ChicagoMe

Keyma was robbed of that $20,000 they gave to Daniel. I'm sure he's a nice bloke off camera but his presence so far into the season robbed so many other chefs. What a slap in the face for Keyma. Let's hope he fades into oblivion very soon.

After the cook when all 3 finalists are standing awaiting judgment, Sarah and Billie looked they are about to start cooking and Daniel looked like he just came in from fixing his tractor. I thought he must have run out to get oil from the engine to cook with. Anyhow, there was no hiding his mistakes tonite but it's such a shame so many cooks so much better than him were booted before him...and for what? Maybe they chose him for his looks but he was just a Gomer. It was a good time watching the two women get through this cook...I couldn't believe that guest chef stuck his finger in Billie's mousse - now there's a real pro!

No, he dint.

I skipped to the end to see Daniel survive yet another round. Who is interested in watching this anymore? I skipped last season's final 3 and now I find myself back in the same place. Billie should win but I don't think the judges care in the least who deserves the win...only who they pre-picked maybe as early as Episode 1

I was wrong in my last post about Daniel being uncomfortable...it has become quite clear that he now revels in and BELIEVES how wonderfully talented in the kitchen he is. The judges said it so it MUST be true! C'mon, let's all get on board the Daniel-for-the-win train!

It's becoming more and more apparent as we near the end how embarrassed Daniel is about his standing. I think he's fully aware at how underqualified he is to have made it this far and how farcical his performance has been with all the fabricated praise heaped upon him. He looked like a fraud tonite and he seemed to be feeling it too. At this point I feel a bit sorry for him but better cooks have been booted off in favor of his weak showings in the final cooks and maybe he's now feeling guilty at having agreed to go along with this ridiculous competition that granted him this false status. Last season was a huge disappointment with Justin winning with his subpar cooking just to have a man in top spot. Here we are again so it seems.

Once we hit a 13-page instruction booklet last week on the pressure test I decided to just skip ahead to the judging. Between Dan and Julie my fast forward key is worn out. The upcoming finale is looking less and less interesting. I remember sitting out last year's for the same reasons...some guy who couldn't figure out how to wear a baseball cap who came out of nowhere like Dan. I doubt Dan could even pronounce Mille-feuille before making it. Oh well...team Billie and Alvin for the final!

Mel looked lovely in her grandma's hand-knitted doily today

I am so pleased they are limiting Tommy's screen time - I'm still sick of him from last season and his fake orgasms over veggies

I didn't watch the last 4 or 5 episodes for a lot of the reasons already mentioned. I'm not sure Pete ever made a dish that could interest me beyond simple morbid fascination. And the bro show within the show was equally nauseating. I wonder how Aussies feel about this season - are they disappointed? I looked forward to this season and by it's end care little about the next one. The judges and producers turned this season into one big hot mess - guess that explains Pete's appeal to them.

I didn't get a chance to view last nite's episode but am so glad to hear Tommy's gone. After the contrived groans of ecstasy over zucchini some weeks back I couldn't stand to listen to him anymore. That Pete has survived reveals how rigged this show is - he should have been gone long ago. The judges should all be nominated for an AACTA for their loving-Pete's-revolting-food performances. After this season they should consider an overhaul of the show because it went from a wonderful and entertaining Season 12 to a very-nearly-unwatchable show. Beenz or Kishwar for the win...but fat chance there, eh?

I want Pete to go as badly as I wanted Conor to go. Unfortunately, Linda got lost in the weeds last nite and I think she's near the end of her stay. But Pete's dishes are representative of the entire season - nauseating, predictable and disappointing - inclusive of judges and contestants for the most part. Right now, Beenz really is the standout but Elise's dish last nite was creative and looked very appetizing. There is no guy I would like to see in the final. As is, I fast forward thru Tommy's and Pete's interviews. I still like Kishwar but after the vanilla challenge I went a bit sour on her - she was unable to hero it on the fly, she thought of a dish she wanted to make, made it, and then incorporated vanilla where it clearly had no place. I only continue to watch because I really want Beenz to win. And also for the moments of pontificating Andy - just build it around horseradish and you'll be fine (to Depinder).

Well, that was actually a quite interesting and telling episode. All chefs started out on a level playing field. Once Curtis started Beenz was the only one able to keep up - without any help. I was shocked that Linda could not break down a chicken. Tommy relied upon the rest of the bunch to carry him through - he would have had virtually no chance of finishing the challenge without them. Same for Linda and Kishwar (she was already behind when she sliced her finger). It's clear Beenz should be in the top 2 but, IMO, she should win it all after watching this episode. She's been creative and original throughout the entire season and I"m not sure I can even say what's in her wheelhouse - except everything. I'm rooting for her now.

Do you think the producers of this show read the threads? Reddit has a lot more to say but pretty much along the same lines as this one with the exception of an anti-Andy influence.

