WEBVTT - ALVIN TALKS EMOTIONS IN THE MASTERCHEF KITCHEN 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:01.720 It's in the news today, but it was actually on 0:00:01.800 --> 0:00:04.960 TV Reload the podcast last week, ay Light. Welcome back 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:08.039 to TV Reload. My name's Benjamin Norris and on this 0:00:08.119 --> 0:00:11.280 podcast I go behind the scenes with the biggest players 0:00:11.320 --> 0:00:14.640 in television. Each episode you will get a front row 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:19.560 seat with content makers like executive producers, writers, editors and 0:00:19.640 --> 0:00:23.400 casting agents, plus the talent that we see on our screens. 0:00:23.920 --> 0:00:27.400 TV Reload reloads the shows that you are currently watching 0:00:27.640 --> 0:00:30.800 and gives you a better insight at our television industry 0:00:30.920 --> 0:00:34.520 and streaming services today. On the podcast, I have mastershef 0:00:34.560 --> 0:00:40.640 Australia's latest eliminated contender, its favorite returning contestant, Alvin. This season, 0:00:40.720 --> 0:00:43.120 we have been lucky enough to welcome back some of 0:00:43.120 --> 0:00:46.360 the most powerful cooks ever seen on the hit reality show, 0:00:46.720 --> 0:00:49.680 and Alvin has been in our hearts and minds ever 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:52.559 since we saw him on Series two. Alvin is as 0:00:52.600 --> 0:00:55.040 cute as a button and has been on an emotional 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:58.720 but fulfilling ride this season of Fans Versus Favorites. We 0:00:58.760 --> 0:01:02.000 have seen him cry, we have seen him overcome his demons, 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:04.280 and making it all the way to the finals week 0:01:04.440 --> 0:01:07.399 has been a joy to watch. We will talk about 0:01:07.400 --> 0:01:10.480 the highs and lows, his upcoming projects, who he thinks 0:01:10.520 --> 0:01:13.399 will win, and also which judge he would like to 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:16.679 have over for dinner. However, let's get started. I'd like 0:01:16.720 --> 0:01:18.759 to welcome Alvin to TV reload. 0:01:21.400 --> 0:01:23.919 This is going to be a challenge for me. Musta 0:01:24.000 --> 0:01:26.760 Shaff has produced some of the biggest names in food. 0:01:27.840 --> 0:01:30.840 For the longest time, I battled whether I was deserving 0:01:30.959 --> 0:01:32.679 to go back to the kitchen, and. 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:36.840 The first time ever it's fans versus favorites. 0:01:38.160 --> 0:01:40.520 I'm literally going through the seven stages of grief. 0:01:41.280 --> 0:01:45.200 Just towards the end was palpable, the sort of electric 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:47.400 stress vibe that would. 0:01:47.240 --> 0:01:49.840 Get quite teary and my voice would start shaking. Right, 0:01:50.360 --> 0:01:55.320 I'm sorry, Alvin, that's why you're going home. She's another 0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:57.120 one that cooks with a lot of heart as well. 0:01:57.880 --> 0:01:59.400 Hi, Alvin, how are you? 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:02.360 Hey? Ben? Thanks for having me. I'm very well. Thank 0:02:02.400 --> 0:02:03.320 you well. 0:02:03.360 --> 0:02:05.480 How strange was it to have made it this far 0:02:05.560 --> 0:02:07.960 into the competition? I mean, you've done so well. 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:11.240 Oh, thank you. Like it's it's cliche to say, but 0:02:11.360 --> 0:02:14.880 it's such a journey. Like I remember when I first started, 0:02:14.919 --> 0:02:17.560 when they first started filming, what seven months ago, I 0:02:17.639 --> 0:02:20.360 remember thinking to myself, Okay, I'm just gonna this. My 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:22.240 first goal is not to be the first one to 0:02:22.240 --> 0:02:25.160 be eliminated, and my next goal was to survive there 0:02:25.200 --> 0:02:27.320 for another week, and then my next goal was not 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:29.720 to be the first favorite to be eliminated. And then 0:02:29.800 --> 0:02:32.160 it just kind of keep creeping up, and then I'm 0:02:32.160 --> 0:02:33.840 stort of thinking, oh my gosh, I can see the 0:02:33.840 --> 0:02:36.040 finishing line here, so that's kind of cool. 0:02:36.440 --> 0:02:38.200 Well, I don't know why I think this, but I 0:02:38.240 --> 0:02:41.080 just sometimes think lovable people like yourself won't make it 0:02:41.080 --> 0:02:43.880 this far in the competition, and it's amazing to have 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.640 you stay in the competition and be there the whole 0:02:46.680 --> 0:02:47.200 way through. 