Original subtitles

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JULIE: MasterChef has literally changed my life...

..in a deep and profound way.

It's where it all began, all of this...

..all of this crazy ride. (LAUGHS)

All because of MasterChef.

So...walking through the doors of the kitchen will feel...

..a little bit like coming home.

I'm a competitive person, so...

..I want it pretty badly.

I'm sure everybody else in the room is gonna feel the same way, so...

..bring it on.

SASHI: I am the cook I am today because of MasterChef.

My life did a complete 180 degrees

from a prison officer into running restaurants.

And now we are going global.

MasterChef has brought me a lot of success.

But I need to know whether I'm still worthy

of what I've achieved so far.

BILLIE: Since winning MasterChef, I had the greatest experience

working under Heston at The Fat Duck.

But I've had a bit of a break from cooking for a while.

I had a little baby.

The last year has been amazing.

But...

..I've been wondering what was sort of missing.

It was cooking.

It's definitely my calling.

So I'm ready to get back into the kitchen.

MasterChef has produced some of the biggest names in food,

and they're coming back.

We're putting them head-to-head

with 12 of the best home cooks in the country.

For the first time ever, it's Fans versus Favourites.

Welcome to MasterChef!

ANDY: Thousands of talented cooks applied

and undertook our most rigorous of auditions yet.

Layer those flavours.

MAN: I don't think there's anything I want to do more than bring you three

a plated dish that is just, like, perfect.

And the result? The most talented team of fans that we've ever found.

If that's just the beginning, I can't wait to see what's next.

That's a shock.

Be really happy. That was a great cook.

Well done. Yes!

These fans have been watching season after season of MasterChef

and now...it's their time.

MAN: I've always been a massive fan of MasterChef,

and I've always wanted to apply, but...

..I feel like now is the right time.

I've always had this cooking passion inside me.

You only really ever get one crack at life,

so if you're not taking risk and you're not having fun,

then what's the point?

WOMAN: As a fan, I have studied the competition,

and it introduced me to a completely different world.

When I watch MasterChef, I want to be there.

I want to be the one getting challenged.

Give me that pressure test. (LAUGHS)

Here we go.

(CHATTER AND LAUGHTER)

This is what you've all been waiting for, guys.

Bro, the M, though. I've always wanted to see the M.

MAN: Going up against the Favourites is intimidating.

They're the gods of the MasterChef kitchen.

And so, I've got to give it everything I have.

Ooh. Can you hear that? I can.

I can hear it. I can hear excitement.

Here we go, everybody.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yes! Whoo!

Come on! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

ANDY: Yes! MELISSA: Yay!

Some fresh faces.

You've already got a hype man in the front.

"Yeah!" (LAUGHTER) Just here to amp everyone up.

Well, good morning, everybody!

(LAUGHTER) WOMAN: Good morning!

How incredible is this?

Pinch yourselves. You're not dreaming.

You are here.

Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen! Yeah!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Look around you.

You are the best home cooks in the country today.

You've been fans of this show for years, watching, waiting,

for your chance to become Australia's next MasterChef.

You've dreamed of holding up that trophy,

surrounded by the confetti gun, celebrating,

and now that time has arrived.

So let that sink in.

Keyma, there is some serious...

Oh, my God! Please! ..emotion coming from you.

Like, there's... I think there's a couple of tears.

It feels like there's a dance in there somewhere.

Like, tell me what is going through your mind.

Oh, my God.

I'm feeling...oh, my God, so many emotions.

It's overwhelming, isn't it, walking in this place?

KEYMA: It's really overwhelming.

I can't even...talk to you! Oh, my God!

(LAUGHS) (LAUGHTER)

I'm gonna cry. Oh!

(LAUGHTER) Oh, no! Oh!

(APPLAUSE) Oh, my God!

Oh!

MELISSA: Max.

Welcome back. Not your first time in this room.

No. You almost made it last year.

You were so close. Yep.

MELISSA: How are you feeling?

Um...yeah, I'm... I'm feeling pretty good.

Uh, top 12, I think we're calling it.

(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)

For now. MAX: For now.

For about three minutes. For now. That's OK. I'll take it.

(LAUGHTER) MELISSA: Well!

Fans!

We can see you eyeing off these beautiful crisp white aprons.

Wearing one of these means that you belong in this kitchen.

So let's do it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

First up, Daniel.

Oh, stop it. (APPLAUSE)

Nice one, mate. Thanks very much, bro. Cheers.

DANIEL: Getting the MasterChef apron, it's, like,

"Wow. This is unbelievable."

This old thing? (LAUGHTER)

I feel like I've just been named for first-grade Rugby or something

and they've just handed me the jersey.

Righto, Harry. Come and grab this shiny white thing.

Come on down! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

DANIEL: I love being part of a team, and...

..it's so great seeing everyone get their aprons.

Montana. Thank you.

We're here to really take on the Favourites.

And we're up for the challenge. (APPLAUSE)

That is more like it, huh?

You actually look legit now. Welcome.

But...

..now it's time to see...

..who you're really up against.

These guys are fierce competitors.

And they are some of the biggest names that this competition

has ever produced.

First up...

..it's season six's Sarah

and season two's Alvin!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I'm getting goose bumps!

(LAUGHS) (APPLAUSE)

So nice to see you. So exciting!

I'm Alvin, I'm from season two MasterChef Australia,

and I was the fifth runner-up.

It's been 12 years since my season,

and I would be most remembered for my drunken chicken,

which was quite a phenomenon.

There was a national shortage of one of the key ingredients,

uh, which is Shaoxing wine.

So, folks, buy your Shaoxing wine now before it's sold out.

SARAH: Oh! This feels very strange.

(LAUGHS) Not gonna lie.

We can't change our minds now. (LAUGHTER)

I can't believe these are people I grew up watching on TV

and I'm gonna be cooking against them?

How are you? Hello. Hi.

Hi. (LAUGHTER)

Sarah's so gorgeous. (LAUGHS)

It's a crime to be that pretty.

ANDY: Next up,

from last season,

we've got Tommy and Minoli.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) JOCK: Yeah!

(LAUGHS) It's so weird seeing 'em back in here. I know!

MAN: Tommy and Minoli just came off last season.

They're gonna be so sharp. They're ready to go.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) How have you been?

Oh, hey!

Minoli's cooking, just... I could smell it through my TV.

It just looks amazing.

And Tommy celebrates Vietnamese cuisine,

and that's my heritage, so he is an inspiration.

And it's... from season 10, we've got Aldo,

and season seven, we've got John.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Here we go.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yeah!

It's been four years that I haven't been in this kitchen.

Wow.

And people that will remember me for my passion to be Italiano.

Today, I'm making my nonna's meatballs.

Cook Italian, the thing that I know best.

Yes, baby. Come along all together, sweetie.

You got to talk to food, right?

Hey, mate. Nice to meet you. How are you, mate?

ALDO: The judges, they look great, actually.

I'm so thrilled to work with them. But...there is just one thing.

They look slightly skinny.

So my job this time around is to fatten them up.

(LAUGHTER)

Next up, a fan favourite of my own,

and I reckon the most talented cook on season four.

Mindy!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, yes! (LAUGHS)

How are ya? Mwah.

Hi!

Hi, guys! How are you? (LAUGHS)

Now, these two were that close to picking up that thing,

and they are back for the win this season.

We've got, from season three, Michael,

and from season five, Christina.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This is crazy.

OK.

Oh, my God! I actually have my dish.

CHRISTINA: People might remember me as Christina the rockabilly chick...

Anyone feel like some dessert?

..with the bow in her hair.

Hi, guys! Hi! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

CHRISTINA: It is surreal walking back into this kitchen.

I'm really excited to make more memories.

I'm excited to meet, like, all the Favourites.

Like, I'm kind of fangirling a little.

And I'm excited to meet the Fans

and to make new friendships with them as well.

And I get to cook again, like, here. It's so cool!

ANDY: Last but definitely not least,

direct from the MasterChef Hall of Fame...

..winners of 1, 7 and 10,

we've got Billie, Sashi and Julie Goodwin!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Yes!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

We're screwed!

This is huge. It's so huge.

Sashi is just an absolute powerhouse.

Billie just exemplifies what MasterChef can do to somebody,

going from humble beginnings and then working at The Fat Duck.

And Julie is just...

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

..she's the reason why we're all here.

Hi, Julie! Hello, Jock.

