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Poh reveals birthday plans for her big 5-0

<p>Aside from her cooking skills, <em>MasterChef's </em>Poh Ling Yeow is also known for her “ageless beauty” and this year, the beloved cook is gearing up for a double celebration. </p> <p>“My 50th birthday falls close to Christmas, and my dad wants to combine the two celebrations this year,” she told <em>Yahoo Lifestyle</em>. </p> <p>Poh told the publication that she opted to merge her birthday celebration and Christmas festivities in an effort to make the holiday season “stress-free” for her and her loved ones. </p> <p>“The key to a stress-free Christmas is reducing your personal workload, and I can’t think of a better way to get into the festive spirit than sharing preparations for the big day with family. It’s always potluck at the Yeow family Christmas!”</p> <p>And as you'd expect from a seasoned chef, this year's menu consists of a few of her own “centrepiece mains”.</p> <p>Her other tip for reader's at home hoping to make Christmas more stress-free is to ask guests to bring a side or dessert.</p> <p>“I love a grated beet, chickpea and mint salad with white balsamic that’s full of crunch and almost like a pickle,” she said. </p> <p>"Also, a Thai roast chicken and glass vermicelli salad, and a Korean japchae (sweet potato noodle salad).</p> <p>“My family, bless them, loves a proper retro trifle. It starts with making finger jello by adding 1 tablespoon of powdered gelatine to a raspberry or strawberry jelly so you can easily cut them into cubes after it’s set." </p> <p>She then shared her tip for making the trifle. </p> <p>“Then it’s just a matter of layering sliced, store-bought jam rollettes drowned in regular strawberry jelly mixture, tinned peaches, fresh strawberries, custard made with powdered custard mix, fresh cream then piling on the prepared jelly cubes.”</p> <p><em>Images: Yahoo Lifestyle</em></p>

Food & Wine

MasterChef finalist jailed for 24 years

<p>Paul Douglas Frost, a <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">former finalist on MasterChef Australia, has been ordered to</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> serve a minimum of 24 years in prison – up to a maximum of 32 years – for 43 sexual offences he against 11 children that he committed during his time working as a Sydney swim coach.</span></p> <p>It's been over four years since Frost's arrest, and now the verdict – delivered by Judge Sarah Huggett at Downing Centre District Court in Sydney – sees justice for his crimes that occurred over a period of ten years and involved children as young as ten years old.</p> <p>Judge Huggett made special mention of the “escalating gravity and brazenness” of Frost's crimes against his victims, the <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">youngest of whom was nine or 10 years old when the abuse began, while the oldest was molested until the age of 16.</span></p> <p>Huggett also made it clear in her ruling that Frost had shown no remorse for his actions, while dismissing character references that portrayed him as a protector of young people.</p> <p>“There is no evidence that would permit me to find on balance that he is contrite or remorseful,” she told the court. Frost appeared in court not in person, but via video link from Shortland Correctional Centre, and showed little to no reaction throughout Judge Huggett's sentencing.</p> <p>The majority of Frost’s crimes occurred at a swimming school in southwest Sydney, and testimonies from his victims outlined the depth of Frost’s manipulation, encouraging explicit discussions about sex and masturbation, which eventually led to inappropriate physical contact.</p> <p>The court was also told of Frost's tendency to coerce his victims into remaining silent after the assaults. Judge Huggett also said that Frost’s offences were “opportunistic, impulsive and spontaneous,” which helped him to create an environment that made the discussion of explicit matters appear normal to his victims.</p> <p>Judge Huggett said Frost, who was in his 20s when the crimes were comitted, “created opportunities for him to be alone” with the victims. “In addition to manipulating the victims, he manipulated the parents who trusted him with their children." </p> <p>Frost’s earliest possible release date is June 3, 2047. He is currently being held in protective custody following an assault in July at Shortland Correctional Centre.</p> <p><em>Images: Network 10</em></p>

Legal

Matt Preston unveils all in new memoir

<p>MasterChef icon Matt Preston has spilled it all in his new memoir <em>Big Mouth</em>. </p> <p>Speaking to <em>news.com.au </em>to promote his new memoir, the former <em>MasterChef</em> judge revealed the story behind the “secret hand gesture” he made on-screen. </p> <p>“The first four years of MasterChef were shot in Sydney and my family lived in Melbourne,” he explained. </p> <p>“So I had to find ways when she was watching the show, of letting her know that she was there.</p> <p>“At that point, I used to wear two wedding rings on my left hand, so during tastings I would twist the ring on my finger … so that she could watch and know that I wasn’t just lost in some strange MasterChef celebrity bubble but I was actually remembering her.”</p> <p>He also revealed a few behind the scenes secrets about <em>MasterChef</em>, including the tension between him and fellow judge Gary Mehigan in the first season. </p> <p>“You have to understand that there is a fundamental cobra versus mongoose relationship between food critics and restaurateurs,” he explained,</p> <p>He added that things might have been “a little frosty” between them because of a review he had written about one of Mehigan's restaurants in the past.</p> <p>“I’m the guy who came to Gary’s restaurant, The Boathouse, and had a wobbly table and wrote about how wobbly my table was. He wasn’t happy.</p> <p>“So there was a certain amount of professional suspicion, shall we say,” he laughed. </p> <p>However, the pair have figured things out and Preston now considers Mehigan as “one of my most trusted friends”. </p> <p>Preston also answered the one question viewers always ask in every season: “Don’t the dishes go cold before the judges have a chance to taste them?”</p> <p>“We had a number of strategies to ensure that we could see the food in its best form,” Preston told the outlet. </p> <p>One of those strategies was getting the contestants to make a second dish after the challenge ended, and tasting that first. </p> <p>“We’d taste that in a speed tasting before we did the main tasting,” Preston said. “We would go around and look at things like how high the souffle had risen and were the chips crispy.”</p> <p>“We were wandering around the whole time, you could see us in the back of each shot, poking into pots and tasting,” he said.</p> <p>“All you’re trying to do is make the playing field for the contestants as even as possible.”</p> <p>The memoir will be released on November 7 and also explores Preston's adoption, his fractured childhood and a few family tragedies. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Melissa Leong opens up on sudden MasterChef exit

