He’s a former Masterchef contestant, who’s now landed a role as a judge on Nine’s Family Food Fight.
And Hayden Quinn has first-hand experience working alongside his former TV mentor George Calombaris, who’s been embroiled in a staff pay dispute this year.
Speaking to HIT 105 on Thursday, Hayden said he’s never been paid by the MAdE Establishment mogul, but believes the chef’s wrongdoings were an ‘honest mistake.’
‘Honest mistake’: Former Masterchef contestant Hayden Quinn has admitted he was never paid by George Calombaris, but insists the TV chef’s $2.6m blunder was an honest mistake
It comes after George was forced to apologise to 162 staff at his Gaza, Hellenic Republic and The Press Club restaurants in April this year.
He was advised by the Fair Work Ombudsman in 2015 that he’d underpaid staff to the tune of $2.6 million, but only acknowledge the blunder 18-months later.
Hit 105 hosts Stav, Abby and Matt probed Hayden on the drama on Thursday’s episode, asking: ‘you’ve worked alongside George – did he pay you properly?’
$2.6 million dollar man: Speaking to HIT 105 on Thursday, Hayden said he’s never been paid by George, who admitted to underpaying staff at his restaurants a total of $2.6 in 2015
‘He’s paid me in very, very good food, that’s the most important thing,’ he replied.
Hayden agreed with co-hosts’ beliefs that the error was an ‘honest mistake.’
‘Yeah, well he’s running a big empire, it’s hard to keep track of it all,’ he added.
Defense: Coming to George’s defense, the new Family Food Fight judge told interviewers: ‘He’s paid me in very, very good food, that’s the most important thing!’
‘It’s hard to keep track’: Hayden agreed co-hosts’ beliefs that the error was an ‘honest mistake,’ adding: ‘Yeah, well he’s running a big empire, it’s hard to keep track of it all,’
It’s believed the ‘honest mistake’ Hayden was referring to, was George’s $2.6 million staff pay shortage saga and not any of his own work with the celebrity chef.
It’s unclear whether Hayden has ever worked with George in a staff capacity, although they did work together at Brisbane’s Regional Flavour’s festival in 2016.
They first met on Masterchef in 2013, although the Restaurateur would obviously not be responsible for paying contestants on the Channel Ten show.
18-months later: George was advised by the Fair Work Ombudsman in 2015 that he’d underpaid his staff to the tune of $2.6 million, but only acknowledge the blunder in April 2017
Connection: It’s unclear whether Hayden has ever worked with George in a staff capacity, although they did work together at Brisbane’s Regional Flavour’s festival in 2016
First meeting: They first met on Masterchef in 2013, although the Restaurateur would obviously not be responsible for paying contestants on the Channel Ten show