WEBVTT - Andy Allen - Masterchef Australia - TV Host 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:01.760 It's in the news today, but it was actually on 0:00:01.840 --> 0:00:05.040 TV Reload, the podcast past leep that line. Welcome back, 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.720 guys to TV Reload. As you may know, my name 0:00:07.800 --> 0:00:10.640 is Benjamin Norris and this is your podcast to get 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:13.200 all the inside goss all the popular TV shows you 0:00:13.240 --> 0:00:16.880 may be watching from around the world. Undeniably, our TV 0:00:16.960 --> 0:00:19.480 sets are still a major part of our home entertainment, 0:00:19.560 --> 0:00:22.320 and yet very little is known about how our favorite 0:00:22.320 --> 0:00:25.440 shows get made. So each episode, I've been finding guests 0:00:25.480 --> 0:00:27.720 that want to dive just that little bit deeper into 0:00:27.760 --> 0:00:30.920 the shows they're currently making or they've been filming, so 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:33.920 that you can hear all their exclusive stories and gain 0:00:33.960 --> 0:00:37.440 access to the biggest names in Australian television. I want 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:40.280 to thank you for downloading or subscribing to this podcast 0:00:40.320 --> 0:00:43.120 however you found it. I love hearing your feedback, so 0:00:43.320 --> 0:00:45.279 do me a favor and leave a review or a 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:49.200 comment on your chosen podcast platform. This chat, I'm joined 0:00:49.200 --> 0:00:53.400 by Network ten's lovable host slash judge Andy Allen, who 0:00:53.440 --> 0:00:55.920 is most notable for winning the full series of Master 0:00:56.000 --> 0:00:58.720 Chef Australia back in twenty twelve and for being a 0:00:58.800 --> 0:01:02.440 judge on Master Scheffer'sustralia since twenty twenty, which has a 0:01:02.600 --> 0:01:05.440 brand new series starting this Monday at seven thirty on 0:01:05.480 --> 0:01:09.080 Network ten. It's no secret that the highly anticipated next 0:01:09.080 --> 0:01:12.000 season will serve up jaw dropping dishes and a feast 0:01:12.000 --> 0:01:14.520 full of flavors, but there will also be secrets and 0:01:14.600 --> 0:01:17.399 surprises up plenty. As the race for the title to 0:01:17.480 --> 0:01:21.000 Master Chef Australia twenty twenty three starts this week, I 0:01:21.040 --> 0:01:23.720 will ask Andy about the journey from contestant to being 0:01:23.760 --> 0:01:26.240 one of the hosts of the show. You will get 0:01:26.240 --> 0:01:28.840 a tease on some of those secrets and surprises as 0:01:28.880 --> 0:01:32.000 Andy doesn't spoil but slightly gives away some of the 0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:35.040 things to expect this season. We will also find out 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:37.720 how the judges actually try the food and if that 0:01:37.920 --> 0:01:42.000 urban legend about them always eating cold food is actually true. Plus, 0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:44.559 we will get plenty of exclusives from behind the scenes 0:01:44.600 --> 0:01:47.240 of Master Chef twenty twenty three, which I can already 0:01:47.240 --> 0:01:51.080 tell you is a cracking series right from the start. Anyway, 0:01:51.560 --> 0:01:54.200 let's bring Andy into the podcast and I really hope 0:01:54.240 --> 0:01:57.920 you enjoy this latest episode of TV Reload. Hi Andy, 0:01:57.960 --> 0:01:58.520 how are you? 0:01:58.800 --> 0:01:59.720 And I'm bloody great? 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:03.040 I'm very excited to be talking to you, big fan. 0:02:03.240 --> 0:02:05.600 I don't know if you remember this. It was the 0:02:05.640 --> 0:02:08.640 Logis after party and it was, you know, the Witching Hour. 0:02:08.840 --> 0:02:10.760 But I came up to you and started talking to 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:14.639 you about my podcast, foreshadowing this very chat. And now 0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:15.040 here we. 0:02:15.040 --> 0:02:17.240 Are, Here, we are. This is good. I love that 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:18.160 we made it happen. 