The upcoming season of MasterChef Australia: Back To Win is serving up a high-stakes mix of redemption arcs and culinary rivalries, as former contestants return to the kitchen to compete for another shot at the title, and a $250,000 prize.
Among the returning favourites is Tim Bone, whose journey in Season 11 won over audiences with both skill and heart.
Since his original appearance in 2019, Tim has built a successful food business, launching a mobile toastie venture that operated for five years before expanding into a bricks-and-mortar store earlier this year.
He’s also become a familiar face on national television, joining the cast of Good Chef, Bad Chef and sharing his approach to comfort food with viewers across the country.
Redemption through rivalry
Tim’s return also marks a full-circle moment in MasterChef storytelling. In his original season, he advanced deep into the competition before being eliminated in a pressure test set by acclaimed chef Peter Gilmore.
Now, in a twist designed to raise the stakes for viewers, Tim will once again face a challenge crafted by the very chef who cut his journey short.
Tim isn’t the only returning chef. Former runners-up Callum Hann, Laura Sharrad, Rhiannon Anderson, Pete Campbell, and Sarah Todd – each hoping to finally claim the trophy. Some contestants, like Darrsh Clarke, Sav Perera, and Snezana Calic, are fresh from Season 16, while others, including Andre Ursini from Season 1, are stepping back into the competition after more than a decade away.
Social media favourites Steph de Sousa and Declan Cleary are also back, as are chefs who have since traded aprons for judging roles. Audra Morrice from Season 4 has been a judge on MasterChef Singapore and MasterChef Asia, while Season 13’s Depinder Chhibber recently appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef India.
Star-studded judging panel
Guiding the contestants through this high-stakes season are judges Andy Allen, Poh Ling-Yeow, Jean-Christophe Novelli, and Sofia Levin. Adding to the excitement, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay will kick off the season as the first of many all-star guest judges.
With a mix of seasoned competitors and fresh talent, MasterChef Australia Season 17 is set to showcase just how far these chefs have come – and whether past experience gives them an edge in the ultimate culinary rematch.
MasterChef Australia: Back To Win is coming soon to 10 and 10 Play.