Los Angeles, Jul 27 (IANS): Chef Gary Mehigan may not be on the judge's panel of the new season of "MasterChef Australia", but he recalled his long association with the show as an experience that changed his life.

Mehigan, along with his co-judges Matt Preston and George Calombaris, bid goodbye to the show after judging its eleven seaons. The news of their exit emerged amid calls to drop Calombaris after he came under fire for underpaying $7.8 million to his staff at his hospitality firm, Made Establishment. He was even dropped from an Australian tourism campaign.

"At 52 years of age I've learnt so many lessons...! 'MasterChef...' has been a gamechanger and how lucky were we to enjoy 11 years of amazingly positive and uplifting television. We have been blessed with new friends and colleagues that will remain so for the rest of our lives. A moment in time to be savoured and remembered with a big smile," Mehigan wrote on Instagram, opening up on his exit from "MasterChef Australia".

Mehigan is looking forward to begin new adventures in his life.

"We are so proud. But a mentor of ‘mine' told me ‘never be afraid of change'. (It is) Time to move on, maybe work a little less, dig our fingers into something new and exciting and maybe make a different kind of TV," he added.