0:02:18.600 --> 0:02:22.280 Another series of Master Chef. Bring it on, is what 0:02:22.360 --> 0:02:22.760 I say. 0:02:22.919 --> 0:02:24.760 I think everyone's hanging for it, to be honest. Well 0:02:24.760 --> 0:02:27.440 that's the word on the street. It's the feel good 0:02:27.440 --> 0:02:30.800 show that kind of everyone needs, especially over that winter period. 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:34.799 You get to meet some unbelievable people in the contestants. 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:38.200 The food and the contestants are so relatable this year, 0:02:38.639 --> 0:02:41.239 and along with that Jeremie Oliver at one. So it's 0:02:41.280 --> 0:02:42.200 all good news. 0:02:42.240 --> 0:02:44.920 You know. I had this journalist last year from The 0:02:44.960 --> 0:02:48.080 New Yorker ask me for quotes for an article that 0:02:48.120 --> 0:02:51.520 they were doing about Australian Master Chef. Kid you not, 0:02:51.919 --> 0:02:53.560 And it was because I was doing some of the 0:02:53.560 --> 0:02:56.600 exit interviews. They wanted to know my thoughts and I 0:02:56.680 --> 0:02:59.640 just remember this guy saying to me, Australian Master Chef 0:02:59.840 --> 0:03:02.480 is the best cookie show in the world, and he 0:03:02.520 --> 0:03:05.880 wants to know why does this series have such a 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:06.840 good reputation. 0:03:07.080 --> 0:03:09.359 There's a lot of reasons, to be honest, but one 0:03:09.480 --> 0:03:12.079 personal reason that I feel is a big one is 0:03:12.520 --> 0:03:14.360 what you can do with it. I look at my 0:03:14.400 --> 0:03:17.680 own story. I was an electrician twelve years ago. I 0:03:17.760 --> 0:03:20.160 filled out the application for not even thinking that I 0:03:20.160 --> 0:03:22.400 would get on at a love for food. But I didn't, 0:03:22.480 --> 0:03:24.240 you know, I didn't have that dream to open a 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:27.600 restaurant or you know, do anything crazy in the industry. 0:03:27.800 --> 0:03:30.560 I just want to challenge myself, and you go through 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.640 the process and you learn so much about who you 0:03:33.680 --> 0:03:35.760 are as a person and who you are as a cook, 0:03:36.000 --> 0:03:38.840 and then whether you come twenty fourth or whether you 0:03:38.920 --> 0:03:41.840 come first or anywhere in between, you are given the 0:03:41.920 --> 0:03:44.360 leg up that you need to really chase your dreams. 0:03:44.760 --> 0:03:47.960 Seeing the success stories out there is just a testament 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:51.280 to how how lethal the show can be and how 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:53.640 important it can be in people's lives. And I suppose, 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:55.960 you know, I'm leaving proof of what it can do. 0:03:56.200 --> 0:03:59.200 So it is amazing to hear that story. And guys 0:03:59.240 --> 0:04:02.400 like Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey, they are the biggest 0:04:02.720 --> 0:04:06.480 advocates for MASTERSHEF Australia. They come over here and all 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:08.840 they want to do is talk about how much the 0:04:08.920 --> 0:04:11.440 show means to them. You know, if you're get those 0:04:11.440 --> 0:04:13.280 guys over line, two of the biggest names in the 0:04:13.280 --> 0:04:16.400 whole industry, then you're going, all right, well. 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:17.600 I think that was what this guy was trying to 0:04:17.640 --> 0:04:20.359 say to me, was he said, I'm always blown away 0:04:20.400 --> 0:04:23.279 by the caliber of contestants, but he was saying, you know, 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:27.440 no other cooking show has the caliber of international celebrity 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:29.400 chefs that want to be a part of it. Usually 0:04:29.440 --> 0:04:31.839 you get like one celebrity chef that you can definitely 0:04:31.839 --> 0:04:34.039 tell has been paid like a motza to be there. 