Before MasterChef came along and turned us all into gourmet cooks, whipping up deconstructed beef wellington-stuffed aubergine upside-down souffles and 1,673-step lamington cake croquembouche bombe alaskas in our kitchens, there was a far more steady influence on our home cooking. A ready, steady influence. 

Ready Steady Cook was the TV foodie fix that was always there for us (at least, from 2005 to 2013), sharing super-fast and easy recipes that we could make at home with pantry staples, with nary a snow egg in sight. And now, it’s making a comeback.

Yes, you read that right – everyone’s favourite home-sick-from-school cooking show is returning after more than a decade, and it’s got all our favourite people in it. 

The new series will be hosted by the ever ebullient Miguel Maestre, who’ll be joined by culinary superstars Anna Polyviou, Adriano Zumbo, Hayden Quinn, Khanh Ong, Mindy Woods, Sarah Todd, Sergio Perera, Diana Chan, Alastair McLeod, Mike Reid, Adam D’Sylva and Alice Zaslavsky.

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The format will remain the same – each team (Tomato and Capsicum) will be made up of a celeb chef and a home cook. They’ll be challenged to prepare the best dish using only five ingredients (plus pantry supplies). The team who takes out the win after the strict 20-minute time limit will be decided by the live studio audience (remember the tomato and capsicum signs?) In the final round, the two celeb chefs will battle it out in a final ‘Chef’s Challenge’, where they have 10 minutes to create culinary magic.

“I’ve loved every second of it,” Anna Polyviou tells delicious. “I mean, I grew up watching this show – how can you not love it?

“I get really excited about the mystery ingredients. I always think, what would I want to eat? What do people have in their pantry? I wanted to create recipes that are exciting, and not so daunting. I think about the audience – you want to encourage them to get in the kitchen without being scared. So what are simple, fast recipes that are delicious, healthy and impressive as well?”

The beloved pastry chef is also welcoming the opportunity for viewers to see another side of Anna Polyviou. 

“I’m lucky enough that I’ve been able to go on MasterChef and Dessert Masters, where people can see Anna Polyviou in a professional light. But now people can see Anna in another light. Like, you know what? She’s an everyday person; she’s cooking at home, and this is what she makes at home.

“That’s really important for me. You can still see a professional, where the food is delicious. It’s clean, it’s tidy, it’s wholesome. But then there’s the other side, where it’s fun and playful. It just shows that you can do both at the same time.”

Ready Steady Cook will premiere on Friday, March 8 at 7:30pm on 10 and 10 Play. 

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