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00:00:12This is wild!
00:00:16Yo, the trophy.
00:00:18I came into this competition all guns blazing.
00:00:22How about you, Aaron?
00:00:24Were you just looking at the trophy?
00:00:26As in the prize.
00:00:28Literally arms of the teeth with technique.
00:00:30Making a cured kingfish and an ahobanko-style sauce.
00:00:34I'm trying to do a Japanese-inspired steak tartare tartelette.
00:00:37No way.
00:00:38Fish relied with a prawn fast in the middle.
00:00:41Ooh.
00:00:41Yeah, ooh, all right.
00:00:43I've had some incredible feedback.
00:00:46The amount of flavour in a small bowl is unbelievable.
00:00:51But something was missing.
00:00:54I hate to be dragon auntie, but you've got insider knowledge on how to use all these ingredients.
00:01:00This one's a bit of a miss for me.
00:01:01Yeah.
00:01:02I realised that I couldn't just rely on my own technique.
00:01:07So I started leaning into my heritage.
00:01:10It's real quintessential, like, Malaysian food.
00:01:12Fusing my favourite Asian flavours with elevated dishes.
00:01:16It's so technical and it's so unique.
00:01:20And the results were incredible.
00:01:22It is so good.
00:01:26You can really see your potential, what you want to be.
00:01:30I came in wanting to be a chef.
00:01:33You look like a chef.
00:01:34I know.
00:01:35Straight up.
00:01:36And if I can get to the finale, I'll be proving I have what it takes.
00:01:41I always thought I was a good cook.
00:01:44But coming into the MasterChef kitchen.
00:01:46Table, Pedro.
00:01:48I was a deer in headlights.
00:01:50Oh, God.
00:01:51Damn.
00:01:52It actually took me a while to find a rhythm.
00:01:55Yeah, right?
00:01:58Um...
00:01:59Yeah.
00:01:59I don't know what to think about this one.
00:02:00And then I started playing around with different flavours.
00:02:04Cipred raviolis with halloumi, ricotta and mint.
00:02:08Miso and wattle seed glazed pork chop.
00:02:10Dang.
00:02:10Filo cigars with, like, coconut and pandan and creme cat.
00:02:13I'm making a tart today with tonka beans, orange, dates.
00:02:17And ever since then, it's just been an upward trajectory.
00:02:20You're a real natural talent.
00:02:22I am all about flavour and technique.
00:02:24So I started applying that to desserts.
00:02:28So now I feel like I'm a really well-rounded cook.
00:02:32I've only got one cook to get through to make that grand finale.
00:02:38I've worked this hard to get here.
00:02:41I'm not gonna stop now.
00:02:44Just heard through the grapevine.
00:02:45Pretty sure he's, like, a mad baker.
00:02:47Yeah, wow.
00:02:48I came into this competition as the panini guy.
00:02:52I'm making a porchetta panino.
00:02:55So delicious.
00:02:56I'm making a fried gnocchi hash brown.
00:03:00Ooh.
00:03:01I'm making a pork barbecue sandwich with a goji jang barbecue sauce.
00:03:05I'm looking at everyone else's dish and it's all elegant
00:03:06and I'm giving you a roll.
00:03:10As I got further into this competition,
00:03:13I found myself cooking more elevated and complex dishes.
00:03:17I'm gonna be making some pate on crut.
00:03:20Wow.
00:03:21Duck roasted on the crown with a macadamia and black garlic puree
00:03:24and an ooray sauce.
00:03:26I'm gonna do flat iron steak two ways today, patar,
00:03:29and I'm also gonna do on the hibachi with, like, a little salad as well.
00:03:31Woo!
00:03:33This is really next level.
00:03:35It hasn't all been smooth sailing.
00:03:37I don't know.
00:03:38I'm not very happy with this dish.
00:03:39This is not your best dish.
00:03:42I found myself pretty close to going home quite a few times.
00:03:45Yuzu and parmesan, gotcha ching and ragu.
00:03:50Whoa.
00:03:51On a black apron day.
00:03:52Yep.
00:03:53But that's when you learn your best.
00:03:55You're thinking more and more like a professional cook
00:03:58and that's the stuff that makes us the happiest to see.
00:04:02Today is gonna take a lot, but I've proved that I'm a fighter.
00:04:09And I'm going to fight again to get into that grand finale.
00:04:13You're looking good, mate.
00:04:14You're looking good.
00:04:14You're looking fresh.
00:04:15Quite nice.
00:04:16I never thought you'd actually get to this point, right?
00:04:18No, never.
00:04:19Nah.
00:04:22Whoa-ho!
00:04:22Oh!
00:04:26Oh!
00:04:29Oh!
00:04:33Oh!
00:04:33Oh!
00:04:36Oh!
00:04:39Oh!
00:04:39Oh!
00:04:40Oh!
00:04:40Oh!
00:04:40Oh! Oh!
00:04:54Vini, congratulations for making the semi-final of MasterChef Australia 2026!
00:05:08I want this so bad and I can see the commercial kitchens at the back and I can see all
00:05:13the
00:05:13equipment there and I'm like I can't believe I'm here about to run a service in a professional
00:05:20kitchen you are such fantastic cooks you so sexy by the way it's fantastic we are very proud of you
00:05:32you face one final challenge before the grand finale the semi-final service challenge
00:05:42running your own service will be your toughest challenge yet
00:05:46so we thought we'd bring somebody to back you up
00:05:52he's a hatted chef has seven venues across Australia
00:05:57and is well known for mentoring young chefs and new cooks alike
00:06:02here's a MasterChef winner
00:06:05Judge
00:06:06Judge
00:06:06Judge
00:06:07Judge
00:06:12Judge
00:06:13Judge
00:06:20Judge
00:06:21Judge
00:06:21Judge
00:06:22Judge
00:06:26Judge
00:06:28Judge
00:06:28Judge
00:06:30Judge
00:06:30Judge
00:06:31Judge
00:06:31Judge
00:06:31Judge
00:06:31Judge
00:06:33Thanks a lot, mate.
00:06:35Here we go!
00:06:39Incredible.
00:06:41I can't believe Andy's back.
00:06:43It's good to be home.
00:06:45He's got a bit of a newborn glow.
00:06:47He looks very, very happy, very, very joyful
00:06:48and very proud to be a new dad, I think.
00:06:52Welcome back, Papa Andy.
00:06:55Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy.
00:06:57Thank you very much.
00:06:58We are so happy for you and I cannot wait to have a cuddle.
00:07:01Auntie Poe.
00:07:02Cuddles are coming.
00:07:03Tell us everything. How's it going?
00:07:04Amazing.
00:07:05Like, it is the best thing I've ever done in my life.
00:07:10Just to hold him and stare at him.
00:07:13For the first couple of days, I'd just like...
00:07:17I'd just do that.
00:07:18For hours on end, it is the most beautiful thing.
00:07:21Are you getting any shut-eye?
00:07:23Bits and pieces.
00:07:24Who needs sleep?
00:07:28I am so proud of you three.
00:07:32And I'm not here to judge.
00:07:33I'm just here to help, right?
00:07:35I'll be in the kitchen feeling the heat,
00:07:38just like you three.
00:07:39I'm there to offer advice.
00:07:40It's up to you if you take it or leave it.
00:07:43Believe me when I say,
00:07:45I want the best for all three of you.
00:07:49You all have very distinct styles and personalities.
00:07:53Showcase that in your menu.
00:07:56And above all, make it frickin' delicious.
00:08:01In a few hours, this kitchen will be filled with 60 diners.
00:08:07And they have high expectations.
00:08:10You must prepare a two-course dining experience,
00:08:14serving a main followed by dessert.
00:08:16To 20 diners plus us.
00:08:21That's 46 plates each.
00:08:24You only have three hours before your first course must leave the pass.
00:08:30The pantry is stocked.
00:08:32The garden is open.
00:08:33Your menu needs to show us how far you've come as a cook.
00:08:37We want to taste your true potential.
00:08:40There are only two spots in the grand finale.
00:08:45Prove you deserve one of them.
00:08:49Petro, Arun, Vinny.
00:08:51Are you ready to become chefs?
00:08:54Yes!
00:08:56Your time starts now!
00:09:00Come on!
00:09:10I can't wait.
00:09:11Oh-ho!
00:09:13They need to think of how they're going to end up serving all those plates.
00:09:18We're not talking one dish.
00:09:19We're talking lots of dishes.
00:09:21Live in a busy restaurant.
00:09:24And this is the step.
00:09:26Whatever happens, they are open up, ready to become chefs.
00:09:31Go, Vinny!
00:09:33Yeah, Vinny!
00:09:34Yeah, Vinny!
00:09:35We have set the semifinalists a monumental task.
00:09:39We want to see how far they've come, for sure.
00:09:42We want to see flavour.
00:09:44We want to see consistency across all the plates.
00:09:49And also just see how smoothly their service runs, all on their own.
00:09:53Woo!
