All language subtitles for Masterchef.Au.S16E45.720p.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-WH

VOICEOVER: Previously
on MasterChef Australia...

..our top five

tussled with emotions...

PEZZA: Nanna Marg.

Yeah, I guess I'm not as big
and strong as I think I am.

..to create a dish that honours
their food heroes.

MIMI: My grandma would be so proud
to see what I've done.

NAT: This dish is an ode to my mum.

I want my mum to see this,
and she's just gonna be like,

"Wow, I can't believe
you made that."

They turned treasured memories
into glorious meals.

ANDY: That's a special dish.

SOFIA: The crunch on that,
it's unbelievable.

It was a joy to eat.

And Nat won the final immunity
of the season.

Tonight,

it's an elimination,

and they won't believe their eyes.

SAVINDRI: Oh, my God!

ALL: Oh.

What?

HARRY: Where is everyone?

The judges are usually
standing there, waiting for us.

And they're nowhere to be seen.

And I'm just looking
at what's in front of me,

and I can't exactly figure it out.

SAVINDRI: Oh, my God.

Righto. Step away from the plinths.

(LAUGHTER)

Hello, hello.

Hi, all.

OTHERS: Hi, Poh. Good morning.

There's a little bit of extra magic

in the MasterChef kitchen
this morning.

You can already tell,
just by looking up here,

that this challenge is going
to be five times as intense.

And I doubt that when you walked
in here today,

you expected any less.

Nat, you've already taken a step
towards making that dream come true.

But for one of you four,

that dream ends today.

This is the fork in the road.

Today decides whether
you're heading to Finals Week

or heading home.

Alright, guys, brace yourselves.

Today, we're taking flavour
to the max.

These ingredients are off-the-scale.

Up here are some of the sweetest,

the spiciest,

the most bitter, sour

and pungent ingredients

on the planet.

And, today, it's your job
to pick at least one

and balance it
in a jaw-dropping dish.

Righto. First up...

You can probably smell this one
from over there.

I was like... (SNIFFS)
"Is that...is that me?"

(LAUGHTER)
No, that ain't me - that's this.

And this is one of the most pungent
cheeses ever.

It's called Epoisses.

Uh...

Is it 'Epoisses'?

..Epoisses.

Epoisses.

That's pretty good.
We'll roll with that. Epoiss-es.

I'm not doing that. (LAUGHS)

In France, it's actually banned
on public transport.

(LAUGHTER)
SOFIA: Oh!

And one whiff, you'll get the gist.

Time to smell the cheese.

(LAUGHTER)

Get in here.

And breathing in,
in three, two, one.

Ugh!
(LAUGHTER)

Smelling this cheese, it's awful!

It smells like my bin
on a bad bin day.

I just cannot...

I can't cope with it.

If I had to cook with that today,
I would die.

Phwugh!

Righto, next up.

And I'm just, like, easing away.

This is the spiciest ingredient.

This one
is a Carolina Reaper chilli.

Phew!
Oh.

It is the 2023 record-holder

for the World's Hottest
Chilli Pepper.

I've never cooked with
a Carolina Reaper chilli before.

I can't even handle
a Thai red chilli,

so, uh-uh.

Carolina Reaper, here we come.

Whoa! Even in the eyes.

Anyone want to have a little nibble?

Come on, mate.
Oh! (LAUGHS)

Just a wee little bit.

Just get a small bit.

You can always have more.
You can't have less.

Oh, my God, Pezza!

I wouldn't have done that.

How are we travelling?

It's hot.

(LAUGHTER)

It's really sw...
It's sweet, though.

Like, it's...
Sweet and fruity, but has a kick.

(LAUGHTER)

I'll tell you what,
it's starting to burn the mouth.

It's starting to really make me...

..me know that I've got it.

My lips are on fire at the moment.

Next, the sweetest.

This is monk fruit concentrate.

It's up to 300 times sweeter
than sugar.

Ooh!

(LAUGHTER)

Whoa!
Sweet?

Very sweet. (COUGHS)

Spicy! (LAUGHS)

Urgh!

This monk fruit concentrate
is too much.

It's too overwhelming.

Give us a taste, Andy.
Andy, I want a taste.

Yeah?
Let's have a taster.

Yeah!
Don't put too much, eh?

I would never.

Thanks.

Oh, my God!

Ugh!

Oh, I do not like that aftertaste.

That's too much for me.

Hoo!

What happened to you?
(LAUGHS) Nothing.

And that's one drop. Oh!

(LAUGHTER)

Mimi, and you had, what?
Five, six drops?

(MUMBLES) I don't like it.

(LAUGHTER)

For the most sour ingredient,
we've got umeboshi plums.

That little demon is the highest
concentration of citric acid

of any fruit.

It's three times more sour
than a lemon.

Urgh! Oh-ho! (COUGHS)

Delicious, hey, Pezza?
No, that's wrong.

That is wrong on so many levels.

Why?
Oh, I'd rather the chilli than that.

I'll get you the...I'll get you
the Carolina Reaper back if you want.

Oh! (LAUGHS)

Finally, not to be outdone,

the most bitter ingredient.

That is the bitter gourd.