0:04:34.200 --> 0:04:36.799 Where If you're looking at this series and you're looking 0:04:36.800 --> 0:04:38.400 at the caliber of chefs that are about to be 0:04:38.400 --> 0:04:40.840 a part of it, don't you think it's quite unbelievable 0:04:40.839 --> 0:04:42.480 that they will come along and want to celebrate it 0:04:42.520 --> 0:04:43.280 as much as they do. 0:04:43.600 --> 0:04:46.880 Again, it just shows how much it means to people 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:49.239 in the industry. You know. This year, Yeah, we've got Jamie, 0:04:49.240 --> 0:04:51.839 We've got Curtis Stone, We've got Maggie Beer. You know, 0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:54.800 the list goes on, and all these guys they get 0:04:54.800 --> 0:04:56.680 there and they just can't wait to be a part 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:59.279 of it. They love the experience that they love the 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:02.040 time that they're on show. They give everything that they've 0:05:02.080 --> 0:05:04.880 got because I know how beneficial it can be. So 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:08.800 it still does blow me away how powerful the show is. 0:05:08.960 --> 0:05:12.159 And every day I still look back at that twenty 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:15.440 three year old blowke that just entered Master Chef to 0:05:15.560 --> 0:05:17.880 challenge himself and then here I am now talking to 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:20.080 you about how bloody good the show is. So it's great. 0:05:20.360 --> 0:05:23.559 Do you always know if Australian Master Chef is coming 0:05:23.640 --> 0:05:26.240 back at the end of each year and if you're 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:27.880 always going to be a part of it? When do 0:05:27.960 --> 0:05:30.240 you find out if you're a part of an next 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:31.360 series and if it's coming back. 0:05:31.560 --> 0:05:33.520 I haven't really thought about that. Maybe I'll start to 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:34.800 question it from now. 0:05:36.839 --> 0:05:38.960 Have you signed for like a three to five year 0:05:39.000 --> 0:05:40.880 deal as long as it's rating. I mean, the reason 0:05:40.880 --> 0:05:42.760 why I'm asking you this is not because I want 0:05:42.760 --> 0:05:44.159 to know you know how much money is in your 0:05:44.200 --> 0:05:47.600 bank account, But I'm like, how exciting you know when 0:05:47.640 --> 0:05:49.560 you find out that you're doing another series. I want 0:05:49.560 --> 0:05:50.960 you to know if you go out and buy yourself 0:05:51.279 --> 0:05:53.680 a leather jacket or an expensive fry pan. You know, 0:05:53.720 --> 0:05:54.680 I'm more interested in that. 0:05:55.040 --> 0:05:58.200 I don't really do like expensive things well in saying 0:05:58.240 --> 0:06:02.000 that a nice coffee machine, a record player, and that's 0:06:02.040 --> 0:06:05.880 pretty much as far as I tend to splurge out. 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:08.159 But the last thing that I worry about is the money. 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:11.080 It's for me. It's like such the ultimate hat tip 0:06:11.160 --> 0:06:13.640 to be able to be given the opportunity to be 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:16.000 judge on Marster Chef. You know, considering, like I've said 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:18.640 a million times the contests in twenty twelve went out 0:06:18.640 --> 0:06:21.200 into the industry bright eyed, bushy tail, I didn't really 0:06:21.279 --> 0:06:23.880 know what I wanted to do, and being able to 0:06:24.120 --> 0:06:26.880 go out and create a restaurant group and do all 0:06:26.880 --> 0:06:29.440 the other things that I've done in the last ten years, 0:06:29.480 --> 0:06:31.400 and then, you know, three years ago, be tapped on 0:06:31.400 --> 0:06:32.840 the shoulder and said do you want do you want 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:35.159 to give this a crack? As a judge. It's pretty 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:38.720 special feeling. The last thing that in Channel ten I'm 0:06:38.720 --> 0:06:40.760 probably licking their lips when I say this, but the 0:06:40.839 --> 0:06:42.400 last thing that I think about is the cash. 0:06:42.440 --> 0:06:48.360 To be honest, you know, secrets and surprises is a 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:50.599 really great theme. You know, what are we going to 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:52.440 enjoy more this season. Do you think we're going to 0:06:52.480 --> 0:06:54.120 enjoy the secrets or the surprises? 