(APPLAUSE)

Whoo-ee! How are we all feeling now?

Whoo.

Welcome, and welcome back.

(LAUGHS)

Sarah, you have been busy since the second you left this kitchen.

Books, restaurants, TV shows.

What's drawn you back to the MasterChef kitchen?

I think...you know, this experience is so incredible,

and I can't praise it enough.

It gave me such a huge opportunity, and I did.

I hit the ground running. You guys will do the same.

And it's amazing, and it draws you back.

ANDY: Sashi! Mate. Yes.

You have lifted that trophy above your head.

You've got a restaurant now.

You've done so many things.

Why are you here, brother?

Uh...this two years has been crazy for all of us.

I think coming back into this competition

is re-evaluating myself again as a cook.

And I would like to have that adrenaline

pumping again in the kitchen.

Nothing like it, is there? I miss it. There is nothing like it.

Yes.

Julie.

(LAUGHTER)

The original MasterChef winner, over a decade ago.

We are so excited, and grateful,

that you're back in the MasterChef kitchen.

How you feeling?

Oh, I'm brickin' it.

(LAUGHTER)

Everyone's brickin' it that you're here!

(LAUGHTER)

Even WE'RE brickin' it that you're here.

So I'm glad that you're brickin' it. Tell me more about that.

(LAUGHTER) Oh.

Uh...I'm, like, fizzy with excitement.

It's...um...

..my guts are doing strange things, and, um, I'm just...

..I'm so grateful,

so grateful, to be back here.

It's...it's amazing. It's an amazing feeling. I'm on quite a high.

And, like, you know what this place can do to you.

JULIE: Oh, yeah.

I'd absolutely say that it's not about what you know now.

It's about what you're willing to take on board

from the judges and from your fellow contestants.

It's about what you're willing to try, how you're willing to grow.

It's...really, what you know now is a small part

of what is gonna be important in the coming weeks.

On behalf of the three of us

and Australia and viewers all over the world,

thank you for coming back into this kitchen,

and we cannot wait to see what you do.

Thank you. Thanks so much. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Julie, Julie, Julie, Julie!

Right. Now, that we're all together.

MasterChef is filmed right here in the lands of the Wurundjeri people,

and I, we, wish to acknowledge them

as the traditional owners of this land.

We'd like to pay our respects to the elders past and present

and extend that respect to all First Nations people present here today.

With that said,

let me officially welcome you

to MasterChef: Fans versus Favourites.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, my gosh!

For the first time ever in MasterChef history,

you will be competing in teams.

This is the ultimate David-versus-Goliath battle.

12 of Australia's best home cooks...

..versus 12 beloved favourites.

Oh, my God.

That's you. (LAUGHTER)

But only one of you will lift that trophy,

take home a quarter of a million dollars...

..and be crowned Australia's MasterChef for 2022!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Shall we just get straight into it? CONTESTANTS: Yes!

ANDY: You want to hear what today's challenge is?

Let's go.

Today, we want to see each of you at your absolute best.

So you'll be cooking a dish that represents YOUR strengths.

Show us what YOU bring to the table.

What makes YOU an asset to your team?

The best dish from each team today

will win one of these.

(GASPING) Yeah!

Whoo! (LAUGHTER)

Wow! Yes!

(APPLAUSE)

(LAUGHTER)

But that's not all.

There aren't just two of these pins up for grabs today.

There are three.

CONTESTANTS: Ooh!

What?!

There's one pin for the best dish in each team

and another pin for the next best dish,

whether or not that be Fan or Favourite.

JOCK: Alright, Fans, Favourites, here's the rules.

Your dish can be anything, sweet or savoury.

The pantry will be open,

along with the beautiful MasterChef garden.

You're gonna have 90 minutes to complete your dish.

We ready? CONTESTANTS: Yes, Chef!

Good, 'cause your time starts...

..now!

Thank you, Sashi! Let's go, guys.

ALVIN: Running into the pantry for the first time in 12 years,

I have forgotten what the adrenaline surge is like.

Ooh, sorry. Oh, wow. It's a lot of people.

And with 23 other contestants, it's like Boxing Day sales.

Oh, sorry. Oh, ah, ah!

We having fun, team? We having fun? Yeah!

(LAUGHS)

Oh, I'll just grab this mince too.

Pick up my tapioca starch, pick up my rice flour,

and I've got Sashi next to me, I've got Julie Goodwin next to me

and I've got Tommy.

I mean, are you serious?!

This is...

..a massive rush.

(CORK POPS) Whoo!

Yes! Mate, you got the booze out.

Can't believe I'm here! I feel so excited!

(LAUGHS) Ah!

We'll get the caviar later and we'll have a party.

I'm ready! Get that party started.

(BEEPING) How are you beeping?

I haven't even done anything with you.

Sashi. SASHI: Yes!

It's good to be back? Oh, I miss this, really.

What are you cooking today, mate?

Steamed fish with sambal and pimp it up to my style.

Hey, I'm excited about that.

As a winner of MasterChef walking back in

to a Fans versus Favourites, what are you most scared of?

Going home a bit early. (ALL LAUGH)

Going against Fans, I can see in their eyes

the hunger, the drive, the passion.

And they know a lot about us and we don't know anything about them yet.

Oh, it's so good to have a sharp knife, man.

I'm feeling unreal. I don't know how to explain it, to be honest.

It's pretty crazy that I'm here doing this.

Um...

Whoop.

She's off to a good start.

(LAUGHS)

G'day, everyone. How you going? My name's Daniel Lamble.

I'm 27 years old, and I'm from Darwin, Northern Territory.

(BELL RINGS)

I've been a firefighter for five years.

I love my job. It's unbelievable.

I love being able to serve the community.

I love working in a team environment.

I love the fact that you just don't know what you're gonna get

when you come into work every day.

But I've always had this passion for cooking inside of me,

and it's a huge part of my life.

Being from Darwin, I love using ingredients and produce

that are readily available to me.

What I love most about cooking is that it is a creative outlet of mine.

MAN: Oh, he's a good cook. Can cook.

Can't clean but can cook. (MEN LAUGH)

DANIEL: There's not much room in the job of a firefighter for creativity

because there's only really a few ways to put out a fire.

(LAUGHS)

Daniel! DANIEL: G'day, Mel. How are you?

Brunoise?

Sorry?

You're brunoising an onion. Do you know that that's what you're doing?

Oh, no, not really. OK.

Well... Just...I'm dicing an onion.

..you're very finely slicing an onion the French way...

Ah! ..and that's fantastic.

Um... I just learnt something. You did.

For your team, the Fans team...

Yep. ..what strength are YOU bringing to the kitchen?

Well, I'd like to think I, uh, bring a level of wit and humour.

But... (LAUGHS) Yep. (LAUGHS)

..no, also, um, bright, bold colours and flavours and that sort of thing.

So, what are you making? I call 'em Territory tacos.

Territory tacos. OK. Got a little bit of influence from a lot of their flavours up there.

The...influenced by a lot of South-East Asian cuisine. Amazing.

Um...essentially, it's a fish taco... Yeah.

..in a Kaffir-lime-infused tempura and a mango salsa.

Wonderful. What sort of fish are you choosing today?

Barramundi, of course.

It's a Territory taco. Classic. Yeah.

Territory. (LAUGHS) Be rude not to, wouldn't it?

Um...when I'm relaxing on a beach or fishing or something like that, I love a fish taco with it and a beer.

So...I'm bringing the Top End into the MasterChef kitchen.

I've been a fan of MasterChef since as long as I can remember.

It's always been that pinnacle level of home cooking.

And watching Minoli last series was definitely inspiring for me.

Seeing another Territorian come down and have a red-hot crack at it

is just... yeah, it certainly fired me up.

Give that a whiff, mate.

Oh, hell, yeah.

Ah! No shallots!

Bloody hell!

Ah.

Hello. Hey, Sarah.

Hi. How are you? Good. How are you? Good. How are you?

Good. Got some big flavours going on here and some lamb.

SARAH: Yes. Yes. JOCK: What are you making?

So I'm making... it's, uh, inspired by laal maas,

which is a Rajasthani dish.

You know, normally I'm living in India

and spending most of my time there.

ANDY: How many restaurants did you actually end up opening there?

Three. ANDY: Three?

SARAH: Yeah. Wow. That is insane.

I learnt how to cook this, you know, with locals there,

but I wanted to really highlight Australian produce,

so I've got the lamb.

