‘MasterChef Australia’ 2016 update: Mimi Baines and Harry Foster’s Instagram posts fuel dating rumours

A couple of months since “MasterChef Australia” wrapped up its latest season, contestants Mimi Baines and Harry Foster continue to be a hot topic among the culinary competition’s fans.

Followers of the budding chefs, who observe the flirty exchanges between the two on their Instagram accounts, could not help but wonder whether they are dating. This week, Harry posted what looked like a behind-the-scenes shot of them while filming at the University of Melbourne’s underground car park. Sporting yellow aprons, the two have big smiles on their faces as they’re sitting down. Harry used a kissing emoji to caption the image, while Mimi replied with five pink hearts.

The photo was taken during the toughest week of “MasterChef Australia” featuring renowned chef Heston Blumenthal. In the team challenge, involving chocolate as the hero ingredient, Mimi and Harry were paired up as the yellow team. Their dark chocolate dish, which they called Black Forest Floor, was deemed the best dish of the night.

[READ: “Matt unwisely takes a back seat and lets Elena lead; their chocolate dessert leaves a bitter taste in judges’ mouths”]

Fans flooded the post with comments, gushing how cute they look together and asking whether they’re dating. Fellow contestant Brett Carter also took note of the post, writing, “It seems I missed a lot in the last week.”

Last month, a more telling post sent their followers into a flurry. Mimi posted a photo of Harry wearing a shirt from Mimi’s clothing label, Sunday Sweats. Harry’s photo had a text that read, “Reppin’ my girl,” while Mimi captioned the image, “When Bae wears your [t-shirt]” with another kissing emoji.

Speculations about their relationship status started in July, when they exchanged playful Twitter banter about “The Bachelor Australia,” featuring Richie Strahan. In one tweet, Harry wrote, “Mimi if I was the bachelor [I’d] give you a rose straight up.” Mimi, on the other hand, replied, “I would be your #whiterose? You would be mine too” and added a kissing emoji. “I’d buy you every single white rose just so you no other girl could have one,” Harry tweeted back with a heart symbol.

[READ: “‘MasterChef Australia’ 2016 update: Contestants Harry and Mimi banter on Twitter over ‘The Bachelor Australia’”]

However, some fans were left puzzled as they reckoned Harry is gay. Earlier in June, there were rumours that he’s dating Luke Wolfe, stepson of “The Real Housewife of Melbourne” star Gamble Breaux. Luke posted photos of them while on a vacation in Tasmania wearing “matching outfits,” as the fans pointed out. Gamble herself shared a photo of Harry and Luke on her personal Instagram account, where she wrote, “@masterchefau@harryshunger is welcome to BBQ at the Wolfe residents any time!”

Harry placed third in “MasterChef Australia” 2016, falling behind runner-up Matt Sinclair and winner Elena Duggan. Mimi, on the other hand, landed on the fifth place.