0:06:54.360 --> 0:07:00.599 I think the surprises because the surprise well actually play, Yeah, 0:07:00.600 --> 0:07:02.520 there's a good secret in it. At one as well. 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:05.680 I'm really torn about that, to be honest, because I 0:07:05.720 --> 0:07:10.200 think the challenge on AT one, the prize that the 0:07:10.720 --> 0:07:14.680 contestant wins the first challenge in the first episode is 0:07:15.200 --> 0:07:18.360 the biggest advantages that we've ever given away our Master Chef. 0:07:18.480 --> 0:07:21.320 So yeah, that's probably all I'll say, because it is 0:07:21.320 --> 0:07:23.120 an absolute doozy and I feel like if I say 0:07:23.160 --> 0:07:24.880 any more about that, I may give it away. So 0:07:24.960 --> 0:07:26.520 let's change the subject, please. 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:28.880 Well, we have to talk about it because secrets and 0:07:28.960 --> 0:07:31.760 surprises is the theme, and so I have to ask you. 0:07:32.040 --> 0:07:34.200 Are you good at keeping secrets? Normally? 0:07:34.520 --> 0:07:37.320 I think I am until I start talking about them, Ben, 0:07:37.400 --> 0:07:41.400 so there's no questions asked. I'm bloody great at it, 0:07:41.560 --> 0:07:43.840 but I just don't want to trip up Ben. So 0:07:44.120 --> 0:07:45.960 please help your brother out here. 0:07:46.080 --> 0:07:48.840 Well, you know what really surprises me about this series. 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:52.080 I think, like most viewers, you think a whole new 0:07:52.120 --> 0:07:55.720 bunch of people we don't know that's a huge commitment. 0:07:55.960 --> 0:07:58.680 But I've watched episode one already. I'm very lucky to 0:07:58.720 --> 0:08:01.760 have seen it, and I already have favorites and I 0:08:01.800 --> 0:08:04.720 already feel like I know these people. Is that a 0:08:04.800 --> 0:08:05.800 strange thing to hear. 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:09.400 No, it's actually a massive compliment. And this is why 0:08:09.400 --> 0:08:11.760 I think Jamie was such good. Good dudes come on 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:16.920 at one, because he is so comforting, He's really knowledgeable. 0:08:17.200 --> 0:08:20.640 Everyone has a relationship with Jamie Oliver in a non 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:23.960 creepy way, but everyone knows him, everyone respects him, everyone 0:08:24.000 --> 0:08:26.560 loves him. So for him to walk through those doors 0:08:26.880 --> 0:08:29.160 in the first ten minutes of them standing in the kitchen, 0:08:29.280 --> 0:08:31.040 you know, five minutes of nerves, But as soon as 0:08:31.040 --> 0:08:33.240 they got to kind of chat to Jamie, as soon 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:35.920 as they got to hear him speak about their food, 0:08:36.200 --> 0:08:38.320 I feel like the nerves just went away and it 0:08:38.360 --> 0:08:41.040 really made the contestants open up. You get to know 0:08:41.120 --> 0:08:45.680 the contestants from literally the first step. With twenty four contestants, like, 0:08:45.720 --> 0:08:49.320 there's just so many of them, but having eighteen this year, 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:51.840 I feel like that's been such an advantage of this season. 0:08:52.200 --> 0:08:55.079 So No, it's not weird that you're saying that it's 0:08:55.120 --> 0:08:56.360 actually a massive compliment. 0:08:56.600 --> 0:08:59.520 Yeah, because you think, oh, it's a huge commitment. I've 0:08:59.559 --> 0:09:01.800 seen this the show before, but I'm here to tell you. 0:09:01.840 --> 0:09:04.079 Like straight away, I was like, cac, I don't know 0:09:04.080 --> 0:09:06.040 if we can how much we can talk about each contestant, 0:09:06.080 --> 0:09:09.200 because I also love that people love to discover these 0:09:09.240 --> 0:09:11.800 people themselves. I want to leave a bit of that there. 