Battle of the chefs heats up our TV screens

Melbourne really is the food capital, with two big food television shows under production here right now.

At the Melbourne Showgrounds the new MasterChef: The Professionals series, hosted by chef Marco Pierre White and Matt Preston, is being filmed for Channel 10, and will air next year.

While across town at Werribee Mansion, The Great Australian Bake Off started filming last week for Channel 9.

It's the first time MasterChef has filmed in Melbourne, and a regular series will follow the professionals version next year.

Eighteen professional chefs will be involved in the series being filmed now. There is some speculation MasterChef: Professionals will air opposite the Channel 7 smash hit My Restaurant Rules, and Nine's Block Allstars.

Masterchef Judges Marco Pierre-White and Matt Preston at the Masterchef studios at The Melbourne Showgrounds.

Preston said that MasterChef ran its own race.

"We have always taken the attitude that we don't look at what is around us," he said.

"I think it will be very interesting. I would be nervous if I was My Kitchen Rules - assuming they have the Block Allstars and they have MasterChef against them.

"They are really powerful shows.

"We want to be the toughest cooking show, not just in Australia, but anywhere in the world."

The Great Australian Bake Off is hosted by Shane Jacobson and Anna Gare.

An impressive kitchen has been built on the grounds of Werribee Mansion.

The British version of the show was a massive hit and Nine executives are hoping the same thing for 2013.

Jacobson said he had a very good feeling about the show, and enjoyed going to work.

"It's a really nice office to come to every day," he said. "Every morning I get up, my partner says, 'You're off to work?'

"I say, 'You have got to be kidding, there is not one minute's work on this one'."

Source: The Herald Sun, 25 November 2012