Past Seasons Discussion

[katisha]

1 hour ago, babs1226 said:

On a totally different subject...tonight Nicole mentioned that her partner is a woman, then later George said she is going to marry a Greek boy?  Is it possible that George just assumed that Nicole's Greek partner is a male?

Did she say that, @babs1226? I must have missed it.  When in the episode was it?

ETA - I just had a look at Nicole's Instagram account and there are definitely lovey-dovey pics of her with a very Greek-looking boy! Have a look here.

Edited July 18, 2019 by katisha

[Myriad]

40 minutes ago, Myriad said:

Wow, that was an emotional episode on my side.  George nearly  tearing up at the beginning, then putting heart like he's never done coaching the contestants.   It did bring some questions, though.  Gary having sold all of his restaurants, George closing down his most celebrated one.  It's none of my business digging up what's going on for real, but from a different angle, I still wondered if after so many years of hard work amongst their many venues, they opted to enjoy their role on MasterChef, being mentors and teachers instead of restauranteurs - which could have been quite the weight, doing both.

Was I the only one getting eyes big like this O_O when Larissa started to call George "mate" non-stop? I sure know a mother of mine who'd have slapped me to the moon. Of course, we don't use "mate" here, but we have few versions of it, that's what I mean. And we don't use those words towards someone who's technically above, such as a chef welcoming you in his kitchen for the very last meal ever.

So Larissa lost points to me yesterday with that in-your-face-over-red lipstick (WHAT?  I'm an intellectual, hahaha!) and with the mate thing today. <-- Oh, that sounds dirty, sorry.

Otherwise, I thought Tessa, from my standpoint, had the toughest challenge. If was pretty brilliant of her to introduce tartar (tahtah, heee! @xchouchoutex) to ease on in (with?) the saltiness of capers,

Favourites conspiracies die hard, don't they?  I've never really bought into those because it's most like a case of "You don't like MY favourite, so YOU have favourites, yeah, the ones who get on my nerves!"  It's hard to tell, and they'll never ever admit to this, so I go with the flow.  Well, I'd say Reynold probably was a favourite, but it didn't distract them judges to give what they thought were fair points.  And if Emma was ever their favourite...  bwuahahahaha!  I want a divorce!

Isn't that a new thing?  Again, I had eyes like this O_O when Larry Mate decided to throw black olive in her sweet thingie.  Got rave reviews, went on with parsnips in similar sugary concoction, then, yay!  Cucumbers, watatow!  Lady.  We all know that it's radishes and jalapenos that make the perfect funky sorbet/parfait/ice cream, and whatever ice floor you fancy to dance on.  Cucumbers is for when you've just learned that some ingredients taste nothing but what you pair them with.

Huuummpfweehee!  I gave your post a laugh for that sentence alone.  Questionable humour aside...  Pfweeheehee!   Ahem.  Yes, it was... hahahahaha! er... weird.  Cucumbers can be so tasteless.   (See, I became a lady and stopped...   ...  laughing.  Crumphfeeehahahee).

[katisha]

31 minutes ago, Myriad said:

Was I the only one getting eyes big like this O_O when Larissa started to call George "mate" non-stop?

Definitely not! I thought it was very rude and disrespectful of her. I mean, as an Aussie it's fine to call someone "mate" as in pal or bud or whatever, but not in that context! My work is connected with law enforcement (no, I am not an officer) and if I were to call any of my high ranking bosses "mate" I would get my butt kicked into next week. The general rule is if you don't remember their name or rank exactly, you call them "sir"!

[ReallyRealReality]

I wasn't as surprised at her calling him "mate" as I was hearing him come down on her saying "Mate? My name's George. My mummy gave me my name." and then hearing him constantly calling her "Lari" and once during plating calling her "mate".  

Her mummy named her "Larissa", not "Lari".  Double standards, George!  And teach these up and coming chefs the proper etiquette in a professional kitchen... their responses should always be "Yes, Chef!"

[Myriad]

4 hours ago, ReallyRealReality said:

I wasn't as surprised at her calling him "mate" as I was hearing him come down on her saying "Mate? My name's George. My mummy gave me my name." and then hearing him constantly calling her "Lari" and once during plating calling her "mate". 

