S15.W10 (E45-49)

[katisha]

Waaaoooowwww!  That felt like it was a long time coming, didn't it?  I really feel like the producers missed a big opportunity here because whilst they tried to milk every last drop of pathos from the episode, it would have been so much sadder if Cath's BFF Rhiannon had been the one to eliminate her rather than Brent.  I suppose I'm happy for Cath that she has lasted much longer in the competition than any person her age ever has before but it doesn't sit well with me because there was so much producer manipulation to make it happen IMHO.  But we were treated to the full Cath show today, with the pep talks of "you got this, sweetie" and even patting herself on the back.

It's starting to feel like we're in Groundhog Day when Brent cooks, in all honesty.  The second he goes outside of his tried and true formula he usually falls on his face, so we end up with, yet again:

• protein cooked on hibachi
• glaze on the protein which was cooked on the hibachi
• sauce which is reduced from a pressure cooker stock to serve with the protein which was cooked on the hibachi
• a salsa full of freshness and herbs to accompany the protein which was cooked on the hibachi.

Honestly, can the man do anything else?

It's for this reason that I honestly believe the final two should actually be Deccy and Theo, because even though they too have their favourite lanes (Deccy - fish fish and more fish, Theo - lamb and Greek dishes in general), at least they are willing to venture outside of those lanes and more often than not succeed when they try new things.  

It's manifestly wrong that Rhiannon has ended up as the last woman standing but much as I hate to say it, she probably deserves that spot more than Cath did.  

@Aerobicidal, it's time for another lesson on Aussie accents.  🙃 A whole episode of Cath talking was pretty tortuous but especially the way she pronounced "Dijon".  Now, when I say it, I say "dee-jon".  When Cath says it, she displays the bogan inflection that we see in New South Wales and Victoria on this particular vowel sound, the one you would hear in "key" or "see" or, well, "Dijon"!  The closest approximation I can make of how it would be spelled is "duyyyyjon".  Ouch, it's bloody painful because with that accent, a simple one sound vowel turns into an awful dipthong!

Edited July 9, 2023 by katisha

[Snazzy Daisy]

S15•E45 - Anchovies & Dijon Mustard Duel Elimination Challenge

Well done Theo for making it to Top 4!

Rhiannon put the anchovies under the chicken’s skin - simple! She doesn’t even bother to make anchovy butter etc.

Cath has more than 1 chocolate parfait in that silicone mould. She takes 1 out, put it in the fridge and the rest are left melting on the bench? Why?

Duuu-jon? Dewww-jon? Whatevs. Bye bye Cath. Unlike Ralph, the producers give you more than enough airtime for the farewell. Lucky!

 

Quote

Andy to Brent:

“Cook the food that you are good at.”

Really Andy? You were singing a different tune to Uncle Robbie re his curries. 🙄🙄🙄

Brief for Round 2:

“Bring us your best dish of the competition so far.”

Outcome:

Déjà vu…how creative! 🙄  
 

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Snazzy Daisy

[Aerobicidal]

10 hours ago, katisha said:

When Cath says it, she displays the bogan inflection that we see in New South Wales and Victoria on this particular vowel sound, the one you would hear in "key" or "see" or, well, "Dijon"!  The closest approximation I can make of how it would be spelled is "duyyyyjon".  Ouch, it's bloody painful because with that accent, a simple one sound vowel turns into an awful dipthong!

I assume this is the same vowel sound as when Kath Day-Knight says, "Look at me" or "Let's have Donna Hay's Chinese newie for tea?"

Years ago, I was out of town for a work trip and I had to attend a banquet with a bunch of people I would have rather avoided. One woman, who was from New Hampshire, pronounced "Dijon" as "Dee-yawn." I don't think I'll ever be able to hear or see the word "dijon" without thinking about that. I assume she was trying to sound fancy and sophisticated--kind of like when people omit the "s" sound from "brunoise" or my friend who pronounces "prix fixe" and "pre-fee." That kind of stuff used to annoy my but now I just find it interesting and kind of funny.

As far the the episode, I don't think I have anything useful to say about it. Bring on the next elimination!

