MasterChef Australia judge Andy Allen hits back at ex-contestant who slammed his ‘nonsense’ feedback

MasterChef Australia judge Andy Allen has clapped back at a former contestant who accused him of giving unhelpful feedback.

Chris Badenoch, an amateur chef who has competed on MasterChef three times, made headlines in July 2020 when he spoke of his negative experience on the show.

Badenoch, who had just been eliminated from season 12, said Allen’s feedback ‘made no sense’ and even compared it to a speech by Donald Trump.

Allen finally responded to Badenoch’s statements this week during an interview with the I’ve Got News for You podcast.

‘Wow, first time I’ve been compared to Trump, how good,’ the 34-year-old chuckled, before suggesting Badenoch only had himself to blame.

MasterChef judge Andy Allen, 34, (left) has clapped back at former contestant Chris Badenoch (right) after the 54-year-old accused him of giving unhelpful feedback on the show in 2020 

‘Look, when I was a contestant, it was your job to really be able to understand and piece together the critiques [from the judges]. It’s part of the learning process,’ Allen said.

‘If Chris just wants to stand there and say that he couldn’t understand it, well, I mean, I’m sorry, mate, but that’s your problem.’ 

Allen, who won MasterChef in 2012 before becoming a judge in 2020, also pointed out that Badenoch is the only contestant to have complained about his feedback over the past four years.

‘I think he might be the odd one out,’ he said, pointedly. 

‘Look, when I was a contestant, it was your job to really be able to understand and piece together the critiques. It’s part of the learning process,’ Allen told the I’ve Got News for You podcast. (Pictured: Allen and Jock Zonfrillo giving Badenoch advice on the show in 2020) 

Allen, who won MasterChef in 2012 and became a judge in 2020, pointed out that Badenoch is the only contestant to have complained about his feedback over the past four years

Badenoch had raised eyebrows in 2020 after he described Allen’s feedback as being almost unintelligible. 

‘It’s not feedback. It’s just a collection of words that make no sense,’ he told news.com.au at the time. 

‘He’s commented on things that I’ve cooked and when he’s walked away it’s like, “I have no idea what he said or what he meant.”

‘You almost need subtitles. I don’t get it!’

Badenoch had raised eyebrows in 2020 after he described Allen’s feedback as being almost unintelligible

Badenoch, who was the seventh to be eliminated from the 2012 season, added that he didn’t have any issues with Melissa Leong or Jock Zonfrillo’s feedback, but said Allen’s reminded him of Donald Trump. 

‘It’s incredibly frustrating. Jock or Melissa will give you a good critique… [but Allen] it’s not constructive,’ he said. 

‘It’s like a Trump speech; a whole lot of words that don’t match.’ 

Badenoch, who was the seventh to be eliminated from the 2012 season, added that he didn’t have any issues with Melissa Leong (centre) or Jock Zonfrillo’s (right) feedback, but said Allen’s reminded him of Donald Trump