MasterChef is back for its 10th season and there are certain things we’ve come to expect from the Channel Ten cooking show.

Namely, insanely tricky challenges, awe-inspiring dishes and the judges warm and encouraging comments.

But apparently, the show we all love for its uplifting message that anyone can try their best and follow their cooking dreams was originally envisaged as quite a different piece of television.

Speaking to Carrie Bickmore on The Project ahead of the show’s first 2018 episode on Monday night, judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris reflected on 10 years of tasting amateur cook’s dishes.

And when looking at a promotional photo from 2008 that showed them all looking “grumpy”, Matt explained why their serious faces now look so out-of-place.