Original subtitles

VOICEOVER: The world's greatest cooking competition...

SOFIA LEVIN: MasterChef has completely reshaped

the Australian food landscape.

POH LING YEOW: It's a little bit scary.

(LAUGHS) It's a lot to live up to.

..opened a new chapter...

ANDY ALLEN: My excitement levels are sky-high.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI: To be a chef is like being a musical conductor.

Every day, you're creating a symphony.

..as Australia's best home cooks...

STEPHEN: MasterChef has been a dream for many years.

..vied for the title.

DARRSH: I came here to win MasterChef.

It would mean so much.

(CHEERING) Yes!

Inspired by global superstars...

SOFIA: Vincent Yeow Lim!

ANDY: Josh Niland!

Morning! It's Rick Stein!

Well, it's so nice to be back.

Curtis Stone!

Luke Nguyen!

Nagi Maehashi!

Just yum! You nailed it.

Mikiko Terasaki!

Adriano Zumbo!

ADRIANO ZUMBO: You should all be super, super proud.

I've been completely blown away.

Let's go!

Welcome to Hong Kong!

..and iconic locations...

Look at that.

Let's go!

Hello!

So pretty.

Let's go, guys, let's go!

..they took on the challenge of a lifetime.

Keep up with Jamie Oliver!

What? Woo!

Let's go!

SOFIA: Surprise! Oh, yes!

Let's go! We've got service.

Mamma mia!

(TABLE RATTLES) It's fantastic.

You couldn't have nailed this any more.

That dish blew my mind.

Mm!

It is everything that good cooking is about.

Unbelievably epic.

Pezza! (CHEERING)

Bonds were formed...

Brother. (CHEERING)

ANDY: You really are Juan of a kind.

We're gonna miss you.

..as determination...

Do not give up. Let's go, Pezza! Let's go, Pezz!

..talent... I've never hustled so hard in my life.

ANDY: Come on, you got this. You can do it. You can do it!

POH: The answer is correct. ..and heart...

This kitchen is just magic, and your dreams just come alive.

I feel like this is a love letter to your mum.

Thank you.

And I just know she would be so, so proud of you.

..were the recipe for success.

Now, just three remain.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I can't believe it. We made it, gang!

Welcome to the semifinal of MasterChef 2024!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Pezza!

(LAUGHTER)

Sorry, I wanted to break the ice a bit.

The butcher from Tasmania in the semifinal.

How does it feel? Chef, very surreal.

I didn't think I'd be here and it's not over yet.

I've just got to kick that goal, you know,

straight through them big sticks.

And, look, the wife and the family are over the moon.

Got messages this morning from the kids.

They don't show much love a lot of the time, so...

Only when they want a bit of this, you know? "Dad..." You know?

(LAUGHTER)

Nat, can you believe you're this close to the end?

I didn't realise I would make it this far, and now I have.

So, it's like, imagine what would be next.

Yeah. Um...

It used to be my dream to have a restaurant or create

a space where I can play with Native Australian ingredients

and Thai food.

But I never knew it could be a reality.

And now I can't wait. Yeah, yeah.

Sav, if we told you a year ago that you'd be standing

in the MasterChef kitchen in the semifinal,

would you have believed it?

I would have said, "No, like, shut up,"

is probably what I would have said.

Um, I think about the stuff that's happened in my life

that I've gone through that's given me bags of resilience.

I never give up.

Especially, like, doing all the pressure tests, I...

That's where I learned that I'm someone

that doesn't give up and just keeps going,

and...I'm my mother's daughter.

Alright, I know you're itching to get cooking, so let's dive in.

We asked you to plan a winning menu,

and today you'll need to bring it to life.

Each of you will need to cook an entree, main and dessert

for 20 diners...

..plus, us.

That's over 70 plates of food on your own.

You will have four hours before your entrees

need to leave the pass.

The pantry and garden are open, so the world is your oyster.

The two of you who cook the best menu overall

will go through to the Grand Finale.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This will be the biggest cook of your life.

You're going to feel the pressure.

So, to help you out in the kitchen, we thought we'd phone a friend.

Ooh. (LAUGHS)

There's no better way to finish the last service

in this competition... Surely not.

..than with someone you trust running the pass.

Please welcome back,

the man, the myth, the legend...

..Curtis Stone!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I just can't believe it. I'm just gagged.

NAT: Hey, Curtis!

It's so important that we have Curtis Stone at the helm today

to guide us and lead us, because it's going

to be a monumental task.

Curtis, last time you were in the kitchen,

it was a little bit more crowded down here.

It sure was. It sure was.

Well, this is very exciting to see these three faces.

I'm not surprised.

Yes, I am. (LAUGHTER)

There are some amazing cooks up there

and some right in front of me, as well.

So, congratulations, you guys.

Curtis, how do you run a service?

I've always absolutely loved being in service. I still do.

I'm nearly 50, and I love being in service every night

at the restaurant.

There should be one voice,

and everyone has to listen to that voice.

So, when I speak, you have to listen.

On that note, let's do this.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Your time starts now!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Go, Savi P! Go, Pezza!

Let's go, Natty girl!

NAT: I'm pumped.

And my energy is hyper focused because I'm so determined to get

to that Grand Finale.

Cooking a service challenge on your own and a three-course meal,

that's bonkers.

Oh!

You've got it, babe!

I really want to impress the judges.

And my menu is a representation of who I am as a cook.

Chillies.

For entree, I'm making scallops with lemon myrtle

and Thai basil oil.

And for main course, I'm making a poached marron with tom yum sauce.

So, this is a reflection of me growing up in Australia.

That's why there's so many natives and there's so many hidden flavours.

Like, you eat it, and you think it's a bisque, and you're like,

"Oh, no, it's not a bisque, it's a tom yum sauce."

And I really love that because it looks like a classic dish,

but with such a true Aussie-Thai take on it.

And for dessert, I'm making a native honey tart.

So, I've got a lot to do.

But I think I can do this.

Nat's gonna set out her timers, I reckon, and just go tick, tick...

