It’s Time To Relive The Most Iconic ‘MasterChef’ Moment Of All Time

2010 was a simpler time for all. Lady Gaga had shocked the world with her infamous meat dress, the first iPad had just come out, we were introduced to One Direction for the first time and MasterChef kicked off its second Australian season.

The second season of MasterChef was extremely *chef’s kiss* and ended up introducing the world to some powerhouse cooks. Among them are current Back To Win contestants, runner-up Callum Hann and Sydney Swans team chef, Courtney Roulston.

Season 2 also gave us Thai-Australian icon Marion Grasby of Marion’s Kitchen and all-round funny man, cookbook author, tv host and season winner, Adam Liaw.

But above all, that season of MasterChef also had, what is arguably, the series greatest moment of all-time. That is, of course, ex-judge Matt Preston’s “disgusting… disgustingly GOOD” moment during a tasting session.

The incident happened during the 36th episode of the season. After winning the Mystery Box challenge, Marion chose seafood over beef and mushroom as the core ingredient for a pasta Invention Test.

“Pasta is a thing I cook all the time,” 37-year-old band manager and pasta making-superstar Aaron Harvie said to camera after learning about the theme of the challenge. “I really love playing around with it and experimenting.”

“Normally at home, my partner and I will eat pasta three-four times a week, maybe five. My dream is to open up a restaurant that only sells pasta, so if I make a fool of myself today, I think that restaurant dream will be really far away for me.”

So after choosing his 15 ingredients, Aaron whipped up a fennel and prawn tortellini with a chipotle truffle oil that frankly just looked damn delicious.

And for the most part, the judges agreed. Gary Mehigan told Aaron that he loved the dish, calling it “beautiful” despite it being an odd combo of flavours. However, in a shock to everyone at the time, Matt Preston was so visibly repulsed by the dish that he threw the plate dead to the ground after one bite.

“There are some dishes that are *pause* freakish Frankenstein disasters,” Matt said dramatically. “And quite frankly THAT *drops plate* is disgusting.”

Shocked, hurt, confused and bamboozled, Aaron looked at the judges like a broken puppy dog who’s family had just abandoned him.

Jumping right into an ad break, viewers were left sitting on the edge of their seats wondering how the pasta dish could go so wrong when another judge had just sung such high praises about it. But before Aaron had a chance to cry himself back to his station, Matt completed his sentence.

“Disgustingly good,” he continued. “Now I’ve destroyed that because I don’t want any of these guys over there to taste it because that’s absolutely brilliant and inspired. That’s a really, really, really clever dish. That is brilliant.”

Recounting his experience of seeing the plate drop to the floor, Aaron said he simply couldn’t believe it and that the fall felt like it “took about an hour.”

“Thanks a lot Matt, what a great compliment,” he laughed during his piece to camera. “But my hairline has gone back another foot. Taken years off my life, that’s just really full on.”

new #masterchefau will never reach the artistic heights achieved in 2009 when matt preston smashed that dude's plate on the floor. we won't ever know a tension greater than the ad break b/w the words "disgusting" and "disgustingly good." australian telly would never be the same pic.twitter.com/ZBtIYPwy1k

— Noah Noah (@schnooozle) April 14, 2020

But in some sweet justice, Aaron ended up actually winning the pasta challenge. I guess that’s redemption, but that still doesn’t change that this was truly the most bonkers moment in cooking show history.

After the episode aired, even Matt Preston said that he wished he hadn’t done it. “I meant it as a positive thing but it ended up looking mean,” Matt explained. “Especially as that was the promo that was up for four days before the episode aired.”

Absolutely disgusting move, Matt. Disgustingly smart and brilliant.