Season 3

Thousands applied, but only 50 lucky people made it to the first leg of MasterChef. An exciting start with a boat ride to Cockatoo Island and a massive Mystery Box Challenge awaiting them. Featuring the most popular supermarket ingredients, the Top 50 had to cook a dish to get them to the next round. The ten with the least impressive dishes would have to do an Adriano Zumbo challenge.

Day two of the MasterChef journey, and it’s a tough one – a Basic Skills Bootcamp with new judge, Matt Moran. The remaining 45 contestants go through three rounds which test their chip cutting, mayonnaise making, chicken break down skills. Five from each round will end up in the Elimination Challenge – making the perfect batch of scones in 45 minutes.

The remaining contestants cook off for the first 6 spots in the MasterChef Top 24. Contestants are given two hours to create a trio of desserts set by the guest chef, Maggie Beer.

The bottom 10 contestants from Maggie Beer's challenge are faced with a choice - either go fishing and cook what you catch, or risk creating a dish with the mystery ingredient.

With another six spots in the MasterChef top 24 up for grabs, the final 30 contestants cook with their five favourite ingredients to create what they believe is the ultimate desert island dish.

In the first master class of the series, a few special contestants take a trip to the Barossa Valley to visit Maggie Beer in her home and to learn the secrets of the perfect pastry and roast chicken.

There are two dozen contestants remaining and only 12 spots left in the top 24. The next challenge is a formidable taste test - identity the ingredients in Aria's signature dish, peking duck consomme.

As our Top 24 enter the MasterChef kitchen for the first time, they are surprised to see no judges. Only a few notice the clock has started ticking down. Has the first challenge already begun?

The winner of the first challenge will cook for immunity against apprentice chef, Alex Keen, who works under Allesandro Pavoni. Will a 10 minute headstart be enough to beat the best?

The Top 24 are woken in the middle of the night and told to head to Sonoma Bakery where, in teams, they will be baking bread for five of Sydney's most illustrious restaurants.

As the winning team from last night's challenge head off to their reward lunch, the losers trudge back to the MasterChef kitchen to face this season's first elimination.

The lucky 23 contestants who survived the first elimination are treated to a scrumptious MasterClass. Tonight, George will teach them the secrets of his sweet bougatsa with poached figs.

Tonight, the Mystery Box delivers more than one surprise - not only are the contestants faced with an array of unusual food, they must create a dish using ALL of the ingredients!

The bottom three contestants from yesterday's Mystery Box challenge must face off in a Pressure Test. They have two hours to recreate their best version of the Cherry Bombe Alaska.

With an Immunity Pin up for grabs, guest chef, Colin Fassnidge, better bring his A-game because this season's MasterChef contestants aren't going down without a fight!

It's boys versus girls in today's epic Team Challenge! The two teams head to the Mean Fiddler Pub where they have to cook for 700 hungry revelers.

All eleven contestants of the losing team face elimination tonight. They must cook off in a Rapid Fire challenge over three rounds.

Tonight, Gary and George give the contestants a MasterClass on the art of cooking rabbit. Later, Gary whips up a modern take on the classic Shepherd's Pie.

Cooking in threes, the contestants are faced with a challenge that fuses the finest elements of both the Mystery Box and Invention Test by creating an outstanding dish using unknown ingredients.

Yesterday they were team mates, today the losing trio from Sunday's challenge compete head-to-head in a high-intensity Pressure Test. Two contestants will stay in the kitchen, one will be going home.

The winning trio from the Lucky Dip Invention Test face off against chef, Adam D'Sylva, from Melbourne restaurant, Coda, in the first team Immunity Challenge.

The task seems simple enough - make enough gelato and sausages for 500 Nippers on Cronulla Beach. But this is MasterChef Australia and nothing is ever as easy as it seems!

The losing team from last night's Sausage Sizzle challenge face off as individuals in a Skills Race Elimination. Contestants must complete four pastry elements and create a beautiful finished dessert.

In this MasterClass, Gary makes a hearty veal osso bucco with cannellini beans and George teaches the contestants how to cook snapper en papillote. Special guests include Donna Hay and Romeo Baudouin.

The contestants head west where they are faced with one of the most daunting challenges in MasterChef history - cooking for 450 hungry gold miners in the heart of Western Australia.

The winning team from Sunday night's challenge head to the Margaret River for a critical Invention Test. The prize on offer? A double immunity.

With an Immunity Pin up for grabs, guest chef Tony Howell, better watch his back because this week's challenger is ready to cook up a storm. Who will recreate the best seafood stew?

The contestants return to the MasterChef kitchen to compete in an Invention Test with a twist - they must create a dish using only canned and frozen food.

It's time to Fix That Dish. The bottom two contestants must bring a watery, unbalanced Massaman curry back to life to avoid elimination.

