Episode 1
12 emerging home cooks will experience the magic of the MasterChef kitchen for the very first time, while 12 of MasterChef Australia’s most loved contestants will feel a sense of nostalgia as they walk through the hallowed doors for a second time. Whether their passion stems from feeding their family, creating culinary masterpieces on TikTok or a desire to test their skills against some of the best cooks MasterChef Australia has ever produced, these 24 contestants from all over Australia share one common love – food.
Episode 2
In a massive service challenge, it's Fans versus Favourites, course versus course in the ultimate three-course battle, with the winning teams heading to the immunity decider challenge.
Episode 3
Split into four teams across four benches, 12 contestants discover they have 75 minutes on the clock to create a dish using the ingredients from a particular layer of the balanced diet food pyramid.
Episode 4
It's this season's first immunity challenge. Choosing ingredients from mystery cloches, the contestant with the best dish wins immunity and will sit out the elimination challenge.
Episode 5
It's the first elimination of the year. The makers of the best jaffle in round one will be safe, but the chef with the least-satisfying dish that changed their life in round two will go home.
Episode 6
Contestants must create a dish using the same ingredients that were in the very first mystery box in MasterChef season one, The least impressive fare will send their chefs to a pressure test cook-off.
Episode 7
Dessert king Adriano Zumbo returns to the kitchen for a pressure test like no other. The contestant with the least impressive take on Zumbo's Polly Want A Waffle will be sent home.
Episode 8
Four teams vie for a shot at immunity in the infamous team relay challenge. This time, teams won't even know the mystery ingredient until the clock starts ticking! Plus, the first Masterclass of 2022.
Episode 9
The winning team in the previous relay challenge join the top-two mystery box winners for a chance at immunity as they try to Beat The Chef, who just happens to be MasterChef favourite Matt Stone.
Episode 10
Bonjour. Get ready for this episode's classic service challenge with guest chef Shannon Bennett. Each team must cook a French-inspired entree, main and dessert for 20 diners plus the judges.
Episode 11
Guest chef Shannon Bennett returns with 10 of his favourite fridge and pantry items to create this mystery box. The two least impressive cooks will face off in the next episode's pressure test.
Episode 12
MasterChef alumni and dessert king Reynold Poernomo returns to set this pressure test dish: his new intricate signature dessert, noi. The chef who fails to cope with the dish will be sent home.
Episode 13
Guest chef Curtis Stone leads teams out to the garden for a fast food versus fancy food service. With 80 ravenous diners waiting, the winners will head to the next immunity challenge.
Episode 14
Guest chef Curtis Stone returns as contestants cook a tasty dish worthy of immunity. But in this classic challenge, as their pantry of ingredients increases, their cooking time decreases.
Episode 15
Who will crack in an 'eggscellent' elimination challenge that sees contestants given just one egg to create the tastiest dish? Fail, and they must scramble to cook for their lives in round 2.
Episode 16
Twenty-six alphabetical mystery boxes contain single ingredients that correspond with the letter on the box. Chefs must cook using their designated ingredient, with the bottom four headed for a pressure test.
Episode 17
Fat Duck pastry chef Gareth Whitton sets this pressure test with his smoked pecan and butterscotch tart. The dish that least resembles Gareth's creation will send its maker home.
Episode 18
London's celebrated chef Clare Smyth has selected cherries and honey as two core ingredients that teams will need to cook with in this service challenge, as they duke it out for a shot at immunity.
Episode 19
The winners from yesterday's service challenge compete in a two-round immunity challenge. The contestant who creates the two most impressive dishes will dodge Sunday's elimination bullet.
Episode 20
It's elimination day and the creator of the best Round 1 fare will keep their team safe. Those fighting to avoid the drop must then prepare a tasty dish to be left overnight and cooked the next day.
Episode 21
In a grungy Fitzroy warehouse, contestants lift the lids on their mystery boxes, leading to coffee beans spilling out across their bench as judges reveal they must create a dish that features coffee.
Episode 22
Arriving at Alla Wolf-Tasker's Lake House restaurant, contestants must re-create his summer cucumbers with Murray cod dish. The contestant whose dish least resembles Alla's will be going home.
Episode 23
Teams need to create the prefect date night meal including an entree, main and dessert for 25 couples plus the judges. The two teams with the least impressive menu will head to a shock elimination.
Episode 24
The bottom two teams from the previous challenge face elimination and must split their 90-minute cooking time over two rounds, with the creator of the least impressive second round dish going home.
Episode 25
It's time to switch things up, and everyone is now cooking for themselves to stay in the competition. The maker of the best dish will win a cash prize of $10,000 and a game-changing immunity pin.
Episode 26
The mystery box has been set by the queen of the kitchen, the legendary Maggie Beer. The four least impressive dishes created from the mystery box will send their makers into a pressure test.
Episode 27
Fish butcher extraordinaire Josh Niland reveals his first pressure test dish: tuna wellington with mashed potato and tuna gravy. Whoever cooks the dish that is least like Josh's will be sent home
Episode 28
Teams face a service challenge for 60 hungry diners at the stately Werribee Mansion. To win a shot at immunity, contestants must turn humble ingredients into a fine dining entree and posh main course
Episode 29
Contestants vie for immunity from elimination over a two-round fry-up, and must create the best dishes using an everyday air fryer before cooking a sweet or savoury dish using a deep fryer.
Episode 30
Competitors must identify a selection of leafy greens and herbs. The first six contestants to incorrectly name the produce must create their tastiest dish that celebrates greens to avoid elimination.
Episode 31
Andy opens the mystery box to reveal a mini storm cloud as lightning flashes around the kitchen. Contestants must create a dish for a rainy day, with a fast track to the immunity challenge at stake.
