Gender-Based Food Stereotypes in MasterChef Australia’s Dessert Naming: A Socio-Onomastic Corpus Analysis

This study explores how gender identity is encoded through word formation in culinary naming, focusing on dessert names from Season 14 of MasterChef Australia. Employing a socio-onomastic and corpus-based mixed-method approach, the study analyzes linguistic patterns in the naming of desserts by male and female contestants across 51 episodes. Results indicate that nouns were the most dominant word class, with compounding, borrowing, multiple processes, and nonce formations being the main word formation techniques. Male contestants predominantly favored compounding with emotional or narrative elements, while female contestants employed more complex, ingredient-based structures using multiple processes. These linguistic strategies not only reflect individual creativity but also reveal patterns shaped by gender norms. This study contributes to discussions on language, identity, and culinary culture, offering insights into how gendered discourse is encoded in naming practices within popular media.