Throughout their Dessert Masters journey, each of the contestants showcased their unique talent for complex flavour and sophisticated presentation however, not everyone was able to stand the heat, leaving finalists Reynold Poernomo, Jess Liemantara, and Gareth Whitton, as the final chefs in the kitchen.
Remaining a consistent front-runner throughout the competition, MasterChef Australia alumni and KOI Dessert Bar founder Reynold's oak wood gelato earned his place in the grand finale, with judge Amaury Guichon stating that Reynold's innovation "is definitely a Dessert Master worthy dessert."
Joining Reynold in the grand finale was fellow MasterChef Australia alumni Jess, whose intricate and matcha moss bonsai tree forced her to push her creative boundaries in order to land her place in the final three.
"At the start of the competition, I would not have even dared such a thing... I wanted to put everything into this cook because it could be my last day," Jess said during the semi-final.
As one of the underdogs throughout the competition, pastry chef Gareth Whitton's focus and flavourful semi-final dessert promoted him to the final three, with his artichoke, apple, and hazelnut truffles leaving a lasting impression on the judge's tastebuds.
Entering the final challenge, tensions in the kitchen continued to run high, with each of the contestants showcasing their determination as they cooked their way closer to the $100,000 grand prize.
Tasked with the most ambitious challenge of the competition to date, the final three were tasked with crafting a full service experience in under four hours, consisting of a two-course dessert to cater for 15 people.
With the final challenge underway, the judges closely kept a close eye on the contestants, with judge Melissa Leong stating, “Gareth has a lot of experience in the kitchen, but Jess and Reynold have experience in this kitchen.”
Following the conclusion of their allotted challenge time, Reynold, Jess, and Gareth presented their meticulously crafted two-course dessert experience to the judges.
While each contestant received high praise from both judges, it was Gareth’s expertly crafted flavours that pushed him to the top of the leaderboard, with Melissa and Amaury crowning him as the first ever winner of Dessert Masters with a score of 35/40.
“It’s surreal. I never expected to be here at the finale. Full credit to the guys, it was such a good cook today. This is unreal, it’s out of this world,” Gareth said following his win.