The reality cooking show ‘Masterchef’ is a brand in itself. Aired first in the UK in 1990, it has expanded to more than 50 nations. Each of these countries has its own version of Masterchef. It helps them showcase their domestic cuisine to the world. But when a reality show airs for more than three decades, there are bound to be some controversies! One such Masterchef controversy occurred in Australia that saw a complete overhaul of judges in just a week!
In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the controversy that rocked the popular Masterchef Australia. We’ll also see a few other controversies that put the makers of the show in a soup!
What was the Masterchef Australia scandal?
Remember George Calombaris, the short and affable judge of Masterchef Australia. Well, George was the judge of Masterchef Australia for 11 seasons. Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston were his co-judges. They took the show’s ratings to new highs together. The show was popular not just in Australia but across the world. As the show rose in popularity, so did the judges. But an abrupt scandal halted George’s popularity juggernaut when he was accused of underpaying his employees for years. George had swindled his employees of a whopping $AUS 7.8 million. Apparently, he forgot what it takes to build a restaurant – good people!
After news of George’s unethical behavior came to light, disenchanted fans wrote a petition to sack the judge immediately. More than 25,000 petitions were raised to this effect! Seeing the umbrage of viewers to this news, the producers fired all three judges. Poor Gary and Matt had to face the brunt as well. The reason they cited to let the other two judges go was “commercial”. But the makers were rattled by the controversy and decided it was time for a complete overhaul instead.
George did accept his mistake later on but viewers felt he sat on the issue for too long. This scandal served as a good lesson to restaurateurs. It reiterated the fact that employees need to be paid fair wages, especially when you’re trying to build a restaurant. The old wisdom of not messing with people who handle your food remains relevant!
What were some other shocking Masterchef controversies?
So, is the Masterchef controversy only limited to Australia? Certainly not! Here’s a list of shocking incidents that have occurred in Masterchef over the years:
- Controversial comments on Asian cuisine
Well, here we are with another scandalous case in Masterchef Australia! Judge Jock Zonfrillo caused a huge stir in June 2020, when he said Asian cuisines are not fit for “fine dining” like European cuisine. Zonfrillo was going on and on about the fine-dining aesthetics of French dishes and then blurted out his racist comments. In reality, Asian cuisines are full of fine dining presentations.
- A contestant commits suicide
Josh Marks was the runner-up in the third season of Masterchef USA. He was loved by viewers for his big physical stature and gentle smile. But life came crumbling down for Josh when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia later on. It was alleged that the stress he faced on the show aggravated his condition. Not able to cope with his mental state, he took his life.
- Showing the killing of animals on TV
A contestant named Sheetal Bhagat was caught unprepared when an unexpected challenge was thrown in a MasterChef episode. In this 2010 episode, the contestants were tasked with killing a live crab on TV before preparing the dish. For a devout Hindu like Sheetal, this went against her religious principles. Although Gordon Ramsay offered to help her at first, he refrained from it later. This created a lot of controversy for the show.
- Frog in the well approach to international cuisine
Malaysia’s cuisine, chicken rendang became the center of focus in Masterchef UK in 2018. Two judges in the show John Torode and Greg Wallace came under severe criticism when their ignorance of international cuisine was exposed. They didn’t know chicken rendang is not crispy and is supposed to have sauce on the skin! And these two had the gall to critique the contestant on the crispiness of the chicken!
- Harassment in Masterchef USA
A massive controversy erupted in 2013 when a former contestant named Marie Porter accused the producers of Masterchef USA of harassment. Porter said the contestants on the show were physically and sexually harassed by the producers and judges alike. Although many contestants didn’t want to get involved, others like Carrie Stevens did support the claim. Shine America, the company that produces Masterchef USA, denied the claims altogether.
Key Takeaway
Not a year goes by without a new Masterchef controversy. From judges underpaying their employees to contestants taking their own lives, things often escalate quickly. These controversies have also highlighted the fact that even the best chefs aren’t often immune to silly food notions. These controversies have revealed that a show that was supposed to showcase diverse cuisines has often failed.