This week’s MasterChef brought some thrilling cooking along with the return of an old friend. No, not Jess Lemon, we’re talking about the Invention Test, once a series staple but these days, a relative rarity on this show.
For Sweet Week, the contestants were tasked with using an air fryer to create a dessert in an Invention Test. This inspired such top four dishes as Alyona’s whisky and miso chocolate tart, Hannah’s ‘after Dark’ doughnuts, Bella’s apple meringue tart and Pat’s apple tarte tatin (okay, that one isn’t all that inventive).
The latest challenge followed the Invention Test being brought back at the start of the 2026 season, with the home cooks asked to use cereal as the core inspiration to create any dish they wanted. At the time, the decision was met with fanfare. “I LOVE that the Invention Test is back,” wrote one delighted viewer on X.
Longtime MasterChef viewers know that the Invention Test has a long history on the reality cooking show, which first premiered in 2009. Back when Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston were judges, viewers knew that every Sunday night promised a double whammy episode: Mystery Box and Invention Test.
These Invention Tests pushed the contestants to their creative limits as they had to build a dish around a single ingredient, reinvent a classic dish, or were inspired by a specific cuisine or theme.
It was this challenge that led to MasterChef legends Adam Liaw, Marion Grasby and Callum Hann proving they are cut above the rest. But in recent seasons, these Invention Tests are few and far between.
So, should Invention Tests be a regular feature of the weekly episode? A group of online fans and former contestants believe that they should bring them back as a weekly segment.
MasterChef fans beg producers to bring back regular Invention Test challenges
A popular post on Reddit has asked MasterChef producers to “bring back the classic Invention Tests permanently.”
The fan said that the Invention Test involving cereal earlier this season reminded them “why invention tests used to be some of the best episodes,” they wrote. “Give the contestants a weird ingredient or bizarre theme, let them think creatively, and you get a much better sense of who can genuinely innovate rather than just execute.”
This opinion was shared by the majority of comments on the thread, with some claiming that the current MasterChef challenges don’t encourage creative thinking like they once did. “It’s such a joke now seriously,” wrote one impassioned viewer. “Earlier editions, especially with the older judges were so tough, [and it] really made a contestant rack his/her brains. No wonder those cooks are much more successful.”
Another said they’d like MasterChef to go back to the structure of the good ol’ days. “They need to go back to having Invention Test followed by Mystery Box,” they added.
Former MasterChef contestants weigh on Invention Tests
One former MasterChef Australia contestant has also weighed in, telling WHO why Invention Tests shouldn’t be fazed out of the show.
Depinder Chhibber was a fan favourite on season 13, returning for Back To Win in 2025 and would encourage more Invention Tests on MasterChef.
“Invention tests are a real challenge and force contestants to think outside the box; that’s the only way to secure a top dish!” she told us.
She continued, “Invention Tests are fair and give everyone an even start. Most of the cooks feature their respective cuisine or style of cooking, so Invention Tests require them to think outside the box and perhaps use their traditional or preferred skillset to create something innovative.”
Depinder said that Invention Tests can separate a great cook from a truly innovative one and as a contestant, they’re a refreshing change of pace from some of the show’s other challenges. “Team/service challenges do not always focus on individual performance. Pressure tests often result in elimination, so there is no room for error. Invention tests allow you to take risks and make dishes or play with techniques you often wouldn’t if you were in an elimination.”
Known for showcasing stunning regional Indian dishes, Depinder thinks fondly back on her time doing Invention Tests. “I think some of the greatest inventions have resulted from invention tests,” she said. “We had to take a humble/boring vegetable and create something new. I ended up making a green curry cake using onions because no curry is complete without them,” she continued.
“Most contestants who like to play it safe won’t love Invention Tests as much as contestants who are more prone to taking risks and trying something new.”
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