00:09:56Even though Andy's there to mentor, usually to prep and cook this amount of food,
00:10:01John Christophe, you know, you would be staffed up.
00:10:04So we're asking a lot of them.
00:10:06Come on!
00:10:07Come on!
00:10:09But they've been training for this.
00:10:10So this is where they need to prove that they belong in the grand finale.
00:10:16Come on, Aaron!
00:10:18Let's go, Aaron!
00:10:20Make that ice cream.
00:10:22Nice, Jack.
00:10:24I'm so excited.
00:10:26This menu is a representation of who I am as a chef.
00:10:29It's a nod to where I've been and a reflection of where I want to go.
00:10:35You know, I really want to have Asian-inspired dishes that have French techniques
00:10:40and, like, bring my little flair to things that I learned along the way.
00:10:43Just trying to get into my zone right now, trying to set myself up well for the service later.
00:10:47For the main, I'm making a pork loin chop with crispy skin and three sauces.
00:10:51But I won't actually start with that yet because I have to start working on my dessert.
00:10:56With the dessert, I'm making a basil and white pepper ice cream,
00:11:00a strawberry and tomato granita and a hazelnut crumb.
00:11:05This dessert is reminiscent of my tomato salad dessert that I did early in the season
00:11:10and that went exceptionally well.
00:11:15Now I need to try and elevate that to show how far I've come.
00:11:19Right now, I'm working on the basil ice cream anglaise
00:11:23and from there, I'm going to do my granita as well.
00:11:25My dessert has a lot of things to set
00:11:27and I have to do that now
00:11:29because I need that churned or frozen and ready for later.
00:11:33Once that's all done, I'm going to start prepping my pork.
00:11:3520 minutes down, labs. Let's keep going.
00:11:43There he is.
00:11:45The kid wonder.
00:11:48Is anyone going to come with me?
00:11:50I can't.
00:11:50Is anyone coming with me?
00:11:51I can't.
00:11:52More meat.
00:11:53More meat.
00:11:53The worst thing you can do as a Greek is undercater.
00:11:56This service challenge is crazy.
00:11:59We have to serve so many people and we have to do it all on our own
00:12:03in three hours and at this high standard.
00:12:09So, my strategy today is trying to do something that's achievable
00:12:13but still show off technique, flavour and also my growth and what I've learnt here.
00:12:20So, that's why I have a focused plan of attack to execute my menu.
00:12:27Petro!
00:12:28I'm done and I know what you're going to cook.
00:12:30I am doing I fillet with a jus that's going to be infused with pine mushrooms.
00:12:36Right.
00:12:37So, Jerusalem artichoke and parsley puree.
00:12:39Chef fried artichoke crisps, some roasted pine mushrooms,
00:12:42microsorrel and chervil.
00:12:43Okay.
00:12:47I know that it is daunting trying to get 23 portions of I fillet perfectly.
00:12:52So, how are we planning to cook the I fillet?
00:12:55Obviously, I would love to sear it off on the hibachi and get that flavour.
00:12:59Yep.
00:12:59But it's all going to come down to whether I have time.
00:13:04You need to push yourself.
00:13:06Yep.
00:13:06So, semi-final.
00:13:07Yes.
00:13:07This is to get into the grand finale.
00:13:08Yes.
00:13:09I think safe isn't going to get you there.
00:13:13This is your strength.
00:13:14Yes.
00:13:14This is your strength.
00:13:15If you can caramelise that meat over the hibachi and then we finish it in the oven,
00:13:20like, that could take it from good to amazing.
00:13:23Okay, Chef.
00:13:24Same for that.
00:13:25That sounds like a plan.
00:13:26Let's go to dessert.
00:13:26I am making what I'm calling a Greek eclair.
00:13:29So, I'm doing a fig leaf creme madame.
00:13:31Yep.
00:13:32Some fresh figs and a vergie syrup that's going to be laced with a bit of olive oil and mastifa.
00:13:38That's my Petro!
00:13:41So, that sounds like a you dish that you've gone, how am I going to blow the judges away?
00:13:46That is solid, that dessert.
00:13:48Okay.
00:13:48Okay.
00:13:48Good.
00:13:49So, now, the main, let's get that to the same level as the dessert.
00:13:53Yes, Chef.
00:13:53Chudder.
00:13:54Let's cook like the wind today.
00:13:56Yep.
00:13:56And put a smile on your face.
00:13:57Thanks, Chef.
00:13:58Good luck.
00:14:00Well, I'm nervous right now because my relationship with the hibachi is a little love-hate.
00:14:06It didn't get off to a beautiful start and I feel like this could potentially put me behind
00:14:11schedule.
00:14:12But Andy's right.
00:14:14I need to push myself to elevate the steak.
00:14:16So, I've got to bite the bullet and do it.
00:14:20Right now, I'm developing my jus.
00:14:25And I need to also get started on my Jerusalem artichoke and parsley and puree.
00:14:29I am motoring.
00:14:31I'm not leaving anything to chance today.
00:14:33I'm going to work as fast as I can.
00:14:36All right, fellas.
00:14:38Two hours and 20 minutes till dishes leave the past.
00:14:40Let's go.
00:14:41Go, guys.
00:14:42Come on.
00:14:43Yeah, you know, that's a time call.
00:14:48I feel like this is a perfect challenge for me to showcase my journey here and how far I've
00:14:53come.
00:14:54For my main, by playing on a dish that I started the competition with, it's going to show
00:14:59how far I've come and how much I've grown as a cook.
00:15:03For my audition, I made a porchetta panini.
00:15:09And I'm reimagining it today as the cook that I want to be, keeping like a rustic heart of
00:15:16my food and keeping true to my Italian roots.
00:15:19But I'm definitely trying to be a little bit more ambitious.
00:15:23All right, Vinny, talk to me.
00:15:25I guess we're cooking pork.
00:15:26My name's going to be a porchetta.
00:15:27Oh, full circle.
00:15:28Throwback to the day one.
00:15:30So I'm going to do a marinade.
00:15:32Roll it back up.
00:15:33Truss it.
00:15:33Get that in the oven, low and slow for as long as I can.
00:15:36Pump it up right at the end just to get that puff.
00:15:38Yep.
00:15:38Serve that with a pork jus with a celeriac puree and a radicchio and fig salad.
00:15:44Mate, it sounds so you, which I think is the most important thing in this cook.
00:15:48I want to see who Vinny is on the plate.
00:15:50Okay.
00:15:51Yep.
00:15:51But we've had some ordinary porchettas in this kitchen.
00:15:55Yep.
00:15:57From very, very good cooks.
00:15:58Yep.
00:15:59Right?
00:15:59Yep.
00:15:59They want crispy skin.
00:16:00Yes, correct.
00:16:01So we need to make sure that it puffs in the end.
00:16:03Yep.
00:16:03And make sure it's, you know, tender and fall apart like.
00:16:06Yes, 100%.
00:16:07Okay, let's go for your dessert.
00:16:09My dessert is going to be like a tiramisu tart.
00:16:12Like flavours inspired of tiramisu.
00:16:14I'm going to do a few big circle tarts.
00:16:15Yep.
00:16:16And then slice one on each plate.
00:16:17Yep.
00:16:18So it's going to have a chocolate cremeux layer.
00:16:19Okay.
00:16:20A coffee gel.
00:16:21And then the top layer will be a whipped mascarpone cream with the baileys in there.
00:16:25Right.
00:16:27Okay.
00:16:27Mate, tarts are not easy.
00:16:29You know?
00:16:29People devote their whole careers to tarts.
00:16:33Yeah.
00:16:34You know?
00:16:34And you just don't have that experience yet.
00:16:37So we need to make sure that we can finesse this dessert and execute this flawlessly, mate.
00:16:42Yeah.
00:16:43I feel like it's a great idea.
00:16:45This is really ambitious for today's challenge, I feel like.
00:16:48To get both of these dishes as good as they need to be to get you into the grand finale,
00:16:53you need to work like an absolute demon.
00:16:55For sure.
00:16:55For sure.
00:16:56Thank you, Andy.
00:16:57I know I've got my work cut out for me, but I need to back myself.
00:17:04I've started my pork jus.
00:17:07So now I need to get onto my porchetta.
00:17:10And to make porchetta for, you know, 20-plus diners, I need a lot of pork.
00:17:15You know, normally when you go to the shops, you buy pork bellies, about that big.
00:17:19Today, it's about that big.
00:17:23There is a lot to do here, because I need to butcher, marinate, roll and tie this pork and get
00:17:29it in the oven as soon as possible.
00:17:31And I need to nail not only one, but two big slabs of porchetta.
00:17:34And I really need to keep it nice and tight, otherwise it'll cook unevenly.
00:17:39Oh, there's so much pork.
00:17:42Come on, Vinny.
00:17:44Vinny, quick!
00:17:48This is definitely a risk for Vinny.
00:17:50Like, those porchettas are massive, and he really is pushing it for time to get them cooked.
