Melissa Leong reflects on MasterChef exit as she prepares to host new season of Dessert Masters

The former MasterChef judge opens up about leaving the reality series – and her latest role on the new season of Dessert Masters, as she teases what’s next.

Variety is the spice of life for Melissa Leong.

That might seem like an odd stance for someone who exited MasterChef Australia – a program where home chefs serve up anything and everything – to front Dessert Masters, a show focused solely on sweets.

But moving on has given Leong the time to sample other endeavours.

This year she has hosted Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Week, appeared on Play School and examined the healthcare system in the SBS docuseries The Hospital: In The Deep End.

Given viewers are more accustomed to seeing presenters shining in their particular niche – Osher Günsberg and Sonia Kruger hosting glittery reality shows, Guy Sebastian and Ian “Dicko” Dickson judging talent shows, and Rove McManus and Richard Wilkins interviewing celebrities – Leong understands why it was initially hard for some to fully understand her plans.

Picture: Lucas Dawson Photography

“Obviously, this time last year, we had to really communicate the positivity of the intent of all this,” she tells The Binge Guide of joining Dessert Masters alongside French-Swiss pastry chef Amaury Guichon while also welcoming Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli as the co-hosts of MasterChef Australia with Andy Allen.

“This is a wonderful expansion for everybody involved, the incoming judges and also myself, to get an opportunity to expand my world while remaining part of the MasterChef family … And then I get to go and do a whole lot of other things as well.”

Leong relishes broadening her horizons as a presenter and teases that there are more surprises to come.

“All will be revealed soon, but I am working on another show,” she says.

“I think each of those jobs, each of those experiences, makes me inherently better at everything, which is really exciting, and that was always the intent of exiting MasterChef and stepping into Dessert Masters.”

But is taste-testing just sugary treats – rather than the buffet of options on the table on MasterChef Australia – more restrictive?

“Not at all,” Leong says with a laugh. In fact, she points out, the very best desserts contain a balance of flavours and textures that make them far from predictable.

Read the full interview with Melissa Leong in the latest issue of The Binge Guide.

“It’s really good that I’m not naturally a sweet tooth, because it means I can still eat things and judge things critically for what they are as opposed to just loving them for being sweet.

“So I’ve definitely grown in my appreciation and respect for the artistry, the science, the architecture that goes into a really expertly crafted dessert. And certainly, we get to see things that just defy gravity and logic in many ways in season two.”

Unlike MasterChef Australia, which puts home cooks to the test in the kitchen, Dessert Masters offers professional pastry makers, confectioners and bakers the chance to win $100,000.

Listen to the latest episode of the Stellar podcast, Something To Talk About, below:

And after a delectable first season, Leong promises a fresh menu of stellar new competitors including The Great Australian Bake Off judge Darren Purchese, Sydney cake queen Katherine Sabbath, MasterChef Australia veteran Emelia Jackson and Gelato Messina head chef and owner Donato Toce.

“It’s been wonderful to have people of that calibre in the Dessert Masters kitchen doing what they do best and – best of all – collaborating with one another,” says Leong, who likens the set to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

“It’s been really interesting to see everybody start off in their own lane, and as the competition progressed, being inspired by and then taking on tips and advice and stylistic cues from each other.

“It sought to make the competition better and relationships between the contestants closer, which was a joy.”

Season 2 of Dessert Masters premieres at 7.30pm on October 14 on Network10. Read the full interview with Melissa Leong in The Binge Guide, on the flip side of Stellar. For more from Stellar, click here.

Originally published as Melissa Leong reflects on MasterChef exit as she prepares to host new season of Dessert Masters