Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleRachel McGrathMonday 03 August 2026 13:05 BSTMasterChef star reveals he was stalked by an enraged chef after leaving a bad reviewMichelin-star chef Marco Pierre White has criticised the popular cookery series MasterChef, advising viewers not to take it seriously.White, who has appeared on multiple international versions of the show, described it as a "reality show" and "fantasy."He claimed that the food tasted by judges is often "three, four hours old" and "cold," making the judging process "not real."The chef, who famously handed back his three Michelin stars, suggested the show's main value is to inspire people to cook, calling it "food porn."White's comments follow his guest judge appearance in the 2024 BBC MasterChef grand final.In fullMasterChef is ‘not real’ says former judge Marco Pierre White: ‘Don’t take it seriously’More bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in