00:17:57It's almost an hour into the cook, and Vinny hasn't got anything in the oven yet.
00:18:07I'm a little bit worried about how he's going to get these huge, huge porchetta rolls nice and consistently cooked
00:18:15in time.
00:18:16I'm a little bit worried about how he's going to get them to the oven yet.
00:18:21Let's go!
00:18:27Go!
00:18:28Go!
00:18:29Go!
00:18:31Go!
00:18:31Go!
00:18:32Go!
00:18:34Go!
00:18:38Go!
00:18:41Go!
00:18:42Go!
00:18:44Go!
00:18:45Eddie?
00:18:46Mate, this is going to be the first of many little love taps that I give you today, okay?
00:18:50Yes.
00:18:50Because I feel like we need to get these porchettas done.
00:18:54Yeah.
00:18:55I'm looking at the clock.
00:18:56You've had an hour.
00:18:57Yeah.
00:18:58And you've got your stock on.
00:19:00Yeah.
00:19:01And you've done a bit of butchery.
00:19:02Yeah.
00:19:03Okay?
00:19:03That's nearly a third of your whole cook time, right?
00:19:07So you've got to think about it like that.
00:19:08We need to get them in the oven.
00:19:09Yeah.
00:19:10I am going to push you so hard.
00:19:12Thank you, please.
00:19:13You have so much work to do.
00:19:14Yeah.
00:19:14Don't hate me.
00:19:15Love me.
00:19:15I won't.
00:19:15It's going to be a battle, but we've got this.
00:19:17Yep.
00:19:19I need to get this pork marinated, rolled and tied.
00:19:22Time is slipping away and I'm not used to cooking with cuts of meat this big.
00:19:27It's huge.
00:19:29They are huge.
00:19:30They are huge.
00:19:30That's not the biggest picket ever I've ever seen.
00:19:33You need to push harder than you ever have before.
00:19:36Two hours till seven!
00:19:40Come on, guys.
00:19:40Come on, guys.
00:19:42Come on!
00:19:46I know that my mains are going to be served first.
00:19:49But right now my focus is to finish working on my dessert.
00:19:53Nice, Aaron.
00:19:54Keep going, buddy.
00:19:55Because it's time consuming and it has to be perfect.
00:19:59Right now I'm working on the basil ice cream anglaise and my granita as well.
00:20:04With the tomato granita, I have to blend up some heirloom and Roma tomatoes, put them through
00:20:09a strainer, make sure I get all the pips out, and do the same with some strawberries to
00:20:14add a bit of sweetness.
00:20:17Aaron, hit me with the menu.
00:20:19Dessert.
00:20:20Dessert is a basil white pepper ice cream, a tomato, strawberry and white balsamic granita.
00:20:25Fried basil leaf and a hazelnut crumb.
00:20:27It's very similar to a dish.
00:20:29Yeah, it is.
00:20:29Isn't it?
00:20:29That was the ice cream taste test?
00:20:31Yeah, it was.
00:20:32What I remember with that dish, it was near on perfect.
00:20:35That was the turning point for me.
00:20:37I felt that, you know, wow, I can actually do dessert.
00:20:39And, you know, I'm actually pumping it full of new flavours, new ideas, just to elevate
00:20:43it a bit more.
00:20:45The ice cream with the pepper, that really adds a nice fruitiness and a little heat, and
00:20:49that's quenched by the granita.
00:20:52And the granita now has the strawberry through it, so it makes it less vegetal.
00:20:54Okay.
00:20:55The hazelnuts with the skin on it adds sort of like a toasted sesame flavour, which is
00:20:59really interesting.
00:21:00Okay.
00:21:00So that's where I'm kind of going with that.
00:21:02I love the idea of the dish.
00:21:03So now, the main?
00:21:05So my main is a pork loin chop, it's roasted on the bone, it's going to have crispy skin.
00:21:09Right.
00:21:09With that, I've got some charred trevisa, a pork and veal jus, and I've got the exo sauce
00:21:14as a garnish.
00:21:16Exo sauce as well?
00:21:17Yeah.
00:21:18And a red meese and mustard.
00:21:20Wow.
00:21:20Okay, so there's a fair bit going on here, right?
00:21:23You've got miso, you've got exo.
00:21:25Yep.
00:21:26You've got the jus.
00:21:27Like, there's a fair bit of heavy hitters here.
00:21:29Yep.
00:21:29So let's try and think about how they're going to play with each other, not against each
00:21:33other.
00:21:34Yeah.
00:21:34They need to be harmony on a plate.
00:21:37I'm loving where it's going then.
00:21:39Okay?
00:21:39Good luck.
00:21:40Thanks.
00:21:41I've got to be really intentional with how I use flavours and techniques in both my main
00:21:45course and my dessert course.
00:21:48But I feel like I have a really clear vision on how to execute the Asian-French fusion in
00:21:53my main course.
00:21:54I just need to make sure that I leave enough time to do it.
00:22:00How long are you going to give yourself, Vinny?
00:22:02Five minutes.
00:22:03Five minutes.
00:22:04Five minutes to have both sides.
00:22:05Yep.
00:22:05Mate, you can come to the ducks and roll some porchetta if you want.
00:22:11We're about an hour into prep.
00:22:13For my main course, I've got my stock on the go for my pie and mushroom jus.
00:22:18I have so much to do, so I've got a really tight plan of attack that I need to stick
00:22:23to.
00:22:25Now I'm jumping onto dessert.
00:22:29I am just about to clean my fig leaves.
00:22:32I need to get my milk infused.
00:22:34I think this is a really unique dessert and I think it highlights my heritage, which is
00:22:38so important and something I haven't highlighted as much throughout this competition.
00:22:44My background definitely plays into my dessert for sure, hence the Greek eclair.
00:22:50I've made this fig leaf crempat a few times before.
00:22:53You got this.
00:22:55Right, let's go.
00:22:56Let's just put this on.
00:22:58Fig leaf has like a floral, coconutty sort of flavour.
00:23:01It's quite subtle, so I need to infuse my milk for as long as I can.
00:23:05Looking good, Petro.
00:23:07Feeling good?
00:23:08Feeling good.
00:23:10Beautiful, mate.
00:23:11Just wash that thing like a hawk.
00:23:13Now I'm back onto my main and I'm starting to prepare the Jerusalem artichokes for my Jerusalem artichoke and parsley
00:23:20puree.
00:23:22I love Jerusalem artichokes.
00:23:24They are super fresh, very seasonal, and the flavour is amazing.
00:23:28But it comes at a cost.
00:23:31So I need to clean my Jerusalem artichokes.
00:23:34I'm just making it easier to clean because they do take a while.
00:23:37And then clean it with a steel wool.
00:23:41Jerusalem artichokes are very hard to prepare.
00:23:45They are very oddly shaped, and they're extremely hard to clean.
00:23:50I feel like I'm on track, but I just need to keep pushing.
00:23:59He needs to get his bloody pork in the oven.
00:24:02Let's go, Vinnie!
00:24:03In the oven in two minutes.
00:24:05I finally got my pork tied up and ready for the oven, but it has taken me much longer than
00:24:09I thought.
00:24:10Come on, Vinnie!
00:24:14How long is that going to take?
00:24:16An hour and a half.
00:24:18OK.
00:24:18So, mate, in an hour and a half, you're going to have 15 minutes till service?
00:24:24You're kind of fine.
00:24:26Yep.
00:24:27You know the drill, mate.
00:24:27As soon as that service starts, there's no catching up, especially when you're by yourself.
00:24:31Yep.
00:24:33I'm going to push my panic aside right now and just keep pushing on.
00:24:38Yeah, Vinnie!
00:24:40For my jus, I know that I've gotten all that goodness out of those veggies and out of those bones.
00:24:47So I get that reducing down.
00:24:52Let's go, Vinnie!
00:24:54I've started my celeriac puree.
00:24:56Oh, Vinnie is pumping the celeriac.
00:24:59But I'm a bit worried that I haven't even started on my tiramisu tart at all.
00:25:07How's dessert looking?
00:25:08Dessert's looking good.
00:25:09Anglaise on that one's done now.
00:25:11How many batches are you going to need for 23 portions?
00:25:13Three batches?
00:25:14Yeah.
00:25:14The anglaise with basil ice cream is finally done.
00:25:17I'm happy with the flavour.
00:25:19It's laced with basil and it finishes with a beautiful bit of that white pepper.
00:25:26I need to get that churning in an ice cream machine.
00:25:27Now I need to finish up doing my tomato crinina.
00:25:30I've just got some strawberry here as well that will go through it.
00:25:33I just have to go off my own palate to really find that point where I'm happy with the tomato
00:25:39flavour being there.
00:25:40The acidity being there, the brightness being there, the darsamic having that note underneath that you feel and you can
00:25:46taste.
00:25:47Yup.
00:25:50You have 19 minutes!
00:25:5219 minutes left to go before the service!