<p>Melissa Leong has addressed the "chaos" and "confusion" behind the recent rumours that she got <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/melissa-leong-axed-just-weeks-ahead-of-filming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">axed</a> from <em>MasterChef Australia </em>in a statement released on Instagram.</p> <p>The food critic revealed that she voluntarily chose to leave the show, as she embraces a "new delicious chapter" of her life. </p> <p>“I get that there is going to be a bit of confusion and chaos about the ‘why’ of it all right now," she wrote in the statement released on Instagram. </p> <p>"I’m here and happy to clear that up, because negative tropes draped around women who achieve something is boring, and frankly we are all better than that,” she continued. </p> <p>“This is a shift I embrace with joy. One that allows everyone involved, to expand. To put it plainly, I’m very fortunate to continue to be a key part of [MasterChef], yet have the space to evolve my career.</p> <p>“In effect, I get to have my cake and eat it too…and what could be better than that?!”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyxJ1y6Lvwy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CyxJ1y6Lvwy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Melissa Leong | FOODERATI (@fooderati)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>This statement comes just two days after Leong <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyu7xa_Ld-D/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thanked <em>Network Ten</em> </a>for it's continued support, after three years on the show alongside Andy Allen and the late Jock Zonfrillo. </p> <p>“My time as co-host and judge on @MasterChefAU has been a great gift. To have been given the opportunity to learn and grow – and now to be given the vote of confidence to expand and evolve the MasterChef universe is huge!” she wrote in the Instagram post. </p> <p>She added that she is looking forward to share a few new projects that she has coming up, including the upcoming second season of<em> Dessert Masters Australia</em> on <em>Ten</em>, which she will co-host with pastry chef Amaury Guichon.</p> <p>"On top of all that joy, I am excited to share with you (soon), some other projects I’ve been working on behind the scenes, so watch this space!</p> <p>"My gratitude to our audience for all your support, can't wait for you to see the new show." </p> <p>Leong will be replaced by 2009 <em>MasterChef</em> runner-up Poh Ling Yeow and Michelin star chef Jean-Christophe Novelli. </p> <p>Leong shared her well-wishes for the new judges. </p> <p>“It is with great warmth and enthusiasm that I wish this new line-up of judges and hosts all the best in making it theirs, and big love to @andyallencooks for leading the way,”</p> <p>“The changing of the guard is one I always planned to embrace, and I’m so glad to do that, on my terms, today.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Melissa Leong axed just weeks ahead of filming

<p>In an unexpected turn of events, Channel Ten's beloved cooking show, <em>MasterChef Australia</em>, is set to undergo a significant makeover in 2024. The series, which has captured the hearts of food enthusiasts and reality TV aficionados alike, will introduce a new judging panel, leaving fans both excited and apprehensive.</p> <p>Melissa Leong, a fan favourite who joined the <em>MasterChef</em> family in 2019 alongside Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo, finds herself stepping away from the iconic show. Her arrival was part of a pivotal change in the program after the departure of original judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan, and George Calombaris due to a pay dispute. Sadly, the show faced another devastating loss with the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sudden passing of Jock Zonfrillo</a> earlier this year, leaving a void that needed to be filled.</p> <p>According to sources reported by the <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/masterchef-s-melissa-leong-axed-from-judging-lineup-20231023-p5ee9f" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Australian Financial Review</em></a>, Leong was made aware of this transition only recently, just a month before the new season began filming. The Australian public, deeply attached to the familiar faces they've come to love on the show, was left wondering about the future of <em>MasterChef</em>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/masterchef-shakeup-for-2024-new-sweet-gig-for-melissa-leong/news-story/4c3b7c3b77e942e09be516d631b5065a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a> broke the news that the new judging panel would include former contestant Poh Ling Yeow, Michelin-starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, and food critic Sofia Levin. While these newcomers bring their own expertise and charm to the <em>MasterChef</em> stage, they must face the challenge of filling the shoes of their predecessors and winning over the show's passionate audience.</p> <p>Andy Allen, who has been a part of the <em>MasterChef</em> journey since 2012, made the surprising decision to return to the series after what he described as a "difficult year" in 2023. Speaking about his choice, Allen said, "There is something special in the <em>MasterChef Australia</em> Kitchen, and it feels right to come back to work with the amazing production team, and to play my role in seeing the contestants do as I have done." With the new line-up, 2024 promises to be the beginning of a fresh chapter in the show's history.</p> <p>Notably, there were rumours that celebrity chef <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/jamie-oliver-tipped-to-replace-jock-zonfrillo-on-masterchef" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamie Oliver might join the show</a> as a replacement. However, it appears that the production team opted for a mix of <em>MasterChef</em> alumni and culinary expertise to usher in this new era.</p> <p>Leong's connection with Channel Ten remains strong, as she is set to host <em>Dessert Masters</em>, alongside the pastry prodigy Amaury Guichon, known as "The Chocolate Guy". This spinoff series promises to showcase the skills of Australia's top pastry chefs and dessert makers through sweet-themed challenges. Dessert enthusiasts can anticipate an exciting showdown between some of the country's finest dessert creators.</p> <p>A Network 10 spokesperson has clarified that the decision was not influenced by any ongoing investigation and that Leong will continue to be a cherished member of the <em>MasterChef Australia</em> family. The spokesperson stated, "Melissa is set to return for a second season of <em>Dessert Masters</em> in 2024, alongside fellow judge and pastry prodigy Amaury Guichon." The scheduling of both programs, with<em> MasterChef</em> and <em>Dessert Masters</em> airing back-to-back, called for each show to have its distinct style, personality and hosting team.</p> <p>As fans eagerly await the new season of <em>MasterChef Australia</em> in 2024, there is a mix of anticipation and nostalgia. The departure of a beloved judge and the introduction of fresh faces signal a new chapter in the show's legacy.</p> <p><em>Image: MasterChef Australia</em></p>