I'm gonna smoke the gravy. Right.

It's basically a regal dish. ANDY: OK.

So I thought first time cooking for you guys...

Regal? ..something a little bit regal.

A little bit regal. Excited about that. I'm into it. I'm into it.

We're glad you're back. Good luck. Thank you. Thanks.

Sorry, Johnny.

(BEEPING)

John. One question for you, mate. Yep?

How long is this white chocolate veloute gonna take?

(JOCK LAUGHS)

JOHN: I was in season seven of MasterChef,

and I think people remember me from that team challenge.

What is he doing with the white chocolate?

What are you doing?

So I'm doing a white chocolate veloute.

Do you think white chocolate works with shellfish?

It does. Then I look forward to tasting it. Yep.

You can teach ME something for once. I'll become YOUR apprentice, John.

ANDY: What are you cooking?

So I'm doing a maja blanca, which is a Filipino dessert.

It's a corn and coconut pudding, basically.

JOHN: My strength today is making desserts,

because after MasterChef, I actually started a chocolate business.

But this time around,

I'm gonna keep away from the white chocolate veloute.

It's...you know, in the past.

I think dark chocolate is the in thing now.

(LAUGHS)

JOCK: Are you ready? First time call of the season.

ANDY: No, I'm actually a little bit nervous.

Come on. Let's go.

OK. Do it. Hit it.

Ready?

In case you've forgotten, time flies in this kitchen!

15 down, 75 to go!

There it is! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

MELISSA: Yes!

MAN: Let's go!

(BOWLS CLANG) Oh, my gosh!

It's, like, this rush of memory to be back. It's...

I'm just, like...cooking at home is so relaxed and so much fun.

It's...what is this? (LAUGHS)

This intensity, this experience,

is flooding back not just into my memory

but into my muscles and into my cells.

It's like it never left.

Julie, Julie!

JULIE: Hello. Julie Goodwin.

What's happening? Wowie.

Uh, this is some flatbread.

(ALL LAUGH)

I don't know what's happening. JOCK: What's your dish?

Um, the dish is a... a Lebanese feast,

so some shish tawook and fattoush and a bit of flatbread and rice.

Amazing. My strength is just family style.

Bringing people to the table. ANDY: Yeah.

Um, that's how I set up my cooking school,

so that we all cook together, then we all come together

and eat the food that we've created.

And I still do that for my family... Yep.

..almost every single day, so... Love it.

..that's what I love to do, yeah.

My family will always be the most important thing in my life.

Good luck. Good luck, Jules. Thank you.

JULIE: And back in season one,

I remember it being very, very tough to leave my family behind.

The boys were in Year 5, Year 6 and Year 7 at school.

But this time around, what's changed

is that my little boys are now big boys.

And...

..I've become a grandma.

Being a mum is obviously the most important thing I've e...it's...

(SNIFFS) Being a mum is the most important thing I've ever done,

but...a little grandchild just unlocks something in your heart

that you didn't know was there.

Winning MasterChef was very much a formative part of my life.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I have watched every season every year since season one,

and it's changed a lot.

I actually came here instead of taking my oldest son

to his first day at high school, so...

..now I got to make it worthwhile, got to make it worthwhile.

JULIE: My audition dish was, uh, roast lamb and mash.

And one of our first skills challenges was chopping onions!

You think about the things that they're doing now, they're insane.

Wow! Ooh! Wow!

JULIE: MasterChef has just exploded over the years.

MAN: Oh, my God!

JULIE: And the standard of cooking has gone through the roof.

(GASPING)

JULIE: These home cooks are coming in with skills and with techniques

and with knowledge that we just didn't have 13 years ago.

So...I honestly don't know if my style of cooking

will stand up against this new generation of cooks.

They're so accomplished, and they're so gifted and...and technical

and capable and confident.

And...

..I feel...

..incredibly intimidated by that.

Oh, my God!

OK. OK. I'm clicking on now.

Back in the kitchen today!

Things are flying. People are crazy.

It's definitely more hectic than a commercial kitchen,

which I never thought would be possible.

But it's great energy. It's so much fun.

Oh. My veg. (LAUGHS)

I'm lost.

God! How about it? (LAUGHS)

The excitement is unbelievable.

Oh!

I'm getting, like, sweat in my eyes and...

Oh, n... ..like, it's stinging.

The Favourites, it's like... they're back again.

MELISSA: Yeah. JOCK: You know, they're feeling it.

They know the magic that can be created in this kitchen. ANDY: Yeah.

Will they be able to replicate some more of that magic again?

I really think so, actually.

MICHAEL: Aldo. You got olive oil? I do.

Can I borrow just a splash? Oh, of course, mate.

Teamwork, right? Teamwork makes the dream work.

Thank you, brother. Easy.

Two teams, right? Yeah.

Three pins up for grabs. Mmm.

JOCK: Stakes are massive.

ANDY: I think there's a bit of bragging rights on the table,

especially if the Fans can pull out a win of two pins.

Whoo! She's smoking. Oh, what a mess Billie's making.

Oh, join the club.

TOMMY: First cook back, it literally feels like just yesterday,

but I am feeling good.

MasterChef has changed my life.

I was a kindergarten teacher,

but nowadays, I get to have my own food business,

couple of pop-ups, cooking classes, but I'm also full-time dad.

(BABBLES) (CHILD LAUGHS)

Before MasterChef, I didn't really kind of embrace my heritage.

(SPEAKS VIETNAMESE) (TOMMY SPEAKS VIETNAMESE)

TOMMY: Because I grew up with a lot of negative stereotypes being Vietnamese,

so my heritage was something I kind of had to hide

so that I could fit in.

But when I served Vietnamese food to the judges and they loved it,

it really gave me the confidence to embrace my culture.

Today, I made a banh xeo.

All hail the banh xeo king. Huh?

Tommy!

TOMMY: Zucchini banh cuon. MELISSA: 10s across the board.

Fantastic. Thank you.

Um, the dish is a bun cha Hanoi.

I can taste...

..your home.

I love when you cook like this. Please keep doing it, mate.

It's awesome. Yep.

TOMMY: After going on MasterChef

and being able to cook that kind of food and having lots of people

kind of really celebrate it and be, like,

"Hey, I really like that you were on MasterChef showing Vietnamese food,"

it made me feel like, "Why wasn't I always like this?"

And it's really special that...

..MasterChef gave that to me.

So this time around,

I'm definitely not holding back.

JOCK: Alright, Tommy. ANDY: Tommy!

Yo! What up, boys? ANDY: Mate.

What's going on? So good to have you back here. I'm so excited.

I missed you guys. I honestly did.

What is your dish that is your strength?

I'm cooking bun mam,

and because Vietnamese is my strength in this kitchen, no doubt,

it is the most unapologetic Vietnamese dish you'll ever have.

This stuff...honestly, it's... JOCK: Fermented fish.

..fermented, pungent.

What else has it got in there?

So, lemongrass, chilli, prawns, crispy pork belly, rice noodles.

But, like, I...I told my mum once that, hey,

if I ever get on MasterChef and I get to cook this, I'm gonna do it,

and she was, like, "Don't do it."

Right. "They're not gonna like it."

Really? Really? "It's too...it's too hectic."

What, super-funky or, like...? "It's too funky for them."

Oh, really? I'm, like, "Mum, trust me."

I'm bringing the funk today, and I hope you guys enjoy it.

JOCK: Good luck, mate.

Oh!

Can I grab a nurse?

You know what, I haven't forgotten how sharp the knives are.

What I've forgotten is how shaky I get when I'm here.

For my Lebanese-style food,

I've got my chicken in the marinade for my shish tawook.

My dough is resting for my flatbread

and I'm now getting on with the salad.

Fattoush is just a beautiful medley of freshness.

It's tomatoes and radishes.

It's...it's red onions rubbed in sumac.

It's got lots and lots of parsley and mint

and a beautiful zesty, lemony, sumacy dressing.

I'm gonna go and get the onions.

JULIE: Back in season one,

we weren't allowed back into the pantry,

so if you forgot an ingredient back then,

you were without that ingredient, so...

..I actually feel like it's...it's very luxurious to be able to go,

"Oh! Forgot me onions.

"I'll just tootle back on in."

Oh, God.

Don't run on television. Don't run on television.

JULIE: But since season one, I've gotten older, gotten greyer, so...

..I'm not built for running.

How you going? I'm having a heart attack!

