The cooking show is returning for its 12th season with a new recipe and 24 familiar faces - passionate former contestants cooking to claim the trophy which eluded them once before.

Hignell finished sixth in season 10 two years ago. He has since hosted cooking classes at The Essential Ingredient Newcastle as well as his own signature dinners, and late last year launched his own cake-making business, Cakeboi. He found out about the MasterChef gig "about six months ago" and kept it under wraps.

"Everyone on the show is here because they came very close to winning their season. Everyone is here to win," he told Food & Wine.

"It's so great getting to know all these people. Obviously I am very close to Brendan and Jess from my season, but I get to know all these other people who are known Australian wide.

"It's a big honour to be asked to return. I've always tried to publicise Newcastle where I can and Newcastle has supported me well after the show. My aim is to launch Cakeboi in a more prominent way in Newcastle and operate out of a retail facility of some kind."

And will he choose to cook a savoury dish in an elimination round this time, allowing a fellow contestant to choose a dessert? In a word, no.

"Oh no, that's definitely not happening," he said, laughing.

"I'll be making a cake, that's 100 per cent guaranteed. Everyone has been annoyed at me about that for a long time and I'm like 'Yeah, I know, I'm annoyed at myself'."

Maitland's Andy Allen, who won season four in 2012, will be hosting and judging the show with Jock Zonfrillo and Melissa Leong. And the contestants? Poh Ling Yeow; Callum Hann; Hayden Quinn; Amina Elshafei; Ben Milbourne; Ben Ungermann; Brendan Pang; Chris Badenoch; Courtney Roulston; Dani Venn; Emelia Jackson; Harry Foster; Jess Liemantara; Khanh Ong; Laura Sharrad; and Lynton Tapp.

A date has yet to be set for MasterChef Australia 2020's television premiere.

EXP. restaurant is celebrating its fifth birthday with some big news.

"Our last service in our current space at Oakvale Winery will be Sunday lunch on March 22, then we will be reopening on April 3 next door to our sister business Fawk Foods Kitchen & Bakery," owner and chef Frank Fawkner said.

"This move will give my wife Emma and I the freedom to run both venues hand in hand to feed off each other and align with our growing family. We would love to serve all of your familiar faces one last time at our original site before we make this exciting move."

Fawk Foods will be open seven days for breakfast and lunch, and EXP. will open only for dinners. You can find both at 2188 Broke Road, Pokolbin.

Fawkner and his team are constantly experimenting with seasonal and local produce, as well as native Australian ingredients, and there is plenty for diners to choose from. The result is an avant-garde dining experience that is both original and unique. Check it out.

Hungry Wolf's has opened at 507 Pacific Highway, Belmont. The family-run Italian pizzeria has several restaurants on the Central Coast already, having been a presence for the past 30 years. Their flagship restaurant is at Terrigal. You can dine in, takeaway or order delivery (depending on your home address). More on the business to come.

Five Senses Twilight Market returns to Lambton Park this Sunday, March 1. From 4pm there will be gourmet food, craft beer and wine, as well as coffee, live music and entertainment for the kids. It's also a fundraiser for The Leukaemia Foundation.

Andrew "Thommo" Thomas is hitting the road in April, taking with him his 2018 Hunter Valley Shiraz range. The Exceptional 2018 Shiraz Release Tour will stop off at Wickham restaurant The Flotilla for dinner on April 23, and for lunch at Yellow Billy in Pokolbin on May 2 - which is also the official launch date of the 2018 Thomas Wines Shiraz. Tickets to the Flotilla and Yellow Billy events cost $170 per person which includes four courses, at least nine examples from the shiraz range and "surprise game options" at both.

The Anchorage at Corlette has relaunched its popular High Tea. It's now available seven days a week, 2pm to 4pm, and costs $65 which includes bottomless bubbles, live music and an amazing view.

Decante This is a Newcastle-based business connecting wine lovers with handcrafted French and German wines made by families committed to sustainable practices. This year, Yann Vadin from Domaine Vadin-Plateau Cumierès Champagne is coming to the Hunter Valley for the first time to participate in a number of exciting and informative Decante This events:

Tickets are limited so get in quick. Cheers!

Suqar (which means 'sugar' in Arabic) shares the secrets of more than 100 sweet treats inspired by Middle Eastern flavours. The traditional time to eat sweets in the Middle East is not after meals (when fruit is served) but at breakfast, with coffee or on religious holidays and special occasions. In Suqar, acclaimed chef Greg Malouf merges the spices, flavours and scents of his childhood with the influence of his training in the West to create dishes in his signature Modern Middle Eastern style.

SUQAR: Desserts and Sweets from the Modern Middle East is out now through Hardie Grant Publishing, RRP $55. Food & Wine has a copy to give away. To enter, send the word "Suqar" with your name, address and number to freelunch@theherald.com.au. Entries close on Monday at 9am.