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:14.720 But I immediately just loved Kak and thought that she 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:17.520 is brilliant casting and she features quite a bit on 0:09:17.559 --> 0:09:19.920 the first episode, and I just think, where are you 0:09:19.960 --> 0:09:21.000 finding these people? 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:24.800 Honestly, it battles me every year, you know. I look 0:09:24.800 --> 0:09:26.839 at Cath and she's like, she's a middle aged woman, 0:09:27.200 --> 0:09:30.440 She's done so much in her life. Why now? But 0:09:30.480 --> 0:09:33.720 then I'm like, don't even bother asking that, Like she's here, 0:09:33.880 --> 0:09:36.040 just let her cook like the wind. You know, Yeah, 0:09:36.080 --> 0:09:39.440 the stories matter, but like all I care about is 0:09:39.679 --> 0:09:41.960 kind of that she's here at the moment and she's 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:44.880 had the courage to fill out the application, leave her family, 0:09:45.280 --> 0:09:49.040 leave her loved ones, leave her job, and commit to this. 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:52.760 So I was really blown away by how real the 0:09:52.840 --> 0:09:55.680 contestants were from the get go. And I think that 0:09:55.760 --> 0:09:57.839 about food as well. This year. I think the food 0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:02.120 is quite relatable and quite as well, so I'm hoping 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:04.720 that's what Australia wants to see, Like, that's what the 0:10:04.760 --> 0:10:07.839 industry is in hospitality, that's where the food's at right now. 0:10:07.880 --> 0:10:12.600 It's more about flavor and how it's put together rather 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:16.960 than all the bells and whistles that you might add 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:20.160 to it. But I think it's really relatable this year 0:10:20.160 --> 0:10:21.560 in terms of the characters and effort. 0:10:21.760 --> 0:10:24.520 I also want to quickly clarify for people listening, it's 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:27.400 not Carrie Anne Kenney on another series. It is a 0:10:27.440 --> 0:10:28.400 different pack. 0:10:29.800 --> 0:10:31.200 I would probably like to see as well. 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:35.480 Imagine asking carry Ane Kelly to come and do a 0:10:35.600 --> 0:10:38.280 Master Chef season straight after just doing the Jungle and 0:10:38.320 --> 0:10:41.719 what's happened. She'd be like, come back in ten years. 0:10:43.320 --> 0:10:44.480 No comment for me. 0:10:46.000 --> 0:10:47.520 So you got really good at this. There you go. 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:50.360 There's no surprises, no secrets. You're just going to keep 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:53.880 your mouth shut. Now that you have done a few 0:10:53.920 --> 0:10:56.360 seasons and you've got a few seasons under your belt, 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:59.640 have you worked out what works for you personally and 0:10:59.679 --> 0:11:01.280 sort of doesn't work on the show. 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:03.400 I never try and want to be someone that I'm not. 0:11:03.920 --> 0:11:06.520 One of my main roles on There Is is being 0:11:06.520 --> 0:11:09.240 an ex contestant is really to relate and be able 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:12.679 to see things that are happening to the contestants on 0:11:12.720 --> 0:11:16.800 a daily basis, mainly what they're going through. Yes, Master 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:19.160 Chef is a cooking competition, but it's also such a 0:11:19.200 --> 0:11:22.720 mental competition as well. Like it's it is hard, you know, 0:11:22.840 --> 0:11:24.880 I talked about being away from your family and your friends, 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:27.080 and what