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shaydee
Turn it up!
Three hats, six aprons and they’re Nellie there for the week
We're nearing the end of our first week and the top 24 is taking shape. So, who'll make it through tonight? Whose culinary dream will go up in flames?
Speaking of flames, it's the MasterChef logo. Time to begin.
Six aprons are up for grabs and, in true MasterChef spirit, the remaining hopefuls are being set up for a spectacular fall, meaning they'll have to recreate a "three-hatted dish" to earn a spot in the top 24. Sounds fair. Amateur chefs should be able to cook a "three-hatted dish", shouldn't they?
It's Shannon Bennett's dish, no less. The acclaimed chef (and owner of Vue de Monde) is bringing "the pain" tonight, we're told.
Our contestants enter kitchen stadium ... wait, wrong show ... as the chosen ones (those already in the top 24) lord it over them with some self-satisfied cheering. George gleefully breaks the news that "today's a special day", our contestants will face their first pressure test. It comes as a shock and the contestants pull faces that suggest the task is akin to water torture.
Just wait until they find out Beau, who won last night's butter challenge, got the recipe and the ingredients to practise the dish. Proving they're almost better actors than they are cooks, the contestants laugh it off. Beau, meanwhile, pulls the knives from his back. He's "absolutely spent" after a late night, so maybe he won't be much of a threat after all.
Beau then reveals he didn't know what the dish was when he saw it anyway, so it's a good thing he's not in a cooking competition. Oh wait, he is. That's awkward.
"On MasterChef, terror comes hidden under a cloche," Matt Preston tells the contestants, suggesting they've really cut costs this year. Cue Shannon Bennett, whose entrance elicits maniacal, ear-piercing screams from the wannabes - apparently the producers didn't think the episode had enough hype already. Bennett, who seems alarmed at what he's just seen and heard, offers a few words of warning. "I don't know if you'll be laughing later," he says.
The cloche is lifted and the contestants will be cooking a peach Melba - "a modern version of peach Melba," no less. It's a dish with strong links to the Royal Exhibition Building (the setting for this Battle Royale), says Matt. Such a shame, then, that we're about to witness a peach Melba massacre.
The amateurs are set loose in the kitchen, but WA mum Lydia is suddenly struck with amnesia. She reads the recipe and gets cooking, then reveals something truly alarming - "I'm thinking 'where do I start and how on earth do you make it? And how many pages are the recipe?'"
We cut to Beau who, despite being "absolutely spent", has found enough energy to get off to a flying start, so Gary decides to hold him up by paying a visit. "Across all the series, everybody gets an advantage at some stage, but this is a cracker," he tells Beau, who apparently loves wearing bicycle helmets inside and confesses that he "quite often" zones out at work (a job that involves using machinery) to think about cooking.
Dom, meanwhile, is so excited that her milk has boiled over and has flooded the stovetop. Gary tells Shannon and George that he's thinks it's one of the hardest top 50 challenges they've had on MasterChef, so they really are going back to basics, as promised.
We're nearing the end of our first week and the top 24 is taking shape. So, who'll make it through tonight? Whose culinary dream will go up in flames?
Speaking of flames, it's the MasterChef logo. Time to begin.
Six aprons are up for grabs and, in true MasterChef spirit, the remaining hopefuls are being set up for a spectacular fall, meaning they'll have to recreate a "three-hatted dish" to earn a spot in the top 24. Sounds fair. Amateur chefs should be able to cook a "three-hatted dish", shouldn't they?
It's Shannon Bennett's dish, no less. The acclaimed chef (and owner of Vue de Monde) is bringing "the pain" tonight, we're told.
Our contestants enter kitchen stadium ... wait, wrong show ... as the chosen ones (those already in the top 24) lord it over them with some self-satisfied cheering. George gleefully breaks the news that "today's a special day", our contestants will face their first pressure test. It comes as a shock and the contestants pull faces that suggest the task is akin to water torture.
Just wait until they find out Beau, who won last night's butter challenge, got the recipe and the ingredients to practise the dish. Proving they're almost better actors than they are cooks, the contestants laugh it off. Beau, meanwhile, pulls the knives from his back. He's "absolutely spent" after a late night, so maybe he won't be much of a threat after all.
Beau then reveals he didn't know what the dish was when he saw it anyway, so it's a good thing he's not in a cooking competition. Oh wait, he is. That's awkward.
"On MasterChef, terror comes hidden under a cloche," Matt Preston tells the contestants, suggesting they've really cut costs this year. Cue Shannon Bennett, whose entrance elicits maniacal, ear-piercing screams from the wannabes - apparently the producers didn't think the episode had enough hype already. Bennett, who seems alarmed at what he's just seen and heard, offers a few words of warning. "I don't know if you'll be laughing later," he says.
The cloche is lifted and the contestants will be cooking a peach Melba - "a modern version of peach Melba," no less. It's a dish with strong links to the Royal Exhibition Building (the setting for this Battle Royale), says Matt. Such a shame, then, that we're about to witness a peach Melba massacre.
The amateurs are set loose in the kitchen, but WA mum Lydia is suddenly struck with amnesia. She reads the recipe and gets cooking, then reveals something truly alarming - "I'm thinking 'where do I start and how on earth do you make it? And how many pages are the recipe?'"
We cut to Beau who, despite being "absolutely spent", has found enough energy to get off to a flying start, so Gary decides to hold him up by paying a visit. "Across all the series, everybody gets an advantage at some stage, but this is a cracker," he tells Beau, who apparently loves wearing bicycle helmets inside and confesses that he "quite often" zones out at work (a job that involves using machinery) to think about cooking.
Dom, meanwhile, is so excited that her milk has boiled over and has flooded the stovetop. Gary tells Shannon and George that he's thinks it's one of the hardest top 50 challenges they've had on MasterChef, so they really are going back to basics, as promised.
shaydee
Turn it up!
Continued...
Gary's observation proves to be apt - everyone is having trouble with their creamer gun. "Did you put something in it?" one of the contestants asks Dom, who seems grateful for the help. "Yeah, I've got something in it. Hilarious guys," she shoots back. But it seems the joke's on her - Shannon thinks she's made her cream anglaise with double cream. "Do you think you're out of your depth here?" George asks. "Yes," comes the reply and George pulls a face that suggests Dom may have discovered a new use for her creamer gun and slapped him across the face with it.
