Episode 50

Danielle, Ellie and Peter arrived for their Pressure Test and were introduced to guest judge Matthew Kemp of Restaurant Balzac. He lifted the cloche to reveal they would be putting their own spin on a French classic, duck a l’orange. Danielle’s cold duck and pasta salad raised eyebrows from the beginning, Ellie again proved her ability to cope with pressure, while Peter played it too safe with his dish. The judges decided it was Danielle’s offering that was the most lacking, however, and sent her home.

Episode 49

The contestants were surprised with a phone call from Matt Moran inviting them out to his dad's farm in the Central Tablelands for their next Challenge. Once there, they were told that they would be individually preparing dishes to serve to the guests at the next day's hoedown. They only had one protein at their disposal - lamb - and had to cook over an open fire. The guests would then vote for their favourite dishes. Billy was ultimately awarded with 'Best in Show' for his efforts, while with their misjudged dishes Peter, Danielle and Ellie were left in the bottom three and facing elimination.

Episode 48

Mary Calombaris was the first MasterClass guest into the kitchen, showing George and the contestants a thing or two about making a moussaka. Peter and Alana enjoyed a private MasterClass with pastry chef Vincent Gadan, who took them through making sweet dough and a selection of delicious tarts.Gary prepared a beautiful lamb three ways dish, while the final guest Christine Manfield wrapped up the week by cooking a stir-fried turmeric squid.

Episode 47

The losing Red Team from the Westfield Challenge entered the MasterChef kitchen to see ‘The Round’ set up. George explained they would be split into two cook-off groups, with the worst performer from each group meeting in an Elimination Round. In the Preliminary Rounds they had 15 minutes to cook a savoury dish, with Craig and Alana’s efforts leaving the judges cold. In the Elimination Round they had 30 minutes to make a dessert, with Alana’s pear dish narrowly beating Craig’s apple fritters and sending him home.

Episode 46

The contestants entered the Westfield food court and were told that in this Team Challenge they would be facing off in pairs, with each pair assigned a different theme. Pizzas, burgers, fish and chips, Mexican and cakes and pastries were the food groups on offer. The twist was that the pairs were also assigned an intolerance or allergy to cater for when preparing their dishes. The Blue Team managed to take the win with a 2-vote margin, rewarding them with dinner at Mark Best’s Marque Restaurant. The Red Team, meanwhile, would all face elimination.

Episode 45

Hayden arrived at the kitchen to learn that the man standing between him and MasterChef history would be brilliant pattisier Vincent Gadan. The saving grace for Hayden, however, was that neither man knew the dish they would be cooking, which turned out to be savoury rather than sweet: a roast pork dinner. With Gadan's lack of experience with the ingredients he found the going tough, while Hayden's nerves got the better of him and he failed to put his pork in the oven early enough. After the blind tasting Hayden only needed a 6 or higher from George, who unfortunately received an uncooked piece of meat and was only able to award a 4, giving the Challenge win to Gadan.

Episode 44

Pressure Test cook-off contestants Adam, Danielle, Ellie and Michael were introduced to a very special guest judge: George's mum Mary Calombaris. Mrs C revealed that the theme of the Challenge would be Greek, with the hopefuls cooking a variety of her favourite dishes. After the tasting Danielle was on the cusp of going home, before in a shocking twist Adam revealed that he no longer saw his future in professional cooking and voluntarily left the MasterChef kitchen for the final time.

Episode 43

Gary introduced the task as a 'Mystery Invention Box' Challenge and welcomed David Chang, chef and owner of Momofuku restaurants, as special guest judge. The theme was Korean, with the contestants provided with a host of unfamiliar ingredients. Despite the Challenge pushing the hopefuls to their limits, some fabulous dishes were produced, with Peter, Dani and Hayden judged as the top three. Hayden took the overall win, giving him Immunity from the week's Team Challenge and the opportunity to win another Immunity Pin in the next Celebrity Chef Challenge. Michael, Danielle and Adam were placed in the bottom three and would face an elimination cook-off with Ellie, who couldn't compete in the Korean Challenge due to sickness.