In this MasterClass, George, Gary and Matt Moran take the contestants through a step-by-step guide to making the best summer pudding, a yummy curry and Matt's famous blue swimmer crab.

Hola amigos! Tonight the contestants face a Super Invention Test with a Spanish theme. But what's the twist? After they carefully chose their ingredients, the judges drop a bombshell.

The bottom three contestants from last night's Invention Test face off in an Asian-inspired Pressure Test where they are challenged to recreate a dessert by Dan Hong, Head Chef of Ms. G's in Sydney.

Superstar Noredic chef, Thorsten Schmidt, arrives at the MasterChef Kitchen to battle it out with tonight's lucky contestant. Is the Immunity Pin within their grasp? Or will they be schooled by a pro?

Tonight the contestants are divided into teams? Gen X versus Gen Y! The younger chefs have the enthusiasm but with age comes wisdom. Who will impress special guest judge, Nigella Lawson?

As the winning team from last night are treated to a reward lunch at Tetsuya's, the losing team must don the dreaded black aprons and send their weakest links into the Elimination Challenge.

In a very special MasterClass, two lucky contestants are sent to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a private cooking lesson with legendary seafood king, Rick Stein.

Tonight the remaining contestants invite 24 very special Qantas guests into the MasterChef restaurant for an 8-course feast based on Neil Perry's first class menu.

What could make an elimination challenge even more intense? Having culinary legend, Heston Blumenthal, arrive at the MasterChef Kitchen to judge your burger and fries!

Sweet superstar, Darren Purchese, is Melbourne's answer to Adriano Zumbo, and tonight he is challenging our MasterChef contestant to replicate his own highly technical dessert.

Tonight the two teams need to cook a 6-course meal for 50 guests, while creating as little waste as possible. They will need to be creative as well as resourceful to win this challenge.

The losing team from the challenge battle it out to save their place in the competition. The contestants only have 15 minutes to complete the dish and they can only use three ingredients.

The final 14 contestants attend MasterClass to learn the fine art of spotted dick with custard. Later, three lucky contestants have a private MasterClass with James Privett.

The remaining contestants compete in a Korean-inspired invention test to be judged by celebrity chef and Korean food aficionado David Chang.

George's mum arrives in the Masterchef Kitchen to put the contestants through their paces. Mary Calombaris is a true Greek master. Her koupes, tzatziki and shamishi will be hard to replicate.

Guest chef, Vincent Gadan, is thrown a curve ball in the Immunity Challenge. A sweet treat whiz, will Vincent cope cooking a roast pork? Or will our MasterChef contestant win that illusive pin?

The contestants head to the newly-developed Westfield shopping centre food court in Sydney city to compete in another epic team challenge.

The entire losing team from the challenge is up for elimination. The pressure is on as they create a series of sweet and savoury dishes in a limited time-frame. Who will be going home?

Mary is back. George's mother returns to the kitchen to serve up a special moussaka masterclass. Christine Mansfield also makes an appearance to demonstrate how to create her satay spice paste.

The remaining 12 contestants have made it past the half way point, and what better way to celebrate than at Matt Moran's family farm in rural NSW.

The axe falls on another contestant but not before they must serve up a '60s classic in the form of duck a l'orange.

The winner of the Matt Moran farm challenge has their chance to win an immunity pin but they must face Merle, a home-style country baker who has won more than 1,000 awards for her baking.

The blue team must serve up a three-course meal for 13 corporate VIP guests while the red team have to cater for 50 people at a 21st birthday cocktail party.

In the elimination challenge, the contestants are dressed in blindfolds for a taste test and then must cook only with the ingredients they guessed correctly.

As a reward, contestants Ellie and Alana are given another culinary lesson in the company of the best chefs in New Zealand.

Tonight the contestants are faced with a sweet Mystery Box Challenge followed by a Middle Eastern inspired Invention Test. Guest chef Shane Delia will help the judges decide the best and worst dishes.

Have you ever cooked a Salt Crusted Guinea Fowl? No? Neither have our three contestants battling it out in tonight's Pressure Test Elimination Challenge. Who will impress? And who will be going home?

Alessandra Pavoni is back, and tonight he's cooking for the pride of his restaurant. After his apprentice chef lost to Hayden in a previous Immunity Challenge, Alessandro is determined to win.

Tonight the battle lines are drawn across the English Channel as the two teams whip up an English and French culinary feast.

Every good chef must master the basics, and tonight's Elimination Challenge will surprise our contestants. Rice paper rolls and apple pie should be a piece of cake, right? Think again!

Series 1 and 2 favourites, Alvin, Andre and Jimmy join Gary and George in the kitchen for another stellar MasterClass.

This week the contestants head to the Big Apple, the City That Never Sleeps, the culinary heartland that is New York! Don't miss a second as the top eight cook up a storm in the world's most famous city!

