After a week of learning how to survive in the MasterChef kitchen, one contestant will ultimately fail that lesson by going home in tonight’s elimination.

Andy explains that tonight (like every night) contestants will need to meet the brief. The challenge is to create a dish inspired by the food expressions “cool as a cucumber”, “bring home the bacon”, and “the proof is in the pudding”.

For some reason, everyone decides to cook with cucumber, making ‘water’ the star flavour of every dish.

Why are they stuffing around with cucumber when they could be cooking bacon? #MasterChefAU

— Michelle 🐿💨 (@MichelleMackey1) May 9, 2021

And of the contestants featuring cucumber, 97% of them are using it to make a cucumber granita. So tonight the judges will taste a series of palate cleansers, with few actual dishes in between.

Conor is making a cucumber granita which he is pairing with a Kalamata olive ice cream which should be shocking but since Therese made onion ice cream, nothing can shock us anymore. We’re just surprised there’s no tomato, feta and oregano dressing.  

Oh a granita, wow, how about you put a tuile on it too? #masterchefau

— TeagsLouise (@IAmSoHipItHurts) May 9, 2021

There’s no surprises what Brent the boilermaker will be cooking tonight. “I just love bacon so I knew I was going to do something with bacon,” he says. He plates up a dish of Mexican-inspired pork belly with ancient grains cooked in bacon fat, and we’re so glad he’s back in the MasterChef kitchen.

Eric is also using bacon to make carbonara, a risky move considering it’s one of Jock’s favourite dishes. “There’s not much that can go wrong tonight,” he says moments before setting the kitchen on fire. And sadly, it’s all downhill from there. Eric overheats his frying pan, which causes the egg in his carbonara to cook.

Don’t worry Eric. Medicine pays better anyway. #masterchefau

— Miranda Mohajerin (@mirandamohajrn) May 9, 2021

Meanwhile, everyone is barracking for Pete, not because his cucumber and choko dumplings sound particularly appetising, but because he’s attempting something completely original. The judges are blown away by his creation, with Jock calling it one of the best dishes he has eaten this season. “Very, very smart cooking, but also very, very delicious, this is how you win MasterChef.”

However, it’s Wynona who proves herself the biggest dill in tonight’s cucumber granita wars. She puts up a tasty dish, but unfortunately, she hasn’t met the brief. The judges declare her poached salmon with noodles not cool, so she’s going home tonight. 

More ads than granitas tonight. #MasterChefAU

— Sir Kumference (@sirkumference) May 9, 2021

Join us on Monday for Masters Week, where a line-up of talented master chefs will share their special skillset with the MasterChef kitchen.

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