Following their failure in Sunday’s Curtis Stone invention test, good friends Anna, Billie and Ashleigh were forced to go head-to-head last night in a pressure test set by two Michelin star chef, Marcus Wareing.
Marcus has three restaurants in London and has cooked for the Queen, but today it was his veal dish that was to be the last hurdle for one of MasterChef Australia’s amateur cooks. With just two-and-a-half hours on the clock, it was obvious the girls had their work cut out for them creating a detailed and intricate dish with 13 elements and 26 steps.
Billie was initially daunted, but soon became the pace-setter, expertly handling the butchery of the loin and preparation of the kidney. A methodical cook, Billie impressed Marcus with her precision, speed and cleanliness. Anna’s first pressure test quickly began to take its toll. A knick to her hand set her back and she became flustered. Clearly upset to be competing against her friends, Ashleigh felt out of her depth with a savoury dish. After a heartfelt pep talk from Marcus, Ashleigh dug deep to achieve an incredible turnaround, getting all her elements on the plate in time.
While Billie powered on, cool and calm, Anna tried to wrestle back control of her cook. Deviating from Marcus’ recipe in a bid to get everything on the plate, it was almost too late when she realised she had undercooked the kidney. In the tasting, Billie presented an exceptional dish and earned high praise from Marcus, who thought it was delicate and balanced. Marcus said Billie was an amazing amateur cook whose dish could sit alongside a professional’s dish. The final decision came down to Ashleigh and Anna. Both impressed the judges with their veal loin, but both had problems with their kidneys. Anna’s puree and onion compote were good. But overcooking her braise and failing to glaze it saw her sent home from the MasterChef Australia kitchen.
Since leaving, Anna has been concentrating on her passion for food writing. She is also staging pop-up dining events in Melbourne.
Masterchef airs 7:30 Sunday-Thursday on Ten
