MasterChef Australia fans slam judge Andy Allen over peculiar habit: 'Annoying'

MasterChef Australia is back on our screens for 2024 with returning judge Andy Allen being joined by new(ish) faces Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli. The new judging line-up comes after the tragic passing of former judge Jock Zonfrillo in 2023 and the decision for Melissa Leong to focus her attention on Dessert Masters.

Speaking to Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little on the Carrie & Tommy show about his initial reservations about coming back to film the hit show after losing his co-star and best friend, Andy said "It was really hard" and revealed that he didn't know if he would even return to the series.

“It just felt so wrong to do it without him, because we just loved it so much together and walking back into that kitchen was huge," he said. "It was… there was just this weight of grief over me.”

Thankfully, Andy decided to head back to the kitchen to mentor the new batch of cooking hopefuls in the 2024 competition - something fans were happy to see.

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However, a few fans have expressed their distaste for one of Andy's little quirks and have taken their grievances to social media (where else?).

"For god sake someone teach Andy how to eat a meal without using his fingers?" one aggrieved person wrote in a MasterChef fan forum.

Another took to X (formerly Twitter) to make a similar observation, sharing this post:

Fans defend Andy Allen

While Andy's way of eating may have perturbed some, others were quick to come to his defence suggesting that it merely highlights how much he appreciates food.

"I love how he truly relishes every bite," one fan replied.

"Oh really? That really didn’t bother me at all," another said.

Another reasoned, "Fingers were made before knives and forks."

"It is not an isolated incident," someone said in defence of Andy. "We've had George in previous series doing the licking the fingers. I'm sure Jamie will be doing the same. It means that they are loving the dish."

This prompted the OP to clarify, "It’s not that I mind it’s the using his fingers to push food onto his fork. It’s a small thing but I find it annoying."

Fans love new MasterChef judge

While Andy's choice of 'utensil' divided some, other fans have been delighted by French celebrity chef and new judge Jean-Christophe Novelli, praising him as a 'wonderful addition' to the cast.

Jean-Christophe has nearly 50 years of experience in the hospitality industry, is the owner of the award-winning Novelli Academy Cookery School and has a passion for mentoring young chefs.

"What a divine and generous chef! He jumped straight into the mentor role! This will be a phenomenal season!" one person said following the season premiere. "Oh my word 💜 Chef is C'est Magnifique!" another fan commented.

A lot of fans were simply impressed with how he didn't hesitate to guide the contestants to help them along with their cook.

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"Love it when a professional chef shares their knowledge. Truly generous," someone commented. "I loved when he guided the contestants' techniques straight away," another person pointed out.

"Prime mentorship - what a wonderful addition to the brand," another fan said.

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