MasterChef star's beautiful beach wedding

<p>Former <em>MasterChef </em>contestant Hayden Quinn has officially tied the knot with his model fiancé Jax Raynor in a beautiful beach wedding. </p> <p>The couple took to Instagram to share their wedding photos in Nantucket, US, which is an up-market holiday destination off the coast of Massachusetts.</p> <p>"Mr & Mrs Quinn 🤍" they captioned the photos. </p> <p>The first photo showed the couple sharing their first kiss, followed by a photo of them smiling happily while holding hands as the sky turned pink. </p> <p>The final photo showed the newlyweds waving to family and friends as they walked down the aisle. </p> <p>Their wedding was “pearl-themed” as it was inspired by their childhood, where they group up by the beach. </p> <p>Jax, who is a model and US native, grew up by Nantucket’s Galley Beach, while Hayden spent most of his childhood on Sydney’s northern beaches, before his first appearance on <em>MasterChef</em> in 2011. </p> <p>“The Galley was the only place I wanted to get married,” Jax told <em>Vogue</em> magazine. </p> <p>“We both wanted everything to feel classic and effortless, and the Galley is such a stunning venue that we only needed to enhance its already beautiful decor.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx-KIu6LBiD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx-KIu6LBiD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Hayden Quinn (@hayden_quinn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Friends and fans took to the comments to share the joy. </p> <p>"Awww gorgeous congratulations you two xx," wrote former MasterChef contestant Rose Adam.</p> <p>"Congratulations to you both ❤️❤️" wrote cook and Bumplings Perth owner Brendan Pang. </p> <p>"Congrats legends," Australian surfer Mick Fanning wrote. </p> <p>"Yes!!! Huge congrats to you both 😍," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"Awesome!!! Mazal Tov, Congrats and all that jazz. ♡" wrote another. </p> <p>The couple first met on New Year’s Eve in 2016 and fell in love at first sight. </p> <p>“Hayden was in New York on holiday with friends and I was living in the city at the time. Our meeting was very by chance, all orchestrated by a close friend of ours," Jax recalled their romance. </p> <p>“We spent the next five days together, and by the end, we both knew that this was it. I packed up my life in New York and moved to Australia on February 1, only 32 days after we first met.</p> <p>“We had been together for about six years when Hayden proposed. We had been talking about getting married since the night we met so we both knew it was something we both wanted.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

Jamie Oliver tipped to replace Jock Zonfrillo on MasterChef

<p>Five months after the untimely death of <em>MasterChef</em> judge Jock Zonfrillo, rumours of his replacement for the new season of the show are beginning to emerge. </p> <p>According to a Channel 10 insider, British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has reportedly signed a $2 million deal to take over the hosting role for the next season. </p> <p>In reports to <em><a href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/reality-tv/masterchef" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women's Day</a></em>, Oliver will be taking over the show for the new season, which is set to begin filming in November, but has not yet agreed to take over Zonfrillo's role permanently. </p> <p>"Jamie has inked a deal worth around $2million," the source told <em>Women's Day</em> in the latest issue.</p> <p>The publication went on to say the contract with the best-selling cook book author includes a trip home to the UK for Christmas as well as an accommodation allowance for his family when they visit in January.</p> <p>When Jock Zonfrillo's untimely death made headlines in April, Jamie Oliver was one of the first celebrity chefs to share their condolences. </p> <p>"I'm in total shock to wake up to the sudden death of chef Jock Zonfrillo," he wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>"We had the best time working together for this years <em>MasterChef</em>, I can't tell how good it was to work with him!"</p> <p>"Jock was very generous to me with his time and spirit in the show and for that I was really grateful… Melisa, Andy & Jock work as the most inspiring judges and mentors and each have there very own unique view and style… Jock will be so very missed…"</p> <p>He added, "I can't believe I'm writing this…….Sending heart felt love and condolences to all of his family, friends and his second family the master chef team and contestants xxx. Love Jamie."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Ten </em></p> <p> </p>

Food & Wine

Jock Zonfrillo's daughter receives flood of love over emotional video

<p>Jock Zonfrillo's eldest daughter, Ava, has received an outpouring of love after she shared an emotional TikTok of her late father.</p> <p>“I never thought I’d lose you at 22,” she captioned the post.</p> <p>“Life is unfair. I miss you dad," she added, with a series of photos and videos of moments she shared with her father.</p> <p>She used a popular TikTok sound with sombre music and Zendaya's <em>Euphoria</em> character Rue, who also lost her father expressing her sadness.</p> <p>“I miss you dad. I miss you when I close my eyes,” her character said through tears.</p> <p>At the end of the video, Ava put a video of her dad and younger brother Alfie, sending her a message.</p> <p>“We love you Ava, we miss you,” the late chef said.</p> <p>“Miss you,” Alfie sweetly echoed.</p> <p>“Say ‘I love you Ava’,” Zonfrillo told Alfie, who copied his dad.</p> <p>“Aw your big sister, where is she?” he added.</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7264800785194700039&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40avazonfrillo%2Fvideo%2F7264800785194700039%3Flang%3Den&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2Fb279df6fd76b4f4fb3b61e4df86af24a_1691468249%3Fx-expires%3D1691647200%26x-signature%3Dkjt1j9OWCHSdvm1v6xMj7dBCdFk%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p>The video has since racked up almost 900,000 views with thousands of fans sharing their love and support.</p> <p>“Oh sweetheart, it’s so cruel and unfair that you had to lose him so young. You’re going to live an amazing life that would make him proud xoxox,” commented one person.</p> <p>“This is heartbreaking,” wrote another.</p> <p>"I am SO sorry for your loss beautiful girl. As someone who looked up to your dad, hearing about his death absolutely broke me. You are so strong gorgeous," wrote a third.</p> <p>"Oh my sweet girl, my heart breaks for you. He is with you always. Meet him in the garden of your dreams," commented another.</p> <p>The post comes just two months after she <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/jock-zonfrillo-s-daughter-pays-tribute-to-her-late-father" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paid tribute</a> to her late dad.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Family & Pets

