MasterChef 2019 – Week Two Quarter Finals

Week Two of MasterChef is over, and 56 amateur cooks from around the country with a range of backgrounds have started to battle it out to be named the MasterChef 2019 Champion.

In the critics test, the amateur cooks are going face to face with the daunting test set by critic Grace Dent, to make an exceptional dish where the vegetable is the main feature.

After cooking their dish and hearing if they have managed to rise to the challenge and meet expectations, only the best cooks with go through to knockout week.

Let’s see how the chefs got on…

Jim has shown really good flavours and stylish plates.

Signature Dish: Cauliflower steak with a dehydrated parma ham crumb, cauliflower tempura chips, cauliflower cheese scotch egg, cauliflower cheese croquette, parmesan crisp, apple fluid gel and a raisin and balsamic ketchup.

John was ‘amazed‘ with how much work Jim had produced in such a short amount of time. Saying Jim’s dish was ‘fun, innovative, interesting and right out there‘.

Gregg loved the combination of cauliflower, saying Jim had made ‘cauliflower sing here‘.

Grace loved the croquette especially and said it was a ‘peculiar showstopper‘.

Delia is hoping to show vegetables in the best way and trying to bring the element of fun in her dish.

Signature Dish: Hassle-back carrot cooked in beef fat, yellow carrot puree, tempura purple carrot, a ham, goats cheese and pine nut croquette, lovage pesto, whipped goats cheese and a garlic puree.

Grace loved the ‘moreish‘ croquette and even though the ‘hassle-back carrot was slightly chunky it was delicious‘.

John needed ‘a lot more content to the plate‘.

Gregg loved the flavours and but said it wasn’t as ‘triumphant‘ as her other dishes.

Carise has introduced her love of Caribbean flavours to the judges.

Signature Dish: Butter lobster tail on a salad of red cabbage, pumpkin, cucumber, sweetcorn and green beans with sliced avocado, mango puree and a side of bread fruit, plantain wedges and cajun mayonnaise.

Grace was really excited with the use of bread fruit, but was unfortunately ‘underwhelmed‘ with the seasoning and mentioned that the whole dish was just a bit ‘mellow‘.

John suggested the dish needed ‘more spice‘ to it.

Gregg loved the ‘mango coming through‘, but agreed with the other judges and needed more ‘pungent‘ flavours within the dish.

Sarah produces great food as well as a healthy sized portion.

Signature Dish: Twice cooked chestnut mushroom soufflé, filo pastry filled with mushroom, walnuts and ricotta cheese, set mushroom puree and a pickled butter mushroom and watercress salad.

Grace Dent was very happy with Sarah’s effort of serving a soufflé and ‘loved the disaster collapsed soufflé‘.

John was happy with the seasoning of the dish.

Gregg really loved the mushroom puree and the ‘attempted soufflé‘, but unfortunately had to take into account that it didn’t turn out as expected.

Panisha has a great blend of Indian meets Britain flavours.

Signature Dish: Goats cheese honey and truffle mousse with a golden beetroot and chilli puree, red beetroot and cinnamon puree, balsamic vinegar beetroot, beetroot and thyme crisps.

Grace was shocked by Panisha dish, as she had seen ‘beetroot and goats cheese so many times‘ she wondered ‘how it could be different‘. Grace went to explain how Panisha ‘knows flavours‘ and was very happy with how she made beetroot ‘the star of the show‘.

Gregg loved everything about Panisha’s dish and said ‘its a winning combination and I love it‘.

John couldn’t deny that Panisha understands flavours, but he suggested more ‘texture to the plate‘.

Stephen combines interesting flavours and styles, he understand classic food.

Signature Dish: Ravioli filled with welsh lava bread, served with cockles, bacon croutons, samphire and a white onion broth.

Grace has never heard of lava bread ravioli and was adamant Stephen ‘invented it‘.

John was disappointed in the the flavours of the dish.

Gregg loved the lava bread and ravioli, but wasn’t ‘convinced the onion broth should off been served with the lava bread’.

The judges and critics all agreed that the 5 chefs going through to the knockout stage would be; Jim, Stephen, Panisha, Sarah & Delia.
Unfortunately saying bye and good luck for the future to Carise.