That's so smart, man.

Stock on.

I have to multi-task from the start. (TIMER BEEPS)

So, I'm setting timers to make sure I hit my goals.

FEMALE CONTESTANT: She's insane.

She's timing each thing that she has to do.

She knows what she's doing.

I need to get my tart shells baking for my dessert

and my tom yum stock going for the mains.

(TIMER BEEPS) Five minutes over the clock now!

Go, Pezza!

It is really anyone's game.

Let's start with Nat.

She's got that cheffy-style movement.

She's quick, which is very important.

But equally, the other two have developed a lot

since the competition.

Sav, obviously, with her flavours, her mix of spices.

I just really do feel like her food is now

at a more subtler end of the scale.

Pezza. Oh, what a bloke.

I'm excited to see what he puts up because it's been so magical

to see his growth.

He's had the steepest trajectory.

Like, some people peaked early, but he's just peaking

at the right time.

This competition isn't called MasterCook.

It's called MasterChef, right? Yeah, there you go.

But I'm really, really excited to sort of watch them progress

from being good cooks to people that can actually work as chefs.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Go, Savi.

SAVI: Ideally, my plan is to spend the first hour getting

all of my dessert elements ticked off.

I can then move on to my entree in hour two

and then my main in hour three.

That's the plan.

I'm really excited.

These dishes, today, are rooted in nostalgia.

I love the name that she put on the...

SUMEET: I love it, too. "A Love Letter To Sri Lanka."

It's so beautiful. It's going to be incredible.

I want the judges and the diners to experience the beauty

of Sri Lankan food, but in a really elevated sense.

I am getting stuck into my dessert.

If he doesn't love you at your worst,

you've got to let that...

That was terrible. Anyway...

Hey, Sav. Hey, Chef.

Tell me, what's on the menu?

So, I don't know if you know this about me, but I'm Sri Lankan,

so my menu is called A Love Letter To Sri Lanka.

Very, very nice.

For entree, I'm doing a pork belly,

which has a Sri Lankan blackened coconut-spice-mix glaze on it.

And that's got an infused cream potato puree

with pickled onion and parsley salsa... Mm-hm.

..and caramelised pineapple that's cooked with spices.

That's it. That's the entree. The main... That's it?

Yeah. That's a lot.

I mean, I know it's a lot, but it's me,

so more is more is more.

Uh, for main, I've got lobster poached in ghee.

The heads and the legs, I'm using for my spice sauce. Yeah.

And a shallot, green chilli and finger lime salsa.

OK. And there's a dhal puree that's going on the plate, as well.

Right, already you've got too much on your plate. Yeah.

Alright, now let's talk dessert.

Uh, so dessert is a tropical jelly, which I'm working on at the moment.

I've got a coconut diplomat.

I've got a coconut and lime jelly veil.

I've got macerated coconut and mango, and a lime gel.

Wow, that's a lot, Sav.

You're cooking for 70 guests today, right?

Yeah. You're going to create 70 plates.

You're going to plate 70 plates on top of all the prep. Yep.

You need to edit things down. Yeah.

It's like getting dressed. Yeah, I'm hearing you.

You know, a fashionista will tell you,

take one thing off before you leave the house.

Yeah. I'm telling you, take something off your plate.

Yeah. Because otherwise, you're not going to be ready.

Alright? I'm hearing you.

But I'm gonna come, and I'm going to help you.

Yeah, thanks, Curtis. Alright, keep going. Go, go, go.

Listing my 50,000 elements to Curtis,

I'm just realising,

"Oh, I have given myself A LOT to do!"

And if Curtis Stone gives you a nugget,

you need to grab on to it.

I don't know, at this point, exactly what's going to get the axe,

but watch this space.

OK, guys, it looks like you're well underway, which is good.

The only problem is you've only got three hours and 30 minutes

before service begins.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Come on, Nat!

JUAN: The Pezza-nator! The Pezza-nator!

PEZZA: Yeah, straight up, I'm gonna do this panna cotta.

It's going to take a little bit to set,

so when I need to use it at the end, it's ready to go.

This is the cook of my life,

so if I'm not feeling good today, it's never going to be good.

So, I've just got to give it all I can.

OK, Pezza.

How are you going, Chef? How are you doing, mate?

Yeah, good. Good, alright, so tell me about the menu.

I don't know if you know I'm a Tassie boy,

so I'm going back to my grassroots.

Yep. Nice. It's Tassie in a menu.

That's what it's all about.

My dive - I love to go and get the abalone and get the crayfish.

I'm just going to let all the produce do the talking.

So, entree today is going to be green-lipped abalone in XO sauce.

Wow.

I'm going to steam the abalones first.

I like to steam it for about a quick five minutes.

Get them out the shell easy. You tell me what you think.

Look, abalone is a tricky thing to do for a room this big.

I've not steamed them before shucking.

Yep.

Um, so, I mean, I can show you a way I know works,

but if you're confident with your way, then that's up to you.

I don't want to sound like a hobnob, but super confident.

It's something I picked up off an abalone farmer.

And it's not tough? Nah. It's not chewy?

It's not chewy? Alright. Well, you know what I mean.

It's not like a bit of rubber.

Yeah. Touch wood.

I'm just doing the dessert at the moment.

I'm doing something that I love,

and that's a vanilla honey panna cotta

with a raspberry coulis and crumb.

I'm going off Mum's recipe, so that's close to my heart.

I always stick with Mum.

I'm going to serve it in a little...

Oh, so you're going to turn it out? Yep.

So, that's a more dangerous way of doing it.

No doubt. You know that, right?

Like, it needs to come out. It needs to stand straight.

If you were to set it in a cup, it's still the same dish.

Nah, it doesn't look as good. It doesn't look as good?

Just get her out... You're going to turn out 20 of them?

Yep.

You're comfortable with that?

I think we should look at that.

OK, mate.

Curtis has just put a couple of, um, thoughts into my head

about the abalone.

Also about this panna cotta.

And, look, he could be right.

My mind is racing at the moment.

I don't know what to think, I really don't.

