MasterChef Australia: 10 years on. What are the most successful contestants up to now?
IT’S been a decade since MasterChef debuted, and the cooking show has dished up a string of successful contestants. But a lot of them — surprisingly — didn’t even make the top three.
Reality
Don't miss out on the headlines from Reality. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT’S been a decade since MasterChef debuted on Australian TV and the cooking show has dished up a number of successful contestants. And a lot of them — surprisingly — didn’t even make the top three.
With Season 10 set to premiere on Network Ten Monday night, we found out what the most successful exports over the past 10 years are up to now.
JUSTINE SCHOFIELD
Season 1, 2009
From coming fourth on the very first season of MasterChef to having her very own TV show, Justine has been one of the most successful exports from the cooking show. She has been hosting Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield on Network Ten since 2011, with a new season on the way. She also has two books out titled Simple Every Day and Dinner with Justine.
COURTNEY ROULSTON
Season 2, 2010
Courtney was no doubt a little disappointed when she was eliminated back in 2010 after coming fifth. But she bagged a plush gig cooking for the Sydney Swans for their past eight seasons, as well as working with the Coles Events team, doing regular cooking demonstrations and writing several cookbooks.
HAYDEN QUINN
Season 3, 2011
From the critiqued to the critic, Hayden came sixth on the third season of MasterChef. He went on to write two cookbooks, hosted his own South African television program and was the host of Nine Network’s new show Family Food Fight last year.
POH LING YEOW
Seanson 1 2009
Poh Ling Yeow was eliminated from season one when she incorrectly guessed the ingredients in minestrone. But that hasn’t stoppped her from finding her own career in TV and food. She hosted an ABC series titles Poh’s Kitchen, and a two-book publishing deal with ABC Books. She was even nominated for a Logie Award in 2011 for Most Popular New Female Talent.
She also travelled around Australia and across to Asia to film Poh’s Kitchen on the Road for the ABC. In 2015, she launched a show on SBS online titled Poh & Co.
On a personal note, she revealed her ex-husband Matt Phipps fell in love with her best friend, but they’re all still such good mates so that he now manages her. Poh and her current husband DJ-carpenter Jono Bennett, 35 opened Jamface cafe at the Adelaide Central Market with her ex and his girlfriend, Sarah Rich, who was originally Poh’s bestie. Poh also paints in her spare time. She launched a new book last year, titled Poh Bakes 100 Greats.
TOM RUTLEDGE
Season 3, 2011
Tom didn’t do so well on the leaderboard, and was the second person to be eliminated on MasterChef in 2011. But he managed to redeem himself, as the current Australian CEO of successful fresh home delivery food giant HelloFresh.
KYLIE MILLAR
Season 4, 2012
She’s recently been dubbed the Australian chef of the future, but Kylie only came sixth in season four of MasterChef. Currently working for top fine-dining Melbourne restaurant Attica, the trained physio recently won the 2018 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year and will be one to watch on the culinary scene.
REYNOLD POERNOMO
Season 7, 2015
Fourth might not have been as sweet as first but Reynold Poernomo still took the cake. The young chef is now a proud owner of KOI Dessert Bar in Sydney, widely known for their amazing cakes and desserts.
ELENA DUGGAN
Season 8, 2016
Elena runs cooking workshops and master classes for aspiring chefs and disadvantaged children, while also working with special-needs students, teaching them hospitality skills and home economics. The 2016 winner also has her own successful website, elenajoduggan.com, where she posts recipes, videos and offers bookings for her cooking services.
SARAH TIONG
Season 9, 2017
Not even a year after coming sixth on MasterChef in 2017, Sarah now owns and runs the popular Pork Party night stall at Paddy’s Night Food Market in Flemington, Sydney. She also regularly appears on TV for cooking demonstrations.
CALLUM HANN
Season 2, 2010
Callum Hann was the runner-up in MasterChef’s 2010 season. He has worked in the kitchens of some of Australia’s most popular restaurants including The Press Club, Maha, Hellenic Republic, and PM24. He has been to Australian universities to teach students how to cook. In 2011 he started my own cooking school in Adelaide, Sprout Cooking with dietitian Themis Chryssidis. He has also written books called Quick. Easy. Healthy., I’d Eat That! and The Starter Kitchen.
MARION GRASBY
Season 2, 2010
She was only a young student when she appeared on MasterChef, coming a shock ninth place in the second season when she was the favourite to take it out. Eight years later and it didn’t hurt her career, with Marion the author of several cookbooks, host of her own show on the Lifestyle channel and the owner of her own kitchen food company. She appeared on The Celebrity Apprentice in 2012 and is also a proud mum.
JULIE GOODWIN
Season 1, 2009
Undoubtedly the most recognisable face to come out of the MasterChef kitchen, Julie Goodwin was the first ever winner of the cooking show. She has had regular cooking segments on TV, including the Today show, had her own show Home Cooked! With Julie Goodwin, has written cookbooks, is a 104.5 radio host, and even starred in Season 1 of I’m a Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here!. She was very recently charged with drink driving near her home on the Central Coast at more than double the legal limit. She has publicly apologised for the incident.
DIANA CHAN
Season 9, 2017
Diana recently opened Chanteen in Melbourne’s CBD, at the popular HWKR food centre. It features “scratch” cooking, with everything made fresh daily. Its focus is on family recipes and traditional Singaporean and Malaysian cooking.
BILLIE MCKAY
Season 7, 2015
Billie McKay‘s superb win was extra special, after she cooked an insanely complicated Heston Blumenthal recipe and was subsequently offered a training position at his celebrated English restaurant, The Fat Duck. She was in Chennai, India, recently for the launch of chocolate brand Fabelle’s Société de Chocolat masterclass sessions, several of which she hosted. She eventually wants to open her own restaurant somewhere in Australia.
Beauty queen outs gross toilet habit on TV
One MAFS groom acts out with a bratty move after being dobbed on, while another has his gross toilet habit outed on national TV. James Weir recaps.
Rebecca Gibney’s surprise TV turn at 60
As she heads into her third act, Rebecca Gibney is challenging herself – and her body – with an unexpected new project.