MasterChef Aus S11E11 – Recap

It’s a Nigella elimination tonight, feat. the losers of yesterday. Dressed in black is Abbey, Larissa, Mandy, Monica, and Leah.

It’s interesting to note that in previous years, the safe contestants make breakfast for the pressure cookers. It seems that they have to make it themselves this year…

Anyway, the losers come into the kitchen, and Nigella and the trio of judges are waiting at the front for them.

Matt is wearing a lavender suit today, with a white shirt, a white and purple cravat and a matching pocket square.

Gaz is wearing a white shirt and a grey suit.

George has gone for a very minimal, casual look, with black jeans, a white shirt, and a dark grey jumper.

Nigella’s wearing a dress.

When the dish of the day is revealed, everyone oohs and aahs. It’s a roast chicken.

“The white meat has to be really juicy and succulent,” Nigella tells them.

George carves it up and everyone comes to have a bit. Mandy’s a bit worried because hers is normally more dry than this – like it’s moist af.

“You’ll need to cook two hot sides and a gravy,” George tells them.

With 90 minutes on the clock, time starts, and so does the montage.

There’s a lot of drama happening, mostly about gravy and potatoes. It looks like Monica is struggling a bit through the whole thing.

A significant drama is Mandy’s gravy. She had perfected the flavours and Nigella brought George around to try it. When they got to her bench, Mandy poured in some more stock.

“Why would you do this?” Nigella asks.

Mandy then realises that she’s diluted the flavour. It tastes bad and it’s really watery now. She runs off to get some corn starch, and I don’t have a lot of faith in her.

Yada yada yada, time finally runs out, and I’m interested in what’s going on again.

It’s time for the tasting. As Leah brings out her roast chook, gravy, carrots and potatoes out, I can’t help but crave a roast chicken. I’d peel the skin off, gnaw on a leg, and then take my time in consuming the crispy chicken. Yum, yum, yum.

The judges start eating Leah’s chicken. They love it all. She didn’t have any drama, so there’s not a whole lot of use in lingering on her.

Next is Mandy. She presents her chook, gravy, potatoes and carrots. She’s worried about her gravy, and rightly so. The judges are not impressed with it. They did enjoy her potatoes though.

Monica brings out her chicken, gravy, potatoes and carrots. Everyone’s really gone for the same side dishes, and I’m getting bored writing it. Surely the judges are sick of eating it. I don’t know. They try the potatoes and comment on how it’s not as good as the others. There’s a bitter aftertaste.

“Like lemon,” Gaz says, before continuing to eat.

Matt says the dish didn’t have, “a gravy or a side that I’m ‘Wow’ about.”

Wheeling in a different dish is Abbey. She’s got her chook, roasted fennel and potatoes. They judges love the look. They rave about how great everything looks, and Nigella cannot wait – she steals some chicken while George is trying to serve.

When it’s time to eat, everyone’s grunting – a very good sign. Nigella calls it, “Pleasure on a plate.”

Finally, Larissa is last. She has a roast chook, gravy, honey carrots and fennel. She’s the only one not bringing potatoes to the party, and the judges are a bit outraged. She explains her decision by saying that she doesn’t like potatoes, and she didn’t want to serve something she doesn’t like.

I don’t think I could trust someone who didn’t like potatoes.

The judges taste her potato-less meal, and declare the gravy is so good it makes up for everything – the lack of potatoes and the undercooked fennel.

Really, it’s not hard to see who’s the best of the losers and who’s going home.

Everyone is called back in, and Matt says, “All five of you did a really great job, so well done.”

Nigella starts it off. “Leah, you’re safe.” There’s a little celebration before she continues. “The dish of the day was cooked by you, Abbey.”

Abbey is stoked, but the feedback doesn’t end there. Nigella tells her she has a, “very refined pallet. Everything was absolutely right.”

Abbey is thrilled that Nigella had said that to her.

Then, it comes down to the pointy end of the sick.

Because of shit gravy and potatoes, Monica is going home.

She goes outside to say goodbye, and Steph starts crying. There are a lot of hugs, and Monica tells us what she wants to do now she’s finished at MasterChef.

Where is she now?

Monica has completed work experience at three different places, and is currently working on a cookbook.