0/5

MasterChef back to basics

Real food, real people and their stories -TEN's MasterChef is promising a return to the heart of the series for its fourth season.

Former MasterChef contestants joined George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan, Matt Preston, Matt Mora, execs from TEN and Shine, plus media and sponsors last night for the launch of the fourth season at Luminare in South Melbourne.

Amongst the guests were graduates Poh Ling Yeow, Kate Bracks, Hayden Quinn, Chris Badenoch, Julia Jenkins, Philip Vakos, Michael Weldon, Dani Venn, Kumar Pereira, Rachel McSweeney, Jimmy Servai, Skye Craig and more. In attendance were James and Nikki Warburton, David Mott, Beverley McGarvey, Mark Fennessy, Matt Campbell and producer Margie Bashfield.

Angela Bishop was MC for the night, which included a three course meal consisting of dishes drawn from previous seasons.

Producers are adamant this season returns to the heart of the show with more Invention Tests, Mystery Boxes and fairer Immunity Challenges. It kicks off in Melbourne, frequently touted last night as “the food capital of Australia.” Locations include the historic Melbourne Exhibition Buildings and Monsalvat Estate in Eltham.

David Mott, Chief Programming Office, described the show as one that viewers hold dear.

MasterChef this season brings the programme back to basics, to what people have always loved about the MasterChef brand in Australia,” he said.

“It is about the real food, it is about the real people and their stories. What you’re actually going to see is that it expresses their character through the food that they prepare.

“Our contestants are here because they know we will honour their stories and respect their dreams as they get to the food industry.”

A sizzle reel was played with Mott asking media not to give away some of the Top 24. The fourth season will also include an appearance from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

The evening also featured a door prize of a trip to Bangkok -surely a hint at the show’s international destination for 2012?

It all begins Sunday 6th May at 7.30pm.

10 Responses

  1. I agree with the other comments!
    I really despise the sob story piano cue, the ‘da da da dum’, “my father and/or mother didn’t love, me etc etc”

  2. This is great News… the show was at it’s best when it was simple.

    re. the sob stories.. alot of you on this blog may have a problem with it but obviously people with ratings boxes don’t. Just look at The Voice for goodness sake. Half the show is about sob/back stories.

    Lastly, I though perhaps Matt Moran wasn’t apart of this season. I couldn’t see him in the promos.

  3. I’m happy to stand corrected. Thanks David. OK it is a real stab at a career in the Food Industry. I pity the poor person who has slaved it out as an apprentice.

  4. Butterfly Carnage: Let me quote Mediaweek here: “They introduced contestants from former series and there must have been 20 or more people who are now working in various capacities in the food industry.”

  5. What I’ve never understood is the sob stories on MC being a chef is an achievable goal, go to TAFE!
    I love the show but really the whole ‘dream’ and sob storylines is over the top for a cooking show.
    Either way I am still looking forward to this season!

  6. this shows is going to take a dip in ratings this year, one thing i cant stand about these shows are the sob stories that go with it. best thing to do is record it and then fast forward through them and just watch the cooking

  7. Do “graduates” of MC really go on to get jobs in the food industry or the TV industry? I’m happy to be corrected but having “your own” TV show or your own cooking segment isn’t the Food industry ie: running a restaurant or working in a kitchen day in – day out. The charade is that these contestants actually think they obtain the title “Chef”.

Leave a Reply