The upcoming season of MasterChef Australia has officially started filming in Melbourne.
New cooking show judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli joined returning judge Andy Allen on the set of the new series on Wednesday.
The new judging team seemed to get on well as they filmed a challenge with guest chef Jamie Oliver.
Celebrity chef Jamie looked stylish in a tan shirt and trousers as he walked alongside Sofia, who rocked a bright yellow top and cardigan combo.
Poh, who previously starred in the series, also looked chic in a long gray dress with a matching belt and a pair of shiny gold sneakers.
New Masterchef judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli joined Andy Allen on the set of the cooking show as filming began in Melbourne on Wednesday
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver (pictured center) looked warm in earth tones, wearing a tan shirt and brown pants, while Sofia Levin appeared in canary yellow
She tied her long locks in a ponytail and wore statement earrings.
Jean-Christophe Novelli wore similar color choices, with a gray blazer and blue pants.
Meanwhile, Andy Allen arrived on set wearing black trousers and a shirt, contrasted with a white jacket and shoes.
The judges laughed and joked with each other as they got ready for filming.
Following the death of Jock Zonfrillo and the departure of Melissa Leong, the new series saw three new judges join returning presenter Andy.
New judge Poh ling Yeow (pictured right) floated through the set in a chic yet sculptural gray gown
Jean-Christophe Novelli (pictured second from right) almost matched Poh’s color choices with a gray blazer and blue trousers
Meanwhile, Andy Allen wore black trousers and shirt, contrasted with a white jacket and shoes as he joked with Poh
Leong, who starred as a judge on the reality hit for four years, said she decided to leave the program “on her own terms.”
In the meantime, she remains part of the 10 family and presents Dessert Masters, a MasterChef spin-off series, alongside Swiss-French pastry prodigy Amaury Guichon.
Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried previously said on Instagram that her late husband would be “very happy” with the new MasterChef Australia line-up.
Her comment led to speculation that Jock, who died of natural causes on April 30 at the age of 46, did not get along with Leong behind the scenes.
Food critic Sofia Levin showed up in a canary yellow top and cardigan combo
The foodies laughed and joked with each other as they got ready for filming
In a lengthy post, Fried mentioned Allen’s return to the franchise and congratulated Ling Yeow and Novelli on their new roles, but in a somewhat telling move, he neglected to mention Leong’s departure or her four years on the show.
Eyebrows were also raised when Leong did not take part in The Sunday Project’s moving tribute to Zonfrillo a week after his death.
Allen and renowned chefs Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White and Curtis Stone all shared their memories in the heartbreaking special.
Following the death of Jock Zonfrillo and the departure of Melissa Leong, the new series saw three new judges join returning presenter Andy.
Not only did the show have to deal with the sudden death of one of their judges, but Melissa Leong’s shocking departure also rocked the production.
Leong, who starred as a judge on the reality hit for four years, claims she left the show “on her own terms.”
“There was a very emotional tribute from Andy on The Project and it was surprising Melissa wasn’t sitting next to him,” an insider previously told Ny Breaking Australia.
‘You would think that they would tackle the media together. Especially since the company line was that they were all best friends.
“It was quite strange that Melissa went to the ground during this time and yet quite smart to maintain her decision to leave the program until now.”
She remains part of the 10 family and will present Dessert Masters, a spin-off series from MasterChef, together with Swiss-French pastry prodigy Amaury Guichon
Zonfrillo’s widow Lauren Fried previously said on Instagram that her late husband would be “very happy” with the new MasterChef Australia line-up
A few months after The Project special, Leong explained that the grieving process has been quiet for her after she was criticized for not participating in a special tribute to the late co-star.
“We all deal with loss differently, and we need to honor that,” she wrote in a column for Stellar magazine.
“Some people need to talk to process emotions, while others need more time to find the words, if they can find them at all,” she continued.
“Some people need company, while others need time alone to stare at a wall, clean incessantly, or sleep.”
Zonfrillo joined MasterChef in 2018 as a guest chef for season 10 and became full-time in 2020.
Leong recently spoke about a feud between herself and fellow judges Andy Allen (left) and the late Jock Zonfrillo (right) during a candid chat with Ny Breaking Australia at The Birdcage at Flemington Racecourse
Jock Zonfrillo died of natural causes on April 30 at the age of 46