Glass of wine. (JULIE LAUGHS)

Two Mels just chatting in the kitchen.

Oh, I know.

Shooting the breeze. It's just like home.

Not a lot of stress. Very relaxing, of course.

Ah! 10th time coming in here. But that's OK.

STEPH: I'm trying to concentrate on what I'm doing,

but it's pandemonium.

And I'm, like, going at a million miles an hour as well.

I'm doing a dessert based on native ingredients.

It's a lemon myrtle parfait

with caramelised white chocolate and flavours of strawberry.

My name's Montana. I am 24, from Brisbane.

You know how sometimes you want to make something that looks impressive but actually requires zero effort?

Well, that's this recipe. It's a yoghurt panna cotta.

And it actually only requires two ingredients.

Hey, guys - today I'm gonna show you how to make

a 4-ingredient cheesy flatbread.

Let's go.

I make quick sort of easy recipe videos on TikTok.

Start by taking your favourite flavoured yoghurt

and pour it into a measuring cup.

The most views I have is a video of a spinach pasta.

Think it's 8.4 million people have seen my face, has heard my voice.

They will turn your hands green, but it's totally worth it.

Which is cool. That's a lot of people.

I'm a massive foodie and I'm a huge fan of MasterChef.

I love sort of seeing the creativity of it.

I love playing the game myself.

Like, I love seeing when they lift the lid on...on a mystery box

to sort of... think of what I'd make myself,

so to finally be on MasterChef is just an absolute dream come true.

From watching the show, I definitely learnt a lot about

the building blocks of different ingredients and flavours.

Montana. Hello!

Hello! You are right in the smack of things.

I know. I was trying to find the clock before.

And I was, like, "Oh, wait. No, there it is,"

In the centre. MONTANA: Yes.

You're in the eye of the storm. Yes.

You are the last bench of Fans.

And then you have all of the Favourites behind you. Yes.

Who's intimidating you on this field? All of them.

Everybody? All of them. Um, Billie probably more so.

Yep.

MONTANA: That season was the one that, like...

Yeah. ..kicked off my passion for food.

She was, like, my idol.

MONTANA: Billie is...

..someone who I think I really have to thank for my passion in food.

She really sparked something and...

..and made me see food in a different light

and to understand that it can be creative

and it's more than just nourishment.

So...to see her and to think that I need to compete against her

is definitely an unnerving thought.

But, yeah, she really, really inspired me.

I guess my strength is probably meat and veg, to be honest,

um, but just fancying it up a little bit,

so I'm doing a lamb shoulder with a pea puree,

um, and some anchovy croquettes.

BILLIE: It feels incredible to be back in the MasterChef kitchen.

The adrenaline, the buzz and the pressure, it's out of this world.

And it's just completely different to my life back home.

After winning MasterChef and working at The Fat Duck,

I moved back to Australia,

where I started working again on the family dairy farm,

and it's been great,

especially since I've had Ada.

For Mum? (GASPS)

(CHILD FUSSES) Ooh!

BILLIE: I don't think I ever really thought I would end up on the farm.

I think the love of cooking and the love of food

has always been what I really want to do.

I think it's very unlikely for a winner to come back and win again.

(BEEPING) Start!

But I'll give it a go.

It doesn't matter if you're a Fan or a Favourite,

you have one hour to go!

(JUDGES CLAP) JOCK: There she is!

I've been practising. (LAUGHS)

MAX: Next thing you know, they're gonna say, "We've got five minutes left,"

and everyone panics - it'll be awesome.

Max! What's the dish? I'm making crab tagliolini.

Quite a lot of sophistication in the sauce.

Yeah. Prawn shells.

The devil's in the details. Crab shells. Exactly. Yep.

Hey, Chris. CHRIS: Hi, Mel. How are you?

Oh! I'm seeing a lot of things I like here. Tell me.

It's banh cuon. One of my favourite Vietnamese street foods.

It's a dish that I've had so often, like, growing up.

I know what it's supposed to taste like, so I want it to be perfect.

Hey, Keyma. Hi, Mel. How are you?

Good. How are you feeling right now?

Uh... What are you cooking, most importantly?

I'm cooking seafood stew. Fantastic.

It is a very Venezuelan stew from the coast.

Yes? Yeah.

People also use it to get babies, so it's, like, an aphrodisiac.

Ah! Yep.

So people say that it's called...

..the mattress breaker.

OK. (LAUGHS)

KEYMA: I'm originally from Venezuela,

so I will bring the flavour, you know, the flavour.

Mum's the best cook in the world. I know!

(ALL LAUGH)

I'm so happy to represent a Latin culture in the MasterChef kitchen.

And I will describe the Latin spirit like me.

Like, it's always happy, and we like to be laughing all the time.

That's me.

(LAUGHS)

CHRISTINA: Can't believe I'm struggling to cut an onion.

Girl, it's nerves, hey? Nerves.

# Nerves, nerves, nerves, nerves, nerves... #

I'm definitely not the same cook that I was in season five.

My cooking style was modern Australian.

I tried to make my food look as pretty as possible

and have it look very refined.

But I think I was a little bit confused as a cook,

and I didn't understand the importance of my Portuguese heritage.

WOMAN: Looks so good. Doesn't it just?

CHRISTINA: Also, after leaving MasterChef,

I've spent a lot more time with my mum

and having her teach me the food that she grew up eating,

and I got to rediscover my food heritage.

ANDY: Christina.

Hey! ANDY: What are you cooking?

CHRISTINA: So, I'm doing bacalhau a bras, so it's salted cod,

fish, bacalhau, salty, so I've...

ANDY: Yep. ..I've soaked it in two lots of milk.

I'm going to lightly confit it then mix it with the delicious onions.

It sounds like a pregnant woman came up with the dish.

It's, like, fish, eggs, potatoes and olives.

ANDY: OK. Right. Like...but it's delicious.

It screams your culture, your heritage.

Yep. It's Portugal on a plate. Exactly.

CHRISTINA: This dish shows off my strengths

because it's a national dish of Portugal,

so it's really showing what Portuguese food is all about,

but because of that, that's a lot of pressure,

and I don't want to stuff it up.

Just transferring that fish over.

Get rid of as much salt as possible.

I don't want to blow the judges' palates.

The issue with bacalhau is that normally it takes a couple of days

to rehydrate it and to get rid of all of the salt, but...

..I don't have three days.

It's really important that I do this dish justice.

Hot? Oh. Hot, hot.

Hot stuff coming through!

We are hot and dangerous in here.

45 minutes down! 45 minutes to go!

Hoo! Whoo!

DANIEL: Smells good, man.

It's just oil at the moment.

JOCK: Dulan.

Hey, Jock. How are you?

You've got two hits at getting this pin.

Yeah. Your team's gonna get a pin.

Yep. It's stiff competition.

Have you had a chance to look around you...

DULAN: No. ..and see...?

No? Absolutely...absolutely not.

How you going, Max? Have you got everything?

Yeah, mate.

HARRY: It's pretty crazy to be here cooking against the Favourites,

and the dishes that are coming out of this kitchen right now are insane.

Michael's got some, like, champagne.

Alright. Here we go.

HARRY: Tommy's got pork and prawns.

Uh, Dan's got barramundi. Keyma's got a whole bunch of seafood.

And I got a cabbage. (LAUGHS)

Just a cabbage.

Pretty. It's a good one.

HARRY: My name's Harry. I'm 26, and I'm from Melbourne.

I live in a share house with a bunch of my mates.

I love cooking for my friends.

The kitchen has always just been

a space where I felt really comfortable,

and it's my happy place,

but I don't make a... you know, a huge amount of money.

As soon as my budget went down

and my parents weren't paying for the groceries,

meat kind of went off the table

and vegies became, like, the main source of food that I was intaking,

'cause it's cheaper to cook with vegies.

I've been spending years working on how I can take really simple vegies

and turn them into something extraordinary on the plate.

So I'm doing a burnt sweet and spicy cabbage

that I cook for my housemates all the time,

and then I'm gonna sweat down some leeks to make a leek puree,

which'll go around the bottom.

Gonna put a bit of sour cream in it just to get a little bit of tang.

And then I'm gonna do some crispy shallots on the top,

a few snow peas and some chilli oil - that's another massive part.

HARRY: Through cooking this burnt cabbage dish,

I want to show the judges that my culinary strength is definitely veg.

Like, that's just my thing.

And I hope that what I can do with those ingredients

really does impress the judges today.

