Poh Ling Yeow finally addresses long-running MasterChef fan theory

MasterChef star Poh Ling Yeow has finally addressed a much-speculated fan theory about the long-running cooking show.

MasterChef Australia star Poh Ling Yeow has lifted the lid on an oft-speculated detail of filming on the cooking show.

The popular cook, who was runner-up on the first season of the long-running Ten show back in 2009, addressed whether or not contestants memorise recipes, or if they’re allowed to have notes while cooking on-set.

The contestants have mere seconds to decide what they’re going to create for the judges after being presented with the day’s challenge, and it’s often had viewers wondering if they have any measurements handy.

Poh stopped by the MasterChef kitchen this season, pictured with judges Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo. Picture: Network Ten

It turns out, they have countless dishes memorised in the hopes one will be applicable on filming day.

Poh shared a photo to her Instagram stories of the diary she kept while filming MasterChef: Back to Win in 2021, saying she studied in her spare time to remember all her ingredients.

“A page from a notebook of ingredient lists I’d committed to memory for MasterChef Back to Win. This is what we did with every spare minute,” Poh wrote, alongside a photo of two pages of recipes.

Poh shared her memorised recipe book, which she wrote while filming MasterChef.

Previously, the show’s executive producer Marty Benson shared another big MasterChef secret about the process of judges tasting dishes.

Those who watch the show have probably wondered how long the gap is between the contestants finishing their dishes, and the judges actually getting to eat them.

Mr Benson told news.com.au the judges actually try all the dishes before they’re shown tasting them on camera.

“Once the cook is finished and the contestants go for a break, the judges quickly run around and taste all the elements of all the dishes while they’re hot,” Mr Benson said in 2021.

The judges walk around tasting the contestants’ dishes while they’re cooking. Picture: Ten

The executive producer said that contestants make a second plate of food for the judges to try in addition to the one they plate up for the on-camera judging.

“Also, the judges walk around with their pockets full of spoons and forks and they just taste sauces and purees and other elements throughout the cook, so they’ve got a fair idea what they taste like,” Mr Benson added.

MasterChef airs 7:30pm Sundays to Thursdays on Channel 10.

Originally published as Poh Ling Yeow finally addresses long-running MasterChef fan theory