I'm just about to get these abalone into the steamer.

Curtis has just put a couple of, um, thoughts into my head

about the abalone.

Also about this vanilla panna cotta.

But, uh, I don't know if I want to change or not.

I had the thought set in my head,

and I want to stick true to who I am.

Look, I'm not listening to Curtis today.

I'm sticking with what I know.

An old fella taught me this a long time ago.

I steam it fully in the shell, and the hard work of bashing it,

you don't have to worry about it.

I've just got to trust my instincts that it's going to work.

So, I've made the decision now, and I've got to stick with it.

Go, Pezz! Go on, Pezz! Well done, buddy.

Yeah, I think that's the same with the panna cotta.

I'm just hoping that when that time comes,

these panna cottas are going to come out of the mould.

Curtis thinks it's a little bit risky, but I think I'm just going

to back myself on instinct.

So, they're setting in the fridge, ready for service.

Now I've got to keep an eye on the XO sauce

and start preparing this lobster.

How are you doing, Nat?

NAT: I'm doing alright.

Um, right now, I'm just doing the tom yum sauce for the mains.

That's going to take a little while, so that's why I started so early.

And I'm making my tarts.

OK, so tell me about your dishes.

So, I'm making a scallop crudo for the entree.

I've got a ginger dressing.

I've got nectarine and persimmon to go underneath it.

Yeah.

And then I've got a lemon myrtle and Thai basil oil.

Yeah. And some salmon roe.

So, the scallops are raw, or it's cooked? The scallops are raw.

OK. Yes.

I love a crudo.

I love a cold starter for a group this big, right... Yeah.

..because you can get a little bit in front.

Yeah. Tell me about your main course.

So, my main course is a poached marron.

Yeah. A tom yum sauce. Right.

And then, that's going to be served with native finger limes

and also crisp warrigal greens. Right.

So, the marron's served hot? Warm?

It's going to be warm, yeah. OK.

Which is terrifying.

Yeah, it's a risky dish, right? Yeah.

Because marrons aren't huge. They're relatively small.

So fiddly. And they're also delicate.

You've got to get that cooked just right, and doing that

for a big group is hard. Yeah.

OK, so you've got to put a lot of attention on that. Yeah.

Tell me about the dessert.

So, the desert is a native honey tart,

served with toasted wattle seed and ricotta snow,

fresh figs and toasted cornflakes.

Are you blind baking the tart shell? Yeah.

I am making 25 individual tarts, so it's a lot.

Right, it's a lot.

So, I'm very aware that that's going to take the longest time.

Alright. You have A LOT to do.

And it's a challenge, I'm not going to lie.

But it sounds wonderful.

So, chop-chop, I'll be back. Thank you.

I have so much to do, so I need to hurry up.

Come on, Nat!

Um, I really want my dough to be done, uh, five minutes ago.

I'm currently 17 minutes over my time schedule,

so I'm definitely stressed out.

I definitely need way more than that.

It's the semifinal.

You have no time to lose.

Three hours to go!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Come on, guys!

Bring it home, guys. Let's bring it home.

Ah! Um...

..most of the elements of this dessert

are pretty much, really, done.

I quickly finish off the little circles

of coconut jelly veil

Go, Savi! Woo-woo-woo!

And I want to keep on schedule.

So, I am taking Curtis's advice, and I'm axing a few elements.

ANDY: Sav. Sav, how are you?

Hello. Uh, good.

I'm about to start on my entree,

and I have decided to axe

the pineapple on my entree... OK.

..because I've got the same sweetness

from my Sri Lankan treacle, so I've edited that out.

I took Curtis's advice and decided I don't need it.

Unbelievable. You are.

And I think it was a full-circle moment for me

because you guys keep saying more is not more, Sav.

I know. (CHUCKLES)

So, I remembered that. Good.

I've got to go get all my spices now.

All the best. Good luck. Thank you.

I feel so at home, making this kalu pol,

or this blackened coconut-spice-mix,

for my pork belly, for my entree.

I have done it a thousand times.

Oh, God, that smells so good! Oh!

It's very earthy, very pungent,

almost kind of like a coffee rub.

(CURTIS COUGHS) Sorry, Curtis.

But I am most worried about the actual pork belly.

But what are you thinking?

You're thinking about dicing it, like, that big?

Yeah, no - smaller, probably.

I have to cook 24 portions of pork, so I'm doing a tester.

Probably go five or six minutes. OK.

PEZZA: It's the moment of truth.

The abalone need to come out of their shells.

I'm just sweating like no tomorrow.

I'm just praying that these are going to come out nice and tender.

Do I smell abalone?

Happy with the tenderness?

I hope so, brother.

It's much tenderer than I thought.

Yes!

And that's still not really cooked right through.

Right. You can eat raw abalone.

I just want to clean them up now and slice them.

Right. And we're going to be ready to go.

That's pretty good. Thanks, mate.

Well done. Appreciate it, Chef. Whoo-hoo!

(CHEERING) Pezza's on a roll!

Woo! Go, Pezza!

Pezza, mate, how are you going?

I'm going alright. Wow!

I just said to Curtis, I've always steamed my abalone.

Once that gets tossed through that XO sauce, literally 30 seconds,

and then just plate it up, which is going to make it good for an entree.

How is the XO sauce going? It's just along here.

I'm pretty happy with it.

I think it's just going to get richer as it cooks down

and it caramelises everything, do you know what I mean?

I think you're bang-on.

Do you want to do all of these ingredients justice?

No doubt. Because that's what you're about. Thank you.

Good luck, Pezza. Appreciate it. Thanks, girls.

The entree and the desserts are underway.

Time to get back to the lobster.

For the main course, I'm doing a Tasmanian surf and turf.

I love surf and turf.

If I go out to the pub, that's my go-to.

And I want to get this jus reducing down.

So, I used the legs and the carcass, plus all the vegetables,

a bit of cognac.

I want it to just tickle away for the next couple of hours

and really get that taste of the ocean.

I like it.

Stick with what I know, Chef.