Sneaky zoom call hints at secret new MasterChef style project

<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Hold onto your spatulas – the culinary world just got a sneak peek into the top-secret virtual rendezvous of the original MasterChef judging squad, and let's just say, the excitement is sizzling hotter than a pan of frying bacon.</span></p> <p>Celebrity chef and all-around food wizard George Calombaris shook the internet like a well-shaken cocktail when he decided to share a teensy snippet of a recent clandestine Zoom chat with his former kitchen companions, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston. </p> <p>And although the video quality was about as polished as a well-worn wooden spoon, it was the content that had tongues immediately wagging as Preston playfully poked Calombaris about his dessert tastes being as "daggy" as a dad joke at a barbecue. And George, bless his apron-wrapped heart, heartily agreed: "The daggier, the better. As daggy as we are on this Zoom call," he clapped back.</p> <p>Captioned with all the mystery of a burrito's secret ingredients, the post read, "Some serious food talk for a very special project. But mostly just a lot of shots and giggles." Shots, giggles, and maybe a sprinkle of culinary magic – sounds like our kind of party.</p> <p>Since its release, the post has gone viral, racking up more views than there are slices in a pizza and comments flowing in like a chocolate fountain at a dessert buffet.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvqDIXatvT7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvqDIXatvT7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by George Calombaris (@gcalombaris)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Just in case you've been marooned on a desert island with nothing but spam and a can opener, let's rewind a bit. George, Gary, and Matt were the original trio of culinary divinities who ruled MasterChef with their tastebuds and witty repartee for an entire decade.</p> <p>Fast forward to 2019 when the MasterChef cosmos decided to shift its cosmic culinary alignment, and boom! The trio was out, leaving fans with their mouths agape, much like when you taste-test something expecting sugar but get salt instead. CEO Paul Anderson cited "unsatisfactory commercial agreement negotiations" at the time – it's like a fancy way of saying, "We couldn't agree on the paycheck, folks."</p> <p>Rumour had it, that the judges asked for a 40% raise, basically demanding a pile of dough the size of a well-risen soufflé, to the tune of $1.5 million each for just one more season. Talk about giving the term "food for thought" a whole new meaning.</p> <p>And what's life been like after the MasterChef limelight? Well, Preston had a brush with reality TV stardom in <em>Dancing With The Stars</em>, but <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/sudden-exit-leaves-dancing-with-the-stars-viewers-stunned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his dance moves</a> were as graceful as a turkey trying to tango. Then, there's Gary and Matt, who teamed up for a show called <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/now-we-re-cooking-masterchef-s-matt-preston-and-gary-mehigan-jump-to-channel-7-for-new-reality-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Plate of Origin</em></a>, which sadly got served a big ol' rejection slip by the audience. </p> <p>And let's not forget George – his restaurant group got slapped with a whopping $200,000 fine for underpaying staff to the tune of $7.8 million. <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/i-take-full-responsibility-george-calombaris-breaks-down-over-wage-theft-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">But they did fess up and pay up</a>, so it's not all choppy waters in this seafood feast.</p> <p>In a podcast confessional, George shared, “We found the issue, we owned up, we paid back. A lot of the story that people don’t write about because it’s not cool enough or doesn’t get a headline is that we actually overpaid 49 per cent of our workforce that we never asked the money back for, and I wouldn’t of. I think the tough thing for me was, I thought by owning up, it’s the right thing to do, that’s how I grew up. So for me, that was probably the thing that hurt the most, being called a ‘thief’. I’m proud of how we acted, I’m proud of what we did to fix the problem.”</p> <p>So, following the leaked Zoom call, a sprinkle of kitchen drama and a trio of culinary legends ready to sauté their way into a new foodie escapade, it appears there is nothing left for us to do but stay tuned with our daggiest dessert forks at the ready.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

George Calombaris bans "racist" diner

<p>Celebrity chef George Calombaris has publicly slammed a diner's "racist" review of his Victorian restaurant, The Hellenic House Project, and banned them from visiting his business. </p> <p>The diner left a negative Google review of the restaurant yesterday, claiming that it was the "Worst 'non' dining experience ever!"</p> <p>The diner claimed they had to wait six weeks for a booking to arrive at the first sitting, and had issues with the manager who they ordered food from. </p> <p>They alleged that after 45 minutes of waiting for their food to arrive, they had to find a waiter themselves and was told the manager had "forgot" to put in the order. </p> <p>"Typically, we weren't offered any compensation except that our food would be out in 5 mins. Which it wasn't. I should've realised it was going to be a disaster when I had to ask for the menu after 10 [minutes]," wrote the customer.</p> <p>"Like others, we've dined in many, many restaurants and were keen to try this 'authentic Greek' experience. It was far from it.</p> <p>"Practically none of the staff were Greek (including' the Manager who was of Indian descent) and the menu didn't reflect what has been posted online. Calombaris - this place is a joke and you've certainly got a few people fooled," they concluded.</p> <p>They gave a one out of five star rating for everything. </p> <p>The celebrity chef hit back at the scathing review by posting a screenshot of it on Instagram with the caption: "Won't lie. I am 99 percent a very positive human. But this is horrible.</p> <p>"Yes. We made a mistake with your order. We are humans. And yes my manager is Indian. You know who you are guys. You're not welcome ever to @thehellenichouseproject," he added. </p> <p>"You don't have to speak Greek or be a Greek to work at THHP. You just have to be a good human. I am so proud of my team. I hate racism. F****n hate it."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvRLCjGSYZy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvRLCjGSYZy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by George Calombaris (@gcalombaris)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Various celebrity chefs have come to his defence including, <em>My Kitchen Rules</em> judge Manu Feildel. </p> <p>"Well done George, people like this should just stay home. And that is a very polite way to say what I really feel like saying," he commented with an angry emoji.</p> <p>Calombaris' former <em>MasterChef </em>co-host and celebrity chef also came to his defence, with a quote from diplomat Mohamad Safa. </p> <p>"Our world is not divided by race, colour, gender or religion. Our world is divided into wise people and fools. And fools divided themselves by race, colour, gender, or religion," he commented</p> <p>Former <em>MasterChef </em>contestant Nicholas Fredrick Riewoldt also commented his support and said, "5/5 across the board when I visited @thehellenichouseproject love you GC ❤️".</p> <p>Another former <em>MasterChef</em> contestant Dan Churchill also defended Calombaris. </p> <p>"Standing up for your team mate, huge. You often ask if this kind of note means the individual needs a hug. Absolutely love @thehellenichouseproject," he commented. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

