MasterChef Australia returns with the best group of home cooks the competition has ever seen. In the first of three judges' auditions, our amateur cooks are given one hour to cook their best dish.

In the second judges' auditions our amateur cooks are given one hour to cook their best dish. To receive an apron, the contestants must receive a yes from all three judges.

With the Final Round of the Judge's Audition comes the First Pressure Test, which involves a Shannon Bennett Chocolate Bar.

2015's Masterchef, Billie McKay, knows exactly what this crop of aspirants are going through. Do you reckon she'll go easy on them when she picks the ingredients of the First Mystery Box?

In the first elimination challenge, three contestants choose a cloche containing a single ingredient to be used in a dish for the judges. The contestant with the least impressive dish will be going home.

The hopeful chefs suit up and show up for Marco Pierre White Week. With 75 minutes ticking away, they use the ingredients from Marco's mystery box of ingredients.

It takes 20 ovens, miles of stainless steel, an arsenal of appliances and knives that chop, cut, slice and dice, to discover the best amateur chef in Australia. Tasks include mystery boxes, celebrity chef challenges, masterclasses and off-site challenges. The usual elimination format applies. MasterChef experts are George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston.

The top three contestants from the invention test must make a filled pasta with a matching sauce. The winner will then enter a cook off for immunity against guest chef, Jake Kellie.

This challenge is all about the pub lunch. The contestants are split into two teams and must cook three courses for 70 people with Marco Pierre White running the pass.

The contestants from the losing pub lunch challenge team must correctly name an ingredient to avoid the elimination cook-off challenge, as the contestant with the least impressive dish will go home.

This mystery box challenge has been chosen by the viewers. Contestants have 75 minutes to create a dish using at least one ingredient chosen by the viewers.

The three contestants with the least impressive dishes from last nights the invention test face off in the pressure test. The contestant with the least impressive dish will be going home.

The three best performers in the invention test must create a dish using popcorn as the core ingredient. The winner will then need to out-cook the professional guest chef for immunity.

In this service challenge, the contestants are split into two teams. Each team must cook a three-course meal for 30 people replicating dishes from two celebrated Melbourne restaurants.

The losing team from the service challenge now faces elimination as the contestants create a dish without any cooking. The bottom three will then cook-off to avoid elimination from the competition.

It's Nigella Lawson Week. Contestants have 75 minutes to create a delicious dish based on Nigella's divine indulgences. The top three will have a chance at immunity while the bottom three face elimination.

The bottom three from Nigella's invention test face elimination in what might be the toughest pressure test ever, as contestants have just one hour to recreate Nigella's three-course meal.

Matt Preston and Nigella Lawson arrive at the contestant house in the middle of the night as the three best from Nigella's invention test are asked to create a midnight snack for a chance at immunity.

Split into three teams, each team must prepare one savoury dish and two sweet dishes to sell at a fete held in honour of Nigella Lawson with all proceeds donated to the Royal Children's Hospital.

The losing fete challenge team now face elimination. Contestants must correctly name cakes, fail to do so and they will need to impress the judges with a cake of their own to stay in the competition.

The contestants have 60 minutes to create a dish using the ingredients in the mystery box. The winner will cook off for a chance at immunity and the bottom three will face the elimination pressure test.

The bottom three from the invention test now face the elimination pressure test. Contestants have just over 3 hours to recreate UK chef Jason Atherton's quail afternoon tea dish to avoid elimination.

With immunity up for grabs, contestants will work in pairs to create a savoury & sweet jaffle in 45 minutes. The winning pair will then need to out cook professional chefs to secure an immunity pin.

Today's off-site challenge will take place at George Calombaris' Hellenic Republic restaurant. Split into two teams, each team must prepare a three course feast for 120 guests to avoid elimination.

The losing Greek feast challenge team now face elimination. Contestants who fail the Round 1 blind taste test must then impress the judges with a dish using the ingredient they did not correctly name.

The Queen of the Australian kitchen, Maggie Beer returns! The invention test winner will have the advantage going into the mystery box challenge when contestants have an hour to impress the judges.

The bottom three contestants from the mystery box challenge face off in the elimination pressure test. Contestants have just three hours to recreate & 15 minutes to plate up Anna Polyviou's mess.

The three best performers from Maggie Beer's mystery box are now vying for immunity. The contestant who produces the best éclair in round one will then cook off against a professional chef.

Today's off-site team challenge marks the celebration of Chinese New Year joined by guest mentor, Kylie Kwong. Each team must prepare two set-price Asian street food dishes & sell them to the public.

The losing team from the Chinese New Year challenge must now cook a dish determined by lucky dip. With 75 minutes on the clock, the contestant with the least impressive dish will be eliminated.