The seventeenth series of the Australian television cooking show MasterChef Australia, also known as MasterChef: Back To Win and MasterChef Australia: Back To Win, premiered on 28 April 2025. It was announced on 16 September 2024 and featured the same four judges as series 16, namely series 4 winner Andy Allen, food writer Sofia Levin, French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and series 1 runner-up Poh Ling Yeow. Similar to series 12, series 17 featured a Back to Win concept, with 24 contestants from previous series returning for a chance to win the title.
Laura Sharrad won the grand finale on 12 August 2025, defeating Callum Hann 80–73.
Contestants Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary began a relationship during filming of the series, moved in together after elimination and gave birth to twins.
Contestants The 24 returning contestants were announced on 16 March 2025.
ContestantAgeStateOccupationOriginal SeriesPreviousSeason(s)Placing(s)Status Laura Sharrad 29 SA ChefSeries 6Runner-upWinner 12 AugustSeries 12Runner-up Callum Hann 35 SA Chef and restaurateur Series 2 Runner-up Series 124th Jamie Fleming36 QLDBar ownerSeries 6 4th Third place 11 AugustDepinder Chhibber33 NSWPharmacist and supper club ownerSeries 13 8th Eliminated 4 August Ben Macdonald47 NZCatering chef Series 6 6th Eliminated 29 July Sarah Todd 37 VIC Chef and restaurateurSeries 69th Eliminated 27 July Series 14 Runner-up Snezana Calic42 VICChef Series 16 15th Eliminated 20 July Alana Lowes 44 QLD Journalist and TV presenter Series 3 3rd Eliminated 13 July Audra Morrice54 NSWTV host and judge Series 4 3rd Eliminated 6 July Andre Ursini 44 SARestaurateur and business owner Series 1 7th Eliminated 1 July Declan Cleary27 NSWCarpenter Series 15 3rd Eliminated 29 June Theo Loizou39 VICElectrician Series 15 4th Eliminated 24 June Beau Cook40 VICFirefighter and cookbook author Series 4 8th Eliminated 22 June Samira El Khafir39 VICBusinesswoman and cafe owner Series 5 3rd Eliminated 15 June Darrsh Clarke33 VICChef and management consultant Series 16 6th Eliminated 8 June Tim Bone39 VICSandwich business owner Series 11 4th Eliminated 1 June Rue Mupedzi31 WACatering chef Series 15 7th Eliminated 27 May Rhiannon Anderson48 QLDBusiness owner Series 15 Runner-up Eliminated 25 May Jimmy Wong58 NSWFood photographer and content creator Series 8 19th Eliminated 20 May Matt Hopcraft53 VICDentist and associate professor Series 7 6th Eliminated 18 May Steph De Sousa52 NSWContent creator and caterer Series 11 12th Eliminated 11 May Savindri Perera31 SAPrivate chef and catererSeries 16 3rd Eliminated 6 May Cath Collins56 VICFood business owner Series 15 5th Eliminated 4 May Pete Campbell40 NSWChefSeries 13 Runner-upWithdrew 30 April
Guests
Week Guest Challenge 1(Gordon Ramsay Week) Gordon Ramsay Team service challenge Keeping Up with Gordon challenge2(Legends Week)Peter GilmoreMystery boxKirsten TibballsPressure testShannon BennettImmunity challenge 3Curtis StoneImmunity challenge 4Steven HePressure test5Josh NilandElimination challengeIxta BelfrageMystery boxBlayne BertoncelloPressure test6(Viral Week)Sooshi MangoMystery boxJohn DemetriosPressure testAndy CooksElimination challenge 8(Sweet Week)Junda KhooElimination challenge9(Aussie Icons Week)Nornie Bero Mystery box Curtis StoneElimination challenge Immunity challengeMaggie BeerElimination challenge 10Philip KhouryPressure test 12Michael WilsonPressure test 13Hugh AllenService challenge14 Julie GoodwinElimination challenge Nat ThaipunVaughan MabeeElimination challenge 16(Grand Finale Week)Miko AspirasPressure test
Elimination chart No. Week12345678910 111213 14FinalsGrand Finale MysteryBoxChallengeWinnerNone AudraDepinderRueTheoNoneLauraTheoCallumJamieLauraAndreBenLauraSnezana AlanaAndreAudraBeauCallumDepinderTheoAndreBeauCallumLauraCallumLauraSnezanaSarah CallumJamieSnezanaBenCallumDepinderLaura NoneNone ImmunityChallengeDarrshDepinderLauraSavAlanaAndreDepinderAndreJimmySnezanaAndreBenLauraAndreJamieAlanaAndreAudraBeauTheo AndreBeauCallumAudraDeclanSarahTheoBenDepinderJamieAlanaJamie Callum Snezana BenDepinderLaura NoneNone EliminationChallengeWinner JimmyLauraRhiannon AudraLaura BeauDepinderJamie LauraSarahBeauJamieSamiraSarahAlanaAudraDepinderLauraNoneDepinderSarahSnezanaAlanaCallumDepinderSarahBenJamieLauraSarah