The top four are cooking today in what is described as a “Second Chance 3 Course Marathon”. They have to create a full 3 course meal in 2.5 hours. But the catch is that after tasting each course, they will eliminate one person.
This is totally
idiotic – why not just give points to all courses and judge them. Also what's
the point of getting them to cook all courses if you aren’t going to eat them –
purely based on the dumb luck of tasting order?
Andy says he can see all sorts of emotions from Tom – which is
just Andy trying to say things because Tom’s expression hasn’t changed in the
last 2 months on this show.
Wynona is doing king fish sashimi with a green nam jim for her
entrée, a snapper with corn puree for mains and kaffir lime ice cream with orange
almond cake for dessert.
Maja is going for classic flavours with native ingredients.
Scallops for entree, snapper for mains and Geraldton wax for dessert.
Eric says he wants to
prove his knowledge of food – so he does what he was always done in the kitchen.
He’s cooking eastern Chinese for the 3 courses – he is making 3 small entrees, something
called “squirrel fish” and a ginger milk pudding.
After explaining this to the judges, he just walks off
leaving them at his bench. Atta boy Eric.
Tom is going big on the dessert which in general makes sense
because of the 1/2 odds in the final round. He is putting less energy into the
earlier courses. Andy asks Tom if he is confident – he says no because he is
not sure if he can do everything in time. For entrée he is doing crab
tortellini, whiting with some succulents for mains and mini St Honore gateaux for
dessert.
This is going to be interesting – as much as I want Wynona to
win this, I think it will come down to Eric and Maja. Mel will get off on the Chinese
food and Jock will get off on the native ingredients – it will be a fetish off –
because of course no one will care about what Andy thinks.
Mel goes to Eric and gives him helpful advice to execute
everything perfectly – because he was surely not planning on doing that.
Mel has announced there is 1 hour to go and, for some reason,
has curtsied.
Wynona has already fried her fish and Andy is like “why are
you cooking it now with 55 mins to go” so now she is going to cook her fillet
literally at the last second.
Mel tells Maja to make her dishes textbook perfect but change
things and add personality – totally confusing her on what is expected on such
dishes. She is so unsettled by this stupid advice which makes no sense that she
has burnt her garlic and her milk has bubbled over.
Tom has not focused on his entrée or his main at all so far -
in the last 2 hours! He is now on his main and entrée – there also the bugger
has chosen things that require a lot of prep like picking crab and stuff.
Jock has come now to ask Wynona if her dessert is too simple
– she now thinks she needs another element. Seems like she is adding almond
praline.
Tom says he is confident he has got all the shell out which
is a sign he has definitely left some in. Mel thinks coming over right now at
10 mins to go when he has literally START cooking half his dishes and telling
him he is “the king of technique” is super helpful.
Entrée tasting
Eric has brought his 3 dishes - tea smoked eggs, tofu and fried peanuts. Mel
has started crying – Chinese fetish is taking off. This may be unfair to the
others. On a side note, everyone loves the dishes. And its particularly nice
that he used the proper names out loud and didn’t whitewash them.
Wynona’s sashimi is great. Andy says filleting is great and
even Mel says its delicious and beautiful.
Tom is like bhajan only now – who would have thunk that
people will give a shit about their entrees in a cook that could get them back
into the competition.
Maja serves her scallops with pickles and pea puree. Jock
says perfectly cooked scallop – describes it as fish bacon. Does he not know she
has added actual bacon in there? Super smart move on leaving that out of your
description, Maja.
Tom’s crab tortellini
with tomato consommé. Mel has some shell in her tortellini as did Jock.
He’s a goner. Doesn’t matter how good everything else is now.
And we confirm he’s out. Surely feels like an idiot now –
sure your dessert is a showstopper but you got to get there. He put too much into
his dessert and went way overboard.
Wynona, Eric and Maja compete for the Mains.
Wynona has decided to cook her fish in the 5 mins they are
given to plate up. WTF! When Andy said don’t cook them so early, I’m sure he
didn’t mean cook them this late!
Turns out even Eric has to fry his squirrel fish – he is
also scrambling to get it done.
Maja is the only one who has her shit together and is
actually plating her dish in this plating time.
Mel is openly cheering for Eric – this will end well.
With literally 10 secs to go – Wynona is now putting her
fish on the plate. Hoping she has pulled this through.
Mains Tasting
Wynona - Snapper,
corn puree, slaw and chilli caramel -
Jock says it looks amazing. Glistening and perfect. Andy now turns face
and says huge props for cooking the fish to order. He has zero complaints. Jock
says great dish. Mel says fantastic cook on the dish.
Maja has forgotten all the stuff she has put in. But
description aside, Jock says it was delicious. Andy says it was really good.
Composition wise it was very bold and the judges can’t fault the execution.
Mel adds value here by saying “leaving the competition was
best thing for your cooking” admitting that no one is learning anything here
lol.
Andy says going to be hard to not see her cook dessert –
giving a heart attack to Eric.
Eric ‘s Squirrel fish is up now. Eric says it doesn’t look
like a squirrel which is a huge relief to Andy who is struggling to see the resemblance.
Andy loved technique and story and has nothing further to
contribute on this. Mel gives long explanation of how she loved the sauce – but
amazingly she found the fish dry. Jock says he didn’t like the fish – seems
floury – and seems to be missing something.
Eric is out and Wynona and Maja go back to finishing off their
desserts.
Mel is with Eric and says she’s sorry and even she can’t
overlook such huge flaws on dishes. She says she wanted it to be him showing
how impartial she has been all of last two seasons. Now they are both crying and
hugging. Eric is happy that at least he could “connect with Mel” showing his
priorities are totally misplaced (she can’t even give him a cooking job).
Dessert Tasting
Given the super high stakes, I am surprised they are doing
this in front of everyone.
Wynona’s cake and ice cream. Andy says “it looked simple and
old school, but after eating it was all to do with the orange cake” which leaves
everyone perplexed as to what the hell is the point he is trying to make. Mel
describes the cake as juicy fresh – and says the kaffir ice cream is wonderful.
Jock says its just luxury and calls it a delicious dessert.
Maja’s the one to beat though since one fetish has been
eliminated. Unsurprisingly Jock has loved it and says he has no complaints. He
says that’s the kind of dish you get in a restaurant (though why anyone would
order a splice in a restaurant is beyond me). Andy also says very well done as
if he has any clue of what he has just tasted.
Not surprised – the final result is that Maja gets her place
back. Feel super bad for Wynona who could never compete with judges fetish with
merely good food.
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