Channel 10
When Steph de Sousa first entered the MasterChef Australia kitchen, she was a 46-year-old HR professional clinging to a dream and craving change. Fast forward to now, and she’s a beloved digital creator with nearly 3 million followers, two cookbooks, and a booming online food brand.
Steph de Sousa’s second stint in the MasterChef Australia kitchen may have ended, but the real story lies far beyond the competition. Since first appearing on the show, Steph has left behind her corporate HR career, launched a thriving digital food empire, and penned two bestselling cookbooks, Air Fryer Queen and Easy Dinner Queen. She now stars in her own TV show, Frugal Foodie, bringing joyful, budget-friendly recipes to life for families across the country.
Her return to MasterChef: Back to Win wasn’t about chasing a title — it was about fun, freedom, and showing fans a lighter side of herself. In this warm and candid chat, Steph opens up about the soul-searching that led her to leave corporate life, the sister who continues to inspire her every step, and why she hopes her story helps other women realise it’s never too late to start over.
You came back to MasterChef with an incredible online following and two cookbooks under your belt. What made you decide to return to the competition kitchen?
Last time I was on MasterChef Australia, I went on to change my life. I was 46 and working in a corporate job that was slowly stealing my soul. MasterChef was my chance to escape and finally live out my food dreams. It was a big gamble, and there was a lot riding on it. I put so much pressure on myself that I forgot to have fun. This time was all about fun and showing my followers a different side to my cooking.
How did your second time on the show differ from your first, and what did it teach you about yourself?
I felt far more confident in the MasterChef kitchen this time. I was able to take the time to slow down, think about what I was doing and enjoy some banter with the people cooking around me.
What did it teach me? It taught me that I am no less than any other cook. There is room for everyone in the food world, and I love where I am placed.
If you could go back, would you change anything about your time on Back to Win?
No, I don’t think I would. I was happy to leave when I did and get back to life as it was. I had fun, cooked some good food and met some new friends. What’s not to love about that?
How did it feel walking out of the kitchen for the second time? Did it give you closure, or leave you more determined than ever?
A huge amount of closure. I honestly thought, after all these years, that I still wanted to win MasterChef Australia. I still had that little flame burning in my belly.
Going back made me realise how amazing my life is right now. I have an amazing career, a thriving business and an incredible community that really appreciates what I provide for them.
I don’t need to win MasterChef Australia to say I’ve made it in the food world.
You’ve called your MasterChef journey “life-changing” — can you take us back to that moment when you decided to leave your HR job and dive into food full-time?
It was actually three years before I made it onto the show. I auditioned and didn’t make it to the top 50. I was devastated. That’s when I realised how badly I wanted it. It took me to dip my toe in the water, ever so briefly, to want it enough to turn my life upside down.
You’ve worked as a restaurant chef, run your own catering company, and now helm a growing digital food empire. What part of that journey has surprised you most?
Definitely what I am doing now in the digital world. I didn’t even realise it was a thing when I first started out, and now it is the major focus in my career, and everything I do revolves around my digital presence.
I have a growing team of people who are working behind the scenes supporting me now. We have so many great things planned to support our community to cook easy, delicious and budget-friendly meals for their friends and families.
You’ve said your sister, your “guardian angel”, inspired your move into content creation. How does she continue to influence your work and your recipes today?
Therese makes me brave. Every day, she inspires me to live my life to the full. If ever I am uncertain about taking on a new challenge or doing something a little left of centre, I ask myself if the thing stopping me is fear. If the answer is yes, then I jump in headfirst.
With nearly 3 million followers online, you’ve become the go-to for budget-friendly, family-style meals. What’s the secret to keeping it real and relatable in such a crowded space?
I just keep being me and don’t worry about the people who judge me or don’t like what I do. There are plenty of people who enjoy what I do, and I love them for it. It’s for those people that I keep creating and working hard every day.
You’ve said there was a sense of “unfinished business” bringing you back to MasterChef. Do you feel like that chapter is closed now, or is there still more to come?
I have put that baby to bed now, but I will forever have a big soft spot for MasterChef! If I were given the opportunity to come back as a guest judge and set a challenge, I would jump at it. I can imagine an Air Fryer challenge or a budget family meal challenge. A challenge to create a social media reel would be fun, too!
What would you say to other women who have a dream they’ve put on hold, especially those who might think it’s too late to chase it?
Do it! My only regrets are the things I haven’t been brave enough to do. I was talking to another MasterChef contestant the other day, as she is thinking of taking a big leap into the food world. I kept saying over and over, “Don’t wait until you’re 46 like I did, do it while you’re young so you can enjoy it for longer”.
If you could go back and give 2019 Steph one piece of advice before she stepped into the MasterChef kitchen the first time, what would it be?
Chill girlfriend! It’s all going to be OK.
What’s your favourite recipe to cook for your family?
Lasagna! When I fly over to Darwin to visit my big kids, we have a lasagna production line, and I make enough to fill their freezers with it until I can come back again.
And finally, what’s next for Steph?
There is a lot in the pipeline, but my next BIG thing is launching in July. I am in the final stages of developing a meal plan subscription. The one thing people hate the most is trying to decide what to cook for dinner every night, so every week, I’ll send them five weeknight meal recipes plus a treat; all very budget-friendly, easy and delicious. There will be a shopping list, and everything will be available to buy from the supermarket. Nothing will take longer than 30 minutes, and every meal will cost between $20 -$30 for a family of four. The subscription cost will be budget-friendly too.
Easy Dinner Queen by Steph de Sousa is on sale now. Buy it here!
Discover more of Steph’s recipes on Women’s Weekly Food and on her website, Easy Recipe Gang.
If you’ve missed any episode in this season of MasterChef: Back to Win, you can catch up with our recap here. Discover all the contestants who have left the season thus far here.
MasterChef Australia airs 6.30pm on Mondays to Wednesdays and 6pm on Sundays on Channel 10 and is available on demand on 10play.
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