MasterChef Australia is back for 2026, and so are its beloved four judges: Poh Ling Yeow, Andy Allen, Jean Christophe Novelli and Sofia Levin.
The judging panel brings together an impressive mix of experience and expertise, with Jean-Christophe’s Michelin-star pedigree, Poh and Andy’s firsthand understanding of the competition after battling for the title themselves, and Sofia’s acclaimed background as a food critic and journalist.
Andy Allen is the MasterChef Australia veteran judge among the bunch, joining the show in 2020, starting with Back to Win, which Poh was actually a contestant on. Meanwhile, Jean-Christophe, Poh and Sofia joined Andy in the MasterChef kitchen after judge-at-the-time Jock Zonfrillo tragically passed on April 30, 2023. Jock’s final episode of MasterChef Australia aired on July 16, 2023.
While the new judges had Jock’s massive shoes to fill, it didn’t take long for viewers to warm to them, in particular to the range of variation between them, as well as their differing approaches to the contestants.
Andy, Sofia, Poh and Jean-Christophe returned for their second season together in 2025, and are back for the third time in 2026 for the upcoming new season.
Read on to find out more about the MasterChef Australia 2026 judges.
Poh Ling Yeow
A fan favourite since finishing runner-up in the show’s very first season, Poh’s vibrant personality and imaginative dishes have made her one of MasterChef Australia’s most beloved culinary figures.
Born in Malaysia and raised in Adelaide, Poh’s journey has spanned everything from fine art to food TV. She’s hosted multiple cooking series, written five cookbooks, and become a familiar face on screens across the country.
Her food is as colourful and curious as her artistic background, with a love for Malaysian-Chinese cuisine that’s always been central to her culinary identity.
Poh doesn’t call herself a chef – she’s a proud home cook who champions culture, sustainability, and being bold in the MasterChef kitchen.
Andy Allen
Andy is a true MasterChef Australia success story. After winning season four back in 2012, the former sparky swapped tools for tongs and carved out a celebrated culinary career.
Post-win, Andy teamed up with the crew at Three Blue Ducks, eventually becoming co-owner of the hugely popular restaurant group.
In 2018, he made MasterChef Australia history as the first former contestant to be awarded a chef’s hat. He later returned to the show in 2020, this time stepping into a judging role.
From cookbooks and TV shows to co-founding the low-carb Aussie beer, Travla, Andy’s built a food empire while staying true to his roots. Now, he’s back to help write the next chapter in
Jean Christophe Novelli
MasterChef Australia’s resident French flair, Jean-Christophe, is a global culinary icon. The chef boasts four Michelin stars to his name and a string of accolades, including the AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year UK.
Starting out in a bakery at 14, he was Head Chef to the Rothschild family by 20. Since then, he’s run high-end restaurants across the world and launched the award-winning Novelli Academy in the UK — one of the top 25 cookery schools globally.
MasterChef Australia isn’t Jean-Christophe’s first time on screen, either. He’s racked up an impressive list of TV credits, including Hell’s Kitchen, Celebrity Hunted UK, and Chef Academy.
Sofia Levin
A Melbourne-based journalist and food explorer, Sofia has made it her mission to spotlight underrepresented cuisines and cultures through storytelling and eating curiously.
Her writing and reviews have been featured in Good Food, Gourmet Traveller, The Guardian, and even National Geographic Traveller. She’s also made her mark as a TV presenter, event host, and radio commentator.
In 2020, she launched her platform Seasoned Traveller, which champions the power of food to connect people across cultures. She’s also the force behind the #EatCuriously movement – encouraging Aussies to get out of their culinary comfort zones. The fact that Sofia doesn’t have a career in cooking, but instead eats, adds a relatable touch to the MasterChef Australia kitchen.
Who are the guest judges on MasterChef Australia 2026?
While Jock, Andy, Poh and Sofia are MasterChef Australia‘s core four judges, they’re joined by a huge list of impressive guest judges throughout the season.
Without a doubt, the most high-profile guest judge entering the MasterChef kitchen this season is Meghan Markle, who popped in during her four-day visit to Australia. Her inclusion in the show dominated headlines, prompting some fans to question her credentials to judge the contestants’ food. However, Meghan is far from the only big name joining the season.
Among the other 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 Sarah Todd, Khanh Ong, Jess Lemon, Marion Grasby, Justine Schofield and Matt Sinclair critiquing the new contestants’ food, as well as social media superstars DimSimLim, Andy Cooks, Recipes by Victoria’s Victoria Minell, and biteswithlily’s Lily Huynh.
MasterChef Australia 2026 airs Sunday – Tuesday on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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