Oh, yes, I've noticed that as well and went to hahahaha! mode.  Yet, I was unsure, was he trying to get back at her or merely trying to treat her like a... er... mate, the way he says Tim Bone?

I did laugh when he called her mate.  Well deserved and well done, like a Simon's pork.

[themadman]

Just saw this today: "George Calombaris underpayment scandal blows out to $7.8 million"

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/george-calombaris-underpayment-scandal-blows-out-to-7-8m-20190718-p5289u.html

[katisha]

Seems George can't catch a break right now. He's apparently in trouble over this too.

[babs1226]

13 hours ago, katisha said:

Did she say that, @babs1226? I must have missed it.  When in the episode was it?

It was around 21:20.  She was talking about the cookie she was going to make.  She said her partner, (name I can't spell), makes them all the time, and Nicole's made them with her before, and she's so good at them.  No question on the pronoun.  

[zibnchy]

5 hours ago, themadman said:

Just saw this today: "George Calombaris underpayment scandal blows out to $7.8 million"

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/george-calombaris-underpayment-scandal-blows-out-to-7-8m-20190718-p5289u.html

Wow. So he stole almost 8 million dollars from his employees and had to pay a fine of only $200,000? Wow. I don't understand why he doesn't have to pay the entire amount. It will be even harder to tolerate George after this news.

Good thing this season is limping to a close. Only thing left for this sorry season is a Tim win.

[themadman]

On 5/3/2019 at 3:06 AM, Rosenrot said:

So he stole almost 8 million dollars from his employees and had to pay a fine of only $200,000? Wow. I don't understand why he doesn't have to pay the entire amount. 

He does have to pay the entire 8 million dollars. The 200K is a fine on top of that.

Which is a laugh, really. If the situation had been reversed and his employees had been stealing money from him, they would be in jail. 

[themadman]

14 hours ago, katisha said:

Did she say that, @babs1226? I must have missed it.  When in the episode was it?

ETA - I just had a look at Nicole's Instagram account and there are definitely lovey-dovey pics of her with a very Greek-looking boy! Have a look here.

I'm pretty sure she said his name is "Stanley" on previous episodes. 

[katisha]

1 hour ago, babs1226 said:

It was around 21:20.  She was talking about the cookie she was going to make.  She said her partner, (name I can't spell), makes them all the time, and Nicole's made them with her before, and she's so good at them.  No question on the pronoun.  

Oh, I know where you mean now, @babs1226.  She said she made the biscuits with her partner's yia-yia i.e. Greek grandma. 🙂 

1 hour ago, zibnchy said:

Good thing this season is limping to a close. Only thing left for this sorry season is a Tim win.

Gah, I hope that doesn't happen, but it's a toss up whether that would be worse than a Larry win. 😑

[babs1226]

25 minutes ago, katisha said:

h, I know where you mean now, @babs1226.  She said she made the biscuits with her partner's yia-yia i.e. Greek grandma. 🙂 

Aha!  Thanks.  That makes sense.  

[Myriad]

Gaaaah!  Me too, like @babs1226, found myself confused by that partner thing from Nicole.  Thank you for clearing that up, @katisha

[TVbitch]

Why is George closing a successful restaurant? Is it cuz of the scanadal?

I did enjoy him putting Larissa on notice after she casually called him "mate" in the kitchen. If I've learned anything from Gordon Ramsay, it's that the chef is only to be called YES CHEF, while subordinates may be called "Lari" or "mate" or "stupid fucking donkey." 

I found it strange that they were doing this really important five course dinner, but the chefs didn't even get to talk to each about what they were making and how it would flow. 

Oh Simon, this is not the time to bad week! I will say his hair was very generously tousled at The Press Club.  

Tim made a mashed potato dish. Is it me or is that is a weird second course in a five course menu? His tears were a bit over the top. LOL at Larissa walking by and looking over like WTF?! (She did give him a hug though). 