00:25:55Come on!
00:25:55Come on!
00:25:56Come on!
00:25:57Come on!
00:26:06Come on!
00:26:07I know it's an absolute day.
00:26:09This is the painful thing about Jerusalem artichokes.
00:26:13Yeah.
00:26:13They're a labour of love, unfortunately.
00:26:15They are.
00:26:16I'm still cleaning these Jerusalem artichokes.
00:26:20This is stressing me out a bit because I am behind schedule.
00:26:26This has definitely taken some time.
00:26:30Um, so I do need to find another gear.
00:26:32My milk is almost ready, um, to start my creme patte.
00:26:36I need to get these done for my chips and also for my puree.
00:26:41So, oh!
00:26:49Oh, you are kidding!
00:26:53The figs leaf have, oh my god, that's never happened!
00:26:56They have split!
00:26:58What?
00:26:58What?
00:26:59It, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it has split the milk.
00:27:03I've done this so many times, it's never split the milk.
00:27:07Do you have more?
00:27:09No!
00:27:14Okay.
00:27:15What's your plan B?
00:27:16Hey, mate, it's gonna happen.
00:27:18Plan B.
00:27:19It's gonna happen.
00:27:22Alright, um, I need to, uh, alright, I'm just gonna workshop some stuff.
00:27:27I may as well get another pot on and, uh, if it tastes good, it tastes good.
00:27:31If not, I'll pivot into something else.
00:27:32But I may as well have my options open.
00:27:34Take a second.
00:27:35I need to take a second.
00:27:35Trust me, it's gonna be worth it.
00:27:37Yep.
00:27:37Right now, you've just done three laps of the kitchen.
00:27:40And I haven't done anything.
00:27:40And there hasn't been anything done.
00:27:41Okay?
00:27:42So, need to just still stay calm.
00:27:45Yes.
00:27:45Adrenaline is a great thing, but it can also be a bit of a curse as well.
00:27:48You can get yourself in a lot of trouble.
00:27:49Yep.
00:27:57Poor.
00:27:58Poor Petro.
00:27:59Why?
00:27:59Big leaf, milk, split.
00:28:02How's Petro now?
00:28:03Is it stressing?
00:28:03It seems random.
00:28:04Ah!
00:28:06Petro, this is it.
00:28:07It's a semi-final.
00:28:08Yes, yes.
00:28:09You've done so well.
00:28:10Yep.
00:28:12Less than an hour and a half before my diners come through the door, and my fig leaf milk
00:28:18has curdled.
00:28:20I'm already under the pump.
00:28:22This needs to refocus.
00:28:23I don't have time for this.
00:28:27Ah, alright.
00:28:28Let's get the milk on.
00:28:29I need to keep moving.
00:28:30I need to keep getting all my elements done.
00:28:33Are you trying it again, Petro?
00:28:34Yep.
00:28:35I'm just gonna heat it to a lot lower this time.
00:28:38Nice.
00:28:38Very fixable.
00:28:39Nice, Petro.
00:28:40Don't overheat it this time.
00:28:41Oh, thank you, Captain Obvious.
00:28:44I still need to finish my Jerusalem artichokes.
00:28:48Ah!
00:28:49And I've gotta start thinking about cooking this beef.
00:28:51Just gotta push.
00:28:52Just gotta push.
00:28:53Good work, Petro.
00:29:02Still doing it.
00:29:03Still trying to sift that granita.
00:29:10Is this for your granita?
00:29:11Yep.
00:29:12Do you need that kinda done now?
00:29:14Do you know what I mean?
00:29:16Ninety minutes until you start serving mains.
00:29:19Yep.
00:29:19That's a little bit scary for me.
00:29:21I don't know how you're feeling.
00:29:21Ah.
00:29:24We need to get these pork done.
00:29:26We need to find another gear here now.
00:29:28Get them in the oven.
00:29:32Um, less than an hour and a half to go.
00:29:34And I realized that I've spent way too much time on my dessert.
00:29:39Let's put you down for a sec.
00:29:42And I've only just started on the pork.
00:29:45It takes around an hour to actually cook and rest an entire pork loin on the bone.
00:29:51Whew!
00:29:52Keep going, Aaron!
00:29:53And if I don't get it in now, I won't have time to carve and serve.
00:29:57And I need to perforate the skin so that it puffs up.
00:30:01Brush some vinegar on the skin as well and salt it heavily.
00:30:04All right!
00:30:05Let's go, man!
00:30:09Still got three sauces to do.
00:30:10I've got the treviso that needs to be prepped.
00:30:12There's a lot of different things.
00:30:15The pork, you're gonna take it off the bone.
00:30:18Take the bone out.
00:30:18Slice it.
00:30:19Slice.
00:30:19Yeah.
00:30:20Don't underestimate how long that takes.
00:30:22Yeah.
00:30:22You know, to get it as good as you would want it.
00:30:24Perfect.
00:30:25It's gonna take a fair bit of time.
00:30:27Yep.
00:30:28But I still need to finish up this granita.
00:30:32Has Aaron still got the serve out?
00:30:34Yep.
00:30:37I'm making sure my crumb is on point.
00:30:40This dessert has to be perfect.
00:30:42Okay.
00:30:43Are you worried?
00:30:44Mm-hmm.
00:30:45About Aaron?
00:30:45Mm-hmm.
00:30:46I'm really worried about it.
00:30:48Okay, semi-finalists, your mains need to go in one hour!
00:30:53Come on, mate!
00:30:54Lift it!
00:30:55Let's go!
00:30:58Come on, Aaron!
00:31:02Take it up again, boy!
00:31:04Here we are.
00:31:05Let's have a look at our list.
00:31:06Alright.
00:31:07I've just rotated my pork around.
00:31:08Jury is reducing down.
00:31:09I've got my celeriac patching away from my puree.
00:31:11The salad I will prepare now and the dressing I'll do right now.
00:31:14Okay, so you need to do salad and the dressing for the main.
00:31:17All other elements are either on or done.
00:31:19And I'll just do the glaze right now, too.
00:31:21Okay.
00:31:22Um.
00:31:23Hey.
00:31:29Sorry.
00:31:30Are you talking to me?
00:31:31Sorry.
00:31:32How's dessert looking?
00:31:33I need to get started on my tart shop.
00:31:36Mate, I feel like we need to start ticking jobs off.
00:31:40Yeah.
00:31:40Right?
00:31:42I know that I do need to start my tiramisu tart.
00:31:45Oi!
00:31:47I just want to make my glaze quickly.
00:31:49Cheers, Vinny!
00:31:52I've finally got all my elements done for my dessert course.
00:31:55What else do I need?
00:31:57XO next, Aaron?
00:31:58Um.
00:31:59Have you got, um, scallops and shrimp soaking or...?
00:32:02Not yet.
00:32:03Right.
00:32:05Aaron, we've got to get XO working.
00:32:06Yeah, sure.
00:32:06We've got to get XO working.
00:32:07Need to find a gear.
00:32:08Yeah, okay.
00:32:08Got it?
00:32:09Yep.
00:32:10Time is really ticking.
00:32:12Yep.
00:32:13Yeah, got a motor, got a motor.
00:32:14But I know that I've spent way more time than I thought I would.
00:32:19Let's go.
00:32:20XO, XO, XO.
00:32:21Yep, yep, yep.
00:32:21Now I'm really short on time for the elements for my main.
00:32:24Um.
00:32:26Yeah, a lot to do.
00:32:26In this time, I've got to get my XO sauce done.
00:32:29My XO sorted and also look at making my miso mustard for the mains.
00:32:34I really wanted to prove that I can think like a chef.
00:32:38Come on, Aaron, you can do it, mate.
00:32:39But I've just completely blown my entire process out the window.
00:32:43We want to try and have all prep done so we can get a plate up.
00:32:47Oh, man.
00:32:49Oh, my God.
00:32:50We need to taste every element together.
00:32:52It's stressing me out.
00:32:54We are well into this prep time now and Andy is worried.
00:32:59Vinny, tart shells, tart shells, tart shells, tart shells.
00:33:01He's getting more and more concerned.
00:33:03In the next half an hour, you need to cook your beef.
00:33:05Yes.
00:33:06Come on, find that gear.
00:33:07All three boys, Aaron, Petro and Vinny might not be ready in time for service.
00:33:11How long until that stock comes out of the pressure cooker?
00:33:13One minute.
00:33:14You can't have fun.
00:33:14They need to knuckle the hell down.
00:33:17Find another gear.
00:33:19Absolutely go, go, go, go, go.
00:33:20If we don't push now, it's going to be a disaster.
00:33:23Yep, yep.
00:33:49Hey, boys!
00:33:51Oh, here they come.
00:33:53The diners are here!
00:33:56You only have 30 minutes to go!
00:34:16The diners have arrived, but cleaning these artichokes has taken me forever.
00:34:24Come on, we've got to get this puree on as quick as we can.
00:34:26This is behind schedule, so I have to push really hard if I'm going to make service on time.
