Reece Was Eliminated from MasterChef Because of an Underwhelming Veggie Dish
Reece Hignell was the latest person to be eliminated from MasterChef: Back to Win in a fine dining challenge.
The contestants had to cook a four-course meal for the judges and six high-profile former guest chefs on the show, Matt Stone, Jo Barrett, Shannon Martinez, Peter Gunn, Darren Purchese and Kirsten Tibballs.
Each contestant pulled a token from a bag to figure out which course they would be cooking. Reece was assigned the vegetable entree, while Emelia Jackson made the fish course, Laura Sharrad had the meat course and Callum Hann was tasked with dessert. They each had two hours, with staggered starts for their dishes.
The sixth place in season 10 was enthusiastic about making the veggie dish, while Emelia was nervous about her fish course but determined to redeem herself after having struggled with the . She was also worried about having the least service experience out of all the contestants.
Reece aimed to create a roast beetroot with a goat's cheese foam and hazelnut chocolate crunch, and a shiraz vinaigrette, but judge Jock Zonfrillo called the dish "safe". Then Reece decided to make an alternate lemon myrtle vinaigrette as well.
Emelia made crispy skin barramundi on a bed of fennel with an oil and a Japanese-inspired broth that she had difficulty finessing. Laura made a dish of roast lamb with peas and mint, while Callum created a pared-back aniseed myrtle, Davidson plum and chocolate dessert.
Emelia's fish and fennel dish was beautifully seasoned and balanced, while Laura's lamb was described as "perfect", which left Reece in the bottom two with Callum. Jock said that the flavours in Callum's dessert dish were "confused", while Reece's proportions were off and his seasoning was out. "The dish wasn't Finals worthy," he concluded.
Andy Allen called Reece a "true legend in this kitchen", adding that he should "be so proud how far you've come".
"For me, I just love everyone in this room. I'm so grateful to meet you guys and to have that support - that meant so much to me," Reece told the judges, adding that his fellow contestants, his friends, were an "inspiration".
Melissa Leong added: "When you walk out that door today, I want you to strut like you mean it, because you are tens across the board to us, because you're wonderful, and we will miss you."
Every elimination at this point of the competition is so upsetting! We love Reece!
MasterChef Australia airs on Network 10, Sunday to Tuesday. Join us at our Facebook group Pass the Popcorn to gab about all things reality TV.