For me, this is not a super strong final five, y'all. I'm still mad at all of them for the abysmal performance last week. I hope somebody* really smashes it next week so we can end on a high.

*certain restrictions apply.      

[retrograde]

Wouldn't miss George's presence at all if he's booted over the wage stuff. It shouldn't be forgotten that he was not only a multi-millionaire stiffing his workers, but was using his fame to actively campaign to cut weekend and holiday penalty rates for workers across the country. 

6 hours ago, TVbitch said:

Why is George closing a successful restaurant? Is it cuz of the scanadal?  

He at least claims it isn't -- seems to suggest he was just sick of running a fine dining establishment. Certainly I think the Press Club was getting a little dated, whether that was effecting the bottom line or not. It specialized a long time in very wanky, gimmicky gastronomy dishes that have largely fallen out of fashion in favor of farm-to-table stuff. I see they'd backed off that recently, but then I have to imagine it wound up more like his more laid-back Greek restaurants and not so unique. Regardless, after 13 years, it wasn't a place the foodie crowd was falling all over themselves to get into. Even when I left Melbourne almost a decade ago, Hellenic Republic was the far buzzier of his spots.

Anyway he says he is replacing it with a less fancy, less Greek concept soon. Seems like a ... bad time for an opening though. I don't imagine anyone important will want to be seen there right now.

[PepperMonkey]

Hello my fellow MC AU fans and friends! So I've been gone a few weeks cause we moved but even though I'm back, I'm skipping most of what I missed and just following you here on the site because it's much more interesting than this season has turned out to be.

Had high hopes at the start although no one really stood out to me but then Tessa seemed to be surging - and I really like her - and Simon - like him way more than Tim - seemed to be a comer, so I was encouraged. Then a lot of people stayed past their expiration date while some left.... those some I actually thought might have been contenders, but what do I know?

All I do know is that this is the first season I've been mostly disappointed and it's vexing for me because as Myriad and I have discussed before, I start looking forward to the return of Masterchef Australia in about January of each year. Is the show running its course? Are they running out of promising home cooks? Are the people who actually might do really well AND impart some entertainment value eschewing the show and just going straight to culinary schools to get a real education in food, and a legitimate food career??

I will hang in with you to see who wins, but I don't think I can stomach watching a Larissa and Tim final. No offense to Tim lovers: it's not HIS fault that the judges went bonkers over him and he is NOT a bad cook, but I do think there are others who are way better. If it does come down to the two of them, though, I will be team Tim all the way.

And as always my favorite part of this show is reading all your comments and insights. Once again I will miss that most of all when this season slouches off to Bethlehem.

Edited July 19, 2019 by PepperMonkey

[Rosenrot]

6 hours ago, retrograde said:

It shouldn't be forgotten that he was not only a multi-millionaire stiffing his workers, but was using his fame to actively campaign to cut weekend and holiday penalty rates for workers across the country. 

Greedy ass. Even though I sometimes like him, I wouldn't exactly mourn for him either if he was booted. Maybe just have new judges altogether, perhaps it would freshen up the show. (Ok, they can keep Matt.)

[TVbitch]

Hi @PepperMonkey, I was wondering where you went!

...okay, I am old and senile, but have the "mentors" not been around for a couple weeks? I still miss Shannon. 

I think Gary, Matt and a guest judge would be good going forward.

What other cookery shows do y'all watch? Masterchef UK The Professionals is my favorite, but sadly that forum only has me and a tumbleweed in it! 

[Myriad]

5 hours ago, PepperMonkey said:

Hello my fellow MC AU fans and friends! So I've been gone a few weeks cause we moved but even though I'm back, I'm skipping most of what I missed and just following you here on the site because it's much more interesting than this season has turned out to be.

Welcome back, PepperMonkey! You've been missed.

My opinion only, but it seems like it's easy to mix personality with cooking abilities in this type of show.  Guilty as charged myself. This season has a lack of outstanding personalities.  I don't mean the ones who get the more talking heads or the more attention, merely the ones who stand out. Like Billie, who was mostly ignored, she stood out for me in her very first pressure test by her calm composure, even if I had no idea that she had the winner vibe.  This season, Simon stands out because of his sheer passion and the constant twinkle in his eyes, plus he seems to have no ego at all.  Now, take Tessa, probably a more accomplished cook than Simon, who seems dull and lifeless. It's easy for the viewer to root for the one who is more sympathetic to their eyes rather than the one who can cook better.

