‘Is it illegal not to use it?’ MasterChef viewers are SICK of hibachi grills after contestants use the Japanese barbeque for the EIGHTH time
MasterChef Australia has featured hibachi grills no less than eight times this season.
On Thursday night, the traditional Japanese barbeque was used four times in one episode – three times in the immunity challenge and once by judge Jock Zonfrillo.
MasterChef viewers on Twitter have grown sick of the ever-present hibachi, which seems to pop in almost every episode.
‘Is it illegal not to use it?’ MasterChef viewers are SICK of hibachi grills (pictured) after contestants use the Japanese barbeque for a EIGHTH time
‘We can lose the hibachis now… Please,’ one person wrote.
‘They’ve been introduced to hibachi this season and have run with it,’ another viewer agreed.
One person questioned: ‘Is it illegal not to use the hibachi now?’
‘Hibachi has replaced Sous Vide which took over from Panna Cotta as the most used term on MasterChef,’ another person said, referencing previous seasons’ tropes.
Another person proposed a drinking game: ‘Take a shot every time they say Hibachi this season.’
Over it! MasterChef viewers on Twitter have grown sick of the ever-present hibachi, which seems to pop in almost every episode
During Thursday night’s episode, hibachi grills were used by Sarah Tiong, Khanh Ong and Reynold Poernomo.
Khanh used the grill to make beef curry, Reynold used it to grill onions and Sarah used it to make a steak, which resulted in her winning the immunity challenge.
Later in the episode, judge Jock Zonfrillo brought back the Japanese barbeque to cook a King George whiting.
He also introduced a ‘hibachi hack’ by using a paint gun to blow air on the charcoal, which rapidly increased the temperature by 100 degrees celsius.
Hibachi entusiast: Khanh Ong used the hibachi grill during Thursday night’s episode along with Sarah Tiong, Reynold Poernomo and judge Jock Zonfrillo
Different uses: Khanh used the grill to make beef curry, Reynold used it to grill onions (left) and Sarah used it to make a steak (right), which resulted in her winning the immunity challenge.
Previously in the season, the grill was used to make scarlet prawns from Jock’s restaurant, a whole spatchcock, a rib-eye steak and braised cabbage.
While fancy devices like blow torches and blast chillers are often seen in the TV kitchen, the hibachi grill has rarely been pulled out over the last 10 seasons.
The hibachi, which translates to ‘fire bowl,’ is a small portable grill which can be bought online from $269.
It is powered by charcoal, which gives the meat a smoke-free flavour.
MasterChef Australia continues Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel 10
Not again! Later in the episode, judge Jock Zonfrillo (pictured) brought back the Japanese barbeque to cook a King George whiting and used a paint gun to heat up the charcoal