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Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong & Andy Allen to judge MasterChef Australia

These are the new judges fronting 2020 series with returning contestants competing.

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Press release:

Network 10’s MasterChef Australia, the iconic cooking program that rewrote the recipe for must-see TV, is delighted to announce the addition of three new judges in 2020.

Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen will take the helm of the show that celebrates food and the love of food.

Jock, Melissa and Andy will be joined in the MasterChef Australia kitchen by a delicious assortment of the world’s best chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal and Curtis Stone, to serve up the 12th helping of MasterChef Australia.

And in 2020, the traditional MasterChef Australia recipe will boast some new ingredients when the best of the best from the past 11 seasons return to the kitchen in MasterChef Australia – Back To Win.

Network 10 Chief Content Officer, Beverley McGarvey, said: “In a nation obsessed with food, we are thrilled to welcome Jock, Melissa and Andy as judges to MasterChef Australia.

“Their combined culinary credentials coupled with their passion and sheer joy for food, and their relentless enthusiasm to explore ingredients, preparation and cooking methods ensures we are in for a real treat.”

Endemol Shine Australia CEO, Carl Fennessy, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Jock, Melissa and Andy to the MasterChef Australia family. Jock’s culinary resume across Australia and the United Kingdom puts him in the very elite of contemporary chefs. Melissa’s diverse palate and incredible food knowledge will test our contestants in every way, and Andy brings with him a wealth of experience as a MasterChef Australia winner who’s become one of Australia’s hottest chefs.

“We’re excited to welcome this new generation of judges to the MasterChef kitchen.”

Meet the Judges

Jock Zonfrillo is the owner and chef of three-hatted Restaurant Orana, and Bistro Blackwood in Adelaide. Jock was named Australia’s Hottest Chef in 2018 and has hosted television shows including Nomad Chef, Restaurant Revolution and Chef Exchange, as well as appearing in the MasterChef Australia kitchen as a guest chef across three seasons.

Jock said: “When I think of MasterChef Australia, I think of discovering new talented cooks with fresh ideas and creativity.

“There hasn’t been a season yet where I haven’t been surprised by just how talented some of the undiscovered cooks are, so much so, that many of them have worked in my kitchen over the years. I can’t wait to get in that kitchen.”

Few in Australia can boast the culinary credentials of Melissa Leong. An accomplished food and travel writer, food media consultant, radio broadcaster, television presenter, MC and cookbook editor, this first- generation Singaporean Australian isn’t afraid to consume anything at least once.

On being chosen as a judge, Melissa said: “It goes without saying, that it is an honour to be passed the baton and asked to help bring the next chapter to life on a show like MasterChef Australia.

“It came as a huge surprise for me, and is, without a doubt the opportunity of a lifetime. I am really looking forward to getting stuck in!”

MasterChef Australia alumni and season four winner Andy Allen is the epitome of what television’s greatest cooking show is all about.

Since winning MasterChef Australia Andy has travelled Australia and the world pursuing his culinary curiosity. He’s also become co-owner of the Three Blue Ducks, taking on the role of head chef at their Rosebery restaurant, which went on to be awarded a Chef’s Hat – making Andy the first MasterChef Australia contestant to be awarded the highly sought after honour. Andy and the Ducks have since opened a restaurant in Brisbane and are soon to launch another in Melbourne.

Andy said: “I entered this competition as a contestant in 2012, somehow I won it and then I went out into the big, bad wide world of hospitality. To be asked to be a judge – and to come full circle back to MasterChef Australia – is really flattering and really special.

“I’m stoked because it means that I’ve done the hard work to be here. You don’t ask Joe Blow to be a judge on MasterChef Australia.”

On MasterChef Australia – Back To Win, Jock said: “Having watched this group create their own restaurants, their own businesses and become great chefs in their own right has been amazing.
“But now to see them back, pitting their knowledge against each other in the MasterChef kitchen, sets the stage for the most exciting season yet.”

Melissa added: “Back To Win – it says it all, right? This is the who’s who of MasterChef Australia’s favourites from seasons past. This season, they have an opportunity to show everyone what they’ve been up to and where they are at, in their food evolution.”

“They know how this game works, so they should be prepared to waste no time in showing us what they’ve got.”

Jock, Melissa and Andy will commence filming MasterChef Australia – Back To Win in Melbourne in early 2020. It will air on 10 and WIN Network in 2020.

Stay tuned to see who will return to the kitchen for MasterChef Australia – Back To Win.

