The pressure has reached an all time high on MasterChef Australia this week as Viral Wonders Week continues. Contestants completed their first service challenge, serving a crowd of hundreds with a dish worthy of going viral.
Despite the impressive feat pulled off by the hopefuls, fans still can’t get past this one habit that seems be overshadowing the show.
Food influencer and critic Lily Huynh was the celebrity guest judge during the episode, secretly tasting each dish and then revealing her identity at the end of the episode.
Talk about pressure!
While there were certainly a lot of pivots, failures, and success stories during the challenge (such as Caleb’s team’s pandan crepe that didn’t quite hold together and Luke’s ability to make mouth-watering tortillas from scratch…for the first time), what fans seem to be commenting the most on is the contestant’s hygiene.
Maybe it was the fact that it was a service challenge, and the thought that people besides the judges would be tasting the food prompted people to riot.
Either way, it has fans conflicted.
And, it’s got so bad that the production company Endemol Shine Australia has stepped in and told WHO about its hygiene protocols.
Fans are hung up on MasterChef’s ‘lack’ of hygiene
While we all thought the complaints were over when it came to MasterChef Australia’s kitchen hygiene, we were undoubtably wrong.
As the stakes are raised and more contestants get eliminated and challenges take place, there have been more chances than ever to grumble about the contestant’s cooking habits.
Fans have even gone so far as to single out contestants and complain about everything from their hair and jewellery to casual cooking habits and mistakes that I’m sure almost every home cook has tried (and continues to do) in their own kitchens.
“Emily tie your hair back!!! Gross,” one fan wrote online. “They’re called bobby pins!”
“Hair nets please!!!” another viewer replied in agreement.
“Agree, don’t understand why the women don’t tie their hair properly,” another fan responded.
While the contestants have been targeted, the producers of the show have also copped a lot of heat.
“Don’t Masterchef producers follow health and safety procedures?” another user wrote online. “Absolutely ridiculous!!”
“It should be part of the hygiene brief for all contestants – hair, tasting spoons, clean hands … most unappealing to watch them constantly adjusting hair then touching food,” another viewer agreed.
MasterChef steps in to address hygiene complains
The production company confirmed to WHO that the contestants are briefed before each challenge and hygiene remains front of mind during cooking.
“Hygiene, health and safety are paramount in the MasterChef Australia kitchen,” a spokesperson from Endemol Shine Australia told WHO. “Contestants are briefed on protocols before they begin each cook and our Food Team provide reminders throughout.”
Judge Andy Allen told WHO about the show’s best cooking practices too, responding to the major backlash the show received last year.
“They do get pretty strict training at the start of the season and they’re constantly reminded,” Andy said. “There’ll be a producer from the food team looking after each bench and if they go to double dip or anything like that, they’re there to stop them, and remind them, and trying to get the safest practise that we can in terms of hygiene.
“But you can only do what you can do, right? Like, it’s one of those ones that as much as we can try and control the situation, things are going to slip through the cracks.”
While he admitted that it’s hard to break habits like “double dipping” and putting “your fingers into the bowl” to taste the flavour, the production team is doing everything they can to try.
“We do definitely, definitely try, and it can never be perfect, unfortunately.”
Fans are defending contestants more this year
Despite the negative commentary online, some fans have still rallied around the show.
“Can I just say I’m so pleased to see hair off the faces of contestants this year,” one fan wrote in support of the changes. “Last year was horrendous.”
“I’m sorry, but I thought this was a reality cooking show, not critique the hair, jewellery, clothes worn by the judge’s, lack of cooks time on tv, constant yelling,” one fan wrote to defend the backlash MasterChef has received this year. “I mean really, so over hearing about people’s gripe’s. You don’t like it, don’t watch it.”
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