Original subtitles

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

ANDY: Morning!

Go, guys!

LUKE: Pretty rough to be back in the black apron.

Definitely not my favourite colour at the moment.

I'm definitely nervous,

but it's home-cooking week.

That's kind of what I'm all about.

So I'm ready to give it everything I've got.

Good morning, guys.

Good morning. Hello.

Welcome to your very first pressure test.

(APPLAUSE)

My God. A pressure test.

I was hoping it wasn't going to be this.

I know pressure tests can be very, very technical,

very technique-driven,

so I want to be really organised and really focused today.

I hope you are ready,

because the legend who set this challenge,

they're no stranger to the MasterChef kitchen.

(ALL MUTTER)

An icon of the Australian food scene,

this guest is an absolute trailblazer.

You'll find her legendary recipes

in households across the country.

She is a national treasure.

The Aussie queen of home cooking.

Please welcome Maggie Beer!

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Oh, my gosh, it's Maggie Beer.

I can't believe she's here.

That's so cool.

Maggie Beer!

Maggie Beer is an icon.

She has just done so much for food in Australia.

I mean, if you walk into the grocery store,

you see Maggie Beer stock, Maggie Beer quince paste.

She's everywhere.

I never feel more welcome than coming in this door

and having everyone be excited.

How could you not?

Full rock-star status for you. (LAUGHS)

Yes. At my age, it's pretty good.

POH: Maggie, we have a new batch of home cooks for you.

What is it about home cooking that you love so much?

Never having been taught to cook,

I have only felt how to cook.

And therefore I don't have rules around how I should do things.

So I can decide at all times where to go with food just by...

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: It's the best way.

..feeling it, talking to it, it talking to me.

Luke, how does it feel to be standing

in front of Maggie Beer?

I'm pretty starstruck, to be honest.

Ah, I'm a very big fan, Maggie.

Ah, but I'm really excited to cook something for you.

Mate, you're proper giddy, aren't you?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. WOMAN: I think he's blushing!

Maggie, please,

can you give us a hint of what is under these cloches?

Well, let me tease you a little.

(LAUGHS)

I can't imagine anyone not loving what's under here.

And it's not hard.

Ooh... It really isn't hard.

(LAUGHTER)

It's not hard for Maggie. Not hard for Maggie Beer.

Maggie, can you please put them out of their misery?

Today, you'll be making...

..pies.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Maggie's pies look homely and beautiful and elegant

all at the same time.

My heart... What are we doing?

But what is actually going to be this challenge?

They're going to have to re-create two pies?

I know that if that was me down there,

I would be feeling sick to my stomach.

Starting with savoury first.

Guinea fowl and mushroom pie.

Because I love both. I love game.

And the flavours of the mushrooms and the herbs

I think is fabulous.

Talk to me, Maggie. (LAUGHTER)

And my apple and sage pie.

Apple and sage.

I don't have a sweet tooth,

so even a sweet dish for me has to have a savoury element.

The secret of a very good pie is the pastry.

My absolute favourite pastry to use is my sour cream pastry.

Sour cream just gives something so special,

whether it's for a savoury pie or a sweet pie.

It's so versatile.

But there is a twist.

You are not making these pies.

But you are making Maggie's sour cream pastry.

You must use Maggie's pastry,

but then you can make any pie that you choose.

There's just - phew! - a sigh of relief.

I don't like to follow strict recipes,

so hearing we can make sweet or savoury

and we need to choose our own filling

is definitely reassuring.

Right. I know it's a silly question.

Who wants to come in and have a test?

Pat's gone early. Come on, come on over, come on.

Oh! You can hear that.

(ALL LAUGH, EXCLAIM)

WOMAN: Oh!

Oh, my God, the smell just hit me.

Maggie's pies look amazing.

But then the smell hits you,

and it's just like a dream come true.

Oh, my God. The filling is so flavourful.

But the standout for me was that pastry.

I don't know how she's done it, but the pastry is just perfect.

It's perfectly cooked, perfectly flaky,

and the flavour is just something

that I've never had before.

The biggest tip I can give you is when you're adding liquid,

never put all your liquid in at once.

Gauge how much liquid the flour needs,

because every flour is different.

Every day, the temperature, the humidity might be different.

So you can't be totally prescriptive.

And chill, chill, chill.

And I don't mean your nerves.

(LAUGHTER) What I mean...

Your filling must be really cool before you form your pie.

PAT: My fiance is quite a baker

and she discovered this recipe quite a while ago,

so I don't want to put too many foots forward,

but we do make this at home, so...

Even this exact recipe for pastry?

We use it for our sweet and savoury pies at home.

I have made it before, but, you know,

I've still got to pull it off today, so...

OK, guys, you have one hour and 45 minutes

to make any kind of pie you like.

But you must use Maggie's sour cream pastry recipe.

Which means your pie must be the same size as Maggie's.

You also have to create a side dish and a sauce

to accompany your pie.

(ALL LAUGH, MUTTER)

So use your time wisely.

The recipe, equipment, and ingredients

that you need for Maggie's pastry

are all at your benches.

For everything else, the pantry and garden are open.

I hope you're ready, because your time starts now!

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

I'd love to see what everyone's choosing.

I can tell where you're going.

