April 27, 2025 • 6 mins
Rod and Gabi spoke with Poh Ling Yeow ahead of the new season of Master Chef. They unpacked Master Chef behind the scenes from back in the day and what this new season has instore.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Is this right?
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Did you know that? I don't know if this is
even true.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Apparently the original Master Chef contestants used to live in
one house together.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Oh really, well, that's that was my reaction. I got
that wrong.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
I don't remember that.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
What was I never saw it on TV. But there's
so many reality shows that.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Show that would be the best reality show.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Ever, particularly if particularly if they're doing some you know,
freestyle cooking.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Everyone's in there kitchen. Yeah, but you'd also it's like
a jam sash, but in the kitchen.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Yeah. But I also think it would be a recipe
pun intended for all sorts of blow ups, even just
around how you pack the dishwasher and any.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Chefs in the kitchen just doesn't stop. I don't know
if any of that.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I'll tell you who will know, partly from Master Chef,
one of the fantastic judges. The show's back on the
TV tonight, by the way, seven thirty on ten Poe Today.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Good morning, and Gabby, how are you guys?
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Well?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Well, is that even true?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Did all the absolutely true?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Really?
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Really?
Speaker 5 (00:56):
Yeah? Is still true?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Tilly? I think you've forgotten they used to show, did they? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
It seems dramatic to come.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Yeah, they used to come every morning, wake us up
at four in the morning, way earlier than to film
us having coffee together and deliberating what we would we
might you know, what might be up the next day.
It was kind of a bit of a useless exercise.
I think they they got rid of it for a
(01:26):
reason because, I mean, what can you do to guess nothing?
It's pretty sort of a lot of you know, looking
into the distance with coffee cup in your hand, like wonder.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yes, well this thing they do it on some of
the reality shows to I guess, try and build tension
and anxiety and then there's blow ups on the screen.
But you don't want that in Mastership. You just want
everyone to just you know, cook something good.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
No, you're correct. I think when they realized it wasn't
that kind of show, and also they weren't getting much
out of us in that in that way, you know,
like they just thought, I think it was just bag
to sit. But yeah, it was quite an interesting exercising
in the same house because we only had two kitchens,
one kitchenette and a regular kitchen, and of course there
(02:15):
was like you know, twenty of us or whatever living
in the house.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
How many bathrooms I think there was no, I know
there was one, three, three bathrooms, three bathrooms that had showers,
five or five toilets.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Maybe given you were spending all day every day filming yourselves,
cooking was just everything at the house takeout or.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Two minute noodles?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Soy say that again?
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Was everything at the house just like ordering takeaway? Or
were people trying to flex on one another by showing
off in the kitchen at home even though it didn't
count for the TV show?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Oh no way. We couldn't have any contact with the
outside world. And also there wasn't any uber each season one,
so so we were just looking with with you know,
we'd have sort of like we'd have like we could
order stuff into practice. Everyone was super paranoid about practicing
in front of each other because we didn't want to
(03:13):
have a stolen and so we used to just go
in cold, like the cooks were hardcore.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Well on that because a lot of a lot of
things have changed since season one of Master Chef and
this current season there is a contestant, Andre who was
in season one with you and Julie Goodwin and went
on to be a great restauranteur and business owner, but
it hasn't cooked much because he's been managing the businesses.
So now that he's back in the Master Chef kitchen,
(03:41):
what is in store for him? Because from season one
to now, it's not the same show anymore.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Really, No, I think he's actually really good made of
mine and he. I think they've got it way better now,
Like it's luxurious, Like I look at it and I'm
that great. I'm like that grandma, you know when we
were young. It's like the cooking version of that because
in the season, like pantry and our pantry time was
(04:10):
timed so we only had a one to two minutes
in the pantry, and the ingredients were always limited, so
you could only pick like ten to twelve max ingredients.
So can you imagine the number of times would come
back to the bench and look around someone would be
waddly lips because they'd be like, what's what's wrong? They'd
be like, oh, to cook a noodle, stirpot, I forgot
to get the noodles.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
You used to see stuff.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Like that unlimited.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
You can go to the unlimited And I remember in
the first challenge, I could feel like they really wanted
to miss the cook Asian and there wasn't even a
bamboo steam. It's I was like building a Tribbert out
of fork. I'm not joking. I like divering as well
as cooking.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
You know, when you've seen a million of these seasons,
whether or not you're participating or judging, and we've all,
you know, watched, it's been part of our lives.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
But I've never seen what I think happens tonight.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
And I mentioned before we got you on the phone
that is a terrifying and you don't usually describe Master
Chef that way. A terrifying beginning because before the contestants
even get out of episode one, does Chef Gordon Ramsey
burst in and start challenging everyone.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Yeah, in season twelve as well, so I know first
hand what that feel like. With USD there were no judges.
It was just him as a single looming figure when
the doors cracked open, literally as a stilhouette. But yeah,
a pretty big, a pretty huge challenge will start off
(05:38):
with with Gordon for sure. That I think that definitely
wouldn't have made all of them hope that they ate
their week bits.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Oh yeah, he's exciting for a million different reasons. Yeah,
we're excited this is back on the TV.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
We love it. Master Chef Poe, thank you so much
for the time.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
I suspect well chat as this season goes, but good
luck tonight at seven thirty on ten.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Thank you so much for having me. I hope you
enjoy it.