Edited July 9, 2023 by Aerobicidal

[katisha]

47 minutes ago, Aerobicidal said:

I assume this is the same vowel sound as when Kath Day-Knight says, "Look at me" or "Let's have Donna Hay's Chinese newie for tea?"

Precisely! Henry Higgins would have had a field day with both Caths, I think. 🤣

[ReallyRealReality]

3 hours ago, Aerobicidal said:

As far the the episode, I don't think I have anything useful to say about it. Bring on the next elimination!

I was surprised that Brent lost to Rhiannon because we all know it will be an all male finale, the women just aren't good enough.

I was also surprised that Andy, describing Kath's memorable dishes, said "they will live on with us".  It triggered another flood of tears.  I can't help it, Jock has always been my favorite MasterChef judge, across all versions I watch every season.

[retrograde]

Oof that whole episode was painful and you could tell the judges thought so too. The vibes in that room seemed really weird. All of the coddling of Cath when it was clear there was no way she could win, and no one really sounded convincing when they suggested she might. Even if her dessert turned out fine, she would've lost to Brent, but screwing up every element just made it brutal to watch. 

I have to assume the guys will be the final three, unless one of them really screws the pooch or the producers interfere/set a very one-sided challenge. I know there has been some discussion of it being a relatively weak batch of contestants this season, but watching the grain challenge, I was pretty impressed with all three (though strongly agree on the above that Brent is very repetitive; Theo's crack about there being no hibachi made me laugh). 

My preferred winner remains Theo, but I think it will be Declan or Brent. However, I think only one of those two will make the final two as otherwise it'll just be a fish-and-salsa-off. I think Declan will be the decisive factor in whether he makes it to the finale -- he will either do something really bone-headed or have a savant moment. 

[katisha]

This may well be a rhetorical question, but did Brent really cook the best dish on tonight's episode or did he win extra points for the best sob story?  I suppose we have no choice but to take the word of our esteemed judges that every repetitive protein on hibachi/glaze/adobo sauce/sambal/fresh salad is something bold and revolutionary but I remain unconvinced because they even look identical as per @Snazzy Daisy's pics last night of two Brent dishes side by side from different weeks showing how far (?!) he has come.

I'm sure everyone's already noticed this but the order in which the food gets tasted has been especially significant this season.  If you are tasted first or last, you'll either win or come close to winning.  

Tomorrow night looks interesting - a Peter Gilmour dish where you don't get a recipe.  Was I mistaken or was it a savoury dish as opposed to the usual mega complicated dessert?

[Snazzy Daisy]

S15•E46 - Family Mystery Box Challenge

Theo’s dog, George is a cutie! 💕

Jock tells Rhiannon to FOCUS on the broth and she uses this excuse to not even try to make her own noodle again. A packet noodle in Top 4. It’s pathetic!!!

So, chilli prawn pasta is not Masterchef worthy but prawn noodle is? What a load of bollocks! Deccy’s effort in making his own noodle is not even mentioned. Geez.

This is a Brent-worship episode, obvs.  He “elevates” the ordinary braised pork belly by adding 2 types of sambal that compliment each other. The judges think this is a Finals Week worthy dish. Yeah, whatevs. Brent makes it to the Semi Final without having to cook complicated desserts. One dimensional cook to win this season? Yay. 🙄

Pork belly is the food of god? Are you f-king kidding me, Mel??! 

Theo looks so defeated at the end. His face says it all. Hang in there, buddy! The preview makes me scared for Theo. He could be given a Ralph treatment because the producers and/or sponsors want a lady in the Semi Final. Brent is Jock’s favorite and Deccy is Andy’s. So hmm, anything can happen. 😣

[Aerobicidal]

My heart ached and I got tears in my eyes seeing the pictures of Theo's daughter, Declan's twin sister, the little dogs, and Little Alfie. (Is Alfie his middle name?) (Sorry if this is too snarky but . . . 46 episodes, no elimination until tomorrow, I need a flute of bubbly.)

Declan said "bangin'" and I now need three entire bottles of bubbly to flush any memories of Justin Narayan from my psyche.

