In the first surprise of the season, the judges left one apron waiting for former season 13 contestant Brent Draper.
Walking back into the MasterChef kitchen, Brent was quick to address what he dubbed “the elephant in the room”, aka his decision to depart the high-stakes, high-stress environment two years ago.
At the time, the father of one told judges that mentally, he “just wasn’t there”, with fellow contestants and judges supporting Brent and his decision to prioritise his own mental health.
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“Mate, every single person in this kitchen is so proud of you,” late MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo told Brent at the time.
“The courage you’ve shown in making this decision and holding your hand up to say I need to sort myself out. This competition is going to be poorer without you mate. I can tell you that.”
Flash forward to this year and Brent said that he felt ready to return to the cooking competition after two years of soul searching.
“This cook knows what he’s in for and knows just how tough this competition can be,” Brent revealed to the cameras.
“This kitchen has the peaks of my cooking in it and also one of the biggest lows of my life.”
“Going home, I just needed to find ground level, I’m so much stronger mentally, physically. I’m back for myself, I’m back for all the people who reached out to me on social media and told me their stories, I’m back! It’s a new challenge for me, a new purpose. I’m here to win.”
According to Brent, whilst it was difficult to admit he was struggling with his mental health in such a public forum, he was proud of himself for shining a light on Australians, especially men, who were feeling a similar way.
“It just took so much to let people know that I was struggling with my mental health and as a male, it’s a very hard thing to do, let alone on national television,” Brent revealed.
“But I left, saw a therapist, and rebuilt my footings.”
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Alongside his wife and son, Brent also spent the next year travelling Australia in a renovated bus.
“My outlook on life now is totally different, I’m a different person. I’m just so passionate about men’s mental health. Why are we as males not breaking the stigma around it? You are allowed to be vulnerable, it’s not about the stumble or where you were, it’s about the comeback and the person you are after that.”
Fellow contestants were also pleased to see Brent return to the MasterChef kitchen.
“I watched the episode he walked out on and it was so emotional,” Larissa told the cameras.
“I am so happy he walked back into that kitchen.”
Judge Andy Allen told Brent that “it was amazing to see,” the change in him.
“You look and sound like a different person.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit their website.