I'm just stating quite the obvious, ain't I? 😛

ETA:  @TVbitch I miss Shannon, too. Although it was time he left, he clearly didn't have it in himself last season. 

I was planning on moving on to the old MC Australia Professionals after this season.  But I can sure change my mind and kick a couple of tumbleweeds in your lonely thread. 🙂  I love the British people and their low profile dry humour, yet find that Australians and Canadians have a thing in common, to be warm and outgoing, so that's a reason why I relate so well with this show.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Myriad

[TVbitch]

I enjoyed the one season of MCAU Professionals. I wish it would have taken off. It was a LOT of Marco, but I came to appreciate the show quite a bit.

I think MC UK Professionals is in the fall, but that would be great if you watched along with me @Myriad, and anyone else! I also like MC UK regular. These shows are only about 20 episodes, so it's not as big of a committment. I highly HIGHLY recommend the last season of MC UK Professionals. I actually wept! WEPT! for one of the male chefs who was utterly brilliant and stoic throughout the whole competition, but could not compose himself at one point. I shant say any more to avoid spoiling it. Oh, and there was a LOT of eye candy that season. Mhmm. 

[babs1226]

3 hours ago, TVbitch said:

I think MC UK Professionals is in the fall, but that would be great if you watched along with me @Myriad, and anyone else! I also like MC UK regular.

I LOVE both the UK versions.  No drama, no manipulation by judges, and contestants have to demonstrate real growth to stay in the competition.  I'm not saying MC AU has a lot of drama, but the UK judges don't stand for contestants making the same thing over and over.  I remember the one lady from the last amateur series who made a chicken dish based on her enjoyment of sitting with a big bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy.  Unfortunately, she put hardly any potatoes or gravy on her plate lol.  Plus they told her it was basically the same dish she made much earlier in the competition, just plated differently.  That's the kind of feedback I like.  I'll be there 😊 

[SnideAsides]

I do think there's a lack of engaging personalities this season, but even the last couple of seasons have been light on that too. The biggest problem for me is that, as much as it was transparent people were doing what they learned in Masterclasses in the next few challenges to gain favour with the judges, now that they've basically stopped doing the Masterclasses the contestants aren't learning any new techniques throughout the season unless they're in a load of Pressure Tests, and the sort of techniques they'd be learning in there generally can't be adapted for a Mystery Box. So they keep doing the same things they know how to do over and over, and the show keeps doing the same challenges over and over every season with only minor changes so even if it's something a contestant isn't used to they can still plan ahead (mostly; you might not be able to plan for the specific combination of ingredients you end up with in a time auction but you can definitely plan a ten-minute dish using the chicken leftover from two previous rounds of cooking), which means we just end up feeling like there's no ingenuity involved and the contestants are a bit shit.

Like Alice from season four liked a tweet of mine the other day so I decided to watch a random episode from her season for fun, and it's amazing how many of the people from that season could run rings around this season's cast. Obviously Andy, sure, but that season had Alice, Amina, Ben, Julia, Mindy, Audra, Kylie... hell, even BEAU could win this season, and he's currently making a living on Instagram taking photos of Food That Looks Like Genitals.

[katisha]

9 hours ago, SnideAsides said:

Like Alice from season four liked a tweet of mine the other day so I decided to watch a random episode from her season for fun, and it's amazing how many of the people from that season could run rings around this season's cast. Obviously Andy, sure, but that season had Alice, Amina, Ben, Julia, Mindy, Audra, Kylie...

I think you're right, @SnideAsides.  It's kind of like Diana Rouvas finally winning The Voice this season.  If she'd been in any other season except the first one, where the competition standard was enormously high compared with this season, she'd have already won. 