00:34:34I think I'm just running on pure adrenaline at the moment, but I am finally done.
00:34:40I'm going to combine it with the parsnip to make my puree.
00:34:44Now I need to get onto my beef.
00:34:46Oh, my God.
00:34:49I'm searing off my eye fillets.
00:34:53The hibachi's been a very defining part of my journey.
00:34:56It has burnt me.
00:34:57It has loved me.
00:34:58It's kind of been like a relationship.
00:35:00I have my ups and downs with it, but I still love it at the end of the day.
00:35:03So, let's go again.
00:35:05Nice, Petro.
00:35:06Keep an eye on the hot spots.
00:35:08Surely we should just get a barbecue at this, right?
00:35:10That's so risky on the hibachi.
00:35:14This is going to be really hard to get the consistency right.
00:35:19It's hard enough just to cook one perfect, let alone eight blocks.
00:35:23They're all really different.
00:35:25How are we looking?
00:35:26Andy, I've gotten the meat on.
00:35:28I've just been doing one-minute rotations just to get a nice sear.
00:35:31Let's go, mate.
00:35:32This next 15 minutes, this will set you up.
00:35:35It'll either be where you succeed or you fall behind the angle.
00:35:38Yeah, come on.
00:35:39I've had so many cooks on the hibachi, and this is definitely the most important one yet.
00:35:44We can do it, Petro.
00:35:45Keep moving.
00:35:48Let's go, Vinny.
00:35:49Lock in.
00:35:51I'm behind right now.
00:35:53Everything's going on for my main course, and I'm trying to do 50 things at once.
00:35:57I've got my pork in the oven.
00:35:58Oh, that pork looks so good.
00:36:00I've got my jus reducing down.
00:36:03Tart shells, tart shells, tart shells, tart shells.
00:36:05So now I need to get onto my dessert elements.
00:36:09What was I getting?
00:36:11Butter.
00:36:12Let's use every second of that pork, brother.
00:36:17For my tiramisu tart shell, I'm using a wattle seed tart crust.
00:36:21Wattle seed is one of my faves.
00:36:25It's got like a really deep coffee nutty flavour, which is perfect for a tiramisu tart.
00:36:30Yeah, Vinny.
00:36:31I'm no expert on tarts, but I know that the tart shell needs to be nice and crumbly, but
00:36:37still hold its shape.
00:36:39Has Vinny's tart had any of his other dessert components?
00:36:42Yeah.
00:36:47So my tiramisu tart is going to be a layered tart, and I'll be setting each layer in the
00:36:53tart before I add the next, which is really going to take some time.
00:36:56Keep going, Vinny.
00:36:57Keep going, mate.
00:36:58Two fours at eight.
00:37:00The first layer is going to be a chocolate cremeux with a chocolate liqueur.
00:37:04I want it to be nice and rich and chocolatey and have the texture of a really nice set
00:37:08custard.
00:37:10The second layer of my tart is going to be a coffee liqueur gel.
00:37:14I need to make sure that the flavour profile is definitely tiramisu, and I'm making a top
00:37:19layer of mascarpone and Baileys cream.
00:37:22Go, Vinny.
00:37:23I think I'm channelling my Italian heritage, and making tarts are not the easiest thing.
00:37:30This is really ambitious, but if I can pull them off, I feel like this is going to show
00:37:34a bit of growth.
00:37:36Time is really ticking.
00:37:38Yep.
00:37:39Okay, we need to get as many pans as you can on.
00:37:41Yep.
00:37:42Shallow pans so that it can come down as quick as we can.
00:37:45I'm trying to play catch up, rushing to get all my elements ready for my main course.
00:37:51My jus still need to reduce.
00:37:54I'm still working on my exo sauce.
00:37:56How are we feeling about this miso mustard?
00:38:00Um...
00:38:01Mate, if you're content on it, and you feel like it's absolutely necessary for this dish,
00:38:05then do it.
00:38:06I'm just looking at the time.
00:38:09If you can do it, and you want it on the plate, it's all yours.
00:38:11Good luck.
00:38:15This miso mustard is actually going to be really tricky to make and balance.
00:38:19But if I don't get it on the plate, I don't know if it will just throw off the balance
00:38:23of the dish.
00:38:25This jus, I want it to be unctuous.
00:38:27I'm full of that veal and pork flavor.
00:38:29Let's murder, Aaron!
00:38:30So exo sauce is just a seasoning.
00:38:33It's got to have texture.
00:38:35It'll also have that hit of chili.
00:38:37I want the red miso mustard to have an earthiness from the miso, the zinginess from the mustard,
00:38:43some acidity from some rice wine vinegar.
00:38:46This is the menu I want to do.
00:38:47This is the sauce that I need on the plate.
00:38:49There's a whole trifecta of flavors that I've thought about, and I'm not about to let go of this.
00:38:55Vinny, Aaron, Petro, we need to get plates out in less than 10 minutes.
00:39:01So you need to start really moving, like as fast as you've ever moved in this kitchen.
00:39:05This next 10 minutes, like your spot in the grand finale, that's what's on the line.
00:39:09If we don't push now, it's going to be a disaster.
00:39:16Vinny, where we at?
00:39:18How long until we can start focusing on these mates?
00:39:21We're done. I'm done with the dessert.
00:39:22So in the next three minutes, get that done, clean this down, set up boards for the porchetta.
00:39:29It's go time.
00:39:30I need to put my tiramisu tart element aside.
00:39:34It's all systems go.
00:39:37My porchetta has sent me behind schedule, but the crackling is nice and crunchy.
00:39:48I'm really happy with my porchetta, but there is so much to do before service.
00:39:52I need to get all my tart shells into the oven.
00:39:55They need to start cooking now or I'm not going to have enough time to fill them.
00:39:59I'm doing four tarts, which is good that I got four tarts done in like 15 minutes.
00:40:05So that's pretty good.
00:40:06I need to bake them for at least 20 to 25 minutes before I can actually start even filling them.
00:40:12Okay, how long till we can start setting some food, lads?
00:40:15Come on.
00:40:18Good thickness.
00:40:19Nice work, Petro.
00:40:22Beautiful paste, Petro.
00:40:24Now I'm just going to strain it.
00:40:26Okay, I'll hold that.
00:40:27I feel like I'm getting back on track.
00:40:30Looks smooth, Petro.
00:40:32My friend Pat has the aromatic flavour of the fig leaf.
00:40:36I have made my choux pastry.
00:40:38Now I need to get onto my beef.
00:40:41So it's the moment of truth.
00:40:44You starting to cut?
00:40:45I'm hoping that when I cut into this meat, it should be pink all the way through and a beautiful
00:40:50medium rare.
00:40:57Wow, Petro!
00:40:58Yes!
00:40:59Are you happy with all these?
00:41:01Uh, I think so.
00:41:03I feel pretty good.
00:41:04How much better they look?
00:41:06How's it been on them?
00:41:06I'm a million times better, Andy.
00:41:09Are we thanking me now?
00:41:09Yes, I am.
00:41:11You made the decision, mate, so it's all you.
00:41:14Yeah, Petro.
00:41:15Come on, Petro.
00:41:16Bring it home, Matt.
00:41:17Come on.
00:41:18Okay, everyone.
00:41:19Come with me.
00:41:20It's ten.
00:41:22Five, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
00:41:36Petro, we're going to go five plates at a time, okay?
00:41:39You've got to start sending food.
00:41:41Now, I know it's been frantic.
00:41:43Just take a breath.
00:41:44Yeah.
00:41:44You've done all the hard work.
00:41:46Yeah.
00:41:46Let's make sure it looks as beautiful on the plate as it does off.
00:41:49It is go time.
00:41:52And I start by laying down my Jerusalem artichoke puree.
00:41:57This parsnip and Jerusalem artichoke puree cost me a lot of time earlier,
00:42:01but I'm really glad that I persisted with it.
00:42:04Put my artichoke chips, my pine mushrooms, microherbs.
00:42:09Go, Petro.
00:42:10And then I put my piece of beef right next to it.
00:42:13We've got to start getting plates out.
00:42:15Let's go.
00:42:15Come on, come on.
00:42:17I've worked really hard to be here.
00:42:20Beautiful, Petro.
00:42:21Gorgeous.
00:42:22I was the last contestant to make it on MasterChef.
00:42:25So, I think it would be so special to make the grand finale.
00:42:29I think it would really prove that I'm doing the right thing.
00:42:31It's looking really good, mate.
00:42:32It's looking really good.
00:42:33Well done.
00:42:33Let's go.
00:42:34Try and pick up the pace here.
00:42:35Keep everything nice and hot.
00:42:36Service, please.
00:42:38Yes!
00:42:39Can you stand?
00:42:40Yes.
00:42:41Okay.
00:42:42Now, the next lot, exactly the same.
00:42:44Yes, yes.
00:42:45Nice work.
00:43:00This is Petro's main course.