MAN: Maggie Beer's behind us, everyone. Act normal.

I'm just looking over your shoulder, making no comment.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

POH: So we've set them up for success.

They've got your recipe for your sour cream pastry.

And this is quite a joyous challenge, I feel.

I think it's the best challenge.

Yeah. You know?

Like, these guys get to have a bit of Maggie,

but also re-create something of their own.

And I think they're going to shoot for the stars here.

It doesn't feel like a black apron day.

No. Yeah.

It's so happy. Yeah.

Vibes are high.

That's you, Maggie. Yeah, it is.

They are excited.

Their creativity can shine now, and individuality.

I think what we're looking for today is

obviously how well they follow your recipe

and use their intuition to create a pie crust

that is golden and flaky and tasty.

But the filling that they choose,

even though it's their stamp,

it needs to live up to that pastry.

And then that all needs to be tied together

with the side and the sauce,

and they can't be an afterthought.

No, I agree.

And we have to remember that unfortunately,

someone is going home today.

WOMAN: Ooh, what's Pat going? I can see some coconut cream.

MAN: Ooh! And a bunch of spices.

Curry vibes?

PAT: I'm feeling really good.

I've made Maggie Beer's pastry before,

so that's something I'm familiar with.

So that could be a good leg-up for me today.

With pies, I often have made a lot of traditional pies

with your beef, red wine,

you know, beef, bacon and cheese.

But today I really want to make something

a little bit surprising.

WOMAN: What's that, Pat? Pandan.

Oh.

I'm going to be making a chicken curry pie,

and then I'm going to do

a Sri Lankan green apple and cucumber salad

with fresh coconut, green chilli curry leaves, and lime,

and a mango chutney,

so nice and sweet to cut through the acidity of the salad.

Maggie's recipe says to focus on the filling

before I get started on the pastry.

So that's what I'm really focusing on at this stage.

In the pie filling, we've got chicken and also potato.

I love potatoes in curry. The texture they supply.

A lot of spices.

I've got cumin, coriander, chilli, turmeric, fennel.

I think if I can nail this curry pie,

it shows that I have more strings to my bow

than just the traditional flavours.

Hey, Pat. Hello.

How are we? I'm good. How are you?

Ooh. Very good. What's going on here?

Uh, chicken curry pie today.

South Indian, Sri Lankan vibe.

OK. Yeah.

I did not pick that.

I would have been, like, you'd do, like, beef and red wine,

or cheese and steak, or something like that.

Yeah, no. Well...

We cook quite a few curries at home

and it's something we like to eat.

So, has this one, this pie, been on rotation at your house

or is this just a curry that you're putting in a pie?

Yeah. Curry I'm putting in a pie. So...

You've never done this one?

Uh, not in a pie. I've made...

Of all the pies you've made at home.

I love the flavour of these types of...

Lots of, like, lots of your dry spices and...

..and I think the texture of it will hold up in a pie

because you can get it to that right texture.

Sounds like a beautiful idea.

You're kind of reinventing the wheel.

You're giving something to Maggie

that she may not have had before.

Come on, Pat. I want this for you, mate.

I'll be there. Good luck.

I don't feel great about that

one-in-five chance of going home,

but I've got my little turtle here. She's...

My little girl's got one at home,

so she's my good luck charm.

I'm using every bit of luck I can today.

WOMAN: Yeah, girl. Yum. What's that?

JACKIE: So it's Chinese sausage

and then marinated chicken thigh.

POH: Jackie. MAGGIE: Hello, Jackie.

Today, I'm going to make something different.

I'm gonna make a glutinous rice and chicken pie.

Oh! OK.

So kind of like a take on lo mai gai.

Lo mai gai? Yep, yep.

So, Maggie, if you've not had lo mai gai before,

it's glutinous rice that's been soaked

and then put in with all these other fillings

like Chinese sausage, chicken, and seasonings.

And then it's steamed in a steamer basket

with lotus leaf around it.

So instead of encasing all that in, like, a lotus leaf,

you're doing pastry.

Yeah. Maggie's pastry.

Wow! I love the idea.

What side are you going to do? Yes.

It's just an Asian pickle salad on the side.

OK.

So with, like, carrot, cucumber, sesame seeds.

Just have a bit of brightness,

because it will be very, like, a bit denser.

And I just love eating barbecue sauce with my pies.

So for the sauce, I'm thinking I will do, like,

a sweet sticky soy sauce with, like, ginger and garlic.

Why did your mind go here for a pie?

Because it's a very unconventional approach.

It is.

And it's a big day to take a risk like this.

When I think of a pie that I love to eat,

it's just full of fillings and familiar flavours.

I love glutinous rice,

and I love all the little treasures

that you can find throughout.

So I'm hoping when you cut into that pie,

it is kind of like that.

I would never in a million years have thought of it,

but as you describe it,

with all those little bits in it,

I really want to try this.

Great.

This is definitely probably the wildest pie we'll get.

Yes. I'm really, really intrigued.

You're pushing me out of my comfort zone.

(ALL LAUGH) Yeah. Might be a bit different.

I've never made a pie with a rice filling in it.

I don't think I've even eaten a pie with a rice filling in it.

But having rice in the filling means that

it will actually help to thicken up the gravy.

