3 August 2020
Pineapple on pizza, surf & turf and chocolate & chilli voted top quirky combinations
Delicious or disgusting? - study lifts the lid on the most divisive dishes
- New study shines a spotlight on the nation's taste buds, revealing our favourite and most controversial quirky combos in the kitchen
- Pineapple on pizza rocks - and sucks! Fruity pizza is both the most divisive AND the most popular
- Mackerel & rhubarb, banana & ketchup and ice cream with olive oil also divide opinion
- Nine in 10? Brits are more adventurous foodies than their parents ever were, saying they love to experiment when cooking
- Store cupboard staples now include soya sauce, halloumi, chia seeds and quinoa
- Study commissioned to mark the launch of the new season of MasterChef Australia (W, airing weekdays at 7pm).
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Pineapple on pizza, surf & turf and chocolate & chilli have been voted Brits' favourite quirky food combinations, according to a new study released today by UKTV ahead of the new series of MasterChef Australia.
Chicken & waffles, white bread & sprinkles and strawberries & balsamic vinegar appealed too in the survey, which also uncovers the most hotly contested combos.
The research was specially commissioned to mark the launch of the new series of MasterChef Australia - famous for its interesting and often divisive food pairings whipped up by the contestants - which airs weekdays at, 7pm on TV channel W, from 3rd August.
Brits' Top Ten Favourite Peculiar Pairings:
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Pineapple on pizza - 70%
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Surf & turf (seafood & steak) - 55%
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Chocolate & chilli - 52%
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Chicken & waffles - 48%
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Bacon & maple syrup - 46%
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Peanut butter & jam - 43%
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Brussel sprouts & bacon - 42%
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Sausages & honey - 41%
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White bread & sprinkles - 38%
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Strawberries & balsamic vinegar - 36%
The most contested combos between families and friends up and down the country have also been revealed, with pineapple on pizza (54%) claiming top spot followed by mackerel & rhubarb (18%) and peanut butter & jam (14%).
The research also revealed that over nine in ten (93%) Brits think they are more adventurous with food than their parents were at the same age.
And almost as many (88%) like experimenting with flavour combinations both at home and when dining out.
Store cupboard staples now commonly kept for cooking chilli sauce (50%) soya sauce (49%), halloumi (33%), chia seeds (20%) and quinoa (20%).
Half (50%) say that they eat food which originates from a different country two or three times a week while over a quarter (27%) do so four or more times.
The combos most keenly contested among families and friends nationwide have also been revealed with pineapple on pizza coming top, followed by mackerel & rhubarb and peanut butter & jam.
As for classic British food combos, fish and chips (65%) tops menu preferences in Scotland and Northern Island, whilst those in Wales want curry sauce & chips (39%).
Perhaps surprisingly, residents of the South West, famous for its cream teas, would plump first for cheese on toast (26%).
MasterChef Australia judge Andy Allen said:
For me, the most exciting thing about Australian food is that we can draw on our multiculturalism to create our own unique cuisine. For instance, combining British traditions, with Asian flavours and French techniques is just the beginning of our Aussie food. We're always on the hunt for new and creative ways to interpret this, and this year's crew of contestants will pull out all the stops to do so.
Adam Collings, channel director for W said:
We're clearly a nation of adventurous eaters who enjoy trying different flavours from across the globe. Brits are pushing the boundaries with their cooking rather than playing it safe in the kitchen, and we hope that the new series of MasterChef Australia can inspire some more adventurous fusion cooking in homes across the country!
MasterChef Australia is back for a UK premiere series on W from 3rd August, weekdays at 7pm. The new series invites previous contestants back to win and welcomes brand new judges food critic Melissa Leong, former MasterChef winner Andy Allen and Scottish chef Jock Zonfrillo. Guest judges this series include Gordon Ramsay and Katy Perry.
There are more Pressure Tests, Elimination Challenges, Mystery Box and Invention Tests to challenge the contestants, as the toughest cookery show on television turns up the heat in the kitchen. The MasterChef format was created by Franc Roddam.
The latest series has been met with rave reviews: "Through authentic, inspiring storytelling, MasterChef Australia has reminded us all that nothing brings together different people and cultures better than food." - Buzzfeed
MasterChef Australia airs weekdays at 7pm on channel W, from 3rd August
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For more information, please contact:
Lily Rutherford - LR@taylorherring.com or 07800 635 353
Notes to editors
The survey of 2,000 British adults was conducted by 3Gem in July 2020 on behalf of TV channel W.
About W
Sky 109/245, Virgin 124/191, BT 311 & TalkTalk 407 / On demand on Sky and Virgin
W is UKTV's premium entertainment channel, offering audiences a dazzling mix of UKTV Original series with some of the UK's most-loved talent in front and behind the camera.
Part of the W family, Emma Willis trains as a maternity care assistant in Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, while Emily Atack asks herself some big questions in Emily Atack: Adulting and Stacey Dooley spends some time with extraordinary families in Stacey Dooley: Sleeps Over. For its first foray into scripted original series, W welcomed Lorna Martin's Women on the Verge and celebrity PR drama Flack, starring Academy award winner Anna Paquin.
W delves into the world of babies and weddings with My Famous Babysitter and The Wedding Fixer, while channel favourite Inside The Ambulance continues shine a light on paramedics across the UK. Inside the Operating Theatre takes that relationship further getting to the heart of the surgeons saving lives inside the hospital and Ski A&E looks at the heroic actions of emergency ski services. And finally, W's hit acquisitions MasterChef Australia, MasterChef USA and MasterChef USA Juniors round out the offering.
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 25 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.