MASTERCHEF judge Gregg Wallace left one of the show’s contestants – and everyone watching at home – wincing after he refused to even taste a dish.
In what has been described as “baffling” scenes by viewers, the 58-year-old took one look at the meal and declared it “inedible”.
Gregg Wallace had to turn down another contestants food after he discovered it was undercooked
Gregg, who has been presenting the MasterChef for 18 years alongside John Torode, 57, is no stranger to turning his nose up at food if it doesn’t meet his high standards.
During Tuesday night’s episode, the seven participants were asked by Jimi Famurewa, one of the country’s toughest food critics, to create a dish on the theme of underused and often wasted foodstuffs.
Fabio, 38, a tree surgeon from London, decided to use some less popular cuts of chicken in thighs and drumsticks for his meal.
However, when it came to serving the chicken, Newcastle-born Fabio realised he’d committed the “cardinal sin” of undercooking the chicken.
Inspecting the poultry, the former greengrocer told him: “I’ve got a thigh here that’s too pink for me to want to eat, I’m really sorry Fabio.”
However, Gregg did praise other elements of the dish, telling him: “I like the bon bon, crusty on the outside with soft mash potato and little peppery bits of black pudding, nice idea.
“Your sauce has got bags of flavour but it’s this chicken thigh that’s causing me a bit of an issue.”
The show’s co-star John concluded: “Because the chicken has been cooked separate from the carcass it’s started to go dry around the edges but in the middle it isn’t cooked enough.”
Armchair judges at home rushed to Twitter to share their own views about the dish.
One viewer wrote: “Undercooked chicken should be an automatic DQ. I’ve had the gastroenteritis…”
“Are you telling me that KFC is selling leftovers??? Chicken wings?,” added another person.
While someone else didn’t care about the meal, writing: “Fabio – a hot guy of Italian descent with a geordie accent! Who cares if his chicken is pink. [sic]”
A fourth person penned: “Why is it that people on Masterchef can’t cook chicken?! I find it baffling.”
And a fifth viewer commented: “Greg always seems to get the undercooked bit of chicken.”
Indeed it is not the first time Gregg has been served pink poultry and had to refuse to eat a contestant’s dish.
The chicken was definitely pink at the bone when Gregg pulled the meat apart
Fabio realised his mistake but Gregg did praise other elements of his dish
