MasterChef Australia star reveals surprising career news after being acquitted of child sex charges

Former MasterChef contestant Ben Ungermann has announced a surprise career move, three years after he was acquitted of child sex charges.

The 39-year-old bodybuilder and chef revealed that he will be opening a new restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa called Ben’s Italian.

‘EXCITING NEWS… my new restaurant is coming!’ Ungermann wrote on Instagram on Thursday.

“A fun fact about me: I make really great Italian food,” he added.

Ungermann then announced that he will open a pop-up restaurant, which will start on Friday.

Ungermann was spared a criminal conviction in 2021 for physically assaulting a 16-year-old girl in a Melbourne hotel room.

The chef was instead placed in a diversion program, which allowed him to avoid a criminal record for the Docklands attack in February 2020.

Three sexual assault charges against Ungermann over the same incident were dropped by the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

They were replaced by one charge of common law assault, with the consent of the prosecutors and the girl.

Ungermann admitted to physically grabbing the girl and pulling her toward him for a few seconds in his hotel room.

At the time, he had traveled to Melbourne to film for Channel 10’s cooking show MasterChef: Back to Win.

The 39-year-old bodybuilder and chef revealed that he will be opening a new restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa called Ben’s Italian

He and the girl ate, drank sake and talked about Ungermann’s breakup before the attack.

Ungermann said he would get a “s**tface” before returning to the hotel room, asking the girl for a hug and pulling her onto his chest.

His attorney, Abbie Roodenburg, said Ungermann took responsibility for what happened.

“This was a one-time, brief touch,” the attorney said, adding that it was “out of character.”

Ungermann agreed to write an apology letter, make a $1,000 donation to charity and undergo mental health treatment as part of the distraction.

The girl wanted to read a statement to the court about the consequences of the abuse.

Ungermann was spared a criminal conviction in 2021 for physically assaulting a 16-year-old girl in a Melbourne hotel room

Magistrate Mia Stylianou did not allow this because the wording did not match the charge that Ungermann eventually admitted.

“I read that and I am saddened by it,” the magistrate also said of the statement.

Ms Stylianou highlighted the stress the victim had been through, especially as she had prepared to testify against Ungermann before the case was resolved.

Ms Roodenburg said the “public personality” had lost his reputation and gained sponsorship from his first appearance on MasterChef in 2017, when he came second.

“He understands that this process is stressful for everyone,” the lawyer added.

“But certainly for Mr. Ungermann, the manner in which these charges came about and the media attention led to significantly disproportionate sentences.”

The chef was instead placed in a diversion program, which allowed him to avoid a criminal record for the Docklands attack in February 2020.

Ms Roodenburg also said a criminal conviction would have made it difficult for Ungermann to move on and work abroad.

He was also represented by Western Australia-based lawyer and fellow 2017 MasterChef contestant Benjamin Bullock.

Outside court, Mr Bullock said: ‘We welcome the opportunity for Benny to clear his name. It’s really just about him moving on now and getting on with his life.”

The magistrate acknowledged that Ungermann had endured public defamation through media coverage of his case.