So I really think it could work.

I'm pretty comfortable with my pastry-making skills,

so I think the focus right now is just making sure

that the rice cooks evenly

and the filling is the right consistency.

This should be very chewy, glutinous.

It should all be quite... I don't want to say succulent.

(LAUGHS) It's gonna turn into a meme.

WOMAN: It smells so good, Jackie. Smells unreal.

I don't think the judges will have tasted

a pie like this before,

but hopefully it just isn't too much and it's not too weird.

That was pretty yum.

SOFIA: You need to trust your instincts!

90 minutes to go!

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Just goes like that, hey?

Really excited for my first pressure test.

I can't believe Maggie Beer is here.

Today, I'm drawing from my roots,

and I'm making a ragu-inspired pie.

And it's going to have a bechamel

with a bit of cheese in there.

So it's going to be like a lasagne in a pie.

I'm trying to move as quick as I can

to get my pressure cooker on and cooking.

The pork and beef ragu needs to be nice and rich,

with a deep, saucy element

that feels like it's been cooked for hours.

(ONLOOKERS CHEER) MAN: Yeah, Vin.

My ragu bechamel pie is very, very rich,

so I want something to cut through

that richness on the sides.

I'm thinking a nice side salad and maybe like a gremolata.

Gremolata is basically like a parsley or herb sauce.

It's not exactly super saucy and smooth.

It's more like a thicker salsa type.

POH: Vinny!

How are you going? Hello, Maggie.

You looked so stoked when you saw Maggie.

I was very, very, very stoked, honestly.

Tell us what you're making. I'm making a ragu.

It's a play on my nonna's sagu that she makes every Sunday.

Takes hours normally.

And then I'm gonna also make a bechamel with bit of cheese.

So, like a mornay. Is that the sauce?

No. That'll be in the pie. It's going in the pie.

The sauce I'm gonna do, like, a gremolata

and a little fresh salad on the side.

Question. Would you call a gremolata a sauce, per se?

Well, I'd call it a side.

You need sauce, run.

Sauce that runs. Yeah.

So just have some plan b's.

When you look up and you see Maggie and Poh worried,

you kind of start to think maybe I should be worried too.

They say a sauce needs to be pourable.

And my gremolata is not going to be pourable.

Have I picked the right thing to do?

One little mistake could mean going home.

WOMAN: Whoo!

VINNIE: We don't only have to make a pie today.

I also need to make a side and a sauce.

Maggie and Poh don't think my gremolata is much of a sauce.

It's super, super important to actually meet the brief

to get me through.

So I'm pivoting.

I think I was going a bit too hard on the filling

and a bit too...too complicated.

So I think instead of putting a bechamel inside my pie,

I'm gonna use it as the sauce on the side.

MAN: So, anchovies. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Nice, nice.

I think this is a really smart move.

It still gets the main elements that I wanted on my dish.

And now I don't have to make a whole 'nother sauce.

I've got my pressure cooker on.

Now I can get started on my pastry.

"Dice the chilled butter, then pulse the flour,

"a pinch of salt..." (MUTTERS) "..breadcrumbs."

WOMAN: Whoo!

LUKE: Just lost a couple of eyebrows.

Ha-ha-ha.

Hearing that we need to use Maggie's sour cream pastry,

I'm thinking of filling that is really rich.

I want something that's going to play off against

the creaminess and the tartness of that pastry.

Luke, how are you?

G'day, Luke. What are you making?

I'm gonna do a classic boeuf bourguignon.

Boeuf bourguignon. Yeah, with a, uh...

I'm gonna do creamy mashed potatoes

and a bit of a horseradish, uh, kind of sauce on the side

is the plan.

Wow. That's a lot, hey?

It's a lot to do.

With a challenge like this,

everyone's going to have the pastry as the same,

but I'm hoping that what'll separate me is the filling.

I love that attitude.

I feel like what you're going to need to do

is look at your attention to detail.

I feel like in past cooks, you've tried to do a lot,

and you've got it up, but it's just not perfect.

We need perfection today.

Perfection will keep you in the competition.

Yeah, 100%.

Good luck, brother. Good luck, yeah.

I just need to go a little bit more refined than normal.

Today, I'm using two different cuts of meat.

I'm using chuck as the filling,

and I'm also throwing in a little bone marrow in there.

It's going to bring a deeper flavour,

but it's also going to thicken the stock a little bit

with the natural gelatine in the bones,

which should cut out some time.

I really need to be getting that filling

in the pressure cooker kind of yesterday already.

It's definitely going to be a push for time,

but I'm confident it'll taste delicious

if I can get it on that plate.

WOMAN: Jeff is, like, so clean.

He's just, like, so calm and structured.

It's all...it's baking challenge. I'm not...

I can't say I'm relieved.

Because I can bake,

and I know I can bake and the judges know I can bake,

but I've never made sour cream pastry before,

so I'm feeling nervous.

But my plan today is just focused on what I know

and just believing in my skills.

First time I applied for MasterChef was 11 years ago.

My friends call me 'MasterJeff'

because I've been applying for MasterChef for so long.

After last cook, I'm feeling a bit down,

but I know I can follow recipes,

so I just need to do my thing

and hopefully it could be my redemption cook.

