MasterChef Australia 2026 judge Poh Ling Yeow has revealed fans can expect the return of Sarah Todd this season, alongside her partner and former contestant Declan Cleary, as well as their twin babies, Claudia and Charlotte.
However, three-time MasterChef Australia competitor Sarah won’t be returning for her fourth shot at the title; instead, she’ll be popping onto the show as a guest judge.
In an interview with Chattr, Poh said the segment was filmed shortly after Sarah gave birth to their twins in December 2025, adding that it was beautiful to see the whole family together after Sarah and Declan’s love story began while filming MasterChef last season.
“It was so lovely. And Deckers comes in with the twins as well. So that was a massive treat to have a little cuddle with the twins, and to see him be a dad, because he actually talked about it in last season quite a bit,” she explained.
“I don’t know if all of it made it to camera, but it’s something that he talks about being one of his life missions, and for it to be realised so quickly. It’s just so amazing that between last season and this season, one of his life dreams has come true with the woman of his dreams.”
Declan and Sarah struck up a romance behind the scenes while filming MasterChef Australia 2025: Back to Win, but kept it under wraps until the season was already airing. They were so discreet about their budding relationship that many of their fellow contestants had no idea until they went public, and it turns out, the judges were just as surprised.
“We had a bit of a laugh, because we all kind of talked about on camera whether any of us had an inkling, and I had no idea at all. But that was great. That was such a lovely full circle moment, it was really fantastic.”
MasterChef Australia’s Poh Ling Yeow on what makes Sarah Todd stand out as a cook
While Sarah hasn’t managed to snag the MasterChef Australia trophy in any of the seasons she’s competed on, she’s gotten close. She placed ninth on Season 6, runner-up on Season 14, and sixth on Season 17.
Poh told Chattr that Sarah’s results don’t necessarily reflect her extreme talent as a cook, and said she saw another side to her when she judges her on Back to Win.
“She’s amazing. Last season, I just saw this grit in her — because I’ve never competed against her — because she was from another season. She’s actually very steely, Sarah. She comes across as very soft, but she’s got this very steely determination. She really knows who she is and what she wants to achieve in life. I really admire that about her.”
As well as three seasons of MasterChef Australia, Sarah has also appeared on SBS Australia’s The Good Cooks, hosted documentary Awesome Assam with Sarah Todd, which aired on National Geographic and explores her culinary journey in India and and My Second Restaurant In India, which documents the building and opening her second restaurant, The Wine Rack in Mumbai, aired on SBS Australia. She has spent a decade in India, blending French culinary techniques with Indian flavours, which has become a hallmark of her cooking style.
Would Sarah Todd ever return to MasterChef Australia for a fourth time as a contestant?
No MasterChef Australia contestant has ever returned to the kitchen as a competitor four times — so would Sarah consider coming back again and making history for the series? We asked Sarah exactly that after she was eliminated from Back to Win last year, and she didn’t completely rule out the idea of returning to the competition.
“I am definitely done, but I say that every time… I think that every time I do it, I’m like, ‘Why the hell am I doing it? Then, when I finish, I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m glad I did it, but I’m glad it’s done, because it’s so stressful,” she told Chattr.
“I’m sure everyone can see that on their screens, watching the pressure of the show. But I’m just so happy and thankful for the dishes I was cooking and this group of people that have just started, like a real tribe around me. I’m really thankful for that. So, yeah, I’m really happy that I’ve got so much out of the season. And, I’m so happy that I did it,” Sarah added.
What other guest judges will be appearing on MasterChef Australia 2026, alongside Sarah Todd
Fans were shocked when the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, was announced as a guest judge on the new season. And, she isn’t the only high-profile celebrity that viewers can expect to be featured this season.
Among the announced guest judges are Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes and his wife, Jane, and Australian icon and wildlife warrior, Robert Irwin. Of course, there will be chefs among the guest judges too, including Chef Maggie Beer, Chef Josh Niland, Chef Daniel Dobra, Chef Rosheen Kaul, Chef Adriano Zumbo and Chef Rick Stein, who will be analysing the contestants’ dishes.
There’s certainly no shortage of guest judges this season, with returnee contestants Khanh Ong, Jess Lemon, Marion Grasby, Justine Schofield and Matt Sinclair joining Sarah, as well as social media superstars DimSimLim, Andy Cooks, Recipes by Victoria’s Victoria Minell, and biteswithlily’s Lily Huynh.
There are no details just yet about which guest judge will feature in which episode, so stay tuned!
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday 7pm and Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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