It was the first pressure test of the season, and for Fans Max and Dulan, and Favourites Alvin and Julie, it was one bird they wished never landed in their laps.
Julie joked that should Adriano Zumbo walk through the doors holding a croquembouche, she would flip a table as she recalled her croquembouche cook from 13 years ago. Alvin himself had cooked two Adriano Zumbo desserts before, the second one sending him home during Season 2. In a wonderful (or cruel) twist of fate, in walked famed guest chef, Adriano Zumbo.
Revealing his Polly Wanna Waffle, Adriano warned the contestants that this dish was more difficult than any other dish he had presented in the MasterChef kitchen.
In the final moments of the cook, everyone started to assemble the Polly Wanna Waffle, struggling with the intricate and fiddly assembly. Max’s hands were shaky, and a wing collapsed off Julie’s bird. Dulan was worried his looked like a “rat with feathers” and Alvin said his resembled a “plucked chicken”.
When it was time to taste, Julie’s layers were impressive and had sensational balance and texture. While Max’s layers looked good, his marshmallow was rubbery. Dulan also had a few issues, his waffles looked amazing, but his layers were off balance and rough. Despite Jock joking that Alvin’s dish looked like “roadkill”, it was a spot on recreation, and to Alvin’s immense surprise, he’s awarded dish of the day.
It was then down to Dulan and Max, and with both presenting errors in their dish, Dulan was announced as the second contestant eliminated from MasterChef Australia: Fans & Favourites.
