The grand finale of MasterChef Australia will air over two nights on 10 and 10 Play on demand, on Monday July 12th and Tuesday July 13th at 7:30pm.
The Semi-Final
A place in the MasterChef Australia grand finale was up for grabs, with Elise narrowly missing out on a spot in the final three in the semi-final.
Justin, Elise and Kishwar arrived at the MasterChef kitchen, hoping to claim a place in the grand finale alongside Pete. They had to create a three-course, fine dining menu to serve 20 diners and the judges.
Justin’s cauliflower taco entrée left Jock disappointed and the judges said Elise’s lentil agrodolce and pine mushrooms tasted disjointed, while Kishwar’s kingfish ceviche in green water was celebrated as the perfect way to start a fine dining experience.
Justin was happy with his main course, and Jock said his lamb was a real highlight. Elise served venison, blackberries, beetroot and herb oil, and Andy said the side elements were too sweet, and his meat was overcooked. The judges said that Kishwar’s goat nihari with naan nawabi had basically secured her place in the grand finale.
When it came time for dessert, the judges loved the texture and flavour of Elise’s pistachio semifreddo, but said her birdseed brittle did not belong on the dish. Justin’s brie cheese ice cream lacked cheese flavour, but his crumb and apple were perfect. Kishwar continued to impress, Jock said her after-dinner mint was an exciting jumble of flavours.
Kishwar was announced as the first contestant to join Pete in the grand finale, and it came down to Justin and Elise. In a verdict almost too close to call, Elise was sent home from the MasterChef kitchen.
The Finalists
Pete
For someone who only started cooking six years ago, Pete Campbell has come a long way. Knowing he wanted more from life, in 2015 Pete quit his corporate job of 10 years and he and wife Alana took a massive leap of faith and moved to Los Angeles with a two-year-old daughter and another baby on the way.
A self-taught cook, Pete has developed a deeper understanding of techniques and flavour pairings in the past two years. A lover of classic cuisines, he boasts a savoury palate with a strong gut instinct and excels at planning and time management.
Pete Campbell
Kishwar
With dreams of sharing Bengali cuisine with Australia, Kishwar Chowdhury admits food is at the heart of her large Bangladeshi-Indian family.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Kishwar proudly talks of her parents Laila and Kamrul Chowdhury (OAM), who are pillars and founders of the Bangladeshi community in Victoria. Their stature led to her home becoming a self-described soup kitchen of sorts, with family members, friends and community members popping over at all times.
Kishwar Chowdhury
Justin
Justin Narayan might look up to chefs like Gaggan Anand and Gordon Ramsay, but he doesn’t need to look much further than his own family for inspiration.
Being the first generation born in Australia, Justin’s Fijian and Indian heritage has always remained front and centre. His mum is among his biggest inspirations and Justin says she is hands-down the best cook he knows.
Justin started cooking aged 13 and loves being inspired by the produce at hand to create memorable meals. He has always loved witnessing how his food can make people feel, often cooking for his fiancée Esther.
Justin Narayan