(Photography: supplied)
For all our fellow cooking fanatics, it’s almost time to pull your sleeves up, apron on, blow the dust off that hibachi grill and invest in some dried ice. Why? Well, MasterChef Australia is returning and that means there will be more pressure test recipes to attempt (if you dare), stressful challenges, plenty of crying and even more heart-warming triumphs.
But unlike prior seasons, it isn’t going to be newbies competing for the crown and $250,000 in prize money. Instead, 24 MasterChef Australia contestants will return in 2025 from season 1 – 16 in hopes of coming out on top.
Who are the MasterChef Australia season 17 contestants?
You can expect a few runner-ups who are eager to take back what they lost, while others are social media sensations preparing to serve up some of the internet’s favourite and weirdest dishes, just like the interesting ice cream flavour ex-contestant Conor Curran recently created.
Spoiler alert: Steph de Souza, who created some delicious (Easter) chocolate recipes for our April issue, is one of them!!
If you’re like us and can’t wait to uncover the cast, here’s everything we know.
Alana Lowes (Season 3)
Ditching the sunny weather of Queensland for the vibrant culture in Melbourne, Alana is back to compete in season 17 of MasterChef Australia. It’s been a while since she felt the pressure of the kitchen, having appeared back in season 3, but since then she’s made quite an impact in the food industry. Not only has she travelled the globe as a food, travel and lifestyle writer, but she’s also been a TV presenter for three seasons of ‘A Taste of Travel’ on 10 and ‘Weekender TV’ on 7. She’s also worked as a magazine editor, recipe developer, food stylist, and photographer. On top of that, she’s even launched her own sauce range. We don’t know about you, but we’re keeping our eye on her this season.
Andre Ursini (Season 1)
It’s been 16 years since Andre last entered the MasterChef kitchen and he’s returning to rediscover his love for cooking. He was the restaurant owner of Andre’s Cucina & Polenta Bar in his home state, Adelaide, for about 10 years, before launching three others which have been a hit with the locals – Orso, Lost Phoenix Farm and Villetta Porcini. We’d wager that with his experience owning not one, but four businesses over time, he’ll have a good handle on the stress of the MasterChef kitchen.
Audra Morrice (Season 4)
Audra is one to watch, not only did she compete in season 4, but she’s also currently a judge on MasterChef Singapore, and was a part of the judging panel on MasterChef Asia. Now splitting her time between Sydney and Singapore, she wears a variety of hats. Audra is a TV presenter, cookbook author and she’s a catering business proprietor. Ready to get back into the kitchen, she’s going to create food showcasing diversity and culture.
Beau Cook (Season 4)
After leaving the MasterChef kitchen, Beau followed his dream of becoming a firefighter while testing, learning and building his skills in the kitchen. Inspired by early Jamie Oliver, his speciality is simple food made deliciously, and with his own, homegrown ingredients. Passionate about ‘re-wilding’, his future food dream involves gaining more land, a bigger veggie patch and some animals. Honestly, same.
Ben MacDonald (Season 6)
Returning to Australia from the neighbouring green hills of New Zealand, Ben is bringing the same dry sense of humour we all loved and a fierce determination to win. Since exiting the kitchen in season 6, he’s run a cafe, bistro and fresh pasta delivery business in Aukland and his skills in the kitchen have grown exponentially in the 11 years since he first competed for the MasterChef Australia crown.
Callum Hann (Season 2, Season 12)
MasterChef alum, Callum Hann knows the kitchen well and he’s achieved so much in his career from owning three brilliant restaurants in SA (Olive and Roma in Adelaide’s CBD, and Lou’s Place in the Barossa Valley) to running his very own cooking school, Sprout. He always delivers impressive, out-of-the-box dishes and we’re so excited to see what he whips up this year.
Cath Collins (Season 15)
Cath took out fifth place in season 15 and has since made food her life, following her dreams and launching her very own business, Cath’s Kitchen. She educates wannabe cooks in intimate cooking classes and is now ready to bring her knowledge and expertise back onto the MasterChef. You can expect a wiser, calmer version of herself this time round, ready to make the most of it and have fun!
Darrsh Clarke (Season 16)
Previously from Perth, Darrsh has relocated to Melbourne – known for its food culture – to chase his food dreams, jumping into their thriving culinary scene. With Nat Thaipun as one of his housemates (MasterChef Australia 2024 winner) and David Tan (season 16 contestant), he’s learnt a thing or two since competing in 2024 and is ready to get straight back into it.
Declan Cleary (Season 15)
If you watched season 15, you’d remember Declan’s love of cooking fish. Well, two years later and he’s expanded his repertoire so we’ll see more variety and creativity. Since competing in 2023, he’s maintained his building business, become a global brand ambassador, travelling, presenting cooking demos and creating content. His goal is still to open up a farm-to-fork style restaurant.
Depinder Chhibber (Season 13)
Depinder has always been inspired by her family’s cooking and she’s known for her incredible take on Indian cuisine and her calm nature. Since her appearance in season 13, she opened up a supper club called Ghar – meaning home in Hindi – where she offers an Indian-style home dining experience. She’s appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef India and is ready to experience the magic of MasterChef Australia for a second time.
