MasterChef Australia's Matt Preston: 'Cuisines are like children – I love them all'

The Speaker’s Lounge at Jaipur Lit Fest (JLF) was filled with the delectable aroma of freshly baked chocolate au pain as the pale afternoon light filtered through the curtains and into the space where I was supposed to meet Matt Preston, one of the MasterChef Australia jury members who happened to be my co-panellist in an upcoming session.

Looking around, I noticed the enigmatic Preston sitting at a distance, his face half lit by soft light, familiar expression on, and his signature scarf around his neck. Over his masala chai and my espresso doppio we got down to talking about food. Having published his memoir Big Mouth recently, Preston was more than buoyant. To add to that he was in a part of the world that he loves —  South Asia, India, Middle East, East Asia — and there was much to talk about.

Cue the questions, including where Preston’s journey really began. “Literally from my grandfather’s greenhouse to pick tomatoes in the low golden rays of the end to a summer’s warm day. The hempy herbaceousness that filled the glasshouse and the warmth of the plump flank that had been basking in the sun for the afternoon. It was, however, a World Cup Willy nougat bar that I saved four weeks of pocket money to buy [that made an impression]; I can vividly remember standing on the top step of the local corner store holding the bar to the sky like I’d just drawn Excalibur from the stone. It actually wasn’t very nice when I tried it — it was dry and teeth-pullingly chewy. The tomato was way better.”

Preston’s career in food was cemented with his move to Australia, “It was a Cinderella moment, a friend suggested to her partner (who needed a restaurant writer for her new magazine) that I might fit the bill. I’d been writing about TV (specially about Australian soap operas like Neighbours and Home & Away for UK magazines) since arriving in Australia and so getting paid to eat out seemed as good a lurk (just like getting paid to watch TV).”

Australia was perhaps his lucky charm for MasterChef Australia, world’s OG food reality show, would happen soon. “I was rung by the daughter in law of my mum’s best friend in Australia — they had been kindergarten teachers together in London back in their 20s. She wanted to pick my brains about chefs to audition for the two judging roles on MasterChef Australia. I must have impressed her with my knowledge because she asked to see a picture and the story goes as we were talking she sent it to the launch producer, who sent it to EP (the executive producer) who sent it to the head of the network. They all loved my rather shabby chic appearance and the rag around my neck. Without asking for a CV or any reference or a list of the awards I’d won, they decided to create a third judging role just for me. I know this story to be true because that casting agent ended up being my manager — still is after 15 years.”

Eleven seasons later, Preston, George Calombaris, and Gary Mehigan have transformed the way the world looks at food and are responsible for more people wanting to cook. MasterChef Australia made cooking an oomphy affair, beautiful, hard and gratifying all at once. But did the show transform Preston’s idea of food, as he went on from being a ‘third’ judge to one of the best and most popular television jurors? I notice a glitter in Preston’s eyes. “It was to live in a wonderland where any food nerdery wasn’t just encouraged but cherished. We’d be talking with each other, the MC team and the contestants 12 hours a day about food, helping crystallise ideas. I learnt a lot from all these follow travellers.”

Preston’s presence at the JLF had already caused a flurry; autograph and selfie hunters swarmed him. From a Rajasthani grandmom who came all the way to meet the OG master chef to aspiring Gen Zs who wanted a moment with Preston often declaring how the man in a pink neck scarf had changed their lives, the fans were varied. 

That Preston along with his mates Calombaris, and Mehigan influenced millions is perhaps one of the biggest feats in television history ever. “We were just three chubby fellas who hardly fill the chisel-jawed model looks of most people who end up on TV. We were making a show in an old chicken shed out by the airport. We had no sense of any impact we might be creating. It is however lovely now to meet people who enjoyed the show and took inspiration from it — in fact, it’s actually a little humbling, charming but humbling. We all love how the positivity of the show shone through we all abhor that ugly style of reality TV,” he said.

One is curious to know Preston the author and those little-big elements of his life, like his grandfather’s greenhouse. I ask about Big Mouth... wasn’t  it a bit early in life to write a memoir? Pat came the reply, “I needed to tell my kids all about the personal family stuff that was also part of their story too. That seemed like the easiest way to do it. Preston also wanted to raise awareness about  sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP). “This is what killed my brother when he was 22. It’s still such a little-known problem, but risks can be dramatically reduced with the right advice. If I can help to raise understanding of this (especially with those who advise people with epilepsy, or PWE), help chase more research funding, and help PWE to adopt practices that can lessen risk a little that would be a worthy use of my time,” he added.

But which Preston do the readers find in Big Mouth — the judge, the food critic, the columnist, or a man whose world is food? In a little mischief-filled voice came the words: “The stuff you know about me, the stuff you think you know about me, and the other 80 per cent of the book is stuff you never knew about me. I’d never really addressed it before.”

A conversation with Preston cannot conclude without a chat about favourite cuisines. “Cuisines are like children — I love them all but at different times I like some more than the others. At home, I make pasta, pizzas, one-dish salads that work as a main course, and now that it is getting chilly, simple flavourful braises. I have a soft spot for Indian and Vietnamese. The clean, fresh and sparklingly bright nature of some Japanese food too, and Italian obviously, but really Australian cuisine ransacks all the best kitchens for inspiration, so pair that with my constant travel and I am well fed! Having said that if you can’t find something to love everywhere, you just aren’t looking hard enough.”

That said, does he have a Middle East food connection? “In Melbourne we have a deep love for food from across the Middle East and my pantry is full of locally sourced molasses, scented waters, and spices like sumac, cinnamon, and saffron. Iconic chef Greg Malouf (and all his skilled acolytes) came from here so we had loads of good local exponents too. Dubai is so much more than jami, madroob and Mandi chicken (still one of the best three ways to cook chicken). Taste of Dubai was immensely enjoyable as much for the inspirational young cooks I got to work with as for the excellent food that I ate across Dubai. Orfali Bros was world class, the fish at BordoMavi (and the service with a lovely familiar Aussie twang!) and the nyama choma at Hashimi BBQ were both most notable. Jun’s was a lot of fun too. And I really loved the whole madness of Davib Munoz’ Street XO which has just opened. Hanging out with Vineet Bhatia after 20 years was a special treat. Would like to come back and dig a little deeper into Middle Eastern dishes as I know how rewarding this can be after the time spent in Dubai filming MasterChef Australia and what I learnt from local chef and cooks.”

Before we part, I asked Preston what’s  next for him. He said: “I am dedicating more time towards my interest in attacking food insecurity, by minimising food waste. 

Shockingly for such a rich country, Australia has a growing problem with food insecurity but last year the charity that I have worked with for 12 years, Second Bite, rescued over 35m kg of fresh nutritious food going to a landfill and re-directed it to NGOs and charities that need it to feed people"

“Shockingly for such a rich country, Australia has a growing problem with food insecurity but last year the charity that I have worked with for 12 years, Second Bite, rescued over 35m kg of fresh nutritious food going to a landfill and re-directed it to NGOs and charities that need it to feed people. 

“Then there’s my weekly food column that after 15 years has been expanded to run across another 15 Aussie newspapers. I am also travelling to research food tours to key world destinations for fellow food lovers and then leading these tours; Gary and I are in India with a group in March. We (Gary, George, and I) are doing a rolling series of dinners with our friends at Conosh.”

While it seems like a lot, perhaps for Matt Preston, from MasterChef Australia, the author, and the critic, it’s all in a day’s work.