MasterChef Australia 2024: Meet The 22 Contestants Cooking for Glory

The sixteenth season of “MasterChef Australia” is set to premiere on April 22, 2024, on Channel 10 and 10Play. This season marks a new chapter for the show, introducing a fresh batch of talented home cooks who will showcase their skills and creativity in the iconic kitchen. The contestants will be put through their paces by a panel of esteemed judges, including a mix of familiar and new faces.

The top 22 contestants for this season come from diverse backgrounds and regions across Australia, with six contestants each from New South Wales and Victoria, five from Queensland, three from Western Australia, and one each from Tasmania and South Australia. Each contestant brings their unique culinary perspective and expertise to the competition, vying for the coveted title and the $250,000 prize money.

Here’s a closer look at the 22 contestants of “MasterChef Australia” 2024:

1. Alex Crisp (27, WA, Sales Representative): Alex, a first-generation Australian with South African and Danish heritage, was raised in Fremantle. Her diverse cultural background has influenced her cooking, and she aims to open a dinner party restaurant with a backyard garden cafe.

2. Darrsh Clarke (31, WA, Management Consultant): Darrsh’s love for food stems from his Sri Lankan heritage and his late father, who was a chef in an Indian restaurant. He also inherited a passion for baking from his grandmother.

3. David Tan (30, QLD, Pharmacologist): With a degree in pharmacology and toxicology, David works as a national clinical trials administrator. His move to Australia seven years ago sparked his desire to hone his culinary skills.

4. Gillian Dinh (31, NSW, Lettering Artist): Gillian, also known as Gill, grew up in a household influenced by Italian and Vietnamese cuisine. She is a talented artist who runs her own lettering art business and plans to bring her creative flair to the competition.

5. Harry Butterfield (29, QLD, Commercial Property): Harry, a Brisbane-based ocean lover, aims to be the resident seafood guru. He draws inspiration from his family’s culinary traditions, which include Northern Italian, English, and German influences.

6. James Holmes (38, WA, Primary School Teacher): James’s love for food stems from his family holidays to the Greek island of Lemnos. He and his Australian-born wife, Paris, have travelled the world, exploring various cuisines.

7. Jonathan Hooper (29, NSW, Carpenter): Jonathan, a self-proclaimed “Nonna’s boy,” has fond memories of cooking with his grandmother since he was 10 years old. He excels in comfort food and is particularly fond of barbecue, Mexican, Japanese, and Italian cuisines.

8. Josh Clarke (27, QLD, Coffee Roaster): Josh, with Irish and Jamaican roots, was inspired by his parents’ cooking. His travels around the world exposed him to diverse cuisines, and he now aims to pursue his passion for cooking.

9. Josh Perry (43, TAS, Butcher): Affectionately known as “Pezza,” Josh is a small-town butcher from Tasmania. He works long hours, fattening his own cattle and cooking with locally sourced seafood. He was taught to cook by the matriarchs in his family.

10. Juan De La Cruz Torales Villarreal (39, NSW, Board Game Designer): Juan, one of nine children born in Argentina, developed a passion for food due to his asthma, which kept him indoors. He became his mother’s official taste-tester and has a well-developed palate.

11. Khristian Walker (26, VIC, Insurance Services): Khristian, who grew up in working-class Melbourne, was inspired by his mother’s cooking from a young age. He loves cooking Sunday roasts for family and friends and plans to showcase his skills in cooking over coals and Italian and Greek cuisines.

12. Lachlan Whittle (34, VIC, Landscape Gardener): Lachlan, a doting dad to a toddler, wants to make his mark in the competition for his little girl. He learned to cook over fire during beach holidays and was influenced by his father’s cooking.

13. Lily Davies (30, NSW, Former Nurse): Lily’s mother, Jo, was a chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu. Lily, who relocated to Sydney in 2019, draws inspiration from English chefs like Jamie Oliver and Mary Berry. She has also travelled extensively, exposing herself to various global cuisines.

14. Lourdes Leschen (22, VIC, Marketing Coordinator): Lourdes grew up in Melbourne with a strong Spanish influence from her mother, Laly, and grandmother, Ana Maria. She has a passion for healthy and simple food and is an avid collector of cookbooks.

15. Mimi Wong (25, NSW, High School Teacher): Mimi, born in Hong Kong, spent her early years there before returning at age 11 to live with her beloved grandmother. She draws inspiration from Cantonese cuisine and loves exploring Asian fusion.

16. Nat Thaipun (28, VIC, Barista): Nat, a proud Australian-born Thai woman, grew up in a busy family with parents who owned a Thai restaurant. She aims to break cultural stigmas and represent her culture through her food.

17. Savindri Perera (30, SA, Banking Consultant): Sav, also known as Sav, is a banking consultant whose true passion lies in the kitchen. She was inspired by her late mother’s Sri Lankan cooking and aspires to write a cookbook blending Sri Lankan and Western cuisines.

18. Snezana Calic (40, VIC, Financial Services): Snezana, of Croatian and Serbian heritage, started cooking at a young age, influenced by her mother. She cooks for her family and hopes to focus on homely meals with maximum flavour.

19. Steph Griffen (28, QLD, Events Manager): Steph works in food event planning, creating memorable dining experiences. She identifies as a savoury girl and takes pride in creating high-end dishes with perfectly cooked meat.

20. Stephen Dennis (62, QLD, Tour Guide): Stephen almost joined the first season of “MasterChef Australia,” but a cyclone prevented him from travelling. Now, at 62, he’s determined to pursue his dream and prove that age is just a number.

21. Sue Bazely (58, VIC, Customer Manager): Sue, who immigrated to Australia with her family, has fond memories of cooking with her mother and tending to their vegetable garden. A long-time fan of the show, she’s excited to be a part of the action and inspire others to follow their dreams.

22. Sumeet Saigal (46, NSW, Sales Manager): Sumeet’s love for food stems from her Punjabi heritage and her family’s love for hosting parties. Inspired by her paternal grandfather’s experimental cooking, she aims to pursue her passion for cooking and set an example for her 17-year-old twins.

MasterChef Australia Season 16 Premieres 22 April on Channel 10.