Summary

• Last-minute mayhem on MasterChef is often staged for dramatic effect, with contestants pretending to work after the clock stops.
• Judges on the show are not served hot food, as it is often refrigerated before being presented to them.
• Contestants are not allowed to choose their own outfits, as the producers decide what they will wear based on their personality and background.

MasterChef was an instant hit in the UK when it first aired in 1991, but some of the show is more fake than real. However, it's so entertaining that the show has been syndicated worldwide. It has been fronted in the US by Gordan Ramsay since 2010.

The high-pressured competition and mouth-watering meals always keep viewers engaged, but like all reality TV shows, some aspects of the show are amped up and edited to make for more entertaining TV. This may leave some viewers wondering what in the show is genuine and which elements are staged. Some MasterChef episodes are better than others, but all are entertaining, regardless of how produced it is.

Last Minute Mayhem Is Often Staged

Watching the contestants scramble to get their dishes finished at the last minute might look very thrilling, but it turns out that the perfectly orchestrated drama is too good to be true. Christina Tosi, one of the judges on the show, once revealed that when the clock stops, the contestants have to step away from their stations (per Lucky Peach).

However, the catch is that they are then told to keep pretending they are working and recreate the last-minute mayhem for the cameras. One important thing to note is that contestants cannot change their dishes after the clock stops.

Judges Are Not Served Hot Food

The camera angles and tasteful shots of the final dishes might make it look like the judges will be served hot, fresh food, but that is not the reality. On the televised show, it seems like the food is presented to the judges as soon as the contestant finishes their challenge. The food is kept in the fridge while everyone goes for a break.

According to MasterChef US season 4 contestant Alice Zaslavsky, after the challenge ends, the food is shot using overhead cameras (per Domain). When it's time to present to the judges, it is simply pulled out of the fridge. This means that judges have to pretend to enjoy the hot food. One important thing to note is that judges go around the kitchen and taste every contestant's food as soon as it is finished, which is not shown in the show.

The Contestants Don't Get To Choose What They Wear

While many would assume that the myriad of MasterChef contestants would be allowed to wear what they want - especially as the show is about cooking rather than style - that's not the case. Season 5 contestant Elise Mayfield revealed to AV Club that the producers decide the contestants' outfits. Their choices are mostly to do with each contestant's personality and background.

Judges Don't Enforce The Rules

It seems unlikely that three celebrity judges will be running around the kitchen at all times looking at what contestants are doing, especially during the beginning of the show when there are over 24 contestants all cooking their own dishes, but that is what the show suggests to viewers.

In her interview with Lucky Peach, judge Christina Tosi talks about the army of people working behind the scenes, especially the presence of standards-and-practice officials who "watch the contestants' every move" to ensure they follow the rules. The producers also have to ensure that all contestants understand the rules of each challenge thoroughly before filming can go ahead, making the judges' lives easier.

Contestants Are Taught The Dishes Beforehand

It seems odd when multiple contestants cook a similar dish while claiming they've never made it at home. This is especially true when the dish they are cooking is not easy, like a chocolate soufflé, which is notoriously tricky. However, there's a simple answer to this, as revealed by season 5 contestant Elizabeth Cauvel: the contestants are taught certain dishes beforehand (per Medium).

Tutorials take place on the weekend outside of filming. Although these sessions are not mandatory, many contestants do choose to attend them as the dishes taught over the weekend can be utilized throughout the week. Considering some of the worst dishes the contestants served during MasterChef elimination challenges, some members should have paid more attention during the classes.

Judges Have Favorite Contestants

MasterChef may be a competition, but the judges are also human, and it's human nature to gravitate towards people you like and connect with. Former contestant Alice Zaslavsky suggests that there were some judges' favorites during her season of MasterChef Australia.

For example, she says Masterchef Australia judge Matt Preston would take to people interested in writing about food, while Gary Mehigan favored those who used classic techniques in the kitchen. Of course, this is just one person's experience of the show, and Zaslavsky emphasizes that these personal connections did not affect judging.

Contestants Are Allowed To Re-Plate Their Dishes

The final dishes always look impressive, even if the said contestant rushed the presentation during the last minutes of the challenge. Presentation is a big part of any food contest; sometimes the participants are given a second chance to replate their dishes.

An executive producer from MasterChef Australia, Margaret Bushfield, stated that in some cases, because of the duration of the filming, some contestants are given a chance to replate the dishes (per The Daily Telegraph). A chocolate mousse doesn't always come out looking so perfect after all.

Auditions Are Not Just About Cooking

A vital part of the MasterChef viewing experience is the audition rounds. It's a fun experience to guess which person will be chosen, and it can provide a sense of schadenfreude to see people crumbling under pressure.

But the contestants who are finally chosen are not picked purely based on their cooking abilities; many things factor into the decisions. These include personality and background to keep the show exciting and to have a diverse selection of cooks. As former contestant Elise Mayfield says, "There’s this pressure to cook and also be a big enough personality to differentiate yourself from all these other people in the room." This also happens in other cooking shows like MasterChef, with contestants selected for their credentials to make the best TV.

It's All Engineered Fiction

MasterChef is a reality TV show, and its primary purpose is to be entertaining. While the cooking and the judging might be real, many things in the show are over-dramatized or done in specific ways to keep the series fun.

A former season 2 contestant, Ben Starr, commented in a blog post that MasterChef is purely entertainment. As reported by Radar Online, he wrote, "It is not real. It is not a competition. It is highly engineered fiction." Starr clarified that his "experience with the show was excellent" and his words were "not meant to be a condemnation of MasterChef." While some elements of any reality TV show may be edited, that doesn't mean that viewers can't enjoy them for entertainment value.

Source: Radar Online, The Daily Telegraph, Medium, AV Club, Domain, Lucky Peach