0:02:47.440 --> 0:02:49.840 Oh thanks Ben, first of all for calling me lovable, so, 0:02:50.000 --> 0:02:53.400 you know, like brownie points, well done, But I no, 0:02:53.480 --> 0:02:56.720 But I also and I totally, I totally agree with you, 0:02:56.800 --> 0:02:59.800 Like I'm so sick of the whole nice guys finishing 0:02:59.840 --> 0:03:01.919 life sort of type thing, you know, Like, so I 0:03:02.480 --> 0:03:04.480 love I love the fact and this is I think 0:03:04.520 --> 0:03:07.000 one of the nicest things about Master Chef is, like, 0:03:07.120 --> 0:03:10.400 you know, like good people do shine and I like that. 0:03:10.440 --> 0:03:12.480 I'm not now it sound like I'm bragging about myself, 0:03:12.480 --> 0:03:15.440 but you know what I mean, what was. 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:18.360 The process like deciding on returning to the kitchen. I 0:03:18.360 --> 0:03:20.480 mean it was such a long time. Some people came 0:03:20.520 --> 0:03:23.040 back straight after their last season, where for you it 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:23.840 has been a while. 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:26.320 Yeah, it has, And I think a lot of it 0:03:26.360 --> 0:03:28.520 is I was sort of badly my own demons in 0:03:28.560 --> 0:03:31.240 a way, you know, like I didn't think that my 0:03:31.360 --> 0:03:34.920 cooking was worthy because after my series, you know, like 0:03:35.280 --> 0:03:37.760 Master Chef have Master Chef has actually gone through leaps 0:03:37.760 --> 0:03:40.120 and bounds in terms of you know, featuring like the 0:03:40.160 --> 0:03:42.400 winners and the style of cooking, and it just got 0:03:42.480 --> 0:03:45.560 more and more and lack of a better term, chefy. 0:03:45.960 --> 0:03:48.640 So there's a lot of like fancy cooking out there, 0:03:48.960 --> 0:03:52.200 and my my cooking style has always been, you know, 0:03:52.280 --> 0:03:54.600 the rustic sort of home style sort of cook So 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:57.680 for the longest time I battled whether I was I 0:03:57.840 --> 0:04:00.840 was deserving to go back to the kitchen, and several 0:04:00.880 --> 0:04:03.040 times they asked me, and I actually said no, it's 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:05.560 more pride, to be quite honest, like I didn't think 0:04:05.600 --> 0:04:06.360 I was good enough. 0:04:06.560 --> 0:04:08.920 Well, how much have you changed over the last what 0:04:09.040 --> 0:04:11.080 is it nearly a decade? Is it a decade since 0:04:11.120 --> 0:04:13.120 you we last saw you and I wanted to change 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:17.120 the most for you. Between appearing on the show, Well, I. 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:19.240 Think I've sort of grown up quite quite a bit 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:21.760 in terms of you know, like personal growth and even 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:26.280 celebrating my cooking. And while there is always that voice 0:04:26.320 --> 0:04:28.279 that sort of tells me, you know, I think I 0:04:28.279 --> 0:04:30.360 think we all have that if we don't then wear 0:04:30.600 --> 0:04:34.000 narcissistic I think, like I think there's that little voice 0:04:34.000 --> 0:04:35.800 that says, you know, you're not good enough, you know, 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:38.920 that sort of stuff. And what I'm how I'm dealing 0:04:38.960 --> 0:04:41.360 with that a lot better is basically sort of saying yeah, 0:04:41.400 --> 0:04:44.480 you know, like I can do this rather than I can't. 0:04:44.920 --> 0:04:47.360 So there's a lot of that sort of growth inside 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:50.680 as well. And cooking wise, I've had a lot more 0:04:50.720 --> 0:04:53.520 time to sort of, you know, like do a lot 0:04:53.520 --> 0:04:57.960 more cooking from my mum's heritage and Malaysia and just 0:04:58.080 --> 0:05:01.640 experimenting with a lot more food, and I guess that 0:05:01.760 --> 0:05:04.520 sort of helps and it sort of prepared me. I 0:05:04.560 --> 0:05:05.840 suppose for round two. 0:05:06.120 --> 0:05:08.080 Well, you look exactly the same, so we know that 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:10.200 there hasn't been too much stress in your life. 0:05:10.680 --> 0:05:13.880 Oh, Ben, I love you. I should interview me more often. 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:17.479 You know, I haven't quite recovered from your cooking the 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:19.479 what was it called the polywally Waffle. 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:23.279 I mean, oh, don't that that challenge? Ben? Oh my gosh. 0:05:23.400 --> 0:05:26.520 I remember I was talking to the producer you know, 0:05:26.520 --> 0:05:28.640 who was producing me at the time, and I said, 0:05:28.680 --> 0:05:31.440 I'm literally going through the seven stages of grief right here. 0:05:31.680 --> 0:05:35.520 And it was it was hilarious in hindsight, like she's saying, Okay, 0:05:35.640 --> 0:05:37.680 what stage are we on now? It's like I'm still 0:05:37.720 --> 0:05:42.520 stuck on anger and it's it's so it was so traumatic, 0:05:42.640 --> 0:05:45.280 and I think because A it was the first pressure 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:47.640 test of the season and you know, all that self 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:50.000 doubt so that it came creeping back. And then b 0:05:50.240 --> 0:05:52.680 it was Zoombo as well who sent me home the 0:05:52.760 --> 0:05:55.919 first the first time, and I'm thinking, ah, for goodness sake, 0:05:56.040 --> 0:05:58.840 it's like, is this some weird poetic justice thing? 0:05:59.360 --> 0:06:02.599 Well so idy for me watching that is still with me. 0:06:02.880 --> 0:06:05.679 I still feel emotional thinking about it. But the question 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:07.920 I really have for you is did your ability to 0:06:08.040 --> 0:06:10.800 keep it together get better as the competition went on, 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:13.360 Because you know, I was thinking, well, I don't know 0:06:13.360 --> 0:06:14.880 if he's got enough gas in the tank, if he's 0:06:14.880 --> 0:06:16.640 going to have to do this every week. But then 0:06:16.680 --> 0:06:18.679 you got better and better with being able to cope 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:19.400 with the pressure. 0:06:19.640 --> 0:06:22.640 Yeah, and that's it too. And for the record, when 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.120 I think about that episode, Ben, I get quite emotional 0:06:25.160 --> 0:06:28.400 as well, Like I would just if I would play 0:06:28.520 --> 0:06:30.720 some of the moments of that episode in my mind, 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:33.400 I would get quite teary and my voice would start shaking, 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:36.600 right because it's such a poignant part of the competition. 0:06:37.000 --> 0:06:39.680 And yes, I did get better because that was that 0:06:39.839 --> 0:06:42.440 was it, Like, you know, like that was my button 0:06:42.520 --> 0:06:46.200 really that they pushed and essentially like I got over 0:06:46.320 --> 0:06:48.800 that hump and that's when I thought, yeah, I can't 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:52.240 keep going through that because it's not good for me 0:06:52.320 --> 0:06:54.680 and I'm not going to survive. So, you know, like 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:57.640 I did get better, and then every challenge just became right, Okay, 0:06:57.680 --> 0:06:59.239 this is just another one, just cook. 0:06:59.520 --> 0:07:01.760 I think that's it's just your currency, my friend. Is 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:04.160 you know, people love watching on television because you're real 0:07:04.520 --> 0:07:07.280 and whilst it's never fun to shed a few tears, 0:07:07.360 --> 0:07:09.720 I think people can relate, you know, people can relate 0:07:09.720 --> 0:07:11.200 to the pressure they put on themselves. 