Television series
Snackmasters
- Light-hearted
- Dip in and out
Snackmasters is a delightfully ridiculous cooking competition where elite Australian chefs attempt to reverse-engineer beloved national snacks—Twisties, Drumsticks, Tim Tams—in their own kitchens, then face off in a factory-judged cook-off. It's comfort-food television: clever enough to be engaging, unpretentious enough to be pure fun, and genuinely suspenseful because you already know what the target tastes like. Perfect if you like watching experts humbled by simple things.
If you liked this
MasterChef Australia2009
The spiritual home of high-stakes cooking competition in Australia. Beautifully shot, genuinely moving human stories, and judges who care deeply about the craft. If you love seeing talented cooks under pressure, this is the gold standard.
But Seasons vary wildly in quality; the newer ones lean heavily into drama and manufactured conflict rather than pure cooking excellence.
The Great British Bake Off2010
The template for cosy competition television done right. Contestants are rooting for each other, judges are warm, and there's real jeopardy in every episode. Deeply comforting and genuinely funny without being mean.
But If you want competitive tension and harsh critique, this gentle approach might feel too nice. Some find it saccharine.
Nailed It!2018
Hilarious inversion of cooking shows: home cooks attempt ambitious recreations of professional desserts and fail spectacularly. The judges are kind, the failures are funny, and it celebrates the fun of trying rather than winning.
But Deliberately low-skill and chaotic. If you watch for technical mastery, this will feel like watching people flail.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Snackmasters
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Salt Fat Acid Heat2018
Both shows are built on the premise that food knowledge—whether factory-made snacks or fundamental cooking principles—can be decoded and mastered. They celebrate understanding the *how* behind the taste.
A four-part masterclass disguised as a cooking show. Each episode explores one fundamental principle of good cooking, with Samin Nosrat teaching you to taste and think like a chef. It's genuinely educational but never dry—watching her passion for food is infectious.
But Minimal competition or drama; it's pure instruction and philosophy. If you want narrative momentum and personality clashes, this is meditative rather than gripping.
More like this (5)
Hot Ones2015
Celebrity interview show disguised as a hot-sauce challenge. The format is clever—conversation gets more genuine as guests lose their composure. Food becomes the vehicle for real human moments and surprising honesty.
But The novelty of watching famous people suffer through heat can wear thin. Some episodes rely too heavily on the celebrity's name rather than interesting conversation.
Bake Off: The Professionals2018
Like Bake Off but with professional pastry chefs competing. The technical skill is astounding, the pastries are genuinely beautiful, and the competition is real. Satisfying precision.
But Less personality and warmth than regular Bake Off. If you tune in for the contestants' stories, you'll find it colder and faster.
Chopped2009
The perfect snack-size competition format. Four chefs, three rounds, random ingredients, four minutes to cook something edible. Fast, entertaining, and endlessly rewatchable because every episode is genuinely different.
But The repetitive judging patter gets tired. After a few episodes, you'll predict most of the critiques before they're spoken.
Ugly Delicious2018
Like Snackmasters, it goes into factories and kitchens to understand how food is actually made, but zooms out from replicating snacks to asking bigger questions about why certain foods matter to cultures and what makes them endure.
David Chang travels the world exploring how food gets made in real places: street stalls, family kitchens, restaurants. Each episode is part food journalism, part travelogue, part philosophy about authenticity and deliciousness. Endlessly curious.
But Not a competition; some find the loose structure meandering. Chang's personality dominates; if his vibe doesn't click, the whole show struggles.
The Toys That Made Us2017
Both celebrate the ordinary things Australia grew up with—iconic consumer products—and reveal the surprising craft and human decisions behind their creation. The same affectionate archaeology, different medium.
Nostalgic documentary series about iconic toys—each episode tells the design, business, and cultural story of a beloved object. Beautifully made, funny, and touching. Perfect if you loved the snack-factory journeys in Snackmasters but want the wider context.
But Not a competition show at all; it's pure documentary. If you need drama and stakes, this is reflective and historical rather than tense.
People
Cast
Poh Ling YeowHost
Scott PickettHost
Yvie JonesCo-Host