The newest season of Fox's MasterChef debuted this past week, revealing to the masses that judge Aaron Sanchez had been replaced on the hit reality series. Sanchez, a renowned chef and restauranteur from New Orleans, served on the show's judging panel alongside host/franchise figurehead Gordon Ramsey and Joe Bastianich for seven seasons, joining the cooking competition show in 2019.
However, MasterChef Season 15 debuted on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, without Sanchez at the judge's table, as the hit series replaced the longtime series star for its latest batch of episodes.
Since 2010, MasterChef has debuted new seasons on Fox, pitting some of America's best culinary minds (both professional and not) against one another for a cash prize of $250,000 and the title of 'MasterChef.'
Since its debut over 15 years ago, the beloved competition series has gone on to spawn an entire franchise, with several spin-offs hitting the air, including the long-running MasterChef Junior (a version of the series where every contestant is between the ages of eight and 13).
What Happened to Aaron on MasterChef
Fans took notice that former judge Aaron Sanchez was not present at the judge's table in MasterChef Season 15.
The fan-favorite Fox series replaced Sanchez for its most recent season, bringing in celebrity chef Tiffany Derry for the newest round of the long-standing competition series. Derry is best known as one of the most popular contestants on the Top Chef series, appearing on that show in Season 7.
Talking about her joining the MasterChef judges panel alongside Gordon Ramsey and Joe Bastianich, Derry told fans she is "beyond excited" for her time on the show (via Fox):
"I’m beyond excited to join 'MasterChef' as a judge for Season 15, which is unlike any other. For me, cooking has always been about passion, precision, and heart, and I can’t wait to bring my perspective to the table alongside Gordon and Joe. The season challenges home cook duos in a whole new way, and it was so fun to see them rise to the occasion. Get ready for some incredible food, tough love, and maybe even a little spice!"
In her first episode, officially sitting behind the judge's table, Derry brought her A-game, showing off her spunky personality and deep knowledge of the culinary world. Early on, she looks to be offering something of a bubbly leavening agent to the judging panel, playing off of current judges Gordon Ramsey and Joe Bastianich's, at times, prickly personalities.
Fans have shared their disappointment in Sanchez's departure, but most remain hopeful that Derry will be an exciting, sweet addition to the show's long-running formula.
This is not the first time by any means that a MasterChef judge has left the show over its lengthy history on TV. Notably, Sanchez was brought in to replace someone else in 2019, filling the chair left behind by one of the show's original judges, Graham Elliot.
Why Did Aaron Sanchez Leave MasterChef?
Now, the question becomes, why did Aaron Sanchez leave MasterChef after seven successful seasons as one of its celebrity judges?
The network has not given a specific reason for his departure, with Fox simply announcing his replacement with the reveal of the new season and moving on. Sanchez himself has also not commented on no longer being a part of the show, leaving fans to speculate wildly about what went down.
Some have pontificated that his departure may have been related to a contractual issue between him and the network, while others have said it could have been linked to him being too busy working on other projects to appear in MasterChef going forward.
Sanchez is also a judge on Food Network's beloved Chopped series and recently had his El Toque De Aarón series at Warner Bros. Discovery renewed for a second season (per Deadline).
Since leaving the show, Sanchez has remained in the public eye. He recently launched a new sauce collaboration with cookware company William Sonoma, producing delicious handcrafted cooking sauces inspired by his Mexican familial roots.
He also participated in the 2025 edition of the Favorite Chef Competition, a viral cooking contest that will award one lucky home chef $25,000.
