MasterChef Australia: Every past winner and what they're doing now

MasterChef Australia has become one of the most beloved and longest-running cooking competition shows in the world, with 13 seasons and counting.

Over the years, we've witnessed scores of talented home cooks from across the country showcasing their culinary skills and competing for the coveted title of Australia's MasterChef. But have you ever wondered what happened to these past winners after their time on the show?

Let's take a look back at all the previous winners of MasterChef Australia and where they are now. From opening their own restaurants to publishing cookbooks and starring in their own TV shows, many of these MasterChef alumni have gone on to do great things in the food world.

Julie Goodwin: Season 1

Julie Goodwin, the winner of the first season of MasterChef Australia, has continued to make her mark in the culinary world. Since her victory in 2009, she has published multiple cookbooks and hosted her own cooking show, Home Cooked! With Julie Goodwin.

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In addition to her cooking ventures, she has also appeared on TV and radio, including a stint on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2015 and even returned to MasterChef in 2012 for All Stars and once more in 2022 for Fans & Favourites where she finished fifth.

Adam Liaw: Season 2

Former lawyer and winner of Season 2 of MasterChef Australia Adam Liaw has enjoyed a successful career since his victory in 2010. After completing his cookbook 'Two Asian Kitchens', he became a regular on television, hosting his own food travel show Destination Flavour and Destination Flavour: Japan.

Adam is also a regular contributor to various publications, writing a column for 'Good Food Australia' and 'Sunday Life Australia', and in 2022 joined the ABC panel show Tomorrow Tonight. You can also catch Adam on the airwaves in his seven part podcast series on Audible, 'How Taste Changed the World'.

Kate Bracks: Season 3

Kate Bracks took out the title of MasterChef Australia in Season 3 and has been keeping busy since with a variety of culinary pursuits.

She has released a cookbook titled 'The Sweet Life', which features a range of sweet treats and desserts, travelled the country as an ambassador for the Cancer Council's Eat It To Beat It program and currently works as a teacher.

Andy Allen: Season 4

After working as a chef at The Four in Hand, winner of MasterChef Australia Season 4 Andy Allen opened his own restaurant, Three Blue Ducks in Rosebery, Sydney. The restaurant quickly gained popularity and expanded to other locations, including Bronte, Byron Bay and Brisbane.

In addition to running his successful restaurant business, Andy has also become a regular on Australian TV, becoming one of the judges on MasterChef Australia, and appearing on shows such as The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, and Food Safari. He has also released his own cookbook, 'The Next Element' and in 2018 his restaurant was awarded a Chef's Hat, making Andy the first MasterChef Australia contestant to earn the honour.

Emma Dean: Season 5

Emma Dean won the fifth season of MasterChef Australia in 2013, impressing the judges with her unique flavour combinations and creative plating. After winning the competition, Emma released a cookbook called 'A Homegrown Table' and started hosting her own cooking show called My Market Kitchen on Network Ten, along with her 2013 MasterChef runner-up Lynton Tapp. She also runs a food blog and has been involved in various food-related events and festivals across Australia.

Brent Owens: Season 6

After his MasterChef Australia win in Season 6, Brent Owens opened a pop-up restaurant and went on to work with celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal. In 2015 he launched his own catering company called Brent Owens Unwrapped and also published a cookbook, 'Dig In'.

Billie McKay: Season 7

Since taking home the $250,000 prize money, winner of MasterChef Season 7 Billie McKay has opened a café in her hometown of Ballarat, Victoria, called Mr Jones. The café has received positive reviews for its creative and delicious menu, which features fresh, local ingredients.

In addition to running her café, Billie has also released her debut cookbook, 'Billie's Best: 100+ of My Favourite Recipes'. Billie also joined fellow former winner Julie Goodwin on the Fans & Favourites season in 2022 and won the competition for a second time.

Elena Duggan: Season 8

After taking home the grand prize on MasterChef Season 8, Elena has been busy whipping up a storm on her food blog, In the Mix with Elena, where she shares her delicious recipes and kitchen hacks with her followers.

While she initially considered opening a farm café, she ultimately decided to use her culinary skills to make a difference in the lives of special needs students, teaching them hospitality skills and home economics.

Diana Chan: Season 9

After her win in Season 9, MasterChef Australia contestant Diana Chan opened a pop-up restaurant in Melbourne, called Chanteen, which showcased her signature Asian-inspired dishes. Diana has also been a regular on other TV cooking shows, including Everyday Gourmet and Good Chef Bad Chef.

To top it all off, she has released her own cookbook, 'Just Desserts', and stars in the SBS On Demand show, Asia Unplated with Diana Chan.

Sashi Cheliah: Season 10

Following his win on MasterChef Australia, Sashi Cheliah opened a series of pop-up restaurants named GAJA by Sashi before finally launching a permanent establishment along with an express version.

He has also published his cookbook 'Spice Journey', which showcases 80 of his favourite recipes, as well as launching his own spice blend line called 'Sashi's by Flavour Republic', which offers unique blends of spices that reflect his diverse heritage.

Sashi also joined Julie and Billie for the Fans & Favourites spin-off, coming in at 19th place.

Larissa Takchi: Season 11

The youngest ever winner of MasterChef Australia, Larissa Takchi has gone on to launch a cooking class series called Cooking with Larissa Takchi that gives participants the opportunity to learn and cook alongside her.

Larissa has also hosted pop-up dining experiences and collaborated with various restaurants and brands. In addition, she released her own cookbook, 'Larissa Takchi: The Great Australian Cookbook', which features a collection of her favourite recipes. She has also welcomed her first child with husband Luke.

Emelia Jackson: Season 12

After finishing in third place of MasterChef Australia Season 6, Emelia was invited to join the 24 returning contestants in MasterChef Australia: Back To Win in 2020, in which she was crowned winner.

Since then, she has opened her own business, Emelia Jackson Cake Designs, which creates custom cakes for all occasions, including weddings and corporate events.

Her cake creations have gained a huge following on social media, and she has even designed cakes for high-profile brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel. In addition to her cake business, Emelia has also released a cookbook, titled 'First, Cream the Butter and Sugar'. She also appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia in 2021.

Justin Narayan: Season 13

Justin Narayan, the winner of MasterChef season 13, has been keeping busy since taking home the trophy in 2021. He launched his own YouTube channel, where he shares cooking tutorials, challenges and collaborations with other chefs, as well as hosting virtual cooking classes and catering for events. He hopes to one day open his own restaurant or food truck.

MasterChef Australia Season 14 premieres at 7.30pm on Sunday 7 May.

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