Oh, my 'gourd'!

(LAUGHTER)

That was so bad!

Oh, God. My mum would try to, like,
deep-fry these, turn it into, like,

a little sambo thing. No.

Make it into a curry. No.

Was it the bitterness
or just the flavour?

Both.
I...

..love that.

There's one left.

Chef! Chef!
Here comes the aeroplane!

(LAUGHS) Oh, no, no.
Neeeeooooowwwwwww!

OK.

Uh...

What?
(LAUGHTER)

What the hell is that?

What are they supposed to do
with this?

I'll tell you what,

good luck to you, all of you.

Hopefully, now you've had a taste,

you're feeling a little
more confident.

We can't wait to see you tame
these beasts.

You'll have 75 minutes.

We want a dish that incorporates
at least one

of these extreme ingredients.

Balancing flavours is going
to be more challenging

than ever before.

So, be diligent,

taste frequently,

and bring us something
that tickles our tastebuds.

Sadly, the least impressive dish
will mean the end of the road

for its maker.

This is your time to shine, guys.

You all deserve
to be in Finals Week.

All you need to do now is prove it
with today's plate.

Your time starts now.

Allez!

Um...

PEZZA: Hey, sorry.

Who's dropping onions?

Don't want to forget anything.

This is a huge challenge.

I mean, I think it's a bit of fun,
but also a lot on the line.

We've given them some of the five
most intense ingredients

on the planet, and it's about
being able to tame these ingredients.

And don't forget
about a delicious dish.

And I think 'taming'
doesn't mean 'covering'.

'Taming' is harnessing what it is,

being able to use it skilfully
so that you still celebrate it.

Yep.
But it has to be done

so that it's palatable.

Big time.
Yeah.

I like very much the fact
that, today, they've got a chance

to have something with character.

Full of something
which they are not used to do so.

This is their chance to show us
everything they've learned so far

and really earn their spot
in Finals Week.

NAT: Yeah, Harry.

Today's elimination, we've got to
tame some pretty hectic ingredients,

and so it's not going to be easy,

but I think I've got an idea.

I'm gonna harness my Italian side.

Uh, so I'm making a gnocchi dish,

so I've chosen the Epoisses cheese.

I just love that cheese.

My mum's always got it
in the fridge,

and, um, I love eating it.

Once you taste it, it's just like...
(IMITATES EXPLOSION)

..like, this, like, salty, umami,
just explosion.

And, yeah, I love it.

But it's always been one
of those ingredients

that I wouldn't even dare
to put it into, like, a dish.

(CHUCKLES) Like, just smells
like a...

I don't know,
like a dirty pair of socks.

So, I can imagine, like,
you'd have to be careful.

I'm gonna do, like, a, um, green
sort of basil and hazelnut pesto.

The cheese is going into the sauce,
as well.

And then, I'm going to top that
with some caramelised figs.

And then, I'm gonna work on doing,
like, a pangritata

with the cheese, as well.

I know people think gnocchi
is a basic dish,

but it's a really hard one
to get right.

It's got to be pillowy and light
and fluffy.

It can't be dense
and, you know, soggy.

So, yeah, I just want to make sure
that the gnocchi is perfect.

NAT: Go, Sav!

Go, Pezza.
Go on, Pezza!

Go, Pez!

Um, so I've picked
the bitter gourd.

Today, I'm going to be making
a crab...soft shell crab burger

with a bitter gourd kimchi slaw.

I have never cooked
with bitter gourd before,

but as soon as I bit
into that bitter gourd,

you know, in Cantonese culture,
we love bitter melon,

and that's what it reminds me of.

So, I just couldn't see myself
away from this option.

Should I just go for it?

Yeah, I should.

I just have to be careful
with this bitter gourd.

It is so bitter!

I'm a little nervous,

but I've got to focus.

I've got to get this done.

Today, I have chosen the chilli.

Surprise, surprise!

Me? Choose a chilli?

Who is she?

Even though the chilli
is in my wheelhouse,

I've actually never worked
with a Carolina Reaper,

or anything close to something
that's that hot.

I don't think people truly realise
it is blindingly aggressive.

You know, there's something
to be said about being Sri Lankan.

We are moulded by the chillies,

so we don't do dumb things
with them.

I know I'm going to put
gloves on today

because I am not going
to touch it with my bare hands.

I'm not stupid.

Because my mum never used to put
soap in my mouth as a child -

she would put chillies in my mouth.

Today, I am making
a Carolina Reaper prawn dish

with a prawn consomme.

And I'm going to use the Reaper
in my consomme.

A consomme is basically
a real fancy broth.

To make my consomme,

I start with making a prawn stock
as a base,

and the kitten's whiskers amount
of the Carolina Reaper.

Very nerve-racking.

The balance in this dish, for me,
is going to be a challenge

because I'm always,
"More is more is more."

Let's just start with that amount.

But with something as intense
as the Reaper,

I think the smart thing to do
is to not put it in everything,

because the judges won't
have faces left -

it will just be melted off.

OK, time to see if we can taste
those chillies, right?

Ooh, there it is.

(CHUCKLES) Oh, that's hot.
But that's...

