MasterChef Australia series 13
| Industry | Television |
|---|---|
| Founded | April 19, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Reality cooking competition television series |
| Website | 10play |
The thirteenth installment of the Australian culinary contest MasterChef Australia debuted on 19 April 2021, airing on Network 10. Returning to the judging panel were Andy Allen, Melissa Leong, and Jock Zonfrillo, who all reprised their roles from the preceding season.
The application window for hopeful participants was open between April and August 2020.
Modifications
This edition introduced a limited number of Immunity Pins—only three were available, each earned by contestants during the initial Mystery Box challenge involving all 24 competitors. Those who secured an Immunity Pin were exempt from participating in the first Elimination Challenge and had the flexibility to deploy their pins at any subsequent Elimination Challenge stage, including moments close to the finale.
The previously singular Second Chance Challenge was expanded into a full Second Chance Week, permitting two previously eliminated contestants to re-enter the competition instead of just one.
For the first time in the show's history, the Grand Finale featured three finalists competing rather than the traditional two.
Top 24
The announcement of the Top 24 contestants occurred on 19–20 April 2021.
| Contestant | Age | State/Territory | Profession | Outcome | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Narayan | 27 | WA | Youth pastor | Winner 13 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pete Campbell | 36 | NSW | Tattoo artist | Runner-up 13 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kishwar Chowdhury | 38 | VIC | Printing business owner | Third place 13 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elise Pulbrook | 28 | VIC | Lawyer | Eliminated 11 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Linda Dalrymple | 38 | NSW | Stay-at-home mum | Eliminated 6 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sabina Newton | 21 | TAS | Commerce student | Eliminated 5 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tommy Pham | 31 | NSW | Kindergarten teacher | Eliminated 4 July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depinder Chhibber | 29 | NSW | Pharmacist | Eliminated 29 June | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scott Bagnell | 40 | QLD | Commercial interior designer | Eliminated 27 June | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minoli De Silva | 34 | NT | Chemical engineer | Re-eliminated 27 June Returned 1 June Eliminated 2 May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aaron Sanders | 34 | SA | Insurance claims manager | Eliminated 20 June | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maja Veit | 33 | WA | Small business owner | Re-eliminated 15 June Returned 3 June Eliminated 4 May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brent Draper | 31 | QLD | Boilermaker | Withdrew 13 June | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amir Manoly | 30 | VIC | Construction project manager | Eliminated 8 June | "-
"| Dan Dumbrell |
"31" | "NSW" | "Research project officer" | Eliminated 6 June | "-
"| Tom Levick |
"24" | "NSW" | "Law graduate" | Eliminated 30 May | "-
"| Eric Mao |
"21" | "NSW" | "Medical student" | Eliminated 25 May | "-
"| Jess Hodge |
"36" | "NSW" | "Landscape architect" | Eliminated 23 May | "-
"| Conor Curran |
"27" | "VIC" | "Restaurant manager" | Eliminated 16 May | "-
"| Therese Lum |
"31" | "NSW" | "Performance data analyst" | Eliminated 11 May | "-
"| Wynona Davies |
"27" | "NSW" | "Marketing coordinator" | Eliminated 9 May | "-
"| Katrina Dunnett |
"25" | "VIC" | "Marketing coordinator" | Eliminated 27 April | "-
"| YoYo Yang |
"19" | "SA" | "Medical student" | Eliminated 25 April | "-
"| Trent Vu |
"23" | "VIC" | "Marketing executive" | Eliminated 22 April |
Subsequent Appearances
- Tommy Pham and Minoli De Silva returned for Series 14; Minoli was eliminated in eighteenth place on May 17, 2022, while Tommy finished tenth, departing on June 19, 2022.
- Depinder Chhibber appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef India - Hindi season 7.
- Brent Draper made a comeback in Series 15 and ultimately claimed the championship.
- Kishwar Chowdhury, Amir Manoly, and Connor Curran featured as guest judges during the initial service challenge of MasterChef Australia series 16.
- Both Depinder Chhibber and Pete Campbell competed in MasterChef Australia series 17; Pete withdrew on April 30, placing twenty-fourth, while Depinder was eliminated on August 4, finishing fourth.
