MasterChef Australia 2026 kicked off last night and we’re so ready for a slice of wholesome reality TV. But, this season’s format is slightly different than usual, with 40 cooks contending for a Top 24 spot and one of those oh-so coveted white aprons.
With so many new budding chefs to meet and cheer on, a standout from last night’s episode was Olaolu Olorunnimbe, a 34-year-old brand consultant who resides in Sydney.
He managed to nab a white apron after his traditional Nigerian dish, ofada stew, seriously impressed the judges.
Judge John-Christophe Novelli even went so far as to say Olaolu’s platain was “the best plantain that I have [had] so far in my life”.
Just before the show aired, Olaolu told WHO about his experience with the judges and shared exactly what he thought of them.
What are the MasterChef judges really like?
WHO asked Olaolu what his experience was like being judged by Andy Allen, Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli, and he didn’t hold back.
With Jean-Christophe, Olaolu called him “an eccentric head teacher” who is extremely talented and full of “precision” but really, at his core, is just an “eccentric strange guy with all these fun sounds”.
Poh is “so generous with the feedback” and is someone Olaolu really learned from during the show, and he appreciated Andy knowing “exactly what’s going on in your head” since he knows what it’s like to be a contestant himself.
With Sofia, Olaolu explained there was a lot of admiration for her, and admitted he dreams of following in her footsteps.
“I love to write and read, and Sofia has such an amazing way with words, and she obviously knows her stuff, she’s so well travelled… That’s the dream. I want to be that person,” he told WHO.
What happens next in MasterChef?
Unlike previous seasons where producers simply pre-selected the Top 24, this year there are 40 hopefuls contending for a Top 24 spot.
After the 40 cooks were split into two groups of 20 last night, the first group had 90 minutes to cook their best dish.
Four contestants won themselves a white apron — Olaolu, Lydia, Meg and Aaron.
However, those who didn’t get an apron weren’t eliminated.
More will be handed out later in the week and the second group of 20 still have to cook!
The next episode airs tonight, Monday 20, at 7 pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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