Gordon Ramsay kicked off the highly anticipated 17th season of MasterChef Australia: Back to Win on Monday night, April 28, 2025, with a bang. The British celebrity chef, known for his fiery rants and high culinary standards, wasted no time in making his presence felt during a service challenge, where he confronted a team of contestants about their raw kingfish dishes.
"Who cooked the fish!" Ramsay demanded, before launching into an expletive-laden tirade: "Raw fish. Ice cold, raw fish. May as well go to fing Nobu and serve those up as fing sushi!" His passionate plea for better quality food resonated with viewers, many of whom took to social media to express their amusement at Ramsay's antics, noting that he needed extensive bleeping within his first minute on screen.
This season of MasterChef Australia features 24 past contestants returning for a chance to win the coveted MasterChef trophy and a grand prize of $250,000. Among the notable contestants are fan favorites such as Andre Ursini, Sarah Todd, and Tim Bone, alongside season 6 runner-up Laura Sharrad.
As the competition heats up, viewers have already begun speculating about the potential winner. Following the release of a promotional poster featuring six contestants, including Sharrad, Savindri Perera, Darrsh Clarke, Tim Bone, Declan Cleary, and Steph De Sousa, fans have taken to platforms like Reddit to discuss their theories. One fan posed the question, "Do you think the winner is pictured?" suggesting that Sharrad's prominent placement in the poster might indicate her as a frontrunner.
Gordon Ramsay's return as the first guest judge of MasterChef Australia: Back to Win is particularly special for him. In an exclusive interview with TV WEEK, he expressed his excitement about being back in the MasterChef kitchen, stating, "There’s always something quite unique and exciting about standing in the MasterChef kitchen. For me, it’s one of the most exciting countries on the culinary map today."
Ramsay's reunion with fellow judges Andy Allen, Sofia Levin, Poh Ling Yeow, and Jean-Christophe Novelli brought back a flood of memories for the chef, who has been in the culinary industry for over three decades. He fondly recalled his early days with Novelli, saying, "Standing beside my old friend Jean-Christophe Novelli took me back to the early days of my TV career, when he and I were doing live shows together at the BBC Good Food & Drink Show in Birmingham."
In the first episode, contestants were divided into three teams for a service challenge, where they prepared a two-course menu for front-line workers. The Green team, captained by Callum, included Rue, Rhiannon, Matt, Audra, Darrsh, Ben, and Cath. The Red team, led by Laura, comprised Steph, Andrew, Sav, Pete, Declan, Beau, and Tim. The Blue team, captained by Sarah, featured Samira, Depinder, Theo, Jamie, Alana, Jimmy, and Laura.
Each team had to create 30 plates of food, totaling 60, within a two-hour timeframe, using carrots and corn as mandatory ingredients. Ramsay emphasized the importance of perfection, stating, "They deserve nothing short of perfection." The Green and Red teams chose to use carrot for their main dishes, while the Blue team opted for corn.
The Green team's main dish featured beef rump cap with carrot and macadamia puree, while their dessert was a sweet corn pavlova cup with sweet corn ice cream. The judges praised the Green team for their vibrant presentation and balanced flavors, with Jean-Christophe calling it a "wow" dish. The Red team's offerings, including pork porchetta and corn ice cream, received mixed reviews, with judges expressing skepticism about its complexity.
In the second episode, airing on April 29, 2025, the winners from the first episode's challenge faced an immunity challenge set by Ramsay himself. Contestants had to cook along with Ramsay, preparing roast duck breast with parsnips and sticky toffee pudding. The stakes were high, as the winner would receive the only immunity pin available this season.
As the challenge unfolded, contestants faced various hurdles. Rue made a critical error by adding all the sugar for her pudding mix, leading to a chaotic kitchen environment. Meanwhile, Callum, who had previously won a challenge set by Ramsay, proved to be a strong contender, showcasing his experience as a restaurant owner.
Ultimately, the winner of the immunity challenge was Ben, who impressed the judges with his duck dish and sticky toffee pudding. His success in the challenge solidified his position as a strong competitor in the season.
As the season progresses, viewers can expect more drama, culinary challenges, and emotional moments as contestants strive for victory in the kitchen. With Gordon Ramsay at the helm, the stakes have never been higher for these returning contestants.
Fans can tune in to MasterChef Australia: Back to Win every week to witness the culinary battles unfold, with the next episode airing on April 30, 2025, at 7:30 PM on Channel 10 or streaming on demand via 10Play.
