In Tueday night’s episode, Ralph Kahango, known for his enchanting creations centered around storytelling and fairy tales, was eliminated from MasterChef Australia following a misstep in the execution of a complex dessert.
In the latest episode of MasterChef Australia, the contestants were tasked with a challenging task set by Nelly Robinson, the renowned chef from the Sydney-based restaurant, Nel. The challenge involved recreating his signature dessert, the Mr. McGregor Garden dish, which was inspired by Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit tales.
The intricate dish required eight key elements: carrot cake, carrot and ginger sorbet, vanilla yoghurt foam, charcoal crumble, tempered chocolate branches, sweet potato and chocolate oak tree leaves, crystallised carrot fronds, and pickled carrot ribbons. The contestants were given two hours and 15 minutes for preparation and a seven-minute window for plating the dish.
The challenge proved to be a turning point for Kahango, who had been struggling with desserts throughout the competition. A slow start and late entry of his carrot cake into the oven led to a rushed preparation. Despite managing to complete all the elements of the dish, Kahango’s execution lacked the precision required for such a complex dessert. The judges found his carrot cake undercooked, his charcoal crumble burnt, and his overall dish fell short of the standards set by other contestants. His dish was described as lacking the balance achieved in other dishes, which ultimately led to his elimination.
In contrast, fellow contestants Malissa and Rhiannon managed to impress the judges with their execution of the dish. Despite initial worries about tempering chocolate, Malissa completed each element of the dish successfully, earning praise for her flavours. Rhiannon’s rendition, while rustic in presentation, was praised for the spot-on flavours of the carrot cake, sorbet, and foam.
The elimination of Kahango from the competition has not only left the judges and fellow contestants mourning the loss of a keen learner and a good friend but has also significantly altered the dynamic among the top eight contestants in the competition.
