It's All Engineered Fiction. MasterChef is, at the end of the day, a reality TV Show and its main purpose is to be entertaining. While the cooking and the judging might be real, a lot of the things in the show are over-dramatized or done in certain ways to keep the series entertaining.
Yep, reports on the show have revealed that contestants are actually only paid slightly more than the legal minimum wage.
Production staff takes each cook's phone before they come on set and hold on to them for the duration of filming. When not filming, the contestants are allowed contact with their family but aren't allowed to discuss any details of the filming, or broadcast where they are on social media.
ONE MAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLEAN-UP
Dishwasher Leigh Dowling is one of over 200 crew that make the MasterChef dream a reality. "Leigh washes everything you see," executive producer Margaret Bashfield reveals.
But it turns out contestants are actually told about the challenges beforehand.. "Contestants are given the heads-up on the challenges, themes [and] recipes the night before filming, so they can research techniques and recipes," an unnamed source told New Idea.
You really do cook only one dish.
Although some shows have contestants make multiple dishes for judges and beauty shots, the chefs on MasterChef make only one that'll either get them to the next round or send them home.
MasterChef US and UK
Of course, we're all curious where that veritable smorgasbord of delights ends up after filming is over. As it turns out, the crew gets first dibs, Marketplace reported. All leftovers and unused pantry items are then donated to MEND – a support service charity based in LA.
Well, the short answer is no. It isn't thrown out. According to show insiders, once the judges have finished critiquing the meals served up by their chef hopefuls, they are then encouraged to take a small plate of leftovers home.
The LA-based "MasterChef" puts competitors in an undisclosed hotel during the duration of their stay. Distractify explains that this is necessary as they can be summoned to the show as early as 3:00 a.m. and can work up to 12 hours per day.
Promoted Stories. Food is central to MasterChef, yet it's essentially impossible for Gregg and John and the guest judges to taste everything while it's still hot – even warm. Usually, contestants' dishes are room temperature. The flavours remain and judges always know whether dishes are pleasing or not.
Do the MasterChef contestants have to buy their own ingredients? If the contestants wish to practice cooking up their food masterpieces at home, then they are expected to foot the bill for the ingredients, and they aren't reimbursed.
"What happens is that it gets ground down and cooked into compost, and that goes back into the gardens at Masterchef because that's a huge part of the show, the fact that we grow fruits and vegetables and herbs that the contestants can use," she told The Design Files.
With the judges rumoured to be taking home around $500,000 a year with Ten, the show's rampant popularity and critical acclaim could see bigger fees negotiated for future seasons.
Indian-origin pastor Justin Narayan has won the title of MasterChef Australia 13 which includes a cash prize of $250,000 dollars. Kishwar Chowdhury, who originally hails from Bangladesh, was the second runner-up and won $20,000, and Pete Campbell from New South Wales went home with $30,000 as the first runner-up.
Krissi is unarguably the most hated contestant in the history of the show despite her resilience and strong cooking abilities.
Hailing from across the country, MasterChef contestants travel to Melbourne for filming, where they are put up in serviced apartment accommodation. A reliable source close to production tells Refinery29 Australia that usually two contestants share an apartment, but each has their own bedroom within the unit.
While former MasterChef: The Professionals star Rosanna Moseley told the Birmingham Mail: "The food stays there for a bit after you've finished so they can get good shots of it. "So it can be cold by the time the judges get to it - especially if you're last to be judged - but they take that into consideration."
While the show's crazy talented chefs are busy cooking up gourmet dishes, it looks like food isn't the only thing heating up on MasterChef! NW has learned that two All Stars contestants had flings with fellow cooks during their initial seasons on the show.
MasterChef Australia's three judges enjoy a growing friendship.
Contestants have to buy any ingredients they require to practice dishes to make at home and aren't given any money towards it - but ingredients and a full pantry are provided in the MasterChef kitchens.
And they don't get to keep the aprons they wear on the show. But they are sent nice new ones in the post later. This is so no one is spotted with a MasterChef apron before the series goes out on TV.
If you're asking whether they have recipes to follow during challenges, then the answer is no. The time constraints are real, and contestants never get to use a recipe or get to use their phones during a challenge.
In 2013, "MasterChef" judges and producers were accused of sexual, mental, and physical harassment by former contestants. Many accusations came from a blog post by former contestant Marie Porter, where she describes how friends she met on the show were allegedly sexually and physically harassed by judges and producers.
Leftover produce and perishables from MasterChef's ginormous pantry are donated to SecondBite, a not-for-profit food rescue organisation that helps end food waste and food insecurity in Australia.
"They do most of the time [eat the food cold], but after everyone's finished cooking and time is called, the judges come around to the benches and try everything.