“Isn’t that cheating?”: MasterChef fans confused by Matt Preston’s tasting
MasterChef judge Matt Preston shocked viewers last night as he sampled a contestant’s dish before the challenge was over – and then didn’t pick the dish to get tasted.
The mystery box challenge on last night’s episode of MasterChef Australia was to take an everyday loaf of bread and turn it into the best thing since sliced bread.
Judges Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston declared they were only going to taste the top three dishes they saw in the kitchen.
But that didn’t stop Matt from taking a bite out of contestant Jess Liemantara’s Indonesian fried bread sandwich with plum sauce before the dish was completed.
The judges usually advise contestants while they cook but they don’t often taste a dish so early.
After complimenting Jess on her work, Matt surprised viewers by saying that they should “just taste it together.”
Upon taking a big hearty bite of the fried bread sandwich, Matt had nothing but praise.
“It’s great. That’s brilliant. It’s exciting,” he said. “And I’m so proud that you’re doing something totally different from what you normally do. That’s really good. And it tastes delicious.”
Jess was thrilled, and said: “Matt’s reaction is basically what I want people to have, you know, that experience of, you know, you don’t need to say anything when the food is good. And I’m hoping that it’s enough to get me to the top three.”
But unfortunately it wasn’t enough for Jess with the judges picking Aldo Otardo’s Nonna’s meatballs, Gina Ottaway’s chicken schnitzel with Italian potato salad and Ben Borsht’s crumbed lamb cutlets with caramelised onion and a dipping gravy.
MasterChef viewers took to social media to vent saying it was unfair for Matt to taste Jess’ dish.
One viewer wrote: “Isn’t Matt tasting Jess food before cheating?”
“When we finally have our Royal Commission into #MasterChefAU judging, Matt pre-tasting Jess' dish and giving advance feedback is going to be the first cab off the rank,” joked another fan.
After seeing who won, many viewers were confused, saying it should’ve been called the “breadcrumb challenge” instead of a “bread” challenge.
One Twitter user wrote: “Halfway through the competition and we have meatballs, schnitzel and cutlets in a challenge where bread should be the ‘hero’.”
Another posted: “So basically all u had to do was crumb something and u hit the brief with making the bread the star of the dish #MasterChefAU”
Others made suggestions for dishes. One viewer wrote: “There is so many things they could have made French toast or even bread and butter pudding #MasterchefAU”