Yes, several MasterChef contestants have dated, with the most prominent recent example being Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary from MasterChef Australia: Back to Win, who fell in love on the show and recently welcomed twin daughters in late 2025. Another long-standing example is Chris Badenoch and Julia Jenkins from the very first season, who married and are still together, despite initial controversy over their age gap and Chris having a girlfriend at the time.
When they walked into the MasterChef Australia kitchen, Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary expected a heated cook-off, but they never expected to find love. Now, the pair are preparing to have their first baby together.
Inside The Biggest Scandals That Rocked MasterChef
In June, MasterChef 2025 stars Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary announced that they're in a relationship. The duo started dating whilst filming season 17 of the hit cooking show in late 2024, and they've since moved in together, with Declan relocating from Sydney to Melbourne to live with Sarah and her son.
Two MasterChef stars who fell in love on the series have welcomed twins in the days before Christmas. Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary, who both competed in the 2025 season of the show, announced the arrival of twin girls in an Instagram post on Christmas Eve.
He came to the audition with his sister and his mum.” “You could not conjure that. Some people thought it was manifested by the producers. But the proof is in the pudding: six years on we've both ended up in the exact same position in different states and we still consider each other best mates,” Ben says.
It had already been forced to edit the programme to reduce the prominence of Wallace and Torode and remove Shafi's appearance. It has now been edited further to remove another contestant, who has asked not to be identified, according to the BBC.
In June 2025 it was confirmed that Todd and fellow MasterChef Australia: Back To Win contestant Declan Cleary are partners. In an announcement post on Facebook, Sarah announced that she was pregnant. She gave birth to twin girls, Claudia and Charlotte, in December 2025.
The MasterChef Australia contestant who famously left the show in 2021 for mental health reasons was Brent Draper, a boilermaker who felt overwhelming anxiety and pressure affecting his sleep and cooking, leading him to step away to prioritize his well-being and family, a decision he later became a mental health advocate for.
MasterChef contestant Matthew Gagnon has died. He was 42. The Connecticut native died “unexpectedly” on Monday, Dec. 15, according to his obituary.
A Network Ten spokesperson said the lineup change was due to filming schedules, and because Dessert Masters will air back to back with MasterChef Australia, each show would need “its own unique hosting team”.
In May 2019, Bastianich announced his departure from MasterChef Italia in order to dedicate himself to his passion for music. In mid-September of the same year, Bastianich released his first album, titled "Aka Joe".
The death of 46 year old MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo was simply shocking for his family, friends and many thousands of fans. His wife Lauren couldn't believe it then and now two years later, she still can't believe Jock is gone. In a raw interview Lauren speaks about her devastation, those first days and life now.
Shaun O'Neale, the winner of season seven of the toughest realty cooking competition MasterChef starring Gordon Ramsay and Christina Tosi MasterChef tied the knot with his love Katie Provost and had his FOX MasterChef winner wedding in Malibu.
“[Plus] when we are cooking, they'll be walking around [and] tasting bits and pieces. So they have a really good idea of your final dish.” Poh also told us that it's not a big deal, and the judges "get used" to eating cold food.
Sarah Todd shares her experiences with Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) from diagnosis to today, highlighting the diagnosis and treatment processes and how she has continued to follow her dreams throughout the years.
Beloved MasterChef couple Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary have officially expanded their family and welcomed twin daughters together! Taking to Instagram on Christmas Eve, the lovebirds confirmed the arrival of Claudia and Charlotte.
In June, MasterChef 2025 stars Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary announced that they're in a relationship. The duo started dating whilst filming season 17 of the hit cooking show in late 2024, and they've since moved in together, with Declan relocating from Sydney to Melbourne to live with Sarah and her son.
We have of course accepted their wishes and edited them out of the show." Another contestant, Sarah Shafi, was also removed from the series after asking for it not to be broadcast, following a report which upheld claims against hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode.
For both unused ingredients and uneaten meals, the U.S. "MasterChef" donates to Los Angeles charity Meet Each Need with Dignity or to Feeding America. All organic waste that cannot be reused or donated is composted as part of what BBC One calls an "extensive waste management system."
The MasterChef Australia contestant who famously left the show in 2021 for mental health reasons was Brent Draper, a boilermaker who felt overwhelming anxiety and pressure affecting his sleep and cooking, leading him to step away to prioritize his well-being and family, a decision he later became a mental health advocate for.
However, the contestants of MasterChef receive a comfortable payout of $ 600 to $ 650 per week, along with the stay, travel, and meal costs covered.
In 2022, McKay returned to compete on the show's fourteenth season, which featured a mix of returning contestants and new contenders. She won the title for the second time defeating Sarah Todd in the Grand Finale.