‘It was a totally different feeling’: Celebrity chef Curtis Stone reveals what he REALLY thinks about MasterChef Australia’s new judges
He’d worked with former MasterChef Australia judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris for years.
So it would be easy to understand if celebrity chef Curtis Stone wasn’t a fan of the newly-revamped series of the hit cooking competition, dubbed Back To Win.
On Saturday, the 44-year-old told The Daily Telegraph that after filming a guest spot with Melissa Leong, Jock Zonfrillo and Andy Allen earlier in the year, he thinks it’s working out ‘really well’ for the new lineup.
‘I think it’s going to work out really well’: Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone (pictured) weighed in on MasterChef Australia’s new judges on Saturday
‘Change always feels strange, but I think it’s going to work out really well for all of them, to be honest,’ he said.
The LA-based restaurateur said there were no hard feelings from the original judges, who were dumped from the program last year, over his decision to continue appearing on the show.
‘It was a totally different feeling … but well wishes from the ex-judges were given and they were genuine,’ he said.
And while we all spend more time at home self-isolating, watching TV and cooking, Curtis thinks this is the perfect time for the program to make a giant comeback.
‘Well wishes from the ex-judges were given and they were genuine’: Curtis revealed there were no hard feelings from the original judges after he continued with the program (pictured left to right Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris, Curtis and Matt Preston)
‘The timing is brilliant. We all have more time on our hands and if you think about it we are all not only cooking more but cooking more adventurously,’ he added.
While Channel 10 took a major gamble by hiring three virtual unknowns in food critic Melissa, Scottish Chef Jock and former contestant Andy – it’s paying off.
Fans have been loving the new trio, with one even taking to Facebook to say she thinks the show is much better now.
Paying off! Channel 10 took a major gamble by hiring three virtual unknowns to judge the long running program and viewers are loving the new trio (Pictured left to right Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo)
‘No, don’t miss them at all. I love the new judges, the show is so far much better to watch,’ the viewer wrote.
Another said the new judges were ‘the freshness the show needed’.
A third fan commented: ‘We had 10 awesome years with them and now a fresh new approach and faces. New team are outstanding.’
MasterChef: Back To Win continues Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten
Loving the fresh faces: Fans flocked to Facebook to share their enthusiasm for the new judges