The contestants have just three hours to prepare intricate dishes for 300 hundred guests at the United Nations. The dish with the least amount of votes sends its maker into an elimination.

Whoever cooks in the week’s Immunity Pin Challenge will do so against the spectacular backdrop of Central Park. Stepping up to the hot plate to try and spoil their fun will be guest chef Cesare Casella, while chef, author and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich guest judges the results.

A Super Challenge is on the cards, as the contestants arrive in Time Square to see the giant screens featuring familiar faces. For this Challenge they’ll need to use their powers of persuasion by talking their way into a NY restaurant, convincing a head chef to donate them a recipe, and then cooking the dishes in question at the Four Seasons Restaurant. David Chang returns to guest judge.

Those facing an Elimination Challenge will cook at the famous Sylvia’s restaurant in Harlem, with Matt Preston and Matt Moran deciding who’s safe, and who’s gone.

To end their once-in-a-lifetime week the contestants get to wind down by enjoying Matt Moran cooking some full-flavoured fare in a NY restaurant.

The Masterchef contestants must cook for the one and only Dalai Lama! His Holiness has only two requests' the food must be vegetarian and it must come from the heart.

Pastry chef, Katrina Kanetani, sets tonight's Pressure Test. The bottom three contestants from last night's challenge must cook a fantastic Autumn Dessert platter in order to avoid elimination.

Can a current contestant out-cook a former Masterchef champion? Find out as Eamon Sullivan returns to stand between the winner of the Dalai Lama challenge and that elusive Immunity Pin.

In the last team challenge of the season, the contestants head to the Qantas First Class Lounge at Sydney airport where they must cook for real customers. Neil Perry returns as a guest judge.

Tonight three contestants are asked to cook a dish that showcases what they have learnt in the competition so far. It will be an emotional elimination, but someone must go home.

Gary and George host another delicious MasterClass tonight. With plenty of fine food to tempt your tastebuds, they will have you inspired to hit the kitchen and whip up a fancy treat in no time!

The contestants get to choose what ingredients will go into their fellow chef's Mystery Boxes. Will they be cruel or kind?

After months away from their loved ones, the remaining five contestants receive an emotional visit from their families.

In the last Immunity Challenge of the season, Teage Ezard from Ginger Boy and Ezards in Melbourne challenges the lucky contestant to a three-course cook-off.

George arrives unannounced at the Masterchef house and asks the contestants to whip up a meal for him and his three mates Colin Fassnidge, Ashly Hicks and Donovan Cooke.

The top five battle it out to secure a place in the season final. In this Elimination Challenge, the contestants must fix the worst dish they produced during the competition.

It's Christmas in July in the Masterchef kitchen as Gary cooks beef short rib and dykon radish, while George serves up some mouth-watering scampi.

Writing their own cook book would be a dream come true for each of our final four? but how hard can it be? Tonight guest judge Curtis Stone sets an epic challenge for our contestants.

Tonight's Pressure Test requires the final four to recreate Maggie Beer's chicken terrine. One lucky contestant will get a sneak preview at the recipe and a private MasterClass with Maggie herself.

Looking back at their own personal experiences, the contestants are challenged to create a food autobiography of their lives so far.

Tonight the contestants have the privilege of cooking at one of Sydney's three finest restaurants Marque, Est and Quay. The lucky winner from today's challenge will go straight into the grand finale.

The bottom two contestants from yesterday's challenge battle it out for the last spot in the finale. What elaborate, mind-boggling creation will Adriano Zumbo present for them to replicate?

For the final Masterclass of the year both finalists enjoyed private tutorials with top chefs: Kate with Shaun Pressland and Michael with Martin Benn. Back in the Masterchef kitchen contestants from the Top 24 returned to watch the action as Gary cooked off against George, with their dishes judged by Michael and Kate. Matt Moran then paid a visit and cooked his version of rocky road against Michael and Billy.

Kate and Michael arrived at the MasterChef kitchen for the final time and were told the format of finale: it would be fought over three rounds, each scored, with a possible 100 points per finalist up for grabs. The first round was a Mystery Box Challenge over 45 minutes, with the finalists having to select and prepare something from each box before moving onto the next. Michael chose to make a steak and oyster pie, while Kate made pan-fried Balmain bugs and crab and rémoulade salad. Michael raced through the boxes, but Kate struggled with getting her crabmeat ready, eating into valuable time. Michael scored an 8 from George and 9 from Gary, and Kate a 7 and an 8, giving Michael the early advantage.

Kate is declared the winner, scoring a total of 87 points over Michael's 82. Kate wins $100,000 in cash, a culinary scholarship and a cookbook deal with Random House. Runner-up Michael is offered a culinary apprenticeship by judge Gary Mehigan at his restaurant, Fenix.