I continue to read the recaps but I can't yet bring myself to watch another episode. I feel this season has been manipulated from the top down from the get go. What makes this season so damn disappointing is that last season was so damn good. It helped that it was during early lockdown which made me particularly grateful for entertaining cooking programs. But, since I"m in India, I've been in lockdown - still am - and perhaps the sheer boredom of my life is attributed to the boring meter registering so high on S13 of MC. Thanks for the recaps. But I've reached a point where I no longer care who wins. Seriously, Pete's slimy fish skin did me in - that he received praise for that dish leaves me in a state of suspended disbelief in the veracity of this show.

That's all it took to make me skip this episode - Pete should have been gone with the slimy fish skin dish. The winner was decided in Week 1.

Hillstrand telling the story about putting laxatives in his crew's hot chocolate - not at all funny not to mention illegal. DC has made stars of the most appalling kind of people - Hillstrand just proved himself to be another one of them. There's not a single captain I can think of I enjoy watching. That was my one episode/year I watch - any more than that is too much of a disgusting thing.

I can't go on...garlic ice cream - Conor lives on in Pindo. I lost all respect for her tonite. The judges have reached a point of unbelievability. I'd love to be a fly on the wall during their pre-show meetings to listen to the bullshit. I seriously don't know if I can sit through the rest of this season.

Fish and cheese? Are we all forgetting McDonald's fish burger - served with a slice of cheese. Yum! What's with Dale going off the rails over a missing plate item? Is that seriously all it takes to upset him? How does he cope in a high pressure kitchen?

I didn't watch Brent's "private" chat with Jock. I won't say because it was I didn't care about Brent but because of the overt attempt at manipulating the moment for higher ratings. Before the episode even started Brent had already discussed at length, I'm sure, that he was going to leave. He probably wanted to leave that a.m. but the powers-that-be interfered for drama's sake. Has anyone told the producers that MC is NOT a drama? I know what it's like to be separated from kids for lengthy periods of time and it can play games with your head - I'm sure Brent is not only happy to be reunited with his family but to be rid of the nasty business that MC has turned into for the chefs. And tonite's ep was a perfect example of more nasty business. I'm calling Pete for the elimination but hope it's Tommy. The wild card right now is what's under the cloche...and does anybody care? I hope it's something classic French to throw them ALL off their games - but that would be too "normal" for this drama-driven "reality" show.

The one thing that really stood out for me tonite was watching Kishwar cut her fish - banging the cutting edge of one knife over the other. Yikes! I know speed is important but she seemed in a dead panic at that moment. Maybe it's just me but chopping fast isn't the only knife skill to have - respect the cutlery - I almost never see chefs flipping their knives to drag the flat top edge of the blade to scrape food off the cutting board. They must have to sharpen their knives hourly. Thank god Pete was their to fill Therese's/Conor's shoes with a vinegar ice cream. They desperately want him to make it to the final 3. I'm sick of being lied to by the judges - that had to be disgusting. I like the guy but his "creative" food has "bin it" written all over it. Anyhow, the episodes are just dragging. Maja or Aaron will almost certainly get the boot tomorrow nite with barely a half hour of time remaining on their clocks. With the episode coming in at just over an hour I thought both rounds would be played out tonite but Blokey Bloke's goodbye ate up a good chunk of the remaining time. With inspiration drained from missing your family just too damn much he made a good decision. Unsentimentally speaking, he never stood a chance - neither do the remaining majority.

Exactly! MC is almost a 100% scripted show.

Tommy got Immunity cooking a Vietnamese pastry!! In all fairness, nobody left their comfort zone in this competition and I twiddled my thumbs through the entire episode. I keep crossing my fingers for the "next episode" to see these guys forced to cook something, anything else out of their regions. Tommy, despite his predictable cooking style, makes very tasty looking dishes and he's clearly a front runner. Only because I've been living in India for 20 years and am so sick of Indian food am I unable to be excited by Depinder or Kishwar although they do make some great food. Beenz...does she stand a chance? I hope so. Her versatility can carry her to the end. The show is MC AU, not SE Asia MC. Get these cooks into Europe or the Americas and see what else they've got.

I thought Tommy might escape his box tonite but alas, no. Tomorrow looks like a forced pastry cook at the restaurant - let's see how Tommy Vietnamizes it. Hooray for Depinder, Kishwar and Linda. I'd call them for the top 3 if it weren't for the probability that the producers will not permit all women at the top again. But I can't picture any of those guys rising to the occasion. Possibly Pete but he's almost too conceptual (and not so good with time) to find himself elevated within the ranks. All in all, not a bad episode. Thankfully the judges kept their noses out of everyone's way and their mouths shut. Depinder for immunity. As an aside, I think Tommy decided what to make and then took a picture.

Jock and Andy both made attempts to undermine Beanz and Linda's inventive ideas - kudos to both of them for sticking to their guns but I wish someone would speak up and tell Andy to bugger off. It's a 'damned if you' & 'damned if you don't' game they play with regards to keeping the cook safe or risking everything to put out something new on the dish. Plus, it would make for damn good viewing were Andy to be dressed down a bit - he could encourage but he chooses the opposite. He should just stay up front and stop wandering. Andy, too - stay put so we don't have to listen to "you really don't want to be on the bottom tonite". I mean, how does he know that for sure?☺️ It's still too hard to call it but, after tonite, Beanz has shown she doesn't think inside any box.