If there's another version of Masterchef out there that an Aussie can also find ways to watch and snark along with, I'm definitely open to suggestions. 🙂  I am pretty sure I will get withdrawal symptoms after this season's over.

[misgabi13]

A betting agency, Neds, is currently running an advertisement on Facebook about their market and the odds for the Masterchef finale.

Their blurb about this reads:

"Unlike George, if your winner gets up in our MasterChef market we'll actually pay out what you're owed."

😂😂

[katisha]

I usually really enjoy the equivalent episode ever year where the contestants get to choose difficult stuff for a mystery box for the judges and then get to cook off against them but even that was pretty meh tonight.  Of the four contestants left, none of them really have overly exciting or fun personalities.  The editors obviously know this too because they focused so much on Tati's fangirling over Curtis Stone again.  (By the way, Tati, Curtis was just cooking for you in your romantic dream about him? Suuuuuure. 😉)  Tim is just Blokey McBloke.  Simon is probably the most fun but even he has quite a serious side.  Larissa is too driven to be much fun and poor Tessa, even though I really like her as a person, for work she is a "criminal statistician" and that so doesn't scream fun or creativity.  Remember season 8 when the final four were Elena, Matt, Harry and Elise? I remember Matt and Harry in particular were hilarious wandering around the judges' benches and trying to psych them out with needling comments.  I missed that season tonight.  Oh well.

I knew Nicole would be going home due to the spoilers but for a few seconds I allowed myself to hope for once Sportsbet were wrong and Tim would go.  They weren't, unfortunately, but I'm glad he had to cook again because he had that first round handed to him on a silver platter and managed to stuff up cooking with a huge hunk of meat, something he is supposed to be good at.

[babs1226]

On 7/20/2019 at 8:42 AM, katisha said:

If there's another version of Masterchef out there that an Aussie can also find ways to watch and snark along with, I'm definitely open to suggestions. 🙂  I am pretty sure I will get withdrawal symptoms after this season's over.

I'm not sure how different the net is in Australia, but I am able to watch this show here in the US because there are websites that post links to pretty much any show.  I can't watch in real time, but that doesn't bother me.  If you do a search for a show and add watch online free, what would you get?  Or just search for the show,and see if you get any links that say watch free?

[PepperMonkey]

So is it Simon, Tessa, Tim and LARRY left in the competition? 

On a more interesting tip, I FLOVE Masterchef UK The Professionals. It's actually my favourite but I didn't know there was a forum here. Is it housed under Masterchef UK? I will be there, as I am every year, but if TVbitch and Myriad are going to be there commenting, and katisha, babs, et. al, I will be there with BELLS on, which is only appropriate since it usually wraps up around Xmas.

It's definitely the format of the program for our AU version. I kind of wish George would just go. I have a weird fondness for Gary and Matt, don't like the new former contestant mentoring; I think the biggest issues are as you all have said: lack of ingenuity on the part of the SHOW and the cooks, and this season, lack of personality. Simon, for me, is the closest to fun I've seen, after Tati left. Laughed MAO at the duplicate dishes challenge (with the wall of shite between them) when he kept looking at the camera when Anushka was SCREAMING at Derek. I think Simon is kind of charming. 

If Shannon's not coming back, they need to get a REAL mentor. These three are all likable people but suck at any kind of authentic mentoring. 

Meanwhile, as always, I just can't quit you Masterchef Australia. Mostly because of the people I've met here on this forum, but hey, don't be picky. Negative attention is still attention.

[ChocolateAddict]

I think the challenges have also got repetitive and boring. There used to be some really creative and interesting challenges but now it is just contestants making different varieties of frozen/creamy desserts or hunks of meat with puree. And unfortunately the judges don't seem to ever call the contestants out on putting up the same stuff all the time. 

