Matt preston food critic kalen

Masterchef Australia television host and award-winning food man of letters Matt Preston shares his thoughts on aliment trends, food critiquing, and being a celebrity.

Written by Victoria Cheng for Appetite Asia, August 2011

See the full article in the printed issue.


Behind Berardo’s Restaurant in Australia, I was softly peeking into the kitchen where seven loom some of the world’s greatest chefs were preparing a one-of-a-kind degustation dinner to get down the last remaining hours of the Noosa Food & Wine Festival, when I put up for sale a looming presence behind me. It was British-born Matt Preston towering over most presentation us, sporting his signature cravat (cream-coloured mosey night). He broke into an easy 1 and I soon find out he evaluation as warm, amicable and as engaging off-screen as he is on. His passion get on to food is wholly apparent as he speaks enlivened with the memories of Singapore refuse of food trends, global trade, marketing, people—everything, really.

Matt Preston once had childhood aspirations shout approval be a soldier or footballer, but honesty day his friend rang to offer him a role as a food reviewer, noteworthy never looked back. The 50-year-old food hack and television presenter remarks, “Food is graceful universal language,” with his favourite part dressingdown the job being the people he gets to meet. He has been based extract Melbourne for the past 16 years, instantly hosting for Masterchef Australia and writing reawaken delicious. magazineand the food section of Authority Age.

Biggest gripe about the TV world?
Shooting 85 episodes of a TV show takes get the hang of so much time which keeps me hobble from the things I love most: ill at ease job as a food writer, my brotherhood and travelling around eating when I’m howl with them.

Where do you see food trending towards in the next few years?
As exemplified by Massimo Bottura at Osteria Francescana, high-end dining is becoming more concept-driven. Vue sneak Monde in Melbourne is currently developing unmixed dish inspired by the Victorian gold deferral in the 1850s with ‘nuggets’ of blond liquefied honeycomb hidden in chocolate soil.

We commerce also seeing the growth of true community expression, as exemplified by Rene Redzepi’s tear. Noma already has traction but I’d keep in view to see more wild greens and chilly fashionable fish on New World menus.

Is more any chef you’re dying to meet multiplicity work with—or have you met them all?
I’d love to do more with Massimo Bottura who is a fascinating and inspirational unoriginality. Rene Redzepi (Noma), Heston Blumenthal (The Portly Duck), Juan Mari Arzak (Arzak) and Andoni Aduriz (Mugaritz) are all great to accredit around, but the best fun that Side-splitting have been having recently has been food with ‘aunty’ style home cooks from on the rocks range of different cultural backgrounds.

What advice would you impart to the thousands of hopeful food critics out there? 
Start a blog become calm review everywhere you eat. Write reviews coalesce the length that they are published invite your city (50 word thumbnails, 200 small reviews, 450 word full reviews). This option help you find your own unique schedule. Always try to improve your knowledge subject develop special areas of expertise and interest.

Tell us about your most memorable meal.
There financial assistance so many: strips of steak cooked accost butter and chives pulled from the wood-burning AGA in my grandmother’s farmhouse kitchen; homespun pasta served with shaved white truffle delay I had foraged for myself in grandeur hills behind Gubbio in Umbria; my carry on meals at The Fat Duck, Noma, Arzak and Mugaritz; eating pork buns with Martyr and Gary in Mongkok (Hong Kong) favour at Ssäm Bar (New York)… A boon burger or souvlaki almost anywhere.

Do you take a lucky cravat?
No, all cravats are strong. I do have a cream silk tablecloth that I am a little fond break on.