Is this right?
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Did you know that? I don't know if this is
even true.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Apparently the original Master Chef contestants used to live in
one house together.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Oh really, well, that's that was my reaction. I got
that wrong.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
I don't remember that.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
What was I never saw it on TV. But there's
so many reality shows that.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Show that would be the best reality show.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Ever, particularly if particularly if they're doing some you know,
freestyle cooking.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Everyone's in there kitchen. Yeah, but you'd also it's like
a jam sash, but in the kitchen.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Yeah. But I also think it would be a recipe
pun intended for all sorts of blow ups, even just
around how you pack the dishwasher and any.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Chefs in the kitchen just doesn't stop. I don't know
if any of that.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I'll tell you who will know, partly from Master Chef,
one of the fantastic judges. The show's back on the
TV tonight, by the way, seven thirty on ten Poe Today.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Good morning, and Gabby, how are you guys?
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Well?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Well, is that even true?
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Did all the absolutely true?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Really?
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Really?
Speaker 5 (00:56):
Yeah? Is still true?
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Tilly? I think you've forgotten they used to show, did they? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
It seems dramatic to come.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Yeah, they used to come every morning, wake us up
at four in the morning, way earlier than to film
us having coffee together and deliberating what we would we
might you know, what might be up the next day.
It was kind of a bit of a useless exercise.
I think they they got rid of it for a
(01:26):
reason because, I mean, what can you do to guess nothing?
It's pretty sort of a lot of you know, looking
into the distance with coffee cup in your hand, like wonder.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yes, well this thing they do it on some of
the reality shows to I guess, try and build tension
and anxiety and then there's blow ups on the screen.
But you don't want that in Mastership. You just want
everyone to just you know, cook something good.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
No, you're correct. I think when they realized it wasn't
that kind of show, and also they weren't getting much
out of us in that in that way, you know,
like they just thought, I think it was just bag
to sit. But yeah, it was quite an interesting exercising
in the same house because we only had two kitchens,
one kitchenette and a regular kitchen, and of course there
(02:15):
was like you know, twenty of us or whatever living
in the house.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
How many bathrooms I think there was no, I know
there was one, three, three bathrooms, three bathrooms that had showers,
five or five toilets.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Maybe given you were spending all day every day filming yourselves,
cooking was just everything at the house takeout or.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Two minute noodles?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Soy say that again?
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Was everything at the house just like ordering takeaway? Or
were people trying to flex on one another by showing
off in the kitchen at home even though it didn't
count for the TV show?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Oh no way. We couldn't have any contact with the
outside world. And also there wasn't any uber each season one,
so so we were just looking with with you know,
we'd have sort of like we'd have like we could
order stuff into practice. Everyone was super paranoid about practicing
in front of each other because we didn't want to
(03:13):
have a stolen and so we used to just go
in cold, like the cooks were hardcore.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Well on that because a lot of a lot of
things have changed since season one of Master Chef and
this current season there is a contestant, Andre who was
in season one with you and Julie Goodwin and went
on to be a great restauranteur and business owner, but
it hasn't cooked much because he's been managing the businesses.
So now that he's back in the Master Chef kitchen,
(03:41):
what is in store for him? Because from season one
to now, it's not the same show anymore.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Really, No, I think he's actually really good made of
mine and he. I think they've got it way better now,
Like it's luxurious, Like I look at it and I'm
that great. I'm like that grandma, you know when we
were young. It's like the cooking version of that because
in the season, like pantry and our pantry time was
(04:10):
timed so we only had a one to two minutes
in the pantry, and the ingredients were always limited, so
you could only pick like ten to twelve max ingredients.
So can you imagine the number of times would come
back to the bench and look around someone would be
waddly lips because they'd be like, what's what's wrong? They'd
be like, oh, to cook a noodle, stirpot, I forgot
to get the noodles.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
You used to see stuff.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Like that unlimited.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
You can go to the unlimited And I remember in
the first challenge, I could feel like they really wanted
to miss the cook Asian and there wasn't even a
bamboo steam. It's I was like building a Tribbert out
of fork. I'm not joking. I like divering as well
as cooking.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
You know, when you've seen a million of these seasons,
whether or not you're participating or judging, and we've all,
you know, watched, it's been part of our lives.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
But I've never seen what I think happens tonight.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
And I mentioned before we got you on the phone
that is a terrifying and you don't usually describe Master
Chef that way. A terrifying beginning because before the contestants
even get out of episode one, does Chef Gordon Ramsey
burst in and start challenging everyone.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Yeah, in season twelve as well, so I know first
hand what that feel like. With USD there were no judges.
It was just him as a single looming figure when
the doors cracked open, literally as a stilhouette. But yeah,
a pretty big, a pretty huge challenge will start off
(05:38):
with with Gordon for sure. That I think that definitely
wouldn't have made all of them hope that they ate
their week bits.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Oh yeah, he's exciting for a million different reasons. Yeah,
we're excited this is back on the TV.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
We love it. Master Chef Poe, thank you so much
for the time.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
I suspect well chat as this season goes, but good
luck tonight at seven thirty on ten.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Thank you so much for having me. I hope you
enjoy it.
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