MasterChef Australia judges (2)
As “My Kitchen Rules” heads towards its grand finale on Sunday night 8 p.m. on Seven, “MasterChef Australia” judges have some friendly advice for Manu Feildel and Pete Evans, the “MKR” judges. Instagram/garymehigan

As fans gear up for the return of Channel Ten’s hit TV series “MasterChef Australia,” it offered a sneak peek of what to expect from the Season 9 contestants. The Logie Award-winning reality show shared a new teaser featuring one of this year’s contenders to watch out for.

In the latest preview video, uploaded on the cooking competition’s official Facebook page, the most mysterious dish in “MasterChef” history is seen being wheeled in by one of this season’s amateur cooks. Chef George Calombaris seems floored as Michelle brings in the golden ball – he also invites fellow judges Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston to have a closer look at the plate.

The three gentlemen can’t contain their anticipation as they look forward to seeing what’s inside the perfectly shaped ball. “When you cut into that ball, it’s full of excitement,” Michelle tells them. “That’s what food is about.” As soon as George smashes the ball, they all seem greatly impressed by what they see.

Earlier this month, “MasterChef Australia” offered a sneak peek for Season 9. It shared a montage of former contestants who achieved their food dreams with the help of the competition, including Poernomo. In the preview, the judges also teased that the competitors’ standard of cooking and creativity in the upcoming installment is mind-blowing. Gary even mused that he’s surprised at how creative the contestants are very early on. “I’ve learned that the potential of these home cooks is almost endless,” he concluded.

There seems to be no shortage of creativity on the upcoming season of the cooking competition. This year’s contestants may feel they have big shoes to fill, considering how top-notch Season 8 contestants were. Last year, 32-year-old teacher Elena Duggan was crowned “MasterChef Australia” 2016 and took home $250,000 prize money to kick off her food dream, as well as a monthly column in Delicious, a national food magazine.

Runner-up Matt Sinclair, on the other hand, was given a massive financial help to start his dream of having a food truck – he was awarded $40,000. Harry Foster, who placed third, also received $10,000. Following their stint in the competition, the contestants have forged their path in the food industry, similar to the contenders from the earlier seasons.

Channel Ten has not specified when the series is going to return to the small screen. However, based on previous seasons, fans should watch out for the new season by May. Stay tuned for “MasterChef Australia” 2017 spoilers and news.