Knive-Wielding Chefs are a good thing: Masterchef Australia #AtoZChallenge

Dr Roshan Radhakrishnan
31
This post is part of my #A2ZChallenge for April 2016 where my theme is TV Sitcoms.
For the letter K, I shall cheat and choose the knife-wielding chefs of Masterchef Australia.

Premise:

The iconic cooking competition from the 'land down under' pits amateur chefs against each other in various innovative cooking challenges to win the coveted title of Masterchef Australia.


10 reasons you will love it:


1) Feel good factor. 
In three simple words, this is why it wins over everyone else. Unlike shows like Masterchef USA where you have the mercurial Gordon Ramsay ripping you apart, here the trio of Matt, Gary & George are like a soothing balm, praising your skills and softening the blow even while giving bad news. Even the colours and decor of the main competition hall is airy and bright with a welcoming feel to it. It makes for a wonderfully pleasant viewing experience.

2) I love Top Chef's staple trio of judges (Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi & Gail Simmons) but I would still say the trio of George Calombaris, Matt Preston & Gary Mehigan are the best for me by a tiny margin. They are lively, fun, helpful, nurturing and positive-minded. They lend the competitive show a much appreciated 'family bonding' feel.

3) The diversity. Australia has always been a land laden with people of all multi-ethnic backgrounds. The show embraces that and you find people of all backgrounds chosen, based purely on cooking skills. 

4) Learning from errors: In the 2013-2014 season, they made the crucial mistake of looking into others plates and coveting what they had. Seeing how the other cooking show hosts were a bit more stern/brash with the contestants, MCA tried the same. Viewers made their disappointment heard loud and clear and MCA luckily returned to what it did best: serving love, smiles and food in a single serving.  

5) Where usual TV shows stick to a 23 episode a season format, Masterchef just turned the dial all the way up. The recent seasons have had up to 60+ episodes, giving the contestants a lot of chances over the week to redeem themselves.

6) An ideal week would have so much awesomeness:

Sunday - Challenge Day: Mystery Box (make a dish with ingredients carefully selected and handed over in a sealed wooden box), Invention Test (make a dish based on the theme using a particular ingredient)

Monday - Pressure Test: Bottom three from Sunday face off against each other in limited time. Loser gets eliminated.

Tuesday - Immunity Challenge: Winner of Sunday faces off against an accomplished chef in a themed challenge with judges not knowing who made which dish. If contestant wins the most points, he/she gets an immunity pin which can be used later in the show to avoid elimination once. 

Wednesday - Team Challenge: contestants form teams for a challenge (usually an outdoor catering style event). 
Thursday - Elimination: Worst dishes from the losing team of Wednesday face off. Loser gets eliminated.

Friday - Master class: Based on dishes of past week, the judges teach and cook for the contestants and show how they could have done better.
  
7) Unlike the heated competition you see in most reality shows where drama gets amplified over substance, here the show has a positive vibe between competitors too all throughout and the main stress factors are limited to those occurring during the cooking rather than through personal conflicts.

8) Contests and ideas are very innovative and challenges your skills. You cannot get away with just continuously cooking Indian or French food and hope to reach the finals. Your talent under pressure, your creativity and your evolution as a chef all matters here. 

9) It is Food porn of the highest level! Enough said.
This is their version of a carrot cake, apple toffee and chocoholics delight.
Now if you will excuse me, I need to go cry somewhere...



10) Personal opinions: There are literally hundreds of cooking competition shows around on TV. Masterchef alone has so many sub-divisions (India, Canada, UK, New Zealand, France, Greece, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, USA, Peru). Of all the shows, the one I will always recommend to you is MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA. Hands down.

If aliens were to judge us based solely upon this show:

  • They would give up their plans for world destruction and stay back for the food.
  • With that awesome Aussie accent and that forever feel-good aura, the aliens most likely will abduct George Calombaris mistaking him for an Aussie teddy bear but hey, as long as there is world peace, right?

Trivia:

  • This is not the original show. The British version is the true original. This just does it better.
  • Do you remember any dish you liked in particular? You can get the recipes of the best dishes of the show here.


To see all the shows  I have talked about till date, please CLICK HERE.

Post a Comment

31Comments

Let me know what you think.

  1. I simply love this show despite not understanding what they are cooking. The 3 hosts are the best.

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    1. I've actually learned a few tricks and techniques from this one and Top Chef...

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  2. I simply love this show despite not understanding what they are cooking. The 3 hosts are the best.

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  3. And I will come cry with you, Roshan! :D
    The show is truly amazing and I simply cannot have enough of it. Loved how you brought out the essence of the show.

