Recipe for success after lockdown

MasterChef judge Melissa Leong had her fingers, toes, eyes and everything crossed that they would be able to finish the season of the popular

Ten cooking show.

Leong and fellow new judges Andy Allen and Jock Zonfrillo were barely halfway through filming the Back to Win series as COVID-19 started to really make its presence felt in Australia. Fortunately adopting strict new conditions, including judges not eating from the same plate, more space between the contestant’s benches and dedicated hand washing stations, separate from any food preparation, meant the show could continue.

Viewers will see the new-look MasterChef episodes from Monday. Leong tells Hibernation strict hygiene had always been top of mind on the food show.

“That bit was easy,” she says. “The hardest things are with the social distancing.

MasterChef as you know and love is a deeply emotional show. Moments happen where you want to hug or high five someone. Even just giving a reassuring pat on the back becomes difficult when you can’t be within 1.5m of people. “It puts the impetus on us to use our words and connect emotionally and intellectually with our wonderful contestants. We bring other elements to the table apart from high fives or hugs.

“We’ve had to lean on the way we articulate our judgments and the way we feel towards our contestants and the tremendous effort they put in..”

Leong’s also hoping the MasterChef effect extends beyond introducing us to quenelles and macarons and phrases such as plating up infiltrating our vernacular. She’s confident it will help the hospitality industry which has been smashed by corona restrictions.

MASTERCHEF SUNDAY-THURSDAY, 7.30PM, TEN