Oh, that's lovely, actually.

I'm not going to use
the rest of that because...

Oh! That's got guts.

You have one hour left
to tame the beast!

Come on, guys!
Let's go!

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Allez! Good luck!
(APPLAUSE)

Yeah, I don't know,
I haven't been...

To be honest with you,
today, I haven't been...

I just don't know where I'm at.

Just a little bit flat
after the last cook.

I thought that I was going to win.

I want to be the best.
I always want to be the best.

And second's not good enough
for me anymore,

and it never has been.

So, I'm just trying to get up
and going, and put something

on the table that I'm going
to be happy with.

Today, I've decided
to take the Epoisses cheese.

The only thing
that I've really worked with

that's like this,
before, is blue cheese.

That's what's going through my mind.

And I've got a plan
that I'm going to do,

it's something that I do at home
with blue cheese.

It's like a toasted sandwich
sort of thing.

Who doesn't love a steak sandwich?

Pezza.
Chefs, how are you going?

Good, mate.
Pezza.

Ooh!

I smelt it before I saw it.
Isn't it beautiful?

Yeah. What's the name of the cheese?

Uh, no idea. What is it?

(LAUGHS)

Epoisses.

Epoisses.
Voila! Tres bien.

Epoisses!

But you're gonna need to be able
to say it if you can tame it.

What are you doing with it? 'Cause
that's the thing about this thing.

How can you create
a delicious dish out of that?

What I want to do
is steak sandwich -

sort of like a nice,
crunchy bit of bread,

and then have some
really perfectly cooked eye fillet,

and have a nice smear
of the cheese over top.

I'm going to have some
caramelised onions.

I don't want this
to be your last cook,

so I'm going to give you exactly
how I'm feeling about this.
Yep?

Yeah, it might be a delicious
steak sandwich,

but when you're that close
to top four...

..is it going to be enough?

PEZZA: Today is not my day.

I'm just all over the shop
at the moment.

I'm not in the best mood as it is.

And then, Andy put that question
into my head.

"Is a toasted
cheese and steak sandwich enough

"to take you to the top four?"

And I don't know if it is.

I don't know, it's sort of put me
in a funny place.

I just need to pull my head out
and work where I'm going to go.

I'm thinking of doing it as a...
Plated up, a little bit different,

like a deconstructed steak sandwich,

just to think a little bit
more outside the box.

The flavours are still there.

We know the cheese and onion
and steak works together.

I've just got to showcase
the Epoisses,

but also mild it down
so it's not over-the-top.

I'm thinking, why not make it
into a cream or something

and tame it down by using
some Philly cream cheese

and some chives?

Put some of that onion in it
to give it a bit of umami.

And a little bit of the onions.

And balance it down
so it's a nice cream sauce

that's really good
to go with this dish.

Righto, let's bring this together
from what I can do, eh?

MIMI: For my soft shell crab
and bitter gourd kimchi sliders,

my soft shell crab batter
is ready to go.

I've cleaned my crabs.

My bitter gourd is set aside
and salted to draw out

all the moisture and pull out some
of the bitterness,

and my brioche dough is going in
for its second proof.

They're looking pretty good.
They smell really good.

So, I'm just waiting
for that second proof,

and then I'm going to let it go
in the oven for 20 minutes.

I'm feeling pretty good.

If I can carry this dish
to the finish line,

this is going
to be a knock-out dish.

Mimi.
Hi.

Bitter gourd. I can see it.
Uh, what are you gonna do with it?

Soft shell crab slider
with a bitter gourd kimchi slaw.

Wow.

So, kimchi -

salty, umami...

Spicy.
..spicy...

Crunchy, creamy.
..crunchy.

I like the sound of that.
Yeah.

Yes. I mean. Whatever comes out
from Mimi is always interesting.

So...
Yeah.

Um, are you making your own
bread rolls? Yeah?
Buns? Yes.

Um, I absolutely love the dough.

Um, sweetness, plus the bitterness
and crisp of the bitter gourd -

hopefully, it all syncs together.
Ooh.

Yeah, it's also a balancing act
to be able to, you know, tame

the bitter gourd,
but don't make it invisible.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Noted.
Well done, Mimi.

Thank you.
Keep going, yeah.

Thank you.
Looking forward to it.

Thank you.

I have full confidence
that I can pull the bitterness back

from this bitter gourd
slaw situation

with the sweet brioche dough.

Like, it should just be a knockout.

NAT: Mimi,

smells good.

HARRY: So, today, to tame the beast,

I'm using the Epoisses cheese
in my potato gnocchi

with a basil and hazelnut pesto.

Uh, so I've toasted my nuts.

Uh, my gnocchi have been made.
They're just chilling there.

I've made this basil pesto before
with gnocchi and a blue cheese,

and I know that I need to focus
on how I'm going

to tame this Epoisses cheese.

But if I'm doing the potato gnocchi,
it's the gnocchi themselves -

it's got to be perfect as well.

I'm just gonna cook the gnocchi
till it floats to the top,

then I'll take it out.

I'll cook them in some butter
just to get them nice and golden

and, you know, nice crunch on them.

Everything's got to be perfect.

