When most of us think about MasterChef Australia, our minds go straight to the show’s biggest success stories — the contestants whose careers and bank accounts have both flourished off the back of it.
Justine Schofield has been a mainstay on Australian TV for over a decade with her show Everyday Gourmet. She’s the queen of relatable, home-style cooking and has published multiple cookbooks.
Reynold Poernomo, aka the Dessert King, didn’t even win his season, but his restaurant KOI Dessert Bar became a cult favourite. Billie McKay is the only person to win the show twice. After her first win, she actually went to work for Heston Blumenthal at the world-renowned The Fat Duck.
And who can forget the ‘First Lady’ of MasterChef Australia, Julie Goodwin. Since winning that very first season in 2009, she’s stayed incredibly busy, releasing cookbooks, starting a cooking school and writing a memoir.
But what about the contestants who didn’t walk away richer (in both experience and err… literally money) from their time on the show? For some contestants, they are barely scraping by on minimum wage.
How much do MasterChef Australia contestants get paid in Australia?
There are a few conflicting numbers, and none of them is good news for the latest crop of contestants.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the 2013 crew was only getting a “mere $630 allowance each week.” To put that in perspective, a beginner cook was making about $583 back then—so they were barely clearing the industry minimum. Sure, the show paid for their room and board, but it’s still not exactly a ‘quit your day job’ kind of salary.
Go back a couple more years, and the deal was even worse. News.com.au reported that the 2011 contestants were surviving on a “mere $500 a week.” That was a total pittance compared to the average weekly wage of $1,291 at the time.
Contestant Billy Law kept it real about the struggle. He mentioned that the low pay didn’t really sink in while they were busy filming, but the vibe shifted once the cameras stopped rolling.
“That’s when the reality hits and it’s then the time to start looking for jobs and to start making money again,” he explained.
However, the salary shifts dramatically for All-Stars. New Idea reported that Poh Ling Yeow and Hayden Quinn both pocketed $40,000 when they appeared on the All-Stars season in 2020.
But still, these beloved faves were already established celebrity chefs at the time, who likely didn’t have their rent depending on their MasterChef salary. And once you’re out of the MasterChef bubble, those bills come knocking pretty fast.
What is the prize for winning MasterChef Australia?
Of course, if you happen to win MasterChef, you don’t just pocket a reported $250,000, but you’re likely to have the chance to reap the financial rewards with loads of lucrative opportunities.
Season 2 winner, Adam Liaw, has done everything from cookbooks to cooking shows while Season 10 winner Sashi Cheliah opened up Gaja by Sashi and has expanded his empire into home-cooking kits and pop-up dining experiences.
But some lucky finalists have turned their short-lived time on the show into massive brands.
There’s Marion Grasby, who turned her untimely exit from the show into a business masterclass. Her brand, Marion’s Kitchen, produces food ranges that are sold in supermarkets across Australia, the US, and Asia (aka money, money, money).
Or hey, just be Poh, who placed runner-up but managed to carve out one of the most successful cooking careers in Australia.
How much are the MasterChef judges paid?
While the contestant’s are reportedly on a pittance while competing the show, the same can’t be said for the judges. In 2025, New Idea reported that veteran judge, and former contestant, Andy Allen was raking in $500,000 per season.
If you go back even further, Most avid MasterChef fans know that whispers circulated that long time hosts Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris left the show over a salary dispute. SMH reported that the three chefs were on a salary of over $1 million each, but wanted a payrise of more than 40 per cent. The story goes that when Network 10 failed to meet their financially demands, they threw the towel in and left.
A statement released by the network’s chief executive officer Paul Anderson said they hadnt’ been able to reach a commercial agreement with the trio after months of negotiation.
Matt seemed to confirm the reports that the salaries offered weren’t high enough, saying on Instagram that the three chefs were “really keen to continue but we were unable to agree to all terms for the new contract”.
However, Gary cryptically posted that the decision to walk away was “never about the money and never will be about the money”.
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday 7pm and Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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