MasterChef: Truth about Poh’s love ‘triangle’ and how she now can’t find a date

MasterChef success story Poh Ling Yeow has opened up about her unconventional love life and what it was like returning to the cooking show that made her famous.

Speaking with Daily Mail Australia this week at her new pop-up restaurant at QT Melbourne, the 49-year-old brushed off the public fascination with her ‘love square’ business arrangement as nowhere near as ‘salacious’ as people might think.

Until recently, Poh was running the Jamface café in Adelaide with her two ex-husbands, Jono Bennett and Matt Phipps, as well as Matt’s new wife – and Poh’s best friend – Sarah Rich. Jono has since left the business.

While this partnership may seem unusual to some, Poh said their unique dynamic was ‘no big deal’. 

‘I think everyone wants to paint this really salacious picture but we just transitioned into it [being friends and business partners] with such ease that to us it’s just no big deal,’ she said, referring to the public interest in the unorthodox partnership.

‘We all run [Jamface café] together, so we’re equal partners. It’s just how the cookie crumbled. We don’t really think anything weirdly, because it’s what happened to us. 

‘I think everyone wants to think there is this love triangle. There is no love triangle, believe me!’

Speaking with Daily Mail Australia this week at her new pop-up restaurant at QT Melbourne , the 49-year-old brushed off the public fascination with her ‘love square’ business arrangement as nowhere near as ‘salacious’ as people might think 

Until recently, Poh was running the Jamface café in Adelaide with her two ex-husbands, Jono Bennett and Matt Phipps, as well as Matt’s new wife – and Poh’s best friend – Sarah Rich. Jonathan has since left the business. (Pictured: Poh and Jono are pictured in December 2016)

Matt’s first husband Matt Phipps (left) is now married to her best friend Sarah Rich (right)

The Snackmasters host went on to say she ‘felt so sad’ about her marriage to her first husband, Matt, coming to an end and so maintained their friendship and business ties because she didn’t want to ‘throw the baby out with the bathwater’.

‘As soon as we didn’t have to be together as a marriage, we were like, “Oh, my God, this is so much better. This is everything that we love about our relationship without all the heinous parts.”‘

Poh followed the same pattern when she split from her second husband, Jono, in 2021 after six years of marriage, with the pair remaining close to this day.

After focusing on her career for the last year, Poh is now ready to jump back into the dating world, but admits she’s finding it difficult with dating apps because of her high profile in the media.

‘There is no interest towards me, there is nothing. And I don’t know how to do it! I don’t know how someone who works in the media… like, how do you navigate the apps?’ she said.

While Poh’s partnership with her ex may seem unusual, she said their dynamic was ‘no big deal’

But the Malaysian-born chef seems content to take her time and do things face-to-face rather than attempt to navigate ‘ruthless’ dating apps. 

Poh also revealed what it was like working with MasterChef judge Melissa Leong when she returned to the cooking competition for the Back to Win season in 2020.

‘It was really lovely to have that feminine energy of Melissa. I felt like it really brought such a different vibe and sensibility to the judging which I really appreciated,’ she said.

She went on to reveal , she developed a ‘cultural bond’ with Melissa, 42, who is of Chinese-Singaporean descent, and felt grateful to have ‘someone on [her] side’. 

Poh also revealed what it was like working with MasterChef judge Melissa Leong (pictured) when she returned to the cooking competition for the Back to Win season in 2020. ‘It was really lovely to have that feminine energy of Melissa. I felt like it really brought such a different vibe and sensibility to the judging which I really appreciated,’ she said 

Poh Ling Yeow, 49, reveals the skincare secrets behind her incredibly ageless complexion 

Poh Ling Yeow looks younger every year despite being just shy of 50 years old. 

Now the 49-year-old MasterChef success story has revealed her go-to skincare routine which keeps her visage so youthful.

Speaking with Daily Mail Australia this week, she said she only uses a foaming face wash and moisturiser.

‘Neutrogena foaming face wash with Aveeno. My whole life. That’s what I’ve always used and I swear by it,’ she said. 

Poh Ling Yeow looks younger every year despite being just shy of 50 years old 

Poh also revealed she had been eating ‘very clean’ recently, picking up fresh produce from the farmer’s market near her Jamface Café in Adelaide. 

‘The other day for dinner I had half a rockmelon with beautifully made local prosciutto,’ she said, along with steamed limes and mushrooms. 

Although she often puts her cooking talents to use in her own kitchen, the television presenter said she also indulges in chocolate and two-minute noodles. 

‘I eat very cleanly because the produce is so delicious but I will go from that to eating like chocolate for breakfast. I can be a really gross person as well,’ she joked. 

Poh also revealed she had been eating ‘very clean’ recently, picking up fresh produce from the farmer’s market near her Jamface Café in Adelaide

‘I love two minute noodles. That is my vice. If I’m a bit depresso or a little bit stressed out, that is absolutely my go to. 

‘That and a bit of lettuce or Wombok and then some frozen fish balls or whatever I can find in the freezer.’

It comes as Poh revealed she will return to MasterChef this year as a guest judge after enjoying her last stint on the show alongside Melissa Leong.

She returned to the cooking competition for the Back to Win season in 2020.