Gnocchi's done a lot for me
in my life.

It's connected me to my nonna
and, you know, our Italian heritage.

It's, you know, allowed me
to find a wife, essentially.

So... (CHUCKLES) ..um,

the first time I ever made
a gnocchi, I was trying

to impress my now wife, Lily.

I called Nonna at, like, 5:30
when I got home from work.

I was like, "Non, like, quick -
how do I make gnocchi?

"I need some help."

Made the gnocchi.

I brought Lily this little,
like, tub of gnocchi.

And I was like, "Oh, by the way,
like, made these today.

"It's not a big deal."

And she's like, "Oh, my God,
"that's incredible!"

LILY: Come on, Gnocchi!

We also ended up naming
our dog Gnocchi.

Serve me up, baby.

Yeah, Lily is just such
an incredible person.

She's made so many sacrifices
for me to be here

and has really just
allowed me to do this,

so I really want to do well
with this dish today.

Gnocchi got me a wife.

(LAUGHS)

On a day like today,
it's all about maximum flavour,

and you've got 45 minutes to go!

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Allez!
Allez, allez!

(APPLAUSE)

SAVINDRI: So, I'm doing the base
of my prawn consomme,

which is a prawn stock.

Yeah, and then I can get
my prawns cooked.

This cook is very challenging
for me, if I'm being honest,

because the first time
I made a consomme

was in the last pressure test
that I did.

In Guillaume's pressure test,
my consomme did not do well

because I ran out of time.

The hell was that?

So, today... Not today.

We aren't doing that today.

Righto, Sav.
Hello, Sav.

Hello.
Uh, what are you gonna do

with the Carolina Reaper?

Well, the Carolina Reaper is
in my prawn "hopefully" consomme.

Consomme?
Yeah.

Wow!

As much as I love this,

you did struggle
with the consomme component

of Guillaume's Pea Royale.
I know, yes.

I am...

If I don't push myself, what's
the point in gunning for top four.

I am all about this, Sav.
So...

Absolutely.

(COUGHS)
Looks like it's still there.

Sorry, I need to drink some water.
(CHUCKLES)

(LAUGHS)
Ah.

How much chilli did you put
in your stock?

Uh, literally, maybe
about, like, that much.

You've only use that bit?

Yeah.
Into this?

It's a smaller piece than this,
as well, actually.

Yeah, that's how strong it is.

(COUGHS)

There's such a balancing act
on this dish.
Yep.

I think it has the possibility
to be something that sends you home.

I am feeling, uh, definitely
concerned after the bench visit.

It is a huge risk,
working with a chilli like this,

because, um, I think balance is key,
and I just have to make sure

that it's not going to blow
someone's brains out.

OK, so...

I think I want to use agar
to make a veil

that's, like, really aromatic,

just so that, you know,
there's another level of acidity,

which tames that heat, as well.

So, a tomato veil is a disc
of jelly, essentially,

that sits on top of your dish.

So, it needs to set in time,

it needs to be cut thin enough,

and it needs to just drape
over the plate.

There is quite a lot of stuff
that still needs to be done,

and things that need to be done
with precision.

Um, what I'm doing now
is I'm working on the raft

for my consomme.

So, a raft, essentially,
pulls all the impurities

so it gives you a very nice,
crystal-clear consomme.

She's...she's happening.

It's coming along.

In Guillaume's pressure test,
my consomme was not the clearest

because my raft didn't work.

But believe you me,
that's not going to happen,

not today.

NAT: Come on, Harry. Hustle, hustle.

Yeah, I just can't get this
hot enough.

For my gnocchi dish,
I've got to cook my gnocchi

and then caramelise some figs.

Then, I move on
to my Epoisses cheese pesto.

I'm using hazelnuts
in the green basil pesto sauce,

because I think pine nuts might
mask the cheese.

But that hazelnut, it'll have
that nutty-like earthiness,

but it's not too intense
it'll take over that Epoisses.

Come on, Harry. Stay focused.
Yep.

I've never cooked
with Epoisses before,

but I know the smell,
I know the taste.

And I've just got to get
this Epoisses cheese in,

bit by bit...

..because if I put in too much,

then it's going to overpower
the whole dish.

I've just got to get
that balance right.

I'm putting the Epoisses
in both the sauce and the crumb

because I want the cheese
to be throughout the dish

and present everywhere.

If I can balance the cheese right
with those hazelnuts

and that fresh basil
and also those caramelised figs,

I think that'll just tame down
the cheese,

but still let, you know, it
shine through.

Smells good Harry. Smells good.

The cheese is punchy,
it's pungent, but I really like it,

and I think the herbs
and the hazelnuts will,

like, tame it all down
and work really well together.

So, yeah, I still think
I'm onto a good idea.

I've just got to make sure
I execute it.

You have 30 minutes left
to tame your beastly ingredients.

Come on, guys, 30 minutes!
(APPLAUSE)

MIMI: 30 minutes to go,

I'm on track
with my soft shell crabs

and bitter gourd sliders.

This bitter gourd kimchi
is looking such a beautiful colour.

You can taste the bitter gourd,
but it's really good.

My soft shell crabs are ready to go.

