MasterChef Australia: Season 13
The thirteenth season of MasterChef Australia features judges Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong, and Andy Allen as they seek to introduce a new generation of exceptional home cooks. Twenty-four passionate contestants participate in the competition, having put their lives on hold to pursue their food dreams. Throughout the season, these individuals face challenges from a variety of renowned culinary figures. The guest che
Season 13 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- MasterChef Australia is a Logie Award-winning competitive cooking game show based on the original British MasterChef.
- The series is produced by Shine Australia and screens on Network Ten.
- The competition began in 2009 with Julie Goodwin winning the inaugural season.
- Former runner-up Poh Ling Yeow has transitioned from a contestant to a judge.
Season overview
The thirteenth season of MasterChef Australia features judges Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong, and Andy Allen as they seek to introduce a new generation of exceptional home cooks. Twenty-four passionate contestants participate in the competition, having put their lives on hold to pursue their food dreams. Throughout the season, these individuals face challenges from a variety of renowned culinary figures. The guest chefs include international names such as Nigella Lawson, Yotam Ottolenghi, Heston Blumenthal, Massimo Bottura, and Clare Smyth. Additionally, the contestants are challenged by Australian culinary personalities, including Curtis Stone, Kirsten Tibballs, Darren Purchese, Alla Wolf-Tasker, Scott Pickett, Poh Ling Yeow, Callum Hann, and Reynold Poernomo. The season focuses on the drive and soul of the contestants as they compete in a life-changing experience designed to help them make magic happen in the kitchen.
Episode Guide
Season 13 Progress Shield
Auditions, Day 1
Apr 19, 2021 · 87 min
The best home cooks from around the country will face challenge after challenge to see who will rise to the top and take home the coveted title of Australia's next MasterChef.
Auditions, Day 2
Apr 20, 2021 · 76 min
The judges are looking for just five more cooks to round out the top 24. The home cooks who are given a second chance will battle it out for the remaining aprons.
Emelia Jackson Mystery Box
Apr 21, 2021 · 73 min
This mystery box is selected by MasterChef Australia champion Emelia Jackson. The three best dishes will be awarded an immunity pin that can be played at any time during an elimina
Chicken Or The Egg?
Apr 22, 2021 · 76 min
In this two round challenge, contestants must create dishes that feature a chicken or an egg. The contestant with the least impressive dish will be the first sent home.
Superstars Week - Nigella Lawason
Apr 25, 2021 · 75 min
Superstars Week kicks off with Nigella Lawson. Contestants must recreate Nigella's favourite dish based on her detailed description, with no ingredient list, recipe or visual refer
Superstars Week - Yotam Ottolenghi
Apr 26, 2021 · 50 min
Yotam Ottolenghi presents his favourite flavour bombs: numbing oil, fenugreek marinade and chipotle peanuts. Each team must create a meal that features one of Yotam's flavour bombs
Superstars Week - Massimo Bottura (Elimination Challenge)
Apr 27, 2021 · 59 min
The judges reveal this elimination challenge is over two rounds and is set by cooking legend Massimo Bottura. Massimo presents his take on the classic dish: mac and cheese.
Superstars Week - Clare Smyth (Mystery Box)
Apr 28, 2021 · 52 min
Clare Smyth reveals the dish that has inspired her choice of mystery box ingredients. Contestants must create a sweet or savoury dish using the ingredients that Clare has chosen fo
Superstars Week - Heston Blumenthal (Immunity Challenge)
Apr 29, 2021 · 57 min
Heston Blumenthal sets an immunity challenge in which contestants must use a popular breakfast ingredient to create a delicious dessert.
Poh, Callum & Reynold (Elimination Challenge)
May 2, 2021 · 75 min
MasterChef alumni Poh, Callum and Reynold present the contestants with three dishes from their venues. Contestants must create a dish worthy of a place on the menu at any of these
Least & Most Comfortable (Team Challenge)
May 3, 2021 · 49 min
Each team must cook the same six dishes within the time allocated. Each contestant on the team will cook one of the dishes and will be judged against the same dish made by the othe
Sweet & Savoury Tart (Elimination Challenge)
May 4, 2021 · 51 min
Each contestant must choose the dish they feel most comfortable making: a savoury tart or sweet tart. Jock then switches the dishes and contestants must cook the dish they're least
Staples (Immunity Challenge)
May 5, 2021 · 51 min
Contestants must create a dish using the staple ingredients under their benches as well as two ingredients from the garden for flavour. Contestants with the top five dishes will co
Choose Your Ingredient & Masterclass
May 6, 2021 · 99 min
Contestants must choose an ingredient they would like to feature in a dish, but they won't know the ingredient they must pair it with until they have locked in their choice. A Mast
That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles (Elimination Challenge)
May 9, 2021 · 73 min
Keen as mustard, the contestants have to cook a dish that interprets one of the classic food sayings on display. The contestant who fails will be going home. That's the way the coo
Meet The Masters
May 10, 2021 · 49 min
It's Meet the Masters Week. This opportunity gives the contestants up-close insights into the skills of the best culinary masters in Australia.
