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 came to an end earlier this month when 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 closing October 16.

Foodies wanting to prove themselves in the MasterChef kitchen must be over 18 years old and professional chefs do not need to apply.

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

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

“If you like to cook, apply. You never know, you might 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.

Applying for the next season of MasterChef Australia requires a photo of yourself and “a minimum” of three dishes you’ve prepared yourself, but “more is encouraged.”

It also encourages applicants to “upload a 1-3 minute video showcasing your skills in the kitchen and showing us who you are and what food/cooking means to you.”

However, professional chefs are not required to apply, emphasizing the rules ‘Your main source of income should not come from preparing and cooking fresh food in a professional environment’.

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

The news comes as rumors circulate about whether Andy Allen and Melissa Leong will return to the cooking show next year following the shocking death of co-star Jock Zonfrillo.

According to Woman’s Day, the judges could both walk out because it is a “package deal.”

Andy and Melissa are still negotiating the show’s next season and will either stay together or leave.

“Andy and Mel are still negotiating at the moment and they come as a two-pack deal, so if they both decide to leave, they’ll need some big names to fill in,” a source said.

“And instead of getting a traditional lineup of three judges, execs want to have a pool of superstar names to judge each week.”

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