At minute 19 it became obvious that Brent would win this challenge. That's probably better than average for this season, but I would appreciate it if the production staff edited this show with the assumption that some viewers are not foxy morons.

Somewhere Emma Dean is watching Rhiannon's noodle fail and thinking, I could have made top four in this season too!

I did enjoy this footage of Rhiannon doing karaoke.

"A profound respect for what you love, and in innate ability to bring it to us." Good to see that Mel has been spiking her water with THC and/or MDMA. Sober judging would be more tedious than a Bodum without a plunger

"Rhiannon, your half cup of broth with store-bought noodles is modern, excellent, and competitive because you added finger limes." Give me a bloody break. And I say that as a huge fan of laksa.

Andy: "Aromats. Proud is pride of aromats proud plating. Thank you for aromatically doing what I proudly told you to do. Aromats."

Marco Pierre White couldn't have said it any better.

I'm kind of excited for tomorrow's episode because someone could seriously bomb it and the judges wouldn't be able to pretend it was stunning, beautiful, and perfect. Do I think that will happen? No. Do I think that Rhiannon will be eliminated? Well--of course, but if she doesn't, things will be a little more interesting

[katisha]

15 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

Theo looks so defeated at the end. His face says it all. Hang in there, buddy! The preview makes me scared for Theo. He could be given a Ralph treatment because the producers and/or sponsors want a lady in the Semi Final. Brent is Jock’s favorite and Deccy is Andy’s. So hmm, anything can happen. 😣

Oh, @Snazzy Daisy, so sorry that you read Theo's facial expressions in the previews all too well.  From very early in the piece Declan was in cruise mode so it was always going to be between Theo and Rhiannon as to who'd be going home, but I suppose I can buy that Rhiannon's split sauce was less offensive than undercooked seafood and missing elements.  But when they were recapping some of Theo's best dishes, it made me realise all over again that he's not one-dimensional like Brent and has made so much more of a variety of dishes and for that reason alone, in my view he deserved a top 3 spot.  So wrong.  😡

10 hours ago, Aerobicidal said:

Do I think that Rhiannon will be eliminated? Well--of course, but if she doesn't, things will be a little more interesting

Whilst I think it'd serve the producers right if Rhiannon did "do an Emma Dean" and manage to win whilst being manifestly unqualified to do so, I'm now 100% on Team Declan if I can't also be on Team Theo.  I just wish Declan had helped Theo earlier than he did because it would have given him a better chance to sneak into the finals and pip Rhiannon at the post, but the fact that he helped him at all, something which would never have happened on a show like Survivor or other more mean-spirited reality shows, is one of the reasons I keep watching this show.  

Actually, I'm officially Team ABB as well (Anyone But Brent).  Not because I dislike him, mind you (although the cocky version of him is pretty obnoxious), but because his winning has seemed so inevitable for so many weeks now.  I suppose we can only hope that that incredibly mega complicated dessert he's dodged all season is part of the finale, giving Declan at least a chance to beat him. 

10 hours ago, Aerobicidal said:

I did enjoy this footage of Rhiannon doing karaoke.

I'm old enough to remember 'The Lord's Prayer' by Sister Janet Mead, so when this was on K&K in this context I found it absolutely hilarious!

[Mellowyellow]

Katisha I'm behind you guys but Brent has been insufferable in the last few episodes that I've watched!!! So I'm with you on the anyone but Brent train!!! One trick, arrogant pony that one!

I will be decently happy if Declan wins though. 

[Snazzy Daisy]

S15•E47 - Peter Gilmore's No Recipe XO Squid Pressure Test

“Easy!”

This word comes back to bite Theo in his ass. The squid, the membrane are not to be blamed. His undoing is his struggle to get out of the bad headspace. Losing his cool doesn’t help either. So, it is what it is. Goodbye and all the best, Theo! 👏🏻

Thanks Deccy for helping Theo when he needs it. You don’t have to do that. So kind of you.

Once Theo is eliminated, the look between Deccy and Brent, it’s something. I guess they’re also hoping for a testosterone-filled Semi Final, like most of us.

All my favorites are gone now - Grace, Antonio and Theo. I’ll be watching with no worry and no expectation from now on.