people don't realize is it's filmed over a 0:11:27.120 --> 0:11:29.800 six month period. It's not just like, you know, because 0:11:29.800 --> 0:11:31.959 we're on f ten weeks and it's just your ten 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:34.480 weeks slot. It is such a commitment and for me, 0:11:35.280 --> 0:11:37.360 I feel like I can really relate to what the 0:11:37.360 --> 0:11:41.400 contestants are going through and also give quite relatable feedback 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:44.880 as well. And I think that's where like Jock, Melissa 0:11:44.960 --> 0:11:47.480 and myself are such a great combination, is that we 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:50.080 really compliment each other. So I mate, I've kind of 0:11:50.080 --> 0:11:52.320 been through the last ten years of just trying to 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:54.960 stay the same person that I was before I went 0:11:55.000 --> 0:11:57.520 on Master Chef, and that's kind of what I really 0:11:57.559 --> 0:11:58.160 want to stick to. 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:00.760 Do You watch anything back though, and you do think 0:12:00.800 --> 0:12:02.960 to yourself, Oh, I've got like a hand flick that 0:12:03.000 --> 0:12:05.440 I do that doesn't work or you know, sometimes I 0:12:05.520 --> 0:12:08.800 try and be a little bit quirky or is what 0:12:08.840 --> 0:12:10.440 I want to know is the stuff that you've worked 0:12:10.480 --> 0:12:11.560 out just doesn't work. 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:13.960 There's a couple of things I do. I say epic 0:12:14.000 --> 0:12:18.800 way too much. When I say like glaze something, I 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:22.680 do the motion like I actually and I do say 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:25.280 it glaze a lot. So there are two things that 0:12:25.679 --> 0:12:28.160 you can that you can probably look out for. I 0:12:28.200 --> 0:12:31.080 think you know the question. I think you just learn 0:12:31.160 --> 0:12:33.480 on the go, and it's not about things that you 0:12:33.559 --> 0:12:35.440 don't want to do. It's just about things that you 0:12:35.440 --> 0:12:37.160 want to get better at. And I think the more 0:12:37.640 --> 0:12:41.640 time I've spent in the kitchen, the better I get, 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:44.199 the more comfortable you feel, and then it just rolls 0:12:44.200 --> 0:12:46.480 on from there. I don't I don't kind of look 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:48.480 back and go, don't do that. It's more about just 0:12:48.559 --> 0:12:50.079 looking forward to what you can do better. 0:12:50.360 --> 0:12:52.200 It's like an evolution. You kind of then work it 0:12:52.240 --> 0:12:53.840 out like you work it out in the job. 0:12:54.040 --> 0:12:56.960 Imagine going back and watching season one at one of 0:12:57.760 --> 0:13:00.720 George Bout and Gary and they would just be so 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:04.400 different to who they were, you know, in the following years. 0:13:04.400 --> 0:13:06.160 It just it just evolves. 0:13:06.160 --> 0:13:08.640 Like you say, for those guys. Yes, it definitely did 0:13:08.679 --> 0:13:11.120 seem like they evolved into a better package. But I 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:13.320 think that the reason why you were hired for this 0:13:13.440 --> 0:13:16.400 job there isn't there doesn't need to be much wiggle 0:13:16.480 --> 0:13:18.800 room for you. I mean, you just have to be yourself. 0:13:19.559 --> 0:13:23.040 When Master Chef started all those years ago, no one 0:13:23.080 --> 0:13:24.960 really knew what it was going to be, you know, 0:13:25.400 --> 0:13:28.040 like Matt, George and Gary were just like you know 0:13:28.160 --> 0:13:30.920 that there was there was probably not a massive thing 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:34.199 about celebrity chefs. And not that I'm saying I'm a 0:13:34.240 --> 0:13:35.240 celebrity chef, but. 0:13:35.200 --> 0:13:37.760 Like two, I'm going to say you, well, you can't 0:13:37.760 --> 0:13:39.360 say that, but I can say that I can call 0:13:39.400 --> 0:13:41.800 you a celebrity. You are a celebrity chef. My friend. 