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:15.360 Yeah, and I you know, like the bigger picture is 0:07:15.400 --> 0:07:18.679 I think society needs to be comfortable seeing men shed 0:07:18.680 --> 0:07:21.320 a tear or get emotional or talk about their feelings 0:07:21.320 --> 0:07:23.640 that sort of thing, because I think for the longest time, 0:07:23.720 --> 0:07:26.080 we've been told we can't. We have to be stoic, 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:28.920 we have to behave a certain way. And you know, 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:33.280 like mind you, I was never like that, so you know, 0:07:33.360 --> 0:07:36.000 like I think, but I think showing the raw sort 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:38.600 of nature of the emotion, it's it's it's the truth, 0:07:38.640 --> 0:07:41.320 isn't it. It's like and I think that's where people 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:43.360 would look at it. And if you don't connect to that, 0:07:43.440 --> 0:07:46.160 I'm sorry, Like you just don't have a hut. I mean, 0:07:46.200 --> 0:07:48.160 come on, it's so real. 0:07:48.360 --> 0:07:51.120 You want people to, you know, go through the gamut 0:07:51.160 --> 0:07:53.120 of emotions, and that's what makes it fun for the 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:56.280 people at home. The question I also was going to 0:07:56.280 --> 0:07:59.040 ask you is who is the surprise of the season 0:07:59.080 --> 0:08:01.440 in terms of making at this far under the competition? 0:08:01.840 --> 0:08:04.480 And I say this with love, and you know, like 0:08:04.920 --> 0:08:08.400 I think the bigger surprise is Kema. So she's been 0:08:08.520 --> 0:08:11.480 a bit of a you know, dark horse. She's been 0:08:11.520 --> 0:08:14.640 flying under the radar, and it's all about how, you know, 0:08:14.840 --> 0:08:18.320 like how she's improved being and and she's she sort 0:08:18.320 --> 0:08:20.400 of giggles her way through things and you never quite 0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:22.760 know what she's talking about, but she actually knows what 0:08:22.800 --> 0:08:25.720 she's doing, and I like that. I think she cooks. 0:08:25.720 --> 0:08:27.600 She's another one that cooks with a lot of heart 0:08:27.640 --> 0:08:30.840 as well, and she's she's all about the feels, and 0:08:30.920 --> 0:08:33.920 I think she is the one that is the biggest 0:08:33.920 --> 0:08:34.640 surprise for me. 0:08:35.040 --> 0:08:37.640 Was Tasmania a good choice for this finals week? You know, 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:39.079 for the top five? Oh? 0:08:39.120 --> 0:08:41.679 Look, I think I think Tasmania is a good choice 0:08:41.720 --> 0:08:44.600 at any time of the year because I love Tasmania. 0:08:44.679 --> 0:08:47.719 Like I'm just I'm so upset that I got eliminated 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:50.400 in Tasmania, but that's beside the point. I still love 0:08:50.440 --> 0:08:55.160 you Tasmania. So it's such a perfect backdrop because I think, 0:08:55.920 --> 0:08:59.079 you know, you just cannot have bad food in Tasmania. 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:01.880 The produce there or fresh is so seasonal, you know, 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:05.280 like and you know people they really know their craft, 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:08.160 you know, the producers are so passionate about what they do. 0:09:09.000 --> 0:09:11.480 So I love it. I think it's a perfect spot. 0:09:11.600 --> 0:09:15.120 Oysters, you know, a polarizing food for some people, they're 0:09:15.160 --> 0:09:20.600 not for everyone. Do you think that the food at 0:09:20.679 --> 0:09:23.959 hand predetermines the chance of someone, you know, some of 0:09:24.000 --> 0:09:26.880 these contestants going home, like the oysters get revealed, and 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:30.600 you think, well, this person or maybe myself, this isn't 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:31.640 the ideal food for me. 