Masterchef 15 2025-2026, when does it start?

The new season of MasterChef Italy is ready to return, and as per tradition, it will do so in December. The country's most popular cooking show will reignite the competition between aspiring chefs in an edition that promises more selective challenges, new themed Mystery Boxes, and international guests. Anticipation is high: viewers want to see who will win over the judges and secure a spot in television's most coveted team. Here's everything that's been confirmed so far, in a complete and updated overview.

When does MasterChef 2025 start?

The official date is set for Thursday 11 December 2025The show will begin, as always, after X Factor, which concludes on December 4th with the finale in Naples. It's available on Sky Uno and streaming on Now, with two new episodes on the opening night.

Judges confirmed for season 15

No changes at the MasterChef table: they're back Bruno Barbieri, Antonino Cannavacciuolo e Giorgio LocatellicThe formula remains that of a close-knit trio, combining technique, humor, and a certain degree of severity. The production team has confirmed that this year too, the three chefs will play a central role not only in the judging, but also in the technical tests and in managing the new Mystery Boxes.

Who are the competitors?

The initial selection will bring into the kitchen approximately twenty aspiring chefs, all amateur chefs from different backgrounds. Among the participants stands out a competitor from , already a mascot for the production and his fellow adventurers. As always, age, profession, and origin don't matter: what matters is showing up to the judges with a clear vision of cooking and the ability to execute it under tight deadlines.

In the first two episodes we will see the Live cooking, with 45 minutes backstage to prepare the recipe and five minutes in front of the table to convince the judges. Three yeses means a white apron; two yeses means a gray apron; less than that, and the dream ends.

The main evidence

The structure of the tests will remain faithful to the formula that has made the program successful:

• mystery box, enriched by special variants such as Red, Golden and the brand new Green Mystery Boxes dedicated to sustainability.
• Invention Test, increasingly unpredictable in the requests of the judges.
• pressure test, where any mistake can cost you elimination.
• Skill Tests, useful for evaluating technical skills and precision.

the chef Chiara Paván, already a protagonist in previous seasons, will return to lead the new phase dedicated to sustainable cuisine.

What's new in the new edition

The main theme of 2025 will be the future of cooking, with a strong emphasis on innovative techniques and eco-sustainability. Competitors will be challenged to reinterpret Italian tradition using modern ingredients, exploring international influences, and completing tests designed to test their creativity and vision.

There are also spectacular exteriors, Including:

• Juventus Stadium
• Norway to discover Nordic cuisine
• Cagliari and the Sardinian tradition
• Bra, home of the sausage of the same name
• Emilia-Romagna for a journey into the world of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Great guests

Among the announced guests, world-class names stand out:

• Jeremy Chan (Ikoyi – London)
• Ciccio Sultano (2 Michelin Stars)
• Iginio and Debora Massari for the pastry tests
• Jessica Rosval and the Roots team
• Ángel León (3 Michelin Stars)