The 2026 season of MasterChef Australia has just begun with a hotpot of hopeful home cooks competing under the guidance of our MasterChef overlords (aka judges): Andy Allen, Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli.
The judges are basically MasterChef’s mums and dads, but is there one parent who isn’t getting the same amount of love (translation: TV time) as the others? In a Reddit thread on the MasterChefAU subreddit, user @Emergency-Method6101 posted that they believed that one judge was getting less screen time than the rest: French cooking extraordinaire, Jean-Christophe Novelli. Sacré bleu!
“It really needs fixing. Last night on one of the cooks, we didn’t get a JC [Jean-Christophe] opinion at all. And why is the judging line-up basically always the same? Andy first, the girls, then JC? Mix up the judging order to ensure that all comments are valued equally rather than the real master ‘tacked on’ at the end?” they posted.
“He’s a regular part of the team now, so give the man more respect. Justice for JC.”
One Redditor had a theory on why Jean-Christophe’s judgements are often given last. “[I] can’t speak for Sofia but I’m guessing Andy gets first due to seniority and Poh was a former contestant,” they theorised.
Sidenote: I don’t think anyone would disagree that Andy gets a whole lot of screentime every episode. The man loves to yap!
Another Redditor had a not-so-nice theory about our French fave. “He doesn’t articulate very well and has nothing memorable to say during the judging,” they wrote. “But that is just my theory, I think they need to get rid of one judge.” Bit rude, hey.
But not everyone agreed that Jean-Christophe as a judge was a dud. “When he was given a couple of edits last year where he was allowed to speak, I was impressed by his commentary of the food. He does have the knowledge and he does have the skills in [the] English language to articulate very well,” they replied.
“He’s just not being given the opportunity for us to see this on screen.”
Hopefully, as the season heats up, we’ll get to see a bit more of our beloved Frenchie.
Who is MasterChef Australia judge Jean-Christophe Novelli?
Jean-Christophe Novelli joined the judging panel of MasterChef Australia in 2024, bringing his storied culinary expertise to the popular cooking competition.
A celebrated French chef and restaurateur, he is widely recognised for his French charm and deep passion for teaching. He began his cooking career at the young age of 14 in Northern France before he moved to the United Kingdom, where he worked with influential figures, such as the late celebrity chef Keith Floyd and at prestigious establishments like Chewton Glen.
Jean-Christophe’s illustrious background includes being a four-time Michelin-starred chef and earning the prestigious title of ‘The Nation’s Favourite French Chef’ in the UK. His extensive list of accolades also features the AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year award and the Egon Ronay Dessert of the Year. These days, aside from wearing his MasterChef Australia judging hat, he remains a dedicated food educator, inspiring food lovers globally through his world-renowned cookery school.
MasterChef Australia 2026 airs Sunday – Tuesday on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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