So, I’ll be the first to admit that when I read the headline “7000 apply to become Master Chef” I actually read that as “Masterchief,” the esteemed character from the Halo video game series for the Xbox. This probably means that I’m revealing more of my geekhood than I should be, but either way the number is fairly impressive. About 7,000 cooks, chefs, apprentices, culinary artists and others all wanted to be on Masterchef Australia. The show stopped taking applications last week, so if you’re a chef (or chief) in training you’re out of luck.

Interestingly enough, the rules stipulated that applicants’ main source of income couldn’t be from being a chef, so that they get applicants from all walks of life and professions. Some of which, according to Executive Producer Paul Frankin, included pilots, music producers, teachers, students, and lawyers. Whether viewers will be as hungry as the applicants of course is still anyones guess.

Sarah Wilson, who’s the former editor of Australian Cosmopolitan, will host the show. Two judges will also be appointed to oversee these food creationists and decide which is the best of the best, as a recent announcement stated:

“The judging and mentoring panel of MasterChef Australia comprises two of Australia’s most renowned, revered and ambitious chefs in Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris. Their personalities are the perfect balance to not only judge, but mentor our contestants as they progress through the series.”