SarahSnezanaCallumDepinderBenDepinder CallumCallumLaura None1 Laura colspan="2" IN IN IN colspan="1" colspan="1" IN IN IN IN IN 2 Callum colspan="2" IN IN IN colspan="1" colspan="1" IN IN IN 3 Jamie IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN 4 Depinder IN IN colspan="1" IN colspan="1" IN IN IN IN IN IN IN 5 Ben IN IN colspan="1" IN IN IN IN IN IN IN 6 Sarah IN DNP IN IN IN IN IN IN colspan="1" IN IN IN 7 Snezana IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN 8 Alana IN IN IN colspan="1" IN IN IN IN IN IN IN 9 Audra colspan="2" IN IN IN IN IN IN 10 Andre colspan="2" IN IN colspan="1" IN colspan="1" IN IN IN 11 Declan colspan="2" IN IN IN IN IN colspan="1" IN IN IN colspan="1" IN 12 Theo ININ IN IN IN IN 13 Beau colspan="2" IN IN IN IN IN colspan="1" IN IN IN IN 14 Samira IN IN IN IN colspan="1" IN IN IN IN 15 Darrsh colspan="2" IN IN IN IN IN IN 16 Tim colspan="2" IN IN IN IN 17 Rue colspan="2" IN IN IN 18 Rhiannon colspan="2" IN IN IN colspan="1" IN 19 Jimmy IN IN IN colspan="1" 20 Matt colspan="2" IN IN IN IN 21 Steph colspan="2" IN IN IN 22 Sav colspan="2" 23 Cath colspan="2" IN 24 Pete colspan="2" EliminatedNone Pete CathSavStephMattJimmyRhiannonRueTimDarrshSamiraBeau TheoDeclanAndreAudraAlanaSnezanaSarahBenDepinderJamieCallumLaura
Episodes and ratings
Ep#/Wk-Ep# Original airdate Episode title / event Viewers (national reach & total) Nightly ranking Week 1 (Gordon Ramsay Week) 1/01-1 Monday, 28 April 2025 Series Premiere: Gordon Ramsay's Team Service Challenge — The Top 24 were split into three teams of eight, with the three contestants who previously competed on MasterChef twice being named team captains: Callum (green team), Sarah (blue) and Laura (burgundy). Each team had to cook a two-course meal for 30 guests in a two-hour service challenge set by this week's guest chef Gordon Ramsay. Gordon revealed two focus ingredients: carrots and corn. Each team needed to feature one of these in a main course and the other in a dessert. The green team produced a beef rump cap with carrot prepared three ways. The burgundy team prepared a porchetta dish with maple-roasted carrots on a carrot puree. The blue team made a kingfish and sweet corn chowder, struggling with the cooking of the fish. For dessert, the burgundy team's dish was disjointed, though their corn ice cream was a success. The green team made a pavlova with corn ice cream and passionfruit curd that the judges admired. The blue team prepared a carrot halwa parfait that the judges also enjoyed. The green team won the challenge, earning the chance to compete for an advantage in the competition. 1,392,000/676,009 #8 2/01-2 Tuesday, 29 April 2025 Keep Up with Gordon Challenge — The eight members of the green team needed to keep up with Gordon in a two-dish challenge, with the prize being the season's only immunity pin. The main course was caramelized duck breast with parsnip puree, endive and a port wine sauce, and the dessert was sticky toffee pudding. Gordon disqualified Rue and Cath: the former injured herself twice, while the latter had fallen too far behind. The two contestants who came closest to matching Gordon's dishes were Ben and Callum, who both cooked their duck perfectly and had very successful desserts. The judges gave the win, and the immunity pin, to Ben. 1,174,000/602,000 #12 3/01-3 Wednesday, 30 April 2025 Late Night Snack Immunity Challenge — The judges announced that Pete had left the competition for personal reasons. The contestants competed for the first time this season as individuals with their own choice of dish. They had 75 minutes to prepare an elevated version of their favourite late-night snack using Gordon's favourite snack, beans on toast, as inspiration. The winner would be safe from the upcoming elimination and also have their dish appear on one of Gordon's restaurant menus. The judges complimented several dishes, including Darrsh's s'mores with native Australian flavours, Audra's “magic of a happy marriage” Japanese/Indian cross between takoyaki and vada, Depinder's Aslam butter chicken, Sav's smashed Sri Lankan pork-filled pastries and Laura's Vegemite on toast dessert. The judges awarded immunity to Audra. 1,139,000/633,000 #11 Week 2