You're looking good. Thanks, mate. Keep going.

I meant you're good as a chef. Oh, the cooking!

NAT: Goddammit, this is a workout.

(TIMER BEEPS) Oh, my God.

Um, I'm currently making my tarts,

and I don't know why the hell I picked a tart.

Almost an hour and a half has flown by,

and I do have my tom yum stock going for the mains,

but I still haven't started my entree.

I've been focusing too much on the dessert.

FEMALE CONTESTANT: Go on, Natty girl!

These tart shells, I know I've made them too thick.

So thick.

But I've already gone SO over time.

DARRSH: She's making, like, individual tarts,

rather than making, like, three big ones and cutting it up.

Surely, that would be the better option.

That's what I thought, but...

Nats. Yes.

So, you've got you got five out of 25 tart shells done.

Is that right?

Uh, so far I've got seven into the oven and - one, two, three,

four, five - five here.

Do you think the edges are maybe thin enough?

No.

By the tarts, I'm now so far behind.

Timing-wise, are you behind?

Currently 67 minutes behind.

You're over an hour behind... Yeah.

..from where you thought you'd be?

Yeah.

Are you on track? No.

Currently 67 minutes behind.

OK, Nat...

..decision time. Yeah.

You need to make the decisions on what to edit

because, honestly, the way you're going, you won't get entree,

main or dessert up. Yeah.

2.5 hours till entrees need to leave the pass.

Come on. Yeah. Thank you.

Ooh-la-la-la-la. Pfft!

She's in a world of pain.

I've got to pivot.

I need to finish making these tarts,

and then, at the end, cut them in half for each guest.

It's not what I envisioned.

It's so thick.

Oh! (EXHALES) Ow!

But the native honey custard inside the tart tastes good.

Damn!

FEMALE CONTESTANT: Go, Natty! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You got it, babe!

So, now, I've got to get my entree started right now.

Got to cut the scallops,

do the lemon myrtle and Thai basil oil

and the dressing.

But I'm definitely worried about my mains.

Semifinalists, you are halfway through your prep time

and you have two hours to go!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The timer just went off, Sav. Yeah.

I'm now working on the entree.

I've got my spice mix on the go...

The smell is insanely good, by the way.

It's gonna smell a lot better when it's ground down.

..and a turmeric potato puree.

(BEEPING)

But I'm starting to fall a bit behind with my pork tester,

and I have not even touched my lobsters for my main.

Hm. Don't like that.

Hm. Um...

I'm here for you, Sav. What do you need?

Um, just advice on the pork belly.

Um... Yeah.

Um, I just did the tester, and it's very dry.

I would suggest you cook the whole belly.

OK. So it's a different way of doing it. Yeah.

I mean, I'm happy to try to cook the whole belly

and go lower on the temp.

Thank baby Jesus for Curtis.

Cooking the whole belly will retain its juiciness.

If you want to cut it in half so it fits into the pan easier...

Yeah. Yeah, I reckon.

But you've got to get it in the oven.

Yeah, I'll do it now.

But I've personally never cooked pork like this before.

Do you want to score it?

For the crispy skin? Yeah.

It's very hard to tell, with a whole pork belly,

when it's done.

So, I'm really not that confident.

And...

..oh, yeah, I'm definitely, definitely

full of nervous energy now.

Ah, yeah, I'm going alright.

I seem to be going pretty good for time.

Abalones there, just ready to be cooked in an XO sauce.

Need to just watch it now.

Don't want it to brown too quick and burn.

For the beef and reef, I've got to cook the beef.

I've got to cook the lobster.

Panna cotta's gone into the fridge.

Got to make my coulis, got to make my crumbs.

I've still got a bit on. I'm just going to keep working.

I'm going OK, but I need to keep hustling,

working on the lobster meat for the main course.

This menu, to me, is, you know,

a good day out on the water with the boys.

We go and we dive, we get a few abalone, we get a few crayfish.

The young fellas are diving now, so it's even better.

I don't even have to get wet very often anymore.

So, Dad can sit up the top and drink the cans

and just watch him dive,

make sure the bubbles are still coming up,

and he's still breathing, and we're good.

This lobster meat, it's come out really beautifully.

Just season it, put it into a Cryovac bag with some butter,

put it in the sous vide machine.

Time to move on to the beef.

What still needs to happen?

The eye fillets, I'm going to steam them

and then finish it off on that, uh, grill plate.

If you're going to cook it in a steam bath,

I think it's going to get too soft.

I just thought of convenience.

We've got to serve 25 people, like that.

Yeah.

To cook individually, it seems very, very time-consuming.

It's your decision to make. Yeah.

I run a steakhouse, and we never overcook our beef.

So, I can help you with it. Yep.

And it's sear, rest, sear, rest.

Finish in butter.

Get that lovely caramelisation.

Would you still do it in a slab? Yeah.

Do it so we can still portion it so easily. Yeah, yeah.

Look, I think we should look at that.

Where are your fillets? Right out of my hometown.

You've got to cook it right. Yeah, exactly.

If it's cooked bad, I'm in trouble.

So, I'm actually backing you in this time.

You're going to get it right, don't you worry.

Righto, brother, I appreciate it.

I'm taking Curtis's advice on how I'm cooking the steak...

..but I guess I'm worried about how long it's going to take me.

Here he is. Alright, guys, I've been in.

Dying to know. I've gone around, and I've got a lot to tell you.

SOFIA: What are you most worried about?

So, Sav has a ton going on.

She's starting with pork belly.

I mean, I love pork, and I love the fact that Sav's cooking it.

I mean, look, all Coles-brand fresh pork

is 100% Aussie-grown and carbon-neutral.

And I'm so proud of her for putting that on the plate.

I just hope she cooks it perfectly. Mm.

Nat's menu reads fantastically,

and the dessert sounds fabulous, too.

It's a burnt-honey tart.

Is that one tart each,

or is it a few that she's cutting into slices?

She's going to cut each one into a half moon.

It's a lot of tart. POH: That's a lot of tart.

It's a lot of tart. Yeah.

