Probably more than any other game-based TV segment, a MasterChef taste test contest fills me with fear to the absolute tips of my eyeballs. At home on the couch, safe from the sting of the camera lens, I am demon; rattling off the names of unlabelled produce like Queen Vic Market is my lovely house; nailing what lies beneath the mystery cloches with only my sense of sight, while the chefs on screen struggle even with taste and smell at their disposal. But put me on the spot, under studio lights, with the pressure of something to lose and gain weighing on my shoulders and I’ll probably cave in like an undercooked muffin. When you’re actually in the game, competing for something real, it’s an entirely different scenario, and all mistakes are forgivable ones; particularly when it’s a mystery competition you couldn’t possibly have prepared for. That being said, it is very fucking funny that, in last night’s MasterChef taste test, Simon Toohey very briefly listed the country of origin for “duck” as “pancake.”
In last night’s taste test, contestants were charged with identifying various take away foods, revealed one at a time via the majesty of cloche reveal. Their task? Identify not only the dish, but its country of origin.
And while we’ve got to briefly point out that the whole shebang lasted a grand total of four rounds because producers apparently didn’t realise that the origins of laksa are – let’s say – a little geographically complicated, the Moment Of The Night™ came in round three at the hands of a humble bit of duck in a wee little crepe.
Each contestant had a whiteboard to write their answers, with spaces clearly defined spots to write both dish and country of origin.
See?
Dish.
County Of Origin.
That could not be more clear.
And yet after the round three reveal, we very briefly caught a look at Simon scribbling his answer down on the board.
Let’s go in for a closer look.
Clear as day.
“Duck,” from the country of “Pancake.”
Don’t get wrong here, I love the idea of a country of pancakes as much as the next syrup-loving freak; a tall stack of piping hot badboys serving as Parliament House, high density pikelet housing in built up areas, larger flapjack housing in the rural outskirts. But you and I know in this particular competition that pledging allegiance to the Johnnycake Country is not going to be viewed as an acceptable answer.
Fortunately for old mate he managed to correct his mistake by the time the boards were turned around.
But everyone saw the truth, Simon. We all saw what you wrote.
Duck, from Pancake.
That’s what you wrote.
