MasterChef Australia crowns 2024 winner

With just two contestants left, there could only be one winner in Tuesday’s MasterChef finale. WARNING: Spoilers

WARNING: MasterChef spoilers below.

MasterChef Australia has crowned its 2024 winner, with contestant Nat Thaipun emerging as the winner of the coveted title, a whopping $250,000 and a residency at Crown Melbourne’s Alumni restaurant.

For their first round of cooking, Tasmanian butcher Josh Perry and Victorian Barista Nat Thaipun had their fates decided by five glittery boxes, each containing a different potential ingredient.

“You’ll each take it in turns to pick an ingredient you don’t want to cook with,” said judge Poh-Ling Yeow. “And whichever ingredient is left over, you must both cook with.”

MasterChef finalists Josh and Nat battled it out on Tuesday night. Picture: Channel 10.

It came down to a nailbiting finale with the judges torn over who to crown the winner. Picture: Channel 10

With black peppercorns winning the selection process, the pair had 75 minutes to cook up something spectacular for the judges to win round one.

“I’m going to do a rib-eye with some brussels sprouts and peppercorn sauce,” said Perry. “But I’m going to do a spin on the veggies and do a pureed sauce. I’m going to stay true to what I believe in, and just put up a real ripper.”

Keeping up the hearty pub meal vibe, Thaipun had a similar idea, but with an exotic twist unique to her own upbringing.

“I want to make a classic pub meal, but make it Thai. My whole family, if we aren’t eating at home we’d eat at the pub, and we’d take chilli oil with us to eat with whatever we’re eating. I’m making a scotch egg. I want the yolk to be runny, I have to balance it so the black pepper shines.”

Thaipun was praised for taking risks "up until the very end" with her dishes. Picture: Channel 10.

Perry's first dish didn't quite hit the mark for all of the judges. Picture: Channel 10.

When it came to Thaipun’s effort, judge Andy Allen confessed that he “can’t wait to come to your restaurant and order this off the menu like a proud dad.” She ended up scoring a total of 36/40.

Next up it was Perry’s turn to face the music, and while his rib-eye left the judges speechless, the brussels sprouts pureee didn’t quite hit the mark for Allen. Perry walked away from round one with 33/40.

Then came the round two, a pressure test set by one of the world’s greatest chefs, Claire Smith, famed for being the only British female chef with a triple Michelin star restaurant.

Her task for the final two: To recreate her “Core-teaser,” an incredibly detailed version of a chocolate Malteaser, with a whopping 113 steps to follow in order to make the dish perfectly.

The core-teaser dessert proved to be a difficult task for both of the final two. Picture: Channel 10.

Thaipun immediately shared her nerves, suggesting that she was “screwed” after struggling with desserts throughout the competition.

However, Perry ended up struggling the most with one of the dish’s key elements, with his malt sugar ball going “pear-shaped” and leaving him on the verge of walking out of the kitchen.

Perry failed to complete the pressure test in full, delivering an incomplete dish to the judges. Picture: Channel 10.

While Thaipun's dessert looked the part, its texture left a bad taste in the mouths of the judges. Picture: Channel 10.

When it came to the final judging, an emotional Perry expressed his disappointment in not having delivered a complete dish.

However, what he did present still went down a treat with the judges. Guest judge chef Smith said he had “absolutely nailed it” while admitting it was a “shame” an element was missing, and Jean-Christophe Novelli said he’d delivered a “perfect” nutty flavour.

After scoring three more points during round one, it was Thaipun’s battle to lose.

“I think the flavours of the dish were pretty bang on,” said Allen, before going on to reveal that she had failed to dissolve the gelatine into the base correctly, leaving multiple lumps within each mouthful.

“So while the flavours are good … the textures are off,” insisted the judge, to which his co-stars agreed.

In the end, it was Thaipun that edged out Perry to be crowned champion of the show.

Speaking about her huge win, she told the judges: “I feel so good. This is crazy, it feels like a dream, but it’s not!”

Meanwhile, MasterChef judge Poh Ling-Yeow spoke to news.com.au this week and revealed that one frequently-aired fan theory about the show is in fact not true.