One of television's adored faces, George Calombaris chats up with After Hrs about the upcoming season of everyone's favourite show and his one constant hope for all aspiring participants.
The knives are being sharpened and the aprons are out. MasterChef Australia’s new season is barely ten days away and the cooking fervour is rife in the air. The mood, you can decidedly say, is perfect for a chat with one of the show’s known and loved faces, chef George Calombaris himself.
As the show readies itself for the Indian subcontinent, we kick off our conversation about his trip to the country last year, where he visited Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. The reception he received along with his co-judge Gary Mehigan is the sort reserved for stars — people, young and old, queueing up in line for photos and autographs of the two. Recalling the trip, Calombaris says, “It was a great experience. It was my second time in India but it was fascinating. You know, India for me is an interesting, diverse country and I realised just how naive I was about it. Seeing the culture, meeting the people... it was amazing and I plan to visit India again.”
Fully aware of the popularity of the show in the country, Calombaris admits that one of the biggest challenges of MasterChef has been to keep it interesting while sticking to the show template. And that is probably why this season, the show has gone for quite the drastic change. Gone is the whole contestant selection bit. The show instead starts with the final 22 contestants and this time around, another new twist is the whole boys vs. girls turn.
Commenting on innovations within the show, Calombaris says, “Five years on, the challenge is to keep it rejuvenated and refreshed. We are lucky that people already watch it, but our aim is to keep it better. End of the day, as mentors, we try to ensure that MasterChef is not only about its contestants. The last thing we want is to have characters who take your attention away from the cooking. As judges, we want to select nice people. Is he/she a hospitable person? Does he/she love food? Those are the considerations we see to get the boxes ticked.”
Talking about the creative thinking that is involved, Calombaris reveals that besides his co-judges Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston, there is a whole big team that keeps the show’s energies alive. “Yes, while it is our names on the door, we have a 160-strong staff that absolutely work their butts off for the show,” he says with no degree of uncertainty.
While on team efforts, one of the key elements of the show has been the steady stream of the world’s best chefs and culinary experts who mentor, set the various challenges and judge the food put out by the contestants. Quiz Calombaris if there is some sort of ‘brotherhood’ among all the chefs for the show, and his reply is instant. “Oh yes. Every single top chef in the world wants to be in MasterChef and it is humbling that we have an amazing array of chefs to chat and run the show with.”
This season will be the same in that regard assures Calombaris. But while you can be prepared for more of Heston Blumenthal — “we are great mates,” chimes Calombaris — season five, which has been shot in Melbourne, will also feature a whole lineup of the city’s top chefs. “I think Melbourne has some of the world’s best chefs running its restaurants,” he explains.
The excitement about the show is discernible in his voice and that prompts us to ask him about what he considers has been the biggest change MasterChef has brought about in audiences today. He replies, “The show has changed the way young kids think about food. Kids now know where carrots come from. And they know a chicken has feathers!” “It has made food accessible to kids,” he says, but is quick to add, “That said, MasterChef is an aspirational show too. It is about telling people that if you have a dream, you’ve got to follow it.”
For a show that is remembered for its contestants as well, Calombaris says that he continues to be in touch with the earlier participants. “It is not just the winners, I am in touch with all of them. Andre (Ursini) from Adelaide, Kate Bracks who won season three, Julia (Taylor)... they are always around, ringing in for advice or just a chat,” he notes warmly.
And finally, ask him what he always hopes for the contestants of the show and he says, “I hope they continue to follow their culinary dreams, and that necessarily needn’t be only about starting a restaurant. It is just about keeping the dream, that got them to the show, alive.”
Catch MasterChef Australia, season 5 from September 10, 9pm on Star World
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