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:34.320 Yeah, it does. And I think where like, I mean, 0:09:34.360 --> 0:09:36.800 there has been several times where you know, like that 0:09:36.840 --> 0:09:39.080 would come up, you know, like a challenge on seafood 0:09:39.120 --> 0:09:42.079 for instance, if seafood's not your strength, dessert, if dessert's 0:09:42.080 --> 0:09:44.560 not your strength, you know, like so so you know, 0:09:44.920 --> 0:09:48.640 But I think it's more about the It's more about 0:09:48.640 --> 0:09:50.760 the mind of a matter thing, you know, like more 0:09:50.800 --> 0:09:53.400 than anything. I think Master Chef is a mental game. 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:56.760 So if you think you've been you know, like this 0:09:56.840 --> 0:09:59.200 is going to beat you, it will beat you. I 0:09:59.280 --> 0:10:02.040 know that sounds like, you know, a bit kumbaya sounding, 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:04.600 but like it's really true. Like you know, like if 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:07.320 you think this is going to defeat you, then that 0:10:07.720 --> 0:10:10.240 you know, like you've lost battle already. I think it's 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:12.679 there's something to be said about the can do attitude. 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:15.840 Absolutely. Did you have an inkling I guess at the 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:18.760 start of this particular pressure test. Did you look around 0:10:18.800 --> 0:10:20.840 and think you knew who would go home? Or was 0:10:20.840 --> 0:10:22.200 it anyone's game? Yeah? 0:10:22.480 --> 0:10:26.080 I did actually like when when when they did reveal 0:10:26.120 --> 0:10:29.920 the oysters, I sort of thought, like, I love eating oysters, 0:10:29.960 --> 0:10:31.920 so get me wrong, like I love it, like it, 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:34.679 except you know, like I've probably shocked oysters twice in 0:10:34.720 --> 0:10:38.840 my life, and I sort of thought, with oysters, you know, 0:10:38.960 --> 0:10:41.320 we've been we've been. I guess we've been taught from 0:10:41.320 --> 0:10:44.760 a very young age like oysters shouldn't be adulterated. You 0:10:44.800 --> 0:10:47.520 should just you know, squeeze a lemon and that's it, right, 0:10:48.120 --> 0:10:50.760 So you know, like that's one problem, and then the 0:10:50.760 --> 0:10:52.720 other problem is we have to shock our own oysis 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:55.200 and you think, oh no, And that's when I sort 0:10:55.200 --> 0:10:57.280 of think, Okay, this is going to be a challenge 0:10:57.280 --> 0:10:59.360 for me. So when I looked around, I thought and 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:02.800 came miles worse because came I didn't like oysters. She 0:11:02.800 --> 0:11:04.760 doesn't even like to eat it. So good on her 0:11:04.920 --> 0:11:08.920 for actually surviving that. Yeah, I thought she was a goner. 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:12.320 I didn't pick as the person going home then, I know, 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:16.880 I know, but the look on the judges faces seem 0:11:16.920 --> 0:11:19.440 to be very telling for audiences as to where this 0:11:19.600 --> 0:11:20.160 was going to go. 0:11:20.559 --> 0:11:22.640 I wanted to know, you know, can you see the 0:11:22.640 --> 0:11:25.800 reactions of you know the judges' faces as you walk away. 0:11:25.840 --> 0:11:27.400 Can you see them as they're eating the food? 0:11:27.760 --> 0:11:31.720 Sometimes they are quite sometimes they're quite coy about it, 0:11:31.760 --> 0:11:34.520 so they don't reveal so much. You knows, as they 0:11:34.559 --> 0:11:36.559 taste our food, you know, when they visit our bench 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:38.959 and whatever, they taste our food, you sort of think, okay, 0:11:38.960 --> 0:11:40.800 you're not giving some things away, so you don't know 0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:42.840 whether they like it or not. But when you're taking 0:11:42.880 --> 0:11:46.800 it to them to be tasted, if it's a good dish, 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:50.040 then it's it's bloody obvious, you know, like you know, yeah, 0:11:50.200 --> 0:11:53.360 you you really really like this, And likewise, if it's 0:11:53.400 --> 0:11:55.360 a bad dish, then you know it's bad as well. 