Nice to see the judges nurturing the contestants' dreams in these early stages.
It's the great balls of fire as we cut to an ad break and catch Matt Preston seducing the camera with his steely gaze as Curtis Stone puts some fruit and vegetables from one supermarket chain to the fresh test. "Life's full of interruptions," we're told in another ad. So is MasterChef.
Back in the kitchen, Kylie decides a bit of flattery might help. "I just know how much effort goes into such a beautiful piece of artwork," she tells Shannon, batting her eyelashes. Kylie's also written the word 'dream' on her hand. "Sweet dreams tonight, hopefully," she adds. Her culinary dream, we're told, is to open a cafe and dessert bar. Snap! Tania, better known to her friends as Mamma T, also dreams of opening a food bar, but admits she "could be in a world of trouble". "It is what it is," she says, offering one of the most insightful comments of the night.
Meanwhile, electrician Andy, who's your go-to man in a blackout, has a blowout and splits his pants. He shares a moment with Emma, who stares just a moment too long and says "that's made my whole day".
We're still trying to get our head around who's who in the makeshift MasterChef kitchen, when Gary announces "there is a whole lot of uncertainty in this room". Right on, Gary!
"What's interesting is we're gonna get chalk and cheese," says George, which frightens both Gary and Shannon who were sure the task was to recreate a peach Melba. Shannon loves the way Andy's working (minus the blowout), while Gary admires Beau's focus.
Now to Julia, but Gary doesn't understand why she's there at all - "you have a little pastry thing going outside of your normal job. You're already doing what a lot of people do after MasterChef. Why the hell are you doing this?" Geez, Gary.
Julia's not fazed. "Well, I want a shop. I don't want to just go to the markets every second week and cook out of a rented kitchen. I want my own place. I want ovens, I want utensils," she answers. Has anyone told her what the prize is this year?
Gary's not satisfied and grills her further. Nobody's "noticed you" in the top 50, he says before walking off.
The flaming logo tells us it's time for another ad break. Gary pops up to tell us that oregano, roast garlic and lemon can really spice up a chicken. That's two judges now - an ad featuring George is bound to appear soon enough.
We're back in the kitchen with Tania, who's made a block of white cement and tries to blitz it in a food processor. Matt arrives to offer some support and advises her to show off a skill "so we can, you know, fall in love with your cooking". Tania seems to have misheard and settles on a new tactic - "I didn't realise his eyes were quite so blue. They matched his beautiful suit today," she tells us.
George asks Gary whether they've given the amateurs a dessert that's out of their league. There is no doubt in Gary's mind. "Yeah, absolutely," he replies, leaving everyone in the room and at home dumbfounded.
Quick, last few minutes for the contestants to assemble their dishes. Time's up.
It's tasting time and electrician Andy is up first. "Are you hoping for an apron today?" asks George, undermining the whole concept of the top 50. He tucks into the dish and does his best Bruce McAvaney impersonation - "that's special" - before mentioning the words "fresh" and "clean". Shannon is a fan of the dish too, and Matt invites Andy to join a group huddle before handing him a makeshift apron. "Try that on for size, see how you feel, because I reckon you might be getting a real one of those in a minute," says Matt.
Kylie rocks up to the tasting table to face Gary's critique. While tasting, Gary spots something on the ceiling and loses his focus. He forgets he's on MasterChef and waltzes back into line without delivering a verdict. Matt is glowing in his praise, though. So glowing, in fact, that he unleashes the flaming logo.
Cut to an ad break and what do you know, George is sharing some tips about butter.
Back to MasterChef and it's Lydia's turn to present her dish. Gary says she's "nailed the mousse" and the peach flavour. We race through the tastings for Emma, Mario ("It's not the most beautiful," says Gary), Ben and Dom. Beau thinks he's "going back to digging holes" and Gary decides to antagonise Julia further, even though the judges end up drooling over her dish.
James, Tatum and Keen present their desserts to varying success. Last to walk up to the tasting table is Beau, who is pretty happy with his efforts, announcing "I've got everything on the plate that I wanted to". Food, for starters.
Shannon announces that the judges are after six "perfect" peach Melbas, leaving the contestants to think no aprons will be handed out tonight. Hold on, they're about to give one to ...
Gary's observation proves to be apt - everyone is having trouble with their creamer gun. "Did you put something in it?" one of the contestants asks Dom, who seems grateful for the help. "Yeah, I've got something in it. Hilarious guys," she shoots back. But it seems the joke's on her - Shannon thinks she's made her cream anglaise with double cream. "Do you think you're out of your depth here?" George asks. "Yes," comes the reply and George pulls a face that suggests Dom may have discovered a new use for her creamer gun and slapped him across the face with it.
Nice to see the judges nurturing the contestants' dreams in these early stages.
It's the great balls of fire as we cut to an ad break and catch Matt Preston seducing the camera with his steely gaze as Curtis Stone puts some fruit and vegetables from one supermarket chain to the fresh test. "Life's full of interruptions," we're told in another ad. So is MasterChef.
Back in the kitchen, Kylie decides a bit of flattery might help. "I just know how much effort goes into such a beautiful piece of artwork," she tells Shannon, batting her eyelashes. Kylie's also written the word 'dream' on her hand. "Sweet dreams tonight, hopefully," she adds. Her culinary dream, we're told, is to open a cafe and dessert bar. Snap! Tania, better known to her friends as Mamma T, also dreams of opening a food bar, but admits she "could be in a world of trouble". "It is what it is," she says, offering one of the most insightful comments of the night.
Meanwhile, electrician Andy, who's your go-to man in a blackout, has a blowout and splits his pants. He shares a moment with Emma, who stares just a moment too long and says "that's made my whole day".
We're still trying to get our head around who's who in the makeshift MasterChef kitchen, when Gary announces "there is a whole lot of uncertainty in this room". Right on, Gary!
"What's interesting is we're gonna get chalk and cheese," says George, which frightens both Gary and Shannon who were sure the task was to recreate a peach Melba. Shannon loves the way Andy's working (minus the blowout), while Gary admires Beau's focus.
