The contestants have made it to the top ten, or have they? By the end of the week, someone will return, but before that, an immunity pin is up for grabs. If I were a contestant, I’d be fighting for it!
The contestants enter the kitchen and are excited about the fact no one is going home. Ahh…that means none of you will come any closer to the winner’s prize? Don’t celebrate too soon.
This week, an immunity pin will be given out…guaranteed! There will be a series of knockout challenges eliminating them until one person remains.
The first challenge is a basic skills test with mortars with a Chinese-five spice mix and a bowl with a sieve. They need to grind the spices until they have a tablespoon of properly-grounded spice. The last person to do this will be eliminated.
Lynton is the first to call test. He’s through. Lucy is also through, as is Rishi and Emma. Kelty, Noelene are also through. Seems as if Christina or Christina will be eliminated. In the end, it’s Christina who is gone first.
With that, the judges reveal a twist. For the next challenge- and probably for every challenge from now on, the contestants will be joined by the nine eliminated contestants!
The contestants then find out that one of the eliminated contestants will win their way back into the Top ELEVEN by the end of the week. The judges do confirm that this is because Andrew was removed and not eliminated earlier on.
This week, they will be partnered up- one present contestant and one eliminated contestant. The partners are:
Lucy & Michael
Rishi & Samira
Vern & Nicky
Emma & Faiza
Kelty & Jules
Noelene & Dan
Neha & Xavier
Daniel & Pip
Lynton & Liliana
The next challenge is simple. There are nine proteins lined up in front of them with a hidden balanced Chinese delicacy behind them. They get to choose the proteins but won’t know the hidden delicacies behind them until they’ve picked.
Here is what each team picked:
Rishi & Samira: Duck and lychee.
Kelty & Jules: Snapper and bamboo.
Lynton & Liliana: Prawns and Szechuan pepper.
Pip & Daniel: Chicken & cashews.
Emma & Faiza: Beef & black bean.
Vern & Nicky: Squid & sesame seeds.
Neha & Xavier: Pork & Chinese rock sugar.
Lucy & Michael: Scallops & lap Chong.
Noelene & Dan: Abalone & shitake mushroom.
They now have 60 minutes to cook a dish! Noelene & Dan are automatically scared with their weird ingredients. They decide to do dumplings. Dan actually ends up being a pro!
Jules & Kelty are doing steamed snapper in a Chinese Broth. Szechuan pepper prawns are on the menu for Lynton & Liliana.
Emma & Faiza are doing a lightly-braised eye fillet with black bean sauce. The judges already slam their braised idea as it would dry it out. Vern & Nicky are happy with the theme of the day. They’re doing salt and pepper squid.
30 minutes remain in the challenge. Rishi is in control of this challenge and plans to take as much away from Samira as possible to get her back in. They are doing pan-seared duck with sticky sauce. They argue over the length of rice used in the dish.
Lucy & Michael are doing seared scallops. Sounds great! What doesn’t sound great is Emma & Faiza’s rice which was boiled without the lid, leaving it gluggy and undercooked. Faiza panics.
One minute now remains and Rishi & Samira are arguing. Lucy kind of burns the scallops but hopes they will still be OK. Time is soon up and the contestants’ fates are in the judges’ hands. Nicky & Vern are confident.
First up are Noelene & Dan and their Mushroom Dumplings with Pan-fried abalone. Matt says every single element of the dish is great. He loved the meatiness of the mushrooms. Gary disagrees, he doesn’t think the dish is great- he thinks it’s fantastic.
Michael & Lucy with their Pan-seared scallops are next. Gary says the scallops are overcooked. The lap Chong is too small. Nicky & Vern follow with their S&P Squid. George loves the care and compliments the preparation and the sauce.
Pip & Daniel are next up with their ‘drunken chicken’. Fancy dish with fancy flavours. Liliana & Lynton present their prawns- another hit! Kelty & Jules have steamed snapper and bamboo shoots. Matt loves the gravy but the snapper is overcooked.
Xavier & Neha have pan-fried pork and a rock sugar sauce. Sounds nice- tastes nice! Faiza & Emma are next. They have eye fillet and black beaned sauce. Will the judges mind the lack of rice? They love the beef but the lack of rice does let down the dish.
Finally, Samira and Rishi. Oh dear! They have Pan-Fried Duck. The lack of sauce is a problem and maybe a few more veggies.
Who will go? Two pairs will be eliminated. The two already-eliminated contestants will be sent home and the two present contestants will be stripped of a chance of immunity.
The two pairs eliminated are… Lucy & Michael and… Emma & Faiza!
So I wonder what the story is with clarrisa and totem? Obviously they could only bing back 9 contestants but I wonder why those particular 2 missed out or elected not to return.