Guest chefs
| Week | Guest Chef | Challenge Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emelia Jackson | Mystery Box Challenge |
| 2 (Superstars Week) |
Nigella Lawson | Pressure Test & Elimination Challenge |
| Yotam Ottolenghi | Team Challenge | |
| Massimo Bottura | Elimination Challenge | |
| Clare Smyth | Mystery Box Challenge | |
| Heston Blumenthal | Immunity Challenge | |
| Poh Ling Yeow | Elimination Challenge | |
| Callum Hann | ||
| Reynold Poernomo | ||
| 3 (Learning Week) |
Laura Sharrad | Masterclass Session |
| 4 (Masters Week) |
Andreas Papadakis | Team Challenge |
| Kirsten Tibballs | Pressure Test | |
| Masahiko Yomoda | Mystery Box Challenge | |
| Scott Pickett | Immunity Challenge | |
| Curtis Stone | Elimination Challenge | |
| 5 (Service Brigade Week) |
Frank Camorra | Immunity Challenge |
| Adam D'Sylva | ||
| Jenna North | ||
| Jason Staudt | ||
| 6 | Clinton McIver | Pressure Test |
| 7 (Second Chance Week) |
Anthony Hart | Pressure Test |
| Josh Niland | Elimination Challenge | |
| 8 (Victorian Culinary Road Tour) |
Alla Wolf-Tasker | Elimination Challenge |
| Kate Reid | Immunity Challenge | |
| 9 | Khanh Nguyen | Pressure Test |
| Nick Holloway | Elimination Challenge | |
| 10 | Darren Purchese | Pressure Test |
| Curtis Stone | Immunity Challenge | |
| Nornie Bero | Masterclass | |
| 11 | Rayleen Brown | Elimination Challenge |
| Finals | Martin Benn | Elimination Challenge |
| Hugh Allen | Pressure Test | |
| Peter Gilmore | Grand Finale |
Elimination Chart
... [Chart continues with similar compression applied throughout for brevity and clarity] ... colspan="27" style="background:black;" rowspan="3" style="background:darkgray;"| style = " background : #d1e8ef ; " style = " background : limegreen ; "| No. | Week | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Finals | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mystery Box Challenge Winner |
Elise Therese Wynona (Immunity Pin) |
Aaron Conor Depinder Linda Pete |
Conor Dan Depinder Kishwar Therese |
Depinder Jess Pete Scott |
None | Dan Elise Kishwar Linda Pete |
Eric Maja Tom Wynona |
Depinder Kishwar Linda Tommy |
Depinder Justin Pete Tommy |
Kishwar Sabina |
Elise Justin Linda |
None | Pete | |||||||||||||
| Immunity Challenge Winner |
Pete | Depinder | Depinder | Linda | None | Tommy | Justin | Sabina | Linda | Pete | None | |||||||||||||||
| Justin | 'Top 24' | 'Top 3' | IN | 'Team 2nd' | IN | 'Team 2nd' | IN | Template:MCATeamLose | Template:MCABottomX | 'Btm 8' | IN | IN | 'Top 8' | 'Top 6' | 'Top 6' | 'Team Win' | 'IMM' | 'Btm 8' | 'Top 5' | 'Team Win' | 'Top 3' | 'Top 4' | 'Top 3' | Template:MCABottomX | 'WINNER' | |
| Pete | 'Top 24' | IN | IN | Template:MCABottomX | 'IMM' | 'Team 2nd' | 'Top 4' | 'Team 3rd' | IN | 'Btm 8'}' | 'Top 4' | Template:MCABottomX | Template:MCABottomX | 'Top 4' | 'Top 6' | Template:MCATeamLose | 'Btm 5'}' | 'Btm 8'}' | 'Top 5' | Template:MCATeamLose | Template:MCABottomX | 'Top 4' | 'Top 3' | 'ADV'}' | 'Runner-up'}' | |
|
Eliminated Participants |
rowspan="3" style="background:salmon;"|
Trent |
rowspan="3" style="background:salmon;"|
YoYo |
rowspan="3" style="background:salmon;"|
Katrina |
rowspan="3" style="background:salmon;"|
Minoli Scott |
rowspan("3") style(" background : salmon ; ") |
Depinder |
rowspan("3") style(" background : salmon ; ") |
Tommy |
rowspan = "3" style = " background : salmon ; " |
Sabina |
rowspan = "3" style = " background : salmon ; " |
Linda |
rowspan = "3" style = " background : silver ; " |
Elise |
style = " background : #fbf373 ; " |
Kishwar | ||||||||||||||
Pete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Justin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Episodes and ratings
- Colour legend:
- – Peak viewership of the season
- – Lowest viewership of the season
| Ep#/Wk-Ep# | Airdate | Episode title / key event | Viewers (five metro areas) | Nightly rank | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | |||||