I'm making a Hong Kong-style chicken pie.

This particular pie is really only available

in Hong Kong-style yum cha.

The sauce I'm gonna make is like a garlic chilli oil.

And I'm thinking just a stir fry like choy sum or something,

like Asian vegies, to go with it.

I finished cooking my pie filling

and start cutting up some spring onion to add into it.

I think Asian spring onion will give a bit more

of an Asian flavour.

And now I'm going to get into making my pastry.

70 minutes to go!

ANDY: Come on guys! Keep pushing!

250 plain flour.

Let's get rid of this crime scene.

My rice is still feeling a little bit crunchy

for my glutinous rice and chicken pie.

Slightly crunchy.

I want to make sure that it's sticky, that it's rich,

before it goes in the blast.

So I'm thinking I'm gonna have to leave it on the pan

as long as I can

and start to work on my pastry.

WOMAN: Oh, it smells delicious in here.

The curry pie filling's on, it's nearly done,

and ready to go into the blast chiller.

WOMAN: Oh, yum. MAN: Tasting good? Yeah?

But before I do that, I want to make sure

I get this pastry on.

Seeing Maggie's sour cream pastry recipe

is like seeing an old friend in the kitchen,

and it's making me feel really confident.

I know the first thing I need to do is

get the butter weighed out, the flour in the food processor,

and pulse that until it's a nice sandy texture.

And then gradually add the sour cream

until you've got the right texture.

Maggie said at the start,

you don't want to add all the liquid at once

because it can react differently.

So add about three quarters of the sour cream.

WOMAN: Good job, Pat.

MAN: Yeah. There we go. Good job.

I'm super happy with the texture.

One hour to go and I'm relatively on track.

I have my pastry in the fridge chilling.

I'm happy with the curry flavours.

I'm about to get this into cool.

I just want to get it to the right consistency.

I'm not ready to go home.

I'm ready to stay here, learn, improve, and get better,

and just absolutely smash it.

I've become a dad recently,

and just wanted to show my daughter

that if you... if you love something

and you think you can do it,

you've got to chase it and give it a crack.

I don't want to curse myself, but I feel pretty good.

WOMAN: Yes. Go, Pat. MAN: Good, good.

Looking good. Beautiful job.

Cooks, I need you to listen up!

Because if you're not chilling your filling by now,

this pie is going to be very hard to get done.

You've only got 45 minutes to go. Come on.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

LUKE: I finally got everything in the pressure cooker

for my boeuf bourguignon pie,

and I'm just beginning on my pastry.

I've made the mistake of looking around,

and everyone else's looks beautiful.

Vinnie's pressure cooker has just gone off

and mine is still cooking.

Pat's pastry looks amazing, and his pie filling,

it's already cooling in the freezer.

I was hoping to show the judges that I can elevate my cooking,

but things are just taking a lot longer than I wanted.

My absolute top priority today is

getting Maggie's pie crust perfect.

I need to make sure I follow this recipe exactly.

WOMAN: Are you happy with that?

I don't like it. It's too wet.

It feels so wrong.

It's a wet pastry.

WOMAN: Yeah. Pat's looked a lot different.

I seriously don't know what I'm gonna do.

The clock is ticking down fast,

and I just feel like I don't have time to remake it.

MAN: No, no, no, no, no. It looks like a mashed potato.

If my pastry is not perfect, I'm putting a target on my back.

But if I spend more time remaking this pastry,

I might not get anything on the plate.

I've just taken my pastry out of the food processor

for my boeuf bourguignon pie,

and I'm not very happy with it.

I'm gonna do a second one.

MAN: That's it, Luke. Let's go, mate.

WOMAN: Let's go, buddy. Yes.

I feel like I've followed everything on the recipe,

but just something is just not right with it.

Ah, so I'm doing a second one.

I hope that this time it can fix up.

MAN: Remember, just to take your time with this one, Luke.

Take your time.

Here we go, Luke. Trust your gut on this one.

WOMAN: Yeah, use your instincts.

JACKIE: No!

I need to get more garlic now.

I'm starting to get a little bit worried.

I feel like the time pressure is starting to get to me

a little bit.

WOMAN: Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath.

MAN: You're doing well. You've got it.

My pastry is resting in the blast chiller

for my glutinous rice and chicken pie.

I want to just make sure I'm cooling it down

as quick as possible.

My fillings should be in the blast chiller as well...

..but I'm checking on it.

Still a little bit crunchy.

My rice feels like it's just taking forever

and I still need to roll out the pastry.

I need to make my sauce and make my side.

Look, I'm feeling a little bit under the pressure.

I would love for it to be chewy,

so it definitely needs to be, like, more of, like,

a glutinous sticky rice.

But I think I need to chill it pretty quick suit now.

I think I need to chill it now.

MAN: Let's get that filling in the fridge.

If I don't get it in now,

it's not going to be enough time for the filling to cool

and for me to get into the pie.

Really thin layer. WOMAN: Yeah.

And that will just lead to soggy pastry.

And that could send me home today.

If you ask me, the pie should be in the oven at ten minutes.

Yeah, I want...I want my pie in the oven now.

WOMAN: Yay, Lukey. (APPLAUSE)

Perfect.