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:45.960 They're on TV wasn't really much of a thing back then, 0:13:46.240 --> 0:13:49.520 and they're kind of like, here's this new format, see 0:13:49.559 --> 0:13:51.800 what you can do with it, whereas the format is 0:13:51.840 --> 0:13:55.280 what it is, you know, And and me being modest 0:13:55.400 --> 0:13:57.400 says that there could have been a lot of people 0:13:57.440 --> 0:13:59.480 step into the role that I'm in now and it's 0:13:59.480 --> 0:14:02.679 still to be successful because the show was about the format, 0:14:02.960 --> 0:14:05.560 you know, and we're just these these kind of lucky 0:14:05.720 --> 0:14:08.760 people that get to be a part of it. So, yeah, 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:10.840 I think you're right. I was pretty lucky in that 0:14:10.960 --> 0:14:13.880 I don't really have to change anything. It's just about 0:14:13.920 --> 0:14:14.640 me being mate. 0:14:15.240 --> 0:14:16.760 Do you know how hard it is to get the 0:14:16.840 --> 0:14:19.120 right people to host a show? You know, You've got 0:14:19.160 --> 0:14:21.920 to give yourself some credit there, you know, not everyone 0:14:22.360 --> 0:14:23.760 could do what you do. 0:14:23.760 --> 0:14:26.040 Do you know the weird thing, like you talk about casting, 0:14:26.280 --> 0:14:30.840 do you know that Jock, Melissa, and myself had never 0:14:30.920 --> 0:14:32.800 met each other before we put on the show? 0:14:33.200 --> 0:14:36.960 What? Yeah, I just assumed because, like, you know, the 0:14:37.000 --> 0:14:39.920 first time you guys all turned up together, it seems 0:14:40.120 --> 0:14:44.560 like you guys have been friends forever. And I wanted 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:46.440 to ask you a little bit about that. What do 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:49.680 you do to create that kind of presence on television? 0:14:49.920 --> 0:14:51.760 Do you work at the chemistry? Like do you have 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.760 each other over for dinners? Like? How do you maintain 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:58.200 or create something as authentic as how this comes across? 0:14:58.520 --> 0:15:00.680 Yeah? It was really strange because I was questioning and 0:15:00.960 --> 0:15:03.840 as much as I knew who mel was and who 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:06.760 Jock was, I was sitting in the room when they 0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:09.160 were like yeah, okay, so and they had I'll never 0:15:09.200 --> 0:15:12.640 forget about this laptop the guys from Enemol and it 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:14.960 was shut and then they opened it up and they're like, 0:15:15.200 --> 0:15:17.240 this is who are going to be the other two 0:15:17.320 --> 0:15:18.760 judges and they had a photo of all three of 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:22.040 us there. I expected someone that I knew, you know, 0:15:22.120 --> 0:15:24.640 that I had met, like you know, because we were 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:29.080 not long out from starting to film, there wasn't really 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:31.360 anything that we tried to do. I suppose it really 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:35.440 does compliment and the guys at Enemol for just knowing 0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:39.480 what works, because the first time that we'd actually met 0:15:40.000 --> 0:15:42.400 was at the Channel ten up front when we were 0:15:42.560 --> 0:15:44.440 introduced as the next three judges. 0:15:44.720 --> 0:15:45.480 That is wild. 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:46.640 It is hard. 0:15:47.240 --> 0:15:48.760 I always I don't know if this is an easy 0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:51.080 question or how this lands for you, but I always think, 0:15:51.480 --> 0:15:53.840 because you were a contestant and we've had so many 0:15:53.880 --> 0:15:56.280 seasons and there's been so many men like yourself on 0:15:56.320 --> 0:15:57.920 the show, do you think that there was a lot 0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:00.480 of jealousy about from other people going why did they 0:16:00.560 --> 0:16:01.040 ask him? 