00:43:03It's beef tenderloin, pine mushroom jus, artichoke and parsnip puree and artichoke quisps.
00:43:10I'll tell you what, I really love Petro's plating.
00:43:13The way that he's arranged a Jerusalem artichoke and pine mushroom forest on the side, you can
00:43:19tell that he's come quite a distance from where he started.
00:43:22That's right.
00:43:22Absolutely, yeah.
00:43:23Let's taste.
00:43:24Let's.
00:43:41My goodness.
00:43:42This is so delicious.
00:43:44I love it.
00:43:46And I think every element is shining on the plate.
00:43:49The beef tenderloin is cooked to perfection.
00:43:51It's just melting your mouth.
00:43:53It's charred just enough so that it's got this lovely crust on the outside and just enough
00:44:01smokiness.
00:44:01And I love the choice of ingredients.
00:44:03You know, he's really lent into the seasonality.
00:44:06The Jerusalem artichoke puree is so lovely and silky.
00:44:10And I also love the pine mushrooms.
00:44:12I thought that they wouldn't kick enough, but I actually really love how they've got this
00:44:16really earthy nuttiness to them.
00:44:18I think he's done a brilliant job.
00:44:21The mash is absolutely a delight.
00:44:24The parsnip combining with the Jerusalem artichokes is absolutely very well done.
00:44:29The crips.
00:44:30Enjoy obviously this crispiness, which is very welcome.
00:44:33A fantastic accomplishment.
00:44:36My favourite thing on that plate is absolutely the Jerusalem artichoke puree.
00:44:43It's got this otherworldly sweetness.
00:44:46Yeah.
00:44:46And it's still really light, so it doesn't bog you down.
00:44:50And I think the fact that the jus is on the thinner side, those two elements work together for me.
00:44:56Yeah, they do.
00:44:56I think you still retain the subtle earthiness of the pine mushroom in his jus.
00:45:02So in terms of balancing flavours, I think he's absolutely nailed it.
00:45:05When it comes to the beef, I am so glad that Petro used the hibachi.
00:45:10He really managed to get that caramelisation.
00:45:13Petro's done a beautiful job.
00:45:17Chip.
00:45:19Come on, Petro.
00:45:20We got this, mate.
00:45:21We got this, mate.
00:45:22Thanks.
00:45:22Thanks, mate.
00:45:25Gone in?
00:45:27Good.
00:45:27This has now hit me that it's really happening.
00:45:29Like, the service is really happening.
00:45:31Come on, Aaron.
00:45:32Let's go.
00:45:32Keep moving.
00:45:33I've really pushed myself.
00:45:36And my sauces are ready.
00:45:38Treviso is charred and glazed.
00:45:39The pork skin is crackly.
00:45:42It's crunchy.
00:45:43Are we looking, Aaron?
00:45:48Aaron?
00:45:48Yep.
00:45:49That pork is undercooked.
00:45:52It's under.
00:46:01Are we looking, Aaron?
00:46:05You happy?
00:46:07Not really?
00:46:08Touch under?
00:46:09The service is about to start and my pork...
00:46:13is under.
00:46:15Over under?
00:46:16Yeah.
00:46:17I'm just really annoyed right now
00:46:19because I know that I needed the pork to go in a lot earlier.
00:46:23Really starting to feel a sense of fear and doubt now that creep in.
00:46:27OK.
00:46:27What are we going to do about it?
00:46:28Touch it on the flat top?
00:46:29We're going to have to.
00:46:30Hang on, hang on, Aaron.
00:46:31Let's get all of them done first.
00:46:32Yep.
00:46:33Just so you don't have one on there, you've got to keep coming back and forth.
00:46:36But part of being a chef is knowing when to pivot and how to pivot.
00:46:40I've just got the Treviso off.
00:46:41I know the flat top's hot.
00:46:42I've got to slice this pork.
00:46:44It's got to hit the flat top.
00:46:45Steer on both sides.
00:46:46Make sure it doesn't overcook.
00:46:48Cut to serve.
00:46:51I know that I can do this.
00:46:53I've just got to get it a little bit more cooked and it'll be ready.
00:46:57Pick it up!
00:47:03Yeah, Vinny!
00:47:05I need to get my main sense out.
00:47:08You start to cut?
00:47:09Yep.
00:47:09Let's have a look.
00:47:11You know how you've got your Italian portion?
00:47:15Yeah, we're not doing that today.
00:47:16Bring it back a little bit.
00:47:17I think like one finger.
00:47:19One finger.
00:47:20One finger.
00:47:20Now's the time we can refine it.
00:47:21Yeah.
00:47:25Oh, Vinny!
00:47:27Nice!
00:47:28My pork head up is just super juicy and you can still see that beautiful swirl with that green marinade
00:47:34inside.
00:47:34I'm so happy.
00:47:36Vinny, how long?
00:47:37I'm going to start plating up.
00:47:41Let's do it, Vinny.
00:47:42Come on!
00:47:43To plate up my main course, I start off with a dollop of my celeriac puree, rest my porcetta
00:47:49on top of that, lay across my radiculate big salad and two spoonfuls of that pork choux.
00:47:57Set us, please.
00:47:58Yes, Vinny!
00:47:59Yes, Vinny!
00:48:00All right!
00:48:01Let's go!
00:48:03I feel like this dish really shows how far I've come as a cook and right now, I'm
00:48:08really feeling in the zone and I'm in a really good flow.
00:48:12I feel like the flavours going on in this plate are just so me.
00:48:15I'm so proud.
00:48:16Set us, please.
00:48:17Keep pushing now.
00:48:18Let's go.
00:48:20I still have dessert lingering in the back of my mind because I still need to finish my
00:48:24tiramisu tarts.
00:48:28Here it comes.
00:48:34Look at the size of that.
00:48:36That is one giant hunk of meat.
00:48:40Wow.
00:48:43This is Vinny's mend.
00:48:47Porcetta, celeriac puree, fig and radicchio salad.
00:48:53Bon appétit.
00:48:55It's very Vinny.
00:48:57It's ginormous.
00:48:59But I can't wait to taste it.
00:49:00It looks delicious.
00:49:01It looks delicious.
00:49:01Look at that.
00:49:03Look at that crackling.
00:49:04Oh.
00:49:08Sounds good.
00:49:19Whoa.
00:49:21Whoa.
00:49:25I think it's such an unapologetically Vinny dish.
00:49:31It's really generous.
00:49:32It's just, you know, very unpretentious.
00:49:35And the flavours are the same.
00:49:36The crackling is really beautifully done.
00:49:40Like, mine is crunchy all the way around.
00:49:42I love the celeriac puree and I think that the sauce is really, really tasty.
00:49:47I really enjoyed the dish.
00:49:49The crackling is divine.
00:49:52I love the glaze on there.
00:49:54There's that tang from the honey.
00:49:56When I crunched down on it, my skull was reverberating because it was so brittle and so crunchy.
00:50:04So I love that.
00:50:05And I think Vinny's done a pretty good job overall.
00:50:10It's a very, very tasty plate of food.
00:50:13This dish is very much big hearted like Vinny.
00:50:18The first thing that really, really seduced me the most is the sauce.
00:50:23It's the right consistency.
00:50:25And it really match with this pork eater.
00:50:28And the second thing which I really love is the celery egg mash.
00:50:35It's just silky, creamy, very well seasoned and very earthy.
00:50:40The radicchio, sweet and bitterness, red.
00:50:43And the figs are fantastic.
00:50:46Now, the pork eater.
00:50:49My concern is that there is some fat that has not been dissolved.
00:50:55And it looks like there is a bit of inconsistencies in delivery of this pork eater.
00:51:04Okay, are you plating?
00:51:06Yes, Chef.
00:51:06Aaron, we want a plate over here.
00:51:08We want a plate over here.
00:51:09Head.
00:51:10My head right now is spinning.
00:51:13Diners are waiting.
00:51:14We can't keep them waiting anymore.
00:51:17Vinny's done with me.
00:51:18Come on, Aaron.
00:51:18Come on, mate. Let's go.
00:51:20Man's looking pretty good.
00:51:21The pork's crispy.
00:51:23It's cooked through and juicy, so I'm happy with that.
00:51:26We had some hiccups on the way.
00:51:28I was behind for a while there.
00:51:31Now I'm feeling the momentum.
00:51:32I'm so happy that I got to get all these sauces on the plate.
00:51:36I've got my exo sauce, I've got my pork choux, and I've got the miso mustard.
00:51:40Perfect.
00:51:42Service.
00:51:42I'm feeling the flow.
00:51:44I feel like this is working.
00:51:46Beautiful, Aaron. Beautiful, mate.
00:51:47Like, it looks exactly the way I want it.
00:51:50Service, please.
00:51:50Lovely, Aaron.
00:51:52Let's go.
00:52:00Okay.
00:52:01Aaron's main.
00:52:03Pork.
00:52:03Charred Treviso.
00:52:05Pork and veal jus.