Wrong bench.

I'm rolling out my pastry for my chicken curry pie,

and it just looks perfect.

I'm stoked. I could not be happier.

It's just rolling out with no cracks and so easy to work with.

WOMAN: Good job. MAN: Good job, Pat.

WOMAN: He is so focused today.

My filling is cold and ready to go so get that into the pie.

I'm just assessing how that texture is.

Is there enough liquid? Is everything cooked right?

And I'm really happy.

As I press the filling in, it's really even.

The recipe says it should take 15 to 25 minutes in the oven.

Surprisingly, with time,

I'm a few minutes ahead of where I'd like to be.

So I decided to just make a couple of little pastry leaves

just to kind of pretty it up a bit.

MAN: Ah, pretty, pretty.

Nice, Pat.

He's made a pie before.

Yeah. This ain't your first rodeo.

As I get the pie into the oven,

I just really want to make sure I keep a close eye on it,

making sure that

the caramelisation of the pastry is happening,

but without it burning.

I want to crack on with my sides.

Only 30 minutes left to go!

Come on.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

ANDY: That's it, Lukey! Come on.

VINNIE: Just 30 minutes to go.

I need to get this pie filled, covered, and in the oven,

or I'm not gonna have anything to serve.

Far out. It's hot.

I'm a hot guy.

And then there's, like, 50 ovens on in here.

Pastry's looking really, really good.

Easy to work with. Nice and smooth. Nice and soft.

So I'm...I'm happy with that.

WOMAN: Here we go, Vinny. Looking good.

I've just put my pie in the oven.

I'm feeling really stressed it's not gonna get done in time.

But, um, I've just turned the oven up a little bit.

I'm just going to hope for the best.

Now I know I need to start on my bechamel.

This bechamel is going to have nice crunchy pancetta pieces,

going to be rich with that pancetta flavour,

and it's gonna have a variety of cheeses in there.

Cheesy.

Too cheesy?

Never. There's no such thing. (LAUGHS)

This is such an amazing pressure test.

I mean, we've got Maggie beer in our kitchen,

joy in our hearts, sour cream in our pastry.

(LAUGHS) How's it looking?

Uh, it's hectic out there.

Everyone's at different stages.

Pat's probably in the lead. His pie's in the oven.

Vinny just raced in and filled his pie.

It's now in the oven.

Jackie needs to go in the oven asap.

JACKIE: Just going...

Jeff. The lid's on. He's doing a few scores.

And last one, Luke. He's still filling his pie.

So everyone's kind of running out of time.

Yeah.

And even if they make the greatest pie,

it's going to be the battle of

who's got the best sauce to accompany it with.

Yeah. And also the garnish.

Yeah. Is it going to match?

Yeah. I think there was so much effort

to get those pies in the oven...

Yeah.

..that what kind of sides and sauces are we going to get?

LUKE: The bouef bourguignon comes out of the freezer

and it's not fully cold,

but I just don't have time to waste.

I know that the judges want to see refinement from me

and they want to see perfection,

but today I'm doing none of that.

I'm cranking the temperature on that oven,

and I'm just hoping that that's enough to get it cooked.

This is not where I wanted to be at the start of the cook.

I don't know, Maggie.

Big, deep breaths.

You got it in, and I'm thrilled.

I really don't want to disappoint Maggie, to be honest.

Oh, my God.

Jeff still hasn't got his in the oven.

WOMAN: Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God.

Watching Jeff make his pie,

he has a ruler out measuring the top of his pie crust.

Everybody has their pies in the oven except Jeff,

and he's taking so long.

Jeff is... Faffing.

Yeah.

JEFF: I want to be precise with how it looks

and how I've scored the lines.

Otherwise it would make me crazy if I don't score it properly.

Oh, he's really making me feel anxious.

It's alright, mate. Looks good. Let's go.

Yeah. You're right, you're right.

Oh, my God.

But I think I'm losing my sense of time to making it look good.

I just hope it will be enough time to cook for the pastry.

MAN: Chuck it in, Jeff. Chuck it in, mate.

Really don't have much time.

Your pie is one thing,

but don't forget your side and sauce.

15 minutes to go!

ANDY: Come on, guys, keep pushing!

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

MAN: Perfect. Yeah.

Everything's coming together. I'm in the zone. But I'm just...

Every couple of minutes just peeking over

at that chicken curry pie while I'm finishing my sides.

I want the mango chutney to taste sweet and sour,

so I'm adding some vinegar and some sugar,

as well as the natural sweetness from the mango.

Alright, now let's try to use something

I've never used before.

I decided to go with a green apple salad

to provide sweetness and freshness to the dish.

I look at the pie, and it looks great.

Like, it is golden brown. It's time to get it out.

I want to get it out.

Give it at least five minutes to rest.

MAN: Oh, that looks proper. Nice, Pat. That looks unreal.

I'm super pleased, but we have one last hurdle to get over,

and that's making sure

that it gets out of that tart tin perfectly.

Until that happens, I'm not out of the woods.

You're running out of time to rest your pie

because you've only got ten minutes to go.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

WOMAN: You've got this! Yes!

MAN: Keep pushing, Pat. Come on!

VINNIE: I'm just taking my ragu pie out of the oven.

