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.

Today's mystery box challenge has been set by guest chef Luke Nguyen, as contestants have 60 minutes to make an impressive dish. The winner will then gain the advantage going into the invention test.

The bottom three contestants from the invention test face off in the elimination pressure test. Contestants have just two hours to recreate two of guest chef Ross Lusted's signature dishes.

The judges reveal to the top 12 contestants that today there are some special guests joining them in the MasterChef Australia kitchen.

Guest chef Curtis Stone joins today's off-site team challenge. Each team must prepare a six-course degustation menu for 50 guests in only two and half hours to avoid the elimination challenge.

The losing team from the Curtis Stone challenge now face elimination. Who will be leaving the MasterChef Australia kitchen?

Today's mystery box challenge contains eight of the ugliest ingredients ever seen. The contestants must impress the judges by creating a beautiful & delicious dish in only 60 minutes.

The losing team from the invention test relay challenge now face off in the pressure test. Contestants must recreate guest chef Flynn McGarry's signature dish to avoid elimination.

The four contestants who impressed in the relay invention test cook for immunity. Does the winner of the first round have what it takes to out-cook guest chef Victor Liong from Lee Ho Fook?

In today's gourmet cinema team challenge, the judges reveal that the contestants must cater for 165 cinema goers at a very special cinema event - the screening of MasterChef Australia's Greatest Hits.

The losing team from the gourmet cinema challenge are now cooking to save themselves from elimination. If they survive, they will make it into the top 10.

Heston Week. Heston Blumenthal returns to MasterChef Australia in the biggest week ever. In a world first, the top 10 contestants open four Heston inspired & supervised MasterChef Australia pop-ups in four days.

Heston Week. For one day only, Melbourne's iconic Brighton Beach bathing boxes become ice cream stands selling Heston-inspired ice creams & ice blocks. The least impressive team will face elimination.

Heston Week. Tonight's challenge, Heston inspires the contestants to create a three-course dessert spread using only the food of the Gods: chocolate. The least impressive team will face the elimination challenge.

Heston Week. Heston's restaurants are all about taking recipes from the past & giving them a modern twist. Four contestants must prepare a single course inspired by recipes from the past to avoid elimination.

Masterclass. The seven contestants who created the least impressive dishes during the pop-ups now face off to stay in the competition in the final Heston-inspired challenge. Plus, a special Heston Masterclass.

The judges reveal that this week will be the toughest ever! In today's invention test contestants must choose between three of the hardest invention test dishes ever from previous seasons.

The three contestants with the least impressive dishes from last night's invention test face off in the pressure test. At the end of the cook, one of these contestants will be going home.

The three best performers in the invention test must now impress the judges in Round One for a chance to cook off against a professional chef and gain immunity.

The remaining eight contestants are split into teams of two to cook a two-course meal inspired by quality Australian produce for 80 diners. The two least impressive teams will face elimination.

The four members of the losing teams from the service challenge now face elimination. With so much at stake, which contestant will fail to impress the judges and be sent home from the competition?

California Week. The MasterChef Australia competition travels to California for the week. With just a map in hand the contestants must track down today's mystery box ingredients from local San Francisco produce shops.

California Week. Contestants must work in teams to recreate two of Dominque Creen's signature dishes. Dominque is a Michelin-starred chef & was recently voted the World's Best Female Chef.

California Week. Today four of the most impressive contestants are cooking for a guaranteed place in finals week at Francis Ford Coppola's Inglenook Estate in the Napa Valley.

Masterclass. The losing team from the Food Truck Challenge now face elimination. Under the mentorship of Curtis Stone, they must cook a dish that symbolises what they're going to do once the competition is over.

Finals Week. The top six contestants now face a mystery box challenge containing some of the hottest ingredients being used in the world right now. The winner will gain the advantage going into the invention test.

Finals Week. The bottom three contestants from the invention test now face the elimination pressure test set by pastry chef & dessert specialist, Christy Tania.

Finals Week. The Top Five contestants must cook five dishes from the menu of the Lake House in Daylesford under the guidance of legendary chef & owner, Alla Wolf-Tasker.

Finals Week. The bottom 3 contestants from the Lake House challenge now face elimination & must impress the judges with a dish produced from the ingredients that they each cooked with to get into the competition.

Masterclass. The final MasterClass of 2016 sees the return of the eliminated contestants. The shoe's on the other foot for George, Gary & Shannon who must cook a dish from ingredients from a special mystery box.

Grand Final Week. In today's Quarter Final mystery box challenge & invention test, contestants cook off for a place in the Semi Final using ingredients chosen by their loved ones.

Grand Final Week. The final three contestants vie for a place in the Grand Finale in tonight's service challenge. Each contestant must prepare a main and a dessert for 20 guests plus the three judges.

Grand Finale. Who will be crowned the winner of MasterChef Australia 2016? The finalists are competing for a $250,000 cash prize & a column in Australia's leading premium food magazine, Delicious.