Come on, Mimi. Hustle!

But I take my buns out
of the warm oven

from its second proofing...

What have you done?

They've begun to cook.

It's OK.

This is not good.

That oven is hot.

I just know that the yeast
inside this brioche dough

is not alive.

How much time do I have left?

This bread is going to be rock hard,
and it's not going to be tasty,

and I refuse to deliver
inadequate brioche bread

on elimination day.

This is...

..not good.

Come on, Mimi.

Do you think I should cook rice
in case?

Uh, definitely have a backup plan,
that's for sure.

No, I'm gonna pivot.

I have a backup plan.

We're gonna make some sushi rolls
with the soft shell crab

and the kimchi.

That's my backup plan.

I'm pivoting...

Uh...

..and that's a huge risk.

And obviously, balancing out
the bitter gourd...

I'm feeling nervous as heck,
but I've still got it in me.

If someone's gonna pull it off...

..that better be me.

PEZZA: 30 minutes to go.

I'm starting to get things underway

with my little open steak sandwich.

The steak looks good

and the beautiful onions
are reduced.

And I'm just trying to tackle
this Epoisses cheese...

..but it's just...it's not
playing out like it should.

Oh, it just...
It's so strong and pungent.

It's going to overpower
this whole dish.

And I don't know what
I'm going to do.

Oh, Jesus Christ.

I think I've lost that bit
of belief in myself,

and that's not me.

Um, look, I've got to admit,
I'm worried today.

There is a lot going on out there,
isn't there?

All sorts of pressure starting
to build.

Starting with Sav,

so she's got that kind of tomatoey,
prawny broth,

which she's going to clarify.

And it's been spiked
with the Carolina Reaper.

So, I think her big pressure point
is taming that thing.

The pressure is definitely
getting to Mimi.

She wanted to make these
soft shell crab brioche burgers,

but she cooked them.

She's killed the yeast on that, so
brioche is out of the question now,

which is a shame because it sounded
like a great dish.

She's pivoting from that cooked dish

to sushi.

So, she's now making
a soft shell crab sushi.

It is just so far
from her original dish.

I'm not sure if she can pull it off.

So, I'm really feeling for Pezza.

I think he's had such a good run,

and, today, I think it was just
the wrong choice of dish.

Yeah, and when you are using cheese
like the Epoisses,

it's got to be a dominant thing.

So, we know straightaway
there is an issue.

I think, when you went around
and told him, "You need
to upscale this somehow."

Yeah.
It's just sent him into a tailspin,

and he's just really having trouble
recalibrating.

So, I'm...I'm pretty stressed
for him, to be honest.

Pezza, even if you...like, even
if you take just 30 seconds,

just to make sure that your plan
is solid

and not just a reaction.
Yeah.

'Cause think about the choices
that you're making right now -

it's going to determine
whether you get into...

Yeah.
OK?

I just don't know how it's going
to go together.

Yeah.
I've got a steak. I've got a bit

of a...
You've still got, like...

Enough time?
Yeah.

You've done enough
pressure tests to know

you can pull something
out of nowhere.

Out my bum, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.

If you just recalibrate, OK?
Think about it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Thank you.

Just give yourself 30 seconds.
Yep.

This is just not good.

The pungent cheese was the beast
that I chose to tame, but...

..the biggest thing that I need
to tame is myself at the moment.

PEZZA: Pressure's really high today.

It's elimination day,
and I'm in that bad state.

I'm all over the shop.

I'm really, really worried
that this could be my last cook

in this competition.

And it's not how I want to go out.

NAT: Come on, Pezza!

I just need to keep going.

The steak, I think, is cooked
to perfection,

so I'm not worried about that.

But I need to tackle
this Epoisses cheese,

tame this beast.

You've got this.

Got my head going that many ways
at the moment.

It's so strong and pungent.

It's going to overpower
this whole dish.

Got to get the saltiness,
we've got to get the sweetness.

We've got to get the umami.

We've got to get all them flavours
packed in.

I think there's still room
for this dish

to have something else.

Maybe an onion puree
or something to the side.

I'm thinking the onion -

we can blitz it up with a bit
of brown sugar and the vinegar

and make it into a sweet puree
or something like that,

just to try and get that sweetness
into the dish.

Oh, yeah.

I really need to make sure
that the sweetness is there

so I can balance that pungent cheese

and really bring this dish together.

Yeah, I think I can pull it back.

I'm gonna pull it back.
Stick with me.

You're up against some of the most
extreme ingredients in the world...

..and you have eight minutes to go!

Allez!

Literally never hustled
so hard in my life.

HARRY: The last few minutes
of the cook,

my gnocchi are being pan-fried.

I'm really happy
with how they're looking.

They're golden brown on the outside
and fluffy on the inside.

How do you like these nuts?

I've toasted off my Epoisses
and hazelnut pangritata,

and that's ready to go as well.

I think the sauce is banging.

I think I have tamed the beast.

I think the cheese,
it's still there.

Like, you get that funky,
stinky hum,

but you've got things
that just tame it down

and sort of help ease you into it.

NAT: Yes, Sav!

Looking good.

SAVINDRI: Prawns are cooked
perfectly.

