The contestants enter to a totally empty kitchen.
Jock says the contestants have earned a break and so they
are not cooking at all this week. But everyone who was eliminated so far will
be competing for their place back in the competition. Wow so they have taken what is normally a
single cook into a whole week.
Mel asks what people have been doing since they left the competition –
no one has anything interesting to say since its not like they would have
gotten any work experience at any restaurants or cafes since they left. Therese
says she’s been working on her relationship with chocolate after her traumatic
exit. Trent has vowed to never touch lemon myrtle again.
Jock has already decided he is going to beat the shit out of
this guy at the end of the week.
One interesting thing about this week is that there are not 2
spots up for grabs – not just one. This certainly at least makes the whole week
long affair kinda sensible.
In today’s cook, they will get a top 4. That top 4 will cook
in a pressure test. And whoever wins that pressure test, gets the first spot in
the kitchen.
They have to choose one of the remaining contestants to pick
an ingredient for them which they have to feature prominently in the dish. I
have no clue what on earth they are testing via this. Ability to make friends? Do
they imagine in the real world someone is going to say “ hey you suck as a
cook, but you seem to have really hit it off with the janitor so you are in!”
Also doesn’t this hugely advantage those who have stayed
longer. Like how many bonds could Trent possibly have made in 3 days here –
which got over months ago? As opposed to Tom who got eliminated yesterday.
Perhaps this is just Coles getting their contracted “store
visit” episode out.
Anyway. Jess picks Linda who brings back Quail that Jess has
apparently practiced a lot of. Minoli picks Depinder who goes full
stereotypical and brings chillies (but for some reason she thinks Sri Lanka is
in South East Asia and brings Thai Birds eye chillies).
Maja picks Justin - she has clearly not seen the last few
episodes – and has already lost this challenge by this noob move. He brings her
a saddle tail snapper – don’t remember her being big on fish.
Yoyo picks Aaron who goes safest possible choice and gets chicken.
Katrina picks Kishwar who brings back
mint – thinking Katrina can go sweet or savoury.
Trent and Wynona both pick Sabina. Sabina brings back
raspberries which both wanted – but for some reason also comes back with
oranges. Should have just got the same ingredient for both. Less complications.
But the raspberries are for Trent and the oranges are for Wynona.
Amazingly FOUR former contestants wanted Dan to buy their
food. Unsurprisingly Tom goes for him, but I was a bit surprised by Eric, Conor
and Therese. He gets Tom passionfruit. He gets Therese ginger for some reason
(should have got something hardcore dessert-y IMO). He has got lemons for Conor
which Conor is very happy with. And pork belly for Eric who is totally not
happy with this.
Jock puts him on the spot and asks Dan why he got the pork
belly for Eric. Dan says he chose it because Eric made dumplings which he didn’t
show – and now Eric has the idea that he can make dumplings.
Conor is extremely happy – he’s putting lemon in everything.
He has a lemon labneh, a zhoug which also has lemon, and lemon oil. He is also
using lemon in his braising liquid for octopus. And he will serve it with a
slice of lemon to squeeze.
Eric is making 3 treasure wontons – going with his strength
and cooking regional Chinese stuff. Mel is coming over and saying this is your
one shot – when literally 15 mins ago they said you get 2 shots.
Therese is going Taiwanese beef noodle soup and “flexing savoury
muscles”. Why do people do this with a place in the competition on the line is
beyond me.
Minoli is doing a single plate dish – salmon with oyster
mushrooms and beetroot. She says it will taste like Sri Lankan curry but not
look like one. Jock is asking how the beetroot fits in with mushroom curry – in
fairness this does seem super random. Like I can’t imagine mixing a mushroom curry with a beetroot puree.
Jess is making stuffed quail as expected.
Hot Mess Trent is doing a smoked chocolate mousse with some
raspberry. He is terrible at multi-tasking. Not sure how this guy even made it
past the auditions. Now he started his smoking machine without covering his
chocolate and now the whole room is full of smoke. #facepalm
Katrina is going tropical and making coconut mint ice cream
with pineapple. She is putting the pineapple in the sous vide machine to infuse
the flavours.
Wynona is doing a chocolate marquise with orange ice cream. Dan
is pissed she also didn’t pick him and distracting her from the gantry with
stupid jokes like “If it is a cross between a parfait and a mousse it should be
called a pousse”.
Conor is done with his lemon dish that by the way has some
octopus on the side.
Minoli is hoping the judges understand the concept – which is
exactly what she said the last time she did something like this – and that was
when she got eliminated.
The Tasting
Conor’s dish is brilliant. Mel says it transports to Greece.
Andy says the octopus is perfectly cooked. He is a strong candidate to be in
the top 4
Jess’s dish is also very good. Andy says the quail was
masterfully done. Jock is happy she is using native ingredients.
Tom’s Vacherin is great in terms of ideas but lacks balance
so he’s out.
Wynona’s dish is well balanced and delicious. Another solid
candidate for the top 4.
Eric’s dish has also come out great. Finally, a good cook
for him in the kitchen. Andy says the
dish was epic. Jock likes the broth but the pork clearly features. Mel likes
the wrappers and the balance of the fillings.
Katrina’s tropical dessert plate looks really weird and
everyone makes fun of her for that. Jock says 1984 called and asked for that
style back. But the dish is great. Andy says its like eating a pina colada. Mel
says it was delicious. She might just be in with a chance.
Trent has indeed fucked up the main element on his dish and
he’s heading out as fast as he came.
Yoyo has made soy braised chicken. Jock spends a minute or
so praising the flavour of the soy braise and then ends with the chicken was
super dry so she’s out.
Similar issue with Therese – the flavour is nice but the beef
is dry. Just stick to your strengths and get in the competition first, to “show the judges you can do savoury” you
need to actually be in the competition first.
Maja’s fish is under. Serves her right for picking Justin to
do her shopping.
Minoli’s dish this time has turned out great. Mel says its
very clever – the layering of the spice from the chili is particularly praised.
Jock even apologizes for not understanding the concept earlier. Apparently
mushroom and beetroot (ugh) work together.
The Top Four for today are Eric, Conor, Katrina and Minoli.
They will cook off tomorrow in the pressure test.
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