| 1/01-1 | Monday, 19 April 2021 | Series Launch: Auditions Part 1 — The thirteenth season began with auditions where hopefuls prepared signature dishes within a 75-minute timeframe aiming for a spot in the Top 24. Nineteen contestants secured aprons by achieving three affirmative votes; sixteen others with one or two positive votes competed again for the remaining five positions. | 670,000 | 8 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
| 2/01-2 | Tuesday, 20 April 2021 | Auditions Part 2 — Contestants selected between two pantries to craft a dish in either 90 or 45 minutes competing for the last five Top 24 spots. Notable dishes came from Aaron, Wynona, Katrina, Elise, and Conor. | 582,000 | 8 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
| 3/01-3 | Wednesday, 21 April 2021 | Top 24 Mystery Box Challenge — Emelia Jackson, winner of season twelve, presented a challenge involving immunity pins. Therese, Elise, and Wynona earned immunity by preparing exceptional dishes including chocolate Sichuan ice cream, quail with ricotta and silverbeet, and pistachio ice cream accompanied by cherry granita. | 549,000 | 10 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
| 4/01-4 | Thursday, 22 April 2021 | Chicken and Egg Elimination Challenge — Contestants remaining highlighted either chicken or egg in a two-stage elimination round. Trent was sent home after serving a chicken dish that was overly seasoned. | 591,000 | 8 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
|
| Week 2 Superstars Week | |||||
| 5/02-1 | Sunday, 25 April 2021 | Cryptic Elimination Challenge: Nigella Lawson's Toasted Marshmallow and Rhubarb Cake — Nigella Lawson challenged participants to identify biscuit flavours and replicate her signature cake. Brent claimed victory while YoYo was eliminated due to an undercooked meringue and rhubarb component. | 527,000 | 8 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| 6/02-2 | Monday, 26 April 2021 | Flavour Combinations Team Challenge — Teams captained by Aaron, Conor, and Elise crafted three-course meals inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi’s flavour pairings. The grey team lost after serving overcooked chicken skewers and faced elimination. | 545,000 | 14 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| 7/02-3 | Tuesday, 27 April 2021 | Cheese and Bread Elimination Challenge — Massimo Bottura assigned the losing team to prepare mac 'n' cheese alongside bread-based dishes. Katrina was eliminated for not emphasizing bread as the main ingredient. | 603,000 | 11 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| 8/02-4 | Wednesday, 28 April 2021 | Clare Smyth's Michelin Mystery Box Challenge — Contestants used ingredients curated by Clare Smyth. Aaron’s lasagna and other standout dishes secured places in the immunity challenge. | 535,000 | 13 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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| 9/02-5 | Thursday, 29 April 2021 | Breakfast Ice Cream Immunity Challenge — Heston Blumenthal tasked five contestants with creating ice cream desserts incorporating classic breakfast flavors. Pete won immunity with his bacon-flavored ice cream. | 570,000 | 7 | Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
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... [Content trimmed for brevity following same pattern] ...
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! colspan="6" style="background:#ddd;" | Week 13
Grand Finale Week
|}
| Grand Finale Highlights | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
60/13-1 | Monday,12 July2021 | Grand Finale Part One – The final three contestants prepared entrées and mains using mystery box ingredients drawn from previous challenges. Pete held the lead after two rounds. |799,000 |5 |Cite error: Invalid |
61/13-2 | Tuesday,13 July2021 | Grand Finale Part Two – Finalists replicated Peter Gilmore’s two-dish test. Justin narrowly won overall with a total score of125 points. |824,000 |6 |Cite error: Invalid |
61/13-2 | Tuesday,13 July2021 | Winner Announcement – Justin Narayan was crowned champion of MasterChef Australia Season Thirteen with a $250,000 prize; runner-up Pete Campbell received $30,000; third place Kishwar Chowdhury earned $20,000. |style=background:#90EE90 |931,000 |5 |Cite error: Invalid | |||