The sixteenth series of the Australian television cooking show MasterChef Australia was announced in October 2023 and premiered on 22 April 2024 on Network Ten. Series 4 winner Andy Allen returned as judge from the previous series having held the role since series 12, whilst Melissa Leong left the show to judge the second series of Dessert Masters and Jock Zonfrillo died prior to the broadcast of the previous series. Food writer Sofia Levin, French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and series 1 runner-up Poh Ling Yeow took over as judges, replacing Leong and Zonfrillo.
The series was won by Nat Thaipun in the grand finale against Josh Perry, broadcast on 16 July 2024.
Changes Unlike previous series, the number of judges was increased from three to four and the program was broadcast only four nights per week. The number of contestants also increased from 18 in the previous series to 22, however, remained less than the typical 24 contestants. Like the previous two series, the audition stage was not broadcast. The Second Chance Challenge returns where the eliminated contestants (besides Lourdes & Stephen) compete for a spot back in the competition. In addition, the returning contestant will also be safe at Sunday's Elimination. Like the twelfth series, there was only one immunity pin up for grabs for the series at the start of the competition.
Contestants
Top 22
The Top 22 was announced on 14 April 2024.
Contestant Age State Occupation Status Nat Thaipun 28 VIC BaristaWinner 16 July Josh Perry 43 TAS Butcher Savindri Perera 30 SA Banking consultant Third place 15 JulyReturned 29 MayEliminated 28 May Harry Butterfield 29 QLD Commercial property Eliminated 9 July Mimi Wong 25 NSW High school teacher Eliminated 7 July Darrsh Clarke 31 WA Management consultant Eliminated 2 July Lachlan Whittle 34 VIC Landscape gardener Eliminated 30 June Sumeet Saigal 46 NSW Sales manager Eliminated 19 June Alex Crisp 27 WA Sales representative Eliminated 18 June Gillian Dinh 31 NSW Lettering artist Eliminated 16 June Josh Clarke 27 QLD Coffee roaster Eliminated 9 June Sue Bazely 58 VIC Customer manager Eliminated 5 June David Tan 30 QLD Pharmacologist Eliminated 2 June Stephen Dennis 62 QLD Tour guide Eliminated 26 May Snezana Calic 40 VIC Financial services Eliminated 21 May Juan de la Cruz Torales Villarreal 39 NSW Board game designer Eliminated 19 May Lourdes Leschen 22 VIC Marketing coordinator Eliminated 14 May Lily Davies 30 NSW Former nurse Eliminated 12 May Khristian Walker 26 VIC Insurance services Eliminated 7 May Jonathan Hooper 29 NSW Carpenter Eliminated 5 May Steph Griffen 28 QLD Events manager Eliminated 30 April James Holmes 38 WA Primary school teacher Eliminated 28 April
Future appearances
Savindri Perera, Darrsh Clarke and Snezana Calic appeared on Series 17 for another chance to win. Savindri was eliminated on 6 May 2025, finishing 22nd. Darrsh was eliminated on 8 June 2025, finishing 15th and Snezana was eliminated on 20 July 2025, finishing 7th. Nat Thaipun later appeared as a guest judge for an elimination challenge. Savindri will be a judge on the new MasterChef Sri Lanka series.
Guest chefs
Week Guest Challenge 1(Jamie Oliver Week) Jamie Oliver Series premiere Team service challenge 2(Jamie Oliver Week) Pressure test 4 Liam Downes Pressure test 5(Trending Week) Luke Nguyen Elimination challenge Vincent Yeow Lim Mystery Box challenge Anna Polyviou Pressure test 6 Mikiko Terasaki Elimination challenge Darren Purchese Pressure test 7 Rick Stein Elimination challenge Curtis Stone Elimination challenge Immunity challenge 8(Sweet Week) Adriano Zumbo Mystery box Immunity challenge Invention test Elimination challenge 9 Nagi Maehashi Mystery box Hugh Allen Pressure test 10(Hong Kong Week) Vicky Cheng Immunity challenge 11 Guillaume Brahimi Pressure test 12(Finals Week) Josh Niland Pressure test 12(Grand Finale Week)Curtis Stone Service challenge Clare Smyth Pressure test
Elimination chart
No. Week1234567891011FinalsGrand Finale MysteryBoxChallengeWinnerNoneDarrshHarryNatJosh C.LachlanLilyNatDavidHarryJuanStephenSumeetJosh P.LachlanMimiLachlanHarryJosh C.MimiNatSavindriSumeetAlexMimiHarryMimiNatJosh P.SavindriNone ImmunityChallenge LourdesSnezanaStephenSumeetLachlanMimiAlexDarrshNoneAlexSavindri None Josh P.Josh P.None EliminationChallengeWinnerDavidHarryJuanNatSnezanaSavindriSnezanaNoneDarrshGillianSavindriSumeetSavindriAlexHarryLachlanDarrshNoneHarryNoneSavindriNoneNone 1 Nat IN IN IN 2 Josh P. IN IN IN IN 3 Savindri IN IN IN IN DNP 4 Harry IN IN IN IN 5 Mimi IN IN IN 6 Darrsh IN IN IN IN IN IN 7 Lachlan IN IN IN IN IN 8 Sumeet IN IN 9 Alex IN IN IN IN IN 10 Gillian IN IN IN IN IN 11 Josh C. IN IN IN IN 12 Sue IN IN IN IN IN 13 David IN IN IN 14 Stephen IN IN IN 15 Snezana IN IN IN 16 Juan IN IN IN 17 Lourdes IN IN IN 18 Lily IN 19 Khristian IN IN 20 Jonathan IN IN 21 Steph IN 22 James IN EliminatedNoneJamesStephJonathanKhristianLilyLourdesJuanSnezanaStephenSavindriDavidSueGillianAlexSumeetLachlanDarrshMimiHarrySavindriJosh P.Nat
Episodes and ratings