Pressure Test
May 11, 2021 · 70 min
The least impressive team from the master team challenge must cook off in this pressure test.
Mystery Box
May 12, 2021 · 52 min
The contestants enter the kitchen ready to take on the mystery box challenge set by a Michelin-starred chef.
Cooking With Fire (Immunity Challenge)
May 13, 2021 · 75 min
In a very special challenge, the top four contestants from the previous challenge meet in the kitchen to be taught a lesson in cooking with fire. The most impressive cook wins immu
Meet The Masters (Elimination)
May 16, 2021 · 75 min
For the final cook of Meet the Masters Week, the bottom four contestants must make a dish that demonstrates how they have mastered a skill, flavour or technique they have learnt ac
Service Brigade - Tonka (Immunity Challenge)
May 17, 2021 · 75 min
Andy reveals that every challenge this week will be a service challenge and all 16 contestants are in with a chance at winning immunity from Sunday's elimination.
Service Challenge - Movida (Immunity Challenge)
May 18, 2021 · 75 min
This challenge is all about the ingredients. Each team must feature the same ingredient in each course
Service Challenge - (Immunity Challenge)
May 19, 2021 · 75 min
For this challenge, two pantries are on offer: a European pantry and an Eastern pantry. By the toss of a coin, the team that win the toss get to choose their desired pantry.
Service Challenge - (Immunity Challenge)
May 20, 2021 · 75 min
Each team has two-and-a-half hours to cook a three-course meal and each course must champion a colour chosen by the toss of a coin.
Team Challenge
May 23, 2021 · 75 min
Each team must create a dish that features the ingredient hidden underneath the tablecloth and must also use an allocated electrical appliance at some stage during the cook.
Vegetable Challenge
May 24, 2021 · 75 min
Contestants must choose from either a potato, broccoli, carrot, brown onion or zucchini, to make a delicious dish featuring the vegetable of choice, but not necessarily a vegetaria
Pressure Test
May 25, 2021 · 75 min
In this pressure test, it's a fight to stay in the competition and four contestants must re-create a dish without ever seeing it.
11 Utensils
May 26, 2021 · 75 min
The contestants must create a dish using only the 11 utensils in the mystery box. The dish can be sweet or savoury, with an open pantry and access to the garden.
Hot Chillies! (Immunity Challenge)
May 27, 2021 · 75 min
The contestants must cook a dish using some of the hottest chillies in the world. The dish that best highlights the heat and flavour of their chilli will win immunity.
Game ID (Elimination Challenge)
May 30, 2021 · 75 min
This elimination is played over two rounds. In the first round, contestants must identify the 14 game meats on display. The six contestants with the lowest scores will cook off in
Second Chance Week
May 31, 2021 · 75 min
It's Second Chance Week in the MasterChef kitchen. Across the week, 11 previously eliminated contestants are back with not one, but two chances to get back in the competition.
Second Chance Week (Pressure Test)
Jun 1, 2021 · 75 min
Renowned pastry chef Anthony Hart reveals his pressure test dish: chocolate oasis. The contestants have 2 hours and 15 minutes, plus a further eight minutes to plate up Anthony's c
Clear Or Hidden (Mystery Box Challenge)
Jun 2, 2021 · 75 min
This episode, the 10 returning contestants can choose between a clear mystery box where the ingredients are visible or a regular mystery box where the ingredients are hidden.
It's A Knockout
Jun 3, 2021 · 75 min
Four contestants are told they will have two-and-a-half hours to prepare a three-course menu. But the catch is that after each course is tasted, one contestant will be knocked out
Murray Cod (Elimination Challenge)
Jun 6, 2021 · 75 min
Josh Niland demonstrates how to make the most of a Murray cod utilising the entire fish. For this challenge, contestants are given one Murray cod and must use the same fish for up
Pair Up With Crayfish
Jun 7, 2021 · 75 min
Contestants must pair up with another contestant to form seven teams. Each team must create crayfish two ways, one familiar dish and one inventive dish, utilising the freshly caugh
Vego (Elimination Challenge)
Jun 8, 2021 · 75 min
The four contestants cooking in this elimination challenge discover they will be cooking a vegetarian dish, with all ingredients harvested fresh from Dairy Flat Farm in Daylesford.
Melbourne Inspiration (Mystery Box)
Jun 9, 2021 · 75 min
The mystery box reveals a map of Melbourne and a camera phone to take pictures. The contestants must explore the city streets and laneways to take a picture that will inspire their
Kate Reid Pastry
Jun 10, 2021 · 75 min
Jock introduces Kate Reid, the mastermind behind Lune Croissanterie. Contestants must use Kate's world-class pastry and turn it into a dish that is not a croissant.
