MasterChef Australia

The judges address the roomful of hopefuls and their friends and family, announcingthat there are only 12 apronsavailable on Day One of auditions.

With 15 aprons already awarded, 16 fortunate contestants have been invited back by the judges for one last chance at making it into the top 24. The judges say they are amazed by the level of cooking this year, and say that in past years those still having to prove themselves would have made it through. It’s going to be the fiercest fight they have seen.

Once settled, Gary reveals that Mario has withdrawn from the competition as he did not meet the strict guidelines with regard to previous experience.In keeping with the rules, the next in line for a white apron, Jessie,will join the group. Jessie enters the kitchen and is welcomed with open arms. The judges then introduce the contestants to 2014winner Brent Owenswho will be joining them today to encourage and inspire.

The 24 contestants enter an empty MasterChef kitchen with the judges telling them not to worry, they’llstill be cooking... and that today, they’ll in fact cookItalian food. The judges then welcome Massimo Bottura. A pioneer in the kitchen, as alawyer turned chef, Massimo Bottura runs the three Michelin stared Osteria Francescana, the third bestrestaurant in the world. Today, he will be mentoring the contestants in a team challenge.

After a poor performance in the Massimo Bottura Service Challenge, the Red Team (Jessica, Reynold, Kristina, Marcus, Ashleigh, Amy, GeorgiaandKha) is up for elimination and no one wants to be the first contestant to go home.

Today it’s theirvery first Invention Test and they’ll do whatever it takes to avoid the bottom three and the Pressure Test that will follow tomorrow.

It’s a fight for survival in tonight’s elimination as Andrea, Jamie, James and Roseare faced with Sat Bains’ two Michelin star “Beef and Mushrooms.” It’s an intricate and beautiful dish with many complex components that has been specially designed to push the contestants to theirlimits. The key to this dish is balance. As Sat informs the contestants, “it should look good, but taste even better.”

The top three cooksfrom the first Invention Test, Ashleigh, ReynoldandJessicaarrive at the MasterChef Kitchen to compete for Immunity. With George away sick, Gary andMatt greet themand re-introduce this year’s mentor Shannon Bennettwho will guide them through each immunity challenge.

The contestants are woken at dawn by an Army bugler. Matthew, who served for seven years in the army as a dentist, is handed a letter instructingthe contestants to headto Puckapunyal Military Areain country Victoria for their first offsite challenge.

After the RedTeam’s failure in yesterday’s Army Challenge, the eleven contestants from the RedTeam (Matthew, Kha, John, Georgia, Jacqui, Amy, Sara, Rose, Anna, Ashleigh and Melita)are cooking in today’s elimination. The judges announce that there will be two rounds: Round 1 will be a challenge to create an “uber salad” that is creative and worthy of sitting as the centerpiece on the table. The makers of the worst four salads will face elimination in Round 2, and one contestant will go home.

The contestants arrive for another week in the MasterChefkitchen, only to find the godfather of modern cooking, Marco Pierre White waiting for them on the front steps.

Tonight in the MasterChef kitchen John, Andrea andJacquiare up for elimination, after failing to impress the Marco Pierre White in yesterday’s invention test. Now the trio must fight for their place in the competition by recreating one of Marco’s classicrecipes.

It’s Marco Pierre White week, and after creating the top three dishes in this week’s Invention test, Billie, Georgia and Mattheware competing for a chance at winning immunity. When the contestants arrive at the MasterChef Kitchen, Gary, George and Matt are there to greet them, along with this year’s mentor Shannon Bennett, and of course the legend himself, Marco Pierre White.

It’s the fourth day of Marco week, and the contestants arrive at the MasterChef kitchen to begreeted by the three judges and Marco Pierre Whiteand told that today will be a team challenge about not just cooking, but communication. They number off to pick teams, with captains elected -Billie(Red)with Ashleigh, Jessie, Sara and Reynold; Jarrod (Blue)with Fiona, John, Amy and Georgia; Melita (Green)with Rose, Kristina, Anna and Jessica; Jacqui (Yellow)with Jamie, Stephen, Ava and Matthew.

It’s the last day of Marco week, and after performing badly in yesterday’s team relay challenge, Amy, John, Fiona, Jarrod andGeorgiaare cooking in today’s elimination. The judgesreveal a first-time ever twist: today the contestants will join the judgesat the tasting table and taste their own food. They are encouraged to takeon board everything they’ve learnt from Marco this week –flavour, balance, technique, sauces.

Today is an extra special day, because Australian cooking icon and matriarch of the MasterChef family Maggie Beerjoins the contestants in the MasterChef Kitchen. There are Mystery Boxes on the bench but Maggie’s Mystery Box doesn’t consist of the usual ingredients; instead it contains a pair of gardening gloves, secateurs and a trowel. These tools are to help the contestants harvest herbs, fruit and vegetables from the garden within their 60 minute timeframe to produce a delicious tasting dish.

oday Rose, Fiona and Jacqui are up for elimination, after failing to impress the judges in Maggie Beer’s Invention Test yesterday.

John, Jessie and Billie arriveat the MasterChef Kitchen to compete for Immunity.For round 1, the three must compete in an ingredient guessing game. 26 cloches lay before them, one for each letter of the alphabet. Under each cloche, an ingredient that corresponds with that letter. Correctly identifying the ingredient allows each contestant to progress further in the game, but an incorrect guess will seethem relegated to the gantry and out of contention for the immunity cook against the professi

At three o’clock in the morning, the contestants are called out of bed to get ready for today’s big challenge. They will be competing in two teams at Melbourne’s famous Abbotsford Convent Bakery, making delicious bread and a variety of baked goods to sell to the public in the café. The team that makes the most money wins the challenge and is safe from elimination.

