Announcement

MasterChef Australia 2026: | Grand Finale

..and then there were two, a Greek and an Italian will go head-to-head for the coveted title (and plate): MasterChef 2026.

Aftert 57 episodes, Robert Irwin, Jane and Jimmy Barnes and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Petro Papathomas and Vinnie Gibaldi are heading into the season's Grand Finale on Sunday 9th August 2026 on Ten and 10 Play.

MasterChef Grand Finale = Sunday 9th August 2026

Petro Papathomas & Vinnie Gibaldi

MasterChef Australia 2026

MasterChef Australia returns for its 18th season in 2026, serving up four nights of culinary competition each week. Airing Sunday to Wednesday on Channel 10 and streaming on 10 Play, the series once again showcases Australia's most talented home cooks as they battle for the coveted MasterChef Australia title.

The iconic cooking competition is back with a fresh group of passionate amateur cooks, spectacular challenges and an impressive line-up of guest judges.

Twenty-four home cooks from across Australia enter the MasterChef kitchen hoping to transform their love of food into a life-changing career. Throughout the season they face demanding mystery boxes, invention tests, pressure tests and team challenges, with only one contestant ultimately claiming the MasterChef Australia 2026 crown.

Returning judges Andy Allen, Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli guide the contestants through every stage of the competition, sharing their expertise while pushing each cook to reach new heights.

The season also welcomes an outstanding collection of guest judges and mentors. Favourite culinary personalities including Maggie Beer, Curtis Stone, Adriano Zumbo and Rick Stein return to inspire contestants, while Justine Schofield revisits the competition that launched her television career.

Joining them are a range of special guests from outside the food world, including Robert Irwin and Jimmy and Jane Barnes, alongside popular online food creators such as Andy Cooks, DimSimLim, Victoria Minell from Recipes by Victoria, and Lily Huynh from biteswithlily.

MasterChef Australia 2026 Contestants

Aaron Kher
Alita Harvey-Rodriguez
Alyona Iljuhhina
Annabel Lloyd
Belinda Gosden
Bella Di Conza
Casper Kenworthy
Dot McHugh
Emily Sue
Grace King
Hannah Johnson
Jack Hosking
Jackie Yu
Jeff Lam
Kanika Gadyok
Lucy Mansfield
Luke Harris
Lydia Kamperos
Megs Steel
Miin Wei Looi
Olaolu Olorunnimbe
Pat McGarry
Petro Papathomas
Vinnie Gibaldi