We’re getting close to a “top ten” in the first season of Masterchef Australia. Barring a Biggest Loser twist, this means that one of the contestants on our screens will be the first winner. In addition to the rather vague promise of either working “alongside Australia’s top chefs”/”in Australia’s top restaurants”, this person will also take home $100,000 and will publish a cook book .
A cook book? It’s as though the show’s creators looked at Idol and decided that the equivalent to a recording contract for a singer would be a publishing deal for a cook. The difference, of course, is that throughout a singing competition the audience hears the competitors perform – they know what they are in for when they buy a recording or tickets for a concert tour. During Masterchef, viewers watch the contestants cook but cannot taste their offerings and – in the case of Masterchef Australia – can’t always rely on the judges to do it for them. There’s also a difference in the level of “investment” – the risk/reward. If you like an Idol winner, the $1.99 you spend on iTunes for the single will have no surprises: you’ve already heard the song. The album – if it’s ever released – will only set you back around $16.00. If it’s utter garbage, no biggie. Even if the Masterchef winner is a particular favourite, a cookbook is around $50. It’s a riskier purchase.
Continue reading Masterchef the book – coming to a remainder table near you
