From stone cold food to secret judging and 17-hour filming: The eight little known secrets of the MasterChef Australia franchise that would SHOCK viewers
MasterChef has been a ratings hit in Australia for more than a decade.
But there are still some secrets of the popular franchise that even long-standing fans may not know.
From long days on set to stone cold dishes being consumed, and footage that never makes it to air, here are the eight little-known facts about the popular Channe1 10 cooking series.
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From tasting COLD dishes, to unaired judging and 17-HOUR filming days: The little known secrets of the MasterChef Australia franchise are finally revealed. Pictured: 2020 judges Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen
Former MasterChef judge George Calombaris spilled some secrets from the show to Daily Mail Australia back in 2015.
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Gone! MasterChef Australia's long-running hosts Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston and George Calombaris, left the show last year after a decade of fronting the popular cooking program
'It has always been cold and it always will be cold': Former judge George Calombaris said in 2015 that dishes being judged are actually served to them cold, and they taste things hot off camera at the contestants' benches. Pictured: New 2020 judges with Gordon Ramsay
1. The food is COLD
The Melbourne chef said that while viewers are fascinated by the 'hot' appetizing food they see, the dishes being judged are actually served to them cold.
'It has always been cold and it always will be cold, but we taste everything hot off camera,' Calombaris said at the time.
'So at the end of the cook, you [viewers] don't see that - no one sees that apart from the three of us and the executive producer. We will go around the room and the three of us will taste everything hot out of their [contestants] pot first.
'It looks sexy on TV but it takes time to film': Calombaris said that as the judges taste the contestants' food while it's fresh and hot - they have time to decide a winner early. Pictured: 2020 judge Melissa Leong
2. The judges have already picked a winner before the dishes are served to them
Calombaris said that as the judges taste the contestants' food while it's fresh and hot - they have time to decide a winner early.
'It looks sexy on TV, but it takes time to film. So when you see us tasting at the end - it's cold, but I've already made the decision, I already know what it tastes like,' he explained.
This was also confirmed by season four star Alice Zaslavsky, who told Domain's Weekly Review in 2018: 'The best early indicator that you had a winning dish was when the whole production crew came down and licked your plate clean.'
'A shooting day can be up to 17 hours': Season four star Alice Zaslavsky (pictured in 2012) claimed shooting days were often very long and drawn out, with one challenge on her season taking four days to film
3. The contestants spend LONG days on set
Alice, who now hosts kids' cooking shows on 9GO! and ABC, also revealed shooting days were often very long for stars, with one challenge on her season taking four days to film.
'A shooting day can be up to 17 hours, sometimes at least four of those hours are spent driving up and down, from the house, to the studio, up the driveway, out of the driveway; and at least another seven spent waiting around, some interviews can take like 3 hours – sometimes more… and then one of those hours is spent cooking,' she said.
This has also previously been backed up by former judges Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan, and the season's executive producer.
Lucky for them! MasterChef Australia's executive producer Margaret Bashfield told OK! Magazine this month that they had ONE dishwasher responsible for the contestants' mess. Pictured: 2020 MasterChef Australia stars
4. There is ONE person responsible for cleaning all the dishes
This month, MasterChef Australia's executive producer Margaret Bashfield told OK! Magazine that they had one dishwasher responsible for the contestants' mess.
'Leigh Dowling washes everything you see... He's the happiest bloke on the team, even when he gets pots that are horribly burnt on the bottom,' she said at the time.
'Each home cook is given professional training before the challenges': A former runner-up on the US version of MasterChef claimed in 2014 that contestants were given cooking classes on challenges where there was a level of technique required. Pictured: Australia's 2020 cast
5. The stars get special training ahead of technique-based challenges
A former runner-up on the US version of MasterChef wrote a blog in 2014, in which she claimed contestants were given cooking classes ahead of challenges where there was a level of technique required.
An inside source told The Mail on Sunday at the time: 'The entire show is not at all how it seems. Each home cook is given professional training before the challenges to ensure they can cook something decent when they start recording.'
However, this might not be the case for the Australian version and especially on this season's all-star version.
'It usually doesn’t make it to TV': 2012 MasterChef Australia star Alice previously claimed stars often shout at people on the balcony to 'shut up'
6. Balcony footage is cut from the show
In another revelation by 2012 MasterChef Australia star Alice, she said there were often heated moments on set during her season that never make it to air.
'A couple of times, and it usually doesn’t make it to TV, the contestants specifically looked up [at the balcony] and said: “can you guys just shut up!”'
No waste! MasterChef Australia has a special arrangement where it donates its food waste to food rescue organisation, SecondBite
7. Food waste is donated to charity
MasterChef Australia has a special arrangement where it donates its food waste to food rescue organisation, SecondBite.
The CEO of SecondBite Jim Mullan told 10Daily in 2019: 'The MasterChef pantry is replenished on an almost daily basis while the program is shooting and we collect daily from the MasterChef studios - everything that we can possibly salvage, we collect and divert it to people in need.'
Shelved: Half of the show had already been filmed for MasterChef Australia when stricter coronavirus restrictions were brought into affect for the production. International judges Nigella Lawson and Heston Blumenthal had to cancel their scheduled appearances, while outdoor challenges with crowds have been shelved
8. Coronavirus has changed a few things going forward with production
Half of the show had already been filmed for MasterChef Australia when stricter coronavirus restrictions were brought into affect for the production.
International judges Nigella Lawson and Heston Blumenthal had to cancel their scheduled appearances, while outdoor challenges with crowds have been shelved.
Planned travel has also been cancelled, while shooting outside of the set has been banned, according to The Daily Telegraph.
No more sharing! Contestants will reportedly serve up individually-sized dishes for judges to sample, as opposed to share plates, in coming episodes
The publication understands producers have made it their priority to ensure greater hygiene procedures are followed, including contestants wearing gloves.
Contestants will reportedly serve up individually-sized dishes for judges to sample, as opposed to share plates, in coming episodes.
MasterChef Australia airs weeknights from 7:30pm on Channel 10
Star appeal: One drawcard for the program however, is having filmed segments in advance with Gordon Ramsay, Curtis Stone and American pop star Katy Perry (pictured)