(COUGHS) Wey! Yep. It's good.

JOCK: Are we ready for a big lunch?

Yeah. Can't wait.

I've been prepping for this in the off-season.

We should do some lunges. Get ready for lunch.

That's how you lunge?

Is that a lunge? Yeah, no. Yep.

Is that lunging? Yeah, no.

Minoli! Hello, Minoli.

Hello! What's happening?

MINOLI: My strength is Sri Lankan cooking, so...

..I'm making string hoppers with an egg curry and a sambal.

Alvin!

Your bench smells delicious.

ALVIN: Oh, I'm making a prawn laksa. It's my strength.

JOCK: I want to know why you said yes.

I don't know, Jock. JOCK: Come on!

A moment of weakness. A moment of weakness?!

I don't know. Are you enjoying it?

You look like you're having a great time. I am. I am. It's a buzz.

It's a buzz.

Oh, la-la. Behind.

JOCK: Aldo!

How are you, pal? ALDO: How are we? Good, mate.

What's the dish?

Tortellini pasta. What's in there?

So there is duck Maryland, yeah.

Just cooking. JOCK: In a ragu or...?

It's in a ragu sauce, yeah.

And then just a parmesan crisp on top

to give the classic saltiness.

Fancy, fancy.

Thanks, gentlemen. (JOCK LAUGHS)

Is that it? "Get out of here!" Are we done?

I had so many more questions, Aldo. I'm sweating. That's why.

(LAUGHS) Keep that dry. Let me be beautiful at least.

Is that one yours, Jenn? Uh, yes. Yeah.

I just don't want to... The one that was, um... I was about to reset it.

I was, like, "That's not mine." (LAUGHS)

JENN: I'm Jenn. I'm a dentist. And I'm from Brisbane.

Some of my friends and family might call me a little bit quirky.

(TOOL WHINES)

JENN: And...yeah, I love to have fun.

I'm just gonna go all the way up the back here.

Hopefully, I do come across as the cheerful, happy person I think I am.

So, I feel like dentistry doesn't fit my personality.

I love cooking because it's a creative outlet

where you transform something into something completely different

and you're bringing joy, you're bringing love,

you're bringing deliciousness, and nobody in the world hates that.

Like, everyone loves food.

I haven't met anyone who hates food.

Whereas most people hate dentists. (LAUGHS)

MELISSA: Hey, Jenn! JENN: Hello.

What are you making?

I'm making Taiwanese beef noodle soup.

Amazing.

Hong shao niu rou mian. Yeah. Yeah.

It's, like, one of the quintessential Taiwanese...

Yes. ..dishes. It is.

So you're using shin? What are you...what...

I'm actually not using shin. I'm using oxtail and beef cheek today.

OK. Because they're my two preferred cuts for this.

Yep. Fantastic. I like they're quite gelatinous and rich.

This dish is going to show my strength of packing flavour,

because the oxtail and beef cheek

would have melted into this rich collagenous...

..fatty... (LAUGHS) ..broth.

And...Sashi's a big inspiration for me,

because his style of cooking is what I aspire to do,

and taking on ideas from authentic, traditional food

but putting his own little personal spin on it.

It's always good to be with the younger fresh ones.

I can get their energy.

(LAUGHS) Looking.

SASHI: Back in my season, I create history

by having two immunity pins at one go.

They used to call me the bling boy. (LAUGHS)

Less is what? Less is more.

Shout it at me. Less is more!

Louder. (SHOUTS) Less is more!

I can't hear you! Less is more!

Let's go. Start dressing. Yeah!

Look at this baby.

Oh, thank you. (APPLAUSE)

Well deserved. I'm happy with it.

SASHI: My strength is all about getting inspiration

from Asian-inspired dishes.

I was doing that in season 10, and I'm doing that now in my restaurant,

and I'm gonna continue doing that.

That is my strength.

We've never been more excited about a tasting!

You've only got 30 minutes to go! (JUDGES CLAP)

WOMAN: Whoo!

(SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY)

She said 30, right? You can do it, Julie.

Oh, my God. It's smelling amazing.

(MOANS)

Smells like despair, John.

CHRIS: Hey, how good is this rush?

DANIEL: It's good, eh?

CHRIS: You know what the best thing is?

If there's a fire, you're the first to save me. (LAUGHS)

DANIEL: For my Territory tacos, my mango salsa's done,

my flour tortilla's resting,

and now it's time for me to start frying up my tempura fish.

I've...I've battered my fish in my tempura,

and I've put it in the oil, and I notice straightaway that...

..it's not crisping up and bubbling and going crazy.

I'm just not really sure what's going on.

I'm worried, like...this is the main part of my taco right now, and...

..talk about first impressions.

If this isn't good, then it's just gonna throw the whole thing off.

You going alright? Dan? DANIEL: Sorry?

How you going? Struggling a little bit here.

I don't really know.

DANIEL: I'm thinking the oil isn't quite hot enough,

so I'm gonna let the oil heat back up to a temperature

where it's gonna be quite hot, and then I'll try again.

I'm really feeling the pressure for the first time in this kitchen.

You watch it on TV and you go, "Oh," like, "it's just cooking," but...

..this is so different to cooking at home.

I still haven't gotten over the fact that Julie Goodwin and Sashi,

Billie and all these Favourites that I've watched before

are just cooking behind me.

SASHI: I can smell the fish. TOMMY: You can smell it, can't you?

I closed the lid as well, Sashi.

Oh.

No, I'm glad you told me you were doing a funky dish or I might have thought it was me.

TOMMY: I'm making bun mam, and it's not a dish you would normally see

in your standard kind of Vietnamese restaurant.

It's just so full-on, 'cause there's two types of fermented fish.

People would be scared of it.

The broth is tasting so good, and it's the perfect amount of funk

and I'm really, really happy.

And my pork belly is in the oven waiting to crisp up.

But I notice...

..that there's no light on in the oven.

"What...what's going on?"

My oven wasn't on!

Oh!

I must have turned off the oven when I adjusted the temperature.

I'm trying something so full-on that I need every single element.

If I don't have this crispy pork belly,

it might just ruin my balance,

and then I won't have a chance of getting the immunity pin.

..the...the oven wasn't turned on

for the second half of my pork belly,

which means that it's not really crisping up.

I have about 15 minutes now, so... I've cranked up the temperature,

but I don't know how this is gonna frigging work, to be honest.

If I don't have a pork belly, I don't have a chance

at winning immunity today,

so I've just got to hope and pray that that pork belly works.

So, I've got my lamb in the pressure cooker.

It hasn't got a whole lot longer to go.

Uh, I'm just frying off the croquettes.

Sauce is finishing and then I've just got to plate.

I think I'm cutting it pretty fine for time.

Um, I'll be right on the zero mark, I think.

So, um, head down.

Yikes. Where did this time go?

Oh, my God, Sarah.

JULIE: So for my Lebanese-style food, I need to get the flatbread cooked,

and I also need to get the chicken skewers cooked.

Hopefully, what will impress the judges

is the flavour that I bring and just the nature of the food.

I don't think it'll be that it's massive technical skill.

So I'm quite nervous about what they're gonna say.

Yep. Oh, I...

(SNIFFS) Sorry. (LAUGHS)

I'm ravenous. Run at me, 24 dishes.

(LAUGHS) Running. "Come at me!"

CHRISTINA: Just transferring that fish over.

Oh, that's really salty.

I think the salted cod is still too salty.

Oh, yes.

I just won't put salt on anything else.

To offset the saltiness in the fish,

I'm not going to salt any other element in this dish.

So then, hopefully, it balances everything out.

Doing justice to the dish is in the forefront of my mind,

followed closely by getting that pin.

You have five minutes to go!

(CHEERING)

Time, it just flies. (LAUGHS)

I'm stressing, stressing, stressing.

I have to push. I have to do it. Ah!

Ah!

JOCK: That cabbage looks delicious.

You've got two hits at getting an immunity pin.

You've got that rogue pin that can go to either team.

Yep. How much do you want it?

So bad. Good luck.

I've put the cabbage into the centre of the leek and white pepper puree.

The chilli oil's on the side

and finished off with those salty, crispy bits of leek.

It's simple, but I think it's a beautiful dish,

and, hopefully, it's gonna be enough for the pin.

CHRIS: Hey, this is like cooking in the NT, mate, it's that hot.

It's beautiful, innit?

JENN: Oh, my gosh!

