exit the kitchen after a four-hour pressure test where the cast was tasked with recreating a smoked egg yolk raviolo with truffle and asparagus purée. So posh!
One of the major notes as to why she was sent packing was that her raviolo was overcooked. The egg yolk did not have that Instagram ooze nor did it have that smokey note.
May 12, 2024
Nurse-turned-MasterChef–Australia-contestant Lily was unfortunately sent packing for her chicken maryland paired with mushroom sauce and charred leak.
After failing at MasterChef‘s iconic one-cube challenge — where contestants have to guess the ingredient after tasting and smelling a cube — Lily was forced to conjure up a dish with all the correctly identified ingredients in the challenge.
Lily served up a cheeky chicken dish, served with a mushroom sauce and charred leak which were undercooked.
Following her departure from the MasterChef Australia kitchen, Lily expressed how grateful she was for the experience.
“I feel really grateful. I’ve spent my life looking after everyone else. I’m gonna do me for a bit,” Lily shared.
May 7, 2024
The fourth contestant to leave the MasterChef Australia competition was Khristian for his take on Jean-Christophe Novelli‘s Jack In The Box dessert.
In a pressure test cook-off, the bottom four chefs were tasked with recreating Jean-Christophe’s Michelin-star Jack In The Box dessert. Khristian’s version of the stooning sweet treat, unfortunately, fell flat, with the panel of MasterChef judges noting a bunch of mistakes in the dish.
May 5, 2024
Jonathan was unfortunately given the boot at this MasterChef Australia elimination challenge for his take on Andy Allen‘s mum’s Fruit Salad Slice.
In this challenge, the MasterChef cast had three dishes to pick from Andy Allen’s childhood and was tasked to transform it into a MasterChef-worthy dish. This included the pine burger, Maree’s (Andy Allen’s mum BTW) lamb chops and Maree’s fruit salad slice and made a white chocolate cake with rum peaches and mango sorbet.
Although Jonathan wasn’t confident in desserts, the 29-year-old opted for the fruit salad slice.
Following his elimination, Jonathan said he “wasn’t in the best headspace” for the challenge.
“I was really, really homesick,” the carpenter shared.
“I wanted to be home and I think it came across in my food.
“I was unsure of myself and I wasn’t feeling good going into that cook,” he continued. “I wasn’t as switched on or as motivated as I normally would be.”
April 30, 2024
This time around, it was Steph who was on the MasterChef Australia chopping block after she failed to keep up with beloved celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
Steph dished up her version of Jamie’s Trevor Chicken — which is stuffed chicken breast, baked in pastry with a side of mash, steamed veggies and mustard-cream sauce.
Although it was a keep-up challenge, Steph had major difficulties keeping up such as removing her chicken breast earlier than instructed.
“This has been really hard, but I think it’s shown how driven that I am, and I’m ready for the next thing,” Steph shared before leaving the MasterChef Australia comp.
April 28, 2024
Unfortunately, 38-year-old primary school teacher James was the first Season 16 contestant to be eliminated from the season. What sent him home? A Squid stuffed with feta, green peppers and parsley with a side of wattle-see pita bread and tahini.
Although the food looks bloody phenomenal (TBH I’ll eat anything and everything… almost almost anything and everything) MasterChef Australia judge Andy Allen noticed that the top of James’ dish was raw.
“It’s been a wonderful experience. It’s been a privilege to be with these guys, and to be cooking in front of your watchful eyes,” James said as he sashayed away. I mean left the MasterChef kitchen.
Oops, wrong show.
April 18, 2024
It was announced that in a fresh new twist, the winner of the MasterChef opening night challenge will win an immunity pin that will cover them for the whole season. Ooft.
April 14, 2024
Well, would ya look at that? Just two days before the season premiered the good people at Channel 10 released the full MasterChef Australia cast list. The “Hot ‘n’ Cold” opening sequence is back to realign our chakras!!!!
April 11, 2024
Australia’s favourite recipe creator — or at least, our favourite recipe creator – RecipeTin Eats Nagi Maehashi [was] confirmed as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia this season.
April 9, 2024
Today, six of the the 2024 contestants were announced. Yahooo! Not long to go now.
March 24, 2024
Jamie Oliver was confirmed as a guest judge, alongside Adriano Zumbo and Anna Polyviou, after rumours he was going to be one of the main judges of the season.
October 23, 2023
Melissa Leong stepped down from MasterChef Australia and will be pursuing other TV roles.
When does MasterChef Australia 2024 start?
Masterchef Australia premiered on Monday, 22 April at 7.30pm on 10, and on 10Play.
Who are the Masterchef Australia judges?
Channel 10 announced in October last year that Melissa Leong will no longer be a judge on MasterChef Australia. Instead, she will be co-hosting its spin-off series Masterchef: Dessert Masters, which will air its second season this year. How bittersweet.
“Over the past four years, MasterChef Australia has infused my life with something truly magical. It has provided me with life-changing experiences that have given me the courage to continue to put myself outside of my comfort zone,” Leong said in a statement when the heartbreaking news was announced.
“The great honour of growing the MasterChef Australia family with the introduction of Dessert Masters is not lost on me. I relish the sweet opportunity to nurture this special series alongside Amaury [Guichon].”
