After Chris is eliminated in the last episode, the Fans and Favourites move on to MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 6. This episode is titled the ‘Throwback Mystery Box Challenge’. We see all the participants excited and happy to get back to the kitchen after the pressure of the first elimination is gone.
The contestants enter the MasterChef kitchen where they find Mystery boxes lined up on their cooking counters. Judge Jock Zonfrillo announces that it is the first mystery box of the season. When the lid is opened, all the contestants seem to have gotten the same ones. Judge Melissa Fumero lists the ingredients for everyone. The box contains pork chops, Granny Smith apples, dark chocolate, tomatoes, flat-leaf parsley, ciabatta bread, lemon and cabbage.
– MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 6 Recap Contains Spoilers –
Melissa states that these ingredients have significance, they have all been in a mystery box together before. When Julie chimes in that this is the first-ever mystery box in MasterChef Australia. The rules are announced by Judge Andy Allen- the contestants have 75 minutes to cook a dish using one or more ingredients from the mystery box. The pantry is closed but, the under bench pantry is still accessible to the contestants.
To add flavour to an already interesting competition, Andy states that the best dishes from the Fans as well the Favourites will win a fast-tracked place in this week’s immunity challenge. However, the contestants coming in the bottom two will participate in the pressure test this week, which is an elimination round.
Melissa, Andy and Jock start visiting the contestants one by one to know who is cooking what. We see Julie, Max as well as Minoli cooking a pasta dish, whereas Billie plays her hand at making chocolate and lemon ice cream sandwiches with an apple and pork caramel in the middle. Alvin seems a little confused as he prepares a noodle-based dish. Aldo’s pick is a classic cotoletta but, with his own touch. On the other hand, Melanie goes for a choux pastry as Dulan is seen cooking pork on flames.
Time soon flies and, it is the round of tasting! Billie’s chocolate and lemon ice cream sandwiches are called on the table first, which the judges loved due to their richness, texture and taste. Minoli produces a spaghetti bolognese, and the judges are shocked to know that she has used seven out of the eight ingredients provided, including chocolate in her pasta! The feedback on her unconventional take is positive from all the judges. Keyma’s apple and caramel Mille-feuille, Christina’s pork chops, John’s apple tart are all appreciated.
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However, in Max’s turn, his sauce turns out to be extremely less seasoned according to Andy. But, the rest of the dish is, of course, beautiful. Aldo’s Pork Cotoletta Milanese, where the pork is cooked in Italian style is perfect and classic, so much so that Jock can’t seem to get his hands off the dish. Dulan’s dish, a Char-Grilled Pork, is overcooked and too sweet. The pork turns out to be chewy and, far from what it needs to be. We soon move on to other dishes which include Ellie’s pork chops, Mindy’s lemon sponge, Sarah’s pan-seared pork, Jenn’s wontons are less-risk taking dishes but, do end up receiving praises from the judges.
Julie has a simple pasta with tomato sauce dish, which according to the judges has a good amount of flavours working due to the tomatoes but, the pasta is too thin and overcooked. Alvin named his dish ‘This Little Piggy Went To Market’ as an ode to sweet, sticky pork. However, as sweet as the name sounds the feedback points out that the noodles are undercooked and doughy, which disappointed the judges. Melanie’s dish’s a gluten-free Choux bags excellent responses from the judges.
MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 6: The Top Two & The Bottom Four
The best dish from the Favourites is given to Aldo whereas amongst the Fans it is Melanie. As for the dishes on the bottom two from the Fans, the judges declare them to be Dulan and Max. Alvin and Julie’s dishes are in the bottom two of the Favourites.
MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 6: Final Thoughts
Overall, MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 6 was fun to watch but, it wasn’t intense enough given that this time a mystery box challenge included ended up in the pressure test which can eliminate the contestants. The fans were worried about how to take on the challenge, even though most of them did it gracefully. Whereas the favourites were taken aback by the pressure test consequence and, had most of their mind on that. Even with a mystery box, there weren’t exactly out-of-the-box dishes, except for maybe Billie and Minoli’s dishes. Hopefully, the next mystery box challenge will give the contestants a chance to create something truly spectacular.
Meanwhile, you can watch MasterChef Australia Season 14 Episode 6 now on Disney+ Hotstar.
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