# MasterChef Australia series 16
**MasterChef Australia series 16** is the 2024 season of the Australian competitive cooking show *MasterChef Australia*, broadcast on Network 10 from 22 April to 16 July 2024 and won by Victorian barista Nat Thaipun.[1](https://masterchef.fandom.com/wiki/Season_16_%28AUS%29) • [2](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/nat-thaipun-wins-masterchef-australia-2024/) The season introduced a rebuilt judging panel, expanded the field to 22 contestants, and 2024 marked the first time in the show's history that four judges decided the winner.[3](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-22/poh-ling-yeow-masterchef-interview/103874982)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Broadcast | Premiered Monday 22 April 2024 at 7:30 pm on Network 10 and 10 Play; 50 episodes, airing Sunday to Wednesday[1](https://masterchef.fandom.com/wiki/Season_16_%28AUS%29) • [4](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-is-hitting-the-road/) |
| Judging panel | Andy Allen returned, joined by new judges Poh Ling Yeow (season 1 runner-up), food critic Sofia Levin, and French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli; the first four-judge panel in the show's history[1](https://masterchef.fandom.com/wiki/Season_16_%28AUS%29) • [3](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-22/poh-ling-yeow-masterchef-interview/103874982) |
| Contestants | 22, increased from 18 the previous season; the audition stage was not broadcast[1](https://masterchef.fandom.com/wiki/Season_16_%28AUS%29) |
| Winner | Nat Thaipun, a 28-year-old Victorian barista, winning 71 points to 68 in the Grand Finale[1](https://masterchef.fandom.com/wiki/Season_16_%28AUS%29) • [2](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/nat-thaipun-wins-masterchef-australia-2024/) |
| Prizes | Winner $250,000 and a residency at Crown Melbourne's ALUMNI restaurant; runner-up Josh "Pezza" Perry $40,000; third-place Sav Perera $10,000[2](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/nat-thaipun-wins-masterchef-australia-2024/) |
| Audience | Grand Finale drew 1.78 million national viewers, up 4% on 2023; the season reached 11.2 million Australians[5](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-serves-up-series-success-reaching-11-2-million-australians/) |
## Judges and format changes
The season followed the death of judge [Jock Zonfrillo](https://www.edgepedia.org/jock-zonfrillo) in 2023. Andy Allen, the series 4 winner who had judged since 2020, carried on his friend's legacy alongside three new judges: [Poh Ling Yeow](https://www.edgepedia.org/poh-ling-yeow), the runner-up of the show's debut season; food critic and journalist Sofia Levin; and multi-Michelin-star-winning French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli.[1](https://masterchef.fandom.com/wiki/Season_16_%28AUS%29) • [6](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/the-masterchef-australia-family-is-growing/) Allen said that after "an extremely difficult year in 2023" the decision to return was not one he took lightly.[6](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/the-masterchef-australia-family-is-growing/)
Two structural changes distinguished the season: the panel grew from three judges to four, and the contestant field grew from 18 to 22. As in the previous two seasons, the audition stage was omitted from broadcast.[1](https://masterchef.fandom.com/wiki/Season_16_%28AUS%29) The season aired Sunday to Wednesday at 7:30 pm on 10 and 10 Play.[4](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-is-hitting-the-road/)
**Guest chefs.** [Jamie Oliver](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamie-oliver) appeared as guest judge in the first episode and ran the first Service Challenge, in which the 22 contestants fed 40 returning "MasterChef Legends" a three-course meal; the ingredients for an early Mystery Box were chosen by Oliver's parents Trevor and Sally.[7](https://www.intl.paramountplus.com/au/shows/masterchef/episodes/16/) Other announced guests included pastry chefs [Adriano Zumbo](https://www.edgepedia.org/adriano-zumbo) and Anna Polyviou and social-media cooks Vincent Yeow Lim (DimSimLim) and Mikiko Terasaki.[8](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/your-first-look-at-masterchef-australia-season-16/)
## Locations and filming
The season filmed away from the Melbourne kitchen more than its immediate predecessors. Three episodes were shot in Hong Kong, home to 77 Michelin-starred restaurants and more than 15,000 dining establishments, in association with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Cathay Pacific Airways; the show last visited Hong Kong during season one in 2009.[9](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/ni-hao-nei-hou-and-hello-hong-kong-masterchef-australia-goes-international/) Two episodes supported by Visit Victoria showcased the Goldfields region: a French-themed Mystery Box with a 75-minute cook at Bendigo Town Hall, inspired by the Bendigo Art Gallery's "Paris: Impressions Of Life" exhibition, followed by an elimination at Black Cat Truffles near Ballarat, where head chef Liam Downes set a four-hour pressure test.[4](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-is-hitting-the-road/) A Team Challenge was also held at the Queen Victoria Night Market.[7](https://www.intl.paramountplus.com/au/shows/masterchef/episodes/16/)