NAT: Oh...

Righto, hit us with Pezza.

Oh, Pezza!

He's a walking, talking advert for Tasmania.

Isn't he? Right.

He's using beef from Tasmania, but he's going to basically serve

the fillet with the lobster.

Right?

Yes, we know Pezza knows his proteins,

but he's doing two of them.

That's instantly double the work.

It sounds like all three of the semifinalists have perhaps

underestimated what it's going to be like when they actually start

to plate up.

This is why this challenge is so important, because it shows

someone who can just cook one dish really well, as opposed to someone

who can actually perform a service. Exactly.

Which is multiples. Yeah.

Big time, big time.

PEZZA: Keep going, Natty girl.

NAT: Thank you.

It might seem like you're a long way away from it,

but service starts in one hour!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I have found some time by halving my tarts...

..but I have to start on my marron because I'm not going to have mains

if I don't start on my marron now.

It's a lot.

Nat. Yes.

I have read the beast of a prep list that you have set.

Scallop prepped? Yep.

Nectarine? Yep.

Ginger dressing?

I'm about to finish off the ginger dressing now

and then do my persimmons.

Lemon myrtle, Thai basil oil. Yeah.

Salmon roe? Yep.

Chilli garnishes? No.

Marron prepped?

Trying to work out how I'm going to do that.

Enoki mushrooms?

No.

Warrigal green crisp? No.

The chilli oil?

Um... No.

Finger limes? No.

Wattle seed ricotta snow? No.

Toasted cornflakes? No.

Figs?

Pfft! No.

Nat, decision time.

Right now, I'm doing the maths.

Yeah. You have done nine elements. Yeah.

You still have eight elements to go.

Yeah. And you have just over 50 minutes.

The edits that you've made, you have not made enough. Yeah.

You've got to make some good decisions here. OK.

Nat, do not forget what you're cooking for.

Yeah. Right?

I want to be in the finals, as well.

An entree is one dish out of three. Yeah, yeah.

Good luck. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Come on, Natty girl!

Alright, marron.

Right now, I really, really want to stick to my plan.

Nat, look us in the face and tell us if we should be worried or not.

You should be worried. Oh, that's not the answer I wanted.

Yeah, I know, sorry.

I'm going to keep pushing as hard as I can.

There's three of you and only two spots in the Grand Finale.

30 minutes to go!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Hustle, girl. You got this. Let's go, Savi.

I'm concerned at this point. Savi is moving very slowly.

She's like a turtle. She's a bit all over the place.

Come on, Savi P, let's go. Come on, Sav.

Savi, I wouldn't worry about the sauce right now.

You've got to really start thinking.

If you don't get lobster on the plate, there's no point

in having a lobster sauce.

SAV: Yep, onto it now.

Sav, working on the lobster for the main?

Yep.

Just get it out, get it out. See what I'm doing?

Yep. Just get it out, get it out, get it out.

You've got to find second gear, my love.

You've got to go faster. Yep.

Under half an hour till the entrees are going to leave the pass.

Yeah. Hopefully.

The main is my game now.

So, the main's your game for the next, what, 15 minutes max?

Because that's all you've got until you have to make

this kitchen spotless.

You need to have all of your entree ready to go.

Well, got to make it work in 15 minutes, don't I?

(EXHALES)

I want to believe you, but I don't know if I believe you.

That's the thing. You've got to move.

Let's go, Sav, let's go.

GILLIAN: Come on, Savi, you've got this. Just hustle!

Let's move.

And then, I want this area clean because we're going

to have to start plating food.

I'm gonna get it done.

I don't know how many minutes I have left.

I just know that I have to keep going.

My hands are cut to all hell, after handling those shells

but I can't think about it.

I have gotten my lobsters done and covered in ghee,

so that I can flash-cook them before service time

for my main. Beautiful, Savi!

Alright.

And I also need to get started on my chilli dhal for the mains...

Ah! Ooh, hot.

..and nail this pork belly for entree.

I don't know why I've given myself so much work.

Heads up, guys!

The diners are arriving, and you have 15 minutes to go.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I need you to start cleaning down, getting yourself organised.

PEZZA: Here comes the punters,

so I'm just trying to get everything ready to flow for the entree.

Abalones there, just ready to be cooked in the pan.

And, uh, I'm going to start cooking it probably in about 10 to go,

so it's ready to go out with the first load.

OK, get that beef in, big fella. Yep.

Pressure's building because I've also got to get the steak on

for the main.

You know, you're a cook when the smell of hot oil gets you excited.

I just want to sear it, so we get a little bit of colour.

Not too much because I know it's going to come back a second

and a third time.

We don't want to burn it.

We just want to get that nice brown for the first cook.

So, I'm watching it like a hawk.

Pezza, the service for you is probably going to be

the most difficult out of the three contestants. Yep.

So, your competition really hangs

on how well you execute this service, mate.

You've got to be spot on. Yep.

Thanks, Chef.

I've got a lot of protein to cook in my menu.

It's going to come down to the wire.

MALE CONTESTANT: Get it, Pezza!

I want you guys to be super organised!

Super clean-down! Yes?

Yes, Chef!

Watching these guys cook, I'm in a constant state of anxiety.

My heart is pounding out of my chest.

It is wild down there.

Stay clean, stay organised!

Don't turn your stations into a mess!

They're all really struggling.

I'm here to help you, but I am not your housekeeper!

I think he's a little bit worried

that no-one's going to be ready for service.

OK, listen up! I want two plates. Yes?

Yes, Chef! Yes, Chef!

Plates up, please. Let's go.

NAT: I had so much to do, but I'm working so fast.

She's a gun.

I might ditch the persimmon, eh?

It's taking too long.

I just want to give myself time.

I have to ditch something so persimmon's gone.

I'm ditching it for now.

And then, I can start on my entree service.

And I made a cold scallop starter

so that everything's ready to be served.

Yeah, that's better.

So, I feel like I'm starting to get back on track.

I'm just really hoping that my entree

will have enough sweetness.