Clock is ticking away and it's time to release my pressure cooker.

Food and cooking is definitely a lot more creative than dentistry,

and this is my version

of a traditional Taiwanese beef noodle soup.

We've got Fans, Favourites, pins and trophies!

You guys have got three minutes!

(JUDGES CLAP) CONTESTANTS: Whoo! Whoo!

DANIEL: For my Territory tacos,

I've got some fish cooked, but I'm not happy.

It's just still not as crispy as I would like it.

Don't stress.

I got to really push through and hustle now,

because I'm starting to really run out of time.

Cooking my flour tortillas,

they're getting a beautiful colour on the outside, but I bite into one

and it's, like, a bit too floury.

I'm real worried now. I'm, like, "Oh, my God."

I don't really need this right now.

Final touches, everyone! You've only got one minute to go!

CONTESTANT: Whoo-hoo! (JUDGES CLAP)

We're in the final minute. Stress is ridiculous.

Pork belly, I've taken it out, and...

Perfect.

Ooh, Tommy's calling perfect. Hoo!

Oh! Someone up there loves me.

Oh! Oh! (LAUGHS)

What a waste!

My mum told me never to cook bun mam on MasterChef

because it's too crazy,

but I really, really hope that the judges' palates can handle this dish.

Why do I keep thinking I've forgotten something?

It's a little bit like that, isn't it?

Ready or not, you got 10!

JUDGES: Nine! Eight! Seven!

Six! Five! Four!

Three! Two! One!

That's it! That's it!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

It's the girl power in this line, isn't it?

(LAUGHS) (APPLAUSE)

(BOTH LAUGH)

High five. SASHI: Oh, it's crazy, man.

Look at me. I'm perspiring. (LAUGHS)

I'm a bit rusty.

I don't have that... that speed that I used to have.

But there are some amazing...

..dishes I can see out here,

so hope I can, uh, get a pin.

Um, the first cook was insane. It was really cool to cook with the Favourites.

I'm happy with the balance of flavours

in my lemon myrtle parfait and Davidson plum and strawberry sorbet.

Definitely want to show the judges what I've learnt from watching the show,

but, yeah, it was just such an awesome opportunity

to...to have the first cook here.

We've got a feeling this is going to be a bloody good tasting.

The first dish that we want to taste...

I've been looking forward to saying this.

..belongs to...

..Julie Goodwin!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (JOCK LAUGHS)

JULIE: It's been 13 years since I've been on MasterChef, and...

..right now, this feeling of fear washes over me,

because I honestly don't know if my style of cooking will be enough.

MAN: Wow.

JULIE: And I feel an intense pressure to do well,

having won the first season all those years ago.

JOCK: Julie.

What have you cooked?

..Julie Goodwin!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (JOCK LAUGHS)

MAN: Come on, Julie! CONTESTANTS: Julie! Julie! Julie!

Julie! Julie! Julie!

JOCK: OK. Julie?

What have you made us?

JULIE: Um... (LAUGHS)

..well, it's, uh, sh... uh, Lebanese food,

so it's shish tawook...

..with, um, some flatbread and a bit of fattoush and some rice.

And some toum as well.

ANDY: Did you love the cook?

I loved it, and I felt that fantastic adrenaline rush,

but also those nerves, man, they just came back like...

..like no time had passed at all.

ANDY: I reckon we crack straight in.

JOCK: Yeah. 'Cause it looks that good.

JOCK: Um...

..Julie?

You're a competent cook, clearly, right?

I just want to talk about what I'm feeling from you,

watching you cook today and watching you stand now.

I feel that you think

that because you are the OG...

..and you were the winner from such a...such a time ago

that you feel as if you're not at a standard

as the years that have come after you.

Is that fair?

That's absolutely true, yes.

JOCK: What I'm gonna tell you...

..need you to just let it wash through your brain, which is...

..you're not an OG.

You're a winner.

But what you are, more importantly,

is a classic.

OK? And classics never get old.

Classics are very hard to beat.

And time and time again,

the classics rise to the top.

(LAUGHS) Thank you.

MELISSA: From a technical standpoint,

everything was beautiful.

The shish tawook, beautifully spiced,

you know, the perfume of the sumac,

that little bit of sort of sourness that it brings.

It was succulent. It was smoky. It was everything it should have been.

The bread was soft and pliable

and such a joy just to pull the chicken off the skewer

into the bread,

apply liberal amounts of that beautiful garlicky-rich toum.

Everything had a place.

Thank you. ANDY: Like, look at us.

We're like a tight little family

huddling around the dinner table, fighting for the last skewer.

When we came to your bench, you're, like, "I bring people together."

You can taste it in every single bite

of every single element on the platter.

Julie, you have every bit as much chance

of your name on that trophy again.

And with food that tastes that good...

..and looks that good...

..I'm banking on it.

Thank you. JOCK: Well done.

Thank you. Thank you. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Oh, don't!

You are!

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(EXHALES) Yeah. It's good.

The first one's done.

Yeah. It's always, like, "Phwoar! So much better."

Rip the bandaid off. (LAUGHS) Yeah.

(EXHALES) Alright. It doesn't matter what I hear from 'em now.

But that's OK. That's all good. That's alright. OK. (LAUGHS)

(EXHALES)

Montana.

Let's go. (APPLAUSE)

I'm the first Fan to be tasted, and it's definitely intimidating.

I've watched tastings on MasterChef for many, many years,

and now I'm here, so it's definitely surreal,

and I really hope that the judges like my dish.

JOCK: Montana. MONTANA: Yes.

JOCK: What have you cooked?

MONTANA: So, it is a lemon myrtle parfait

with, um, strawberry, caramelised white chocolate,

macadamia and some native flavours.

ANDY: How old were you in 2009

when Julie first lifted that thing above her head?

Oh, God.

Grade 7? (ANDY LAUGHS)

(LAUGHTER) WOMAN: Jules!

Jules, I'm trying to make her feel young, not the other way.

(LAUGHTER) Thanks, Andy. You're going great.

(LAUGHTER)

MONTANA: The first season that I really started

becoming obsessed with food

was Billie's season.

And from there, it really escalated into a massive passion of mine.

Oh. That's so nice. MAN: That's sweet.

So nice.

MONTANA: Really?

Are you serious? JOCK: Yeah.

Like, I'm really, really serious.

You can tell that you're a huge MasterChef fan,

because the cake, fantastic.

The texture of the parfait is beautiful.

Gorgeous, silky. It's rich. It's decadent.

It is highlighted by the lemon myrtle, not overpowered by it.

That feels pin-worthy to me.

ANDY: The most impressive thing here is the balance of flavour,

hitting the bright notes from the Davidson plum

and, uh, strawberry sorbet

verse the strawberry gum that's in there as well.

It all gets kind of calmed down

with a slight floral note of the lemon myrtle parfait.

MELISSA: Just goes to show that if you watch a lot of MasterChef,

lots of really good things can happen,

because that was a really inspired plate of food.

Excellent. Well done.

Thank you. (APPLAUSE)

Well done, Montana!

Next up, Billie!

(HOWLS) MAN: Good luck, Billie!

BILLIE: Lamb shoulder with anchovy croquettes

and a pea-and-horseradish puree.

How does it feel to have Montana say you're the reason...

BILLIE: Yeah, I know. ..she's standing there?

Pretty bloody special.

Still have to pinch yourself about it.

Lamb shoulder, I thought it was gonna be super-heavy.

Actually, it wasn't heavy at all,

because the horseradish in your puree and the anchovy croquettes

just lifted it up.

There's a reason why you've picked up that trophy before, Billie.

Well done. Thanks, Jock.

Thank you. Thanks. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Alvin Quah!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

ALVIN: Prawn curry laksa.

JOCK: Long time between dishes up in the judging table, mate.

ALVIN: Yes. It's really bizarre.

Like, I'm all sorts of confused at the moment.

Were you expecting Gary, Matt and George?

Well, yes. So, surprise! (ALL LAUGH)

George, you've changed. Oh, hey!

(ALL LAUGH)

MELISSA: Well, if this is you in a bowl, then you are sweet, salty,

a little bit sour, a bit funky

and extremely generous.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Great stuff, Al.

Righto, Sarah, let's have it.

I have made a dish inspired by laal maas,

served with Australian lamb backstrap.

I'll start with the sauce.

Like, that's a 10.

It's so well balanced.