Now to Julia, but Gary doesn't understand why she's there at all - "you have a little pastry thing going outside of your normal job. You're already doing what a lot of people do after MasterChef. Why the hell are you doing this?" Geez, Gary.
Julia's not fazed. "Well, I want a shop. I don't want to just go to the markets every second week and cook out of a rented kitchen. I want my own place. I want ovens, I want utensils," she answers. Has anyone told her what the prize is this year?
Gary's not satisfied and grills her further. Nobody's "noticed you" in the top 50, he says before walking off.
The flaming logo tells us it's time for another ad break. Gary pops up to tell us that oregano, roast garlic and lemon can really spice up a chicken. That's two judges now - an ad featuring George is bound to appear soon enough.
We're back in the kitchen with Tania, who's made a block of white cement and tries to blitz it in a food processor. Matt arrives to offer some support and advises her to show off a skill "so we can, you know, fall in love with your cooking". Tania seems to have misheard and settles on a new tactic - "I didn't realise his eyes were quite so blue. They matched his beautiful suit today," she tells us.
George asks Gary whether they've given the amateurs a dessert that's out of their league. There is no doubt in Gary's mind. "Yeah, absolutely," he replies, leaving everyone in the room and at home dumbfounded.
Quick, last few minutes for the contestants to assemble their dishes. Time's up.
It's tasting time and electrician Andy is up first. "Are you hoping for an apron today?" asks George, undermining the whole concept of the top 50. He tucks into the dish and does his best Bruce McAvaney impersonation - "that's special" - before mentioning the words "fresh" and "clean". Shannon is a fan of the dish too, and Matt invites Andy to join a group huddle before handing him a makeshift apron. "Try that on for size, see how you feel, because I reckon you might be getting a real one of those in a minute," says Matt.
Kylie rocks up to the tasting table to face Gary's critique. While tasting, Gary spots something on the ceiling and loses his focus. He forgets he's on MasterChef and waltzes back into line without delivering a verdict. Matt is glowing in his praise, though. So glowing, in fact, that he unleashes the flaming logo.
Cut to an ad break and what do you know, George is sharing some tips about butter.
Back to MasterChef and it's Lydia's turn to present her dish. Gary says she's "nailed the mousse" and the peach flavour. We race through the tastings for Emma, Mario ("It's not the most beautiful," says Gary), Ben and Dom. Beau thinks he's "going back to digging holes" and Gary decides to antagonise Julia further, even though the judges end up drooling over her dish.
James, Tatum and Keen present their desserts to varying success. Last to walk up to the tasting table is Beau, who is pretty happy with his efforts, announcing "I've got everything on the plate that I wanted to". Food, for starters.
Shannon announces that the judges are after six "perfect" peach Melbas, leaving the contestants to think no aprons will be handed out tonight. Hold on, they're about to give one to ...
shaydee
Turn it up!
... the flaming logo.
We return as the judges present aprons to electrician Andy, Julia, Kylie, Lydia and Ben. Wait, there's one more.
The last apron goes to Beau, who shocks everyone when he confides that "I'm just a bit worried about one thing though - I'll probably get punched in the face," he says, revealing just how ruthless MasterChef is these days, before adding "by my mates when they find out I got in on something called a peach Melba". Oh, that's OK then.
Matt reveals that there's one final chance to earn an apron, but not today. The judges will decide who gets to stick around and try their luck another day. The rest will going home. "Steel yourselves, it'll be a bumpy ride," Matt announces.
Change of scenery and it appears as though the remaining contestants have been locked in a room on death row.
Kath is the only one through from the first group of contestants. Next up are Mario and Harvey. Both go through and Mario gives a high-five hard enough to break Harvey's hand and render him incapable of competing in the next challenge. That's one down, many more to go.
Filippo's "both confident and apprehensive", if that's even possible. Gary says that Filippo would make a great contestant, but questions whether he's "the Sunday lunch guy", which causes Filippo to spontaneously combust, meaning it's time for an ad break.
It's that time of the night - 'MasterChef extra taste' anyone? No thanks. But wait, we're being fed one anyway and in this helping Dom tells us that she's "shaking with nervousness" and is "so nervous I can't even put words together". Insightful.
We're back with Filippo, who's awaiting his fate and makes an impassioned plea to stay in the competition. "You talk a lot don't you?" asks George. Filippo's through anyway. "Respect," he snaps, before pounding his fist on his chest and flashing a gangster sign.
Deb lives to see another day in the MasterChef kitchen, as do Keen and Mindy.
Next up is Yukio, who tells us he "felt like time just lagged and lagged" while making his way to the headmasters ... sorry, judges. So it's not just us then?
"Yukio, are you a pretender?" asks George.
No, Yukio assures us.
"Can you cook?"
Yes, he can. (That's fortunate).
But George wants to know whether Yukio's just good with that classic combination of "meat with fruit". He's not, and George reveals that the judges "want to see more" of Yukio. He's through.
James is out, while Emma and Dom live to fight another day. Emma is determined to earn an apron, announcing that "nothing can stop me now". Except a trip to Daylesford for a masterclass, which, we're told, is an episode for another day.
We return as the judges present aprons to electrician Andy, Julia, Kylie, Lydia and Ben. Wait, there's one more.
The last apron goes to Beau, who shocks everyone when he confides that "I'm just a bit worried about one thing though - I'll probably get punched in the face," he says, revealing just how ruthless MasterChef is these days, before adding "by my mates when they find out I got in on something called a peach Melba". Oh, that's OK then.
Matt reveals that there's one final chance to earn an apron, but not today. The judges will decide who gets to stick around and try their luck another day. The rest will going home. "Steel yourselves, it'll be a bumpy ride," Matt announces.
Change of scenery and it appears as though the remaining contestants have been locked in a room on death row.
Kath is the only one through from the first group of contestants. Next up are Mario and Harvey. Both go through and Mario gives a high-five hard enough to break Harvey's hand and render him incapable of competing in the next challenge. That's one down, many more to go.
Filippo's "both confident and apprehensive", if that's even possible. Gary says that Filippo would make a great contestant, but questions whether he's "the Sunday lunch guy", which causes Filippo to spontaneously combust, meaning it's time for an ad break.
