MasterChef Australia calls for contestants for the new season of hit cooking show – amid speculation judges Melissa Leong and Andy Allen may not return in wake of Jock Zonfrillo death

MasterChef Australia 2023 came to a close earlier this month as tradie Brent Draper was crowned the winner and walked away with $250,000 in prize money.

And now the reality hit is calling for contestants for next season with applications set to close on October 16.

Foodies keen to prove themselves in the MasterChef kitchen must be over 18, and professional chefs need not not apply. 

Former MasterChef star Reece Hignell, 33, took to Instagram to announce that casting for the new season was open.

The fan favourite included a throwback picture of himself posing with pop star Katy Perry and fellow contestant Poh Ling Yeow during the 2020 season in his share.

Applications for contestants are set to close on October 16

‘If you love cooking please apply. You never know, you may meet Katy Perry,’ Reece said in the caption.

Reece rose to fame in season 10 of the hit cooking show and later returned for the Back to Win season in 2020.

Application for the next season of MasterChef Australia requires a photo of yourself and a ‘minimum’ of three dishes you’ve cooked yourself, however ‘more are encouraged’.

It also encourages applicants to ‘upload a 1-3 minute video of yourself displaying your skills in the kitchen as well as introducing to us who you are and what food/cooking means to you.’

MasterChef Australia 2023 came to a close earlier this month as tradie Brent Draper was crowned the winner and walked away with $250,000 in prize money

However, professional chefs need not apply, with the rules stressing ‘Your main source of income cannot come from preparing and cooking fresh food in a professional environment’.

Those interested in competing in the 2024 MasterChef season can apply here.

The news comes as rumours swirl about whether Andy Allen and Melissa Leong will be returning to the cooking show next year in the wake of co-star Jock Zonfrillo’s shock death.

MasterChef hopefuls need to share photos and video showing off their skills

According to Woman’s Day, the judges could both walk away as they are a ‘package deal’.

Andy and Melissa are still in negotiations about the next season of the show and will either stay or leave together.

‘Andy and Mel are still in negotiations at the moment and they come as a two package deal so if they both decide to walk, they’ll need some big names to fill in,’ a source said.

‘And rather than getting a traditional line-up of three judges, execs are looking at having a pool of superstar names to judge each week.’

The publication claimed Jamie Oliver, Curtis Stone, Shannon Bennett, Poh Ling Yeow and Julie Goodwin have been approached to appear on the next season.

This month’s finale marked the last episode recorded by chef Jock Zonfrillo before his sudden death in April (pictured at left with fellow judges Andy Allen and Melissa Leong