00:52:07XO glaze.
00:52:08And miso mustard.
00:52:10I guess you have it all together, right?
00:52:12Yeah.
00:52:13And then a little bit of the mustard, I guess.
00:52:35I think the pork is cooked really beautifully, really nice and juicy and tender.
00:52:40But I'm afraid that's the only thing that's working on the plate for me.
00:52:44I feel like everything else is just fighting on my palate.
00:52:49And I think because he's always trying to do this fusion thing, right, with fine dining.
00:52:54You have to learn to create dynamism by pulling back on some elements and letting some other elements dominate.
00:53:00And then the intensity of the miso mustard is just such a clash with the XO.
00:53:06So, I'm worried for Aaron.
00:53:12It feels to me like Aaron taking Frenchy techniques, Asian flavors, and trying to sort of force them all together
00:53:20on one plate, where I think you should have leaned harder into the French technique.
00:53:25I think Aaron could have gotten away with that beautiful pork.
00:53:28The jus.
00:53:30There's no relief.
00:53:31For me straight away, the miso mustard.
00:53:35I'm left on my chair baffled.
00:53:37Why did he come up with this where that sauce is so good?
00:53:41Yes.
00:53:41So fantastic.
00:53:43If Aaron wants a spot in that grand finale, he needs to absolutely blow us away with his dessert.
00:53:48Oh, yeah.
00:53:49Big time.
00:53:51Okay, service, please.
00:53:52Service, please.
00:53:56That's half the job.
00:53:58That's half the job.
00:53:59Okay?
00:54:00We cleaned down.
00:54:00Yep.
00:54:01We set up for dessert service.
00:54:02Yep.
00:54:02Hey, nice work.
00:54:04My mains are done, all sent out, but now comes that other hard part.
00:54:09My tart shell is in the oven.
00:54:10I really wanted to have at least one layer of my tarts filled before main service, and I still haven't
00:54:15even started.
00:54:16This is just another last push that I need to get done.
00:54:48Oh, no.
00:54:50They have shrunken so much.
00:54:53Oh, man.
00:54:54You're gonna have your work cut out there.
00:55:13I'm definitely starting to worry now.
00:55:18That's not going to leave me a lot of wiggle room to layer this tart.
00:55:23You can't do much about it now.
00:55:24Yep.
00:55:25You're taking him out.
00:55:26I am so disappointed because I am so close to the finish, and this could cost me my spot in
00:55:31the grand finale.
00:55:35Vinny's tart shells haven't shrunk considerably.
00:55:38That's what I was scared about.
00:55:41He is going to have a real tough time filling though.
00:55:44You're going to be lucky to get one in that.
00:55:45Yeah, that's...
00:55:46It's going to be really difficult.
00:55:48He's just not getting fixated on it.
00:55:50And he's moving with great purpose.
00:55:51That would have sent a lot of contestants into an absolute spin seeing those tart shells.
00:55:55But he's just gone on to another job, giving himself time to think about it, and then he'll come back
00:55:59to it.
00:56:00Yeah.
00:56:00Go Vinny!
00:56:01You can see this!
00:56:02Vinny, let's go!
00:56:04Woo!
00:56:05Woo!
00:56:07Woo!
00:56:07Woo!
00:56:07Go Vinny!
00:56:08I feel like throughout this competition, I've proved that I'm a fighter and I'm going to have to use the
00:56:13cards that I've been dealt and use these tart shells as they are.
00:56:17This is a lot tougher than it seems.
00:56:20So I'm getting my chocolate cremeux in to set.
00:56:22Slow down in.
00:56:23Yup.
00:56:24And so far there are no spillages.
00:56:27Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
00:56:28So now the chocolate cremeux layout needs to just be set before I add this coffee, the pure gel.
00:56:34Is there another layer on top of the gel?
00:56:35Cream.
00:56:36But I'm just going to pipe dots of cream.
00:56:37OK.
00:56:38That's it.
00:56:38Easy done.
00:56:38Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.
00:56:39Bit of cocoa powder.
00:56:41Off we go.
00:56:41I love it.
00:56:42It's that easy.
00:56:45This tart isn't going to look as refined as I had originally planned, but I have to keep pushing to
00:56:50get this dessert ready for my diners and judges.
00:56:55Come on, Aaron.
00:56:57Let's go.
00:56:58Service.
00:57:00Yes, Aaron.
00:57:02Tough way.
00:57:03Well done.
00:57:04Well done.
00:57:05Let's go.
00:57:06That felt like going through an absolute marathon.
00:57:09Come on.
00:57:10Maybe take the ice cream out.
00:57:11Yes, definitely.
00:57:12That was a push.
00:57:13But I've got to keep pushing.
00:57:14What is it to do?
00:57:14I'm not done yet.
00:57:16I'm going to dig so deep because we've got to finish strong.
00:57:19Come on.
00:57:19Come on, Aaron.
00:57:20Take it up.
00:57:21Come on.
00:57:27Come on.
00:57:28Come on.
00:57:29Come on.
00:57:37Come on.
00:57:38Come on.
00:57:39Nice work, Beto.
00:57:40I'm just doing my syrup.
00:57:43I'm adding mastica.
00:57:46As great as it is that I've gotten all my mains out, it's time to serve dessert.
00:57:50We're going to do everything in your power to get this out quicker.
00:57:53Yes, Chef.
00:57:56This is a big nod to my great heritage.
00:57:59Wow.
00:58:00Okay.
00:58:00Oh, my God.
00:58:01Oh, look.
00:58:02It's a glare spectrum.
00:58:04Oh, look.
00:58:05Sexy eclipse.
00:58:06Holy moly.
00:58:07That's a big eclipse.
00:58:09Taking my shoe pastry out of the oven.
00:58:12How are they?
00:58:12They're not bad.
00:58:14They have held their shape.
00:58:15They're beautifully golden on the outside.
00:58:18It's exactly what I'm after.
00:58:19How is it, Beto?
00:58:23Pretty good.
00:58:24Yeah?
00:58:26Any adjustments?
00:58:28No.
00:58:28Nice.
00:58:29All my elements there, I'm really happy with them, but now I need to plate it up.
00:58:33I need to sprinkle my pistachio praline dust.
00:58:36Then my slithered pistachios.
00:58:38I also love the fig leaf creme madame.
00:58:42I feel like I did save it for sure.
00:58:44Then my fresh figs.
00:58:47And then the mastika syrup on each one.
00:58:50And this is like an umami bomb, this syrup.
00:58:52Mastika, it is a really classic Greek flavour.
00:58:55It's something we hold very dear.
00:58:56It is very piney and floral.
00:58:58Put the lid on.
00:59:00Icing sugar.
00:59:01Service, please.
00:59:02And then out.
00:59:06You're eclairs look beautiful, Petro.
00:59:12Hello, hello.
00:59:17Okay, judges.
00:59:19We have here Petro's dessert, which is Greek eclair.
00:59:22Ooh.
00:59:23Yes.
00:59:24Oh, the way you said eclair.
00:59:25Eclair.
00:59:26It looks beautiful.
00:59:28You can see that it's light.
00:59:31Oh, it feels nice.
00:59:33Beautiful colours.
00:59:53I have to stop.
00:59:55Oh, my God.
00:59:59I love that mastic alcohol into the creme madame.
01:00:03I think that was genius.
01:00:05It really, really bound so well with the crispiness of the shoe.
01:00:11There is a bit of saltiness into the creme with the pistachio.
01:00:14The presentation is immaculate.
01:00:16And the most important thing is the eclair is well baked.
01:00:20It really is.
01:00:21So I am super pleased.
01:00:24Well done, Pedro.
01:00:25Service, please.
01:00:27I think Petro has done a magnificent job.
01:00:31The eclair is baked perfectly.
01:00:34It's so nice and caramelised on the outside
01:00:37and nice and dry on the inside, but still soft.
01:00:40And the fig leaf creme madame, which he had trouble with,
01:00:43has completely worked out.
01:00:44That's right, yeah.
01:00:44It's so luscious and rich.
01:00:47I think he's done such a fantastic job.
01:00:48I'm so happy for him.
01:00:55Unbelievable.
01:00:56Unbelievable work from Petro.
01:00:57This is, for me, the culmination of everything
01:01:01this man has been cooking towards.
01:01:03We are going to be thinking about that eclair for a very long time.
01:01:06Oh, yes, I agree with you.
01:01:07Yeah.
01:01:08The both of you.
01:01:13Well done, mate.
01:01:18Andy, I'm going to fill my tarts.
01:01:20I need to finish my tiramisu tarts.
01:01:23Very lightly.
01:01:24Very lightly.
01:01:25OK.
01:01:26I'm adding that thin layer of coffee gel onto my tart.
01:01:29OK, that'll do.
01:01:30It has a very, very strong flavour.
01:01:32And then to finish off my tart, I'm piping little dots
01:01:35of my mascarpone Baileys cream.
01:01:36Beautiful, Vinnie.
