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.
Brent Draper made history on MasterChef Australia three years ago when he became the first person to voluntarily leave the show. The tradie-turned-chef choked back tears on his final episode of the series as he announced that the pressure was too much for him, and he wanted to leave to protect his mental health.
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.
Where do the MasterChef contestants stay during filming? Hailing from across the country, MasterChef contestants travel to Melbourne for filming, where they are put up in serviced apartment accommodation.
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.
Do Master Chef contestants get recipes to cook things that they have never cooked before? For the time they're on the show, they have a 6-day workweek - they get Sundays off to do what they want. The other six days, they're either filming for the show, or they're taking cooking classes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
All of your living expenses are paid for by production.
Contestants on the show are put up in a hotel for the duration of filming. Additionally, their transportation and food expenses are paid for by the show.
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.
At the time, the father of one told judges that mentally, he “just wasn't there”, with fellow contestants and judges supporting Brent and his decision to prioritise his own mental health. WATCH NOW: MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo explains why he carries worry beads. Article continues in video.
While Brent left MasterChef to focus on his mental health, he didn't believe the show played a large role in his mental health declining. "It just heightened everything for me," he said. "The pressure's there but I wasn't dreading the cooking.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
Well, MasterChef makes it very clear that absolutely no food is wasted after the judges have tested the meals. We'd all love a taster of the mouth-watering meals, and it seems like the crew is no different. The culinary delights are left for those operating cameras and directing the show behind the scenes.
Originally Answered: who cleans up the pots/pans on cooking shows & why do they look so new? The pots and pans are new. They are donated by companies who want to be featured on the show. So, they are unwashed and shiny.
Refinery29 Australia reported last year that contestants have previously been put up in a serviced apartment, with two people in an apartment with their own bedrooms. In 2020, news.com.au revealed that contestants usually live in "a multimillion-dollar mansion".
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."