"The last one he wore": Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares heartbreaking funeral detail

<p dir="ltr">Jock Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried has shared another bittersweet update revealing that she wore her husband’s iconic Scottish tartan scarf to his funeral in May.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fried took to Instagram to share a gallery of photos of her late husband wearing the scarf during the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/far-out-i-did-it-masterchef-winner-crowned" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>MasterChef</em> season finale</a>, with a heartbreaking caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What a gorgeous man, alway happiest in his kilt,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is the fly plaid (tartan over his shoulder) that I chose to wear to Jock’s funeral, the last one he wore,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the <em>MasterChef</em> judge’s celebrity friends took to the comments to show their support.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Missing his smile and energy so much,” commented fellow <em>MasterChef</em> judge Andy Allen, while celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay added a love heart emoji.</p> <p dir="ltr">Season 13 <em>MasterChef</em> contestant Dan Dumbrell also shared a bunch of red love heart emojis.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu3aoIDg99G/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu3aoIDg99G/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jock Zonfrillo (posts by Loz) (@zonfrillo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Chantelle Otten, sexologist and girlfriend of Paralympian Dylan Alcott, simply commented: “A beautiful man. A very sad time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans also shared their support and how emotional the final episode of this year’s MasterChef was.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Was extremely emotional, so very moving seeing you wear his tartan on your shoulder carrying your husband's coffin. Wishing you all the courage & strength over the years to come Loz,” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Kept it together for the whole episode... until the video right at the end. I just bawled.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Jock was a shining example of what it can look like when men show their emotions, are empathetic, vulnerable, supportive and inclusive. Much love to you, Jock's family as well as the Masterchef family ❤️🖤” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My heart breaks for you guys Loz. Thank you for being so open with your sharing. Jock’s fans (myself included) are so appreciative. It makes us feel like he’s still here,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was sobbing watching the last episode. Still can’t believe he’s gone,” commented a fourth.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

“Far out… I did it”: MasterChef winner crowned!

<p dir="ltr">Brent Draper has been announced as <em>MasterChef Australia’s</em> winner!</p> <p dir="ltr">Brent was a returning contestant who had previously withdrawn from the 2021 season of <em>MasterChef</em>, after revealing that he was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/it-ain-t-weak-to-speak-masterchef-s-brent-draper-opens-up-about-his-anxiety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggling with his mental health</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">For the first round the pair had to make “a dish that tells a story,” a challenge that was set by judge Melissa Leong.</p> <p dir="ltr">Both contestants presented a dish with a pork base, with Brent opting for a pork chop with tamarind ketchup glaze, roast cabbage and salsa, which the judges deemed “perfectly executed”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He scored a near perfect 29 out of 30.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rhiannon went next whipping up a crispy pork belly dish with citrus caramel, fennel and orange salad and crispy shallots.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although judge Andy Allen called it “the best-looking plate” she’d presented all season, she also received some criticism mainly that she was a bit stingy with the sauce.</p> <p dir="ltr">She scored 25 out of 30.</p> <p dir="ltr">The second and final round was more intense as the pair had to recreate a pocket watch dessert made up of layers of coffee, cream and cake.</p> <p dir="ltr">Both contestants struggled with making the clear “glass” sugar dome that sits on top of the cake. While Rhiannon nailed it after two attempts, Brent couldn’t quite do the same after running out of time, so he had to present a final dish he thought he’d “stuffed up.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Although his dish was less than perfect, Brent did a “very good job” at recreating the textures and flavours of the cake, which impressed pastry chef Amaury Guichon.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rhiannon’s dish failed to impress the judges with Amaury saying that the “textures are all over the place,” which Mel Leong agreed was an issue as it meant “we lose the joy of the dish.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In the end Brent scored 34 points in round two and Rhiannon scored 27.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brent redeemed himself after withdrawing from season 13 of the show, with a final score of 63.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rhiannon did her best and had a final score of 52 points.</p> <p dir="ltr">The finale of this year’s <em>MasterChef </em>ended with an extended tribute to Jock Zonfrillo, which showed a highlight reel from his time as a judge and the message: “Give it up for Jock Zonfrillo.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The season 15 <em>MasterChef </em>winner took to his Instagram to share his joy and tribute to Zonfrillo.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Far out… I did it,” he captioned the post.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a big win but it isn’t just for me. Honestly it’s for every single person who backed me, who reached out and shared their hard stuff and stories with me, it’s for all those who never gave up.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cuwdb0pxGvi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cuwdb0pxGvi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brent Draper (@brentdraper_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“This win is for us and I couldn’t be happier than I am right now in this moment!!”</p> <p dir="ltr">He thanked the MasterChef judges before adding his tribute to Jock.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And to the man who’s been the most influential for me on my food and mental health journey, Jock. I’m gutted you’re not here mate and that we won’t get to have a scotch and celebrate this together - but just know that this win is for you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you for the legacy you’ve left behind, for the memories and laughs and just know that you’ll never ever be forgotten in our home ❤️”</p> <p><em>Image: Ten</em></p>

