MasterChef Australia's very own Melissa Leong will be joined by world-class pastry chef Amaury Guichon as judges for a season so stacked with talent and accolades, it will be an absolute battle of the bests.
Meet the 10 chefs who'll be battling it out for the sweet, sweet glory and title of Dessert Master:
Adriano Zumbo
One of Australia's most celebrated pâtissiers, Zumbo appeared on the very first season of MasterChef Australia, where both he and the croquembouche became household names overnight. Since then, Zumbo has starred in several shows, opened a handful of patisseries, published multiple books, and baked macarons by the truckload.
Andy Bowdy
Though he admits he never set out to be a pastry chef, after travelling to Europe he "bluffed" his way into a job in the kitchen where he found his true passion. Having set out to correct the cream-to-cake ratios of the world, Andy's signature cakes overflow with decoration and flavour in equal measure, and now he's ready to bring his own spin to the Dessert Masters competition.
Anna Polyviou
Straight out of the jungle and right into the kitchen, Anna Polyviou's hot pink mohawk is no stranger to the MasterChef kitchen, having returned with some of her incredible creations. The pastry chef has published multiple cookbooks, starred in several shows, and worked in the kitchens of luxury hotels around the world. With a mantle full of awards including Australia's Hotel Chef of the Year and Pastry Chef of the Year, Anna will be eyeing the title of Dessert Master to add to that always-growing list.
Gareth Whitton
A pastry chef with over 15 years of experience, Gareth was the head pastry chef at Melbourne's Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, launching Tarts Anon as a response to the pandemic's impact on the culinary industry. Now, with multiple locations around Melbourne, Gareth is running a tart empire and appeared in the MasterChef kitchen last year, showcasing his artistry (or should that be tart-istry?) for the whole country to drool over.
Jess Liemantara
When Jess first walked through the MasterChef doors she was just 19 years old, but her extraordinary skills saw her make it all the way to the final four and earned her a spot in the Back to Win season a few years later. Since then, the pastry chef has continued to create picture-perfect sweet treats, and knows what it takes to thrive in the competition.
Kay-Lene Tan
Training under "Chef of the Century" Joël Robuchon, Kay-Lene learned classic French techniques and later worked in Melbourne's The European before she was Head Pastry Chef at Adam D'Sylva's restaurants Tonka and Coda. Now the Executive Pastry Chef at the Ritz-Carlton, Kay-Lene fuses her love for Asian cuisine and flavours inspired by her childhood with classic French techniques.
Kirsten Tibballs
Another familiar face in the MasterChef family, Kirsten has earned herself the title of 'queen of chocolate' for a reason. The award-winning pastry chef and chocolatier and director of Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School has represented Australia on the global stage at the Pastry Olympics in Germany where she took home the gold. Very familiar with setting challenges for MasterChef contestants, will Kirsten savour the opportunity to be on the other side of the bench?
Morgan Hipworth
Don't let his youthful looks fool you, Morgan is one of Australia's most driven chefs and when he was just 15 years old he opened his now-iconic Bistro Morgan. In a full-circle moment, the devoted fan of the MasterChef franchise appeared as a guest judge on Junior MasterChef and boasts a whopping fanbase across social media. As he continues to build his empire at such a young age, Morgan is ready to tackle the challenge in the kitchen that inspired him all those years ago.
Reynold Poernomo
A titan of the MasterChef kitchen, first appearing back in 2015 the dessert king himself has returned to battle it out once again for the title that seems fit for the man responsible for dishes like the Snitch, White Noise or Down the Rabbit Hole. His inventiveness and ability to create magic within the constraints of challenges saw him easily launch his KOI Dessert Bar, and KOI Dessert Kitchen, as well as establishing Monkey's Corner with his brothers.
Rhiann Mead
Working at Harrods Food Hall during her gap year, Rhiann fell in love with all the creations and chocolates and eventually worked as the Head Pastry Chef at Bennelong, assisting Peter Gilmore. Now, as the Head Pastry Chef at The Charles, Rhiann's range of skills are always on show as her elegant creations look right at home in the Grand Brasserie.
Dessert Masters is coming soon to 10 and 10 Play.
