The only winner of the eleventh season of Australia’s fave cooking competition, Masterchef, is the enigma that is Matt Preston’s stylist.
I understand Preston is a tall, large, and unique human, whose only instruction to his stylist is obviously cravat + charisma. I also understand that this may be a challenging brief for anyone who is stuck with the job of clothing a giant man who, within a few weeks, has the potential to double in size due to the burden of having to constantly consume whatever is placed in front of him. But what I don’t understand is where these striped suits, Willy Wonka jackets, and sheer variety of bright and bizarre fabrics come from, and how the Masterchef camera crew are able to pull away and film anything but this inscrutable man?
Despite how wild some of his outfits are, I absolutely love that Matt Preston wears them all with the confidence of a pharmacist who tells you that your medication will take 20 minutes to dispense when the entire shop is completely empty. Compared to his compadres George and Gary, who have both had some outfits they were clearly uncomfortable in, Matt goes into every episode with an indestructable energy, of which I am assuming is sewn into his 7ft long trousers, that I can only dream of one day having.
So, out of nothing but sheer respect for fashion, and since it was announced earlier today that this will be Matt, George, and Gary’s last season of Masterchef Australia, I have gathered up the best Matt Preston outfits from each week of this season of Masterchef, to not only rate from amaze to iconic, but to share with anyone who has missed out on the enormity that is Matt Preston’s wardrobe.
P.S. I also love that Matt is super self aware of his meme like status and regularly reposts fun audience comparisons on his Instagram. The man is legendary.
Week 1 | Episode 1 | Lewk: Danny DeVito Ring Master (But Tall)
Of course this fashion icon would kick-off Season 11 of Masterchef Australia with an iconic outfit. At first glance, you think this lewk is just like any other, but then when the camera pans out so Gary and George’s heads are also in the shot – BAM! Business at the top, party at the bottom. Love these wacky circus inspired pants, the likes of which have only ever been worn by Danny DeVito in a Tim Burton movie.
Rating: 8/10
Week 2 | Episode 7 | Lewk: Molly Ringwald Pretty In Pink
Someone may have been leaving the kitchen this episode but there was no way to know whom it was, as we were too mesmerised by the salmon suit and HOT PINK CRAVAT! Another classic Preston lewk that he is so effortlessly pulling off, especially with the salt and pepper beard.
Rating 7/10
Week 3 | Episode 12 | Lewk: Custard Striped Pants
Look, it is hard to be the best dressed in the room when Nigella Lawson is in town, but during Nigella week, Matt stepped up his fashion game with a naval, navy, double breasted number, plus these 50’s beach-trunk inspired yellow striped pants, and paired it with the phrase ‘its not just hard its cust-hard’ (cause they were making custard, get it?) obviously stealing the spotlight even when standing next to the curvaceous Nigella.
Rating 9/10
Week 4 | Episode 18| Lewk: Private School Boy With A Wealthy Daddy
Since it was Legends Week, Matt obviously had to whip out this legendary outfit – the classic private school uniform green stripes and blue cravat combo. This lewk says Matt knows he is better than you, and that he knows he is dressed better than everyone in the room, including cooking legend Yotama Ottolenghi.
Rating: 5/10 as the look is not completely without a Boater Hat
Week 5 | Episode 23 | Lewk: The Purple People Eater
With a purple suit, one cravat, and one pocket watch, Matt has become a flying purple people eater. His next potential target is probably George, who he completely out dressed again this episode. George clearly doesn’t know what a pop of colour is, but I am sure Matt is about to tell him what it’s all about.
Rating: 7/10
Week 6 | Episode 28 & 29 | Lewk: The Beach Boys: Comeback Tour
During Masterchef’s trip to Queensland, the food wasn’t the only spicy thing being served. Not only did we get one beach lewk from Matt, but we got TWO very un-casual beach lewks! It wasn’t hard to smash both George and Gary’s beach looks – with George’s outfit possibly being a smidge to tight, and Gary really embracing his ‘dad’ look, Matt saved the day by PEAKING with two safari-suit shorts and sandals combos. I love that the contestants were more shocked about the fact the judges had shorts on that day, than that they had been plopped in the middle of Noosa.
Rating: there is no other way to say it –
Week 7 | Episode 31 | Lewk: Scottish Highlander
Matt’s Week 7 lewk was so outrageous that George didn’t even bother to show up on set, he full well knew he could never compare when standing next to nearly two meters of tartan.
Rating: 8/10
Week 8 | Episode 38 | Lewk: Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice
Someone must’ve said Matt Preston’s name three times in a row whilst he was raiding Michael Keaton’s wardrobe, as he has appeared at the Sweet Week Group Challenge top to tail in black and white stripes. The look could have only been more Beetlejuice had he dyed the salt and pepper beard a fungus green colour.
Rating: 9/10
Week 9 | Episode 43 | Lewk: Yee – and I cannot stress this enough – HAW
So I was at first disappointed with Matt Preston’s Week 9 fashion offerings, but then I looked a bit closer. Here we have paired the blue and yellow naval combo on the top, with controversially, jeans and most likely RM Williams boots. Love that he was taking some cowboy risks, but would prefer we get back to the pastel suits.
Rating: 5/10
Week 10 | Episode 45 | Lewk: The Macklemore
This lewk is called The Macklemore because Matt will, ‘wear your granddad’s clothes, he’ll look incredible, in this big ass coat’. Look, I do know his jacket is probably a highly modern number from a hardworking designer, but it is a real grandpa-dressed-in-his-formal-attire mood. An old timey classic nonetheless.
Rating: 6/10
Week 11 | Episode 51 | Lewk: Velour Violet Beauregarde
Taking inspiration from his visit to Wildflower Restaurant over in Perth this week, Matt Preston is werking his signature floral cravat, plus a three-piece, blue, velour suit. I had no idea that this much blue velour material even existed in the world, but despite the fact that Matt looks about one three-course-dinner-with-blueberry-pie-and-ice-cream-dessert-flavoured stick of gum away from actually turning into a blueberry himself, I am here for it. Totally unique.
Rating: 9/10
Week 12 | Episode 58 | Lewk: The Whimsical Willy Wonka
Good news for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fans, we have our second Roal Dahl inspired lewk in just as many weeks. The purple jacket and candy-striped cravat is a guaranteed wardrobe staple for any famous foodie who wants to show that they definitely have a personality, and are just a lil different from the average cooking competition judge.
Rating: 10/10
Finals Week | Episode 61 | Lewk: The Names Preston, Matt Preston
Yes, I have watched over three months of Masterchef, every single episode too thank you very much, and it was all worth it for this lewk. BRAVO MATT! You have outdone yourself for the Masterchef Australia finale by outshining everyone in the room with your sleek, black, velour suit that is giving off some strong 007 vibes. An excellent fashion innings from Mr Preston this season, if I do say so myself.
Rating: 10/10
Thank you for joining me on this life and fashion changing journey, I will endeavour to continue to follow Matt and his wardrobe no matter where they may go…
And thank you Matt Preston for your eleven seasons of Masterchef, and eleven years of schooling us on what fashion really is.
– Courtie