Episode 32
Gelato master Donny Toce presents his intricate dessert, Honey, comprising a honey tuille, gelato honeycomb, and blown sugar beehive for this Pressure Test, and failure will send someone home.
Episode 33
Contestants become artists for a creative service challenge, and the judges expect three-course masterpieces as they take inspiration from a virtual forest at digital art gallery The LUME.
Episode 34
An imposing figure appears in the kitchen: iconic chef Marco Pierre White. Contestants face a pressure test to win immunity by recreating his panache of sea scallops, calamari and ink sauce.
Episode 35
Contestants must create a dish using ingredients from culinary king Marco Pierre White's array of pantry items that he uses at home. The least impressive dish will ensure elimination for its maker.
Episode 36
Contestants enter the kitchen for a smoking mystery box challenge. They must create a dish that incorporates a burnt element or has the flavour of fire, for a shot at a huge advantage.
Episode 37
It's an elimination pressure test with a difference. The contestants won't see or taste the dish, and they won't be given a recipe. All they have to go on is a review written by judge Melissa Leong.
Episode 38
Vying for a shot at immunity, contestants are split into two teams for a service challenge. Each team must curate a three-course menu for either the Japanese or Italian restaurant they are cooking in.
Episode 39
You have a ticket to the silver screen for a movie food immunity challenge. After a popcorn taste test, the remaining competitors must create a blockbuster flavour choc-top that will thrill filmgoers.
Episode 40
Someone will be eliminated and miss out on the top 10 as contestants attempt to create an entrancing dish that transports the judges and legendary guest chef Rick Stein to a special place.
Episode 41
Top 10 Week kicks off with one tough mystery box: it's the everything box, and all ingredients inside must be used. Plus, anyone who cooks a top dish this week will be safe from elimination.
Episode 42
Contestants have been asked to write their own Pressure Test overnight. Now, they must handle their own pressure and exceed the high bar they have set for themselves and bring their best dish yet.
Episode 43
This challenge is the classic invention test. Our cooks must be inventive, creative and able to think outside the box as they reimagine a classic we all grew up with: the humble fruit salad.
Episode 44
The cooks with the four top dishes this week have won immunity from Sunday's elimination. Now they battle it out to win the final immunity pin, but only if they can ace the infamous Time Auction!
Episode 45
Six contestants are cooking to survive in a challenge played out over three rounds, where they can only pick one ingredient to use: pumpkin, chicken or fish. What would you cook to stay in the game?
Episode 46
In a Mystery Box challenge that focuses on detail, plating and using what's available from a choice of tiny ingredients, cooks must plate up a winning entree-sized dish to avoid a Pressure Test.
Episode 47
Chef Khanh Nguyen reveals his seafood plate for today's Pressure Test, and there are 99 ingredients, 143 steps and 13 pages in the recipe! The chef whose dish least resembles Khanh's will go home.
Episode 48
In today's service challenge, contestants are cooking for their loved ones, and must serve an entree, main and dessert. The team with the best menu will win a shot at tomorrow's immunity challenge.
Episode 49
This episode's challenge is to tame one of these very prickly ingredients: chestnuts, stinging nettle, prickly pear or sea urchin. The best dish will win its maker immunity from the week's elimination.
Episode 50
Seven contestants cook to avoid elimination. Over two rounds, using ingredients selected by guest chef Hugh Allen, competitors must create dishes impressive enough to see them through to safety.
Episode 51
Contestants cook from a rainbow mystery box including painted crayfish, scampi caviar, Fruit Loops, dragon fruit, coloured corn, mukhwas, flowering pineapple sage, rainbow chard, and dried turmeric.
Episode 52
For this pressure test, Chocolate Queen Kirsten Tibballs presents her intricate cherry on top dessert. The dish that least replicates Kirsten's delicious dessert will send its maker home.
Episode 53
Split into teams of two, contestants select two ingredients from two pantries, but can't see what their teammate is choosing. Teams will cook a dish using their four ingredients for a shot at immunity.
Episode 54
Contestants purchase their ingredients, using time as their currency. The more ingredients they purchase, the less time on the clock. For an immunity taste, they have no time to waste.
Episode 55
Finals Week sees our six finalists travel to Oyster Bay in Tasmania, where they will face a two-round oyster challenge. They'll need to be super creative to avoid being shucked out of the competition.
Episode 56
As their Tassie tour rolls on, the final five visit Deloraine for a truffle hunt. They'll then use the black diamonds they dug out of the ground to cook the most delicious dish worthy of immunity.
Episode 57
With one contestant holding immunity, the remaining four face elimination as they visit Tasmania's Lawrenny Distillery, where they must choose a spirit to showcase in a four-course service challenge.
Episode 58
Back in the MasterChef kitchen following their Tasmanian adventure, contestants learn that the winner of this two-round immunity challenge will be fast-tracked straight through to the semifinal.
Episode 59
It's time for some fun in MasterClass. The tables are turned as Jock and Andy go head-to-head in a pub meal invention test, before engaging in a three-course menu battle against our four finalists.
Episode 60
Peter Gilmore has created some of the most famed and punishing pressure tests in the program's history. For a spot in the semifinals, contestants must simultaneously cook two of his most complex dishes.
Episode 61
Shannon Bennett is back for the semifinal, running the pass and offering advice. Contestants must create a three-course menu worthy of a place in the Finale for 20 diners each plus the judges.
Episode 62
Welcome to the Grand Final! Our two gifted finalists enter the kitchen for the last time and they'll have to impress Heston Blumenthal and our judges to win the title of MasterChef 2022 and $250,000.