I'm just going to give them
a little bit of acid.

Um, I'm now just ladling my consomme

through my cheesecloth.

This is make-or-break,
in so many ways for me, so...

Couldn't get it clearer if I tried.

Praise Jesus.

It's clear, which is what I wanted.

All that cloudiness is gone.

My agar veil has come out
of the freezer.

It's a little bit frosty,
but it's fine.

It's still set,
which is what I need.

But this challenge
is all about taming the beast, so...

Yeah.

..I need to make sure
that the beast is still there.

Oh, you still feel
that Reaper in there.

It's still there.

Is it spicy, Sav?

Yeah, but I think it needs
a little bit more.

I need to amp up the chilli in this.

You're putting more chilli?

(WHISPERS) Just a tiny bit.

Oh, my God.

This is so risky
at this point in time.

If there's too much chilli,

it's just going to overtake
the whole dish.

But, I mean, I'm Sri Lankan.

That's how much I'm putting.

I know how to use a chilli.

Oh, my goodness.

So, I drop it in.

(GASPS)

Far out.

Ooh!

It's got heat to it.

She is hot, but she is there.

But, look, I mean, I am a Sri Lankan
saying it's not too hot,

so I just hope it's not too hot
for the judges.

Can't be thrown off by this.

I refuse to give up.

My soft shell crab sliders
did not make it.

I am now making soft shell crab
sushi rolls.

I'm scared.

My rice is on the stove.

It is cooking away,
but I am watching it like a hawk

because it needs to replace
my brioche dough.

How many minutes do I have left?

You're four of the best home cooks
in the country,

and you have five minutes left.

Let's go, everybody! Come on!

Big five minutes here.

(APPLAUSE)

Oh, shit, chef.

NAT: Go, go, go, go, go!

With five minutes left to go,

I know the rice is going
to be piping hot,

and rolls might not happen.

What am I going to do?
What am I going to do?

How am I going to save this now?

Uh-ha!

Come on, Mimi.

I'm not doing the roll.

Not doing a roll?

I've pivoted once more,
and I've changed my idea again.

I'm putting it in a bowl instead

because the rice might not hold.

There's so many structural,
scary things about sushi,

so it's going in a bowl.

I've pivoted my idea
for the last time.

I just need
to get this dish finished.

Go, go, go, go, go.

I have a bunch of things
to work with.

I chop my cucumbers
into little slices,

put my salmon roe into the bowl.

I slice up my soft shell crab
so it looks nice.

I, essentially, on the fly,
make some furikake,

and I season my rice.

And I'm just hoping that the sweet,
salty, sour rice seasoning

plays off
with the bitter gourd kimchi

and is my answer to today's brief -

tame the beast.

NAT: Come on, Mimi.
Finesse that plating.

My only worry is that,
"Is this a top-four-worthy dish

"with the amount of pivots
I've made?"

I'm very scared to find out.

POH: This is for a spot
in Finals Week!

You have one minute to go!

(APPLAUSE)

Yoo!

Come on, Harry.

Pesto smells good.

It's not pretty.

It's not my best dish, by far,

but the steak, I think,
is cooked to perfection.

The Epoisses cheese,
you're definitely going to taste it.

It's in that cream.

I just hope that they think
the elements all work together

enough to keep me around

because I don't want this
to be the last one.

I really don't want it
to be the last cook.

Look at that, Pezza!

You're finessing.

Looking good.

Get it on the plate!
30 seconds to go!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Come on, Harry! Hustle.

Yeah, Pezza!

Come on.

OK.

Everything's coming together.

My garlic sprouts are nice
and caramelised.

I've got my prawns on top.

Getting my tomato veil
onto this plate.

OK, OK, I can do this.
I can do this.

It's there, it's pink,

it's done.

OK.

Last chance for top four in 10...

JUDGES: Nine, eight,

seven,

six, five,

four, three,

two, one!

We're done here.
(APPLAUSE)

Great effort, everybody.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Bravo!

What a bloody journey that was!

It looks hectic,

but hopefully that kimchi will do
the whole thing justice.

I'm actually so proud of this,
but balance really is my...

..main concern, and if the Reaper
has been tamed well enough.

But it's done now.

What are you going to do?
Take the chillies out?

Good luck, Haz.
Thanks, guys.

PEZZA: Good luck, Hazza.
Good luck, Harry.

I've never cooked
with Epoisses before.

I want to show Andy
and the other judges

how far I've come,
in terms of being able

to balance complex flavours.

Gnocchi's done a lot for me
in my life.

It's allowed me to find a wife,
essentially.

Now, if gnocchi can be my ticket
into the top four of MasterChef,

then I'm happy with that.

That's pretty cool. (CHUCKLES)

Harry.
Hey, guys.

Harry.
How are we?

Good.

Mmm.

Uh, so my dish is Gnocchi Epoisses.

I'm really happy with how it went.

That cheese, like,
as soon as I smelt it,

it just gave me flashbacks to home.

So, the Epoisses is obviously
close to my heart,

but gnocchi is, as well. Yeah.

Our dog's named Gnocchi, as well,
so...

No way.

