MKR viewers divided over 'filthy' kitchen detail: 'Seriously wrong'

The 2024 MKR season has been full of surprises so far. From shock eliminations to plenty of dinnertime drama and a history-making score for one team, it's certainly been one to remember. While fans of the show have been having a ball watching the teams dish up amazing meals - with a side helping of shade - many just can't seem to get past one big detail.

In several online groups dedicated to the cooking competition, viewers have taken issue with the fact the teams don't wear gloves when cooking in their own kitchens.

"No gloves or tongs, hands in food, licking fingers, hair flopping everywhere, call the health and safety," one horrified person wrote following Kitchen Queens Maddie and Janey's cook.

"Big chunky rings in the midst of all the food," another added along with the vomit emoji.

"Where are their gloves? Too much handling the food. Hair should have been tied back," someone else added.

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"That's what I was thinking too plus she's wearing a heap of rings. They should at least be off," yet another viewer wrote.

"Ummmm, I reckon they should have been wearing hair nets or made to have their hair tied back! Ewwwwwwwww," was another comment.

"I thought their personal hygiene was very poor, poking and prodding every piece of duck, every scallop, every macaron and not a rubber glove or hand cleanser in sight," someone else added.

To glove or not to glove?

While many people agreed that the women's hair should have been tied back and they should have removed their rings before cooking, the issue of whether or not they should have been wearing gloves had people divided.

"With all the comments about gloves... I don't know anybody who would wear gloves to prepare a meal in their own kitchen if hosting a dinner party," one fan wrote online. "Frequent hand washing between handling different foods is far more hygienic. I wash my hands numerous times when preparing any meal on a daily basis. Can you imagine changing your gloves every time? Those who think they can wear the same gloves for the prep are seriously wrong. Raw meat coming in contact with other foods?? It's not cost-effective or hygienic and so much waste. Hair, yes should be out of your face."

The post stirred up quite a debate as people weighed in with their own thoughts and experiences.

"Whilst working in takeaways I had to wear gloves and I hated them! I had to change them continuously and they would rip or split with monotonous regularity. They're just not practical when cooking in your own kitchen," one person said.

"I wear gloves when handling raw meat as I don't like touching it. I was more concerned about all the jewellery the mother was wearing while handling the food," another viewer explained.

"Yes, I must say I was a bit surprised at all the comments about wearing gloves. Just wash your hands after dealing with raw meat, that's all," someone else suggested.

"I think gloves are a bit much. I would like rings off fingers when cooking but that's a me thing. Taught that while cooking," was another opinion.

"I would normally agree with you, but I saw how much they were poking that duck everybody had a poke and they continued poking and poking and if they’re going to do that, they should wear gloves," someone else wrote.

'Very unhygienic'

Other people shared that gloves can be just as unhygienic - if not more so - as people put a pair on and then keep them on for the duration of a cook.

"No chef will wear gloves because they are the dirtiest things on the planet," one viewer explained. "People think you put one on and you are good. Dirty things."

"Gloves are filthy things. Very unhygienic," another said.

The complaints about food handling and safety on MKR echo those that viewers made during the 2024 MasterChef season where fans were horrified that contestants didn't wear hairnets.

Food safety rules in Australia

So what are the rules here? Are the MKR contestants in serious breach of the health and safety guidelines? Or are the viewers making a big old fuss over nothing? Well, it's a little of both.

The health and hygiene requirements of food handlers (anyone who works in a food business and handles food or surfaces that are likely to come into contact with food) are that they must "tie back long hair, and take all practical measures to prevent hair contaminating food" and "remove loose jewellery, avoid wearing jewellery and decorations, including nail polish and false nails, on the hands and wrists."

When it comes to wearing gloves, The Food Standards Code does not require food handlers to use them and per the Food Authority of NSW's website, "Even when wearing gloves, in many situations it may be preferable to use utensils such as tongs or spoons."

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The website also states that if a person is wearing gloves, they must be removed, discarded and replaced with a new pair in the following circumstances:

• before handling food

• before handling ready-to-eat food and after handling raw food

• after using the toilet, smoking, coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief, eating, drinking or touching the hair, scalp or body.

Of course, there is a very good chance that the MKR cast do, in fact, frequently wash their hands but thanks to the magic of editing, we may never know for sure.

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