Episode 42

The MasterClass began with Mat, Dani and Ellie learning they'd been rewarded with a private tutorial from guest chef James Privett, who covered cooking the perfect steak. In the MasterChef kitchen George took the contestants through making a memorable minestrone soup, before introducing them to the versatility of even a simple ingredient like corn. Gary finished the MasterClass 'Winters Warmers' theme by giving his take on a classic British dessert: spotted dick.

Episode 41

The losing members of the Red Team cooked off for MasterChef survival. The ‘Cook by Numbers’ Pressure Test took place over three 15-minute rounds. The first round saw everyone participate, with contestants allowed to pick three ingredients to make their dishes. Dani, Shannon, Michael and Craig were judged to be the worst performers, and went through to the next Penalty Round, where they had six ingredients to choose from. Shannon and Craig still didn’t do enough to impress, and though the judges commended their improved final round performances, Shannon was sent home.

Episode 40

For this week's Team Challenge the contestants entered into a lucky dip to pick their teams, with Sun captaining the Blues and Craig the Reds. The Teams were then taken to eco restaurant Greenhouse at Circular Quay. They were told that they would be cooking for some of Sydney's most distinguished palates, and that in true Greenhouse style they needed to minimise waste. The diners would vote for their preferred Team, and whichover one accumulated the least leftovers would be rewarded with an extra 10 votes. The Red Team fared comfortably in the Challenge, while the Blues needed a stern talking to from Gary to keep them on the rails. Yet it was the Blues who won the most votes, which together with a 10 vote reward won them the Challenge by a 55-21 majority.

Episode 39

Kate arrived for her Immunity Pin Challenge and was told she would be facing pastry chef extraordinaire Darren Purchese. He revealed the Challenge dish to be a banana, caramel and rum dessert with 13 stages to its preparation. Kate had a 30-minute head start, and looked strong throughout most of the Challenge. Purchese wasn't to be denied, however, scoring higher across the board, with the heavy base to Kate's dessert losing her precious marks. The judges rated Kate's overall dish highly though, with Gary even getting down on his knees and acknowleging her efforts with a bow.

Episode 38

Michael, Craig, Rachel and Shannon discovered that their Pressure Test would be one the other contestants would actually be jealous of. Not only would they be recreating a celebrity chef recipe, but that chef would also be in attendance to taste the dish: Brit legend Heston Blumenthal. Heston lifted up a cloche to reveal his meal - a burger and chips with a milkshake. Yes, just a burger and chips, but made according to incredibly sophisticated techniques. The contestants would need to prepare the patty, bun, cheese, tomato sauce, chips and a milkshake of their choosing. Rachel had difficulties throughout, and though she was judged to have made the best brioche bun it wasn't enough to keep her in the competition.

Episode 37

The Challenge facing the contestants was bigger than ever before: a Qantas Fine Dining test that called upon them to recreate eight of guest chef Neil Perry's recipes. The hopefuls were broken off into pairs and each assigned a dish. They then had two cooking sessions - one devoted to preparing the recipe, the other to plate it up. Some contestants faced more pressure than others, with one of the guest judges being Michael's idol, Thomas Keller. Unfortunately Michael's dish underwhelmed, and he was selected along with Rachel, Craig and Shannon to face Monday's Pressure Test.

Episode 36

Gary revealed that two contestants would be flying to Malaysia for a private MasterClass with the legendary Rick Stein and Malaysian maestro Chef Wan, which drew cheers from the hopefuls as they all crossed their fingers for selection. Rachel and Kate were the lucky recipients of the reward. It wasn't all doom and gloom for those left in the MasterChef kitchen, however, as the fiesty Miguel Maestre stopped by to show them how to make a paella to-die-for.

