From Press Release:
MasterChef: The Professionals has said farewell to Michael Demagistris tonight, leaving Rhys Badcock, Rhett Willis and Sarah Knights as the top three contestants heading into the finale.
Tonight’s Pop Up Restaurant challenge saw the final four, in two teams of two, create a restaurant experience from scratch. All elements of the restaurant were designed by the teams, including the theme, décor, menu and produce. Each team had to cook two entrées, two mains and a dessert for a total of 120 people.
The red team, consisting of Michael and Rhett, chose an Asian theme. Their succulent quail entrée was one of the best in the competition, but the judges felt their choice of sashimi entrée was playing it safe and inelegant to eat with the chopsticks provided. They “smashed the service” through main course, and although their choice of lemongrass panna cotta was beautifully presented, it was something that they had seen from Michael in the competition before and it wasn’t executed as brilliantly as it had been in the past.
There was high praise for the green team of Rhys and Sarah, as their high-risk strategy paid off. Choosing to run a European-themed restaurant, their more complex menu saw them behind in service. Their goat’s cheese and mushroom tortellini was a star dish in terms of presentation and flavour. Their main courses of lamb and snapper both looked deceptively simple but took a lot of work and had depth of flavour. And finally their chocolate hazelnut tart dessert combined the sophistication of a fine restaurant with flavours of childhood.
In the end, Rhys and Sarah were sent through to the finale, as their “roll of the dice” strategy had won. For the red team, not overcomplicating the menu had cost them the challenge, and for Michael, allowing Rhett to take charge in the kitchen had cost him his place in the competition.
Marco Pierre White described the decision as, without question, the toughest and saddest he had to make in the competition. He saw a lot of himself in Michael and urged him to hang on to his internal drive and will to succeed. For Michael, MasterChef: The Professionals has given him the fondest memories and motivation.
“I’ve been given the confidence now, to push, to strive to be my best.”
Don’t miss Rhett, Rhys and Sarah battle it out when the finale of MasterChef: The Professionals airs Sunday on TEN at 7.45pm. The winner will walk away with $200,000, a round the world trip with access to some of the world’s greatest chefs, and the title of Australia’s first Professional MasterChef.
MasterChef: The Professionals is a Shine Australia production for Network Ten.
Source: Network TEN
I dont think its fair for michael to be elinated for just avoiding conflicts in the kitchen with the arrogance behaviour of Rhett… Michael deserves to be in Final 3. He has been a good team player and a Head Chef.
And besides, Michael presented and make the good dish and desert in their group. It was Rhett idea so he should carry the burden by eliminating him.
Thats totally unfair. I just cant get over. Michael has been a nice and fair chef ive seen in this competition.
It’s more important to be a gentleman, as you most certainly are, Michael, than it is to win the MasterChef Professionals title.
so not the final 3 i was expecting or wanting thanks for posting this Courtney