MasterChef’s Declan Cleary has shared a sweet message to girlfriend Sarah Todd after she left the show on Sunday night.

MasterChef fans have noticed Declan Cleary’s subtle dig at the judges after Sarah Todd’s exit from the show. Photo: Instagram/declancleary

Sarah Todd may not have walked away with the MasterChef crown this year, but she did find something more important – love! Sarah and her fellow competitor Declan Cleary announced in June this year that they are dating and that he has even relocated from Sydney to Melbourne to live with her and her 14-year-old son.

After Sarah left the competition on Sunday night, Declan took to social media to share a sweet tribute to his girlfriend, but viewers have noticed what they think is a subtle dig at the judges in the post. Declan wrote, “Great job babe. You were by far the bravest, most creative and resilient chef in that kitchen in my eyes. I never stood a chance against you…”

He then added, “Despite the undercurrents, the constant second-guessing, the moments that felt more like quiet resistance than support, you held your head high. You stayed true to who you are… fiercely creative, wildly intuitive, and never afraid to back yourself.

“Thanks for being my best friend in and outside of that kitchen. We have so much fun together, and you make my heart so full.

“You are a true inspiration not only to all the home cooks out there but to the chefs around the world that would gain knowledge and vision from your wonderful masterpieces. Love you lots, Dec.”

MasterChef fans believe Declan took a dig at the judges in post about Sarah

It was that second paragraph that got fans thinking Declan may have been taking a dig at the judges.

One MasterChef fan wrote on Reddit, “I find the second paragraph interesting… I think Declan put into words how I’ve felt about the judging of Sarah’s cooking this season (particularly from one judge). I’m glad it’s not just in my head.”

Another viewer replied, “Watching Sarah leave was genuinely heartbreaking. I had tears in my eyes after Jean-Christophe’s heartfelt speech, he clearly admired her. And yet, Andy had nothing meaningful to say? She was such a beloved contestant. Her exit felt so abrupt, like the editors were in a rush to just wrap up the episode. I’m honestly so disheartened by how it all played out.”

A third added, “Things really started going off the rails around the Qatar episodes, and it never got better after that. You could see in her body language and in the way she interacted with a particular judge that she felt like they weren’t being fair to her.

“I’m glad Deccers came out and said it, because I didn’t know if I was imagining it. To me Sarah was finalist material.”

“Undercurrents/Second guessing = Andy [Allen],” someone else added, while others thought it might be about Sofia Levin.

“I’m glad Deckers put into words what everyone was feeling,” another wrote. “I’m glad she didn’t go with the amazing tried, tested and perfected dishes but took a risk each single day, and showed us what she’s capable of, even when a certain someone was being extremely nosy and quite unfair to her.”

Sarah took a risk in her final cook-off on Sunday night and the judges didn’t think it paid off. Photo: Ten
“Every time Sofia and Andy interacted with her, she was left nervous,” someone else claimed. “At first I thought I must be nitpicking at something normal but it did give very off vibes.”

Others suggested that Declan’s post might have been about their fellow contestants, with one person writing, “In this episode where she got eliminated, the ‘quiet resistance than support’ was purely her fellow contestants. Everyone was whispering wrong things about her dishes and no one gave he a single piece of advice.”

Sofia Levin responds to fan criticism after Sarah’s elimination

Interestingly, Sarah also shared a post that hinted at this tension behind the scenes. She wrote, “I came into this season with clear intention, to push boundaries, honour my training, and create food that’s refined, creative, and deeply personal. My dishes were rooted in French technique, elevated with global flavours, and inspired by over a decade of working in professional kitchens in London, Australia, India and in my own restaurants in India.

“While this season celebrated some beautiful classic dishes, I remained true to my voice, even when it meant going against the grain. I’ve always believed food should tell a story, spark emotion, and challenge us to think differently and I brought that to every cook, even when it wasn’t the easy choice.”

Sofia commented on the post, saying, “Incredible effort, Sarah. What a privilege to witness you crack yourself open. No one ever grew in any field or part of their life from playing it safe and pleasing the masses. A season of wins for you, and certainly one of connection.”

One viewer hit back at Sofia, “You say s**t but you and Andy literally dismissed her cooking so many times with your shallow pasta loving baby palettes ugh, please remove these two.”

Sofia replied, “I’m really glad you’re so invested in the competition, as are we as the judges. We spend most of our year giving it our all, the same way the contestants do, to make sure they can be their best and get the most out of it.

“What matters is that Sarah knows how much we respect and admire her. All I can say to you is thank you so much for watching. I understand why you might feel defensive over Sare from the edits, she’s a dream!”

Another fan commented, “Sarah, I will miss you so much. Jean-Christophe understands your cooking. You are supreme. Sometimes, people are ahead of their time. Your time is now to come.”