Jamie Fleming (Season 6)
Food is a love language he’s shared with many since launching and running the award-winning Alba Bar & Dining in Brisbane for five successful years, before starting a new venture, Spill Wine, in Maleny in 2024. He cooks to connect with people and loves creating meaningful experiences on every plate.
Jimmy Wong (Season 8)
The last time Jimmy entered the MasterChef kitchen, he had his sister by his side. This time, he’s flying solo and bringing all his food passion to the table. Now a full-time food photographer, content creator, and brand ambassador, Jimmy’s love for delicious food is stronger than ever.
Laura Sherrad (Season 6, Season 12)
You may remember Laura as the pasta queen. Laura’s built a dream career as the co-owner of Fugazzi Bar & Dining and pasta bar Nido in Adelaide, but her love for all things Italian is only the beginning – she’s a force in any cuisine. After being a two-time runner-up, she’s hungry for the top spot.
Matt Hopcraft (Season 7)
From dentistry to down-to-earth dishes, Matt is back and ready to show off his refined culinary skills. Now an associate professor at Melbourne University, Matt’s been honing his pasta-making craft on the side and focusing on simple, tasty food that speaks volumes.
Pete Campbell (Season 13)
Pete might have missed the top spot in Season 13, but that didn’t stop him from diving straight into the kitchen alongside esteemed chef, Peter Gilmore at Sydney’s Quay restaurant. With experience hosting pop-ups in NYC and recently working in Sydney’s Poly restaurant, he’s ready to cook his way to victory and show the judges what he’s made of.
Rhiannon Anderson (Season 15)
Rhiannon’s love for bold South East Asian flavours (hello, spice!) is stronger than ever. With her business Rhiplenish, she’s been teaching cooking demos and working alongside brands to create delicious food. Now, with a renewed mindset, she’s ready to spice things up.
Rue Mupedzi (Season 15)
Rue’s back with a vengeance. After struggling with fear in Season 15, she’s armed with new skills and a growth mindset. Rue worked part-time as a chef for private catering events and completed cooking courses to perfect her technique and now she’s going to bring her A-game.
Samira El Khafir (Season 5)
After scoring 3rd place in 2013, Samira is now a cafe owner, cookbook author, and recipe developer. She has transformed her love of modern Middle Eastern food into a thriving career. Previously a qualified hairdresser and former telecommunications worker, busy raising her young family alongside her husband.
Sarah Todd (Season 6, Season 14)
Sarah’s influence in the culinary world is undeniable, blending French and Indian flavours into unforgettable dishes. She’s not just an international chef – she’s a restaurateur, author, TV host and business owner. Sarah’s immense influence in India reached a pinnacle in 2023 when the country’s Prime Minister recognised her for her extraordinary contributions to the food industry. Shortly after, the Prime Minister-recognised culinary queen created her own sauce brand, Hot Toddy.
Savindri Perera (Season 16)
Savindri had a third-place finish last season and now she’s on a mission to go all the way. Previously a banking consultant, she now spends her days as a private chef and event caterer, proudly sharing her Sri Lankan heritage with the world. Her star is on the rise in her beloved Sri Lanka too, where she enjoyed a hero’s welcome on recent visits, such is the pride her community felt at seeing her bring traditional Sri Lankan food to the global stage.
Snezana Calic (Season 16)
Snezana’s all about honest, flavour-packed food inspired by her Serbian roots. After last season, she’s been honing her skills in restaurants, teaching cooking classes, and creating content – and now she’s got a cookbook in the works. We can expect traditional, generous and instructional food, straight from the heart.
Steph de Souza (Season 11)
She’s bright, bubbly and a social media sensation! Steph, a.k.a Steph Cooks Stuff on Instagram is the “Frugal Foodie” with nearly three million followers on Instagram. After creating two successful cookbooks and her own TV series, she’s ready to go beyond her 12th-place finish. We love her homemade recipes so much that we asked her to create delicious chocolate recipes for us. Now, they’re sitting proudly on supermarket shelves in the April issue of BHG!
Theo Loizou (Season 15)
Theo, a.k.a “Bread Boy” plans to showcase his Greek heritage and impress the judges with just much he’s grown as a cook. Still an electrician by day and a cook by night, he’s been gathering restaurant experience in hopes to one day open up his dream bakery.
Tim Bone (Season 11)
Tim finished fourth in Season 11 and has been busy making his mark with Tim’s Toasties, a gourmet toasted sandwich business that’s expanded into a brick-and-mortar store. Notably, he’s been the host of Good Chef, Bad Chef, and now he’s returning to the screen to take out the title of MasterChef.
Who are the MasterChef Australia judges?
A stellar lineup of cooks from Season 1 through to Season 16 will face off under the guidance of the fab four MasterChef Australia judges, Andy Allen, Poh Ling-Yeow, Jean-Christophe Novelli, and Sofia Levin.
When does MasterChef Australia 2025 air?
MasterChef Australia commences on Monday 28th April at 7:30pm on 10 and 10 play,
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