EXCLUSIVE: Audra Morrice reveals whether judges actually have favourites on the show.

MasterChef’s Audra Morrice opens up about whether anyone gets preferential treatment from the judges. Photos: Channel 10

In almost every season of MasterChef Australia, viewers have accused at least one contestant of receiving preferential treatment from the judges. This season, it’s Laura Sharrad who, despite being one of the most talented and successful chefs to emerge from the reality show, has been accused of making it this far in the competition simply because she’s a favourite.

Not only has she famously placed runner-up in two previous seasons, but she also trained under former judge Jock Zonfrillo and competed alongside Poh Ling Yeow in season 12. While viewers will have to wait a few more weeks to see if she makes it to the finale, one of this year’s contestants has shut down speculation that the judges have favourites.

Audra Morrice tells Yahoo Lifestyle that she knows very well, after appearing as a judge on MasterChef Asia and all four seasons of MasterChef Singapore, that it’s not an easy role to have.

“Having done my stint for six years, you have to be very objective. And as much as there are likes and dislikes in your food repertoire, you have to be very objective,” she shares. “I think all of them come from very different schools of thought, and they put their two cents worth in, and across the board, it probably levelled out in the end and provided a fairly objective view.”

Audra admits that from her experience on the other side of the competition, there are contestants that you find yourself “drawn to”; however, that’s what makes the role “so difficult”.

“You have to really be quite fair and square. There’s no doubt they like certain people, but I don’t know,” she continues. “To be honest, I mean, sometimes, as a judge, you stand there, and someone you think cooks a certain style of food just blows you away with something totally different. You’ve got to go like, ‘Holy moly, that’s incredible’.”

Audra and Andy both competed on season four in 2012. Photos: Channel 10

Audra’s friendship with Andy

Audra herself had quite a special relationship with one of this year’s judges, as she competed alongside Andy Allen on season four in 2012. The pair made it to the finale alongside Julia Taylor, with Audra finishing in third place and Andy taking out the title.

While the unique relationship dynamic was barely mentioned this season, she says it was “so nice” being in the MasterChef kitchen again with him and their fellow co-star, Beau Cook, for the first time in 13 years.

“[Andy] was so young at that point in time, and I was like, 41. I think that caring nature of me is still there, but I feel like my child’s all grown up and so successful in what he does now, and I’m super proud of him,” she remarks.

“Also, just to reconnect with the likes of Beau, who was on my season. I hadn’t spoken to Beau for 13 years, and it’s like there was no time in between, and we just picked it up from where we left off.”

 

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Audra’s post-show plans

She might not have won this year’s season of MasterChef, but Audra shares that she has her hands “in so many different pies”.

“I think for me, having just launched Eat, Roam, Relish Malaysia on SBS Food, I’m actually turning that into the experience. So it will be an Eat, Roam, Relish experience and really take people on this immersive, gastronomic, cultural experience to different countries,” she details.

“For me, travel is not really just about ticking those boxes and jumping on and off busses. It’s really immersing yourself in the culture so that you come back feeling so invigorated, so energised, and so much more knowledgeable, having had such an incredible experience from a creative arts perspective, from a food perspective, and really connecting with the people.”

Audra, who reveals she was previously asked to return for season 12 and season 14 but was too busy to say ‘yes’, adds that she can’t wait to see who takes out the season 17 crown.

“I know who I want to win, I know who I’d like to see in the finals, and let’s see if it comes true,” she teases. “There’s probably a handful that are so deserving; they’ve worked so hard, much harder than I did, in terms of kind of allowing themselves to showcase what they do best.”

MasterChef Australia: Back to Win continues Sunday at 7pm, and Monday to Wednesday at 7:30pm on 10 and 10 Play