47 Responses

  1. I don’t know about ‘thrilled’….but not surprised…it is $$$ thing…many other names bandied around would have blown the budget on a show they are not even sure will continue….
    It is a matter of wait and see how it pans out now…for 10…CBS and everyone involved and viewing…

  2. Andy I obviously know well from him being on the show and he now has a 2 hat restaurant, Jock I have heard of and think will be great and I must admit Melissa I’m not familiar with but I will still watch it. Disappointed Poh didn’t get a go but I hope she is back as a mentor.

    I’m guessing Curtis was either to expensive or his schedule just didn’t work. It would be hard for him to be in Australia while trying to run 2 restaurants back in the states.

    Fresh faces may be good.

  3. I’ve grieved over the loss of Matt, George and Gary but I’m ready to give this refresh a go. Remember ‘the boys’ were unknowns themselves back in 2008!

  4. I was kind of hoping all 3 judges from The Chef’s Line might move over to host MC but having Melissa is good. She’s lovely on that show. Lookibg forward to this.

  5. I was thinking some of them from the Chef’s Line would be some good picks. So I’m quite happy with some fresh faces, given 10 have the habit of using their talent on hosting multiple shows e.g. Grant Denyer, Osher, Hughesy, Amanda Keller.

  6. I really excited about these new judges they have great credentials very talented in the food industry and I so excited there’s finally a female judge I’ve been wishing for one on Masterchef for awhile

  7. The judges are great (well Jock and Andy, I’m not familiar with Melissa), but an “all stars” season? Disappointing, but I’ll give it a go.

  10. Great I am happy to give these 3 a fair go. It’s such a relief that so many of the rumours were untrue. I hope that Jock has ensured all is staff are correctly paid and good luck to the new 3 amigos….

  11. Have loved MC since the beginning, my fav reality show. I’m glad of the choices, fresh faces is good. Have liked Andy since his win in season 4. Jock has always been a great guest. Melissa I don’t know, then I never knew Matt Preston either. I’m glad no Curtis, find him boring. Only judge I was hoping for was Nigella. But I’ll be on board next year for sure!

  12. This has been long overdue. And while at least one big name would have been a great way to lure in some more eyeballs, these three look great together and I hope they have the chemistry to match.

  13. Good luck to these three, hope ten don’t play with the formula too much. My one complaint Melissa stated she brings diversity to the show, the show already had diversity in its contestants and the talents of its hosts. George and Gary’s cooking diversity, Matt’s eating diversity.

  14. Well that’s a disappointing mistake… just when you think 10 can’t get any stupider they go and do something like this… they had a real chance here to re-launch the brand with some well-loved personalities and give the show another 10yrs

    I mean, I feel like a lot of us really try to support 10 and want to see them have more successes… but geez, they make it hard…

    1. I think this strategy gives the brand a real go at another 10 years. A fresh approach to a brand that needed a boost. Hopefully they don’t just channel Gary, George and Matt but bring something new.

      Best wishes to all three.

      1. I just think this is a completely different situation… when the show originally launched the landscape of it was new and exciting… this time they can’t rely on that… it’s an old format now

        I’m not implying these people are going to be horrible… I have no idea, they might be great… my point is that it won’t matter

        They needed to bring viewers in with some established personalities… create some excitement to bring in ratings… even if it was just 2 of the 3… but they needed that clout to take the show forward imo

  17. Im in. Think it needed some changes and it really should be about the food not the personalities behind it. Definitely needed a female judge as well. Good choices…

      1. Precisely.

        The Australian TV audience seems to resist new talent sometimes just because they’re unknown – in TV hosting circles anyway. Fear of the unknown until they prove essential viewing. How long will they be given to find their feet?

        Best wishes to all three. Let them get on with it and deliver something fresh and special.

        1. I often see people in the comment sections here complaining that the same people keep appearing on TV over and over again in every show. Then the channels bring someone new onto TV and they don’t want to watch because they’re “relative unknowns”. Can’t win!

  19. Yaaayyy some nice fresh faces. We viewers are a weird mob. On the one hand we complain about and yearn for fresh blood and when a station takes a gamble and delivers, we don’t like it because we maybe fear the unknown. I wish them luck ?

  22. Was Expecting Poh and Curtis Stone to be announced. Not sue about contestants returning thought? could possibly make the program struggle like when they wanted to have more drama????

  23. Don’t mind that line-up Andy Allen a winner from Season 4, Jock Zonfrillo who has appeared as a gust Chef a few times, Melissa Leong is the big question however may bring a a bit of spark to it and be a bit more supportive of the contestants (given her somewhat negative thoughts about Masterchef in the past).

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