Um, so we're looking really, really brown on top.

I just don't know what it'll look like

on the sides and the bottom.

I just hope it's really cooked through.

Oh, the sides look pretty good from up here.

It's hard when you can't see the bottom.

I know.

While my pie is resting, I'm putting together my salad.

I know that with this really rich pie and rich sauce,

I want something fresh and zesty to cut through all that.

So I'm going to make an apple, fennel, and watercress salad.

I'm really happy with my side

and I'm really happy with my sauce.

I feel like this is one of the most tasty, cheesy,

bechamel mornay sources that I've ever had.

WOMAN: Good, Vin? Yeah.

I'm really hoping that when the judges

taste everything all together,

it'll eat really, really well.

And I just want it to feel like

my nonna's house for a Sunday lunch, but in a pie.

JACKIE: My glutinous rice and chicken pie is out of the oven.

I'm a bit worried that some of the edges

might not be consistent,

but it does look cooked through.

I'm just hoping that the glutinous rice

has gotten really sticky

and binded everything together nicely in the pie.

I hope it doesn't just fall apart when they cut it open.

But I'm happy at least with the crust it's got.

Lost me crust.

And now I can get back to my side and my sauce.

I'm currently doing a little pickle.

It will give some freshness and brightness to the pie,

which it needs.

For the soy barbecue sauce,

I add in ginger and garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce,

a bit of brown sugar as well.

This sauce consistency...

It's actually pretty good.

Don't flake now! Five minutes to go!

WOMAN: Come on, guys! You got this.

You got it. Yes!

WOMAN: Come on, Jeff.

The chilli oil is ready, and my sides is ready.

And now I need to get the pie of the oven.

WOMAN: Looking good, Jeff. Well done.

MAN: Good job, good job. That looks stunning.

From the top, it looks really good.

But until I unmould it, I can't tell.

I'm holding it. Pastry on the side is getting stuck.

Uh...

Try my best to get it out without damaging anything.

Oh, no. Oh, shit. Jeff's is crumbling.

WOMAN: Oh, no.

I just have to hope that all the flavours are there.

Hey, team, you're stressing me out!

You've only got three minutes to go.

ANDY: Come on, everybody! (CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Come on, Luke.

LUKE: I can't wait any longer.

This pie just needs to get out of the oven.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

WOMAN: Looks good.

I don't have any more time to wait

for that pie tin to cool down.

Ah!

It is beautiful and golden all the way around.

But I'm working at absolute double speed.

WOMAN: Come on, Lukey!

And it's cracked on one side.

It's not as refined as I'd like, it's pretty rustic, but...

..it'll have to do.

You're done in ten!

ALL: Nine! Eight! Seven! Six!

Five! Four! Three! Two! One!

That's it, everybody! Well done.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

SOFIA: Pat, what have you made?

PAT: Chicken curry pie with mango chutney

and a green apple cucumber and fresh coconut salad.

This is the first time we've seen

these kinds of flavours from you.

Yes. Where did the idea come from?

Um, at my work, we've got a lot of, um, different cultures.

And we have Spice Club once a quarter.

So everyone brings a plate in

and we share all these different flavours and spicy dishes.

Ooh! (LAUGHS) Yeah.

It can be intimidating

to try and balance all the different spices.

But, you know, I do enjoy that challenge,

and hopefully I've done it well today.

Thank you. Pat. We're going to taste your pie.

Thanks, guys. Thanks, Pat.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Thank you.

Wow. MAGGIE: It looks great.

Oh, that's cutting really beautifully.

I mean, look how much potatoes there are.

ANDY: Yeah. Love it.

Um, I'm a little bit mad.

I'm a little bit mad because

I told myself that I would go easy on pie today.

We've got lots to eat. Tried your pies this morning.

And I've nearly finished Pat's pie.

It's heavy on spice, I'm not gonna lie,

but that's to my taste.

I like an unapologetically chilli-forward curry.

The mango chutney is a great accompaniment.

It's sweet, flavourful.

For me, this pie is an absolute winner,

and I think his spice work is really great as well.

I love how he's showed a bit of restraint with the salad.

He hasn't done too much to it,

so it's really nice bit of respite from everything else.

MAGGIE: That green apple with that fresh coconut,

it was beautifully fresh in the mouth.

I just love the look of it.

It's so golden, so golden.

Looked the business. Like...

I think both in terms of the construction of the pie,

the caramelisation of the pastry,

the...both the side and the sauce.

It looked like a proper pie feast.

Can I just say,

there must be some hardcore people at that Spice Club?

(ALL LAUGH) Where do I sign up?

Oh, my God!

I loved that he kind of showed us a new side to him today.

You know, doing this South Indian curry pie, I dig it.

And, like, I saved a bit, like, it took me a lot,

but I saved a bit in the base, because that is the base.

Yeah. Look at that.

Yeah.

Well done, Pat. I'm digging this side of Pat. I like it.

I won't be joining the Spice Club, though.

(LAUGHTER)

JACKIE: I'm feeling nervous today.

There is a 1 in 5 chance I could be going home,

and I took a risk regardless.

If the rice isn't cooked properly,

texture of the filling will ruin the whole dish.

I'm just hoping that it's cooked enough.