It's that time of the night - 'MasterChef extra taste' anyone? No thanks. But wait, we're being fed one anyway and in this helping Dom tells us that she's "shaking with nervousness" and is "so nervous I can't even put words together". Insightful.
We're back with Filippo, who's awaiting his fate and makes an impassioned plea to stay in the competition. "You talk a lot don't you?" asks George. Filippo's through anyway. "Respect," he snaps, before pounding his fist on his chest and flashing a gangster sign.
Deb lives to see another day in the MasterChef kitchen, as do Keen and Mindy.
Next up is Yukio, who tells us he "felt like time just lagged and lagged" while making his way to the headmasters ... sorry, judges. So it's not just us then?
"Yukio, are you a pretender?" asks George.
No, Yukio assures us.
"Can you cook?"
Yes, he can. (That's fortunate).
But George wants to know whether Yukio's just good with that classic combination of "meat with fruit". He's not, and George reveals that the judges "want to see more" of Yukio. He's through.
James is out, while Emma and Dom live to fight another day. Emma is determined to earn an apron, announcing that "nothing can stop me now". Except a trip to Daylesford for a masterclass, which, we're told, is an episode for another day.
shaydee
Turn it up!
Oh no YukioHe was better than tea cosy head pfft
I really wanted Yukio to get through. Can't believe Mario got through over him. Wahh!
C
Cookie
Guest
I don't know if I like anyone yet, but I know that I don't like, the older lady with the grey hair, the crying beret (tea cosy) wearer.
Still find it annoying that they relaly only focus on the ones that are either the best or the worsrt in these challenges. Understand that there are a a lot of people and only a short amount of time, but would be nice if they could change it up a bit.
Still find it annoying that they relaly only focus on the ones that are either the best or the worsrt in these challenges. Understand that there are a a lot of people and only a short amount of time, but would be nice if they could change it up a bit.
Anyone else think all the food put up last night was pretty pathetic?
eliza
Active Member
Yes, I know that they were told to cook something that reflected themselves but ffs, steak, potato and veg and cupcakes, I am no cook but I could knock both of them up no worries at all. Surely they were expected to cook something a bit flasher than that.
There are several people that I have never heard speak, girl with long stringy blond hair and a chubby face for starters.
I am also not a fan of the lady with the short grey hair, or the Physiotherapy student who had 'dream" on her hand both have already come out with too many cringe worthy sayings.
There are several people that I have never heard speak, girl with long stringy blond hair and a chubby face for starters.
I am also not a fan of the lady with the short grey hair, or the Physiotherapy student who had 'dream" on her hand both have already come out with too many cringe worthy sayings.
C
Cookie
Guest
Bah to cringe worthy sayings. I thought that to, really nothing impressive. The guy who was chosen as the best, wasn't he the one who had braised the steak? Making it dry? if so how bad were the others?
Yes, last night was nothing special. I like the mystery box challenge, but like it when they all have the same ingredients to cook with.
Yes, last night was nothing special. I like the mystery box challenge, but like it when they all have the same ingredients to cook with.
shaydee
Turn it up!
The cheesecake that shall not be spoken
Ahhh, the MasterChef titles, they’re hot, they’re cold, they’re ... well a little dated really. Couldn’t they get the contestants to do a cover of the theme or something? Have the judges sit on stools and spin a lazy susan if they like the result? Call it MasterVoice perhaps? .... Hmmm. Just off to the Trademark office for a moment, amuse yourselves.
Anyhoo, tonight’s titles feature ... names! TK kicks it all off with a steaming dumpling and Tregan brings up the rear serving milkshakes on rollerskates. And that scrubs yet another off the list of "sentences I thought I'd never write."
Post-flaming-logo Emma is brushing her teeth and we know it’s going to be an adrenalin packed episode. Ben, who the MasterVoice previously told us had won the chance to battle for immunity, speaks of his chance to battle for immunity, before a flashback shows Preston announcing that Ben has a chance to battle for immunity, so while I wonder what’s going to happen tonight, Ben withdraws to his special white place (he has floating pasta makers and hanging colanders inhabiting his subconscious mind it seems) and explains that immunity is the “ultimate prize”, which is true in a plague-ridden society, however in MasterChef there is the promise of so much more: a book, a nickname in these recaps and the opportunity to appear in Masterchef: Where are they Now? shows for years ... well, maybe year to come.
Back in the house, Emma and some guy whose credits pose clearly wasn’t memorable are watching Ben iron, because the TV in the house is permanently tuned to Ten and they don’t have any other shows worth watching other than the one they’re in. Oh the guy is Andy, I learn from Andy, as he appears in the white room of monologue to say Ben is nervous.
Ben walks over to MasterHall (ok there was a car and a hyper-accelerated aerial shot) and Gary can see that he is bursting out of his skin, which is the kind of behaviour that really makes me wish they had at least a back up set of chef’s whites. Ben heeds Gary’s warning though and reskins himself before worrying that Matt Moran is here. Smart boy that Ben. Moran delivers the world's worst audition for wrestlemania ever with a subdued “are you ready to rumble?” and, before the complete lack of palpable tension gets any more obvious, George decides to explain the challenge: develop a portfolio of programs that could help Ten find some traction in the ratings race. Oh no wait, George says the challenge is to beat today's celebrity chef inj order to win an immunity pin. But that makes no sense, they’ve already said it’s an immunity challenge nine times, surely he couldn’t just be stating the obvious.
Of course he could.
Preston steps up to see if this episode can begin. “Ben, today Matt Moran isn’t your opponent.” Strike three. I wonder if Ben could do some more ironing to spark things up.
Finally some new information. Moran is in fact Ben’s mentor tonight as he engages in the battle round, proving that even the thickest satire is lost on MasterChef as they actually attempt to become The Voice. Ben will be battling one of Australia’s hottest young chefs says Preston, and in walk three sets of sneakers. Yes, Ben is going to cook off against a highly athletic super insect.