Oh, well, hopefully, you don't
have a child and name them Epoisses,

regardless of how well you do today.
(LAUGHTER)

Thanks, Harry.

Awesome, guys.
Thanks so much.

Thanks.
Good luck.

Thanks, Harry.
Thank you.

(SNIFFS)

POH: It just hit me.

You can definitely smell
that cheese, hey?

The Epoisses.

Interested to see how,
uh...how he's tamed it.

Yeah.

Let's go.

Thank you.

I think Harry's done a really decent
job of taming the Epoisses beast.

I thought it was a really smart move
to pan-fry the gnocchi

because it gave them these lovely
little crispy edges,

which infuse them with a different
flavour, a bit of a toasty flavour.

I thought the pesto
he popped on top

was really flavourful,

and you do get the Epoisses
at the end.

I find it kind of slides in
as sort of a fatty richness.

Um, and in terms of the crumb,

after you taste the hazelnuts
and the breadcrumbs,

the Epoisses does creep in
at the end.

Yeah.

And it's very subtle,
but it's there.

So, on that front,
I think he has tamed the beast.

What I like very much
is that creaminess, that richness

into...into the sauce.

The basil is very significant.

And the cheese -
the cheese is very aromatic.

I think he's balanced
that very well.

Overall, Harry's done a pretty
good job of nailing this brief

because he's taken the Epoisses,

he hasn't completely nullified it.

He is letting it sort of shine,
and he's backing it up

in two elements in his dish.

He's got it in the pesto.
He's got it in his crumb.

And there is no doubt that you can
taste it and that it is enjoyable.

HARRY: Good luck, Mims.

Good luck, Mimi.

MIMI: I'm very nervous.

I changed my dish three times.

It is going to be such a shame

if this brioche dough sends me home.

Hi, guys.
JUDGES: Hi, Mimi.

That looks lovely.
It looks really good.

Wow.

Tell us what you've made.

I've made a Soft Shell Crab Don

with a Green Apple
and Bitter Gourd Kimchi

and Yuzu Mayo.

It didn't start as a don, did it?
(LAUGHS)

No, it didn't start as a don.

It obviously started out as sliders,
and I thought...

I still think it'd be epic.

But I made some mistakes
during the cook,

and the bread didn't make it
onto the final plate.

I had half an hour to go,
and I pivoted the best I can.

That's it, Mimi.
I think we'll taste.

Thank you so much.
Enjoy.

OTHERS: Thanks, Mimi.
Thank you.

I'm pretty keen to taste, though,

because, like, this
is volume number three.

Yeah.
Is it going to marry?

And no sweet fluffy bread,
necessarily, to balance it out.

It's well and good to pivot,

but it can't taste like a pivot.
Mmm.

VOICEOVER: Get inspired
by our fabulous home cooks.

Stream full episodes
of MasterChef Australia now

on 10Play.

I really appreciate where Mimi
has ended up with this dish.

I really love

her bitter-gourd-inspired kimchi.

But I think what it needs
are the elements to balance that out

and to make it really palatable.

I found myself really craving
that sweetness.

So, something like her original
brioche would have been so good

because it is fattier,
it is sweeter.

And then, that would have just been
more of a subtle kick.

I feel like what she's done
with the bitter gourd

is, in taming the beast,

she's kind of created another beast.
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Yeah.

The kimchi is nice,

but it's so intense on its own.

And I'm devastated for Mimi
because I think

if there was that brioche roll...

..now she's taming it.

We're coming to the point
where it's quite serious now.

And I think it doesn't matter
how innovative,

how fully in control you are.

I think it's going
to be about the one

who's making the most mistakes
who's going to be paying the price.

Good luck, Pez.

PEZZA: Is a deconstructed
steak sanger enough

to take you to the top four?

That's the big question.

I'm not ready to go home.

I know I'm down today,
and I've had a bad day,

but I just need to get through

so I can snap out of it

and come back bigger and better
tomorrow.

Hey, mate.
Hey, guys.

Hey, Pez.
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: How are you?

What have you cooked us, Pezza?

Ah,

I've cooked an Eye Fillet
with a crostini on the top,

um, some Caramelised Onion
and Balsamic Puree

with an Epoisses, Chive Cream
to the side.

I wouldn't say
you're oozing confidence.

Yeah, tough cook today.

And you're worried this might
be the end of the road?

Yeah. I don't want to go home
on something I'm not happy with.

Josh, if you survive this, like,

make sure that you rely
on your own conviction.

Thanks, Poh.
Yeah.

Alright, mate, get out of here.
Thanks, guys.

Thanks, mate.
Good luck.

POH: Let's go.

Oh, thank you!

Pezza,

after this...this dish.

Do I like it?

Yes.

You've got that unbelievable
introduction of this Epoisses

into a cream cheese sauce.

The core of the cheese
is still there.

It is lovely and mellow.

It's not overpowering,

and it matches with the reduction
of the onions.

They balance well,
that's what I like.

And don't forget,

as a Frenchman, I know what
Epoisses should be or not be.

You know, the...the real powerful
Epoisses cheese is in your face,

in that cream cheese sauce.

Combined with, like, the sweetness
of that onion jam...