Episode 35

Both Teams from Wednesday's Nigella Challenge had to nominate a member to face elimination, with Arena being selected to face-off against Shannon. The core ingredient for the Pressure Test was revealed to be chicken, with the contestants having one whole chicken each, and no limit on the amount of dishes they could make. Both Arena and Shannon struggled, despite the seemingly simple core ingredient, but the judges marginally ruled in Shannon's favour, sending her close friend home.

Episode 34

Gary and George revealed that the contestants would be taking part in a MasterChef first: a tag-team Challenge. The first member of each team had 25 minutes in the kitchen with the recipes for six dishes - game pie, brussel sprouts, potato gratin, rib roast, devil’s food cake and red velvet cupcakes. The recipes were then taken away, and each subsequent contestant had 60 seconds to be brought up to speed and 20 minutes cooking time. Once the dishes were prepared, the amateur chefs were surprised to learn that the recipes belonged to none other than Nigella Lawson, who would be judging them. Adam’s Blue Team took the win, and the reward of lunch at the legendary Tetsuya’s restaurant.

Episode 33

In her Immunity Pin Challenge Danielle cooked off against top chef Thorsten Schmidt. Despite the formidable competition, Danielle took some comfort from the fact that the Murray River cod recipe they had to recreate was a Thai dish - a cuisine Thorsten was less than familiar with. Not that you would have known that from his performance, which was a portrait of cool. The scoring panel consisted of George, Matt Moran and Longrain chef Martin Boetz, with all three awarding Schmidt superior marks and denying Danielle a precious Immunity Pin. She did, however, manage to score a respectable 7/10 from each judge.

Episode 32

Jay, Ellie and Dani arrived at the MasterChef kitchen ready to face their Pressure Test. Dan Hong was introduced as the guest chef, who unveiled the dish the contestants would need to recreate: pandan chiffon cake with palm sugar and black sesame ice-cream. Given Jay’s fear of desserts, the dish presented him with a stiff test, and despite his best efforts his final dish wasn’t enough to beat Dani or Ellie in the eyes of the judges, and saw him eliminated.

Episode 31

The theme of the Invention Test was revealed to be Spanish cuisine, with George unveiling three pairs of core ingredients: lamb and anchovies; sherry and oranges; squid and chorizo. The contestants then filled their baskets with accompanying ingredients. In a soul-destroying twist, the judges then surprised them by switching the baskets round, leaving many with ingredients far outside their comfort zone. The results largely underwhelmed the judges, but it was Ellie, Dani and Jay's dishes that received particular scorn, landing them in an Elimination cook-off.

Episode 30

This week's MasterClass saw our resident experts again cooking up a storm. Gary began by preparing a delicious fish curry, with the contestants eagerly taking notes. All except for Kumar and Rachel, who were rewarded with a private MasterClass with China Doll chef Frank Shek, who took them through some of his trademark Asian cuisine. Matt Moran dropped by the kitchen to make a black pepper crab, while George finished off another intense MasterChef week with a beautiful summer pudding.

Episode 29

Good friends Andrew and Kumar went head to head in an Elimination Challenge in which they each had eight steps to rectify a Massaman curry. The two contestants both had very different preparation methods, with mind-games taking place as they took it in turns to watch each other’s steps. Their peers could only watch from the balcony, concerned that both Andrew and Kumar seemed to have overlooked two primary components of a Massaman: potatoes and peanuts. The judges saw strengths and weaknesses in both dishes, but marginally gave Kumar the nod, keeping him safe for another week.

Episode 28

The nature of the latest cook-off shocked everyone: only frozen and tinned ingredients would be made available to use. The worst two dishes as decided by the judges would send their makers through to a Pressure Test and possible elimination. Many of the amateur chefs struggled, although Billy once again showed why he’s the dessert king. Kumar and Andrew particularly underperformed and would face elimination, while Billy and Shannon wowed the judges and were rewarded with a private MasterClass.

