My Kitchen, Master Kitchen, Poh's Kitchen

I have to admit, I didn't really watch Masterchef. I did like the format and thought it was a great concept and there were even one or two contestants that I thought were bearable but I just could not bear watching George Colombaris slurp his way through taste tests and end every sentence with an emphasised "Yeah?". I was pretty sure the Horsemen of the Apocalypse would soon follow him being labeled a 'sex symbol' - alas, they did not.

The success of Masterchef though, cannot be ignored. Channel 7 have tried to tap in to the new-found love of all things culinary with My Kitchen Rules. But there is just one factor that drew me to this particular program; French chef, Manu Feildel. 

I fell in love with Manu on channel 10's Ready Steady Cook (along with the irrepressible Peter Everett) so seeing he was one of the judges on MKR (along with Pete Evans) meant that I had to watch. Unfortunately there are few other likable people on the show.

It's been interesting to watch the contestants under pressure - the WA couple at first just seemed like they had no personalities at all. Watching them under the pressure of their first task I realised that I would have preferred, at least the husband, to stay that way. The Queensland girls are straight from the set of Kath and Kim and the Melbourne boys are trying too hard to be cool. The NSW couple are nice enough but all these contestants are generic, middle/upper class folk who who have very little to offer in the way of entertainment. 

Then, of course, there's South Australia. The public despises this pair if you believe the comments on the MKR website but the fact remains that they're the only spark in the show. I'm hanging on after every bite for a bitchy comment from Melissa and the looks between her and Adam when served their meals are priceless. The next episode is SA night - where Melissa and Adam will cook for the other contestants and judges and I'm hoping they come up with the goods so they stay in the competition.

But the jewel in the foodie-show crown would have to be Poh Ling Yeow on the ABC's Poh's Kitchen. Poh was one of the finalists of last year's Masterchef and the ABC have made an inspired choice by giving her a half-hour show to replace The Cook and the Chef which ended last year (- in tears, might I add). Poh is friendly and engaging and her show is light, fresh and conversational. Like The Cook and the Chef you get to spend a bit of time at the start of the show getting to know your host - what inspires her, where she buys her produce and her history with food.

Poh's Kitchen, as a program of substance, far surpasses Masterchef and My Kitchen Rules. There's no repetitive narration, no dramatic music, no diary-room type confessions - just good cooking and an infectious laugh.

Mind you, MKR is quite bearable if only to see SA (hopefully) triumph over all those boring nobodies that make up the other contestants.