Amy’s unique fusion of Mexican Japanese pork tacos piqued the judges’ interest, but ultimately saw her leave the MasterChef Kitchen.
The final day of Big Week wrapped with a challenge that took place over two days. With only 45 minutes on day one to prepare elements of their dish and make the best use of overnight hours, contestants returned the following day with only 60 minutes to finish their dish.
Amy used the overnight cook to braise her pork belly in the slow cooker but judges were wary with her unique flavour combination.
Meanwhile, Brent used the time to sous vide duck legs for his Bebek Goreng and Theo wanted to make his dad proud with a slow cooked lamb shoulder with slow proofing bread. Robbie used a slow cooker for the first time in his life to make an Asian style poached duck, while Malissa set out to make slow cooked ragu over fresh pappardelle. Rhiannon was confident throughout day one as she prepared the very beef rendang dish that inspired her to become a cook six years ago.
For some, the time overnight went smoothly. Brent’s duck legs looked perfect and Theo’s lamb cooked just as he’d hoped. However, for others, the hours only hindered their dish. Robbie’s broth lost all its flavour, Malissa’s ragu was unbalanced and she still had to make her fresh pasta. Amy’s pork overcooked and her blue tortillas still needed perfecting. Rhiannon, who entered the kitchen on day two with confidence, was devastated to find her beef rendang had dried out and overcooked. The hour flew by as contestants battled to regain control of their dishes.
During the tasting, Theo’s lamb and flatbreads had the judges in raptures and Brent’s duck received high praise, being deemed the best dish he’s cooked in the competition so far, despite Andy sweating through the tasting. After he worked to salvage the flavours of his dish, Robbie’s duck was a success and proved he is a strong, deserving contender.
Unfortunately, the bottom three dishes included Malissa’s ragu which remained unbalanced with her pasta not cooked al dente. Rhiannon’s rendang missed the mark with dry meat and an acidic sauce and Amy’s Mexican Japanese fusion left the judges confused and disappointed with her tacos. While these dishes all had faults, Amy’s thick tortillas, dry meat and sauce that didn’t belong was the least impressive and had her sent home.
While disappointed, the experience has left Amy more hungry than ever to establish a career in food.
