The Success of MasterChef Australia

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The finale of the MasterChef Australia was definitely something to reckon with. Who would have thought that it could force the country’s political leaders, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott, to concede and move the date of their election debate just to give way to the show’s finale? They know that it will be hard to capture the attention of a quarter of the country’s population. In fact, about 5.74 million people tuned in for the show’s finale.

MasterChef Australia has set the record for being the most watched non-sporting television broadcast since 2001. The country’s television ratings system was first established in 2001. Since then, no show has achieved the same ratings like what Ten Network Holdings Limited’s MasterChef Australia gained with its season finale.

About 1 out of 4 Australians tuned in to witness how 31-year-old Adam Liaw bested 20-year-old Callum Hann in the show’s final cook-off. The two remained after they defeated 22 other contestants. These 24 aspirants were chosen from 8,000 applicants. The competition lasted for 14 weeks. Liaw, a lawyer working in Japan for the past six years, received $100,000 AUS. He also won a publishing contract for his own cookbook.

Despite its ratings success, the show has been receiving mixed reviews especially from the fans of MasterChef Britain. Many people criticize the show for allegedly lacking in structure and quality when compared to the British version. There are some critics who frown at the competition format of the show. This format seemingly focuses on the competition rather than on cooking.

These criticisms, however, are not shared by numerous fans and audiences who regard the show as the ultimate “antidote for cynicism”. The show also reflects the multifaceted Australian culture.

As a result, a growing interest in culinary arts has been reported. Cooking schools are reporting increased number of enrollees in recent years. This is majorly attributed to the success of MasterChef Australia. Kitchenware retailers and haute cuisine restaurants have also benefited from the popularity of the show. Retailers have seen increased sales, orders and trade while high-end restaurants have witnessed increased number in customers. Supermarkets or grocery stores have also reported increased in sale of ingredients that have been used or featured in the show.

The show has pioneered the production of other cooking shows including Iron Chef Australia, another foreign show that is meant to compete with MasterChef Australia.

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