The losing invention test relay team of Anastasia, Chloe, Heather and Theresa faced a deceptive pressure test.
The judges revealed that the challenge was set by a chef who has been labelled a genius and a prodigy. Aged just 17, New York-based Flynn McGarry explained that the contestants had two-and-a-half hours to recreate his beet wellington dish.
Anastasia was behind from the start, taking too much time to study the recipe and peel the beetroots. She regained some ground, as she tried to keep various elements on the go, but felt overwhelmed and eventually broke down in tears.
Anastasia got every element on the plate, but cut corners to save time. Her beet wellington looked good, but she knew her plating lacked Flynn’s finesse.
Heather was determined throughout the cooking, as she multi-tasked to stay calm and in control. Chloe juggled elements and hit trouble when she spilt some of her beetroot water.
Theresa cooked calmly, overcoming early doubts about her pastry, and she finished strongly.
Heather’s dish impressed Flynn and the judges. She nailed the sauce and smoky date flavour, as well as her rich beet greens. Chloe had reproduced the dish well, but missed the mark on some detail, including her thin sauce and a beet ball that lacked creaminess.
Theresa’s dish looked the most complete and precise. Her pastry was good, as was her creamy beet ball. The judges noted Anastasia’s rough plating, although the dish was far from a disaster, with great pastry and the beet wellington itself delicious. Her greens were too salty, however, and the dates not smoked enough.
With Theresa and Heather safe, it was between Chloe and Anastasia. The judges told Anastasia that to overcome the plating issues every element had to be perfect and with her greens and roulade flaw, it was her time to leave the MasterChef Australia kitchen.
Anastasia is now busy planning future projects, including an organic café focused around sustainable produce. She also has an organic product line in the works.