    P.S: I love Gordan Ramsay though!
    Visit to read Army Wife Tales at Tale of Two Tomatoes
    You can also drop in to check 26 Chicken Recipes at Something's Cooking

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    1. Thanks.. its a show that deserves a lot of love.
      I actually loved Gordon Ramsay more in the Junior Masterchef version... there a more big-hearted version is visible onscreen

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  4. Good, good, goody....I am so happy you have taken up my 'farmaish'! I absolutely adore this show and follow it intimately. One gets so attached to some contestants...it is bizarre. The tense, pulsating mood that they create is simply amaing. It is actually a play on emotions. I watch eagerly for Matt Preston's expressions and Gar's kind words. george is too adorable....oh dear I love them all! And yes you've done full justice to the show Doc! Now I need some happy tucks ;)
    @KalaRavi16 from
    Relax-N-Rave

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    1. It wasn't easy accommodating this show since my "M" is already booked.
      But at the same time, it is a show that definitely deserves love.
      And yes, each host has some wonderful traits and together as a team, they work brilliantly

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  5. Its amazing how cooking has been made into a competitive activity! I am a reluctant cook but I admire the creativity and enthusiasm of the participants. Thanks to the show, I now know what to really look our for in a particular preparation. Good choice!
    @yenforblue from
    Spice of Life!

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    1. Yes, we do learn quite a bit from them... terms we would never hear in our own Indian style of cooking come into play here.

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  6. I used to be crazy about Top Chef for their judges too! Tom Colicchio still holds a special place in my heart. He makes bald look so sexy! :D

    I'm so addicted to Masterchef Australia that I remember all the contestants of every season by name! There is something so pleasant about the show that is amazing! The judges and their easy rapport with the contestants is welcoming too. I love Gordon Ramsay, but I find Masterchef USA to be every brash and bitchy. And yet it is much better than Masterchef India though where people cry at the drop of a hat and create drama withe every breath.

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    1. I've had more opportunities to view Top Chef than Masterchef Australia honestly so I will vouch for the fact that Top Chef is a brilliant show too.

      As you said, there is something really pleasant about an episode of Masterchef Australia that you dont get in most other shows

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  7. I've watched the US one, and the Indian one. The title attracted me because I know something about Masterchef. One and a half out of 26, okay? :P
    I've run out of seasons to watch from the US and Indian one. I might as well watch the Aussie one now :)

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    1. haha :) Fine... 1 and a 1/2. But i feel you've missed out on the best one by not checking out MC Australia.

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  8. Finally, a show that we watch! KG being a foodie, this show is a must watch at our place. It is a treat to watch some amazing dishes being made by the contestants, but the pressure under which they make is something increases my awe-quotient for them! But how they cry at a drop of a hat is beyond my comprehension, still!

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    1. My mom too hates the fact that there's a timer and the judges 'judge' (heaven forbid!) :D

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  9. Love this show! Feel good factor- Yes! Endearing judges- yes! Talented contestants- Yes! And very well done. And I totally love the take aliens have on the shows!! :)
    Cheers
    Seena
    #AtoZChallenge - K is for Kicks

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    1. Haha... thanks. Regarding the aliens thingy, I wanted something unique for my challenge for it to stand out. This was my take!

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  10. Finally a show that I followed for a while. I am not fond of cooking as much but my husband is no less. Food for him is his life, his soul and he never misses a single episode of Masterchef Australia and so I too glance it for a while and it only makes me happy!

    The creativity and the cutting edge competition and the way they create the pressure the how brilliantly the participants come out all shining bright is what it makes it even more wonderful.

    Thanks for cheating on this one :P ;)

    Cheers
    Geets

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    1. Was happy to cheat for this one's sake :) My 'M' is already booked!

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  11. Finally the show I love to bits is here on your list :)
    I've seen all seasons of Masterchef Australia, know almost all contestants and have tried a handful of their recipes and many tricks from the masterclass in my kitchen.

    This is definitely one of my all-time favorite TV shows.

    @theerailivedin from The Era I Lived In

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    1. I'm happy to see that many have followed the show so religiously... its definitely worth it for its uplifting nature and lovely challenges

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  12. I am so happy to see my favourite faces from the season 7 laughing from the screen. This is one show I love the most. I was so addicted to it that I never missed an episode!

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  13. I've heard a lot about this show and I've watched a couple of episodes and they are awesome. Loved the 10 reasons.

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    1. Watch a whole season - you will fall for the show the way others who have commented above have

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  14. Agree. Food porn of the highest order!
    I have watched the Indian version. It was okay in terms of the challenges given and the food prepared. But it lacked chemistry between judges and contestants.
    Btw, I love your "aliens were to judge us" section at the end of each post! More so 'coz I'm the alien pumpkin, remember? :D
    - Chicky @ www.mysteriouskaddu.com

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    1. haha.. thanks. I really wanted something unique as a takeaway from each post and this 'aliens judging us' seemed to suit my style of writing :)

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  15. There was a time when I watched all versions of Masterchef - Australia, US, Junior. No India but rest all. And I am never interesting in cooking. It was just for the show and the love for food that I can eat :D.
    And the challenges - so awesomely creative. Great pick Dr. :)

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    1. Thanks Parul. And I will be honest - I ended up learning quite a lot from this show. Not just Masterclass but even from the contestants style of cooking

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  16. That's a great show n I really like d intensity when d time is running is running out n d contestent I want should win is really laking behind. Kinda makes me nervous.

    Richa


    http://richajindal.com/healthy-foods/

    http://jindalpackers.com/blog/late-delivery/

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    1. haha..believe me, we all love those. Well, except my mom! She hates that bit :D

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