Masterchef is great. I hate cooking, but watching what these contestants come up with is incredible! I also watch it because a girl who went to my school, who was in year 12 when I was in year 11 is on it (Nicolette), so it’s fun watching someone I know.

But it really got me thinking about editing.

When the judges lift up the lids to specific ingredients such as chocolate, berries or meat, they take about 10 seconds explaining the rules of the challenge before yelling ‘your time starts now!’.

They literally have 20 seconds to find out the main ingredient, how much time they have, the overall basic constrains and work out their dish.

I know these chefs are all absolutely amazing, but it got me thinking if they actually had 20 seconds, or if editing is a major factor within this? Is it possible they actually had 2 minutes to decide what to make before running into the pantry to collect their ingredients? Maybe they have 10 minutes? 30 minutes? You never know! Never, in all this time watching the show, have I seen a contestant unsure of what to make after the judge’s yell ‘your time starts now’. So they all thought of a meal in 20 seconds and know exactly what they need from the pantry? I don’t know. The power the media has on audiences is amazing, television programs can be so deceiving!