People of every imaginable background, age and experience applied from across the country in the hope of making their culinary dreams come true in a cooking competition that is like no other. The resulting contestants are passionate about their food, very ambitious and utterly determined to become Australia’s first MasterChef.

These budding chefs will compete against each other in incredible challenges that will not only test their culinary skills but stretch their nerves and ability to improvise to the limit.

The MasterChef experience will kick off with a nerve-wracking audition process that will see contestants attempt to impress the judges with a dish of their choice with only 45 minutes preparation time.

The Top 50 contestants will then do battle in Sydney where a series of challenges, including a furious race around Sydney’s fish markets, is set to see the cream of the crop rise to the top.

The Top 20 will move to the MasterChef Kitchen, better known as MCK. In the following weeks they will experience eliminations and gruelling challenges that will take place in MCK and at locations ranging from top end restaurants to epic wedding receptions.

There will also be weekly challenges that will see the contestants attempt to create masterpieces without any prior preparation using the ingredients from a ‘mystery box’. Plus, celebrity chef challenges every week will see contestants attempt to match the talent of a top chef when they try to recreate one of their dishes.

These contestants will also have the benefit of a weekly masterclass with the leading lights of the food industry, learning invaluable lessons from renowned chefs that viewers from home can also apply in their own kitchens.

Hosted by Sarah Wilson, MasterChef features the critical eyes, expert knowledge and foodie know-how of top chefs Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris, and acclaimed food critic Matt Preston.

This judging trio will not hold back when it comes to critiquing the contestants’ efforts but will also help and encourage these budding chefs to develop their talent as the series progresses.

While MasterChef is sizzling up our screens, the MasterChef website will feature all the recipes and info you need to get your own kitchen jumping. No matter who becomes your MasterChef favourite, we’ll have all the latest on the contestants and judges right here and you’ll be able to catch up on anything you’ve missed with the latest videos online.