49 Secrets You May Have Missed

Delicious gossip served straight from the set

1 MasterChef Australia 2020 debuted to its highest ratings in five years, with 1.23 million viewers tuning in.

2 There was no MasterChef house this year. Instead, contestants were given the five-star treatment, staying in individual apartments during filming.

3 Yes, the food is cold when the judges taste it!

4 By the time judges start tasting, it’s two to three hours after the dishes have been cooked.

5 The one thing the judges are not allowed to do is mention the temperature of the food when critiquing.

6 The judges have already picked their favorite dishes before they’re served to them. “When you see us tasting at the end … I’ve already made the decision,” former judge George Calombaris previously revealed.

7 Nothing is wasted. Leftover produce is often donated to food charity SecondBite and delivered to people in need.

8 Contestants arrive at the set by bus, not in a fancy car.

9 The contestants are told about challenges ahead of time.

10 During challenges, contestants are allowed to use recipes only if instructed.

11 Filming days are very long, lasting up to 17 hours, with days starting as early as 5 am.

12 Contestants generally have evenings and weekends off. The rest of the time they are filming.

13 Contestants are said to be given an allowance of $500 to spend outside of the competition during filming.

14 Contestants sometimes have to pretend to cook so that the cameramen can get the shot.