Come on, Nat! Thank you.

You guys are great support.

I've got my nectarines on.

I've got the Japanese Hokkaido scallops and salmon roe,

finished with lemon myrtle and Thai basil oil

and ginger dressing.

The good thing about Nat's cold entree... Yeah.

..she gets more time to work on her main. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I always do a cold starter for that reason!

Yeah!

Or room temp at least.

Hope you're hustling! You've got five minutes to go!

Come on! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Let's go, guys!

Come on!

Oh, my God.

MALE CONTESTANT: Nice work, Sav. You've just got to hustle now.

Service is about to start,

and there's still so much for me to do.

I am stressed and just so overwhelmed by this pork belly.

All you need to do is stay really, really focused

because we're going to have to start plating food.

Nice, Sav, looks great.

FEMALE CONTESTANT: Beautiful, Savi.

It's looking good.

I just don't know if it's perfectly even.

Come on, hustle, girl. You got this.

But I can't worry about that now. I am so far behind.

Thankfully, I'm happy with the rest of the dish.

I've got my turmeric potato cream and pickled onion and parsley salsa

and my kithul pani glaze ready to go.

So, now, I really need to find another gear for that last push.

Semifinal service starts in...

ALL: 10, nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four,

three, two, one!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Service has started!

I need two abalone! Two scallop!

Two pork, please. Let's go.

NAT: Yes, chef!

I need two.

Wow, this has been such an exciting competition.

And it all comes down to this.

I reckon we've got a super semifinal tasting on our hands. Yeah, me, too.

Service, please. Thank you.

Thank you.

That is special.

We are very lucky.

We are about to be served nine special dishes.

Oh, smell it.

What have we got?

We've got Nat's semifinal entree.

Japanese Hokkaido Scallops with Ginger Dressing,

and Nectarine, Lemon Myrtle and Thai Basil Oil.

Shall we dive in?

I think it's a great start to Nat's menu.

It was fresh, it was zingy.

It was seasoned really nicely.

For me, I really enjoyed the dressing.

I thought the balance of the ginger heat,

because that's where we're getting it from,

and also the lemon myrtle and the Thai basil oil

really worked well together.

SOFIA: I don't think I've actually come across

lemon myrtle with Thai basil in a restaurant.

I love that she's kicked off with that.

I think it's a really crisp dish that kind of keeps you wanting

for the next course. Yeah.

So, I think that's a smart move, too.

Yeah, good call.

I think Nat has delivered a beautiful starter.

So delicate, so picturesque and so tasty.

That is special.

PEZZA: Bloody hot in here.

Look, it's getting really hectic doing the entrees and the beef

at the same time, but the abalone shells,

got them ready to go in muffin pans

for the vermicelli noodles.

The abalone's been steamed and sliced.

Now I've got to finish it off in the hot wok.

So, it's going to take 15 to 20 seconds with the XO sauce.

But I just need to be careful.

It can overcook like that.

Make it really, really, really pretty. Yep.

Like your life depends on it. Yep.

Service, please.

Here we go.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Wow, look at that. POH: Wow.

(LAUGHS)

Thank you. That looks really good.

SOFIA: Alright, Pezza's entree.

XO Abalone.

Tassie Green Lip Abalone in XO Sauce.

Shall we dig in? Oh, I am praying that this abalone...

Is tender. Oh, man!

Oh!

Got to start with that abalone.

Steaming it, shucking it, and stir frying it.

Curtis doubted him.

It is absolutely stunning.

There was so much that could have gone wrong.

He obviously knows his way around a local ingredient.

That XO sauce is just so intense with umami.

His balance - the sweet, the saltiness, the savoury.

Every cook Pezza has, he moves forward a little bit.

But today, I think he's moved forward a lot.

I am overwhelmed.

He came up with something so small, miniature

and delicious and powerful.

He has blown me away. Blown me away.

He has ABALONE you away! Ha!

ABALONE you away. He's ABALONE you away.

Oh, sorry, I missed the... That's very good.

It was very good. It's good. That's a good one.

CURTIS: We are holding for pork. We are holding.

OK, I need two pork complete.

You're holding everyone up, right now, Sav, so let's move.

You've got it, Sav! Keep going. Keep going, Sav!

(CHEERING)

You can do it. You can do it. Come on. Focus.

(CHEERING)

SAV: Service.

Thank you. Thank you.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Thank you.

Interesting.

Alright, Sav's semifinal entree.

Kalu Pol Pork Belly with Kithul Pani Glaze,

parsley and pickled onion salsa and Turmeric Potato Cream.

I think Sav came up with something, which is what I expect

from Sri Lanka.

The kithul pani glaze...

..is really, really well mixed.

I love it.

To taste a potato puree recontextualised

with Sri Lankan flavours is really delightful.

I've never seen that before, and I feel like it's hers.

I can feel that being a bit of a signature of Sav's.

But I think the pork, it's a little...

It could have just done with a little bit more of a cook.

It does feel like the fat hasn't completely rendered as much

as I would like in some parts.

So, we'll see what the rest of her menu has in store.

OK, let's go. Main course. Are we ready?

NAT: Yep.

I want plates on the pass, please.

Um, the marron's going in.

The marron needs, like, one more minute just to heat up.

Um, but nearly there.

Entrees are done, and I'm so glad I made a cold starter,

and now I can finish off the last few elements for my main course.

GILLIAN: Woo! Yeah! Look at that. Good job, Natty!

Go, Natty! (CHEERING)

The marron is so delicate and creamy.

Oh, God.

I have to make sure that I don't overpower it with Australian natives

and all my traditional Thai flavours.

Warrigal greens, mushrooms, tom yum sauce

and the finger lime is so important.

Service, please.

In Thailand, we love acid and spiciness.

Oh, wait, my chilli, my chilli, my chilli!

All those elements need to be perfect to get

into the Grand Finale.

Whoa. Thank you.

Wow! Oh, my God.

Wow! OK, what we have is Nat's main,

which is a Poached Marron with a Tom Yum Sauce, Natives,

Marron Coral Chilli Oil.

