Here’s How Much Masterchef Australia Contestants Are Paid
Wondering how much Channel 10 pays MasterChef contestants to star on the beloved cooking show? Or how much prize money they take home if they win the competition? We’ve done some sneaky stalking across every corner of the internet to find the answers for you.
We’ve scooped up insider tea, sautéed spicy goss, and we’re serving up all the financial intel in one tasty dish of an article.
Fork and knife at the ready, let’s tuck in!
MasterChef Australia salaries revealed
It’s the question on everyone’s lips: how much do MasterChef contestants get paid?
Well, the So Dramatic! podcast published a report in 2022 that included various findings that we figured would be of interest to you foodies.
According to the report, MasterChef participants received $500 per week back in 2011, which news.com.au revealed was less than half of the average wage at the time. By 2013, the contestants were granted a pay increase to $630 per week, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
How did they discover this sneaky intel? Why, by getting their mitts on an old copy of the MasterChef contract, of course!
MasterChef contestants with a bigger profile obviously receive a higher salary when they return for another season. For example, Season 1 runner-up Poh Ling Yeow (who has since gone on to become a judge) and Season 3 fan fave Hayden Quinn were earning $40,000 overall when they competed on Back To Win in 2020, as reported by New Idea.
Hayden Quinn and Poh Ling Yeow copped whopping MasterChef salaries — as they should! (Credit: Channel 10)
We’re also basing this off the fact that the returning Bachelor alumni were paid more bucks for Bachelor In Paradise than they made on their respective Bachie season, which makes sense.
As far as reality TV salaries go, this one’s pretty average compared to other shows. We published a report in 2021 that ranks how sweet the dollarydoos are for these shows, and MasterChef ranked higher than Bachie, but lower than MAFS.
MasterChef Australia prize money
Based on past accounts by multiple MasterChef winners, the prize money is indeed $250,000.
This has been confirmed by 2019 winner Larissa Takchi as well as 2017 winner Diana Chan, who told Yahoo Lifestyle in 2023 that she didn’t receive her winnings until months after filming had wrapped.
“You don’t get it instantly,” she shared. “I don’t know if I’m actually meant to mention this, but I didn’t get it until like five months later.”
Diana got a “funny feeling” when the money finally hit her bank account, and I happily woulda taken it off your hands, queen.
Diana Chan struggled to decide what to do with her MasterChef prize money when she won in 2017. (Credit: Channel 10)
“To be honest, I was making a decent amount of money doing other things that I actually put it aside and invested it,” she said.
“I wouldn’t say I have it now anymore, this is six years down the track, but you use it on different things to start your career and whatever you want to do. The money’s there, and they never say, ‘You have to do this with the money’. So it’s entirely up to you what you want to do.”
Speaking of prize money! MasterChef Australia 2026 is almost over, so stay tuned to see who takes home the cash in the upcoming finale.
