After a thrilling finale with edge-of-your-seat moments, Vinnie Gibaldi has been crowned the winner of ‘MasterChef Australia’ for 2026. The registered nurse-turned-chef won the prize money of AUD 250,000, defeating the chartered accountant-turned-chef Petro Papathomas. For the prestigious title, the contestants competed in not one but two pressure tests; the winner earned 80 points while the runner-up finished at 67 points.Here’s a closer look at Vinnie Gibaldi winning 2026 ‘MasterChef Australia.’
Vinnie Gibaldi expressed his gratitude for the ‘MasterChef Australia’ title
Despite facing mishaps while cooking during the pressure tests, Vinnie Gibaldi remained calm and focused on his dish. With a tumultuous ride during the finale, he finally held the trophy in his hands. “I don’t really have any words to be honest; I feel like that’s just insane! I couldn’t have imagined it from the first day, but I am so, so grateful for absolutely everything that I have experienced here, all the friends that I have made, all the people I’ve met and just how far I’ve come. I couldn’t have done it without all the support from everyone,” he said, per Variety Australia.As for Petro Papathomas, he fell short of the win by a handful of points. “I’m really happy for Vinnie; he’s worked really hard, and he deserves it. I’m very proud of what I’ve done throughout the competition; I just missed the mark today,” he expressed.
What happened during the ‘MasterChef Australia’ finale?
With 40 points to grab, the ‘Superstar Mystery Box’ was the first pressure test for the contestants. Papathomas decided to make dessert, including a tart with Sichuan caramel and chocolate crème diplomat with lemon zest, with fried artichoke crisps. However, one of his tart shells was overcooked, leaving a hint of bitterness.Meanwhile, Vinnie Gibaldi chose to cook duck, along with elevated fish, topped with a spicy-sweet glaze, Jerusalem artichoke gratin, and sage oil. However, his duck was also overcooked. Without panicking, he flipped the dish at the last moment by ditching the gratin and balancing the dish with lean fish, per Yahoo Lifestyle. He made Jerusalem artichoke puree with a cavolo nero salsa to pair with it. When Petro earned 32 points, Vinnie grabbed 37 points.Pastry chef Cherish Finden set the next challenge. The contestants had five hours to replicate three of her petit gateaux for a Chinese afternoon tea decadence. Both had to make the mandarin orange dishes, which included tiger sponge, orange marmalade and chocolate-orange mousse. The second dish was a firecracker featuring mango compote, coconut dacquoise, and meringue. The final dish featured a black sesame teapot.Vinnie and Petro made technical mistakes for the challenge that had 50 points up for grabs. Gibaldi, who slightly misread the recipe, overcooked his cheesecake and the curd – resulting in the black sesame teapot being dense. As for Petro, he accidentally skipped the page. His mandarin component was overwhipped, and the firecracker had an unpleasant taste.Vinnie Gibaldi won prize money of AUD 250,000, whereas Petro Papathomas earned AUD 40,000. The second runner-up was Aaron Kher, who received AUD 10,000.