The eighteenth series of the Australian television cooking show MasterChef Australia premiered on 19 April 2026. It featured the same four judges as the two previous editions: series 4 winner Andy Allen, food writer Sofia Levin, French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and series 1 runner-up Poh Ling Yeow.
Guests included Jimmy Barnes, Maggie Beer, Andy Hearnden, Robert Irwin, Justine Schofield, Marion Grasby, Rick Stein, Curtis Stone, Adriano Zumbo, Sanjeev Kapoor and Cherish Finden. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex also appeared as a guest judge.
Changes In contrast to the previous series, the show returned to featuring a cast of 24 new contestants. In addition, for the first time since series thirteen an auditions stage was broadcast, with the auditions previously either having been omitted from broadcast or not held. Over the first three episodes, 40 contestants competed in the auditions stage for a top 24 position. In each of the first two episodes, 10 contestants were chosen from 20 competitors and in the third episode, the final 4 contestants were chosen from the 20 remaining competitors from the first two episodes of audition rounds.
Contestants Top 24 Contestant Age State Occupation Status Vinnie Gibaldi 26VIC Registered nurseWinner 9 August Petro Papathomas30VICChartered accountant Aaron Kher32VICMedical product specialist Third place 3 August Casper Kenworthy28ACTTechnology consultant Eliminated 27 July Annabel Lloyd31NSWRegistered nurse Eliminated 22 July Luke Harris20WAStudent Eliminated 20 July Pat McGarry 37NSW Council worker Eliminated 15 July Alyona Iljuhhina39NSWClinical research manager Eliminated 8 July Emily Sue 37 NSW Youth worker Eliminated 6 July Hannah Johnson 37WA Homemaker Eliminated 1 July Grace West-King23VICRetail assistant Eliminated 24 June Bella Di Conza 21VIC Agriculture student Eliminated 22 June Returned 9 JuneEliminated 6 May Jackie Yu 31NSW Tech recruiter Eliminated 15 June Dot McHugh31NSWSenior graphic designer Eliminated 10 June Jack Hosking 29SA Events manager Eliminated 8 June Lydia Kamperos 58NSW Homemaker Eliminated 3 June Olaolu Olorunnimbe 34NSW Brand consultant Eliminated 1 June Miin Wei Looi 52VIC Communications strategist Eliminated 25 May Lucy Mansfield 24QLD Web designer Eliminated 20 MayKanika Gadyok35NSWIT analyst Eliminated 18 May Alita Harvey-Rodriguez40VICChief operating officer Eliminated 11 May Belinda Gosden 56WA Education administrator Eliminated 4 May Jeff Lam 47VIC Print production technician Eliminated 29 April Megs Steel40QLDHR consultant Eliminated 27 April
Guests Week Guest Challenge2 Jimmy Barnes & Jane Barnes Mystery box challenge Maggie Beer Pressure test3 (Family Favorites Week)Andy Hearnden Immunity breakfast challenge4 (Viral Wonders Week) Catherine Zhang Mystery box challenge Victoria Minell Viral ingredients challenge Lily Huynh Service challenge Khanh Ong Sandwich immunity pin challenge 5 (Global Week)Rick Stein Mystery box challenge Rosheen Kaul Pressure test6 (Nostalgia Week) Vincent Yeow Lim Mystery box challenge Justine Schofield Immunity pin challenge 7 (Perfect Pairs Week) Matt Sinclair & Daniel Dobra Mystery box challenge 8 (Aussie Classics Week) Curtis Stone Mystery box challenge Elimination challenge Robert Irwin Elimination challenge9 (Sweet Week) Adriano Zumbo Mystery box challenge Jess Liemantara Immunity pin challenge 10 (Masters Week) Josh Niland Mystery box challenge Curtis Stone Elimination challenge Tom Sarafian Invention test Kirsten Tibballs Pressure test11 (Knockout Week) Sarah Todd & Declan Cleary Mystery box challenge12 Sanjeev Kapoor Mystery box challenge Sam Aisbett Pressure test13 (Heat Week) Marion Grasby Mystery box challenge15 (Finals Week) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Immunity challenge17 (Grand Finale) Cherish Finden Pressure test
Elimination chart No. Week 1234567891011121314FinalsSemi-FinalGrand Finale MysteryBoxChallengeWinnerNoneCasperNoneGraceAlyonaCasperGraceMiinAaronDotAnnabelPatHannahPatAlyonaPatPetroAnnabelCasperPetroPatPetroCasperCasperVinnieNoneNoneVinnie InventionTestWinnerAaronDotPetroNoneNoneAlyonaCasperDotNoneDotPatNoneAlyonaBellaHannahPatPetroPetroNonePetroNoneNoneNoneNone ImmunityChallengeNone Aaron Alyona Annabel Hannah Lydia MiinNone NoneNone1 VinnieTop 24 IN colspan="2" Btm 11 colspan="2" DNP IN IN IN IN IN IN 2 PetroTop 24 IN colspan="2" Btm 11 IN colspan="3" IN IN IN 3 AaronTop 24 colspan="2" IN colspan="3" IN IN IN IN IN 4 CasperTop 24 IN IN colspan="2" colspan="3" IN IN IN colspan="3" 5 AnnabelTop 24 IN IN colspan="2" IN colspan="3" IN IN IN IN IN 6 LukeTop 24 IN colspan="2" Btm 11 IN colspan="3" IN IN IN IN 7 PatTop 24 colspan="2" IN colspan="3" IN IN IN IN 8 AlyonaTop 24 IN colspan="3" IN IN IN 9 EmilyTop 24 IN colspan="2" IN colspan="3" IN IN 10 HannahTop 24 IN colspan="2" Btm 11 IN colspan="3" IN IN 11 GraceTop 24 IN IN colspan="2" IN colspan="3" IN IN 12 BellaTop 24 IN Eliminated (Ep 11) 13 JackieTop 24 IN colspan="1" colspan="3" IN 14 DotTop 24 colspan="2" Btm 11 colspan="3" 15 JackTop 24 IN IN colspan="2" Btm 11 IN colspan="3" IN 16 Lydia Top 24 IN colspan="2" IN colspan="3" 17 OlaoluTop 24 IN colspan="2" IN colspan="3" 18 MiinTop 24 IN colspan="2" 19 LucyTop 24 IN colspan="2" Btm 11 20 KanikaTop 24 IN IN colspan="2" 21 AlitaTop 24 IN 22 BelindaTop 24 IN 23 JeffTop 24 24 MegsTop 24 EliminatedNoneMegsJeffBelindaBellaAlitaKanikaLucyMiinOlaoluLydiaJackDotJackieBellaGraceHannah Emily Alyona Pat Luke Annabel CasperAaronPetroVinnie
Episodes and ratings