Hi, Jackie. MAGGIE: Hello, Jackie.

Oh. Jackie, what, have you made us?

A lo mai gai pie,

which is a glutinous, sticky rice

with chicken, with soy barbecue sauce, and Asian pickle.

Well, we can't wait to taste your dish. Thank you, Jackie.

Thanks, Jackie. Thank you, Jackie.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Thank you.

Should we have a look? Yes.

I'm curious.

Oh, this is gonna be interesting...

Looks juicier than I thought.

POH: Yeah! Yeah.

It does.

I find this fascinating,

because I love the mixture, I love the sticky rice.

I love the flavours that are so strong and coming through.

But I just want this beautiful filling,

with a squeeze of lemon, on its own,

not with the pastry.

POH: I think the problem with

putting the lo mai gai in the pastry for me is

it doesn't make the lo mai gai any better,

and it doesn't elevate the pastry.

And that's what we want to see today.

And the bottom of the pie is, uh, definitely under.

I've got a bit of a question mark over this, personally.

I think with this pie

I'm questioning whether I like it or not.

And I don't think that pies,

you should need to question whether you like them or not.

So I'm on the fence with this one, plain and simple.

I like it.

I think the technical execution actually is a very good job.

And I'm glad to see that for my first time,

adding rice into the pie is a good little twist.

So in terms of creativity, I'm very satisfied.

In all, I think it's a good job.

Vinnie, Vinnie, Vinnie.

MAGGIE: Vinnie. Hi.

What about that? Your first pressure test.

I definitely felt the pressure in that one.

Because you had to pivot, didn't you?

A lot of adapting on the fly.

Because what we... what was the original idea?

The original idea was to make a ragu filling

and have a bechamel layer in there.

And at what point did that go out the window?

Pretty soon, to be honest.

So what did we end up with inside the pie?

So it's a pie al ragu.

So it's just a beef and pork ragu inside

with carrot, onion, celery, garlic, with a bechamel sauce,

and an apple, fennel, and watercress salad.

Uh, we are gonna taste now, so thank you.

Thank you very much. SOFIA: Thank you.

MAGGIE: Thanks, Vinnie. Thank you.

Oh...

You can hear the... the crispness of the pastry.

I'm so glad that Vinnie decided to use his bechamel

on the outside of the pie,

because I think if that was on the inside

and he had another element, which was the gremolata,

I think it would have just been too much going on.

I really like what he's done. I think the pastry is delicious.

I'm picking off the edges, and they're super, super short.

I am also extremely glad

that he didn't put the bechamel in the pie,

but I'm gonna go one step further

and say that I wish he kind of did something else.

It's a beautiful sauce. He's done it well.

But I just don't think it goes with his pie.

I think it's too rich. Rich on rich for me.

It's a bit much. Yeah.

The flavour of the ragu, the flavour of the sauce, is great.

You know, that little bit of anchovy that's there

and picking up.

And you can tell all that love that went into that sauce

as he was making it.

That salad is so fresh and invigorating.

It pulls it all together

because that would otherwise be too rich.

He's surprised me because

when you don't have a clear idea to start the cook,

I worry so much,

but I really think he's pulled this one off.

Hey, Jeff. JEFF: Hello.

Hello, Jeff. Hello, Maggie.

Nice.

Good job.

Ah!

(LAUGHTER)

You look like you need a bit of a sit down and relax

after that cook.

There was a bit going on.

Yeah, I mean, pressure tests, you know, it's pressure.

Yeah. They live up to their name.

Yeah, I know.

What filling did you end up going with?

It's a Hong Kong-style chicken pie.

You normally get in yum cha.

And there's garlic chilli oil

and just a bit of a stir-fry. Chinese broccoli.

A bit of oyster sauce on it.

Overall, how do you think you did?

Like if you were to delve into the detail?

I think I spent too much time in putting the top really nice.

I think that's a bit of my downfall sometimes.

I'm pedantic about how it looks and...

Nice lines, though. Beautiful lines.

Even lines.

We're gonna taste. Thank you.

Thank you, Jeff. Thank you.

Hmm!

I do love that scoring.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Yeah, I do too. I...I think it's great.

There are a few little cracks and holes around our side.

It does look a little blonde.

He's got that beautiful burnish on top.

But just, you know, the sides don't show the same.

POH: Very short. Yeah.

It's not bad.

It smells really good.

I feel for Jeff with this pie,

because there's a few flaws,

but I feel like Jeff is someone that,

when he cooks at home, it really relaxes him.

And there's probably not a lot that's relaxing

about a pressure test.

We were all worried about

how blonde the exterior of the shell was.

And then when you bite into it, it's raw on the base.

The filling was also an interesting one.

It's got a very...interesting flavour.

I don't know what it is.

I think it's way too much spring onion.

You know, when you put heaps of spring onion in a stir fry,

or if you're like me and you chop it up,

you forget to put it on and you heap it on afterwards?

Yes.

It has this really overpowering flavour.

I think you're right.

Actually, now you say that, but I wouldn't have...

I wouldn't have picked that until, you know...

I've made that mistake before. That's why I know it. Yeah.

This is difficult for me because

the bottom pastry and the sides were undercooked.

