The countdown is officially on for the MasterChef Australia 2026 grand finale!
We started out with 24 hopeful and passionate home cooks, and now, it’s down to the final two.
That means we are one step closer to finding out who will take out the 18th season and win the $250,000 prize.
Scroll on to find out everything you need to know.
Who is the final winner of MasterChef 2026?
While the winner hasn’t officially been crowned yet, we do know that it will be between Petro Papathomas and Vinnie Gibaldi.
For Petro, being a part of the finale is a dream come true.
“It’s quite unbelievable, I will say,” he exclusively tells New Idea.
“I never went into MasterChef with any expectations on how far I would get. I would have taken top 10, you know.”
Throughout the competition, he has been praised for his calmness and his creativity.
“I think I work really hard,” he says about why he’s been successful in the competition so far.
“I studied a lot outside of the competition. And I think going into every cook with a fresh mind and trying to keep creative.”
“I get bored with the same things. So I always try to do something different, whether that’s flavour, design.”
“I tried to be inspired each time I walked into that kitchen, and I think that helped me not burn out throughout the competition.”
With the grand prize within his reach, he tells us what he plans to do if he wins.
“To be honest, if I won the 250,000 prize, I would actually go to a lot of restaurants. I’ve become quite addicted to learning new techniques and new flavours,” he explains.
“So I would honestly probably use the money to take half a year off and go and learn at some of the best restaurants so that I could get my foot in the door and learn from some of the best chefs.”
What can we expect in the MasterChef Australia 2026 grand final?
For their final showdowns in the MasterChef kitchen, Vinnie and Petro will go head-to-head in two challenges.
The first is a Mystery Box challenge. They will have 75 minutes to create a dish that celebrates the guest judges who have shown up throughout the season.
Then, they will have to make internationally renowned pastry chef Cherish Finden’s extravagant Chinese Afternoon Tea.
Known as one of the judges on Bake Off: The Professionals, and for her previous work as the Executive Pastry Chef at London’s Langham Hotel, the final two will have to give it their all.
It will be a race against the clock, with just five hours to replicate three of her petit gateaux and make nine in total.
Is the MasterChef Australia grand final on tonight?
The MasterChef Australia finale is set to air on Sunday, August 9 from 7pm on Channel 10 and 10 Play.
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