The super insect is Dan Hong, the executive chef of Ms G’s in Sydney he tells us. His dishes have to explode in your mouth. Simultaneously every mouthful you eat is going to go “wow!”. His dishes are made mostly of easily surprised Nitroglycerine. Dan introduces the pair of black T-Shirts behind him, and combined they have 27 years of cooking experience, which slightly outclasses Ben's 3 years of watching MasterChef.
Ben has to make an entree, main and dessert to compete with the three courses made by Dan and the T’s. Plus he’ll have to choose a main ingredient from one of the two hidden behind the massive red curtain in the middle of the room. Given how ridiculously complicated this episode is getting, its really lucky they didn’t waste time explaining trivialities earlier.
The curtain falls and we discover that Ben must choose a core ingredient of either lemons or honey. Gary wants Ben’s end result to stand out and shine so he should probably choose Preston's outfit. Except the choice of main ingredient is actually made by Dan. Sweet or sour Dan? “Sour man! I choose lemon.”
Ben is now cooking three dishes against three professional chefs, using their chosen ingredient, but thankfully Gary evens things up by giving him a handicap. Ben has to use two of his fellow contestants. Sadly not as ingredients but as assistants. Preston suggests he choose his victims wisely. Gary points out that the assistants get nothing out of winning tonight, so they actually have an incentive to ensure he loses, but let's ignore that. Ben chooses Andy, because they are BFFs. Then chooses Emma, proving that watching a man iron is the way to his kitchen and by choosing the two people he happened to be seen with earlier convincing me that there’s definitely, absolutely no way that they shoot these scenes out of order.
Continued...
Ahhh, the MasterChef titles, they’re hot, they’re cold, they’re ... well a little dated really. Couldn’t they get the contestants to do a cover of the theme or something? Have the judges sit on stools and spin a lazy susan if they like the result? Call it MasterVoice perhaps? .... Hmmm. Just off to the Trademark office for a moment, amuse yourselves.
Anyhoo, tonight’s titles feature ... names! TK kicks it all off with a steaming dumpling and Tregan brings up the rear serving milkshakes on rollerskates. And that scrubs yet another off the list of "sentences I thought I'd never write."
Post-flaming-logo Emma is brushing her teeth and we know it’s going to be an adrenalin packed episode. Ben, who the MasterVoice previously told us had won the chance to battle for immunity, speaks of his chance to battle for immunity, before a flashback shows Preston announcing that Ben has a chance to battle for immunity, so while I wonder what’s going to happen tonight, Ben withdraws to his special white place (he has floating pasta makers and hanging colanders inhabiting his subconscious mind it seems) and explains that immunity is the “ultimate prize”, which is true in a plague-ridden society, however in MasterChef there is the promise of so much more: a book, a nickname in these recaps and the opportunity to appear in Masterchef: Where are they Now? shows for years ... well, maybe year to come.
Back in the house, Emma and some guy whose credits pose clearly wasn’t memorable are watching Ben iron, because the TV in the house is permanently tuned to Ten and they don’t have any other shows worth watching other than the one they’re in. Oh the guy is Andy, I learn from Andy, as he appears in the white room of monologue to say Ben is nervous.
Ben walks over to MasterHall (ok there was a car and a hyper-accelerated aerial shot) and Gary can see that he is bursting out of his skin, which is the kind of behaviour that really makes me wish they had at least a back up set of chef’s whites. Ben heeds Gary’s warning though and reskins himself before worrying that Matt Moran is here. Smart boy that Ben. Moran delivers the world's worst audition for wrestlemania ever with a subdued “are you ready to rumble?” and, before the complete lack of palpable tension gets any more obvious, George decides to explain the challenge: develop a portfolio of programs that could help Ten find some traction in the ratings race. Oh no wait, George says the challenge is to beat today's celebrity chef inj order to win an immunity pin. But that makes no sense, they’ve already said it’s an immunity challenge nine times, surely he couldn’t just be stating the obvious.
Of course he could.
Preston steps up to see if this episode can begin. “Ben, today Matt Moran isn’t your opponent.” Strike three. I wonder if Ben could do some more ironing to spark things up.
Finally some new information. Moran is in fact Ben’s mentor tonight as he engages in the battle round, proving that even the thickest satire is lost on MasterChef as they actually attempt to become The Voice. Ben will be battling one of Australia’s hottest young chefs says Preston, and in walk three sets of sneakers. Yes, Ben is going to cook off against a highly athletic super insect.
The super insect is Dan Hong, the executive chef of Ms G’s in Sydney he tells us. His dishes have to explode in your mouth. Simultaneously every mouthful you eat is going to go “wow!”. His dishes are made mostly of easily surprised Nitroglycerine. Dan introduces the pair of black T-Shirts behind him, and combined they have 27 years of cooking experience, which slightly outclasses Ben's 3 years of watching MasterChef.
Ben has to make an entree, main and dessert to compete with the three courses made by Dan and the T’s. Plus he’ll have to choose a main ingredient from one of the two hidden behind the massive red curtain in the middle of the room. Given how ridiculously complicated this episode is getting, its really lucky they didn’t waste time explaining trivialities earlier.
The curtain falls and we discover that Ben must choose a core ingredient of either lemons or honey. Gary wants Ben’s end result to stand out and shine so he should probably choose Preston's outfit. Except the choice of main ingredient is actually made by Dan. Sweet or sour Dan? “Sour man! I choose lemon.”
Ben is now cooking three dishes against three professional chefs, using their chosen ingredient, but thankfully Gary evens things up by giving him a handicap. Ben has to use two of his fellow contestants. Sadly not as ingredients but as assistants. Preston suggests he choose his victims wisely. Gary points out that the assistants get nothing out of winning tonight, so they actually have an incentive to ensure he loses, but let's ignore that. Ben chooses Andy, because they are BFFs. Then chooses Emma, proving that watching a man iron is the way to his kitchen and by choosing the two people he happened to be seen with earlier convincing me that there’s definitely, absolutely no way that they shoot these scenes out of order.
Continued...
shaydee
Turn it up!
Preston points out that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, and he is lucky because that would have been a terrible joke if Dan had chosen honey. As Ben tries to work out whether lemonade is an entree or a main, Gary points out that all the pressure is really on Dan because he has three head chefs and only sixty minutes, while Ben has ninety minutes and Matt Moran. That sound in the background is the bookmakers tearing up their books as they had so daftly believed the three amateurs with the bald guy who wants to rumble them were at some sort of disadvantage.
