Watching MasterChef, many viewers have wondered the same thing – after hours of cooking, plating and judging, is the food still fresh by the time the judges finally taste it? It turns out there is much more happening behind the scenes than what makes it to our screens. Sofia Levin, a judge on the ongoing MasterChef Australia Season 18, has pulled back the curtain on the judging process, revealing how the team works to ensure dishes are tasted as closely as possible to the way contestants intended them to be served.
The Judges Taste The Food Twice
As shared by Sofia Levin on the Inherited Podcast, the judges do not rely solely on the tasting shown on television. As soon as the cooking time ends, they immediately begin what she calls a “hot tasting” off camera.
“As soon as the clock finishes, we go around off camera, and we try everything. Call it a hot tasting,” Levin explained.
This first round gives the judges an understanding of what the dish tastes like at the exact moment it would normally be served, much like a diner experiencing a meal in a restaurant.
Then Comes The On-Camera Judging
Once the off-camera tasting is complete, the judges taste the dishes again while filming.
Levin shared that by this point, they already have a baseline understanding of the food’s flavours, textures, and overall execution. The second tasting allows them to assess another equally important aspect: presentation.
By tasting the food on camera, the judges can evaluate how contestants have plated their dishes and how the final product looks when presented for judging.
The Secret Role Of MasterChef’s Food Team
One of the lesser-known heroes behind the scenes is MasterChef’s dedicated food team. Their job is to ensure that the dishes remain as faithful as possible to their original form between the first and second tastings.
Levin explained that the team carefully maintains everything from sauces to frozen desserts so that the food looks and tastes the same during filming as it did when contestants finished cooking.
“One of their main jobs is making sure the food presents exactly the same when we’re eating it on camera as it did when the cook finished,” she said.
That means ensuring sauces do not change consistency and even making sure ice cream has not frozen further before the judges take another bite.
Judging Is Taken Very Seriously
For fans who have questioned whether delayed tastings could affect the outcome, Levin’s answer is clear. The MasterChef team has strict processes in place to ensure fairness and accuracy.
“We’re really strict with stuff like that. We take it very seriously,” she said.
So, the next time you watch a nail-biting MasterChef judging session, remember that the judges have already tasted the dishes at their freshest. What viewers see on screen is only part of a carefully managed process designed to give every contestant a fair assessment.