## Finals week
Finals week began with all 22 contestants back in the kitchen. The top three challenged judges Andy, Poh and Jean-[Christophe](https://www.edgepedia.org/christophe) with a mystery box, then competed against them in a team relay, with Sofia Levin and three returning contestants deciding the winner. In the semi-final, Josh Perry, Nat Thaipun and Sav Perera each prepared a three-course menu for the judges, guest chef [Curtis Stone](https://www.edgepedia.org/curtis-stone) and 60 diners.[10](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/grand-finale-week-is-here/)
**The Grand Finale.** Thaipun and Perry contested two rounds on 16 July 2024. The first was an ingredient knockout that ended with black peppercorns: Perry cooked rib eye with fondant potatoes, brussels sprouts and a peppercorn sauce, while Thaipun made a scotch egg with sai oua, a Northern Thai sausage, with nam prig noom, a Thai roasted green chilli dip; the judges noted textural flaws in her dish. In the final pressure test set by Michelin-starred chef [Clare Smyth](https://www.edgepedia.org/clare-smyth), Perry scored sevens across the board for a total of 68. Thaipun needed at least 33 points to win, scored sevens from each judge, and took the title at 71 points, three ahead of Perry.[2](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/nat-thaipun-wins-masterchef-australia-2024/)
## Ratings and aftermath
The finale drew 1.78 million national viewers and was the #1 show of the night in the 25-to-54 and 16-to-39 demographics, and #1 in its timeslot. The season reached 11.2 million [Australians](https://www.edgepedia.org/australians), up 1% on the 2023 series average, with an 822,000 total national average audience including seven-day TV and BVOD (broadcaster video on demand; the channel's own streaming service).[5](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-serves-up-series-success-reaching-11-2-million-australians/) BVOD audiences averaged 142,000 viewers, up 29% year on year, the biggest streaming audiences in the series' history to that point.[5](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-serves-up-series-success-reaching-11-2-million-australians/)
The winner's residency began the day after the finale, running from 18 July to 4 August at ALUMNI, a pop-up restaurant at [Crown Melbourne](https://www.edgepedia.org/crown-melbourne) serving dishes from a rotating cast of [MasterChef](https://www.edgepedia.org/masterchef) alumni.[5](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-serves-up-series-success-reaching-11-2-million-australians/)
Three season 16 contestants, Darrsh Clarke (6th place), Savindri Perera (3rd) and Snezana Calic, returned for the 2025 season 17, a "Back to Win" competition of 24 former contestants.[11](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/watch-masterchef-australia-season-17-online)
## References
1. [Season 16 (AUS), MasterChef Wiki](https://masterchef.fandom.com/wiki/Season_16_%28AUS%29)
2. [Nat Thaipun Wins MasterChef Australia 2024, Paramount Australia & New Zealand](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/nat-thaipun-wins-masterchef-australia-2024/)
3. [Poh Ling Yeow is proof that the Masterchef journey doesn't end with elimination, ABC News](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-22/poh-ling-yeow-masterchef-interview/103874982)
4. [MasterChef Australia Is Hitting The Road, Paramount ANZ](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-is-hitting-the-road/)
5. [MasterChef Australia Serves Up Series Success Reaching 11.2 Million Australians, Paramount ANZ](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/masterchef-australia-serves-up-series-success-reaching-11-2-million-australians/)
6. [The MasterChef Australia Family Is Growing, Paramount ANZ](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/the-masterchef-australia-family-is-growing/)
7. [MasterChef Australia Season 16 Episodes, Paramount+ Australia](https://www.intl.paramountplus.com/au/shows/masterchef/episodes/16/)
8. [Your First Look At MasterChef Australia Season 16, Paramount ANZ](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/your-first-look-at-masterchef-australia-season-16/)
9. [Nǐ Hǎo, Nei Hou And Hello Hong Kong! MasterChef Australia Goes International, Paramount ANZ](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/ni-hao-nei-hou-and-hello-hong-kong-masterchef-australia-goes-international/)
10. [Grand Finale Week Is Here, Paramount ANZ](https://www.paramountanz.com.au/news/grand-finale-week-is-here/)
11. [How to watch MasterChef Australia season 17 online, Tom's Guide](https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/streaming/watch-masterchef-australia-season-17-online)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Seasons, episodes, and installments › Screen seasons › Culinary, physical, and other skill competition seasons › Cooking competition seasons*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license