The weakest Top 3. Whoever the winner is, it will be Justin Narayan all over again. 🥱💤😴

 

3 hours ago, katisha said:

Oh, @Snazzy Daisy, so sorry that you read Theo's facial expressions in the previews all too well. 

Actually, I'm officially Team ABB as well (Anyone But Brent). 

I was mentally preparing myself for his elimination. I have a feeling that the producers don’t have the balls for All-Balls Semi Final.

Yeah, ABB is the only way now.

Is it ethical to crown someone who is employed by one of the major sponsor??! 🤔

[TVbitch]

Well, I started watching this season, but as soon as Brent showed up, I lost so much interest in it that I never made it past the first couple weeks. I knew he would hibachi his way to the final, deserved or not, and I just couldn't muster the will to watch. Been enjoying your comments though and keeping up with the season that way. And I did watch the wonderful tribute show to Jock. 😭

Also, am watching Dancing with the Stars AU this season, cuz Sharna and Craig are back as judges, and I can report the totally shocking news that... Matt Preston can't dance! 🤣 He's giving it a very good natured go, though, and he was not the worst!

[retrograde]

I could tell Theo was probably a goner from his first solo to-camera interview, because his voice was very gravely like he'd been crying. I believe they film those either after the cooking or after the judging. 

It is a bummer but I don't think I can blame the producers on this one* -- he clearly screwed it up royally.

Hoping for a Declan win now.

 

* Still I do think it was a bit rough to make them fly to Sydney and back before the cook? Including the drive to and from airports, that is around 5 hours travel at an absolute minimum.

[Aerobicidal]

Rhiannon: “I need lyrics on the screen when I do karaoke to ‘Absolutely Everybody’ because I haven’t memorized them even though I’ve been singing it for twenty-throoii years. But I’m sure my palate will guide mooii through this challenge.”

Theo has been spending 140 minutes failing to peel off his squid membrane but the judges are concerned about Declan having to spend five minutes redoing his bacon and pipis? Do the producers think the average viewer has an IQ lower than room temperature? Between Forrest Gump and room temperature? Lord honey, the condescension!

“I’ve gotta peel my penis” is possibly the greatest contribution this show will ever make to popular culture. I will immediately order a hoodie, throw rug, and platter with that phrase emblazoned on it the moment they are available (and no matter how expensive shipping from Australia is).

Declan helping Theo out with his membrane is heartwarming on one level, but the dialogue is possibly the most homoerotic thing I’ve witnessed this year, and that includes a trip to Pride, a drag show, and watching Drag Race episodes from like seven countries.

As much as the level of cooking this season has made me grumpy, I will say that the final five (annoying accents from some aside) have all come across really well, although Brent’s edit has been a bit whiplash-inducing. However, I feel a lot of empathy for him and would default to blaming the editors for anything negative.

If Rhiannon makes the finals, I take back everything nice, positive, complimentary, and non-snarky I have ever said about this show—and everything else on Earth—in my life.

[katisha]

It's one thing to have an extremely favoured contestant working for the show's major sponsor.  It's another entire level of inappropriate to have someone else who works for the show's major sponsor setting and taking part in the judging for a challenge in which one of the three contestants is the extremely favoured one who also works for the show's major sponsor.  Jeez, show, just give Brent the trophy already and be done with it.  I was pretty sure he was going to win the advantage before they even started.  I suppose we'll just have to trust that Curtis didn't send Brent an internal Coles memo with some hints and tips about what he'd be cooking on the day.  I just wish Declan hadn't had one of his space cadet days where he isn't as focused as he can be and does stupid things.  When he's on song, he works in a much more calm and sensible way but on his bad days, he's rivalling Rhi-Rhi in the chaos stakes.

I hope that whatever dessert Brent attempts to make in the three course challenge brings his whole attempt undone but unfortunately, I reckon he could choose to make an ice-cream flavoured with his own bodily fluids and the judges would pronounce him the new Heston Blumenthal.  Sigh...

[Mellowyellow]

Oh crap is Declan out @katisha?

