Contestant Ray Silva admits the early stages of the competition were a struggle as he tried to prove himself to the MasterChef Australia judges.
When judge George Calombaris discovered Ray was an experienced doctor, he queried his motives for wanting to give up his medical career and be on the show.
“George would keep asking me why I want to do this,” Ray, 42, says. “He would ask why I’d want to give up medicine – he wants to make sure people are in the competition for the right reasons.”
Ray is prepared to give up his work as a GP for life in a kitchen.
The single father-of-two admits it’s a big departure to consider moving from a medical career to the hospitality industry.
“I know in my heart what I want to do,” he declares. “It’s not glamorous, it’s long hours and it’s tough, but it’s a choice I’ve made.”
Ray says after a few efforts in the MasterChef Australia kitchen, he slowly began to win George over.
“He was a little bit tough, but I think he’s come around,” he says.
George has little time for contestants who are simply in it for a gig on TV.
For his part, George, who’s been a judge on the hit show since it started in 2009, says he only wants contestants who are there to cook.
“They get this incredible springboard,” George, 38, says. “It makes me shiver when I look at what past contestants are doing.
“If they come on [the show] because they want to be on TV, then they’re going to be gone. I’m not going to tolerate it and waste their time.”
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