Episode 27

Jay headed out to Busselton Jetty, where he learned he would be cooking off in the Immunity Pin Challenge against guest chef, Cape Lodge’s Tony Howell. The dish: a Westren Australia seafood stew. The episode welcomed another guest, this time on judging duties, Hadleigh Troy joining George and Matt at the tasting table. The competition was tight, with Jay performing admirably. Despite the judges loving his dish it wasn’t quite enough to win him Immunity, however, Tony taking the win by a single point.

Episode 26

The winners of Sunday’s WA Team Challenge were taken to the beautiful Margaret River wine region, where they learned they’d be competing in an Invention Test, with the winner getting a double shot at Immunity. The core ingredients were unveiled and chosen in a lottery - king crab, Margaret River venison, goat, rock lobster, lamb rump, Jarrahdene pork, scallops, marron, veal, and ostrich eggs. Joining Gary, Matt and George on the judging panel was Clairault’s head chef Jake Drachenberg. The two best dishes of the Test were deemed to be Michael’s – who cooked with goat, and Jay’s – who prepared a marron dish. Despite the judges admitting there was very little difference in terms of quality, it was Jay who ultimately took the win.

Episode 25

The contestants were shocked to discover that this week’s Team Challenge would be whisking them away to Westren Australia. Final destination: the Sunrise Dam Gold Mine. They divided into teams – Jay captaining the Blues and Danielle the Reds – and were given their task: of preparing the menus and cooking for the hungry miners - breakfast, lunch and dinner. The winners would be treated to two days in the Margaret River wine region, while the losers would have to return to work another kitchen shift. It was a close contest, both teams having their share of culinary mishaps, but the Blues’ triumphant breakfast service saw them win a narrow miners’ vote majority

 

Episode 24

This week’s MasterClass began with Craig and Hayden being chosen to enjoy a private turotial with Romeo Baudouin, master Charcutier at Victor Churchill’s butcher. The other contestants, meanwhile, took notes aplenty as Gary cooked an Oso Bucco (hole in the bone), George slaved over a snapper en papilotte, and guest Donna Hay readied a lip-smacking baked cheesecake.

Episode 23

The losing team from Wednesday’s Cronulla Challenge had to cook off against each other, in an Elimination round testing pastry proficiency. They were given 75 minutes to complete four basic pastry skills – sponge, custard, toffee and ganache – and upon completion had to combine the elements into a single dish. The rules strictly stated that the stages had to be completed in order, and each one finished before beginning the next. Many encountered problems during the task, with Sun particularly struggling. It was Cleo, however, who made the biggest mistake by starting her ganache while her toffee was still cooking. As a result the judges ruled that they could only comment on half of her final dish, which wasn’t strong enough to keep her in the competition.

Episode 22

In this week’s Team Challenge the two sides – the Blues captioned by Craig, the Reds by Michael – had to prepare sausage sizzle and gelato stalls to entice the Cronulla beachgoers. Whichever Team made the most cash by midday won the Challenge and the prize, which was to be flown out to Kingscliff for a private MasterClass with Season restaurant’s executive chef Reuben Radonich. The competition was fierce, with the Teams stopping at nothing to get ahead. The Blues’ lifesaver Hayden even stripped down to try and drum up new business. His efforts weren’t enough, however, and the Red team took the win, leaving their rivals facing an Elimination Challenge.

Episode 21

As their prize for winning the Mystery Box ‘Lucky Dip’ Challenge, Sun, Peter and Craig faced off against Coda’s executive chef Adam D'Sylva, with three Immunity Pins on the line. The three dishes being cooked: Crispy noodle salad with pork, scallop with pearl tapioca, and seared ocean trout with black pepper sauce. While Sun and Craig seemed in control with their dishes, Peter struggled with pin boning the fish and didn’t start the sauce early enough for it to adequately reduce. George, Matt and guest judge Mark Jensen, head chef at Red Lantern, each rated the contestants’ dishes 7/10, while Adam was awarded a 9/10 across the board, easily winning the Challenge.

