ANNOUNCER: Previously on MasterChef Australia - our amateur cooks linked up with three-Michelin-star legend Massimo Bottura... I want to help. I want to help. ..to feed a room full of hungry guests. ROSE: Nice to meet you. The white team nailed both courses. He's polishing it off. It's a big thumbs up for the white team. But the red team's dishes... None of us wanted to eat it. ..failed to impress. JESSICA: I didn't follow my instincts at all. I learned the lesson the really hard way. Tonight - it's the first elimination of 2015. Everything's riding on this. But how well do they know their fish? (MOANS) Um... Ohhh! Just name a fish. That's all you have to do. Sardine? It's a snapper. Flounder? Get it wrong... And I have no idea what I'm doing. ..and elimination edges one step closer. This is your last chance to stay in this competition. Inspiring some brilliant cooking... It is beautifully cooked. Really tasty dish. I'm really impressed. ..and some dangerously shaky nerves. That's what you call a visit to hospital. # Burning up in my heart # like a flame, # like the brightest shooting star. # In our souls we all know # our dreams make us who we are. # We've got today... # Ooh, yeah. # ...so spin me round and... # Ooh, yeah. # ...show me the way... # Ooh, yeah. # # ....back to... # # burning up in my heart # like a flame, # like the brightest shooting star. # In our souls we all know # our dreams make us who we are. # Able 2015 ASHLEIGH: I am feeling terrified going into the first elimination. I do not want to be the first person to go home. I've just got so much more to learn and so much more to show, and I just... I don't want to go home. MARCUS: Everyone knows it's gonna be a tough day. I'm just gonna focus on what I know and what I can achieve and make the most of the opportunities that present themselves. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) KRISTINA: Going home today to me means absolute humiliation. I would feel embarrassed for myself and I would feel like I've let my family done. Walking into this kitchen with a black apron on certainly sharpens the senses, doesn't it? Brings it well and truly home that this is where the competition REALLY starts for you. Your first elimination of 2015. And for one of you, it's the end of the road - you're going home. GEORGIA: I'm not ready to go home. I haven't shown what I can do yet. So I'm gonna give it everything I've got. Marcus? Yeah? Why do you deserve to stay in the competition? Oh, that's a very good question. (CHUCKLES) Um... I felt like I let down the team yesterday, and hopefully I can make up for it. Kha. We're excited to have you in the competition. Really. Because you're a good cook. And then you find yourself standing here. And I think your parents didn't want to see you come in, did they? Nuh. "Focus on something else," I'm sure they said. Yeah. Is that right? They didn't want me to do MasterChef. They don't think highly of chefs. They think it's... ..not a respectable job. No offence, but that's what they think. Yeah. But, like...that's what I love doing. I love cooking. And I'm just here to prove them wrong and... ..and do the best I can. (APPLAUSE) Staying in this competition is the most important thing in my life. I want to prove to my parents that I can actually do really well in this industry. Today's elimination is around one ingredient that... puts fear in an awful lot of home cooks. Today's elimination is all about fish. Georgia? (CHUCKLES) There you went from terror to elation. Why? Um, seafood's a huge part of my family, and...um...I've been around fish and cooking fish and filleting fish and catching fish since I was teeny-tiny, and it's what I love to eat. I love seafood. It's my favourite. Right. This elimination will be fought over three rounds. That gives you three chances to save yourself. The first round couldn't be simpler. Behind us is a table containing 20 of the most popular fish in Australia. You've just got to identify them correctly. MARCUS: God! Jeez! If it could be any worse, I don't know how it's possible. The first five contestants to incorrectly name a fish will go into the next round, and they'll be one step closer to elimination. AMY: I'm reasonably confident with naming fish, but if the fish