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:57.920 But it's those private tasting kind of like what happened 0:11:58.040 --> 0:12:00.240 last night, So you serve them food, but you don't 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:03.240 get to see them eat the food, so that and 0:12:03.280 --> 0:12:05.080 you only get to see it when you watch the 0:12:05.080 --> 0:12:07.000 show again, and that's when you can tell. 0:12:07.160 --> 0:12:09.200 Did you ever think that you would be back here 0:12:09.360 --> 0:12:12.360 on Master Chef and your wildest dreams to be with 0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:16.199 more outrageous pairs of sunglasses, more classes than ever before. 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:22.720 No, would be the short answer, because after my season 0:12:22.800 --> 0:12:25.040 in season two, I thought all right, I'm done. You know, 0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:29.080 like that is ridiculous. I remember my exit interview. I 0:12:29.200 --> 0:12:32.600 was so appalled by the challenges that they gave us. 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:35.360 One of the questions was, you know, like, so what 0:12:35.480 --> 0:12:37.000 do you think they're going to how do you think 0:12:37.040 --> 0:12:39.200 they're going to make it more difficult in season three? 0:12:39.240 --> 0:12:40.640 And I'm like, oh, I don't know. They probably get 0:12:40.640 --> 0:12:43.520 them to cook them underwater or something. So that was 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:46.080 that outrageous. Like I sort of thought like, there's no way, 0:12:46.240 --> 0:12:49.920 and then as I kept watching every season go past me, Wow, 0:12:50.000 --> 0:12:52.600 this is like it's ridiculous. I could not have done that. 0:12:52.720 --> 0:12:55.160 I can't have done that, but I'm not like having 0:12:55.400 --> 0:12:57.840 done it, Like I sort of think, wow, now looking 0:12:57.880 --> 0:13:01.440 back at the episodes and what I've cooked, I'm still 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:06.120 at shocks. Well I made that, So it's it's very interesting. 0:13:06.440 --> 0:13:08.360 So you obviously didn't say to the producers to lose 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:09.080 your phone number. 0:13:10.080 --> 0:13:13.200 See here's my number, call me anytime. So so yes, 0:13:13.240 --> 0:13:14.840 I would. I would love to sort of go back, 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:18.480 probably not as a as a competitor. Again, I think 0:13:18.480 --> 0:13:21.280 it's still a bit raw. I love to sort of 0:13:21.320 --> 0:13:23.640 go back and visit and taunt the new contestants. 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:26.200 You have to set the pressure test. You need to 0:13:26.200 --> 0:13:27.160 go back and it's your. 0:13:27.080 --> 0:13:30.520 Term, yes, yes, or I get to judge them. Oh 0:13:30.520 --> 0:13:32.040 my gosh, I would love to judge. 0:13:33.080 --> 0:13:34.800 Well, I think that, you know, I don't know how 0:13:34.840 --> 0:13:37.120 hard it is to make it. That definitely looked complicated 0:13:37.160 --> 0:13:38.760 to me. But I think if you came back to 0:13:38.800 --> 0:13:41.400 the kitchen and set a pressure test, the drunken Chicken 0:13:41.440 --> 0:13:43.559 two point zero might be a good one to see 0:13:43.559 --> 0:13:45.880 if people could recreate it as well as it looked. 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:48.120 Oh that that? I know? How's that? 0:13:48.160 --> 0:13:48.400 Hey? 0:13:48.480 --> 0:13:52.000 Like that was? That was another emotional episode that was horrible. 