I'm too nervous to watch.... Maybe I'll just ditch the rest of the season😬

[katisha]

48 minutes ago, Mellowyellow said:

Oh crap is Declan out @katisha?

No, he's not, @Mellowyellow. They were competing for the advantage of 30 extra minutes in the service challenge, and of course Brent won it.

[Aerobicidal]

This episode was okay except I didn't need to see Curtis again, the dish looked boring and heart attack inducing, Rhiannon is still there, Rhiannon is still talking, Brent is still smug, Declan's unique linguistic choices are quirky but I don't like quirky, the episode was at least 42 minutes too long, no one was eliminated, Brent won the advantage, it doesn't matter who won the advantage because the final two are already clear, we have to wait another day for there to actually be an official final two, I'm going to be upset if Brent wins in the finale, I never want to hear the word "beautiful" again, and after this season hearing a round of applause is likely going to make me irate for the rest of my life.

So, all in all, a good time.

[Snazzy Daisy]

S15•E48 - Keeping up with Curtis Stone Challenge

I choose NOT to watch this episode, just read some online comments & tweets. Watching Curtis the Coles' puppet, continuous worship of Brent and grinning Rhiannon who thinks she belongs there - all is too overwhelming for me. 🙄

Of course this challenge is customized to cater to Brent and of course he wins that 30 mins advantage. It will be too risky to give it to the others and put the favorite contestant in danger. Making a steak and mash with premade bread in a Top 3 challenge, unbelievable! Theo would never...🙄

What's with the plating, Curtis? It looks so '80s.

Awww, look at some of them...🙄            

Edited July 13, 2023 by Snazzy Daisy

[katisha]

11 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

I choose NOT to watch this episode, just read some online comments & tweets.

You chose not to watch last night's episode, @Snazzy Daisy, and I've just chosen not to watch the finale.  What a lot of complete and utter bollocks tonight's episode was.  🤬

I suppose I didn't realise how much in Deccy's corner I was until it became clear within about the first 30 minutes that he was going to be booted out.  I started fast-forwarding from that point because I couldn't listen to one more second of smug-arse Brent doing everything as perfectly as ever and Rhiannon's squawking.  What a total waste of time this season has been, and it really hit me tonight that it's a pity Jock's final season has gone out with a whimper, not a bang (although I suppose he would have been pleased that his favourite won).  

These are the rules in seasons such as this.

• Favoured contestant cooks the same thing over and over again.  Judges: Wow, he does it so well.  I would know instantly that Favourite Contestant cooked that dish.
• Non-favoured contestant cooks the same thing over and over again.  Judges: Can't you do anything else?
• Favoured contestant tries something different.  Judges rather obviously help them, and also push them through anyway because they're so proud that their favourite went briefly outside their lane.
• Non-favoured contestant tries something different.  Judges come over to the bench more and mess with the contestants' head, saying stuff like, is this REALLY the time you should have thought about doing this different dish?  Why aren't you doing what you're best at?

I think Declan should be proud that even though it wasn't a wise choice in retrospect, at least he left the competition trying to push the boat out further.  Maybe it was his way of acknowledging that no matter what he did, he didn't fit the bloke with sad backstory and redemption arc vs the old chook finally making a finale edit so he might as well go out swinging. 

I'm out - I'll be back to read what happened after the episode is over on Sunday.

 

Edited July 13, 2023 by katisha

[Mellowyellow]

Thanks for posting @katisha

Your comments and all the comments on this forum have been the highlight of this season. I'm out too now that Declan is out and yes like you I didn't realize how much I liked him until tonight! 

[Mellowyellow]

Because I'm so freaking salty about Declan I went and checked the MasterChef AU Facebook page. I'd say the editing monkeys got this one wrong. Generally it's about a thousand likes for Declan related final 3 posts and a 500+ for posts related to the other two.

I wonder if the judges were given a nudge by the producers or they just personally enjoyed the Brent sob story.

[Aerobicidal]

This episode raised a number of questions about what substances the editors and producers of this show have been bathing in this year, but the main one is this: Why give Declan by far the best edit of anyone on the season if they knew he would (somewhat shockingly) lose out just before the finals?

Maybe Rhiannon asked them to because she wanted to join Malissa in witness protection.