MasterChef Australia will introduce three brand new judges this year, with one judge returning from previous seasons. God, remember when Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan were judges? What a time. Read more about the new judges below!
Season judges
Celebrity chef Andy Allen
Andy Allen was the winner of the fourth season of MasterChef Australia in 2012, and became a judge for the show in 2020.
Last year was a hard year for Allen, who was close friends with Jock Zonfrillo and a pallbearer at his funeral.
He said the decision to return to MasterChef after Zonfrillo’s death was difficult, but ultimately felt like the right thing to do.
“There is something special in the MasterChef Australia kitchen, and it feels right to come back to work with the amazing production team, and to play my role in seeing the contestants do as I have done,” he said in October last year.
“2024 will be the start of a new chapter, and it will be surreal — yet brilliant — to share this moment with my fellow judges, Poh [Ling Yeow], Sofia [Levin] and Jean-Christophe [Novelli].”
MasterChef alum Poh Ling Yeow
Poh Ling Yeow is a MasterChef veteran. She was runner-up to Julie Goodwin in the very first season of MasterChef Australia — an iconic “where were you when” event for kids who grew up in the early 2000s like me — and has returned to the series as a mentor, guest judge and contestant over the years.
“Talk about a thrilling, full circle moment,” she said when her judging was announced last year.
“MasterChef Australia is where my food story began, so this feels like coming home. A big part of me will always be standing on the other side with the contestants and I hope when they look to me, they see proof you don’t have to win to win.”
Aww. What a gorgeous sentiment. You were always the winner in my heart, Poh!
Food critic Sofia Levin
Sofia Levin is a renowned Melbourne-based journalist and food critic who’s been writing about the yummy stuff for more than a decade.
She’s written for heaps of publications including Guardian Australia, The Age and Broadsheet — and she’s also appeared on TV before, on shows like Postcards and The Cook Up with Adam Liaw.
“The first season of Masterchef Australia aired the same year I started writing about food,” Levin said when her casting was announced.
“By the time I graduated from journalism, I was sharing lesser-known food stories while the show was exposing the nation to cuisines and cultures they had never considered before. Becoming a judge on MasterChef feels like two parallel paths converging, and I’m giddy with excitement at the people I get to stand beside.”
Multi-Michelin Star celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli
Jean-Christophe Novelli was born in France and moved to the UK in 1983, where he won four Michelin stars at Gordleton Mill before he opened his first restaurant, Maison Novelli, in 1997.
Since then, he’s worked at — and owned — heaps of restaurants across the UK, France and South Africa. He also launched a cooking school called the Novelli Academy Cookery School, and he published a recipe book aimed at busting the myth that French cuisine is too complicated for most people to dip their toes in.
“Fostering culinary talent is something I have cared about for many years, and it is a passion I am excited to share in the Masterchef kitchen,” he said last year.
“Australian cuisine has a remarkable reputation on the world stage, and it will be a great privilege to meet and mentor the country’s top home cooks on their journeys to greatness.”
Guest Judges
Rumours sprouted last year that Jamie Oliver would be the judge replacing Jock Zonfrillo on the show. While this isn’t the case, it turns out there was some truth to the claim: Oliver will be on MasterChef Australia, but as a guest judge alongside a few other familiar faces.
“When it comes to guest chefs, Jamie Oliver isn’t the only one heating up the kitchen,” Network 10 said in a press release.
“Expect fan favourites Adriano Zumbo and Anna Polyviou to set challenges fiercer than ever, while social sensations Vincent Yeow Lim (AKA DimSimLim) and Mikiko Terasaki cross the MasterChef Australia Kitchen threshold for the first time.”
Okay, but what about Nagi Maehashi (the BEST celebrity chef) who even taught Jamie Oliver a thing or two about cooking? Petition to get her on MasterChef too!
Who are the MasterChef Australia contestants for 2024?
There are 22 contestants who have been competing on MasterChef Australia 2024. Some of the contestants were given their own trailers, so let’s investigate who these key players are, shall we?
One of the first contestants announced was Nat, a 28-year-old barista from Victoria whose family runs a Thai restaurant in Melbourne. It looks like Nat takes a risk and decides to make larb, a traditional Thai dish, with kangaroo mix. We love a fusion moment!
Khristian, 26, works in insurance but has always dreamed of being a chef — and turns out Jamie Oliver is his hero. Well, aren’t you in for a treat, Khristian!
Josh Perry, a butcher from Tasmania, loves a simple meat-and-three-veg meal, which may prove a challenge in MasterChef Australia since the show expects its contestants to have quite a bit of range. I am genuinely intrigued to see the myriad of ways he will be creative with such a simple format.
Stephen is the oldest contestant in the kitchen this season at 62-years-old, but surely that just means he has more experience and wisdom to share? The tour guide loves French cuisine, so it’ll be interesting to watch him try to impress our very own French judge with his skills!
Savindri, or Sav, is already my favourite contestant. The 30-year-old Sri Lankan banking consultant from South Australia is clearly the class clown of the group, dropping spicy zingers (and flavours) with every challenge. Honestly, she’s an icon and I already want her to win.
You can read the full list of contestants here.
Is there a trailer for MasterChef Australia Season 16?
There is no full length trailer for MasterChef Australia 2024 yet, but there is a first look in the form of a short teaser — and boy do things look hectic. Peep it below.
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