Much has changed for Tim Bone in the six years since he first competed on MasterChef Australia. Since placing fourth in season 11, the 39-year-old from Ballarat, Victoria, has taken his dream of starting a toastie business and run with it.
Tim’s Toasties began as a mobile gourmet toasted-sandwich shop but has proved so successful that, in the last few months, it’s expanded to a bricks-and-mortar store.
The co-host of Channel 10’s revamped Good Chef Bad Chef since 2024, Tim is also regularly cooking up delicious fast feasts on our screens. Why, then, would he put his reputation on the line in such a public forum?
“I chose to come back because I’ve been running my toastie business for six years and toasties are my life. It would be great if I could do a toastie for every challenge, but I know that’s not going to be the case,” Tim tells TV WEEK. “So, it’s about, can I still cook to a level that is MasterChef worthy?
“There is another layer of pressure, because this time your reputation’s on the line. It is pretty scary and daunting.”
Tim’s recent TV experience isn’t any guarantee of success either: “Obviously, on Good Chef Bad Chef, that sort of cooking is really quick – simple but delicious. Trying to get into the mindset of elevating dishes to MasterChef level is a little bit different.”
Tim and his wife, Abbey, have also welcomed two sons in the years since his first MasterChef appearance – another driving factor in Tim’s decision to return.
“I’ve got Toby, who’s nearly five, and then Jude, who’s 18 months,” Tim says.
“Jude’s still a bit young, but Toby’s at that nice age where he can watch Dad on TV and, hopefully, I can inspire him to follow his dreams and show him that anything is possible.”
In a week that will push the contestants to their limits – featuring one of the most challenging and technical Pressure Tests of all time – who will dazzle the judges and who will over-extend themselves?
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