It looks intense.

Holy moley.

Look, what she's done...

..it is immaculate.

I love the colours.

It's rich, it's delicate, and it's super powerful.

When you dive into it,

I really feel the Asian sensibility of texture in there.

The little pops of the native lime.

The mushrooms have a lovely earthiness

that actually pair really well with the marron.

Really, really skilful cooking.

I think it's such a beautiful, elegant plate of food.

Just so happy for her that she got it together

to this level,

because this truly is a level up from everything we've seen from her.

I'm going to start with the marron

because they're cooked absolutely per-fect-ly.

I cannot believe how well they're cooked.

So, if there's ever a dish that could get someone

into the Finale...

..that is it.

OK. Let's go. I need two lobster,

I need two marron, and I need two beef and reef.

I hope that's the last time I say that.

PEZZA: I feel like the entrees went well,

but I'm nervous about the main course.

I took Curtis's advice on the steak,

so I'm really hoping that it's cooked to perfection,

or this could be the end of me.

MALE CONTESTANT: Come on, Pezza!

FEMALE CONTESTANT Let's go, Pezza!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The cook on this steak could not be better.

Thanks very much, Curtis. That's all I can say.

Your idea has definitely worked.

And the cook on the lobster I think is Mickey Mouse.

The jus has got that taste of the ocean,

creaminess of that carrot puree.

But what worries me is if Nat and Sav have outdone me

with their flavours, you know?

I can see Nat's doing justification to her beautiful Thai flavours,

so I know I'm up against it.

CURTIS: Service, please.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

SOFIA: Wow!

This is Pezza's main,

and its Tassie Beef And Reef -

Cape Grim Tenderloin

with Tasmanian Rock Lobster, watercress and jus,

and a Carrot Puree.

Oh, I don't know where to start. Do I go beef or reef?

I'm gonna go... Seafood starter.

I honestly cannot deal right now.

Like, when I saw the plate,

it already nearly brought me to tears.

I don't think people experience lobster cooked like this...

No way.

..if they visit 10 high-end restaurants. No way.

No kidding.

The steak was a big thing for Pezza,

and he's done it justice so much.

It was beautiful medium-rare.

It's nicely rounded with the right colour,

and you can see the butcher man has sliced identical.

Pezza's salty, umami, deep, deep, jus

is what binds all of the elements together.

The land and the sea.

Surf and turf together.

Bingo.

FEMALE CONTESTANT: Tasty, Savi? Needs more lime.

Throughout this whole day, I've been incredibly rushed,

so my biggest concern

is whether the flavours are going to actually make sense.

I've got the freshness of my little salsa,

I've got the sweetness and the richness of my poached lobster,

and I've got the guts in the sauce, and I've got this real earthiness

from my chilli dhal, which...

..it's a big, bold flavour.

I just hope that all of this works together.

Service, please.

OK, guys, this is Sav's. Ooh!

Thank you.

ANDY: OK.

Thank you. SOFIA: Alright.

OK, so this is Sav's mains,

and it's Ghee Poached Lobster, Hodi,

Chilli Dhal Puree and Crispy Curry Leaves.

Oh.

I think Sav delivered a fantastic dish.

The way she poached the lobsters in a ghee,

I've never saw that before. It's fantastic.

The sauce!

She knows she can make sauces.

She's obviously used raw and dry curry mix.

I can get the lemongrass. I can get everything there.

This is Sav as a feeder,

Sri Lankan feeder for me.

Extremely generous dish, to have that whole lobster tail.

Where it sort of goes awry for me is having multiple elements

that are really punchy and Sri Lankan,

with something that is quite a subtle meat.

It's a little bit combative for me.

The cook on the lobster is lovely,

but there's a few bits on my lobster

that are quite plasticky on the outside.

I feel like the dhal puree is not quite a puree,

it's more like a mash.

So, the texture of that interferes with the delicate flesh

of the lobster that she's so beautifully poached.

I feel like that puree could go with pork or chicken.

Something that could hold up to it.

Don't get me wrong, there's so much deliciousness going on.

But was the dhal the right choice for a lobster?

OK, guys, dessert service starts in two minutes.

Plates up.

Ah, the tart's probably the one thing

I'm, like, least happy about

because the pastry is way too thick,

so I'm definitely stressed out.

The reality is, if I kept going with the pastry,

I reckon I would have not been able to have breakfast or...

If I kept going with the pastry,

I just wouldn't have had the starters or mains.

I'm just going to cut the figs, a bit of liquid nitrogen,

wattle seed and ricotta snow,

cornflake crumb and also some honeycomb.

They're pretty thick, but it's been done.

KHRISTIAN: Stay calm, Nat.

Watching Nat, I can tell this dessert

is not what she was hoping for.

Oh, God. Take your time.

I'm a little bit worried for her.

Service.

Thank you.

Thanks. Thank you.

SOFIA: Alright.

So, Nat's dessert is a Native Honey Tart,

Wattle Seed and Ricotta Snow, Charred Cornflakes, Fresh Figs

and Local Honeycomb.

Whoa!

(PLATE CLINKS) Oh!

Yeah, it's a... It's a dangerous...dangerous act.

VOICEOVER: Get inspired by our fabulous home cooks!

Stream full episodes of MasterChef Australia now

on 10play.

Oh! Far out. This is kind of tricky to eat.

POH: Right from the prep stage, the pastry looked really thick,

and that is the main problem.

Like, you think it's just gonna, like, ricochet off the table?

Yeah, I thought it was gonna go straight on the dress. Yeah.

To me, it's more kind of like a shortbread biscuit.

It is extremely thick.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: But you know what? That custard in a tart,

oh, I love it

when it's so rich and creamy.

I love that nod to native ingredients again

with the native honey.

And then, of course, those bits of cornflakes on the plate

makes you think of childhood.

So...

..I don't know about this dessert. I'm a bit 50-50.

PEZZA: Today has gone so well, but this is the moment of truth.

I'm just hoping that these panna cottas

are going to come out of the mould.

