When Melissa Leong announced that she would be walking away from her role as Masterchef Australia judge, people were shocked (to say the least). But for Leong, the move wasn't exactly a surprising one. In fact, it was a necessary one.
"When you're riding high on a show like Masterchef, why would you give it up? The answer is pretty simple really — I value growth and opportunity more than safety; always have and always will," Leong tells Refinery29 Australia.
Leong made headlines after it was announced that, after three years, she would be walking away from the Masterchef Australia judging panel. She has now stepped into the sweet world of Dessert Masters, which she is co-hosting and judging alongside pastry prodigy, Amaury Guichon.
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"I see nothing wrong with being happy to step away and open the door to a new lineup who will relish this as much as I did."
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Since Leong's departure was announced, it's been revealed that several people will join the Masterchef Australia judging panel including Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli. For Leong, these changes are simply part of the process.
"I am so grateful for everything I gained in that role, but I see nothing wrong with being happy to step away and open the door to a new lineup who will relish this as much as I did," she says.
"I've spoken to them all directly over the past few weeks to congratulate them and wish them every success," she says. "Each is an expert in food in their own right, so they know what they are doing where that's concerned."
"They also have the wonderful Andy Allen at their side to show them how it’s done. It’s time for them to make it their own, it’s their time to shine and I proudly stand up in applause for everything they will achieve together." It's all very sweet, really (pun intended).
Leong hopes that her new gig will break down gender stereotypes, especially those in the kitchen. The Dessert Masters cast features some of Australia's best and brightest in the dessert and pastry world, including female chefs, Kirsten Tibballs, Anna Polyviou, Jess Liemantara, Kay-Lene Tan, and Rhiann Mead. She says that she hopes this visibility will start making us revisit how we view the hospitality industry.
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"There are incredible women leading the charge and changing the conversation... Women aren’t only making pastry, they’re owning restaurants, slaying it as head and executive chefs, somms [sommeliers], you name it, we’re doing it."
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"I think there is quite a nice balance," she says of the 2023 cast. "I think we need to get away from the cliché that all restaurants are a bastion of brutish male energy."
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"There are incredible women leading the charge and changing the conversation. Yes, there are a lot of dudes, but women aren’t only making pastry, they’re owning restaurants, slaying it as head and executive chefs, somms [sommeliers], you name it, we’re doing it."
When it comes to the Dessert Masters pie, Leong says that Amaury Guichon was the missing slice. "When I was told it would be Amaury, it all made sense," Leong says. "He brings gravitas and expertise to the kitchen on a level that we are all blown away by… I am just happy to be there!"
"Amaury is not only gracious, but tremendously skilled. It’s a fine balance of hard work, honesty and humility that makes him great… with more than a heaping dose of genius thrown in. I feel very grateful to have gone from one incredible judging panel to another, that’s for sure."
Leong hopes Dessert Masters will act as a small beacon of light, given what's happening in the world currently. "It’s a pretty dark world out there," she says. "It is a privilege to be part of a show that can provide a moment of respite, levity and fun. Dare I say, a short and sweet palate cleanser for the times we live in?"
MasterChef: Dessert Masters is now airing on Channel Ten and 10Play.
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