..the balance across the dish,

I think he's got there.

But there's faults across it.

The onion jam, it is still
quite undercooked and crunchy,

and... (CHUCKLES)
..it is hugely basic.

I'm so upset for Pezza,
but it's pretty basic.

But at this stage
in the competition,

I don't know if it's going to fly.

HARRY: Get 'em, girlfriend.

Thank you.

I am nervous
heading into the tasting

because I am concerned
about the amount of chilli

that's in the consomme.

If there's too much chilli,

it's just going to overtake
the whole dish,

and I'm going to go home.

Hi, Sav.
Sav.

Hello.

(WHISTLES)

Ooh, la, la!

What did you create?

I made a Prawn Consomme,

and the Carolina Reaper
in my consomme.

Why are you smiling?

Satan is in the d...

Well, um... (CHUCKLES)

Yeah, that's why I'm smiling.

OK, Sav. Well, we cannot wait
to taste your dish.

Can you please put your consomme
into your dish?

Yeah.

Mamma-ma mia.
Thank you, Sav.

OTHERS: Thanks, Sav.
Well done. Well done.

Good luck to you.

It looks really beautiful.

Easily the most beautiful plate
of food that Sav's brought us

in the competition so far.
POH: Yeah.

As dainty as that dish looks,

got to remember
there's Carolina Reaper chilli

in there, so it could be deadly.

It's very seductive.

(COUGHS)

Are you OK?

(COUGHS)

Are you alright, Jean-Christophe?

(COUGHS)

Some water?
Please.

I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh.

(COUGHS)

Are you OK?

(SIGHS)

Well, Sav,

I have to say,

I feel, uh...

..not just overwhelmed...

..but also very blessed to have...

..the pleasure to enjoy

a dish like this.

You know what I like the most
is the way how Sav used

those Carolina Reaper chilli.

It is su...

..blime!

It is fantastic!

She's nailed it.

(OTHERS LAUGH)

Zhu-zhu-zhu-zhu-zhu-zhu-zhu!

(OTHERS LAUGH)

Everything there has its purpose.

Even the veil has that...
Just that hum and sourness

of the tomato and the green chilli
in there versus those super sweet,

plump, perfectly cooked prawns.

Sav's consomme is just not only
crystal clear in its appearance,

but the clarity and flavour there,
it's so pure.

So, you...you get all of the umami

and the sweetness
from the prawn heads

and everything she's used

to actually get the guts
of that broth.

And that sort of starts off,
and it teases you.

And then, that's when
the Carolina Reaper comes in.

Oh!

The heat of that is also underscored
by her very, very subtle use

of ginger and those little bits
that she put in there

that are completely Sav.

She hasn't just tamed the beast,

she's shown them who's boss.

Oh, I like that.

Turning a beast of an ingredient
into a beauty of a dish

was no easy task.

The pressure was on,
and it definitely took a toll.

But one cook brought us a dish
that looked gorgeous, tasted divine,

and was the best plate of food
they've made for us

in the competition to date.

Whoa!

Congratulations...

..to Sav.

(APPLAUSE)
Yeah, Sav!

Thank you.

Excellent.

Sav, you're safe. Well done.

(SIGHS)

Oh, this is rough.

Oh, yeah.

We're about to say goodbye
to an amazingly talented cook.

Let's start with Harry.

You did balance the flavour
of the Epoisses really, really well.

It was tasty.

So, you're not going home.

(APPLAUSE)

That leaves Mimi...

..and Pezza.

You each made pivots
during the cook.

One JUST worked.

And one didn't.

The dish that's sending
their maker home,

nothing ate well together
because of the missing link...

..which was...

..the brioche.

Mimi,

I'm sorry, but you're going home.

Proud of you, Mims.
Thanks, Savi.

You know what I love about you,
Mimi?

You are one tough cookie.

I am now.

You straddle East and West cuisines
like a boss.

We can definitely
picture you opening up

U-Mimi's Noodle Restaurant
some day soon.

I have pushed myself so hard
to be standing here.

And what I said to you guys before,

I'm 100% going to deliver

and make sure that you will not
forget my name out there.

So, I'll be seeing you guys
for sure.
Love that!

Yes! (LAUGHS)
How can we?

We can't wait for that, Mimi.

Unfortunately,
it's time to say goodbye.

Do I get my hugs? (LAUGHS)

You should be so proud of yourself.
Thanks.

I'm not the same person
as I was when I first walked

through those doors.

I'm going to continue to make sure
that people across the globe

understand the magic of food
and eating.

Surely!

Oh, top five!

I'm ready to venture out on my own.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Mimi! Mimi! Mimi!

SOFIA: Go, you little pocket rocket.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This won't be the last of me.

VOICEOVER: This week
on MasterChef Australia...

..it's Finals Week.

ANDY: Go for gold, gang.

This is your time to shine.

Only one mystery box...
(GASPING, LAUGHTER)

..one pressure test...

Today, you'll be making my...

..Flounder Kandinsky.

..and one mega service challenge...

This is the last hurdle.

..stands between them

and the Grand Final.

One of them will claim the title
of MasterChef 2024.

Captions by Red Bee Media