World famous chefs in the running to replace Jock Zonfrillo

<p>Channel Ten is on the hunt for a new judge to join the <em>MasterChef Australia</em> team, two months after the shocking death of Jock Zonfrillo. </p> <p>Several world-famous chefs are set to be in the running to join Melissa Leong and Andy Allen, with many prospects appearing on the show as guests before. </p> <p>"International names such as Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and Shannon Bennett have all been thrown around," an insider told <em>Woman's Day</em>.</p> <p>Despite the hopes for these chefs to join the cast, the insider said their intense schedules has made booking them for the competitive cooking show "a pipe dream".</p> <p>The network is also reported to be considering bringing back "heritage" names to the show, such as original judges George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan, to attract older viewers.</p> <p>Despite the discussions of Zonfrillo's replacement, rumours have also circulated that Leong and Allen may continue on as co-hosts of the show without a third colleague. </p> <p>The <em>Herald Sun</em> reported that the cooking duo may instead go into the next season alongside a rotating roster of guest judges. </p> <p>Meanwhile, others have suggested Melissa, 41, and Andy, 35, may be planning to quit <em>MasterChef</em> as they continue to grapple with the tragic death of their co-star.</p> <p>Some fans are convinced the entire hosting panel may be replaced altogether, after Channel Ten refused to confirm Jock's replacement in the recent casting call.</p> <p>The popular cooking show was thrown into disarray after Jock Zonfrillo's devastating death on April 30th, the day the newest season of <em>MasterChef</em> was due to air, with the premiere of the show being delayed a week after his passing. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

“Guess what?”: MasterChef star’s sweet announcement to son

<p dir="ltr"><em>MasterChef </em>star Brent Draper and his wife Shonleigh have revealed that they are expecting their second child, in an intimate reveal posted on Instagram.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brent, who was on season 13 of <em>MasterChef Australia</em>, shared the sweet moment with a clip of him and his wife telling their four-year-old son Alfie that he would be a big brother.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Excited to share the next project we’ve been working on with you 🤣 baby Draper 2.0 coming soon!! 💓💙” Brent captioned the post.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We've got some news to tell you,” Brent tells Alfie in the video.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Guess what? Mummy's having a baby!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Alfie, who apparently already knew, calmly replied “I know that”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brent then said, “there’s a baby in there” to which Alfie curiously replied “now?” as he sweetly looked at his mum’s belly.</p> <p dir="ltr">He then told his parents that he hoped for a baby brother and whispered “I love you” to his mum’s belly which tugged at the heart strings of over 500 people.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cti36KHrEd9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cti36KHrEd9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brent Draper (@brentdraper_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Could Alfie be any cuter???? 😍😍” commented former <em>MasterChef</em> contestant Minoli De Silva.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations lovely family. 💜” wrote <em>MasterChef</em> season one winner Julie Goodwin.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So sweet, I love him trying to figure it out looking at Shonleighs belly, not much gets past Alfie his such a thinker 🥰🥰 congratulations to you all” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Omg did you mean to make us cry. That’s wonderful news. What a gorgeous kid,” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Alfie you sweet boy 🥰” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Jock Zonfrillo’s secret celeb interviews

<p dir="ltr">Jock Zonfrillo had reportedly been filming his own video series where he secretly interviewed dozens of celebrity chefs in his trailer before his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tragic death</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>MasterChef Australia</em> judge would reportedly invite the high-profile chefs into his trailer after filming the hit show for a private interview which he recorded using two smartphones, according to the <em>DailyMail</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Luke Nguyen, who was one of the celebrity chefs that was interviewed by Jock, said that the things they discussed ranged from personal topics, such as family life, plans for the future, and passions outside the kitchen.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They weren't anything to do with MasterChef... they were just for him, from what I could gather,” he told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12163359/Jock-Zonfrillos-secret-interview-tapes-chefs-MasterChef-set-death.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>DailyMail</em></a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We would go into his little green-room trailer on set and we'd do a little chat which was all recorded with his own phone and would go for maybe 10 to 15 minutes.</p> <p dir="ltr">There were all kinds of questions recorded for what I guess was his own personal archives,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jock had reportedly been stockpiling content over the three years he was working on the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">The news comes days after his widow, Lauren Fried, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/jock-zonfrillo-s-widow-breaks-silence-over-his-passing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke her silence</a> about his passing and revealed that he’d “worked hard” on various projects before his untimely death.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He had behind the scenes photos and interviews from MasterChef, books, a fashion range, he's got spirits ageing in a distillery in Tassie," Lauren said in a video posted on Instagram.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

Jock Zonfrillo’s widow breaks silence over his passing

<p dir="ltr">Jock Zonfrillo’s widow, Lauren Fried has opened up about her grief for the first time, one month after the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>MasterChef</em> judge’s death</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lauren shared an emotional message to Jock’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtEACthuyJi/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> on Sunday night, where she spoke about her grief and thanked fans for their “overwhelming” outpouring of support.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's been a month since we lost Jock, and I put a line in the sand thinking that at the one month mark, I would turn some sort of a corner," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Obviously that hasn't happened."</p> <p dir="ltr">The video, which was shared to over 395,000 of Jock’s followers, has been viewed by over 300,000 people, and Lauren took the time to thank fans in her message.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s no time that I could allocate to say thank you to everyone. I’m just overwhelmed by the messages that came in from people all over the world,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I really wish that he knew how loved he was, that he knew the impact he had on so many people," she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lauren also revealed that Jock had various projects that he’d “worked hard” on, for his social media, and asked whether it would be appropriate to share these projects.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He had behind the scenes photos and interviews from MasterChef, books, a fashion range, he's got spirits ageing in a distillery in Tassie," Lauren explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He's got a TV show he filmed in Italy last year with the family," she added before explaining that going forward, if she is hesitant about what to post, she will ask fans for their opinions by posting polls on his social media.</p> <p dir="ltr">Friends and fans took to their comments to share their support for Lauren.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Love Jock, love you and love the family xxx,” commented fellow MasterChef judge, Andy Allen.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Loz lovely, follow your heart ❤️ and anything you decide will be supported by his friends, family and fans. You were a super couple and all that hard work whether you decide to share it or not will be treasured forever. Sending you lots of love to you and your beautiful family,” commented former MasterChef contestant, Keyma Vasquez.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Look after yourself Loz. Do things in your own time. Grief has no rules,” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Lots of love and hugs for you. I would love to see more of what he did, if it's not too much for you emotionally. He was such an inspiration for everyone struggling with mental health issues,” commented another fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lauren’s message comes a month after Jock’s eldest daughter, Ava Zonfrillo, shared an <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/jock-zonfrillo-s-daughter-pays-tribute-to-her-late-father" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">emotional tribute</a> to her dad.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

