For segments where filming does take a number of hours, the plates will be put in the fridge in the meantime so it doesn't go off. However, the judges do have a very clever way of making sure they try the prepared dishes as they were meant to be eaten - piping hot.
Do the MasterChef judges have to eat the food cold? Unfortunately - yes. The cameramen have the tough job of capturing beautiful imagery of the food whilst it is piping hot and looking absolutely perfect, which can take a lot of time. When Gregg and John get around to trying to food, it isn't warm anymore.
"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.
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.
They eat maybe two or three bites from each plate. From there, they just kin of move around the remains food until the is a cut or break in the filming. In this break someone comes by and brings in a new plate that is near empty or someone comes in and just removes a good deal of food.
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.
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.
Mary Jayne, who competed on Season 11 of the Gordon Ramsay Fox reality cooking competition, "is suing its production companies, claiming producers pressured her to keep filming for 14 hours and prevented her from getting medical care, even though she was showing signs of a stroke," reports TMZ.
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.
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.
Do the judges REALLY eat the food cold? It's the question that perplexes MasterChef Australia fans year after year: by the time the contestants bring up their dishes for the three judges to taste, aren't they cold? The answer is yes. "They try our dish as we're cooking it," Steph reveals.
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.
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.
Yep, reports on the show have revealed that contestants are actually only paid slightly more than the legal minimum wage.
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.
They just cook. They wash their hands after handling raw meats, but otherwise gloves aren't really needed unless they have a cut or something.
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.
You get your hair and makeup done before filming.
To make sure each contestant is camera-ready, production takes care of hair and makeup. "To hear, 'OK, we're going to hair and makeup,' and then to actually pull into Paramount Pictures, that moment was nuts.
MasterChef Australia's three judges enjoy a growing friendship.
Personality. Krissi is unarguably the most hated contestant in the history of the show despite her resilience and strong cooking abilities.
He was a decent cook, but was infamous for serving food from another home cook that wasn't cooked by himself. Despite the understanding that the incident was an accident, he made history for being the first contestant ever to be disqualified from MasterChef, although he took his elimination gracefully.
Adam Pearson is a regular caller and occasional guest host to The Bedtime Babble On, a radio programme that airs on Spark Sunderland, weeknights from 10pm. In August 2022, Pearson appeared on Celebrity Masterchef, becoming the first contestant to be eliminated in his heat.
Frozen food always comes out right before the judges tuck in but it still often melts during the delay to take those pictures. Former contestant Billy Wright explained: "That's why it's always in separate dishes.
If you are selected to be on the show, you must be available to commit yourself to the competition and taping of this show anywhere between 8-10 weeks from Mid October 2023 to Mid December 2023, depending on how far you advance in the competition. Dates are subject to change at the Producer's sole discretion.
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.