I don't want them to be my downfall.

CONTESTANT: Oh, Pezza.

CONTESTANT: That's it. Yeah!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I cannot believe it.

My luck today is just gold.

It's set to perfection.

I'm really happy with the dessert.

I'm just wondering what they're going to say.

Are they going to say this is too simple?

I'm not sure. I've just got a little spoonful of the crumble,

a little bit of coulis,

the three little half raspberries with the mint leaf in it.

Service.

Service up. Let's take 'em out.

Whoa, they're wobbly!

Oh, it's dancing! Thank you.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE: Thank you.

Alright, so, Pezza's dessert.

Vanilla Honey Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis and Crumb.

Oh, the crumb. Let's see the crumb first.

Well, it's very simple -

I love it.

I love it because the panna cotta is not too sweet.

It's set very well. It's very wobbly.

You can see on this thing the vanilla seeds.

You can get the honey coming out.

The raspberry is just...perfect.

The panna cotta was beautifully set.

It was just wobbling like crazy when it landed on the table.

But I feel like the perfume from the raspberries

took over that really subtle honey flavour.

Where it falls a little bit short for me is with the crumb

and the raspberry coulis.

I just wanted them to be a little more creative.

It's a tough one because, like,

Pezza put so much effort and creativity

into his first two courses,

and I feel like he's just gonna do the bare minimum for the dessert.

And the bare minimum he has done.

You know, that could leave the door open.

Yeah.

You want to stay in the competition? SAV: Yeah. Let's go.

SNEZANA: Go, Savi.

I have nothing but determination because the finish line

is right there.

I have my little amuse-bouche -

salted Greek yoghurt and lemongrass sorbet.

It's a palate cleanser.

It's supposed to bridge the main and the dessert.

That's it, Sav. Nice.

And then, I've got my creme diplomat with my coconut cream

and my mango and pineapple.

And I very carefully lay my jelly veil

on top of all of that, and I'm so proud of it.

Yes, Sav!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

SOFIA: Oh, alright!

Wow, look at that!

ANDY: Oh-ho-ho!

Wow! Double trouble.

Sav's actually put up

a little palate cleanser,

an amuse-bouche.

We've got a Greek Yoghurt and Lemongrass Sorbet,

and then My Tropical Jelly, which is Coconut Water Jelly,

Mango and Pineapple with Coconut.

That little toasted coconut on the side. Wow.

Whoa.

That cleansed my palate! (LAUGHS)

My bouche is amused. (LAUGHTER)

I loved this palate cleanser.

I actually really enjoyed the saltiness and the sourness

of the yoghurt with that lime and lemongrass.

It really is a nod to Sri Lankan-Indian cooking for me.

I've just never had it in that context, and I'm into it.

I think Sav has done a wonderful job.

The veil is transparent, so it allows you to have an effect.

I like that. I love this little diplomat.

Oh, it's so tasty.

It's super delicious.

It's fresh, and also it's quite distinctive.

I love the pineapple, the mango together,

the lemongrass and the lime.

It's lovely.

Sav's gone for classic flavours here,

and it was flawlessly executed.

I thought it was a really elegant, light touch for a dessert.

I think, for modern desserts,

I love how it's just very refreshing rather than over the top,

and a really nice way to finish the meal.

Service, please.

Oh, my God, done!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Thank you so much.

Service up!

Amazing, amazing job. Well done. Well done.

Well done. Bring it in.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Proud of you guys.

Oh, I can't believe I got through that!

It was hectic, but it was awesome.

That was blood, sweat and tears in there.

I mean, they've all had their ups and downs,

but now we have a really difficult decision to make.

You guys worked so hard,

and you guys hustled...

..and we got to the start of that service,

and even I was like, "Oh, my God, how's this going to go?"

But...

..you guys smashed it.

You cooked beautiful dishes that reflected who you are as people,

and I'm really proud of you. Well done.

SOFIA: Give it up for Curtis Stone!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Right...

..the first person through to the Finale.

The menu was refined...

..brilliantly executed...

..and it was made by...

..Pezza!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

FEMALE CONTESTANT: Good on you, Pezz!

(IN A HIGH-PITCHED VOICE) Pezza!

How are you feeling?

Ah, look, I'm a bit emotional, sorry.

But dreams do come true, that's what I say.

So, thank you very much.

Well done, mate.

Yeah.

Right, Nat, Sav...

..there's only one spot left.

We wanted to see Finale-worthy foods...

..and you gave it to us.

Nat, you're in the Grand Finale!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

SAVINDRI: Well done.

Jesus Christ.

Don't - you'll make me cry again. (CLEARS THROAT)

No, I won't! (LAUGHTER)

It's...it's...it's insane.

Sav, your food was delicious today,

but the competition was really fierce.

You can't be disappointed. You should be so proud of yourself.

I dreamt of doing The Love Letter To Sri Lanka

for a very long time,

and that's what I wanted to do more than anything else.

That's what I wanted to achieve.

Like, what a privilege to be able to do this, and with Curtis...

Yeah.

..um, who mentored us the whole way, and being, like, top three,

like, it's pretty cool.

I mean, 250 K would have been nice, but...

(LAUGHTER) Um...

Sav, you know, the kitchen wouldn't have been the same without you.

You can go and join your friends now.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

It's been an absolute privilege to share my story,

and I feel like there's going to be a 16-year-old Sri Lankan girl

watching me going, "I can do that, too."

Nat, Pezza, has it hit you yet?

You're our Grand Finalists!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I knew she'd be here!

I bet yous didn't ever think I was going to be here!

(LAUGHTER)

It's only a matter of time before one of you is crowned

MasterChef 2024.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Well done!

VOICEOVER: Tomorrow night on MasterChef Australia,

it's the Grand Finale.

They'll face two astonishing rounds...

ANDY: Let's get into this! Are you ready?

..three Michelin stars...

SOFIA: The formidable Clare Smyth!

(GASPS)

I'm genuinely terrified.

..for one lifechanging trophy.

Shall we find out?

Are you ready?

Captions by Red Bee Media