MasterChef arrived in Colombia in 2015 via RCN Televisión and quickly became one of the country’s biggest television phenomena, spawning three distinct formats — the regular amateur edition, a Junior edition, and the wildly popular Celebrity version, which has run almost every year since 2018. Here’s the complete winners list across every edition.
Quick Reference: All MasterChef Colombia Winners
| Edición | Temporada | Año | Ganador/a | Premio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MasterChef (regular) | 1 | 2015 | Federico Martínez | 200 millones COP |
| MasterChef Junior | 1 (única) | 2015 | Yulitza Sarmiento | — |
| MasterChef (regular) | 2 | 2016 | Leonardo Morán | 200 millones COP |
| MasterChef Celebrity | 1 | 2018 | Piter Albeiro | 200 millones COP |
| MasterChef Celebrity | 2 | 2019–2020 | Adriana Lucía | 200 millones COP |
| MasterChef Celebrity | 3 | 2021 | Carla Giraldo | 200 millones COP |
| MasterChef Celebrity | 4 | 2022 | Ramiro Meneses | 200 millones COP |
| MasterChef Celebrity | 5 | 2023 | Carolina Acevedo | 200 millones COP |
| MasterChef Celebrity | 6 | 2024 | Paola Rey | 200 millones COP |
MasterChef Colombia: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Network | Canal RCN |
| Host | Claudia Bahamón (across every edition) |
| Prize Money | 200 million Colombian pesos (subject to tax deductions) |
| Original Judges | Paco Roncero, Jorge Rausch, Nicolás de Zubiría |
The Regular Edition (2015–2016)
Season 1 (2015): Federico Martínez
MasterChef Colombia premiered on 14 January 2015, airing 68 episodes until 21 April 2015. Federico Martínez was crowned the country’s very first MasterChef champion, beating runner-up Paulo Jo Chung and third-place finisher María Luisa Arias.
After the show, Federico launched a gastronomic project in Medellín and, alongside fellow contestant María Luisa Arias, went on to open a restaurant called “Anónimo” in Barranquilla, plus a personalized catering service in Medellín — building a genuine culinary career out of his win.
Season 2 (2016): Leonardo Morán
Season 2 aired from 30 March to 8 July 2016. Leonardo Morán, from Cúcuta, won the season in a finale widely remembered for its dramatic head-to-head against fellow finalist Ana Belén Charry. After his win, Leo pursued formal culinary education to become a professional chef, balancing his studies with physical training and sports.
Judges (Seasons 1–2): Paco Roncero (Season 1 only), Jorge Rausch, Nicolás de Zubiría
MasterChef Junior Colombia (2015)
A single Junior season aired in 2015, featuring 36 children aged 8 to 13. It was won by Yulitza Sarmiento, a young cook from Barranquilla, judged by Jorge Rausch, Nicolás de Zubiría and Mexican pastry chef José Ramón Castillo.
MasterChef Celebrity Colombia: The Franchise’s Longest-Running Format
After the regular and junior editions concluded, RCN pivoted entirely to a Celebrity format, which has aired almost annually since 2018 and become the dominant version of the franchise in Colombia.
Season 1 (2018): Piter Albeiro
Comedian and businessman Piter Albeiro (Alejandro Leiva) became the first-ever MasterChef Celebrity Colombia champion, beating finalists Estefanía Borge and Variel Sánchez.
Season 2 (2019–2020): Adriana Lucía
Singer Adriana Lucía won Season 2, later reinvesting part of her prize to support workers at her family restaurant, “La Tienda Del Porro,” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Season 3 (2021): Carla Giraldo
Actress Carla Giraldo claimed the Season 3 title with a standout winning dessert that combined a flexible ganache with rum, a crumble made from hormigas culonas (a traditional Colombian delicacy — toasted leaf-cutter ants), meringue, raspberries and Isabella grapes.
Season 4 (2022): Ramiro Meneses
Actor and director Ramiro Meneses won Season 4, beating finalists Sebastián Mejía, Chicho Arias and Carlos Báez with a dish featuring pirarucú (an Amazonian fish) and lemon ant.
Season 5 (2023): Carolina Acevedo
Actress Carolina Acevedo, from Tolima, won Season 5 on 8 October 2023, taking home 200 million pesos with a winning plate of corn cream, smoked duck, trout and ice cream.
Season 6 (2024): Paola Rey
Actress Paola Rey won the sixth and most recent Celebrity season on 17 December 2024, beating finalists Vicky Berrio, Martina “La Peligrosa” and Carolina Cuervo with a lamb dish featuring hormiga culona sauce, paired with Santandereana arepa purée. This finale also marked the franchise’s milestone 10th anniversary celebration.
Judges (Celebrity era): Jorge Rausch, Nicolás de Zubiría, Christopher Carpentier, and more recently Adria Marina and Belén Alonso
Fun Facts About MasterChef Colombia
- Only one Junior season: Despite its popularity, the children’s edition never returned for a second season
- Celebrity dominance: Since 2018, the Celebrity format has completely replaced the regular and junior editions as RCN’s go-to MasterChef format
- Consistent prize: 200 million Colombian pesos has remained the standard cash prize across nearly every edition
- Unique local ingredients: Colombian contestants have repeatedly used hormigas culonas (toasted leaf-cutter ants), a traditional Santander delicacy, in standout winning dishes
FAQs
Who won the first season of MasterChef Colombia? Federico Martínez won Season 1 in 2015, later opening his own restaurant in Barranquilla.
Is there a Junior edition of MasterChef Colombia? Yes, but it aired for just one season in 2015, won by Yulitza Sarmiento.
Who won the most recent MasterChef Celebrity Colombia? Paola Rey won Season 6 in December 2024.
How much prize money do MasterChef Colombia winners receive? 200 million Colombian pesos, subject to applicable tax deductions.
Who hosts MasterChef Colombia? Claudia Bahamón has hosted every edition of the franchise since its 2015 debut.