All Stories FeedCall to shift MasterChef locale
A rather bizarre notion is being floated today that MasterChef might move to Melbourne for its third series.
Question: why?
Melbourne mayor Cr. Robert Doyle welcomed the idea and described Melbourne as the “MasterChef city”.
“MasterChef is already 100% Melbourne with Matt, George and Gary and so we would love to give them some home cooking,” he said.
Melbourne viewers also watch the show in higher numbers than Sydney viewers.
But (speaking as a Melburnian) this is a daft notion.
The show works because of the people, not the city. The people in the show, and the hard-working people who make the thing. Most of them are based in Sydney.
The fact that more Melbourne viewers watch it than Sydney is not unique to MasterChef, and arguably reiterates exactly why it should remain in Sydney.
TEN’s Melbourne programmer Peter Andrews said “anything is possible” for series three.
Sorry.
Maybe they should just compromise and stick the thing in Albury-Wodonga. See if it rates any higher then?
Source: Herald Sun
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Good points, Homer. However, I note Ten hasn’t denied the report whereas they were very quick to deny the report about a reality program about photographers.
Have you read the Herald-Sun “article”? Who was it that “called” for the move? I can’t find that anywhere in the article except, by inference, the Herald-Sun itself. I think this is a non-story that was whipped up by a journo doing a quick ring-around to gauge reaction to something that nobody was even talking about publicly. Nevertheless it has, rather predictably, coaxed the usual tired-of-their-number-two-image Melbournians out from behind their scarves and beanies to give us their opinions about Melbourne being the “food capital”, etc, even though most of them have probably never set foot in Vue de monde. It feels like we’ve all heard this stuff so very many times before.
I consider myself a “foodie” and I’ve got quite a few, similar friends in both Sydney and Melbourne. The consensus among those that know these things seems to be that both cities have very vibrant but quite distinct food scenes. Sydney has more three-hatters with more world renowned chefs and world class restaurants (think Quay, Est., Tetsuya’s) while Melbourne, which also has a few standouts of its own, does bistro-stryle food very well and with great consistency. In my view whether you are from Sydney or from Melbourne – if you’re a foodie, just give thanks that you aren’t living in Brisbane!
Doesn’t seem like such a bizarre notion to me. But if it’s a case of maintaining some continuity between seasons, Sydney could retain its ‘MC base’ status, but the show could introduce a round Australia challenge each week.
Each week could feature a different location around Australia, boasting natural produce. That way contestants, and viewers, could be exposed to all Australia has to offer in the way of cuisine and produce. I’m sure there’d be more than enough financial support from State governments, tourism boards, and food industry groups to encourage Ten budget wise, and the MasterChef brand could be broadened even further.
I think as a test David should move to Sydney to write columns and see if his readership changes…………
As long as a quality show is produced it doesn’t matter where it’s based. Enough said.
The MC kitchen in Sydney is located in an industrial area (Alexandria) which is close to the city and Sydney Airport, and is only 15 minutes’ drive from where the contestants live (the picturesque Double Bay). Where can you find that in Melbourne? Also, it is expensive to rent a big house in Melbourne just to accommodate all the contestants.
I can’t wait. I’m already tired about everything being filmed in Sydney and all the sport being in Melbourne.
If it makes people in Melbourne feel better about themselves, let them have it. Its just a TV show and hey, they need something to brighten up the place down there.
Lets have a look here.
1. It will cut costs on flights and accommodation for judges and guests. [i.e: Gary, George and Matt could stay in their own Melbournian home during the filming].
2. It is the food capital, and this sets that statement.
3. Melbourne has Gordon Ramsey on the list of chefs owning/working for restaurants in Melbourne!
4. It did do a week in Melbourne and that looked impressive.
5. We have some unique places to film [i.e: Lane ways in the CBD, Wineries and historical buildings].
6. There is plenty of disused warehouses good for a studio kitchen.
7. Docklands is the best place for a new apartment for the chefs.
8. We have the Vic Market and Parahan Market and Footscray which has the Little Saigon.
It’s a no brainier and could tell Sydney people to start watching or else!
PS: Our new PM is Melbournian and she might like the move?
I think the main thing is the guest chefs. Don’t care where they go on rewards, because I know I can’t afford any of those restaurants anyway, I just want to see the different chefs at work. Keep a good variety of guests flown in from everywhere and who cares where they are. (Yes David I’m Melburnian too)
Melburnian’s like to claim that there is a Sydney-Melbourne rivalry – there is no rivalry because it is completely one sided. Sydney knows that it is already the top city in Australia and doesn’t need to outlay huge money to attract events to confirm it.
Remember the digs at Sydney during the 2006 Commonwealth games in Melbourne? It was extremely petty and if Sydney had done the same thing during the 2000 Olympics, it would’ve looked pathetic on a world stage.
MC works perfectly fine in Sydney.
