MasterChef 2020: 'Creepy' moment between guest judge and contestant

Viewers were creeped out after this guest judge told a contestant to smile. Photo / Channel 10

MasterChef fans on social media were creeped out by a very awkward moment during Tuesday night's intense pressure test.

The episode saw contestants Brendan Pang, Reece Hignell, Poh Ling Yeow and Sarah Tiong, tasked with recreating a flavour-packed and super spicy jungle curry without a recipe to refer to.

But as fan favourite Brendan Pang went about his stressful curry cook, a passing comment by the guest judge — one many have surely been confronted with before — promptly rubbed viewers the wrong way.

Viewers were creeped out after this guest judge told a contestant to smile. Photo / Channel 10

As the 24-year-old social worker sweated profusely and panicked over his curry paste, guest judge Benjamin Cooper of Chin Chin Melbourne told him to "smile".

"You want some advice?" Benjamin had asked while Brendan stressed over his curry.

Brendan was stressing out over his curry when guest judge Benjamin Cooper told him "I feel like there's a bit of cheekiness in you". Photo / Channel 10

"I saw you smile earlier on … I feel like there's a bit of cheekiness in you," he said.

"Lose the stress, bring the cheekiness back. Don't be afraid to load it up with chilli. Don't be afraid to bring a bit of fun back to the dish. And enjoy it, 'cause cooking stressed isn't going to give you the result you want.

"Show me the smile," he added, to which Brendan laughed awkwardly.

Errrrmmmm... I’m getting bad juju from the Chin Chin dude. The way he approached Brendan and asked him to smile. Sooo awks. *shudder* #MasterChefAU

— Nikki Rivera (@twitnikki) June 9, 2020

"I'm trying to smile," he said.

Fans called the moment out as "awkward", "cringe" and even "weird and uncomfortable".

Regardless, Benjamin's advice seemed to work, with the judges raving about Brendan's interpretation of the jungle curry.

Sarah Tiong was instead sent home after her curry broth was deemed "too thin".