Coming Soon: Masterchef Finale Guest Chef To Open Sydney Gelato Shop

Tonight, either Callum Hann or Laura Sharrad will take home the coveted gold Masterchef trophy. They’re both from South Australia, both competing in their third season of the Channel 10 cooking competition, have both previously placed second in the comp – and they each run two Adelaide restaurants. But just one of them will take the W.

To decide who that’ll be, a challenge will be set by a guest chef – internationally renowned pastry chef Mike Aspiras. The Filipino-born, Sydney-based chef is known for out-there sweet creations like ketchup-and-mayo gelato with a side of hot chips, and now-closed Darlo doughnut pop-up Don’t Doughnuts (where sourdough creations were plump with fillings like Basque cheesecake, then brûléed). His Sydney-kitchen CV includes Seta and Oborozuki.

You’ll need to tune in tonight at 7.30pm to find out what he’s got planned for our contestants – and then you can look forward to his foray into the Sydney gelato scene.

In October, Aspiras is popping up in the Queen Victoria Building with Euca, his soon-to-launch gelato house.

“I’ve been working on Euca with my team since April this year, and it has been quite a journey,” he tells Broadsheet. “My goal is always to put Australian native ingredients in the forefront – not just as a sprinkle.”

It’s true that bush ingredients power Euca. From rich, fruity flavours like Davidson’s plum with dark chocolate and muntries (a sweet, slightly spicy fruit) to fresher serves like strawberry gum sorbet, zinged up with red berries. There’s also a sweet, creamy macadamia butter praline – with puffed amaranth bringing some crunch.

The signature scoop is the eponymous Euca. “It was easy for me to make the anchor flavour eucalyptus. To highlight this ingredient, I combined it with the citrusy notes of Australian lemon, earthy walnuts and a surprising element – blue cheese.”

The cheffy gelato will be available exclusively from October 6 to 19, at a pop-up in the QVB. Then, you’ll be able to grab tubs online – before a flagship opens in early 2026.

Euca’s flagship will add yet another funky element to Sydney’s excellent ice-cream scene. There are Kariton’s queue-creating scoops in Burwood , Lebanese ashta-flavoured booza at Bubooza in Concord, and Kreamu’s Vietnamese flavours in Cabramatta and Marrickville.

The Masterchef Australia: Back to Win grand finale airs tonight at 7.30pm on Channel 10.

Additional reporting by Lucy Bell Bird.