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:53.720 I mean it's good and bad. Do you know what 0:13:53.720 --> 0:13:54.000 I mean? 0:13:54.840 --> 0:13:57.640 Well, over the weeks of filming this series, you know, 0:13:57.720 --> 0:14:00.560 if you had, well, you had so much time being 0:14:00.559 --> 0:14:02.439 able to spend time with these judges. But if you 0:14:02.480 --> 0:14:04.319 can only pick one to come around to your place 0:14:04.360 --> 0:14:06.840 for dinner, now that the series is over, who would 0:14:06.880 --> 0:14:08.480 you pick to come around to your place for dinner? 0:14:08.640 --> 0:14:10.040 Oh? Hands down, melissaly On. 0:14:10.240 --> 0:14:12.520 Everyone is going to say that for some reason. I know, 0:14:12.760 --> 0:14:15.440 without ever meeting her, and I did keep an eye 0:14:15.480 --> 0:14:18.200 out at the logis, but without meeting her, I just 0:14:18.360 --> 0:14:21.520 feel like she is very authentic and she just comes 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:24.040 across like she's your best friend. I don't know how 0:14:25.120 --> 0:14:25.760 she is. 0:14:25.880 --> 0:14:29.080 And I think, and that's it, Like she's so authentic 0:14:29.160 --> 0:14:32.680 that she connects with everyone in so many different levels. 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:35.400 So imagine having her over for dinner, mind you, like 0:14:35.960 --> 0:14:39.480 she she would Yeah, she would critique. 0:14:40.000 --> 0:14:43.480 Not just the food, Alva, what's going on with this 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:44.360 picture on the wall. 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:47.600 That's right, let's unpack this a little bit, Alvin, So 0:14:47.880 --> 0:14:50.000 like what it's say? Oh yes, I'll love it. 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:53.680 Well with two master chefs in the tank, you know, 0:14:53.720 --> 0:14:55.320 what are you going to? What have you got planned? 0:14:55.360 --> 0:14:56.760 You know? What are you going to do after being 0:14:57.360 --> 0:14:58.960 through this experience all over again? 0:14:59.080 --> 0:15:00.960 So there's a couple of things said. One might possibly 0:15:00.960 --> 0:15:05.080 excite you, Ben. I'm actually thinking of working on my 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:09.600 own eyeway line, so so watch this space. I'm currently 0:15:09.640 --> 0:15:12.200 sort of in talks with a local sort of producer 0:15:12.280 --> 0:15:14.480 to see if I can get my name on some Specs, 0:15:14.960 --> 0:15:15.920 which would be nice. 0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:18.760 That's my favorite thing about you. What people don't know 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:20.640 is that when we turned up here, we could you know, 0:15:20.680 --> 0:15:23.360 I could see Alvin and I could see the signature 0:15:23.440 --> 0:15:27.400 pair of glasses of Specs, and they didn't disappoint they're 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:30.200 quite amazing, and I think that there's plenty of people 0:15:30.240 --> 0:15:32.720 out there that would love to be wearing your specs. 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:34.760 My friend, Oh it's so cool. 0:15:34.840 --> 0:15:37.680 I have like fans basically writing to me and said, oh, 0:15:37.800 --> 0:15:40.880 my daughter's going to school and as dress up theme 0:15:40.920 --> 0:15:45.360 and today she's dressing up as Alvin Spex. And there 0:15:45.440 --> 0:15:48.520 was a photo of this cute girl with like this 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:53.040 big round white glasses. Just adorable, adorable. But my second, 0:15:53.120 --> 0:15:55.600 my second project, Ben is I think it's time I 0:15:55.960 --> 0:15:58.280 write a cookbook. I've been putting it off for so long, 0:15:58.320 --> 0:16:01.360 and I think there's so many stories from my heritage 0:16:01.400 --> 0:16:04.000 and my culture and my mum's kitchen that deserves to 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:04.440 be told. 0:16:04.560 --> 0:16:06.520 Well, I'm in your audience. I'll buy the glasses and 0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:09.800 the cookbook, and I'll send you a photo on Instagram. 