I have no other theories.

Well, I have one--this final guarantees Brent will win by a country mile. Although I'm guessing it will be edited to make it seem down-to-the-last-second.

Do I want to watch 90 more minutes of a woman with thirty words in her vocabulary cook food that admittedly (by the judges!) lacks refinery, lacks originality, and totally lacks any sort of control of flavors except "more is more because that's my personality"? Does anyone?

I do hope Declan gets to succeed in a career in the food world on his own terms, and I would bet a lot of money he's more likely to than Rhiannon (and quite a few actual winners of past seasons).

[katisha]

1 hour ago, Aerobicidal said:

I do hope Declan gets to succeed in a career in the food world on his own terms, and I would bet a lot of money he's more likely to than Rhiannon (and quite a few actual winners of past seasons).

I do too, @Aerobicidal. Despite his linguistic mangling and gift for inappropriate statements, he's an immensely likeable young guy and very hard-working. I reckon someone will snap him up for a cooking show, maybe with Uncle Robbie!

[vmarsissmart]

Sadly, Declan was his own undoing.   He was way too ambitious in his menu planning to execute.  We've seen enough seasons to know that prepping scampi and fish take forever in any service challenge let alone doing choux on top of that.  I would think Shannon should have been more emphatic about telling him to switch something up if he was really playing the role of mentor.   If he was smarter in his planning and did something less prep heavy for his starter or main he likely could have an would have outcooked rhiannon.  Brent was a shoo-in regardless.  Based on story, but he needs to cook something other than octopus or pork belly in the finale and not use a hibachi. 

Edited July 14, 2023 by vmarsissmart

[Snazzy Daisy]

S15•E49 - Semi Finals: Service Challenge

The ladies on the gantry seem a bit overdressed as compared to the gents, with strapless dress and everything! 😆

Let’s start with Brent. As expected, hibachi’ed octopus and pork belly with sauce and salsa AGAIN! Same plating too! Yet he cooks the best main. Gosh! By the look of it, I think his XO sauce has split but the judges say nothing about it. And we all know he is not able to do fancy dessert other than ice cream. The judges say his dessert is too sweet but the sweetness makes sense. WTF is that??! His lack of versatility is proven once again. With this level of culinary skill and mindset, I guess he will continue to develop contents for Coles. 🙄

Rhiannon is smart for choosing humble menus that she knows she can execute. The mistake with the fondant potatoes shouldn’t have happened. But her decision to pivot to crispy potatoes might have rescued her main from being too rich.

Deccy’s miscalculation has started early on with the menu-planning. I understand that he’s trying to showcase what he has learned so far but an individual service challenge isn’t the place to be too ambitious, to be a bit boujee etc etc. When he says he’ll be cooking scampi AND blue-eye trevalla, I straight away know he’ll be in a lot of trouble. Why do you do this to yourself Deccy and let Rhiannon wiggle her way into the finale??! Re his dessert, do you think he uses Emelia’s choux recipe that he learned in Week 2??! 🤔

The way Mel keeps nodding and parroting on comments from Jock and Andy, what’s the purpose of her being there? Ugh.

Awww, Uncle Robbie reunites with his adopted MC son…💕😢

It hits me that’s last time we hear Jock saying “give it up to [xxx] everybody!”.

😢😢😢

 

12 hours ago, katisha said:

You chose not to watch last night's episode, @Snazzy Daisy, and I've just chosen not to watch the finale.  What a lot of complete and utter bollocks tonight's episode was.  🤬

I will be watching the finale solely for Jock and Dessert Masters’ Amaury Guichon. I wanna see the complexity of his dessert for the finale. This will be like a little sneak peek to Dessert Masters, for me… 👀

Edited July 14, 2023 by Snazzy Daisy

[retrograde]

Oh man, this is a worst-case-scenario finale for me, though I can't deny that the outcome of the semi final itself seemed fair -- Rhiannon's stuff looked nice if simple; Brent's was obviously good even if it's the same shit he cooks every week; and Declan blew it by overcomplicating his menu. 