After the break Matt, Gary and George sit down at a table for four presumably to give we the viewers the sense of being invited to sup with them, as they passionately ponder what the teams are going to do by saying the word lemon more times than is humanly conceivable. Meanwhile Ben and the bumblers wander around the MasterPantry discussing what isn’t there. No scallops. But there is snapper. So the obvious solution is tacos. And as the fish rides off on its bicycle, Ben turns his mind to dessert.
Emma is assigned to make a baked lemon cheese cake and Ben says he is confident. Confident that Emma is perfectly placed to snatch defeat from the jaws of any victory he might accidentally stumble towards and cry about it afterwards. Matt starts his mentoring by standing around chatting with Dan, which could prove to be just the impediment the professional chefs need.
Once Ben has started actually preparing his dish, Matt helps out by wandering over and interrupting him to ask inane questions in order to slow him down and undermine his confidence. Has he cooked pasta before? Not much no. How well does he know his assistants? Very, he can even remember Andy’s name without pausing. And Emma will be good at sweets because she is sweet, by which logic Ben should actually do well at this challenge, because he’s beginning to look like a bit of a lemon. Finally can Moran do anything to help? No, clearly not.
Emma decides that gazing longingly at Ben as he ironed mightn’t have been Jane Austen enough and starts offering him tastings from her mixing bowl. She hand feeds him liquid cheesecake and coyly asks if he wants more. He wants more lemon. She wants to spoon. While Moran wants Dan to ratchet up the tension a bit so gets him to say how risky it is for Emma to make cheesecake and Dan to make pasta. Then he starts yelling about time. Moran is the sort of mentor that wins challenges ... by stepping on his own team and claiming he rumbled them.
Dan and the T’s are let loose and the rock music kicks in. They are a slicing, dicing, incredibly well edited machine. Then Moran comes over to mentor them to even things up.
Once everyone in the kitchen is holding a knife, Moran gives up mentoring for his own safety and starts mentoring us, talking to camera about how Dan’s dish isn’t lemon enough, before heading over to Ben’s team to tell Andy that his garnish slicing will give away to the judges that his dish isn’t Dan’s, and his complete inability to cut the snapper the way his dish requires will give away to the judges that he can’t cook. Poor Andy, if only he had anything riding on this.
After the break Moran will undermine Emma, but first Andrew Gaze is in a kitchen doing nothing of use, we’ll call it “mentoring.”
Dan’s team are under pressure as they need the pastry to be made before they can deconstruct their dessert, and they’re just wishing they were professional chefs who worked under these sort of conditions regularly. On the other side of the MasterWall, Ben seeks advice from the heavens on how to make ravioli as he’s only done it three times before, and Mario reveals himself to the deity we all thought he might be by providing some advice. "Dollop it" says Mario the MasterGod.
Emma’s cheesecake is too runny, Dan tastes the oven and declares it is good, and we have five minutes to go. Emma’s second cheesecake is cracked, and she doesn’t know how to cut it. Try crying would be my advice, that normally seems to cut it in this show for at least the first few weeks.
Oh Good Mario! Moran is mentoring again. While the others ward him off with fire or reminders of his ill-fated time on The Chopping Block, Ben is vulnerable, absorbed in his one remaining task. Moran swoops, and succeeds, careful to loom over Ben and provide half-advice just long enough to ensure that he can reassure him that he’s burned his sauce. After the break the judges will judge the dishes and it looks like they’ll be quite judgemental about it.
When we return, Ben has to start his sauce again and the other contestants help by whipping up into a rabid frenzy, clapping and yelping incoherently, just like ... a pack of MasterChef contestants.
Time is up and the two teams pour over the contestants offerings, with Dan impressed that Andy has made toritllas and that Ben has made ravioli, and Ben impressed that he has waited until it was far too late to realise his prawns are undercooked.
The judges receive the entrees – Snapper Tacos Ceviche from Ben and the Bumblers, Sashimi with Lemon Ponzu from Dan and the T’s – but first Preston has to give thanks to the God of excruciating analogy, as he tells us that he always thinks of entrees as “the wink across the dance floor, it’s the smile across the crowded bar, it’s a bit of a flirt with the diner, we want to be titillated.” Clearly Preston was hoping for some sort of citric slapper followed by a sour puss and a lemon tart, but the overwhelming taste home viewers receive is a hint of bile.
George and Gary try to completely ignore everything Preston just said and taste the tacos. Gary thinks the ingredients are good, but George thinks the snapper should have been the bed, leading to the ideal taco situation of a piece of fish wrapped around a tortilla and proving that if it ain’t deconstructed this year, it ain’t going to fly.
They try the sashimi and Gary loves its look, Preston thinks it’s a classic and George points out that the fish is full of sinew, with Gary admitting that the massive hunk of skin he’s pushed aside wasn’t that appealing. We’re voting per dish it seems and Preston goes for the sashimi, George votes for the taco and Gary is looking up the number for a pizza company in his little black book.
*** THE RECAP EXTRA TASTE ***
The three wannabes and the three professionals are sitting around talking, but who cares about them, this is the RECAP EXTRA TASTE where you the reader get that behind the scenes glimpse of a recapper you always wanted. I, dear reader, am sitting on my sofa watching television. My wife is wishing I was half as funny as I think I am on these recaps and the cat is lying asleep on the floor.
Gosh aren’t you glad we got this new feature this year. It really makes the ads look more entertaining by comparison doesn’t it?
*** END OF EXTRA TASTE ***
Continued...
After the break Matt, Gary and George sit down at a table for four presumably to give we the viewers the sense of being invited to sup with them, as they passionately ponder what the teams are going to do by saying the word lemon more times than is humanly conceivable. Meanwhile Ben and the bumblers wander around the MasterPantry discussing what isn’t there. No scallops. But there is snapper. So the obvious solution is tacos. And as the fish rides off on its bicycle, Ben turns his mind to dessert.
Emma is assigned to make a baked lemon cheese cake and Ben says he is confident. Confident that Emma is perfectly placed to snatch defeat from the jaws of any victory he might accidentally stumble towards and cry about it afterwards. Matt starts his mentoring by standing around chatting with Dan, which could prove to be just the impediment the professional chefs need.
