[Submitted via press release]
The Top 5 experienced a treat in Tuesday night's MasterChef: world-renowned chef, Michel Roux Jr swooped in for a MasterClass and to act as a guest judge. The contestants literally jumped with glee. Who wouldn’t?
Michel took over his family's restaurant in London, Le Gavroche, back in the early 90's. On the show, he made the restaurant’s signature dish: stuffed artichokes with chicken livers, chicken mousse and truffles in a Madeira sauce.
The challenge was that the contestants needed to recreate the dish - luckily for them, they took detailed notes. In addition, they had to make an accompaniment to it: Chicken Ballotine. Sarel summed it up most eloquently: “It’s an Invention Test on top of a recipe! It’s huge!”
As if there is not enough pressure, Michel said: “I am looking for perfection. I want to see a ballotine that works beautifully with the wonderful flavours of the truffles in the artichokes.”
The bearer of the Top Dish honour would also get an advantage for the next challenge in the form of a bell. This bell grants the winner the opportunity to ring it once in the next challenge and to call on any of the judges for advice on their dish.
After everyone completed their dishes, Michel said: “You cooked from the heart and it has been an unbelievable day for me. A day that will stay with me in my memory forever.” Deena was awarded the coveted bell and Michel advised him to use it wisely.
It was with a heavy heart that Lungi had to leave the MasterChef kitchen. She said: “I can leave this competition and be recognized as a cook, not just the young contestant who constantly has to prove herself. I am leaving as a mature young woman. It really has been an amazing road of self-discovery.”