NEED TO KNOW
- Ahead of the semi-final, the fan-favourite face-off between the judges and Top 3 contestants returned on Sunday, August 2.
- Aaron, Vinnie, and Petro reveal what it was like to be on the other side of the judging table.
- The Top 3 contestants reveal seeing a new side to Poh Ling Yeow and Jean-Christophe Novelli.
With the MasterChef semi-final in sight, fan-favourite challenges are returning to keep audiences on their toes and anticipation rife.
With Andy Allen on paternity leave, the remaining three judges battled it out in the ‘The Fun One’ challenge before competing against the contestants, and it’s fair to say the excitement (and nerves) were palpable.
The final three cooks revealed to WHO what it was like to critique the judges for a change.
“It was a lot of fun and it felt like we might finally get a bit of payback on the judges; a little light-hearted redemption,” Aaron said. “The boys and I decided to channel our favourite judges and have some fun with the role. But once we actually stepped into their shoes, we quickly realised just how challenging judging really is.
“It gave us a whole new perspective and an even greater level of respect for the judges and what they do.”
Vinnie agreed with Aaron on this one, confessing that it made him “realise how hard judging is”.
“You need to make sure your feedback is constructive and honest,” he said. “It really showed me just how much the judges care about us and our development, and how much effort it really takes to do what they do. That said, it was a nice change to flip the script and be on this side of the table.”
The contestants loved ‘pestering’ the judges
The first round was a one-on-one showdown between Poh Ling Yeow and Jean-Christophe Novelli with a brief to ‘hero the humble potato’ in just 60 minutes.
After some incredible Jean-Christophe impressions from Aaron, Vinnie, and Petro (who were very much relishing their role as judges), they returned behind the kitchen benches once again to face off against the judges in the second round for the ‘full feast’ challenge.
In 75 minutes, the semi-finalists formed a team against two of the judges, Poh and Jean-Christophe, and were tasked with making two mains, three sides and a dessert, with Sofia Levin and ex-MasterChef contestants Luke and Dot brought down from the gantry to be the judges.
While Poh and Jean-Christophe opted for a French-themed spread of dishes, the final three opted for a BBQ feast vibe.
After a closely fought competition, with Petro’s chiffon cake (made with Poh’s recipe) taking everyone by surprise, the judges reigned supreme.
They do have years of culinary and industry experience after all!
Reflecting on the experience, Petro told WHO that “it was a lot of fun” and “one of those iconic challenges that everyone looks forward to and wants to be a part of”.
“We never really get to see the judges properly in action, so to see that and taste their food was exciting,” he said. “My favourite part was pestering them throughout their cook like they do to us!”
‘I never thought I’d see the judges genuinely flustered’
While the contestants got to experience a “heightened level of pressure” going up against the judges, they also revelled in seeing a different side of the judges; one where they weren’t so composed!
“I never thought I’d see the judges genuinely flustered,” Aaron said. “They’ve spent years in professional kitchens and have an incredible depth of knowledge and experience, but it was fascinating to see that even they felt the stress and pressure of the challenge.
“It just goes to show that cooking — and competing — in the MasterChef kitchen is a completely different experience.”
“The judges are usually so cool, calm and collected,” Vinnie said. “So seeing them under the pump was quite funny.
“I obviously knew beforehand that they were passionate about food, but seeing them on the tools really showed just how dedicated they are to their craft.”
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