Once Ben has started actually preparing his dish, Matt helps out by wandering over and interrupting him to ask inane questions in order to slow him down and undermine his confidence. Has he cooked pasta before? Not much no. How well does he know his assistants? Very, he can even remember Andy’s name without pausing. And Emma will be good at sweets because she is sweet, by which logic Ben should actually do well at this challenge, because he’s beginning to look like a bit of a lemon. Finally can Moran do anything to help? No, clearly not.
Emma decides that gazing longingly at Ben as he ironed mightn’t have been Jane Austen enough and starts offering him tastings from her mixing bowl. She hand feeds him liquid cheesecake and coyly asks if he wants more. He wants more lemon. She wants to spoon. While Moran wants Dan to ratchet up the tension a bit so gets him to say how risky it is for Emma to make cheesecake and Dan to make pasta. Then he starts yelling about time. Moran is the sort of mentor that wins challenges ... by stepping on his own team and claiming he rumbled them.
Dan and the T’s are let loose and the rock music kicks in. They are a slicing, dicing, incredibly well edited machine. Then Moran comes over to mentor them to even things up.
Once everyone in the kitchen is holding a knife, Moran gives up mentoring for his own safety and starts mentoring us, talking to camera about how Dan’s dish isn’t lemon enough, before heading over to Ben’s team to tell Andy that his garnish slicing will give away to the judges that his dish isn’t Dan’s, and his complete inability to cut the snapper the way his dish requires will give away to the judges that he can’t cook. Poor Andy, if only he had anything riding on this.
After the break Moran will undermine Emma, but first Andrew Gaze is in a kitchen doing nothing of use, we’ll call it “mentoring.”
Dan’s team are under pressure as they need the pastry to be made before they can deconstruct their dessert, and they’re just wishing they were professional chefs who worked under these sort of conditions regularly. On the other side of the MasterWall, Ben seeks advice from the heavens on how to make ravioli as he’s only done it three times before, and Mario reveals himself to the deity we all thought he might be by providing some advice. "Dollop it" says Mario the MasterGod.
Emma’s cheesecake is too runny, Dan tastes the oven and declares it is good, and we have five minutes to go. Emma’s second cheesecake is cracked, and she doesn’t know how to cut it. Try crying would be my advice, that normally seems to cut it in this show for at least the first few weeks.
Oh Good Mario! Moran is mentoring again. While the others ward him off with fire or reminders of his ill-fated time on The Chopping Block, Ben is vulnerable, absorbed in his one remaining task. Moran swoops, and succeeds, careful to loom over Ben and provide half-advice just long enough to ensure that he can reassure him that he’s burned his sauce. After the break the judges will judge the dishes and it looks like they’ll be quite judgemental about it.
When we return, Ben has to start his sauce again and the other contestants help by whipping up into a rabid frenzy, clapping and yelping incoherently, just like ... a pack of MasterChef contestants.
Time is up and the two teams pour over the contestants offerings, with Dan impressed that Andy has made toritllas and that Ben has made ravioli, and Ben impressed that he has waited until it was far too late to realise his prawns are undercooked.
The judges receive the entrees – Snapper Tacos Ceviche from Ben and the Bumblers, Sashimi with Lemon Ponzu from Dan and the T’s – but first Preston has to give thanks to the God of excruciating analogy, as he tells us that he always thinks of entrees as “the wink across the dance floor, it’s the smile across the crowded bar, it’s a bit of a flirt with the diner, we want to be titillated.” Clearly Preston was hoping for some sort of citric slapper followed by a sour puss and a lemon tart, but the overwhelming taste home viewers receive is a hint of bile.
George and Gary try to completely ignore everything Preston just said and taste the tacos. Gary thinks the ingredients are good, but George thinks the snapper should have been the bed, leading to the ideal taco situation of a piece of fish wrapped around a tortilla and proving that if it ain’t deconstructed this year, it ain’t going to fly.
They try the sashimi and Gary loves its look, Preston thinks it’s a classic and George points out that the fish is full of sinew, with Gary admitting that the massive hunk of skin he’s pushed aside wasn’t that appealing. We’re voting per dish it seems and Preston goes for the sashimi, George votes for the taco and Gary is looking up the number for a pizza company in his little black book.
*** THE RECAP EXTRA TASTE ***
The three wannabes and the three professionals are sitting around talking, but who cares about them, this is the RECAP EXTRA TASTE where you the reader get that behind the scenes glimpse of a recapper you always wanted. I, dear reader, am sitting on my sofa watching television. My wife is wishing I was half as funny as I think I am on these recaps and the cat is lying asleep on the floor.
Gosh aren’t you glad we got this new feature this year. It really makes the ads look more entertaining by comparison doesn’t it?
*** END OF EXTRA TASTE ***
Continued...
shaydee
Turn it up!
George wants to taste the main courses, so an underpaid actor brings in one dish and one slice of old growth rainforest that was chopped down to plant a lemon orchard after the local environmentalists were told to “suck on a lemon,” now THAT is dedication to a theme. Genius. The log proffers up Prawn and Duck San Choy Bow while the mere dish contains Ben’s Prawn Ravioli with Lemon Butter Sauce and Roasted Prawns.
Gary wasn’t expecting those two dishes, having yearned for the lemon soup he constantly offers in his restaurant only to see customer after customer dangle their fingers contemptuously in it. He lets out his frustrations by castigating the prawns for being raw and flipping one over to highlight something that becomes slightly less clear. George helps out by removing the prawns entirely which Preston feels vastly improves the dish.
They eat and nod and Preston’s eyes rotate on independent axles, before Gary actually tries the prawn only to discover its “quite nice.” A review pull quote that is only matched by Preston’s “for a dish that looks that ugly, it tastes surprisingly delicious.”
The judges turn to the environment-raping san choy bow, and the heavy lemon-based-hallucinogenic that Dan has laced through his dish pays dividends as Gary calmly bites into a lettuce leaf that is gushing lemon juice, George attempts to eat single grains of rice with a fork and Preston starts ladling sauce from his bowl into a spoon that is resting on the table.