Some of my favourite challenges in the past were:

- Making a dish based on Matt's review 

- Getting an awful dish and having to improve it. In particular when they got 2L of flavourless bolognaise and had to make it better

- Reinventing a dish and not just disassembling it and presenting it with lots of empty space 

- Having a time and money limit and having to make enough food for X people even if it was an ad for Coles 

My absolute favourite challenge was one of the earlier seasons and the contestants had to write out a recipe, make it and then professionally style it for photography. And then they had some regular mums come in and make it exactly according to instructions to see how well they could translate their own cooking onto the page for others to follow. Since so many of them want to get a column or write a book, it seems like a really obvious challenge to bring back. Plus it involved a different type of thinking, you wouldn't include a smoking machine or George's bloody tweezers because most people don't use those at home. 

This season was a bit of a flop for me, the people who took a chance and tried to be interesting got knocked out and we got left with a bunch of uninspiring cooks. I'd also like to see the judges shaken up a bit, let's get some new people with different experience and taste in. 

[katisha]

Well, I can honestly say I'm quite shocked at the result tonight.  According to Sportsbet Tim was supposed to be part of the final two (and I wasn't really happy about that) and I actually expected Tessa to go home today.  Instead, the editor monkeys fooled me because everything seemed to be going brilliantly for Tim during the pressure test whereas Tessa was behind everyone else, nervous about making a dessert and in her first actual pressure test.  Instead, she knocks it out of the park and it would appear that Tim's speed might be exactly what brought him undone.  He's overachieved to get into the top four so I'm happy for him to go.

Meanwhile, I'm happy to have two to barrack for in the finals.  I know people find Tessa dull but I have always liked her and I feel she's an excellent cook who I'd be happy to see win.  Simon has really grown on me during the competition and I'd be just as happy if he won.  Larissa - well, I don't dislike her as such but she'd be my third favourite to win.  And I'm betting that means she will, knowing my luck!

I can't wait to see Larry's three-course menu for tomorrow. I'm thinking for entree we'll have a prawn and harissa sorbet, followed by tuna ice-cream with a pilchard tuile, a mandarin granita and chocolate rum sauce.  For dessert we'll have a garlic bread parfait accompanied by pizza crumb and seasoned with anchovy cream.  And no matter how revolting it all sounds, the judges will collectively burst into raptures.  God, I hope I'm wrong!

As far as Sportsbet goes now,

Spoiler

it looks like we'll have an all female top two, but sadly Larissa is still odds on to win as she has been for the last month or more.  Sigh!

Edited July 22, 2019 by katisha

[ReallyRealReality]

11 hours ago, katisha said:

Meanwhile, I'm happy to have two to barrack for in the finals.  I know people find Tessa dull but I have always liked her and I feel she's an excellent cook who I'd be happy to see win.  Simon has really grown on me during the competition and I'd be just as happy if he won.  Larissa - well, I don't dislike her as such but she'd be my third favourite to win.  And I'm betting that means she will, knowing my luck!

I can't wait to see Larry's three-course menu for tomorrow. I'm thinking for entree we'll have a prawn and harissa sorbet, followed by tuna ice-cream with a pilchard tuile, a mandarin granita and chocolate rum sauce.  For dessert we'll have a garlic bread parfait accompanied by pizza crumb and seasoned with anchovy cream.  And no matter how revolting it all sounds, the judges will collectively burst into raptures.  God, I hope I'm wrong!

I'm right with you on the order I'd prefer as the winner.  And thank you!!!!  I was really wondering how Larissa would make a 3-course desert menu and be declared the winner, now we know!

I've decided, I'm going to just watch the twitter feed tonight.  I'm afraid that all of their harping on her being 21-years-old and the youngest contestant ever if she wins, and then having the preview announcer saying 'records will be broken' is a precursor to her being handed the win.  If she's declared winner, I'm going to skip downloading the episode and save an hour of my life.  If either of the other two win it, I'll watch just to see Larissa's face  (Oh, that's mean!)  But, I still feel like she threw that team challenge because she knew she was safe with her immunity pin, the judges declared her desert as unappetizing.  Yeah, I know they lost it because of the miscount on diners served... but, to be honest, I wouldn't doubt she sabotaged them by hiding the plates.  She's so desperate to being the winner, I feel like she'll do whatever she can to claim the title.