But, you know, more than anyone else,

if he had only cooked it a little bit more,

his top pastry was actually the best.

It is more-ish because it wasn't too thin.

We can see he can make pies. We can see he love baking.

But I think pressure and timing is not something

that he likes to have...

Yeah. ..against him.

And... And sadly this has reflected against him today.

LUKE: Walking my dish up to the judges I'm pretty nervous.

I really wanted to prove to the judges today

that I can be a little bit more refined,

but I felt like that cook was a bit of a disaster.

Luke.

Hello, Luke. How are you doing?

So good. How are you?

Yeah, good. A bit nervous. (SIGHS)

I actually don't know what the inside is going to look like.

I don't know how it's going to taste.

I don't even know if the pastry is cooked through.

I'm just flying blind.

Luke, what have you made?

I've made a boeuf bourguignon pie...

..with a potato mash and a horseradish sauce.

So how do you feel?

Uh, I don't know if I quite did Maggie's pastry justice.

And I'm nervous that, like, yeah,

I didn't get the pastry to sit in the tin at the end.

So there's a couple of crumbles.

Ah, I would have liked to cook it a little bit longer

on a lower heat.

So you worry about a lot. Yes, definitely.

Thank you, Luke. We're going to taste your food.

Thank you. MAGGIE: Thank you, Luke.

Thank you. Good luck.

Bonne chance.

So what do we think? Just by looking at this?

POH: Those cracks are a bit of a shame.

They are, but I really didn't think

he'd be able to get it out.

I really thought he was going to run out of time.

And he made it happen. Yeah.

How? That's... That's what he does.

That's his signature.

That's not the first time. (LAUGHS)

It's cutting very well.

We're holding our breath.

Juicy. Yes. Yes.

That looks great. Yeah.

(LAUGHS)

Well, well, well. (LAUGHTER)

That thing is just unreal.

How the hell he managed?

First to finish the pie, and to deliver such a beauty.

Having this lovely, chunky, tender piece of beef.

The mash is a good complementary.

It's well seasoned.

I mean, what the hell is going on here? (LAUGHS)

I was so worried for the kid.

I am thrilled. (LAUGHTER)

I am so thrilled.

I just want to eat all of this.

That pastry, I...I did not see how he could do it,

but the thought that he gave.

As, you know, leaving it in to the very last moment.

I just love it.

The other thing about this pie

is that it goes really well with his side and his sauce.

They're not an afterthought.

Beef and horseradish and mashed potato.

It's a trio. It's known for a reason.

OK, I'm gonna make a big call here. Uh...

I think... Like, looks aside.

I think that could have been subbed in

as one of your pies, Maggie, at the start of the day.

It's just got that, like, real kind of comfort about it

that you bring to all of your dishes.

The flavour that he's got in there is...is unreal.

You know, for that to be

a pressure-cooked version of bourguignon...

Yeah. That's... That's insane.

What I love about Luke is he doesn't cook by numbers,

he cooks by feel.

And that's what this challenge was all about today.

He's starting to prove me wrong. Yeah.

Like, I didn't know if he was a one-trick pony at the age of 19,

but he's got some experience.

I want to see where this kid can go,

because when you're young and hungry and confident like that,

you can...you can...you can do some damage.

SOFIA: You talking from experience, Andy?

I was thrilled and proud of the five of you

to get those pies up,

because I realised I'd made it quite tough for you.

(LAUGHS)

So well done.

And it's been lovely to be here with you.

POH: Maggie Beer, everyone!

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Two cooks really, really stood out.

Pat...

..and Luke.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

That leaves three of you.

There was one pie that really suffered.

The pastry was undercooked...

..and the filling lacked balance.

Which means your time in the MasterChef kitchen

has come to an end...

..Jeff.

Yeah. I knew it.

Jeff, your dream doesn't end now.

No.

It's only starting. Yes.

And one day, when you open your dream bakery.

I will be your first customer.

(LAUGHTER)

You know what I'm going to buy? A pie.

(LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE)

I'll make a better one.

Jeff, you should not be disappointed...

No.

..because we are all so proud of you,

and you will always be a MasterJeff.

(LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE)

I came with my dream of the last 11 years to get into MasterChef

and I got that dream,

I've got the white apron,

and nothing could take that away from me.

I'm proud of what I've achieved, a great experience overall,

and never forget this experience.

ALL: (CHANT) MasterJeff! MasterJeff!

MasterJeff! MasterJeff!

I'll be always part of MasterChef family.

Give it up for Jeff, everybody!

There he is. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

ANNOUNCE: Next week on MasterChef Australia...

MAN: Hey, babe. What do you want for breakfast?

(ALL EXCLAIM, LAUGH)

With a massive viral sensation...

It's Andy Cooks.

He's a bit like the Gordon Ramsay of TikTok.

..and fantastic hacks from our judges...

Et voila.

I've got two-ingredient yoghurt flatbreads.

..it's a whole week of family favourites.

ANDY COOKS: I am on a mission

to find the best family-style breakfast.

A masterclass from Andy, like, that is sick.

Plus their first team challenge.

WOMAN: This is no easy task.

You're doing a feast.

Who will make

the most impressive family feast

for their MasterChef family?

WOMAN: Whoa!

Captions by Red Bee Media