01:01:38Good pace.
01:01:39With some cocoa powder, cacao nibs and some tonka bean shakes.
01:01:45The looks are maybe something to be desired.
01:01:48Service, please.
01:01:50So, the regrets are starting to seep in about doing this tiramisu tart.
01:02:07I can see the layers.
01:02:10Well, I'm going to tell you what Vinnie dessert is.
01:02:13Please.
01:02:14Tiramisu tart.
01:02:16Is it?
01:02:16That's it.
01:02:17Et voilà .
01:02:18Vinnie can't help but have his food always look a bit rustic,
01:02:22but there's a kind of friendliness to it.
01:02:24Like, it makes me happy to look at it.
01:02:32Oh, that's quite boozy, hey?
01:02:34Yeah.
01:02:34Ah, it's the coffee gelée.
01:02:45I think it's actually quite a lovely interpretation of a tiramisu.
01:02:50It's not overly sweet.
01:02:52You're getting that deep, coffee flavour.
01:02:54And I can't believe it, but he's managed to squeeze in three defined layers.
01:02:58Some of them are a little bit oozy.
01:03:00And the pastry is very, very yum.
01:03:04Mmm.
01:03:04Yeah?
01:03:05Yeah.
01:03:06I've got a feeling the tart has not been laminated quite, because it shrank.
01:03:11But I love the cremo.
01:03:14I love the texture, the gentleness.
01:03:16It's not too heavy.
01:03:17The chocolate is very dominant, which is great.
01:03:19I think this is a really yummy way to finish a meal.
01:03:23It's got that rich chocolate flavour.
01:03:26You can get the cocoa in it.
01:03:28I love the little cacao nibs on top that add that crunch and that bitterness as well.
01:03:33It's so chocolatey.
01:03:35And for that reason, I love it.
01:03:38Let's go!
01:03:42This is it.
01:03:43One more service stands between me and the finale.
01:03:47Happy?
01:03:47Yeah.
01:03:48Okay.
01:03:48Really fresh.
01:03:49Yeah.
01:03:50We've got to get them out.
01:03:51Yep.
01:03:51We've got to get them out.
01:03:52Okay.
01:03:53Elements are done.
01:03:54I've tried them all together.
01:03:55All tasting beautiful.
01:03:56I think I've successfully wrangled all these big flavours.
01:04:00Powering through.
01:04:00Really fresh, really bright.
01:04:01I really like the flavours.
01:04:02So yeah, it's pinging.
01:04:03The crumb is beautiful.
01:04:04It's earthy.
01:04:05It's rich.
01:04:06It's got a nice savouriness and nuttiness to it.
01:04:09The tomato and white balsamic granita is so fresh.
01:04:13It's vibrant.
01:04:14I'm getting that fumami from the tomato.
01:04:16The zigginess from the strawberry.
01:04:18That hit of acid as well.
01:04:19And then there's a hum of heat from the white balsamic.
01:04:22And the ice crystals dissolve in your mouth.
01:04:25Aaron, it looks spectacular, mate.
01:04:29The basil ice cream is laced with that white pepper.
01:04:32Beautiful, Aaron.
01:04:34That looks unreal.
01:04:36Couldn't feel happier because this is exactly how I wanted this dessert to be.
01:04:40I'm so close.
01:04:41I'm so close.
01:04:42Finished off with some olive oil and salt and the fried basil leaf.
01:04:45They almost look as stunning as you do.
01:04:48It has to show a level of elevation and sophistication.
01:04:52Yep, lovely.
01:04:53Service, please.
01:04:58I'm nervous.
01:05:05Interesting.
01:05:08Okay.
01:05:09Aaron's dessert.
01:05:10Basil ice cream.
01:05:12Tomato granita.
01:05:14Hazelnut crumb.
01:05:15Olive oil.
01:05:17I think it looks very elegant.
01:05:19I'm pretty impressed.
01:05:20They all look really consistent.
01:05:22Mm-hmm.
01:05:23So, for Aaron to even be in with a shot at the grand finale, this dessert needs to be mind
01:05:32-blowing.
01:05:56Whoa.
01:05:57Whoa.
01:05:58Whoa.
01:06:06That came out of nowhere.
01:06:07Yeah.
01:06:10Wow.
01:06:12Oh.
01:06:14That ice cream is just...
01:06:27Crack-a.
01:06:28Like, I'm eating it all.
01:06:30This dessert is leaps and bounds more incredible than I ever expected it was going to be.
01:06:38Absolutely, I agree with you.
01:06:40I'm speechless.
01:06:43Absolutely.
01:06:44Oh, yeah, big time.
01:06:45You know what's happening now?
01:06:47While I'm talking to you, I've got...
01:06:49White pepper! Warm.
01:06:50...the tomato, the basil, the balsamic.
01:06:54I can actually tell you exactly what is in that dish
01:06:56just by talking to you now.
01:06:58It's just phenomenal.
01:06:59I'm getting it as well.
01:07:00It's still there on my palate.
01:07:01I absolutely love the way it balances the strawberry
01:07:04in a granita with the tomato
01:07:07and the brightness, this freshness of the granita,
01:07:11this is what it's all about.
01:07:13Sublime.
01:07:14Yeah, I think it's interesting
01:07:15because we were so worried at the beginning of his cook.
01:07:17He was so focused on his dessert
01:07:19that he kind of neglected his maids, and it showed.
01:07:23So I don't know how we're going to judge this.
01:07:26Service, please. Service, please.
01:07:27Service, please.
01:07:31Service, please.
01:07:32Nice, Patrick!
01:07:37Give me a hug.
01:07:40Give me a hug.
01:07:42It's been a long road.
01:07:44It's been a long, long road.
01:07:46But we made it together.
01:07:48Yep, we did.
01:07:49There's no one else I'd rather cook with, eh?
01:08:01Wow, wee.
01:08:03What a brilliant semi-finals, guys.
01:08:05The push we replaced in the grand finale
01:08:07does not get any tougher than that.
01:08:10Andy, how do you think they went?
01:08:13Proud is an understatement.
01:08:14I asked a lot of you three
01:08:16because I just wanted to get the best out of you.
01:08:19So I reckon it made the decision extremely tough.
01:08:23What up?
01:08:27We miss having you around, so welcome back.
01:08:29Give it up for Andy, everyone.
01:08:31Good fun, mate.
01:08:32Good luck.
01:08:37To earn your place in the grand finale,
01:08:39we wanted to be impressed.
01:08:41And there was one person who really rose to the occasion,
01:08:45bringing two finale-worthy dishes.
01:08:48The first person through to the grand finale...
01:08:55is you...
01:08:57Petra!
01:09:08I cannot believe it.
01:09:11This is a dream come true.
01:09:14Petra!
01:09:16Congratulations.
01:09:17Thanks, Chef.
01:09:18How are you feeling?
01:09:19It was such a special experience to cook today
01:09:22and also to cook with these guys.
01:09:25We are so close.
01:09:26So it's a bittersweet moment
01:09:28because it's going to be hard seeing one of them go.
01:09:32So, one spot left in the grand finale.
01:09:36Make no mistake,
01:09:37this was incredibly hard to judge.
01:09:41It's one we debated,
01:09:43dissected
01:09:45and looked at from every angle.
01:09:49This decision was the toughest of the season
01:09:52and there was hardly anything in it.
01:09:55But after much discussion,
01:09:57we all agreed
01:10:01the person joining Petra in the finale is...
01:10:05...
01:10:07...
01:10:12...
01:10:13...
01:10:14Oh!
01:10:15Here we go.
01:10:16Woo!
01:10:17Woo!
01:10:18Woo!
01:10:21Oh, come on.
01:10:23Woo!
01:10:24Woo!
01:10:25Woo!
01:10:25Woo!
01:10:27Woo!
01:10:31Congratulations Vinnie!
01:10:32What's going through your head right now?
01:10:36I'm just making sure that he said the right name.
01:10:38Yes, we said Vinnie!
01:10:40I didn't expect that at all honestly.
01:10:43If that's so incredible
01:10:44and I am going to make you guys proud a 100%
01:10:46I'm so happy for you Vinnie.
01:10:52Arun.
01:10:53Chef.
01:10:54You miss
01:10:55By this much we want you to know this kitchen has been a better place because of you
01:11:02You are very special and you've got so much to offer
01:11:05It's clear and he does remind me how much I wanted to become a chef many years ago, and in
01:11:12fact
01:11:13We keep contact please. Yeah, if there's anything I can do the washing up of course
01:11:20But I'm afraid Arun, it's time for you to join your amazing friends there. Thank you
01:11:33Feel like I've done myself really proud I'm wearing this you know the chef's whites it may not have gone
01:11:38my way today
01:11:39But it just goes to show that the potential is there and I'm really excited for what's to come
01:11:44sky's the limit
01:11:51I
01:11:56All right fellas Petro
01:12:02Vinnie you've made it you're our grand finalist
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