Larissa's exact quote from the semi-final episode:  "Every minute, for months since I've been here, has led to this very moment.  I've been dreaming of this day"... (clip of her 2nd chance entrance dish)... "so no matter what the challenge is, I'm going to do whatever I can to make it thru today.  I know everyone wants this, but I want it more and I want to push harder."  Everyone else commented on how much they've learned and how far they've come, but not her. 

Several times she's said 'I'll do whatever I can..." and I believe her.  Sorry I can't be in the Larissa love fan club.

Edited July 23, 2019 by ReallyRealReality
wanted to add Larissa's quote on down

[babs1226]

I really wanted a Tessa/Simon final, so I am happy about that.  I think Simon has been my favorite male contestant this year.  I am so not happy that they switched to a three person final,which I am convinced they did to give Larissa a chance. If it were only two, Tessa and Simon did the best, Larissa should have been out.

[themadman]

Oh boy, shit has hit the fan! 

All 3 judges are leaving the show!

[SnideAsides]

All three judges are leaving.

Hopefully next year we get the Elizabeth Chong/Dorinda Hafner/Gabriel Gaté combination we deserve after the last few years of insisting that George Is Really A Nice Guy Worth Keeping On Television.

[katisha]

What the? Did they fall or were they pushed? I only expected George to go, not the others!

[SnideAsides]

Official line is "contract negotiations broke down". So probably, George complained about being underpaid, Ten laughed in his face, paused when they realised he was serious, laughed even harder and told him to get the fuck out, and Matt and Gary quit in solidarity.

[themadman]

Either they all wanted more money or they wouldn't do the show without George, I'm guessing.

[CatLover74]

Whoever they end up getting to replace them, will they have the same level of chemistry and camaraderie as those three?

[SnideAsides]

I'm just hoping they don't have the same level of whiteness and masculinity.

[retrograde]

35 minutes ago, SnideAsides said:

Elizabeth Chong/Dorinda Hafner/Gabriel Gaté 

This would actually be amazing. But $20 says it's Curtis Stone, Bill Granger and, like, Peter Russell-Clarke.

Allegedly the current mob all wanted to up their $1M+ salaries by 40%. Which, given the sagging ratings and George's baggage, is a big ask. 

[SnideAsides]

As long as it's not (1) three white men, (2) Poh, Billie, and Matt, or (3) any combination featuring either Curtis Stone or Maggie Beer, I'm good. (Seriously though, as one Twitter commenter put it, imagine how long it would take Maggie to say something racist in that backhanded patronising "oh you have such int-e-resting flavours!" Boomer way. Ten minutes, tops.)

[Rosenrot]

Not sure this is what I wanted when I said "maybe just have new judges altogether"! A case of 'be careful what you wish for', I guess.

I'm a wee bit sad, I must admit, but this cheered me up:

3 hours ago, SnideAsides said:

So probably, George complained about being underpaid, Ten laughed in his face, paused when they realised he was serious, laughed even harder and told him to get the fuck out, and Matt and Gary quit in solidarity.

Maybe this will give a new boost to the show that was getting a little stale (which is to be expected after 11 seasons). 

[SnideAsides]

And George was never heard from again.

[katisha]

Well, I can't claim to be surprised that Larry is the winner. About six weeks ago on Sportsbet she became the odds-on pick to win and her odds have only shortened. The order of those behind her switched around but her favouritism has not wavered. I am not happy about it but I do have to concede that from all appearances she deserved the win. As disgusting as Szechuan pavlova sounds to me (🤢🤮) I guess we need to take the word of the judges that it tasted good. And it's not as though she didn't also cook a good entree and main. 

If Simon couldn't win I would rather it was Tessa but unfortunately I think her conservative personality went against her. Playing it safe was never going to cut it when up against Larissa's bizarro flavour experiments. Simon's cooking never really got going today and it was clear from early on that he was playing for third.

So, what on earth is going to happen from here? Will there even be a new season with all new judges? Hard to imagine that it could all be over. ☹

[Rosenrot]

Well, fuck me. When the season started, I would NEVER EVER had guessed that Larissa was going to win. 

I don't hate her but MEH. 