90 Minute Cook Time (Elimination Challenge)
Jun 13, 2021 · 75 min
The contestants must decide how much of their 90-minute cook time they use in round one, because they will only have the remainder of that time to cook in round two.
Home Delivery (Team Challenge)
Jun 14, 2021 · 75 min
Teams must create a three-course home delivery menu and can choose any theme or cuisine for their menu. Each team has three hours to produce 60 serves.
Khanh Nguyen's Pork Wellington
Jun 15, 2021 · 75 min
Guest chef Khanh Nguyen from Sunda has taken South-East Asian food to the next level. The contestants must create Khanh's dish: pork wellington with lattice crackling and flavours
4 Ingredient Barter (Mystery Box)
Jun 16, 2021 · 75 min
Jock reveals this mystery box is different. Contestants need to use four ingredients in their final dish, but before the cook starts, they can barter for the ingredients from each
The Top Four (Immunity Challenge)
Jun 17, 2021 · 75 min
The top four cooks from the latest mystery box challenge battle it out for immunity and a guaranteed spot in the top 10.
Nu Nu Ingredient ID (Elimination Challenge)
Jun 20, 2021 · 75 min
Contestants must correctly identify ingredients in three dishes from Nick Holloway's Nu Nu menu. The five contestants who name the least amount of ingredients correctly will cook o
Three Blue Ducks (Service Challenge)
Jun 21, 2021 · 75 min
The top 10 contestants arrive at URBNSURF, the home to Australia's first ever surf park in Melbourne's west to discover they will be running Andy Allen's restaurant, Three Blue Duc
Darren Purchese (Pressure Test)
Jun 22, 2021 · 75 min
Contestants must cook a sweet pressure test recipe of their own design. Darren Purchese will be running the floor and mentoring the contestants and the judges will do a blind tasti
Family Messages
Jun 23, 2021 · 75 min
After watching emotional messages from their family members, Melissa explains that contestants must make a dish inspired by their family. The top two dishes will cook in tomorrow's
Keep Up With Curtis & Masterclass
Jun 24, 2021 · 75 min
In today's challenge, the contestants must keep up with Curtis Stone as he cooks his ultimate roast chicken dish. Andy, Jock and chef Nornie Bero show off their skills in a delicio
Black Mystery Box or Black Gloche? (Double Elimination)
Jun 27, 2021 · 75 min
Today there is a massive double elimination. Contestants must choose between cooking with the black mystery box or the black cloche, with the ingredients only revealed when they ma
Uluru
Jun 28, 2021 · 75 min
Today we are in the spiritual heart of Australia, Uluru. Contestants must create a fine dining three-course meal under the stars at the stunning Field of Light installation for 25
Simpson's Gap (Elimination Challenge)
Jun 29, 2021 · 75 min
The team arrive at Simpson's Gap and judges reveal the contestants must create a dish using a variety of foraged bush foods. The contestant with the least impressive dish will be s
All 7 Ingredients! (Mystery Box Challenge)
Jun 30, 2021 · 75 min
In the toughest mystery box challenge of the season, the contestants discover they must create a dish using all seven ingredients under the mystery box.
The Cloche Challenge
Jul 1, 2021 · 75 min
Each cloche represents an ingredient, a cuisine, food related word, or kitchen equipment. The contestants must choose any two cloches and feature whatever is under the cloche in th
Fast Food & Fancy Food (Elimination Challenge)
Jul 4, 2021 · 75 min
Contestants must choose an ingredient and cook it two ways, in a fast-food and in a fancy food application. The contestants with the three least impressive fast-food dishes will co
Society (Service & Elimination Challenge)
Jul 5, 2021 · 75 min
The judges welcome the contestants to Martin Benn's opulent new Melbourne restaurant, Society. The pressure is on as they discover today's service challenge is also an elimination.
Vue Du Monde - Bottlebrush (Pressure Test)
Jul 6, 2021 · 75 min
Contestants face a pressure test like no other. Chef Hugh Allen from restaurant Vue Du Monde, challenges contestants to recreate his dish, bottlebrush, mum's gum nuts and billy but
Finalists (Advantage Challenge)
Jul 7, 2021 · 75 min
The finalists enter the MasterChef kitchen to discover the day's advantage challenge, which will see the winner cooking in the Finale.
Semi-Final
Jul 11, 2021 · 75 min
Contestants compete in a semifinal service challenge. The contestant with the least impressive menu will leave the competition. Finalists are joined by returning contestants for th
Grand Finale (Part 1)
Jul 12, 2021 · 75 min
It’s here, the MasterChef Australia Grand Finale for 2021. Our three finalists face an incredible three round challenge over two days with a total of 140 points up for grabs.
Grand Finale (Part 2)
Jul 13, 2021 · 75 min
It’s day two of the epic MasterChef Australia Grand Finale for 2021 and the contestant who scores the most points overall will win the title of MasterChef 2021 and walk away with $