Celebrity chef and fan favorite Gordon Ramsay threw some shade at the U.S. MasterChef contestants, admitting that their Aussie counterparts tend to need less “guidance” in the kitchen.
Season 17 of MasterChef Australia has started on 10Play, featuring 24 returning contestants from across 16 seasons. Get ready for wild challenges and surprising flavour combos, with new episodes airing weekly! Viewers outside Australia can still watch all the episodes by using a VPN to access. Check out our guide to the best VPNs for 10Play now!
In case you missed it, MasterChef Australia: Back To Win has officially begun for 2025—and true to reality TV form, it started with a bang, featuring Hell’s Kitchen star Gordon Ramsay as the first celebrity chef guest! But this isn’t Ramsay’s first time appearing on the high-stakes cooking show.
Advertisement The Hotel Hell host previously appeared on MasterChef Australia in 2018 and 2020, and he’s also served as a judge on the U.S. version—so it’s safe to say he’s no stranger to the high-pressure kitchen scene.
That said, since MasterChef Australia is a competition after all, Ramsay didn’t hold back when sharing his thoughts on U.S. contestants versus the Aussies—and, sadly for our American pals, he didn’t exactly sing your praises.
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There’s something quite humble about the Australian version in the way they forage herbs in the MasterChef Garden, dig up their own vegetables, pick ripe tomatoes, break down whole fish, and pin-bone them,
Ramsay spoke to PEDESTRIAN before sharing his thoughts on the American contestants.
With the American contestants, we have to guide them a bit more — they’re not as tuned in to the seasonality aspect, and there’s more legwork to bring them up to speed. The Australian contestants are much more connected to the foodie natural world — they know butchery, how to fillet fish, how to forage,
he shared
The US version requires more guidance.
Reflecting on his love for Australia, Ramsay shared that one of his favourite memories was the first time he saw a great white shark.
We went down the coast outside Melbourne, the famous national park, St Kilda Beach. Absolutely stunning. I even saw my first great white shark at the end of the pier. Breathtaking,
he shared
As the first celebrity guest on MasterChef Australia: Back To Win 2025, Ramsay challenged the returning contestants with a surprise team service challenge. They had to create a two-course menu using carrot and corn for 20 local heroes within two hours.
To avoid spoilers, we won’t reveal who won that challenge, but you can catch it on 10Play. MasterChef Australia: Back To Win is currently airing on Channel 10 and 10Play.
Source: Pedestrian