Once again, not edited as written right after the episode.
The famous black cars pull up outside the kitchen around the big M. Everyone’s super excited to be here and realising that they’re actually on MasterChef.
Steph says she doesn’t have butterflies, she has big bird wings flapping around. Once, one of the cats brought in a moth into the shower, and I thought it was a bird, so I was disgusted.Then, mum told me it was a moth, and I was like so grossed out for a long time, because it was fucking huge. It dead set looked like a bird. It was truly disgusting, and that’s what Steph’s description reminded me of. Like, I want to vomit.
The trio of judges are waiting at the front as everyone files in. Gaz is wearing glasses today. George is trying to emulate Matt and wears a floral shirt with a matching pocket square. Matt has really toned it down today? He’s wearing a blue suit and floral cravat.
Look, Matt really shouldn’t have started the season with those pants, because that’s the standard for him now. Every episode, I’ll be relating it back to the first one.
Gaz is like, “It’s like we’re the teachers!” and everyone laughs.
The camera passes by Anushka. Today, she’s wearing a yellow shirt, and matching is her yellow glasses with black legs.
Blah blah blah banter, asking people how they’re feeling etc.
Then, Matt sets the scene.
“Imagine you’re cast away on a desert island and you can only cook one thing for the rest of your life.”
This is today’s challenge. With 75 minutes, and an open pantry, the contestants are welcome to cook whatever they’d like, as long as it fits the brief.
George delivers some important information. They’ll choose four winners today. They’ll play off for an immunity pin in the next episode.
“No-one has ever won an immunity pin in the first week of MasterChef ever!” George tells them, before going on to say that it would feel very validating for the winner.
There will be no elimination from this challenge, but don’t take that for granted.
All the talking is done, and the time starts.
Everyone runs into the pantry, oohing and aahing as they look at all their choices.
Tim talks about how if he were to eat one thing for the rest of his life, he’d choose lamb cutlets. He also wants to keep the bone on so he can gnaw at it. Honestly, big mood, and same.
Everyone’s trying to find stuff to use.
The trio of judges start talking to each other. George and Gaz are talking about how it’s about finding their identity and putting that in the food. Matt makes note that it’s cooking something that you want to sit down and eat for the rest of your life.
Mandy goes, “I’m not going to hold back.”
She starts to cook and I’m like, I want to eat dumplings now.
“There’s so much love in this food, it’s full of love!”
Aww, I want to eat dumplings full of love!
Steph says that she thinks they want to know a bit about who she is through the dish, so she chooses her sons favourite dish – spag bol.
Her flashback starts, and she talks about her relationship with her 10 year old, how they’re great friends and cook together. She’s got a really cute aesthetic though.
Then, she says she has a vision board. And then we look at the monstrosity.
I use monstrosity, because they didn’t warn me enough for what I was going to see.
Steph has badly photoshopped her face onto past winners. Literally got a headshot and stuck it on top of the winners face. It is honestly too much for me to handle I just can’t.
One hour left.
George and Gaz give Tim a bit of a look when he tells them the bone is staying on. They’re confused by the goats cheese mousse. Nonetheless, Tim decides to follow his instincts.
Derek makes an egg tart. He’s got my interest and I’d probably eat it. He thinks he’ll have enough time.
Abbey Rose is doing a homemade noodle. She tells us that she likes to cook authentic food.
Tessa is making a curry.
Larissa is making a dessert with a panna cotta. She’s pretty stressed.
Forty-five minutes left.
Montage of people saying they’re nervous and they need to win. Some also say what they’re making and we get a flash of them cooking.
Dee is making a curry that normally takes 2 hours, so I’m nervous for her.
Someone spilt milk and left the container on the ground. George and Gaz are shook that its so messy.
Joe talks about how he loves making food. He gets a flashback. Four years ago, he decided that he needed to learn how to cook, and often spends a whole weekend perfecting a recipe. My partner nudged me because I can’t cook, but she’s Italian and her nonna taught her to cook, so really, do I need to?
Steph is making spag bol. My partner is very judgemental about it. Matt tells her that making a spag bol is a tough one to do, and not a great idea. Her sauce is wet and her dough is dry.
“She’s an idiot for trying,” my partner says. “I’d never do pasta on a show like this where it’s all about flavours.”
She prefers to simmer her sauce for several hours to get the flavours ot.
“To make it from scratch, the pasta alone will take over 25 minutes. If I were to do a pasta, it’d be a pesto.”
That’s the only hot tip I can ever provide on food here.
Steph is freaking out, because it’s overwhelming her. She gets a small portion of sauce and puts it in a smaller pot.
Tessa calls Gaz, ‘Gazza’. I’m like, uh that’s my thing, please. It’s the first time anyone’s ever called him that, which sounds fake.
She’s excited about her curry.
Montage again.
I want to eat the dumplings Mandy’s making.
Sandeep get’s a quick pass over with the camera for the first time this episode. Good to see he’s still here.
Larissa puts her spare panna cotta into the blast freezer. They’re not set yet.
Montage.
I’m getting done with the cooking, I want to see the judging.
One minute to go.
Larissa gets her panna cotta, but it’s mostly a puddle.
The trio of judges count down from 10, and at the end, there are a few cheers and clapping.
Larissa calls her dish a disaster. And looks upset through the rest of the montage.
Steph is disappointed in herself for her mess of a dish.
Matt takes his lamb out to the judges and I want to gnaw on the bone I’m wanting that lamb omg.
Matt says he nailed the brief. George and Gaz say it all works well together and it’s great.
Montage of food.
Steph is homesick for her kid and cries because she made his favourite dish. The judges try the pasta. Matt tells her it’s a great improvement from where she was. No-one actually said it was good, just that she improved it from the dry, wet mess that it was.
Mandy’s looks great and I would sell my soul for her plate of dumplings.
More montage, a few deserts come by.
Dee comes up, and they judges tell her to leave the plate.
Montage.
Larissa comes up and they start to eat. George gives her advice and agree it all tastes good.
The trio of judges keep their distance from the contestants as they deliver the verdict. The winners, in order of them being called:
- Dee (called dish of the day)
- Mandy
- Joe (retro done right)
- Tim.
One of them will win an immunity pin tomorrow.
George tells them that it means immunity, and says, “I’m here, I mean business.” Then, he ends the episode by saying, “Boom boom, leave the room.”
Tomorrow is the immunity challenge feat. Curtis Stone.
Felicity Feiner 
Leave a Reply