MasterChef Australia: The Professionals
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Culinary television |
| Founded | January 20, 2013 |
| Defunct | March 17, 2013 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Television show |
MasterChef Australia: The Professionals is an Australian culinary television series adapted from the BBC's MasterChef: The Professionals. It was broadcast on Network Ten from 20 January until 17 March 2013. The competition concluded with Rhys Badcock as the champion.
Contestants
| Contestant | Age | State | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhys Badcock | 29 | NSW | Champion (50 points) |
| Rhett Willis | 33 | QLD | Runners-Up (48 points) |
| Sarah Knights | 27 | NSW | |
| Michael Demagistris | 31 | VIC | Eliminated 12 March |
| Nathan Brindle | 23 | NSW | Eliminated 11 March |
| Bonny Porter | 23 | NSW | Eliminated 10 March |
| Nick Whitehouse | 41 | NSW | Eliminated 5 March |
| Luke Southwood | 43 | NSW | Eliminated 3 March |
| Coop Woodstone | 37 | NSW | Eliminated 24 February |
| Cassie Delves | 19 | NSW | Eliminated 19 February |
| Cameron Bailey | 26 | NSW | Eliminated 12 February |
Episodes
...Guest chefs
- Adriano Zumbo
- Jacques Reymond
- Stefano de Pieri
- Peter Gilmore
- Shannon Bennett
- Donovan Cooke
- Curtis Stone
- David Chang
Ratings
- Colour legend:
- – Peak rating within the season
- – Lowest rating recorded in the season
| Episode | Challenges/Events |
|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Preston introduced the contestants to co-judge Chef Marco Pierre White. The professionals were split into six groups of three to prepare meals for 120 diners, including family members, within two and a half hours. Menu items featured duck, yabbies, tortellini, pastry, and tartare. Cassidy earned immunity while Matty was eliminated. |
| 2 | Cooking took place at Federation Square in Melbourne for a pop-up dining experience on trams. Participants were divided into Red and Green teams led by Nick Whitehouse and Rhett Willis, respectively, preparing entrée, main, and dessert courses. The Red Team secured victory based on passenger votes; the Green Team faced elimination. |
| 3 | Members of the Green Team crafted individual dishes that reflected their personalities within two hours. Akuc's lentil soup was named dish of the day; Anthony was sent home. |
| 4 | The first reinvention challenge required all chefs to reinterpret Fish and Chips, a dish chosen by Akuc, within 90 minutes. Rhett received dish of the day honors; Chrissie was eliminated due to overcooking and poor adaptation. |
| 5 | Participants were tasked with creating an eleven-layer wedding cake in three hours, designed by guest chef Adriano Zumbo. They were divided into three teams headed by Luke, Tracey, and Michael. Luke's team won, while the others faced elimination. |
| 6 | Using the same teams, chefs prepared entrée, main, and dessert for an audience of 120 within 90 minutes. The Red team triumphed; Kiah was eliminated for undercooked soufflés. |
| 7 | Contestants reimagined a Sunday Roast selected from a knife block. Nick earned dish of the day; Kylie was eliminated due to undercooked pork crackling. |
| 8 | Three rapid-fire rounds focused on duck, vegetables, and shellfish ingredients. Two chefs were eliminated in each round, resulting in six contestants facing the next elimination. |
| 9 | Professionals competed against guest chef Jacques Reymond’s team without Marco overseeing the kitchen. Despite timing issues on Jacques' side, the professionals lost based on guest votes; Tracey was eliminated for overcooked veal. |
| 10 | A reinvention challenge centered on the classic dessert pavlova chosen from the knife block. Sarah, Cassie, and Cameron excelled; Akuc was eliminated due to a lack of innovation. |
| 11 | A mystery box challenge required chefs to create dishes using domestic kitchen "garbage" ingredients within one hour. Rhett won dish of the day; Michael and Cameron faced elimination. |
| 12 | Michael and Cameron independently prepared three-course menus for an audience of 120 guests. Cameron was eliminated after Michael struggled during service. |
| 13 | Professionals were split into two teams to cook for 50 horse riders using traditional equipment in Victoria’s high country. The Red team led by Sarah won based on rider votes. |
| 14 | Despite their prior win, the Red team cooked again and identified 40 ingredients from the classic dish Laksa. Bonny was saved for accuracy; Coop was eliminated due to poor cooking quality. |
| 15 | A service challenge feeding 120 guests with entrée, main, and dessert courses took place. Rhys’ cheesecake earned dish of the day; Cassie was eliminated after burning a soufflé and overcooking duck. |
| 16 | Contestants undertook a fusion reinvention test combining Moroccan and Mexican cuisines within 90 minutes. Bonny won dish of the day; Coop was eliminated for failing to successfully fuse flavors in his quail dish. |
| Week | Episode | Original air date | Broadcast time | Viewership (millions) |
Ranking (Night) |
Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "All-in Service Challenge" | 20 January 2013 | Sunday 7:00 pm | 1,165,000 | #3 | |
| 2 | "Guerrilla-style Pop-up" | 21 January 2013 | Monday 7:30 pm | 1,019,000 | #5 | ||
| 3 | "Last Chance Invention Test" | 22 January 2013 | Tuesday 7:30 pm | 1,020,000 | #4 | ||
| 2 | 4 | "Re-Invention Test" | 27 January 2013 | Sunday 7:00 pm | 718,000 | #10 | |
| 5 | "Pressure Test" | 28 January 2013 | Monday 7:30 pm | 892,000 | #10 | ||
| 6 | "Restaurant Challenge" | 29 January 2013 | Tuesday 7:30 pm | 729,000 | #10 | ||
| 3 | 7 | "Sunday Roast Re-Invention Test" | 3 February 2013 | Sunday 7:00 pm | 1,124,000 | #5 | |
| 8 | "Quick Fire Skills Test" | 4 February 2013 | Monday 7:30 pm | 627,000 | #19 | ||
| 9 | "Restaurant Challenge" | 5 February 2013 | Tuesday 7:30 pm | 533,000 | #20 | ||
| Week | Episode | Original air date | Broadcast time | Viewership (millions) |
Ranking (Night) |
Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Note: Viewer counts and rankings are not available for episodes beyond week three.)
Notes
^N/A = outside top 20 rankings
International syndications
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Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | AACTA Awards | Best Reality Television Series | Template:Won | |
| Best Direction in a Television Light Entertainment or Reality Series | Michael Venables for Episode 13: "Mansfield Offsite" | Template:Nom |