When they walked into the MasterChef Australia kitchen, Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary expected a heated cook-off, but they never expected to find love.
Since that 2024 season, Declan and Sarah became parents to twin girls and are preparing to tie the knot.
Their chemistry was undeniable, with Declan confessing they hit it off immediately.
“Nothing was ever rushed or forced – we just enjoyed spending time together,” Declan, 27, revealed in an interview with Stellar magazine.
Despite their obvious connection, Declan didn’t ask Sarah, 38, on a date until she was walking into the elimination challenge.
“As she’s walking into the elimination [challenge], I said, ‘Sarah, can I ask you something? Would you like to go on a date with me?’,” he recalled. “And she just looked at me and said, ‘You’re a bloody idiot’.”
After the shock of his question passed, Sarah realised they “made sense.”
Neither chefs won the 2025 season, but they certainly found something better than a trophy. Shortly after Sarah’s elimination, Declan paid tribute to the “bravest, most creative and resilient chef in that kitchen.”
“I never stood a chance against you,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Despite the undercurrents, the constant second guessing, the moments that felt more like quiet resistance than support, you held your head high.
“Thanks for being my best friend in and outside of that kitchen. We have so much fun together and you make my heart so full. You are a true inspiration not only to all the home cooks out there but to the chefs around the world that would gain knowledge and vision from your wonderful masterpieces.
“Love you lots,” he concluded.
Following her elimination, Sarah shared her own message, sharing that meeting Declan was a “huge win.”
“Sometimes the universe brings someone into your life at exactly the right moment, and I’m so grateful that this journey led me not only to my spirit in the kitchen, but to a love I never saw coming,” she wrote on Instagram.
Sarah and Declan’s relationship away from cameras continued to blossom, with the lovebirds living together in Melbourne, sharing a home with Sarah’s 14-year-old son Phoenix and Declans’s dog, Sol.
“We’re one big family now,” Sarah told TV WEEK.
In September 2025, they took their love abroad! Declan shared pictures of the pair sharing a kiss under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
“We are exactly where we are supposed to be,” he captioned the post (above). “The right place. The right time. This exact moment with each other we have both dreamt of.”
Countless fans theorised Declan was going to drop to one knee during this European holiday. Little did they know, Sarah was actually pregnant. Later on October 9, Declan and Sarah took to Instagram, sharing a sponsored post with Clearblue, to confirm the news.
“We are overjoyed to share that our little family is growing 💛,” Sarah captioned the post. “These past months have been some of the most precious of our lives. A sacred time of holding this news close, letting it sink in, and soaking up all the emotions with those dearest to us.
“It has been such a gift to sit in the wonder of it all, imagining the beautiful new chapter that lies ahead.
“We feel so deeply blessed knowing this little cherub will enter a world already brimming with so much love. Between us, Phoenix, and Sol, there is no shortage of cuddles, laughter, and warmth waiting to welcome the addition to our family.
“Our hearts are full to the brim, and we couldn’t be happier to finally share this joy with all of you. Thank you for being a part of this special moment in our lives. It means the world to us. With love, Sarah, Declan, Phoenix & Sol 🐾,” she concluded.
Fans didn’t know that the lovebirds weren’t having just one baby until the end of November. They shared the news in a cute golf-themed gender reveal post on their Instagram pages.
“What’s better than a hole in one, two holes in one!” they wrote in the caption.
They shared the first snaps of their twins, Claudia and Charlotte on Christmas Eve 2025. Find out more here.
Amid the pregnancy journey, fans noticed a sparkly pink diamond ring suddenly adorned Sarah’s wedding ring finger in December 2025. With no engagement announcement, fans were left in the dark – until Declan shared an Instagram story on January 6 writing, “Ribs are ready. My 2 daughters are asleep. Happy fiance. Happy sol. Happy Tuesday.”
However, the pair are yet to officially comment on their engagement.