The cost of flying judges,hosts, contestants, etc around is not a major issue. If it were, maybe it’s time to replace the judges , which would freshen up the program. However it doesn’t seem to be an important factor. Look at Australia’s Got Talent for example, the host & two of the judges are Sydney based, yet the program is produced in Melbourne
The way it is keeps both sets of ridiculous fan waving city fans happy – ie judges from Melbourne, set in Sydney – taking care of the two biggest population bases. Moving the filming to Melbourne will just have Sydney people feeling its all a little bit too Melbourne. Mind you, Sydney people aren’t anywhere near as paranoid about how ‘important’ the city is as Melbourne people are.
I see how Melbourne would benefit but it’s pretty pointless from the show’s end. I don’t know if I’m peculiar in this respect (I don’t think I am) but a show’s geographic location has never been factored into my decision-making process when deciding what to watch. The notion seems a bit nonsensical to me, unless the location actually has some kind of bearing on the content (like the Melbourne/London weeks) and the day Masterchef becomes a permanent tourism ad is the day I stop watching Masterchef.
sorry that’s “If you want to take it to a foodie city” – always get excited when I think of Matt and his natty way of dressing!!
Well if you want taking it to a “foodie” city why not Adelaide??
the masterchef kitchen set is a specially fitted out abandoned warehouse, plenty of which can be found in melbourne. more importantly, if gary, george and matt all live in melbourne, then the costs of their flights and accommodation would no longer factor into the show. as the show becomes more and more popular, their agents would no doubt be pushing for business or first class flights, and bigger suites for the stars to stay in.
Please not another third series unless they ditch Preston and put an attractive person on!!!
I had wondered at times why the show wasn’t majority done in Melbourne as that’s where the judges have their restaurants and live.
@ mac – agree 100% change the set/city you change the entire tone of the show. It’s perfect as it is and as the saying goes “if it ain’t broke..” And personally I prefer Mel to Syd but it needs to stay where it is.
Is that a 3rd series of Masterchef I hear? Oh no, this tripe will be going on for years…
Rewards in the press club & laneway holes in walls? Quick, change the channel.
Ten is already on the nose in Sydney because it is seen as too Melbourne-centric. Moving MC would be a disaster.
Sydney has more top quality restaurants and chefs than Melbourne.
Melbourne’s just jealous, as usual.
If it really affected the judges, why sign on in the first place?
Here we go again – the Sydney / Melbourne debate.
It seems stupid to change location when it doesn’t really matter where it’s filmed.
Really a non-issue, next….
David, the “why” is because of the economic benefit associated with more television (or film) production in the city. Simple.
Nothing to do with how many watch the show where, or if Melbourne is more ‘foodie’ than Sydney.
The set is a MASSIVE part of the branding and the success. Move to Melbourne, lose that fantastic set that is instantly recognisable and people will switch off. It’s all part of the recipe for their success.
Haven’t we seen every Sydney chef and been to every single restaurant in Sydney for the rewards, and seen EVERY possible angle of the harbour bridge? Do you REALLY want to see that all over again in series 3? Or do you want rewards in the press club and laneway holes in the wall (which is really only what the contestants want anyway, not 3 hat rests).
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it? Tell that to idol and sytycd.
People eat with their eyes first, viewers eyes need refreshing too or tv just becomes wallpaper.
I’m sure the judges don’t care where they are. They would be making a healthy bit of cash for doing the show.
@ Russell, if the setting is not really important then why change it?
it makes sense. It would be easier for the judges after all they live in Melbourne and Gary and Geroge have there restaurants here, It woulds save them flying and being away from there families.
Melbourne do have good restaurants and cafes and it is the food capital of australia.
What’s the old saying – if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
i agree, its best not to rock the boat on such a successful project, especially since its really the only breadwinner for Ten at the moment.
Makes more sense being in Melbourne than Sydney. Not sure why they put it in Sydney in the first place unless they got an amazing deal with that crazy building they do the show in.
The setting is not really relevant to the storytelling in MC. It’s not like Apprentice / NYC or American Ido/Hollywood. So why not move city? If it does not really matter, then what harm in changing the location?
Absolutely agree. Why change it for the sake of changing it? If it’s garnering a large viewership in melbourne, then it doesn’t need to move there permanently.. What point will that serve. If anything, moving it out of sydney might lower the viewers there. Seems a bit of a daft decision in my opinion. Then again, when i first heard that ten were putting on a cooking show 6 nights a week i thought they’d lost the plot.
I thought it was appropriate for the 7pm project to travel around a bit, because they were struggling in the sydney market.. but moving MC which is setting ratings records just doesn’t make sense.
If it aint broke dont fix it. Dumb idea and just political gibberish from the Melbourne Mayor.
I don’t see why this is a daft notion. The Melbourne food scene is much more conducive to the sort of cooking that takes place on the show and is far more nurturing of young talent. And this is coming from a Perth-ite.