The first elimination of the season took place tonight and saw contestants pull out all the stops to avoid being the first chef to go home. Contestants had two and a half hours to create a dessert that was made to be smashed, before it was judged.
Anna and Andy were safe on the gantry after winning immunity at the last cook, and Reynold proudly donned his immunity pin, the only one of the season; leaving us guessing if he would play
it or not.
After two mediocre cooks in the kitchen, Gareth was determined to impress. He decided to create the sugar glass dome as seen on Amaury’s own social channels. It was a huge risk but he was confident his practice would pay off. Upon plating, Melissa thought the dish looked beautiful and Amaury was happy to finally see Gareth’s work properly for the first time. Amaury smashed into the dome, breaking it like glass, keeping Gareth safe in the competition.
Jess had a tough cook which stemmed from a flawed concept. While she created a familiar tart dish, it didn’t meet the brief without a smash element. After chatting with the judges, she knew she had to make changes, but the pressure sent her on a downward spiral. Jess burnt her caramel twice and her tart shells crumbled. She added a chocolate disc with raspberry dust, hoping to get a chocolate crack and powdery dust effect but despite putting up a technically well executed dish, the smash effect was underwhelming and left her sitting among the bottom cooks.
Morgan was not ready to go home tonight and gave this challenge his all. He showed off his skills making a blown sugar apple that would smash to reveal other elements, but the pressure was well and truly on when he learned that Reynold was also making an apple dessert. Morgan spent an hour working on his blown sugar apples and while the dish he presented wasn’t as visually refined as Reynold’s, it still looked beautiful and gave a good smash. Amaury liked the craftmanship and the colour and Mel loved the satin sheen, but noted some inconsistencies.
Rhiann created a piggy bank but unfortunately was not the only one. Kirsten also created a pig, setting Rhiann up to be compared against the dessert queen herself. Amaury suggested a chocolate hammer and Rhiann rose to the challenge. While she was commended for her spirit, this choice ultimately set her back, not allowing enough time to finish the dish to a high standard. When they tasted, the judges found the thickness of her chocolate meant it didn’t eat well, nor did it smash well, which unfortunately sent Rhiann home.
