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Neil Perry denies trashing MasterChef

Update: Sydney Chef Neil Perry has denied comments in the Sunday Telegraph but the newspaper published the interview audio.

Sydney Chef Neil Perry has denied comments that were attributed to him in the Sunday Telegraph in which he was reported to have dismissed MasterChef contestants as “nobodies.”

“These people are just nobodies with very little experience, and [aided by the show] are able to be exposed and have opportunities. That’s why people go on the show,” he reportedly told the newspaper.

But the Rockpool chef sent an email to Matt Preston, which has been published on Preston’s Facebook page, denying he trashed the show. Perry says the comments were taken out of context. He called the article “bull.”

“What I said was that I love Master Chef because it brings fresh food into the homes of Australians and that is amazing. Lots of young Australians’ are seeing food prepared from fresh ingredients and going out and trying to copy that. To me that is the best part of the show and it is in line with the message I always try to get out to the GP,” he wrote.

“So at no stage did I say anything negative about the show, as I believe it is amazing to have food on mainstream network, especially a show that pushes real food being cooked in front of a huge audience. I told him I wanted to go on Master Chef Junior as that is what I have spent my whole life preaching about, young people realising how amazing fresh food is and hopefully cooking is the point of the whole thing.”

You can read his email in full here.

Update: The newspaper hits back with audio of the Perry interview.

14 Responses

  1. They are nobodies. Until made by hype. How many have signed up for their “own” sauces? What a load of old codswallop!

    During Masterchef, do the advertisers of fast foods wish to make my wife puke by showing disgusting images of their offerings? Is that the aim of the advertising? What is that image all about? Is that food porn?

  2. Never take seriously a man over 20 who has a pony tail. Let’s see if he puts his hand up for Masterchef Professionals, ala the UK version.

  3. It looks like they spun his comments about how the show takes inexperienced people and builds them into media personalities into a negative, when he meant it as an encouragement. That’s what he meant by “out of context”.

    All the quotes will have been cherry picked. All you need to do is have a headline with the words “slams” or “snubbed” and that immediately colours your perception of the quotes, even if they’re perfectly innocent comments.

  4. Yeah Neil Perry is so polite and respectful of others: smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/perry-gives-customer-curry/2009/10/15/1255195863660.html

  5. The article did seem at odds with Perry’s actions on happily going on Poh’s Kitchen & Masterchef *several times*.

    If the journalist has evidence otherwise he’s got the perfect story – but what’s the bet we won’t hear a wink about it again?

  6. The Jornalist..Jonathan Moran says he has the notes and tape to prove Perry’s comments.
    When I saw Perry on Masterchef, I thought he was super crtical of the contestants and of all the celebrity chef judges he is the one I’ve disliked the mos so far.He seemed very cold.I’ve eaten in his Sydney Rockpool Bar and Grill, and certainly wouldn’t give it a 10 out of 10..the service standard was all over the place, and the food prices are astronomical for what you get.

  7. “These people are just nobodies with very little experience, and [aided by the show] are able to be exposed and have opportunities. That’s why people go on the show,” – well that is 100% correct. they are nobodies, that is the whole point of the show. do i sense rival network smear campaign? very odd

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