Fallen MasterChef star George Calombaris is cooking up a surprise new venture

Fallen Melbourne restaurateur and ex MasterChef judge George Calombaris is making a shock return to TV, after his staff wages scandal.

George Calombaris is poised for a TV comeback. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Former MasterChef judge George Calombaris is poised for a TV comeback with what he hopes is a new recipe for small screen success.

Calombaris has joined with MasterChef alumni and international restaurateur Sarah Todd to film a television pilot.

The show – based around food and cooking, naturally – is being pitched to the local and international market.

Melbourne-based Todd, who has returned to MasterChef Australia this year for its Fans & Favourites season – she is among the returning high profile former contestants – shot the pilot with Calombaris last year.

George Calombaris and Sarah Todd. Picture: Instagram

Todd was on MasterChef season six in 2014. Picture: Channel 10

“George is amazing, he has always been an idol of mine and is now a friend after the first MasterChef (she competed in),” Todd said.

“George has come to India a couple of times for events and we have done a number of events together. We both feel really passionately about food and the stories behind the food.

“For us, George having a Greek background and me spending so much time in India and then both of us growing up in Australia, I think it shows how food can go beyond cultures and countries and it really brings people together. I am really excited about this one.”

Calombaris has never hidden his desire to return to TV after he exited MasterChef following the crumbling of his restaurant empire and the controversy that surrounded that in 2019.

He described the secret TV project as having heart and soul.

“It was an absolute pleasure to be able to film it with Sarah. We had a lot of fun doing it,” he said.

“It is really honest, it is raw and real and the viewer who will get to watch it, on whatever network it gets put on, I really, truly believe, will enjoy it and see another side of both Sarah and I.”

Todd, who prior to Covid had three successful restaurants in India, said she was nervous about going back into the MasterChef kitchen, with the series set to launch on Channel 10 on April 18.

“I feel so thankful because it was a catapult into the food industry and it was what gave me that huge head start,” she said of her life changing MasterChef appearance in 2014.

“Since my first MasterChef I have completely grown as a person and as a chef, a restaurateur and entrepreneur and no one really knew about it in Australia, so I felt like it was a great opportunity to tell my story.

“In addition to that I have grown a lot again during the competition. I feel like I have a new look on food. I feel like what I got out of the competition the first time I have kind of got again.”

She said she was confronted with plenty of challenges in her MasterChef return.

“Just like everything that goes on in my life – blood sweat and tears – it is all there,” she said.