Listen at season eighteen of one of my favorite shows in Australia's favorite shows premiered last night on Channel ten. Master Chef Australia is back and this show Laura got me into food tech home economics, Like when it came out, I was in high school and it turned me into.
A little baker boy. Like I left to bake a Victoria sponge because of it.
Okay, I'm really holding it against you because I don't think I've ever known you to cook anything except toast.
I'm a baker, you're not.
I'm a bad I did home economic miss Mooreman, if you're listening, I know how to make a victorious by wow and cream.
Bring one into the studio one day. I would love that.
I just might. And you know why, it's a shame that this interview was over the phone, because I could have presented it to one of the judges himself. This guy is a winner of Master Chef. He's very own season and he is back obviously last night, alongside three brand new judges. It's a very exciting season. Andy Allen joins us. Hello buddy, Hi Andy II he young.
I was so okay, but I would love to know after last night, I mean the big surprise Jamie Oliver working alongside here when you were on the show yourself.
Wasn't he a guest judge at the time?
He was, Yeah, season four he came out the very first time. Wow, and I unfortunately I met him briefly. Fast forward ten years and I'm actually, really I'm pretty tough to say that. We're pretty good mates now, Jamie and I. He's been so supportive over the years, and especially with you know, Jock's passing last year. He was like he was like an older brother to me. So I really appreciate it. He's such a good dude.
And what was it like getting back into like back into the studio, back into filming. I can only imagine with everything that happened last year with Jock that there must have been either some hesitation or some feelings around like.
How are we going to do this without him?
Or even coming back right?
Yeah? Yeah, for me, I was I was unsure, Like I was, I didn't mean I'll be able to do it like you know, Jock and I. It was up in that in that role. We loved it so much. We loved being able to mentor contestants, and bring the best out of them, and it just didn't feel right to do it without him. But I'm really proud that I gained the courage to be able to do it
because that's what Jock would have wanted. And you know, looking forward now to what I've been able to achieve with Poe, Sophia, Jean Christophe, Jamie the rest of the crew, we're all so proud of what we've done because we did want to continue that legacy that Jock left for us to run on with it, and we have. It's such a brilliant theason. I'm really proud of it.
But at the core of the show, and I think it speaks to what you were saying about coming back and doing it in memory of John, that the show actually has a real life impact, and eighteen seasons on, I'm sure that's something that you guys are still very conscious of.
Yeah, yeah, you're totally right, Like it's just positive energy in there, you know, like we try and build people up to be the best that they possibly can, because that's what it's all about. Like I mentioned being a mentor, that's really what we are. For the five months of filming, we are literally trying to get the best out of each and every contestant so that they can go out into the hospitality industry in some way, shape or form.
And there is so many brilliant stories, you know. I mean you look at myself, like being as Sparky from Newcastle, going on the show somehow winning and now being in the position that I am. It really does like it's day, but it really does. It can make you dreams come true. And to be honest, I didn't have any dreams and look what turned out. It's been such a wild ride.
I have one question around, like technically how you actually are able to judge on the show. So when it comes to all of you sitting down and taking a bite of the meal that someone's put forward for you, the meal is cold, right, Like it's takes so long with all the filming processes that surely by the time it gets in front of you is as cold as cold can be.
Stone cold, stone cold.
I don't know it's good.
Basically what happened is, which you don't see on air, is we are kind of ferreting around the whole court, tasting everything as it's being prepared, and then once the clock finishes, we get the contestants to kind of have all of their beautifully plated food on this little red mat, and then next door to it, we actually have all of the get them to have all of the components. It doesn't actually beautifully played it or anything like that.
But that's when we go around and do the hot tasting, so we get a really good idea of what's going to be good, what's going to be a bit shit, and anything in between. So like then we all break for lunch, everything goes in the fridge, We come back and we do the cold tasting, and there is still things that you do critique when when the dish is cold. Like I said, presentation is a big thing. So yeah, that's kind of how we get to the end goal of seeing who's got the.
Best is So you already know that a trickerer that goes on totally the TV magic.
But I love that.
And I just said, we break for lunch, then we come back and we eat that.
Yeah, we eat it.
We have twenty two dishes after lunch. There's the reason I put on six kilos not this year, because I learned my lesson for the last year. I put on six kilos, So I've seen exercising.
My ass off well, but we can't wait to watch Season I Team of Master Chef premier last night seven thirty on Channel ten and ten. Play continues tonight two hundred and fifty grand as well. Up for Grabs is a very very big season. The brand new judges are on, Andy Allen. Great to have you on, buddy, Sandy appreciate it. Thanks so much.
All Right, everyone stand by. We're back after this.
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