MasterChef Australia's most talked about moments ever

One reason why MasterChef Australia is so popular is that instead of being full of competitiveness and backstabbing, it's ridiculously wholesome and sweet.

Contestants support each other through challenges and difficulties as they take their skills to the next level.

But it's not without its drama – both on and off-screen!

Here are the top five moments we remember most.

Change of judges

George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan were synonymous with MasterChef Australia as the original judges and took over as season two hosts.

They were shocked at being replaced after 11 seasons.

"Despite months of negotiation, 10 has not been able to reach a commercial agreement that was satisfactory to Matt, Gary and George," Network 10 said.

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However, Gary took to his Facebook page to explain the real reason they left.

"It was time to move on, have more free time to explore our own creativity," he wrote.

"It was never about the money and never will be about the money. We couldn’t agree on the term of the new contract for 2020. Something we felt very strongly about."

New judges and hosts Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and season four winner Andy Allen have taken the mantle for a new decade.

Gordon Ramsay's meltdown

It's not as if Gordon Ramsay letting loose on wannabe chefs is anything new, but in 2018 when the contestants had to serve members of the public in a restaurant, the guest judge didn't hold back.

The blue team, led by Chloe Carroll, copped his ire, starting with the prawn entree.

"Way over-processed! It’s like a rubber ball inside!" he shouted, warning he might shut them down.

Things went from bad to worse.

"That’s raw!" he said before throwing their salmon across the room.

"I could put that back in the f**king sea and it’d start swimming!"

Not what we're used to on a show rather more supportive than competitive!

Katy Perry calls one contestant 'The Tits!'

We know that it can be hard to come up with descriptive words for a delicious dish, but Katy Perry thrilled one contestant in 2020 when she described him as "the tits".

The US singer's arrival had already stunned contestants.

She uttered the hilarious compliment after tasting Reece Hignell's dessert, a rum baba with smoked honey creme.

“You’re the tits, Reece,” Katy declared.

Matt Preston's fall out with Marco Pierre White

MasterChef Australia host and judge Matt Preston was asked during a 2016 radio interview about Marco Pierre White's son, Marco Jr, who was appearing on UK Big Brother.

Marco Jr had made claims about spending his father's money on drugs and sex workers, to which Matt commented: "I think it is that terrible thing when you have kids that go off the rails, how do you deal with it? I don’t know. I don’t think Marco has a solution, I don’t think anyone has a solution."

But Marco Sr took exception.

“The things he said about my son in the British press were disgraceful,” Marco Sr said, revealing why he defected to rival Hell's Kitchen on Channel 7.

“No one should ever say that about someone else’s children. I will never forgive that man.”

He added that Preston was a “canary in the coalmine” and vowed revenge on him, claiming “with my hand on my mother’s grave, I will get that man’’.

Roasted pig's head

Beer merchant Chris Badenoch went into the first season of MasterChef Australia with a strong belief in using every part of an animal in cooking.

"The cheek is such a beautiful succulent piece of meat that's underutilised," he said, serving the judges.

All three were thrilled, George telling Chris: "This is you on a plate."

MasterChef Fans & Favourites starts Monday 28 Feb 2022 on 10 and 10 Play On Demand.

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