The pickled mustard seeds, I really love,

'cause it is really rich, that gravy,

so nice little pops of that, both for texture and acidity.

That was, like, just insane.

Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. WOMAN: Go, Sarah!

(APPLAUSE)

Sashi!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (LAUGHS)

Wow.

Um, wow.

SASHI: This is a Peranakan-inspired dish.

What I have created is steamed fish sandwich with chilli jam,

pickle, shallot, some coconut rice and also a bit of coconut dressing.

Put your hand up if you're a fan of Sashi's.

(LAUGHS) (JUDGES LAUGH)

I'm in trouble today. (LAUGHS)

This lives up to everything that I was expecting from you and some.

Your fish, that is not easy to do.

That little mince... SASHI: Yes.

..filling inside the sandwich, to get that just set like you have

is unbelievably skilful.

You're not just back. You're back!

(LAUGHS) JOCK: Well done, mate.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, guys. Thank you.

(LAUGHS) (APPLAUSE)

Next up...

..it's Jenn.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JENN: I left my stable job as a dentist to pursue my passion for food

because I am quite a creative person.

So I really hope my dish can show that

I do belong here in the MasterChef kitchen.

MELISSA: OK, Jenn. What have you cooked?

Um, I've made hong shao niu rou mian,

which is Taiwanese beef noodle soup,

but, um, Jenn's version, so it's a little bit unconventional.

I don't think I've ever seen people use oxtail with beef cheek,

but I really like those two cuts.

Classically beef shin, of course. JENN: Yes.

Yep. JENN: Usually it's beef shin.

Um, and... Why do you like those two cuts?

Well, they're really gelatinous. They're very rich and fatty.

And I love that the collagen melts into this gooey, thick mess

and that becomes part of the broth, yeah.

I think you're definitely speaking our language.

(LAUGHS)

It is insanely tasty.

It is unbelievable.

Everything you said about the richness from the collagen

and the way that it coats your mouth and just hangs around.

That is, like, goose bumps stuff.

And with food like that,

man, this is where you belong, right here.

MELISSA: There is so much flavour generated.

The nuance and balance of spice is incredible.

And with the cuts of meat

that aren't a particularly authentic touch

are inherently authentic to you.

And for that, we are very grateful.

Thank you so much. JOCK: Well done, Jenn.

ANDY: Nice one, Jenn. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(WHISTLES)

MAN: Yeah, Jenn!

All the way from the Territory, it's Daniel.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Go, Daniel!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yeah, Dan!

After the first cook, I'm kind of spewin'.

This is your first impression, not only to the judges,

but I want to try and impress my team and show them what I can do,

and really sucks that I'm actually

not that happy with what I've produced today,

and I'm pretty worried about how this is gonna go.

Run us through the Territory tacos.

DANIEL: So, it starts off with a boring, uh, flour tortilla.

But then it steps it up a bit. ANDY: Gee, you're really selling it.

Yeah. (LAUGHS) MELISSA: Wow.

You've got to start small and go up. ANDY: OK.

So...from there, then we've got a mango salsa,

um, and then we've got a barramundi with Kaffir lime tempura

and then a sriracha mayo sauce on top.

Amazing.

I'm into it, man. I'm into it.

ANDY: So, let's go through from bottom to top.

You didn't really sell me on the... on the flour tortilla.

Let's face it. DANIEL: (LAUGHS) Yeah.

ANDY: Um, and it is a bit floury.

Yep.

ANDY: Mango salsa, there's some good stuff there.

For me, it just needs more lime juice.

I want my cheeks to, like, really crinkle in...

DANIEL: Yeah, righto. ..'cause it's really acidic.

Versus the sweetness of that mango.

Yep. Um...your tempura.

I think your ratios are out, 'cause it's not super-crisp.

There's good stuff here, but there is a lot to work on.

Yeah. Yeah.

This is the place to do it.

Tacos are a fun thing. You're a fun guy.

You're using ingredients that you know and you are proud of,

you know, when it comes to produce of the Northern Territory, so...

..I...I love where you're starting.

Thanks very much. Cheers.

Over the next few weeks, you're gonna learn tips, tricks.

You're gonna learn from people around you.

You're gonna research at night.

And then all of a sudden, you'll come in this kitchen,

you'll cook a dish and go,

"I made that," right?

It'll happen one day. Yeah. (LAUGHS)

You're right at the beginning of a path. It's so exciting.

DANIEL: Yeah. And I'm excited to be on it with you, mate.

Thanks very much. I appreciate it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Thanks, guys.

I'm pretty chuffed even though I didn't do too well.

You know, I've lost my chance at immunity, but...

..they can see where I could potentially go.

Next up, it's Chris. (CHEERING) WOMAN: Go, Chris!

MAN: Go, Chris! (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

CHRIS: Banh cuon, which is steamed rice noodle rolls,

with a pork, prawn and black fungus filling, and a nuoc cham.

MELISSA: You have given us perfect noodles.

I think you can do better with your nuoc cham.

Don't be afraid to just put your foot on the gas

and really give it some extra.

Cheers. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

John!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JOHN: So, what I've got for you is maja blanca,

so it's my take on the Filipino dish.

Bucketloads of technique.

The mirror glaze, fantastic.

All the flavours were nice. They were just muted. JOHN: Yep.

JOCK: So...even if you had to dial back on the skills

just to amp up the flavour, do that.

'Cause flavour trumps every time. JOHN: Thank you.

Well done, John. Thanks, John. Thank you.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Aldo!

Ta-da! We're revving the show. Huh?

ALDO: Porcini mushroom and duck ragu tortellini.

JOCK: If you were cooking this at home,

would it be Neapolitan-style, tossed off together?

Together, through. Grated cheese on top.

Tossed through. Grated cheese on top.

JOCK: Pasta work, fantastic. Um, beautiful al dente.

There's nothing wrong with it.

But I want to see what you would do,

not what you think we would want to see.

I will. I will take it on board, for sure.

Thanks, Aldo. Thanks, Aldo. Good start, mate.

Thank you, guys. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The next dish we'd like to taste belongs to Harry.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There's three immunity pins up for grabs, and that's massive.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) WOMAN: Harry!

HARRY: I'm really nervous about bringing my dish to the judges.

Because such a simple dish

and my chances of winning one of those pins,

it's all riding on cabbage.

MELISSA: OK, Harry.

Please explain this intriguing plate of food,

So, I've made for you, uh, a burnt cabbage.

On the bottom, there's, uh, a leek kind of puree sauce.

Uh, there's a few snow peas,

some crispy leeks, bit of chilli oil,

and then I also smack it with, uh, black vinegar at the end.

I'm 26.

Like, I don't have a lot of money to play with when it comes to food.

So, um, cooking vegies is easy,

and I can make stuff that tastes really good

without having to, like, spend a whole bunch,

and often it's just cooking whatever's in the fridge.

You said you learned to cook like this

because you didn't have, you know, a...a lot of money to work with.

With dishes like that,

you may have a quarter of a million dollars to work with.

CONTESTANTS: Whoo.

Wow.

That was...perfect.

Thank you.

That is, like, flat out,

just belongs in a really awesome, amazing restaurant.

It's got richness, but then it's also got,

because you smacked it with the black vinegar, it's powerful.

That chilli oil is crunchy. It's crispy. It's umami.

It's all of the things that you look for.

It's very talented cooking,

from a 26-year-old that's just walked through those doors

for the first time.

You don't want to start any other place than right there.

And it could very, very much get you one of those pins.

Thank you. Thanks.

There are dishes that bring you back to restaurants.

That's one of those. It's called a signature dish.

The cabbage has got great caramelisation.

The puree was silky. It was creamy.

It's...I've got no faults, nothing.

It's right up there.

So, um...no more words.

Thank you.

Whoo! Yeah!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Killed it! Yes!

Well done, man.

Good on you, Harry. Good one, Harry.

Yeah, good one, Harry. Well done.

Thanks, guys.

You guys are smashing it.

They're very bringing it on, don't they?

Bit of deja vu, 'cause it's time for a bit of Tommy time.

WOMAN: Come on, Tommy. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Bun mam is raw. It's pungent. It's funky.

It's got so much going on, and...

..it's not a dish you would normally see

in your standard kind of Vietnamese restaurant.

So I hope my risk pays off.

JOCK: On the funk scale... TOMMY: Yep.

..10 being, like, Mum telling you that your bun mam's too much...

Yes.

..where's this?

