With the amount of talent that’s graced the MasterChef Australia kitchen over the years, it should come as little surprise that some past contestants now own some very well-known restaurants.
This was especially evident in the 2025 MasterChef season, which saw a cast of returnees battle it out for Back to Win — many of who had gone on to launch their own restaurants since their original seasons aired.
While it may have seemed like the contestants with extensive culinary experience had the upper hand over those who don’t, judge Andy Allen told Chattr ahead of the MasterChef Australia 2025 season that he didn’t believe it was necessarily an advantage.
“There are people like Andre [Ursini], who’s in the first season, and he’s gone out and opened restaurants, but you don’t just walk back into the kitchen, you need some time to get used to your surroundings. Whereas you’ve got people from last season like Snezana [Calic], so she’s still kind of match fit, so it’s like muscle memory for her,” he explained.
But as we reached the pointy end of the competition, it’s clear that those who carved out a name for themselves in the hospitality world after their first MasterChef Australia stint were truly thriving, with more than half of the remaining top seven contestants owning restaurants. And, the final two — Laura Sharrad and Callum Han — both having eateries of their own.
But, it’s not just the 2025 contestants who have busy restaurants — and food businesses! Plenty of other past MasterChef alum have launching their own. Read on to find out about some of the most successful.
Ben Macdonald
While Ben doesn’t currently own an eatery, following his original stint on season 6 of MasterChef Australia, he ran a café named Buoy in Auckland’s Westhaven Marina. After that, he launched his own catering business for five years, Ben’s Kitchen, which offered bistro-style food.
Callum Hann
Callum has had one of the most successful post-MasterChef Australia careers of all time. After coming runner-up on his initial stint in 2010, he went on to win MasterChef All Stars in 2012, which was a spin-off of the original series. He also competed in MasterChef Australia 2020: Back to Win.
Outside of the show, Callum owns three restaurants: Lou’s Place in the Barossa Valley, Olive (a Mediterranean restaurant) and Roma (an Italian eatery) in Adelaide’s CBD. The South Australian cook is also the director of the cooking school Sprout, and Dietary Hawk, an online training platform for chefs.
Depinder Chhibber
Depinder doesn’t own a restaurant, but she does have her own food business. After competing on MasterChef Australia Season 13, she launched her own supper club called Ghar in Newcastle, where she offers diners her homestyle Thali in a home-dining atmosphere.
Jamie Fleming
Jamie was another MasterChef Australia Season 6 contestant, and five years after his time on the show, he opened the award-winning Alba Bar & Deli in Brisbane. However, he closed the establishment in 2024, citing economic pressure as the reason. The same year, Jamie and his partner moved to the Sunshine Coast and opened Spill Wine in Maleny.
Laura Sharrad
Laura’s culinary career has been thriving ever since her first appearance on MasterChef Australia, and she’s still found time to compete on three seasons of the show. Laura came runner-up on Season 2 and Season 6, and is currently in the top seven of Back To Win.
Outside of Masterchef Australia, she owns Adelaide’s successful pasta bar Nido and New York-inspired Italo-American eatery Fugazzi Bar & Dining with her husband.
Sarah Todd
After her first stint on the cooking show, Sarah took her culinary career international and opened Antares Restaurant & Beach Club in Goa, India. She’s back for her third try at the MasterChef crown after competing on Seasons 6 and 14.
Sashi Cheliah
Singaporean-born Australian chef of Indian descent Sashi Cheliah won MasterChef Australia Season 10 and went on to open the Asian fusison restaurant GAJA by Sashi in Adelaide. While it was extremely popular when it first opened, it permanently closed in 2023, due to financial issues.
Andy Allen
While Andy may be the veteran MasterChef Australia judge now, he was once a contestant! He won the fourth season of MasterChef Australia in 2012 and went on to open the restaurant Three Blue Ducks in Rosebery with Mark LaBrooy, Chris Sorrell and Sam Reid-Boquist — who already owned branches of the same restaurant.
Reynold Poernomo
Reynold has spent a considerable amount of time in the MasterChef kitchen, competing on Season 7, where came 4th and Season 12, where he placed third. On top of that he came runner up on the franchise’s sister show Dessert Masters Australia Season 1, which uses the same kitchen.
When he’s not on MasterChef, Reynold is presumably busy with his business Koi Dessert Bar which has outlets in Sydney’s Chippendale, Ryde and Melbourne’s CBD.
Matt Sinclair
Matt Sinclair was the runner up on MasterChef Australia Season 8, which aired in 2016. Post show, he went on to be a co-founder of popular Queensland restaurant Sum Yung Guys, which has an impressive rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google, based on over 2500 reviews.
MasterChef Australia airs on Sunday at 7pm and Monday – Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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