Episode 20

In the Pressure Test Chelsea, Rachel and Ellie were given the task of recreating a sweet and sour pork and fried rice. Rather than being given the recipe, however, they were allowed only to taste the pre-prepared ‘hero dish’ and then sent to the pantry to gather whichever ingredients they saw fit. After the tasting, the judges deemed Rachel’s dish to be the best, but were forced to send Chelsea home after her disappointing offering.

Episode 19

The contestants learned that the week’s Mystery Box Challenge would have a 'lucky dip' twist. Asked to form groups of three, each group sent a representative to lift one box and reveal a main ingredient, and then lift a cloche to reveal a cooking method. Some were left with more difficult tasks than others, with the team of Chelsea, Rachel and Ellie particularly struggling with their smoked octopus.  Sun, Peter and Craig were judged to have plated the best dish, with their pork en papillote, while the girls were left to face Monday’s Pressure Test.

Episode 18

George began the week’s MasterClass by teaching the contestants how to cook cannon of rabbit. Michael and Dani, meanwhile, enjoyed a personal MasterClass, learning some potato-based recipes under the expert instruction of Four In Hand’s Colin Fassnidge. Next up was Gary, who went through the process of creating a shepherd’s pie like you’ve never seen it before. Finally, in demand pastry chef Leanne Beck created a trifle to die for.

Episode 17

As a penalty for losing the Team Challenge, the boys had to cook off against each other, while the girls were treated to a meal at the Manly Pavilion and a private MasterClass with head chef Jonathan Barthelmess. In the MasterChef kitchen, the first round of the cook-off gave the guys five minutes to gather their ingredients and prepare a dish of their choice. The worst performers would be forced to cook again in round two, with the most disappointing pair going head-to-head in the final round. In the end Andrew’s steak marginally beat Seamus’ stir-fried snapper, sending him home.

Episode 16

The Top 22 became short order cooks at the Mean Fiddler pub. Divided into the Red (girls) and Blue (boys) teams, each team had to come up with a seven-dish menu. With four hours to prepare, both teams were panicked with Mat dropping steak on the floor and Arena setting the grill alight. Both teams had good and bad dishes, but in the end the Red Team were sent to face the Elimination Challenge where one of the boys would go home.

Episode 15

It was Jay’s turn to try for an Immunity Pin, but it wouldn’t be easy as he found himself face-to-face with a chef he knew: Colin Fassnidge from the Four In Hand. The dish of the day was a Steak and Kidney Pie with Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Carrots. While Colin roared ahead, Jay struggled and ended up getting help from Gary and Colin. In the end, while the judges loved Jay’s side dishes, it was Colin’s dish that won the day.

Episode 14

It’s Pressure Test time and the first Elimination Challenge for the week. For Alex, Billy and Ellie, it’s time to bring their A-game if they want to stay in the competition, and the Cherry and Coconut Alaska Bomb they must replicate will test them to the core.
As they start it seems Billy is going to be a shoo-in as he methodically makes each element. Ellie is a bundle of nerves, and it shows. Meanwhile Elimination Challenge survivor, Alex is cruising along but his lack of time management skills is a worry to all.
With the 2 hour time limit ticking away, a shift happens: Ellie finds her mojo; Billy starts doing things his own way which raises the eyebrows of all in the kitchen; and Alex lets so much time slip – he’s struggling to get anything together. It looks so bad, Gary ends up helping him near the end just so he’ll have something to plate up.
With seconds to go – all three get something on a plate...including Alex. Ellie is first to bring hers in – and it impresses the judges in both looks and taste. Billy’s next with his unusual take on the dessert. Unfortunately the judges weren’t keen on the meringue, the sorbet or the sponge but they loved the coconut ice cream. Last to serve was Alex. The judges enjoyed the flavours of his dish but because the sorbet had soaked into the sponge and the ice cream had melted within the bomb – it left them wondering if his luck had run out.
As all three sat in front of Gary, George and Matt, it was revealed Ellie was safe. Would Billy’s risky take on the recipe be his downfall? Or will Alex’s badly timed but great tasting dish manage to get him through?
In the end, it came down to who had all the layers in place which meant Billy was safe and Alex’s lucky run finally came to an end.