Gary has no doubt that this is a delicious dish and that he is in fact a carrot walking backwards up a hill. He loves the fresh flavours and the party going on in his mind. All George is getting though is lemon grass, which is really taking the edge off his trip. Preston, whose greater body mass means he has sobered up sooner points out that the san choy bow has essentially no lemon, which keen observers will note was kind of the point. Gary, determined to be pointless, votes for the san choy bow. And the talking mongoose. George is torn, but doesn’t reveal his answer, instead doodling in his black folio. Preston gazes contemptuously at them both without revealing a favourite.
The desserts arrive just as Gary gets the munchies: Dan’s Deconstructed Lemon Tart with Lemonade Granita versus Ben's Lemon Cheesecake with Tuile. Gary likes the look of the tart, and the judges race to say “deconstructed” before each other. Preston then reveals the secret to his famous dairy discos, declaring cheesecake to be a “guaranteed party starter.”
The trio then actually like something, gorging themselves on the deconstructed tart and gushing over the candied lemon strings hidden within. Gary then demonstrates the objectivity and level headedness we look for in our judges by declaring he doesn’t even need to try the other dish. George tries to talk him around by pointing out that the cheesecake “could taste like a MasterChef’s made it.” On the other hand it could taste good.
They eat the cheesecake. They make facial expressions. They ... completely fail to discuss the dish at all. If you can’t say anything nice? Wait these are the judges. If you can’t say anything nasty?
The trios line up for the announcement and Gary asks Moran how Ben went. Moran replies that he has to say he saw exceptional food. So either Ben is exceptional food, or Ben is what happens to exceptional food.
Gary draws out the entree result reveal for just long enough that we and the MasterChef logo feel like exploding. After the break we get to see Gary draw it out all over again before he finally reveals that Dan’s Sashimi was the top entree. Gary then offers a wealth of praise, plus a sinewy slap on the wrist to professional chef Dan then completely ignores Ben, the man actually entered in the competition.
George has the honour of announcing the main course winner and just bloody gets on with it. Ben wins with the ravioli. George then explains that Ben was very lucky because Dan’s dish didn’t taste of lemon and also this competition would already be a dud if Ben didn’t win a round.
Preston sums up the very few things we have just seen in order to make sure he makes it into tomorrow night’s “previously on MasterChef” and then announces that the winning dessert is Dan’s deconstructed lemon tart. Emma apologises to Ben for preparing the first dish in MasterChef history that the judges can’t even be bothered referencing. Preston congratulates Dan and then Gary asks who was responsible for the dessert – without actually discussing it – and finally, the episode and this recap are complete as Emma gets the opportunity to cry.
Phew.
Gary wasn’t expecting those two dishes, having yearned for the lemon soup he constantly offers in his restaurant only to see customer after customer dangle their fingers contemptuously in it. He lets out his frustrations by castigating the prawns for being raw and flipping one over to highlight something that becomes slightly less clear. George helps out by removing the prawns entirely which Preston feels vastly improves the dish.
They eat and nod and Preston’s eyes rotate on independent axles, before Gary actually tries the prawn only to discover its “quite nice.” A review pull quote that is only matched by Preston’s “for a dish that looks that ugly, it tastes surprisingly delicious.”
The judges turn to the environment-raping san choy bow, and the heavy lemon-based-hallucinogenic that Dan has laced through his dish pays dividends as Gary calmly bites into a lettuce leaf that is gushing lemon juice, George attempts to eat single grains of rice with a fork and Preston starts ladling sauce from his bowl into a spoon that is resting on the table.
Gary has no doubt that this is a delicious dish and that he is in fact a carrot walking backwards up a hill. He loves the fresh flavours and the party going on in his mind. All George is getting though is lemon grass, which is really taking the edge off his trip. Preston, whose greater body mass means he has sobered up sooner points out that the san choy bow has essentially no lemon, which keen observers will note was kind of the point. Gary, determined to be pointless, votes for the san choy bow. And the talking mongoose. George is torn, but doesn’t reveal his answer, instead doodling in his black folio. Preston gazes contemptuously at them both without revealing a favourite.
The desserts arrive just as Gary gets the munchies: Dan’s Deconstructed Lemon Tart with Lemonade Granita versus Ben's Lemon Cheesecake with Tuile. Gary likes the look of the tart, and the judges race to say “deconstructed” before each other. Preston then reveals the secret to his famous dairy discos, declaring cheesecake to be a “guaranteed party starter.”
The trio then actually like something, gorging themselves on the deconstructed tart and gushing over the candied lemon strings hidden within. Gary then demonstrates the objectivity and level headedness we look for in our judges by declaring he doesn’t even need to try the other dish. George tries to talk him around by pointing out that the cheesecake “could taste like a MasterChef’s made it.” On the other hand it could taste good.
They eat the cheesecake. They make facial expressions. They ... completely fail to discuss the dish at all. If you can’t say anything nice? Wait these are the judges. If you can’t say anything nasty?
The trios line up for the announcement and Gary asks Moran how Ben went. Moran replies that he has to say he saw exceptional food. So either Ben is exceptional food, or Ben is what happens to exceptional food.
Gary draws out the entree result reveal for just long enough that we and the MasterChef logo feel like exploding. After the break we get to see Gary draw it out all over again before he finally reveals that Dan’s Sashimi was the top entree. Gary then offers a wealth of praise, plus a sinewy slap on the wrist to professional chef Dan then completely ignores Ben, the man actually entered in the competition.
George has the honour of announcing the main course winner and just bloody gets on with it. Ben wins with the ravioli. George then explains that Ben was very lucky because Dan’s dish didn’t taste of lemon and also this competition would already be a dud if Ben didn’t win a round.
Preston sums up the very few things we have just seen in order to make sure he makes it into tomorrow night’s “previously on MasterChef” and then announces that the winning dessert is Dan’s deconstructed lemon tart. Emma apologises to Ben for preparing the first dish in MasterChef history that the judges can’t even be bothered referencing. Preston congratulates Dan and then Gary asks who was responsible for the dessert – without actually discussing it – and finally, the episode and this recap are complete as Emma gets the opportunity to cry.
Phew.