On the losing end of a team challenge the day before, the Blue teamnowfind themselves facing off against one another in a three round Thai themed elimination challenge. Ashleigh, Billie, Rose, Stephen, Melita, Jamie, Jacqui, AvaandAnnamust participate in three rounds of cooking. Ava feels guilty after making some wrong decisions as the captain from the day’s previous challenge, so is keen to show the judges what she can do.

Each challenge this week has been set by former MasterChef Australia favourites. To start the week, Poh Ling Yeow returns to set a Mystery Box Challenge.

After a poor performance in yesterday's Hayden Quinn Invention Test, Rose, Ashleigh and Kristina find themselves facing elimination in a pressure test.

After creating the top three dishes in this week's Invention test, Anna, Ava and Georgia are competing for a chance to win immunity.

There's much excitement when Matt Preston reveals today is a team challenge and Ben Milbourne mentors the Red Team and Andy Allen, the Green team.

Today's special guest judge is popular Season One contestant Justine Schofield. As Justine's specialty is French food, today's challenge is to re-invent a classic French dish.

It's a brand new week in the MasterChef kitchen, which means a brand new Mystery Box. Today they'll be facing the "MasterChef Dollar Box."

Tonight Anna, Billie and Ashleigh are up for elimination after failing to impress in the Curtis Stone Invention test.

Tonight in the MasterChef kitchen Jessica, Matthew and Jacqui have the chance to fight it out for a chance to cook for the immunity pin.

The contestants are welcomed to Pizzini Winery where they will have to work in two teams to prepare a three-course Italian lunch for two of the King Valley's most renowned winemaking families.

Today's elimination will take place over three rounds. In each round they will have 30 minutes but there's a twist.

The contestants arrive to find a Mystery Box, but this one has a twist. They must use EVERY ingredient in the box to create one delicious dish.

After a poor showing in yesterday's Invention Test, Matthew, Stephen and Jamie now find themselves in their blacks, staring down a Pressure Test.

It's day three of Power Apron week and today current holder Reynold will compete against Billie, Jessie and Sara, with both the Power Apron and guaranteed immunity on the line.

Arriving in one of Melbourne's graffiti-laden laneways, the judges reveal that today's challenge is for the contestants to take over the running of two hip Asian restaurants.

The six contestants from the losing team in the Asian restaurant challenge arrive at the MasterChef kitchen to find five seats behind five cloches at a table.

The contestants arrive to find Mystery Boxes at their benches, but as Matt Preston begins to introduce a very special guest, it becomes very clear this will be no ordinary day.

Having cooked the least impressive dishes in last night's Whisky Sour Invention test, the contestants are looking to redeem themselves and secure a coveted spot in the Top 10.

It's an old school bake off as Ashleigh, Rose and Matthew face off for the chance at the immunity pin.

Gary, Matt and George have left Rose a cake and a birthday card with instructions to meet them to find out what they'll be doing today.

After failing to impress the judges in yesterday's high tea team challenge, the losing team arrive at the MasterChef kitchen in blacks to face an elimination.

Tonight's Mystery Box is a "mystery" mystery box - the strangest the judges have ever put together.

The pressure test has been set by guest chef Janice Wong from 2am Dessert Bar in Singapore.The contestants have two hours and 15 minutes to recreate her intricate dessert, the cassis plum.

In a battle for immunity, the contestants have 30 minutes to create a dish that showcases batter. However, the pantry and garden are off limits, so they must work with the staple ingredients.

The contestants will take part in a barbecue battle in the MasterChef Australia garden for the team challenge. Special guest, Andy Groneman, will be there to guide them.

The judges reveal that the challenge is all about fish, and who better to help guide the contestants through the cook than much-loved chef Rick Stein, the 'Codfather' himself.

The top eight contestants will take a trip down memory lane as they discover that this week's mystery box challenge is one they have faced before.

In what promises to be one of the toughest pressure tests yet seen in the MasterChef Australia kitchen, the bottom four contestants from the invention test must cook off to survive in the competition.

In an immunity challenge like no other, the two contestants will cook off against two professional chefs in the second round. Do the home cooks have what it takes to out-cook the professionals?

In the off-site team challenge, the judges reveal the contestants will be preparing a seven-course degustation menu for 40 diners at Circa: The Prince.

The contestants facing elimination will take part in a time auction. Each contestant begins with 100 minutes to bid for items in three categories. The more they spend the less time they have to cook.

As promised, Marco Pierre White has returned to see how far the contestants have come and to push them to step up going into finals week.

With no recipe and no clock, three contestants must cook along with Marco Pierre White. He will cook a classic dish and they must cook at the same time and the same pace.

The best performing contestants from Marco Pierre White's service challenge have the chance to cook for immunity. It is the last immunity pin up for grabs before finals week.

The judges reveal that for the elimination challenge, the contestants need to draw on childhood memories as an inspiration for their dish.

It's finals week in the kitchen, the top five contestants enter the kitchen to face the last mystery box challenge.

The three contestants from the invention test will cook off in a pressure test, at the end of which, one more contestant will be going home.

In this challenge the contestants can choose their own cuisine and whether it's sweet or savoury, however they must decide on the cooking time together.

In this challenge the contestants can choose their own cuisine and whether it's sweet or savoury, however they must decide on the cooking time together.

While one contestant has safely made it through to the semi-final, the remaining three are fighting it out to stay in the competition in a pressure test that will stretch them to their limits.

The stakes are high as the three remaining contestants fight it out for the two places in the finale. One contestant will cook their last dish in the MasterChef Australia kitchen.

Tune in as the winner of MasterChef Australia 2015 will be crowned. The finalists are competing for a $250,000 prize, a monthly column in Australia's leading premium food magazine 'Delicious'.