This is 100 on the funk scale.

Really?

enjoy another serving or savour past seasons, at:

Tommy, what have you cooked?

Uh, today I've cooked bun mam,

which is a...

..super-funky, unapologetic,

unedited Vietnamese dish.

And I just...I didn't hold back.

(SLURPS)

Oh!

(APPLAUSE) Thank you so much, Mel.

(LAUGHS) You did it.

This is truly phenomenal food,

truly phenomenal.

(JUDGES LAUGH)

TOMMY: Down it. Down it.

I would.

You can smell this dish coming at you,

and this is testament to the fact

that when you don't hold back in who you are,

you will be celebrated.

It was perfectly cooked, crispy pork belly, super-succulent,

perfect sidekick for the funky broth.

The prawns just set, again, perfect.

Fresh herbs, silky, slippery noodles that were perfect,

and then the broth that... we're all sculling.

(ALL LAUGH)

But it's... it's just perfection, mate.

JOCK: If that's what you're gonna do on day one, mate!

Pin?

Very, very, very, very maybe today, mate. Well done, buddy.

Perfect. Oh, thank you so much, guys.

Yes, Tommy! CONTESTANT: Yeah!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Oh, wow.

Next up...

..Minoli.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) CONTESTANT: Let's go, Min.

MINOLI: String hoppers with coconut, gravy, eggs.

Had I not been wearing a 3-piece suit,

I would have just got my hand and went like that

and just shoved it in my face.

Great dish. Well done. Thank you.

Whoo! Minoli!

Michael!

Coral trout with, uh, champagne and Vegemite sauce.

MELISSA: This dish is really, really fantastic

and I would order it in a restaurant for sure.

Awesome. ANDY: Thanks, mate. JOCK: Well done, mate.

MAN: Go, Michael! Mindy!

I have made you a beautiful native curry.

JOCK: Seafood, beautifully cooked.

I'm loving the flavours.

And if this is the first of many, I can't wait to see what's next.

Well done, Mindy. Thanks. ANDY: Mindy!

HARRY: I never want to cook against her.

I never want to cook against her. I know.

HARRY: She's terrifyingly good.

Well done, Mindy. Well done.

Next up, Max. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

MAX: Crab tagliolini.

How did it feel with, like, 12 legends of the kitchen

staring at the back of your head?

MAX: I know there's some really stiff competition, but...

..knowing who was behind me was only inspiration for the cook today.

JOCK: Great pasta. Nicely cooked.

The crab...is perfect.

Well done, Max. Thank you so much.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Take it away, Steph.

MAN: Go, Steph!

JESS: Chocolate and Earl Grey cake.

ANDY: Flavour-wise, it's delicious.

You just come in and just, like,

shot out everything that you possibly can at us.

"There you go. This is me. I'm the cake girl."

Nice one, Steph. Good job, Steph.

Whoo! They're strong. They're bringing it.

(LAUGHS)

Keyma!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) With the... With the shoulders.

(LAUGHS)

Yeah! (LAUGHS) Whoo-hoo-hoo! (LAUGHS)

KEYMA: Seafood stew.

ANDY: The seafood cooking is...is perfect.

And then the broth. It was rich. It was sweet.

It was really delicious to eat. JOCK: Well done.

Thank you so much. Nice one, Keyma.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (LAUGHS)

Dulan.

What have you cooked, mate?

So I've made you guys some crab curry.

ANDY: Oh, yeah!

Favourites. I'd watch out.

These Fans are here to win. I'm telling ya.

This is unbelievably delicious.

Well done, mate. (APPLAUSE)

Oh! Well done.

Aw!

Next up, it's Christina!

Oh! There it is. (CHEERING)

It means so much to me for the judges to like this.

This is the first opportunity that I have to cook Portuguese food.

I don't know if they're going to get it.

She's not pretty.

So I'm...I'm really worried.

Um, I cooked bacalhau a bras.

So it's salted codfish, uh, with potatoes, uh, onions...

..um...

..and eggs.

And then it's... I don't know why I'm tearing up.

It's just, it's...you know.

Sorry. (LAUGHS) JOCK: No. It's...it...

This is a dish that means something to you.

Talk to me about that.

CHRISTINA: Oh, it's just...

..Portuguese food is...

JOCK: Yeah. ..very underrated.

Um, and a lot of people in Australia,

you know, they hear Portuguese food and they think tarts and chicken.

Um, and it's... (LAUGHTER)

..so much more than that, um,

and so that's... that's Portugal on a plate.

JOCK: Alright. Let's eat it.

You've just taken such a huge step forward in...

..in your cooking career, I feel, with this dish.

Really?

It looks so simple.

But it's...it's so complex,

and you're, like...you're walking such a tightrope with those flavours.

It's, like, salt cod, olives, like, they're...they're big players.

But...treating the salt cod how you had, by knowing that it was salty,

soak it in milk, getting rid of some of that salt,

caramelising slowly those brown onions, it's, like...

..that is heaven.

It is unbelievable, Christina.

It's such a simple premise, but in the right hands,

it's thousands of years of history,

and the way you've treated it here, it's silky, it's decadent.

You've balanced everything beautifully.

It's a clear demonstration of knowledge and technique.

Thank you.

It is done so expertly. It has blown me away.

I'm...I'm so happy for you you've... you've pulled this on day one,

because that confidence could be enough

to drive you through to pick up that trophy.

Well done. Thank you.

ANDY: Nice job, Christina. Thank you so much.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

CHRISTINA: For the judges to get it and then to love it,

I feel seen, I feel like...

..I've done my culture proud.

Um...

Not gonna cry.

It means a lot.

Thank you.

Uh! Thank you.

(SNIFFS)

ANDY: We asked all of you to show us your strengths,

and, man, you did that and more, so well done.

JOCK: Alright. Down to business.

We've got three pins to give away,

one for the best dish of the Favourites...

..one for the best dish of the Fans...

..and, of course, one for the next best dish,

which could be either of you.

So, without further ado...

..the winner of the Favourites pin...

..is Tommy.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Thank you so much. Thank you, mate. Thank you. Thank you. Oh. You can have it now, mate.

Put that thing on. Thank you. Thank you.

And now...

..the winner of the Fans pin is...

..Harry.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There you go. Wear it with pride. Well done.

Yeah, girl! Well done!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well done. That was good.

So, the burning question is,

which contestant created the next best dish?

There were so many to choose from.

But we have.

And the next best dish belonged to a...

..Favourite.

CONTESTANTS: Ooh!

(LAUGHTER)

MELISSA: And...

..it was cooked by...

..Christina.

What?! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You 100% deserve that.

Holy moly, Andy! It's all yours.

Th...thank you so much. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Thank you.

(LAUGHS)

Don't cry again. I know. Sorry. I'm a crier.

(LAUGHS)

We are so pumped from what we've seen today.

And we can't wait to see what you do this season.

Trust us, it's gonna be a big one.

Get out of here. See you, guys. Well done, everybody!

Hey, thanks, guys!

Good work, team!

Good work!

(JUDGES CLAP)

VOICEOVER: This year... Are you ready for this? CONTESTANTS: Yes, Chef!

(CHEERING) Come on.

..MasterChef takes team competition...

MAN: This is definitely David versus Goliath.

..to a whole new level...

We're not gonna come in against the Favourites without a game plan, mate.

Let's go, Fans. Bring it on!

..with never-before-seen challenges...

MAN: Oh, my God. (WOMAN LAUGHS)

..inspired by amazing locations

and superstar guest chefs.

ANDY: It's Curtis Stone! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

MELISSA: Maggie Beer!

Rick Stein! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JOCK: Matt Stone, everybody!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) ANDY: Adriano Zumbo!

Are you serious?!

JOCK: Please welcome...

..Marco Pierre White!

(LAUGHTER, CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Come closer.

The pressure will intensify...

Ah! Oh, my God.

..with eliminations... (SIGHS)

..that will shock everyone.

(SOBS) Come and sit down and talk to me.

Come on.

But through it all...

These guys have got my back.

..their friendship and determination...

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Oh, my God!

..is the recipe for success.

MAN: Mouth-wateringly delicious.

It really is first-class.

MELISSA: This is flawless food.

ANDY: Each bite is like a little different explosion.

Will history repeat? (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JOCK: The flavour was epic.

That's a competition-winning dish.

Or will it be rewritten?

The winner of MasterChef: Fans versus Favourites...

Captions by Red Bee Media