Having spent almost a decade on our screens, there’s no doubt MasterChef Australia is one of the country’s most-loved and popular reality TV shows.
During a chat with judges George Calombaris, 38, Gary Mehigan, 50, and Matt Preston, 53, TV WEEK uncovered the secret to the program’s success.
As it turns out, if you take a bunch of aspiring cooks, combine them with a smorgasbord of celebrity chef judges and mix in a variety of challenges, you’re guaranteed a recipe for success.
But when it comes to MasterChef, there’s one more key ingredient that keeps viewers coming back for more – the trio’s extraordinary friendship.
As the show is in its 9th season, how has your friendship changed since season one in 2009?
Gary: Well, we just went out to lunch together, so we still like spending time with one another. It’s like a marriage…
Matt: A really good marriage!
Gary: We give each other space, and we listen to each other.
Matt: We’ve talked rubbish together for nine years.
What’s the recipe to a long-lasting bond like you guys have?
Gary: We know each other so well. People say we’re like a band − and, at some point, the band is going to break up. But I’ve never felt more comfortable at work than I do with these guys.
Matt: We’ve had nine years together and had the experience of living away from home for a couple of years – when you throw three people into an alien place, they become tight-knit quite quickly.
We’re so excited for the new season. What are the contestants like?
George: We’re getting better at choosing the top 24.
Matt: They’re really grounded. Last year’s cooks were great, but they were pretty serious and focused.
George: We’ve been able to have a good laugh with them this year.
How do you maintain freshness and relevance after so many seasons?
Gary: We know how important it is to have food central to the show, and then we enjoy it and the contestants flourish.
Matt: We put a lot of emphasis on picking really good cooks, because we have to fall in love with the contestants. We have to care about what they’re doing – otherwise, why would the audience?
George: We also have rules. If they’re going to come on and be an idiot, they’re gone. If they’re going to come on and be mean, they’re gone. I’m not going to sit here and pretend there haven’t been idiots along the way, but we don’t tolerate them.
You filmed some episodes for this season in regional Victoria. What was that like?
Matt: It’s great to go to bits of the country people don’t normally go to. We want Australia to look amazing. We make this show for Australia, but also for the 110 other countries that watch it.
George: There are people who travel to Australia because of MasterChef. What other show has done that for Australia?
Next year would be the 10th season. Would you all want to return?
Matt: It depends if they give me good clothes to wear again. If I’m allowed to wear capes, I might come back.
Gary: You can’t break us up. It’d be a terrible thing to do. I just really enjoy going to work.