[Aerobicidal]

After watching the first episode of this season, I concluded that the only thing that would make me watch Masterchef AU would be all three judges leaving. Now that my wish has been granted, good riddance! Their condescending, contrived, smug bullshit; their daily butchery of the English language; their horrible jokes and catchphrases repeated as if there was some charm or genuine humor; and their blatant favoritism of contestants with minimal range and no fresh ideas completely ruined this show for me.

For the first three or four seasons, I was actually excited to watch multiple episodes a week. Eventually I started skipping immunity episodes, and then any episodes without elimination, and then all episodes. IMO, the judges had just as much authority on good food as William Hung has on singing in key. I felt like I was being simultaneously lied to and patronized, which--for me--is pretty much the worst possible effect presenters could have.

I'm willing to give it a chance with pretty much any alternate hosts, although Curtis Stone and Matt Sinclair would not be anywhere near the middle of my lists. Meanwhile, at least there's the British version, where the judges are low-key and the focus is actually on food. (I know it's arguable that the Australian show focused on food despite the dramatics--especially compared to the U.S. version--but the repetition of so many dishes and ingredients and my distrust of the judges' feedback negated that.)

Finally, I can't believe George had the nerve to say this wasn't about the money. You and your co-buffoon/BFF Gary will surely become altruistic philanthropists now, right? Because otherwise you can take your words and turn them into a fennel parfait with olive crumb and beetroot tuille. And eat it and rave about it.

[babs1226]

That was the most depressing finale ever ☹️ I will be curious to see who takes over next season,and if they will be less obvious about manipulation.  On the plus side, it was great to see Shannon again.  I didn't realize how much I missed him until now.  I just wish he hadn't given Larissa so much help.  

I was really impressed with Simon.  Even though I believe the judges deliberately tanked him early on, he never lost his smile or his sense of humor.  I believe both he and Tessa will run rings around Larissa in the future.  

[Myriad]

First disappointing win since that horrid Emma from season 5.  While Simon was my favourite because of personality and sheer passion, Tessa was the strongest cook of them all.  Now, Lady Pana Cotta who completely screwed up her first one at the beginning of the season and relentlessly kept on making the likes of?  I'll soon be aligned with a lot a of you and start believing in conspiracy/favouritism theories.  Maybe even the UFO's and the like, something the punk lady dessert chef could very well create in one of her LOOK AT ME!!! inane concoctions.

I do wish well to Simon and Tessa in their culinary future.  Both have loads of potential, talent, will and character, and I bet they'll never let themselves. go.

[misgabi13]

55 minutes ago, babs1226 said:

I was really impressed with Simon.  Even though I believe the judges deliberately tanked him early on, he never lost his smile or his sense of humor.  I believe both he and Tessa will run rings around Larissa in the future.  

I agree on the tanking early on.  

They said the components of his beet dish were delicious and just needed a little more of the vinegar yet he got 7's (I think).

Then the look of disgust on George's face as soon as his main was put down was a bit offputting.

As for desert they seemed not at all pleased that he had used pumpkin (even though it is often used in a sweet application) yet went into raptures over Larissa using 'unusual' ingredients.

I knew he wouldn't win but I don't think he deserved 7's when the others also had issues yet got 9's and 10's.

He was beyond gracious until the end, never stopped smiling and just had fun.  I really hope he goes far!

[katisha]

2 hours ago, babs1226 said:

I was really impressed with Simon.  Even though I believe the judges deliberately tanked him early on, he never lost his smile or his sense of humor.  I believe both he and Tessa will run rings around Larissa in the future.  

Well said and I couldn't agree more. Tessa could be a total rock star if she had a fifth of Larissa's chutzpah and if she can work with the right people she will do brilliantly. Simon has some great ideas and is a really impressive young guy.

I keep reading that the replacement judges are Poh, Maggie Beer and Curtis Stone. The first two, maybe. But as was said upthread, Curtis Stone is way too successful, surely, to need the gig?

ETA: I can't link to the article as it's subscriber only but Tessa has landed a job at Arc Dining, which is run by Alanna Sapwell. Great to hear.

Edited July 24, 2019 by katisha