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:04.840 I don't know, I would probably say so. Like I 0:16:04.880 --> 0:16:08.400 remember I was over in Europe the time that it 0:16:08.520 --> 0:16:11.120 had kind of been announced at Matt, George and Gary 0:16:11.120 --> 0:16:13.800 we're gonna we're gonna move on and literally remember this 0:16:13.880 --> 0:16:16.680 so hard core, it's crazy. I was in Sicily in 0:16:16.800 --> 0:16:19.120 chef Bloon and it was the back end of our holiday, 0:16:19.440 --> 0:16:22.520 and I remember a lot of the articles were g ok. 0:16:22.880 --> 0:16:26.560 But I just remember seeing one article and going, there's 0:16:26.760 --> 0:16:29.120 some bloody lucky, lucky three people that are get to 0:16:29.120 --> 0:16:32.680 a step into that role. That's exactly my thought. Not 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:35.560 once did I go, oh, yeah, I think I'm I 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:37.400 think I'm a shoe in for that. I think I've 0:16:37.400 --> 0:16:40.400 got a chance for that. It was literally like, holy shit, 0:16:40.520 --> 0:16:42.560 someone's going to get that job and that's so lucky 0:16:42.600 --> 0:16:43.400 for him. Good stuff. 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:45.520 So you didn't email them, I'll send in a bag 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:48.360 of you know, homemade cookies like you didn't start thinking 0:16:48.480 --> 0:16:50.640 or could be me, I'm gonna I'm going to put 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:52.920 the put this forward. You're telling me that it literally 0:16:52.960 --> 0:16:55.120 came out of nowhere and they just contacted. 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:59.480 You out of absolute nowhere. One of the Winning the Lottery, Yeah, 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:03.040 one of that EPs actually slid into my instadms and 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:05.720 said like, hey mate, when are you back from your trip? 0:17:05.960 --> 0:17:08.720 That was the first, and that he was one of 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:11.200 the EPs on season four when I was on there, 0:17:11.600 --> 0:17:13.119 So it wasn't as if it was like a full 0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:16.880 cold DM. But yeah, DMS. It was like, hey mate, 0:17:16.880 --> 0:17:19.359 when are you back from your trip? And I was like, 0:17:19.800 --> 0:17:21.400 it took me a while to kind of write back 0:17:21.440 --> 0:17:23.520 because I was like, I didn't want to get ahead 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:24.000 of myself. 0:17:24.160 --> 0:17:25.680 I was like, but you still went out and drank 0:17:25.960 --> 0:17:27.720 in Sicily obviously definitely. 0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:30.520 So it was actually funny because I didn't know want 0:17:30.520 --> 0:17:33.280 to write back, So I went out and had had 0:17:33.280 --> 0:17:37.120 a last night in Sicily, bottle of wine came back 0:17:37.160 --> 0:17:38.840 and I think I had the Dutch courage to write 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:44.040 back and go, hey mate, like this about chef. He 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:45.760 was like, look, mate, I don't want to. I don't 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:47.480 want to. I don't want to say too much, but 0:17:47.560 --> 0:17:48.640 just let me know when you get back. 0:17:49.000 --> 0:17:52.040 That's better than Margo Robbie sliding into your DMS as 0:17:52.040 --> 0:17:53.080 far as I'm concerned. 0:17:53.600 --> 0:17:56.240 Yeah. Yeah, well I'm happily married. So I was definitely 0:17:56.240 --> 0:17:56.919 better than market. 0:17:56.960 --> 0:18:00.720 Oh definitely better. Absolutely. So with these shopling nations over 0:18:00.760 --> 0:18:03.320 this series, it's really a part of reality television. It 0:18:03.359 --> 0:18:06.520 does happen every year. Are there any previous contestants that 0:18:06.600 --> 0:18:10.520