The 2026 MasterChef Australia finale is upon us, which has us feeling quite nostalgic about the season that was, as finalists Vinnie Gibaldi and Petro Papathomas prepare for their last-ever showdown.
In anticipation of the finale, and because we love a walk down the memory lane of season 18, we thought it fitting to look back on the best dishes whipped up by finalists Vinnie and Petro. While they both consistently wowed the judges throughout the season (hence their top two placing!), there were a few standouts that helped the pair secure their place among the MasterChef greats.
Whether or not their finale dishes are able to seal a victory remains to be seen, but here’s the 10 best meals served up by MasterChef’s Vinnie and Petro ahead of the grand finale.
Vinnie’s five best dishes throughout MasterChef 2026
Porchetta sandwich
In an audition dish that landed him in the MasterChef 2026 competition, Vinnie memorably delivered a roast porchetta sandwich. Though it sounds deceptively simple, Vinnie infused complexity into the dish by backing the ciabatta from scratch, making the bocconcini by hand, and finishing it off with a signature chilli mayo.
The judges were won over, particularly by the mouth-watering bread, and when you remember the fact that sandwiches are Vinnie’s bread and butter (ha!), it makes for one of the finalist’s most unforgettable MasterChef dishes.
Brown onion three ways
In keeping with his delicious simplicity, Vinnie picked a humble onion as the star of his dish in a season 18 Mystery Box challenge, and it would go on to become one of his standouts. Preparing the onion in three distinct ways for a single dish, Vinnie whipped up a caramelised onion agnolotti pasta, served in a charred onion brodo with sweet and sour onion petals.
While the presentation of the dish wasn’t totally up to scratch. Vinnie’s elevation of a standard pantry staple impressed the judges, with Jean-Christophe Novelli praising how the dish brought personality to the ingredient and Andy Allen saying it was “pretty epic.” We can’t help but agree!
Roast porchetta with celeriac purée
This was the dish that basically secured Vinnie’s ticket to the grand final. Prepared during the later stages of the season, it featured a healthy serving of roast porchetta paired with a marinade swirl. In the judging deliberations, Poh said it was an “unapologetically Vinnie dish” and “finalist-worthy” — a compliment that Vinnie later proved true.
Flat iron steak
In a bold move that makes sense for a future finalist, Vinnie took a huge risk for the Black Apron day cook by successfully delivering two dishes for judging — a flat iron steak tartare served with crostini and a hibachi-grilled alternative with a salsa verde. While the dish was praised by the judges, it’s also memorable for the massive gamble Vinnie took in the face of elimination. Thankfully, it paid off!
Pâté en croûte
Ever the technical wizard, Vinnie wowed the judges during Nostalgia Week by executing one of the most notoriously demanding French dishes; a pâté en croûte. If it’s difficult to pronounce, it’s difficult to cook — particularly within a nail-biting 75-minute window. It was yet another risk that paid off, with the judges describing it as “perfect.”
The dish was doubly memorable because of JC’s critique, which felt like a callback to Matt Preston’s iconic fake-out way back in season two. “There is no but!” JC said after hinting he had a criticism of the dish.
While all those dishes made way for Vinnie’s grand final showdown, he has some stiff competition in Petro, whose growth throughout the season has been compelling to watch, and might just push him over the finish line.
Petro’s five best dishes throughout MasterChef 2026
Prawn bisque fettuccine
It was the dish that started it all. During auditions, Petro delivered a prawn bisque fettuccine that was hailed as “the dish of the day” by the judges, making him the final cook selected for MasterChef’s 2026 top 24. From those humble beginnings to the grand finale — we love a redemption arc!
Charred corn ice cream
Petro was one of the season’s most inventive cooks, and this came to the forefront in Heat Week, when he took a gamble with an unconventional hibachi-grilled corn ice cream sundae. The high-risk dish paid off with the judges — who called it “impeccable” — but it also marked a personal milestone for Petro.
“I still can’t believe I pulled this off,” Petro wrote of the dish on social media. “I wasn’t a dessert cook coming into the competition, so hearing the judges feedback was so emotional for me. This is what I came on MasterChef for.”
Pan-fried scallops and leeks
One of Petro’s most-praised dishes came during the Black Apron elimination challenges, when he delivered a pan-fried scallops and leeks dish that prompted Andy to call him “the one to beat.” We’ll have to wait and see whether Andy’s comment was foreshadowing in the MasterChef finale, but in the meantime we can salivate over the crispy pan-roasted leeks and the luscious miso glaze. Delish!
Celeriac ice cream
Delivered during an already memorable episode guest judged by Meghan Markle, Petro’s standout celeriac ice cream is what secured his place in the semi-final. While Petro’s adorable fan-girling over the Duchess was a riot, it turned out she was just as much of a fan, calling his celeriac ice cream “very Michelin star” and coming “from the mind of a chef, not a home cook.” The yummy desert scored Petro immunity and a place in the top three.
Greek éclair
While Petro infused a lot of his MasterChef dishes with a Greek flair in honour of his heritage, it was most inventive and successful in the semi-final service challenge, when he masterfully pulled off a Greek éclair. It was the dish that perfected his season-long Greek fusions, with the judges calling it “unbelievable” and “genius” and Sofia Levin completely finishing her plate. In MasterChef terms, that’s high praise!
So there you have it folks, our picks for the 10 best dishes plated up by MasterChef’s Vinnie and Petro ahead of the finale. Each dish was a stepping stone towards their race to the finish line, so we’ll be watching with bated breath to see whose hard work paid off in the form of victory.
The MasterChef Australia 2026 finale will air on Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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