Episode 13

It’s time for the Mystery Box Challenge, and before the cooking begins, Gary announces two people will be eliminated every week.

This leaves everyone feeling apprehensive as the day’s challenge is revealed: with 70 minutes on the clock, the contestants must use all 11 ingredients in the box (including rabbit, lemon thyme and mustard fruit) and create an amazing dish. 

Some had issues like Chelsea, who accidentally used some of Hayden’s pasta dough, resulting in them being judged together (a second time for Chelsea, who – during the Maggie Beer Challenge, was judged with Alex when they used the same cake).

Craig, Jay and Cleo were the Top 3, with Jay winning the challenge. Unfortunately for Ellie, Billy and wildcard Alex, they face a Pressure Test which will send one of them home.

Episode 12

It’s back to basics with Gary whipping up a delicious salmon dish. Justin North pops in for a visit and shows the class how to make basic stocks for delicious sauces, and George finishes with a Greek custard tart – Bougatsa. While this is happening, Sun and Danielle head off to Ormeggio for a Private MasterClass with Alessandro Pavoni. Both girls learn the finer points of pasta and help Alessandro create a Maccheroncini with Savoy Cabbage and Guanciale.

Episode 11

It’s Elimination Day for the Red Team where one of them will be going home. Matt delivers some news. Firstly, nobody will be getting a second chance to return to MasterChef and secondly – the team has to decide which two teammates will face-off in The Round. Tom puts his hand up saying as a Captain – he let the team down. Kumar then adds himself, saying he felt bad about the Ciabatta they made in the Sonoma Bake-Off Challenge.

With two people chosen, Tom and Kumar learn of their challenge. Three guest judges will bring in their favourite ingredient which is used to cook a dish of their choosing. There is no recipe – Tom and Kumar need to use their food knowledge and skills to recreate the dishes.

The first guest judge is Abla Amed from Abla’s Lebanese Restaurant. She brings some pistachios for them to make baklawa. Neither Tom or Kumar have made it, so Abla helps out with little hints throughout the challenge. The second guest judge is Shaun Presland from Sake Restaurant. He brings in a bag of tempura flour and asks Tom and Kumar to make some tempura vegetables and prawns. The third guest judge is Matt Preston. He brings a crate of limes and asks for a few Mexican dishes: a roast corn and capsicum salsa; a roast tomato salsa; some guacamole and some chicken wings.

With only an hour and a half to make all these dishes – it’s down to the wire, yet Tom and Kumar succeed in making all the dishes which the judges taste and then decide whose is better.

The judges announce their results: Abla votes for Kumar. Matt votes for Tom. Shaun had the deciding vote, and by a whisker it was Kumar who received the nod, meaning Tom was the first to be eliminated from the MasterChef competition.

Episode 10

It was a late night start for the Top 24, with a bake-off at Sonoma Bakery. Divided into two groups, their challenge was to bake five styles of bread by 8am and deliver them to Sepia, Buon Ricardo, Otto, Bodega and Pier restaurants, where the Head Chefs would vote on the best bread. Red started off impressively while Blue appeared stressed and unorganised. In the end the Blue Team won while the Red Team must prepare for the dreaded Elimination Challenge.

Episode 9

It was the apprentice versus the amateur chef. For Hayden, his competition was Alex –Alessandro Pavoni’s protégé. While Hayden had a 10 minute head start and a recipe, Alex cooked from memory and had an hour to recreate Ormeggio’s restaurant’s Agnolotti Bagoss. Alex scored 21/30. Would Hayden beat that? Thanks to guest judge, Justin North’s 8/10, Hayden out-cooked Alex by only 1 point, meaning Hayden won himself an important MasterChef Immunity Pin.

