Contestants

An unusual compliment from Eyal Shani, surprising family connections, and auditions that became legendary: as the contestants of "MasterChef: Dream Team" shine on screen, we look back at their very first steps in the kitchen—sometimes dating back 14 years.

They were a step away from the trophy, but it slipped through their fingers. Now, 12 beloved past contestants are returning to the "MasterChef: Dream Team" kitchen to claim the title they missed. We caught up with them to see how they've grown professionally—from opening restaurants and pastry shops to building Pilates empires.