This is probably the first time I've ever seen unanimity across this forum, Reddit and the MCAU Facebook page -- almost everyone was cheering for Declan, doesn't understand how Rhiannon made it this far, and thinks Brent has an unfair advantage. 

I'll still watch it, but I can't pretend to care who wins, and Brent will definitely win anyway. 

Meanwhile, the word of the season is definitely "salsa," especially when used for things that aren't salsa. "Fruit salad" already has a name.

[katisha]

True to my word I didn't watch the finale, but according to Facebook Brent won.  Needless to say I'm so astonished by this news that I need a good lie-down to recover from the shock.  So I'll await your comments with interest, those of you who are going to sit through it.

Oh, and vale, Mr Zonfrillo.  Even though the season didn't crown the winner I wanted, I'm still gutted at the thought that it was your last. 😭

[Snazzy Daisy]

S15•E50 - Grand Finale

Round 1 - Mel’s Secret Challenge 

“A dish that tells a story.”

This was just another “cook whatever you want” challenge. The brief was so vague that the finalists can BS all the way through it. Both of them were so bad at conceptualization, resulted in the dishes that were not finale worthy. It’s embarrassing. And the judges said nothing.

Rhi cooked crispy pork belly with citrus caramel, fennel & orange salad, crispy shallots (Score: 25/30).

Brent cooked his first dish in S15 as part of his ‘Redemption arc’ - tamarind ketchup glazed pork chop wt roasted cabbage & salsa (Score: 29/30).

See, very creative huh! 🙄

Round 2 - Amaury Guichon’s Pocket Watch

A finale worthy pressure test!

Rhi mistakenly dipped her cake before glazing it, resulted in a double-coated cake (Score: 27/40).

Brent only messed up one element, the deflated sugar dome (Score: 34/40). Both Jock and Andy gave him a score of 9/10 each. Hmm…🙄

Total score: Rhi (52/70), Brent (63/70).

The Coles’ Ambassador won $250K!

😣😣😣

I skipped the tribute for Jock. Don’t feel like crying. The blatant favoritism in this season has truly left a bad taste in my mouth.

Amaury Guichon is one interesting character. Looking forward to see more of him in Dessert Masters! 💕

Season 15: 👌🏻

SURPRISE - one returning contestant with some industry experience, a marketable backstory and an affiliation with a major sponsor.

SECRET - all BTS efforts, planned and executed since day 1 to ensure the ‘Redemption arc’ is achievable.

[Aerobicidal]

Neither!

At least it's over.

[retrograde]

Well that was a predictable result. At least Amaury Guichon's pressure test was good, and it seems like he'll be a solid judge in the dessert show. Super sad for Jock's last episode, the tribute at the end was nice.

Thoughts on the season as a whole:

Pro: The shortened timeframe was good for me, I didn't get bored or have as much trouble figuring out who was who. I was very happy to skip the audition episodes. I personally was also fine with nixing the masterclasses, though recognize others may miss them. 

Con: Not the strongest pack of contestants, though a few standouts -- I think Theo and Declan will go on to do interesting things, and hopefully someone gives Robbie a cooking show.

Pro: I actually liked a lot of the challenges and themes this season -- for the most part they were interesting without being too gimmicky. I liked nostalgia week especially, and the trip to country Victoria was lovely.

Con: It's been said before, but letting Brent on with so much prior experience was unfair and boring. He seems lovely, they just should've put him on Fans vs Favourites (I actually kind of wonder if they tried and the timing didn't work out, so they slipped him in this season because they couldn't resist the comeback storyline). 

Con: There was a lot of repetition from some contestants, and the judges were very inconsistent in discouraging it. Hate to say it, but it feels like "western" food was given a pass, but other cuisines were not. "Curry" is really just a western term for a huge array of dishes that don't necessarily have much in common. Meanwhile, Brent barbecued seafood every second dish with no issue. 

Pro: Gabriel Gate! 

Con: Everything is a salsa now.

Pro: No excessive ice creams, domes or lame "deconstructed" desserts that barely involved cooking. 

Con: Shannon Bennett's grey t-shirt. 

Pro-turned-Con: The judges had really hit their stride this season, which makes what happened to Jock even sadder.