Inside MasterChef stars Sarah and Declan’s romance and family
The show provided the perfect ingredients for romance.
When Sarah Todd and Declan Cleary stepped back into the kitchen to film MasterChef Australia: Back To Win, they instantly connected.
Now, they have gone from strength to strength as a couple – they live happily together in Melbourne with their twin daughters, Claudia and Charlotte.
They welcomed their baby girls on Christmas Eve 2025, and Declan proved that starting their family has only made them closer on Mother’s Day.
He took to Instagram to share a heartwarming tribute to Sarah as he applauded her for her “strength” as a parent.
“Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful Sare Bear,” he gushed.
“I am in awe of your strength growing our baby girls and giving me the greatest gift I could ever ask for. This journey into parenthood has been such a wild, beautiful and unexpected adventure.
“Through sickness, exhaustion and everything that comes with carrying twins, you continue to amaze me every single day with how strong, loving and caring you are.
“I know our kids are going to adore you the same way I do.
“Thank you for everything you do for our growing family. We are very lucky to have you Bub.”
It has been a whirlwind romance for the couple since they met on MasterChef, and we’re so happy for them.
Take a look back at their complete relationship below.
Connecting on MasterChef
While this season of MasterChef was airing, they kept their relationship under wraps.
But in June, they made the announcement in an interview with Stellar.
“Nothing was ever rushed or forced – we just enjoyed spending time together,” Declan told the publication.
“And Sarah, being from Melbourne, knew all the places to go. So we’d go to the beach, or go-karting, and we went out for lots of dinners,” he explained.
As the competition progressed, they got closer.
It wasn’t until Sarah was facing elimination that Declan realised he had feelings for her.
“I was [panicking]: ‘Oh sh*t. I’ve been spending all this time with this bloody amazing chick and now she might be leaving!” he said.
“And so, as she’s walking into the elimination [challenge], I said, ‘Sarah, can I ask you something? Would you like to go on a date with me?’ And she just looked at me and said, ‘You’re a bloody idiot!’”
However, after she survived that elimination, the MasterChef fan favourite reconsidered his offer.
“After I got through the stress of the elimination and had a couple of days to recover, I realised it made sense,” Sarah said. “It was a nice progression [of our friendship] and I wanted to go for it.”
For their first date, they spent a weekend in Grampians National Park, where they immersed themselves in regional markets and restaurants. The couple also hiked to the top of a mountain at dawn and shared breakfast that Declan had made.
The, the 27-year-old packed his bags and moved from Sydney to Melbourne with Sarah and her son Phoenix.
“I’m cooking real wholesome food for them,” he said.
“[Phoenix] was a bit crook the other day, so I was up at 5am making chicken soup from scratch. I just wake up naturally at 5am – being a builder, it’s in my blood. So while the other two are lounging in bed, I’m making the sambos or the soup.”
Life away from MasterChef
Speaking exclusively with New Idea about their role as National Barramundi ambassadors one day before they revealed they’re expecting a child together, they said they were looking forward to their first Christmas as a couple.
And in August, at an event hosted by LG Electronics, which is a MasterChef partner, Declan exclusively gushed about Sarah to New Idea.
“I definitely found the love of my life on the show, and that was exciting. She’s just a great support system; [as] we’re both in the same industry,” he shared with us.
Previously speaking to our sister publication TV Week, Sarah said they were “one big family” with her 14-year-old son Phoenix, and Declan’s dog Sol.
“Phoenix is totally obsessed with Sol,” the three-time MasterChef Australia contestant said. “They’re playing until the moment they go to bed; it’s been really special for him.”
She told Stellar that her son was at the front of her mind.
“We have such a close bond, and we’ve been through a lot throughout the years,” she explained.
“I’m very mindful of that. I don’t bring people into his life and then take people away. It’s unfair for a kid to go through that. The nice thing about this relationship is that they had gotten to know each other a little bit and built that bond before being thrown in the deep end.”
They have since grown their family, with Declan and Sarah welcoming their twin daughters, Claudia and Charlotte, on Christmas Eve 2025.
“Claudia and Charlotte🤍💕Merry Christmas from our family to yours.🐣🐣,” Declan announced in a joint post.
What is the age gap between Sarah and Declan?
While she’s known for her skills in the kitchen and as a recognisable face from MasterChef, Sarah likes to keep her personal life out of the spotlight.
“It can be difficult when your career and your personal life start to mesh into one,” she told Stellar. “It’s something I’ve been quite private about. So it’s nice to feel we want to talk about this relationship. It’s been really special.”
While there is an 11-year age difference between them, age is just a number.
“Not only is she the most grounded, intelligent, and creative person I’ve ever met, but she has always appreciated me for who I am,” Declan said.
“We connected through life experience; we’ve both been through a lot. We share the same values. There’s great chemistry between us. She keeps me classy, and I keep her a bit cheeky. Age is just background noise.”
Since they went public with their romance, the couple has sparked engagement rumours, but they are happy to gush about one another on social media.