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:12.000 And you know what you know? Bet never mind, Melissa Lyon, 0:16:12.160 --> 0:16:13.320 come over, I'll cook for you. 0:16:14.040 --> 0:16:16.640 I'm so excited about that drunken chicken. Dooboy. Let me 0:16:16.680 --> 0:16:19.560 tell you what an honor would it be to have 0:16:19.600 --> 0:16:21.960 you make it. At this point of the competition with 0:16:22.040 --> 0:16:24.000 only four people left, you know, who do you think 0:16:24.080 --> 0:16:25.040 is going to take this out? 0:16:25.320 --> 0:16:29.080 Look, my money is on Billy. She is so calm 0:16:29.160 --> 0:16:32.840 under pressure. She's really good at you know, like her artillery. 0:16:32.880 --> 0:16:35.040 When it comes to cooking, it's just it's just kind 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:36.760 of like a jack of all traits and the master 0:16:36.880 --> 0:16:40.120 of everything. I think, So my money is on her. 0:16:40.320 --> 0:16:42.400 Well, maybe we should organize this as a dinner. We'll 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:45.120 get Melissa involved, We'll get Billy there. You can cook 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:46.600 and chicken. 0:16:46.840 --> 0:16:49.840 I think Billy can do the rest. You bring them one. No, 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:52.040 it's okay. We love anyone who brings mine. Ben. 0:16:53.080 --> 0:16:54.640 Well, my last question that I want to ask you 0:16:54.720 --> 0:16:57.000 something from behind the scenes. You know, what is something 0:16:57.000 --> 0:16:59.320 that audiences didn't get a chance to see that they 0:16:59.480 --> 0:17:02.560 loved to see, you know, maybe a little secret from 0:17:02.560 --> 0:17:04.720 behind the scenes of the makings of master chef. 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:08.159 Oh, here's a little secret. So we we love to 0:17:08.160 --> 0:17:11.840 put on music and just do bad singing and bad dancing. 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:15.200 So you know, like, let's just say, we're better cooks 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:18.480 than we are singers or dancers. So usually to release 0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:22.119 the tension or more I guess, a release of like 0:17:22.359 --> 0:17:25.560 energy at the end of a cooking a hard cooking week, 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:28.120 we just play on some dodgy I don't know Petula 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:30.800 Clark from Downtown or something, and we just sort of 0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:34.600 dance and sing and yeah, do it really badly? 0:17:35.359 --> 0:17:39.200 Who is the worst? Who is the worst dancer and singer? 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:42.480 From Master Chef fans versus favorites? Oh I want to know? 0:17:43.160 --> 0:17:45.040 Oh do you want to know? Can I name and shame? 0:17:45.240 --> 0:17:48.320 Yes? Of course. Then I can listen to this podcast 0:17:48.359 --> 0:17:49.400 unless we send it to them. 0:17:49.920 --> 0:17:54.719 Ah, I have no Actually, I would say all the boys, 0:17:54.920 --> 0:17:57.240 all the boys can't sing or dance. I put myself 0:17:57.240 --> 0:17:57.920 in that category. 0:17:58.240 --> 0:18:01.840 Okay, I'll hashtag them all into that. You know, Ben, 0:18:03.160 --> 0:18:04.920 I've had such a great time being able to chat 0:18:04.920 --> 0:18:07.160 with you. I've actually loved you on the show. And 0:18:07.280 --> 0:18:09.239 when I heard who was coming back, I was like, 0:18:09.320 --> 0:18:11.840 what an icon? And I think you haven't disappointed and 0:18:11.880 --> 0:18:13.840 your fans have been there with you right the whole 0:18:13.880 --> 0:18:15.760 way through. So congratulations. 0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:17.879 Well, thank you, Ben. It's lovely chatting to you, and 0:18:17.880 --> 0:18:20.200 thank thanks for having me. It's been really cool. 0:18:20.480 --> 0:18:22.399 It's been so strange. I've got to chat to everyone. 0:18:22.400 --> 0:18:24.600 I think I've missed one because I had COVID, and 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:27.399 apart from that, I think I have interviewed everyone, and 0:18:27.480 --> 0:18:30.359