“Sitting alone in my house and in sadness”: Melissa Leong opens up about her grief

<p><em>Masterchef Australia</em>’s Melissa Leong has spoken publicly about the grieving process for the first time since losing her friend and fellow chef, Jock Zonfrillo. </p> <p>In a piece for<em> Stellar</em>, Melissa reflected on both life and loss, alluding to her own experiences “with this most enveloping of emotions” - though she notes early on that it is “too soon, too private and too raw” to address Jock’s passing specifically.</p> <p>Instead, Melissa writes of her experience “sitting alone in my house and in sadness as I attempt to articulate some of my thoughts, I can tell you it is indeed a strange experience for someone who usually writes from the crystal-clear perspective of hindsight, but here goes …</p> <p>“Firstly, we all deal with loss differently, and we need to honour that. People talk about the various stages of shock, disbelief, anger, bargaining and acceptance, and while that much is probably true, everyone deals with these exceptional times differently, and at different speeds. </p> <p>“As you navigate reaching out to someone who’s grieving, know that a message of support left unread isn’t the recipient rejecting you - sometimes the deluge of support can be more than one can bear. And what people bear can be a lot, because grief often stirs up remnants of other loss, compounding it into something that feels insurmountable.</p> <p>“While some go to pieces, others go to work, finding momentum to cope. This isn’t because they aren’t feeling, it’s because sometimes focusing on tasks is a way to find purpose in an impossible situation.”</p> <p>From there, she went on to detail that while some “need to talk in order to process emotions”, others take longer to put their thoughts into words, “if they can at all”. And while some need to surround themselves with other people, just as many need to be alone. </p> <p>“There is no right or wrong way to be in these moments,” she wrote, “just what is true to you. And whether you’re the person going through it, or the friend on the sidelines feeling helpless, be kind and try not to take things personally.</p> <p>“The passing of someone from life is a powerfully shared experience. Even more so when that person lived a huge life and touched the lives of many.</p> <p>“In their passing, a community struggles to come to terms with saying goodbye. Outside of immediate family and 'framily' (friends who are like family) members, whose privacy and consideration are paramount, grief is beautifully democratic.</p> <p>“We must look outwards as well as inwards when it comes to our experience, checking in on the people in our lives who are also coping with loss.”</p> <p>And after stressing the importance of taking care of yourself during such difficult periods with the likes of eating and hydrating, and a personal anecdote about her appreciation - as “a feeder by nature” - for comfort food, she brought her thoughts to a close. </p> <p>“To feel grief is to know that the one we lost meant something important to us,” she said, adding that “what we feel in grief is proportionate to the joy and light that person gave you – a bittersweet reminder that in life, as we connect to each other, the more that’s given, the greater the loss is felt.</p> <p>“In its own way, grief is a poignant tugging at the heart to remind us that we are alive, that we are human – and to be human is to feel.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

“Dreadful”: MasterChef fans appalled over behind-the-scenes snaps

<p dir="ltr"><em>MasterChef </em>fans were shocked after the show’s official Instagram account posted a series of behind-the-scenes photos that showed the contestants hanging out at their accommodation.</p> <p dir="ltr">The post was captioned: "Blink and you'll miss it, it's already the end of week 2!"</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans quickly flooded the comment section after a few were left appalled at the poor quality of the accommodation, with one user calling it “dreadful”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"TBH I think Endomol Shine (or whoever it is) have a nerve giving these contestants such dreadful accommodation! I cant believe what I'm seeing,” wrote one user.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Doesn’t look a particularly inviting place to rest up and relax! Chipped old table etc," commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">"What happened to that fancy house contestants used to live in?" questioned a third user.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Jeez have they got you living in dongas or something,” wrote a fourth.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Geez looks like they really lashed out on luxe digs this year,” commented a fifth user with laughing emojis.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Not impressed with the accommodation for the contestants. Looks like cabins at a caravan park," another added.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, a couple other fans didn’t have a problem with it and instead commented on how the contestants looked like they were having a good time.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I love seeing the camaraderie between the contestants," commented one person on the photos that were also shared on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Lovely group of cooks this year," wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Loving the BTS photos of the cast interactions. Please post more,” commented a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other photos shared on the show’s official Facebook page show contestants posing for a selfie in what seems to be a serviced apartment, which according to <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-au/2022/06/11020764/masterchef-australia-questions-answered" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Refinery29 Australi</em>a</a> is where contestants stayed in the previous season.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2020, <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/masterchef-secrets-what-you-didnt-know-about-channel-10-cooking-show/news-story/6f008aae27d4294e90ee56e9304a3161" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em> also revealed that contestants usually live in "a multimillion-dollar mansion", so it’s possible that the photos shared on Instagram were taken backstage and not at their accommodation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: MasterChef AU Instagram</em></p>

