After two white-apron, elimination-free weeks, five contestants in MasterChef South Africa’s Top 10 had to don their black aprons again, facing the possibility of elimination.
These five home cooks found themselves in danger after landing on the losing side of last week’s high-pressure team challenge, in which Team Red and Team Blue were tasked with serving a two-course meal to ten of the country’s leading radio personalities.
Unfortunately, it was the end of the road for MasterChef South Africa’s “good doctor”, general surgeon Dr Phil Munda. Known for his calm demeanour and exceptional bedside manner, Dr Phil was eliminated after an emotional cook-off that left no dry eye in the kitchen. Even the judges shed tears.
But the tears started flowing long before the cook-off. In one of the season’s most heartfelt moments, the Top 10 received encouraging video messages from home, which provided an emotional boost and reminded them how much their families care about their MasterChef South Africa journey.
Inspired by those messages, the five contestants fighting for survival were challenged to cook from the heart, using an irresistible selection of Biscoff biscuits and spreads.
Usually one of the most composed contestants in the competition, Dr Phil appeared visibly shaken after hearing from his wife, Ashleigh. The impact of her message was evident throughout the cook, with the surgeon even crying when Judge Zola Nene stopped by his workstation.
The challenge soon deteriorated from a routine procedure into a full-blown emergency for Dr Phil. Hoping to pay tribute to his wife’s Dutch family by reinventing the beloved Biscoff treats they enjoy abroad, he set out to create a mille-feuille with Biscoff mousseline and blackberry compote.
As he kept an eye on the pastry, Dr Phil made a devastating discovery: the biscuit base was barely baked because the oven had somehow been switched off. The diagnosis was severe. Without the pastry, the entire dish was at risk, leaving him with little more than mousseline and compote. How the oven malfunctioned remains a mystery, with Dr Phil speculating that he may have accidentally knocked the button with his knee.
The setback triggered a chain reaction. With insufficient time for the pastry to cool properly, the mousse lost stability, melted and compromised the structure of the dish.
After tasting Dr Phil’s dish, Judge Zola delivered a prognosis that suggested serious trouble. She questioned why Dr Phil had chosen to make his own biscuit when Biscoff biscuits — “the ultimate biscuit” — were already available. She also felt the cardamom was overpowering. Adding to the problems, the Biscoff element in the mousseline curdled slightly, and the heat had caused the mixture to lose flavour and consistency.
There was, however, one bright spot on the chart. Zola praised Dr Phil’s blackberry compote, dubbing him the season’s unofficial “Compote King”.
Judge Justine Drake offered a slightly more encouraging assessment. She thought his pastry was “short, crisp, lovely and flavourful”. Nevertheless, she agreed that the cardamom was problematic.
Throughout the competition, Dr Phil earned admiration for his kindness, humility and willingness to help fellow contestants, for example when he offered peanuts to Josh and helped Jeshen dissect a kidney.
Despite all the tears of sadness, it was tears of joy for Simele, who produced his first “Dish of the Day.” Ironically, he confessed that he had only “one dessert in his arsenal, but it worked.”
MasterChef South Africa airs on e.tv on Sundays at 18:00. Episodes are rebroadcast on Saturdays at 17:00, with additional rebroadcasts on eExtra on Saturdays at 20:30 and eReality on Sundays at 17:00.
The show is produced by Homebrew Films for Primedia Studios and is sponsored by ABSA and Coke.