Ten reveals new MasterChef Australia judge line-up

Network Ten is gambling on two chefs and a cookbook editor to win the hearts of MasterChef Australia’s loyal fans.

Former MasterChef winner Andy Allen, food journalist Melissa Leong and chef Jock Zonfrillo. Picture: Adam Yip

Network Ten is gambling on two chefs and a cookbook editor to win the hearts of MasterChef Australia’s loyal fans and food-lovers when the show returns next year.

Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen have been announced as the judges replacing Matt Preston, George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan, who left the show over a contract dispute after more than a decade.

Leong told The Australian the trio would take on the opportunity with a “huge amount of respect” for the legacy left behind.

“The boys were doing great things in their own careers but were not media juggernauts when they started. It was through the magic of their chemistry and camaraderie that it grew into something extremely special and it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to get to know these guys and forge our own path together,” Leong said.

Cookbook editor and food journalist Leong will be joined by Zonfrillo, owner and chef of three hatted restaurant Orana and Bistro Blackwood, and Allen, who won MasterChef Australia season four and is co-owner of the Three Blue Ducks restaurants.

The trio will judge a revamped version of the show, MasterChef Australia — Back To Win, which will see some of the best contestants from the previous 11 seasons return.

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Allen said he was “stoked” to be considered.

“It was a no-brainer for me,” Allen said. “I won it in 2012 and have been back every year in some capacity. I’ve always had that bond with it and I’ll never stop having a bond with it, even if all goes belly up.”

For Zonfrillo, who has previously hosted a number of food-related shows, said the new role was “daunting”, but a “privilege.”

“[MasterChef] is … respected on a number of different levels. The audience goes from small kids to grandparents, but also within our industry of hospitality, it’s well respected through different food cultures, respected internationally … and lastly it’s industry respected.”

George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan. Picture: Tina Smigielski

Marty Benson, executive producer at Endemol Shine Australia, which produces MasterChef, said all three were deserving.

“I obviously love Gary, Matt and George but it’s great to start fresh,” Mr Benson said.

“Jock — one of the best chefs in the country and has got one of the best restaurants in the country, Andy a past winner and Melissa, her knowledge is unbelievable. The three of them are young, they are fresh, they all deserve to be there and they all get along famously well.”

The group wouldn’t be drawn on contract lengths, but Leong said Ten and Shine’s decision was “not just a flash in the pan”.

“The psychology of choosing say not a Nigella or a Curtis who might only be able to commit to one season is we want to get to know Australia, we hope that Australia gets to know us and likes what they get to know,” she said.

Thursday’s announcement came three months after the shock departure of Calombaris, Preston and Mehigan due to a failure by Ten to make a “satisfactory” commercial agreement.

This year, MasterChef Australia had an average audience of 706,000 across the five capital cities and a national audience of 932,000.