Surprising return for beloved MasterChef icon

<p>Less than a year after competing on season 14 of <em>MasterChef</em> Australia and finishing in fifth place, Julie Goodwin will grace the screens yet again as she returns to the cooking competition.</p> <p>The beloved chef, author and TV presenter, who won the inaugural season of the reality show in 2009, is due to appear as a guest judge in the upcoming elimination challenge.</p> <p>She shared with <em>Yahoo Lifestyle</em> ahead of the episode what it was like returning to the kitchen so soon after her last appearance.</p> <p>“I absolutely loved coming back as a guest judge,” she said. “It was a completely different experience.</p> <p>“You’re in a completely different part of the compound before you walk on set, you’re on the judges' side. And you’re like, ‘Nobody’s deciding my future today, I'm deciding somebody else’s’ - although that responsibility’s not so much fun.”</p> <p>Julie added that she’s grateful she was able to “kick around” with judges Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo behind the scenes and get to know them more personally.</p> <p>“It was great to have some fun with them and have a bit more conversation with them than you can have when you're a contestant,” she shared. “I absolutely loved it.”</p> <p>As she’s competed on three seasons of the show including multiple guest appearances for Masterclasses, Mystery Box Challenges and Invention Tests, Julie has plenty of advice to share with the current contestants.</p> <p>“Just get in there, be your true authentic self, and that'll be enough,” she explained.</p> <p>“Be open to possibilities and opportunities, grab it with two hands. If you are privileged enough to be a part of that production, just make the most of it because it's wonderful, and thousands and thousands of people would love to be in your position.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

Ten slams “misleading” Masterchef rumours

<p>Channel 10 have put an end to rumours surrounding the next season of<em> Masterchef Australia</em>, in the wake of false reports circling that they were on the hunt for a new judge. </p> <p>In the wake of chef Jock Zonfrillo’s passing, rumours have circulated that the network was looking for a replacement. And according to a report from the <em>Daily Mail</em>, they even had a few frontrunners in mind. </p> <p>The publication claimed that no well-known chef was off the cards, and that while it was a “sombre” affair, an insider had informed them that conversations had begun, despite their ongoing grieving process.</p> <p>Their insider reportedly stated that the final decision would come down to on-screen chemistry, not existing popularity, as “that really earned Jock the position originally”.</p> <p>They suggested that Zonfrillo had been “a dark horse”, but that his chemistry with fellow judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen had been what won everyone over, and that “the new host will need that more than anything”. </p> <p>The<em> Daily Mail</em> went on to list their reported shortlist of contenders for the position, from the likes of former<em> Masterchef </em>stars Dan Churchill and Hayden Quinn, author Danielle Alvarez, Hugh Allen, Josh Niland, Joel Bickford, Alessandro Pavoni, and Jordan Toft. </p> <p>Their most notable, however, was Poh Ling Yeow, who had made a return to the series a few nights prior.</p> <p>However, as Channel 10 have informed <em>news.com.au</em>, none of this is true. </p> <p>“Casting for the next season of <em>Masterchef Australia </em>has not commenced,” a spokesperson for the network declared. “To suggest otherwise is completely false and misleading.”</p> <p>Zonfrillo, as well as Leong and Allen, had only joined the cast of <em>Masterchef </em>in 2019. Their line-up marked a significant change for the series, with former longtime judges Matt Preston, George Calombaris, and Gary Mehigan exiting the hit cooking competition after nearly a decade at the helm.</p> <p>And although they hadn’t possessed the same public profile as the former batch, Zonfrillo and his fellow judges had proven a major success with viewers, with the show powering on in the ratings realm. </p> <p>The 2023 season - Zonfrillo’s last - had welcomed strong viewership for the network as well, and while many may continue to speculate about the following season, Channel 10 remain firm that pre-production will not get underway until much later in 2023. </p> <p><em>Images: Masterchef Australia / Ten </em></p>

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Poh reveals birthday plans for her big 5-0

MasterChef finalist jailed for 24 years

Matt Preston unveils all in new memoir

Melissa Leong opens up on sudden MasterChef exit

Melissa Leong axed just weeks ahead of filming

MasterChef star's beautiful beach wedding

Jamie Oliver tipped to replace Jock Zonfrillo on MasterChef

Jock Zonfrillo's daughter receives flood of love over emotional video

Sneaky zoom call hints at secret new MasterChef style project

George Calombaris bans "racist" diner

"The last one he wore": Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares heartbreaking funeral detail

“Far out… I did it”: MasterChef winner crowned!

World famous chefs in the running to replace Jock Zonfrillo

“Guess what?”: MasterChef star’s sweet announcement to son

Jock Zonfrillo’s secret celeb interviews

Jock Zonfrillo’s widow breaks silence over his passing

“Sitting alone in my house and in sadness”: Melissa Leong opens up about her grief

“Dreadful”: MasterChef fans appalled over behind-the-scenes snaps

Surprising return for beloved MasterChef icon

Ten slams “misleading” Masterchef rumours

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Poh reveals birthday plans for her big 5-0

MasterChef finalist jailed for 24 years

Matt Preston unveils all in new memoir

Melissa Leong opens up on sudden MasterChef exit

Melissa Leong axed just weeks ahead of filming

MasterChef star's beautiful beach wedding

Jamie Oliver tipped to replace Jock Zonfrillo on MasterChef

Jock Zonfrillo's daughter receives flood of love over emotional video

Sneaky zoom call hints at secret new MasterChef style project

George Calombaris bans "racist" diner

"The last one he wore": Jock Zonfrillo’s widow shares heartbreaking funeral detail

“Far out… I did it”: MasterChef winner crowned!

World famous chefs in the running to replace Jock Zonfrillo

“Guess what?”: MasterChef star’s sweet announcement to son

Jock Zonfrillo’s secret celeb interviews

Jock Zonfrillo’s widow breaks silence over his passing

“Sitting alone in my house and in sadness”: Melissa Leong opens up about her grief

“Dreadful”: MasterChef fans appalled over behind-the-scenes snaps

Surprising return for beloved MasterChef icon

Ten slams “misleading” Masterchef rumours

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