S17.W01 (E01-E03)

[Snazzy Daisy]

MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA — BACK TO WIN

 

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♦️ S17 | E01 ♦️

It's back to win and 24 returning contestants are back for another shot at the trophy. Gordon Ramsay greets them to announce that they are splitting into three teams and taking on a service challenge!

Air Date: Apr 28, 2025

 

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♦️ S17 | E02 ♦️

Gordon Ramsay is in the kitchen to put 8 cooks through a Keeping Up with Challenge. They'll work at record pace to deliver TWO of Gordon's dishes, in a fight for the only immunity pin of the season.

Air Date: Apr 29, 2025

 

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♦️ S17 | E03 ♦️

To win immunity and a chance to see their creation added to Gordon Ramsay's new London restaurant's menu at 22 Bishopsgate, they must cook and elevate their favourite late-night snack!

Air Date: Apr 30, 2025

 

Edited April 29 by Snazzy Daisy

[Snazzy Daisy]

S17•E01 — Gordon Ramsay’s Team Service Challenge

Is Andy going for an intellectual look this season? 👀

Laura, Callum and Sarah will keep coming back until they win, won’t they?

No more embroidered names on aprons, just name tags?

Of course it’s only Andy who gets the inconsistently-cooked fish. 🙄

GREEN team — Congratulations! Callum is an effective team captain because of his experience. He makes sure their elements are cohesive and their dishes are well-balanced. I am initially worried about this team because of Cath and Rhiannon.

BLUE team — Sarah is OK as a team captain, but a bit passive and too trusting of her teammates. Her strengths are her quick-thinking skill and her ability to pivot to elevate their dishes. Theo mate, you have one task and you fuck-up.

MAROON team — Laura is a very crappy leader. The only thing that she’s good at is barking orders. No one seems to respect her. She delegates too much to Andre. Disastrous platings.

TBH, Laura probably won’t do so well this season as the judge who favored her is no longer here. RIP Jock.

[katisha]

Hey, @Snazzy Daisy!  Might be just us two chewing the fat about MCAU this season.  It's weird that this season didn't seem to get the fanfare or buildup that it usually does and just kinda popped out on our screens last night, which is why I'm still only up to episode 1.  But I'm glad it's back!

A few random musings:

• There are definitely some seasons I didn't watch, or which I did watch but recall quite sketchily which is why I was looking blankly at quite a few of those featured as well as those in the background in this first episode.
• I must have blanked out that dreadful season that Justin won because I barely remember Pete, and I still don't think I'm over the fact that both Pete AND Justin beat the truly amazing Kishwar!
• I definitely watched S6 but I don't remember Jamie at all and I barely remember Ben.  Mind you, that was probably because of the outstanding contestants in S6 like Laura and Emilia.

Those I'm really happy to see back:

• Callum.  He was my favourite in S2 and I liked him even more when he came back for his second season.  He ran that service challenge like a boss - I felt almost like a proud mum watching him!
• Declan - another more recent favourite.
• Rue - she was pretty cool in her season.
• Snez - I always wished she'd gone further in her season.
• Theo - it was like seeing an old friend again!
• Darrsh - because even old ladies need eye candy!!
• Laura, although I don't like her so much as a leader.

In the "what the hell were they thinking" category:

• Kath and Kim aka Kath and Rhiannon.  Was that to amp up the bogan factor?
• Sav - WHYYY?! I feel like we only just got her off our screens!

Hopefully I'll be able to catch up with tonight's episode at some stage. :)

[Snazzy Daisy]

S17•E02 — Keeping Up With Gordon Challenge

Hey Poh, it’s rather distasteful to show off your cleavage in a cooking show. Why do you keep doing this??! 

This isn’t my favorite challenge, it’s too chaotic. Everyone is slicing their fingers and running around like chickens.

Rhiannon comes close to reinventing Gordon’s dessert — sticky toffee pudding with duck jus. 😬

I think I can only take a small dose of Audra. She talks too much. 😣

The editing has us fooled.

Poor Callum, sabotaged by a blender.

Well done, Ben — winner of this season's only Immunity Pin! You make your daughters proud. 👏🏻

[Snazzy Daisy]

S17•E03 — Late Night Snack Immunity Challenge

Ohh, no! Take care, Pete.

Aunty Poh is wearing a granny nightie just because it’s a midnight snack challenge. 😆

Hey Darrsh, Nat won last year because the bar was so damn low. Look at the Top 3. Look at the basic dishes that they cooked in the finale. Blatant favoritism was a factor too. Geez. 

Hey Sav and Audra, you don’t have to over explain your dishes. Let the flavors speak. 🙄

Of course, Laura can do no wrong with her perfect little dessert. The vegemite on toast dessert made by Jana in Dessert Masters AU S02 was way more intriguing. 

I would love to eat Darrsh’s Native Australian S’mores. 😋

Audra, Laura, Andre and Callum have been given so much screen time this week. Hoping for less of them next week. WAY LESS.

As a cook who can do both sweet and savory, I hope Depinder and Darrsh strategize carefully. Please don’t peak too early as that will lead to early burn out, just like what happened to Depinder last time. And don’t avoid pressure tests, learn from them instead. 🤞🏻

[katisha]

On 4/30/2025 at 2:16 AM, Snazzy Daisy said:

Hey Poh, it’s rather distasteful to show off your cleavage in a cooking show. Why do you keep doing this??! 

Yep, Poh still loves to get "the girls" out. 🍈🍈

Finally managed to catch up tonight by watching last night's cook on fast forward.  I totally agree, @Snazzy Daisy, that we're seeing waaaaaay too much of some cooks.  Makes me think that Audra, Laura and Callum must have asked for a stack more money and the producers wanted to get bang for their buck.

I remember thinking this during the last Back To Win show - it's almost unfair to put people who have actually run their own restaurants and gone on to have real careers in the food industry up against people like Kath, who I can only assume was cast as "cannon fodder".  It feels like putting the winner of an under-14 100 metre race against Usain Bolt in a way - just not a fair fight.  

10 hours ago, Snazzy Daisy said:

Hey Darrsh, Nat won last year because the bar was so damn low. Look at the Top 3. Look at the basic dishes that they cooked in the finale. Blatant favoritism was a factor too. Geez. 

Hehe, I thought of you during that montage, believe it or not!  I was rolling my eyes and wondering how long before TPTB will find a way to shoehorn St Nat into this season as some kind of special guest?

My guess for who goes on Saturday?  Probably Kath.

[Snazzy Daisy]

45 minutes ago, katisha said:

Hehe, I thought of you during that montage, believe it or not! 

Awww, I am flattered. 😆

When it comes to Nat and Sav...

 

48 minutes ago, katisha said:

I was rolling my eyes and wondering how long before TPTB will find a way to shoehorn St Nat into this season as some kind of special guest?

Oh god, please don't.

I guess Nat's cameo in E03 is more about those LG appliances.

 

49 minutes ago, katisha said:

My guess for who goes on Saturday?  Probably Kath.

Can it be Sav? Please, please, please.

Based on the preview, there'll be more drama from this person. UGH.

Spoiler

 

[seltzer3]

Rooting for Audra.  Was a big fan of her since season 4.  Just like how she is trying new things out (and that fusion dish is amazing), whereas I kind of feel some contestants are just relying on the same dishes they have relied in the past.

[Snazzy Daisy]

First week — BTS!