Episode 8

The Top 24 experiences a change, with Alex replacing Peter. They arrive at the MasterChef Kitchen and explore. Jay starts cooking, and Peter, Mat, Adam, Cleo, Hayden and Michael join him. Their initiative gave them a 10-minute advantage in the Dish That Changed Your Life Challenge. The winner would get to cook the next day for a precious Immunity Pin. After judging – Billy, Hayden and Kate had the best dishes, but it was Hayden who won the chance to fight for Immunity.

Episode 7

Today, the final 12 for the Top 24 would be chosen. The first challenge: a Taste Test of Matt Moran’s Aria Consommé. The contestants had three minutes to work out the 30 ingredients. Depending on how many they’d get right, the contestants would then get those ingredients to use in an Invention Test. The contestants cooked for their lives, but in the end Andrew, Shannon, Peter, Paul, Rachel, Dani, Tom, Sun, Jay, Ellie, Mat and Chelsea made it through to Top 24.

Episode 6

It’s the first MasterClass of the season, and there’s a surprise for Cleo, Kate, Jay and Seamus who get sent to the Barossa Valley for a private MasterClass with Maggie Beer. As they head off, the others learn how to make Gary’s Green Eggs and Ham with Crumpets and George’s Red Wine Braised Octopus. For the lucky four visiting the Barossa Valley, Maggie teaches them how to make a perfect roast chicken and a Chocolate, Quince and Almond Tart.

Episode 5

Dressed like members from Gilligan’s Island, the judges announced the contestants could choose five of their favourite ingredients and cook a dish they could eat for the rest of their lives on a deserted island. Some dishes came under scrutiny from the judges – especially Mat’s rib eye with foie gras and white truffles. It didn’t go down politically well with Matt. However Alana, Billy, Arena, Kumar, Seamus and Danielle impressed the judges, gaining themselves a coveted Top 24 apron.

Episode 4

This Elimination Challenge was all about risk. With two choices offered: going fishing or waiting 2 hours before unveiling the cloche. Only Nick, Seamus, Daniel and Jess took the ocean route. When they returned, the remaining contestants discovered what was under the lid – crocodile. Competitors struggled, except for John who impressed Matt so much that he took a photo of the dish for Maggie Beer. In the end, Elisa, Myri, Jess and Alby’s MasterChef dream came to a close.

Episode 3

Six people will make it into the Top 24 after a Maggie Beer Pressure Test. Eyebrows were raised as three couples decided to team up. This made judging hard, and as a result – Nick, Jess, Alex, Chelsea, Dan and Elise ended up in the Elimination round. John, who wasn’t happy with his dish, was also sent to the Elimination round along with Seamus and Myri. The lucky six to make the Top 24: Craig, Michael, Kate, Hayden, Adam and Cleo.

Episode 2

Day two of the MasterChef journey, and it’s a tough one – a Basic Skills Bootcamp with new judge, Matt Moran. The remaining 45 contestants go through three rounds which test their chip cutting, mayonnaise making, chicken break down skills. Five from each round will end up in the Elimination Challenge – making the perfect batch of scones in 45 minutes. Unfortunately Tanja, Cindy, Elizabeth, Liz, Katie and Craig did not make perfect scones, and so their MasterChef journey ended.

Episode 1

Thousands applied, but only 50 lucky people made it to the first leg of MasterChef. An exciting start with a boat ride to Cockatoo Island and a massive Mystery Box Challenge awaiting them. Featuring the most popular supermarket ingredients, the Top 50 had to cook a dish to get them to the next round. The ten with the least impressive dishes would have to do an Adriano Zumbo challenge. In the end Michael, Tony, Sarah, Dai and Nathan were sent home.