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Laura Cassai Wins First Immunity Pin In MasterChef 2014.

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  Michelin Star trained Donovan Cooke awards immunity to Laura Cassai  image - supplied  
Michelin Star trained Donovan Cooke awards immunity to Laura Cassai image – supplied  

In a dramatic and unprecedented turn of events, last nights episode of MasterChef Australia saw Laura Cassai, 19, become the first amateur cook to win an immunity pin this season and the youngest ever to claim immunity victory in the history of the show. 
 
After emerging victorious over Tracy and Ben in Marco Pierre White’s onion chopping challenge, Laura took on The Atlantic’s Michelin Star trained Donovan Cooke at his own game of cooking seafood. 
 
It was a case of David and Goliath, but Laura backed herself from the start, promising Donovan that she was a “tough cookie”. 
 
In a tasting which left judges Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston stunned, Laura beat the chef and was awarded the immunity pin. 
 
With just 60 minutes on the clock, Laura prepared a crispy skinned snapper fillet with a caper, anchovy and tomato vinaigrette – a Sicilian dish like her Nonna would have made. 
 
Donovan, who was Marco’s right-hand man in the kitchen for four years, chose an ambitious dish: pan-fried barramundi with mussels, clams and prawns in a seafood broth. 
 
Donovan pushed his timings to – and eventually over – the edge. He plated up his barramundi and broth after time was called in a bid to ensure it was perfectly cooked to Marco’s standards, disaster for the accomplished chef. 
 
In a blind tasting, the judges scored Laura’s dish an eight, nine and nine for a total of 26, the highest immunity challenge score by a contestant for the series so far. Breaking with tradition and shocking the judges, Donovan then walked in to personally present them with his dish. Explaining what had happened, Donovan asked when tasting they consider that both his fish and sauce were late on the plate. 
 
When the results were revealed, the judges explained that due to the nature of Donovan’s dish and the late elements, they could not score any of it, handing victory to Laura. 
 
Matt Preston reassured Laura that her dish was brilliant and in no way was her victory by default, but rather down to her great performance in the kitchen. In a touching moment, Donovan was the one to fix the pin to Laura’s chef whites as a sign of his respect and admiration for what she had achieved.

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Kevin Perry
Kevin Perryhttps://tvblackbox.com.au/author-kevin-perry/
Senior Editor and Co-Owner of the TV Blackbox website, Kevin Perry is an experienced media commentator focused on TV Production, Consumer Tech, SVOD & Sports Broadcasting. Media enquiries please Call or Text 0428-275-111
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