NEED TO KNOW
- Vinnie Gibaldi won MasterChef Australia 2026, earning a proud, cheeky tribute from his dad Angelo of Roselle Cafe.
- Vinnie found having his food-savvy family at the finale both electrifying and pressure-filled.
- He plans to use his $250,000 winnings to support loved ones, move in with his partner, and one day open his own food business.
If you were invested in MasterChef after months of watching high-pressure cook-offs and eliminations, just imagine how Vinnie Gibaldi’s dad was feeling.
The 25-year-old is exceptionally close to his dad Angelo — working within the family business for years before trying his hand at the show — and he’s done him proud by going all the way and securing the crown.
In a bid to express his delight, Angelo posted a sweet, if not slightly cheeky, message online in a way that only dads can following Vinnie’s win.
“Like father like son, but YOU are the champion from day one,” he wrote on Facebook. “Walked in with a Panini… left with the trophy.”
The proud dad then added a tongue-in-cheek comment about his own influence on Vinnie’s cooking.
“I could not have been more proud of you if I tried. And I knew you had it in you from day one but man I must have taught you a lot of s–t,” he wrote.
He finished the post on a sweeter note, adding, “I cannot wait to see where this journey takes you next.”
Vinnie told WHO what it meant to have his family there during his final cook on the show, but also admitted it wasn’t as easy as he expected.
Vinnie comes from a food-loving family
Vinnie’s connection to food runs in the family, with his parents Rose and Angelo, affectionately known as “Roselle”, founding Roselle Cafe in Melbourne.
The couple previously owned Italian restaurant Stuzzichino on Lygon Street, adding to the family’s long connection with food and hospitality.
So, for Vinnie, having his family there to watch him compete in the Grand Finale was particularly special.
Vinnie loved having his family cheer him on, but felt the pressure
Vinnie told WHO it was “so, so cool” having his family there for his final cool, as he was eager to show them how far he had come throughout the competition.
“I wanted to show… how far I’d come in the competition coming in from, you know, a rustic Italian home cook to something that’s a bit much more refined than what I normally would have done.”
And when the pressure of the final cook kicked in, having his loved ones cheering him on gave Vinnie an extra boost.
“It was absolutely electric hearing your friends and family cheer you on in one of the most important cooks to date,” he added. “I used that feeling to just keep me fueled and focused.”
However, since his family are no strangers to cooking and hospitality, he did feel the pressure having them there.
“But at the same time it added a lot of pressure because you wanted to do them proud, so yeah, it stressed me out. I thought it would calm me down, but it kind of stressed me out.”
What will Vinnie do with his $250,000 prize money?
Now that Vinnie has taken home the $250,000 prize, he has revealed what he plans to do with his winnings, with his loved ones coming first.
“Honestly, I’ve always been taught to share when you have things to share. So first I’d make sure those close to me were in a good place,” he said.
“I’d love to move out with my partner Bridge and put some towards a place together.”
How lovely!
Vinnie also revealed he has his sights set on opening a food business of his own one day, following in his father’s footsteps.
“Ultimately, I’d love to open up a little place of my own whether that’s paninis or a wine bar. I’d put my heart and soul into it,” he admitted.
After walking into the competition with a panini and leaving with the trophy, we can’t wait to see what Vinnie does next.
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