Episode Summary
The semifinalists competed in a four-hour service challenge, in which they had to cook one main dish and a dessert for 25 diners and the judges. Diana’s dishes of Wagyu with Mushrooms and Lemon Verbena with Whey Caramel met with overall acclaim in its complexity. Despite struggling in the challenge to prep his dishes, Ben also won praise with his main: Cinder Fillet, Tulip Bulbs, Port Jus and Greens and dessert: Pumpkin Galette with Dutch Spices, Cream Cheese Mousse and Vanilla Bay Leaf Ice Cream for his bold flavours. Karlie also struggled throughout in prepping her dishes and, despite the fact that the judges applauded her main dish of Crayfish with Ginger Broth, they noted the pieces of pith and the bitterness involved in her mandarin syrup for her black sesame ice cream. Her dessert didn’t match her sophisticated main dish and she was eliminated, leaving Diana and Ben to compete in the Grand Finals.
The finale took place over three rounds: In the first round, the finalists had 60 minutes to make a dish using at least one ingredient from a selection of every mystery box they had, from which Ben picked Elena’s mystery box and Diana picked Peter Gilmore’s mystery box. Ben accidentally cut his hand with a knife and lost time. However, his Lemon Myrtle Ice Cream with Macadamia Shortbread impressed regardless, receiving 26 points out of 30. But Diana wowed the judges with her Abalone with Chinese Broccoli, Mushroom and Green Juice, receiving a perfect score of 30 points.
In the second round, there were no rules, and Ben and Diana had 75 minutes to cook three identical dishes for the judges. Ben’s Cardamom Coffee Ice Cream with Butternut Three-ways and a Dutch Spice Biscuit impressed the judges with his creativity of his ice cream and received 28 points, while Diana’s Malaysian Oatmeal Prawns with Vegetables in a Creamy Sauce also impressed the judges and received 27 points. Diana kept her lead with a total score of 57 while Ben had a total of 54 points.
In the last round, Ben and Diana faced the longest pressure test yet, in which they had six hours to recreate Kirsten Tibballs’ Trio of Fruits dessert, consisting of chocolate disguised as an apple, pear and mandarin. Both Ben and Diana struggled with the final task, failing to make the sugar-crusted liquor center for the apple, which came out like a jelly rather than a liquid. In the tasting, Diana’s dessert received praise in flavor, but the chocolate in her mandarin was thick and lacking in mandarin flavor. Ben had a better replication, despite accidentally covering his pear with too much tempered chocolate. Diana scored 33 points (8 points each from all the judges, except Matt, who gave 9 points), tallying to the overall score of 90 points. Ben scored 35 points (9 each from all of the judges except Gary who gave 8 points), finalizing his score at 89 points. By one point, Diana was declared Australia’s ninth MasterChef champion.
MasterChef Australia All Season
Celebrity MasterChef Australia Season 02
MasterChef Australia Season 13
MasterChef Australia Season 12
MasterChef Australia Season 11
MasterChef Australia Season 10
MasterChef Australia Season 09
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MasterChef Australia Show Summary
MasterChef Australia has a different format from that of the original British MasterChef and MasterChef Goes Large formats. Initial rounds consist of a large number of hopeful contestants from across Australia individually “auditioning” by presenting a food dish before the three judges in order to gain one of 50 semi-final places. Entrants must be over 18 years old and their main source of income cannot come from preparing and cooking fresh food in a professional environment.
The semi-finalists then compete in several challenges that test their food knowledge and preparation skills. In Season 1, the top 50 competed until 20 were left, with the final 20 progressing to the main stage of the show. From Season 2 onwards, 24 contestants progress. The contestants will then be whittled down through a number of individual and team-based cooking challenges and weekly elimination rounds until a winning MasterChef is crowned. The winner plays for a prize that includes chef training from leading professional chefs, the chance to have their own cookbook published, and A$250,000 in cash.