that I can correctly identify are not on that table, then I have no idea what I'm doing today. Right. So, here are the fish that you have to choose from. JESSICA: There's a few up there that I know, but there's more that I don't recognise than ones that I do. I'm gonna be in trouble. Right, let's get round one under way. Marcus, come forward. Walk the line. Pick a fish and name it. MARCUS: I'm seeing this big lot of fish and I'm...looking and I'm wondering and I'm...seeing some familiar faces, and I'm like, "Well, I reckon I know you." This one here. What is it? A sardine? Marcus, it IS a sardine. Step back into line, and well done. (APPLAUSE) The sardine is correct and I survive to live another day. Right, next up - Kha. You look terrified! Are you familiar? You're looking at them going, "Yep, know that, know that, know that." (SIGHS) Sort of. There's certainly a couple of fish on the table that, uh, you could confuse with something else. There's no doubt about it. I'm not feeling confident at all. And I see a flat fish and I'm like, "I think I know it." This one here? Name it. Flounder. Flounder? No. Kha! It's alright, Kha. You're the first into the second round of the elimination. I'm really disappointed, 'cause I am one step closer to being eliminated now. Georgia. Come on. That's the fish you want to name? Yes, please. Confident? Yeah. I like that. What is it? It's a flathead. Course it is. Well done. Thank you. Kristina, your turn to name a fish. So, this fish here? It's a snapper. That is a snapper. Well done. (APPLAUSE) Alright, Jessica. This big fella here? Yeah. What is it? It's a red emperor. (CLICKS FINGERS) Bang on. Absolutely right. Well done. (APPLAUSE) Ashleigh, you're next. Um, I'm going to go that one, and I think it's a garfish. Ashleigh, congratulations. It is. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Reynold, your turn. REYNOLD: I'm looking at the fish and...it's really confusing. I don't even recognise some of these. Uh...this one. Tell us what it is. Rainbow trout? There are a lot of trouts, aren't there? Brook trout. Brown trout. Rainbow trout. This one... ..is a rainbow. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Amy. Up you come. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) AMY: There's a lot of correctly named fish and a lot of fish are leaving the table, leaving me with not much choice. I'm just putting it out there - when we put all these fish up, there were two that I was a little bit unsure of. And they're still there. I'm gonna go with this one. (CHORTLES) What is it? It is a salmon. Oh! You're right. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Right. That's one round done. Back to Marcus, aren't we? (APPLAUSE) MARCUS: I'm looking at this big line-up of fish and I think, "I've eaten at least one of you once. "Which one you are, I don't know." I'm gonna try this one. Uh, King George whiting? Sorry, mate. It's incorrect. OK. (APPLAUSE) Well, that's pretty disappointing. Round two - definitely the last place I want to be. Georgia. What is it? A King George whiting. Well done, Georgia. You're correct. (APPLAUSE) Right, Kristina. I pick this one. OK. Tell me what it is. It's a blue-eye. (WHISPERS) You're right. Yes! (APPLAUSE) Right, guys. Pressure's on now. There's only 11 fish left. Jessica, you're next. JESSICA: It's definitely starting to get harder. The fish that I know are definitely dwindling. Alright. I'm gonna go this one. What is it, Jessica? Ocean trout? Sorry, Jessica, you're wrong. This is not good. This means that I'm going through to the second round. Very, very disappointing. Ashleigh. (APPLAUSE) ASHLEIGH: I'm starting to feel pretty flustered. There's quite a few less than the last time and there's definitely not many there that I know. Um...I'm not sure of any of them, but I'm going to go for this one, and I think it's a dory. I need more information, please. Um, a John Dory. I'm sorry, Ashleigh. It's not a John Dory. (APPLAUSE) (SIGHS) I am feeling devastated. Now I'm gonna have to face another round of fish, and that doesn't feel great at all. So, this is a pivotal moment, isn't it? One more person, if you get it wrong, that's it, second round - the rest of you are safe. (INHALES SHARPLY) So, a lot of pressure. Reynold. (LAUGHS) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) I'm just thinking, "OK, this is it. There's got to be a fish that I know." I really don't want to go into round two. I've got to get this name right. (SIGHS) This one. Ooh. What is it? John Dory. Ohhh, Reynold! You lucky man. You're absolutely right. (APPLAUSE) Come on, Amy. (AMY SIGHS) Come on. You can do it. Just name a fish. That's all you have to do. Ha! What is it? Is it a barramundi? Yes! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Well, nine fish... ..and one spot you DON'T want. Georgia. I'm definitely starting to feel the pressure now, but I still have faith in myself that I can correctly identify another fish. My gut says this one. So I'm gonna go with this one. OK. (GROANS) Two people already don't know this. (LAUGHS) Arggh! (LAUGHS) What is this fish? It's a sole fish. . Georgia. It's been called a flounder. Yep. It was wrong. Yes. Been called a John Dory. Yes. (CHUCKLES) And that was wrong. Yes. You've called it a sole fish. Yes. I'm sorry to say, that's wrong too. (SIGHS) Oh, crap! This is a mirror dory. Yep. Sometimes known as a silver dory. Yep. But, Georgia, I'm sorry... That's OK. ..you take the last place. Thank you. You can join the others. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) I should have gone with the other one. (CHUCKLES) Kristina, Reynold, Amy, congratulations. You're safe. (APPLAUSE) Get up to the balcony. I can't believe I survived. I'm really happy, I'm stoked, and it's just absolute relief. This next round is all about technique. Under your bench, you will find a snapper - a fish prized for the delicacy of its flesh. Flesh that can also be badly damaged by clumsy handling and by poor filleting skills. And that's what you're gonna do in the next round - fillet that fish. GEORGIA: Growing up in the bayside suburbs of Brisbane, fishing was a huge part of my childhood, and my dad's taught me how to fillet a fish perfectly. I've done it hundreds of times. I just really want to make him proud today. It's also gonna be a really fast round. You have four minutes... ..to present us with two perfect fillets, pin-boned and all. JESSICA: I'm terrified. It's not a lot of time. ASHLEIGH: I don't think there's any chance I'm gonna be able to do this in four minutes. The two contestants with the best fillets are safe. The rest of you will go into that third and final round, and from there, one of you is going home. KHA: I'm not confident filleting fish. I've seen heaps of people do it, but, yeah, I'm not 100% confident about it. It's very simple. Accuracy. Composure. Fillet those fillets beautifully. We want two fillets. You've got four minutes, and your time starts... ..now. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) MARCUS: I am not so confident about this. I've seen videos about this, but it's one thing looking at a video and it's another thing trying to achieve it in reality. Come on, guys! JESSICA: I know one of the biggest things you need when filleting fish is confidence and swift movements. I make two cuts, just behind the gill and right at the end of the tail, and just slice down the end, and it comes off beautifully. WOMAN: Alright, come on, Marcus. MARCUS: I attack this like a bull in a china shop. I'm not gonna let this fish beat me. MAN: Come on, Marcus. Don't overthink it, mate. Come on, Marcus. You can do this. SARA: Watch your hands. MAN: Well done, Kha. Good work. MAN: Yes, Kha. GEORGIA: Time is just moving so quickly, and I'm completely rushing to get this fillet off. I'm shaking! I go round the top of the fish like I usually would, I come down the back, but my hands are shaking that much, I just totally slice through the side of the fillet. Oh! Oh, my God! MATT: One minute down. Three minutes left. ASHLEIGH: This is quite a delicate task, and it's really important to get the nice, clean fillets off so that you're not wasting any of the fish. It's a really tricky challenge. WOMAN: Come on, Kha. Come on, Kha. KHA: I'm just trying to get these fish fillets off. I'm stuck at the ribcage area and I'm not too sure what to do, so I just hack at it and get through it, and I can see that I'm doing a really bad job with the fillet. Two minutes down! Two minutes left! Come on, guys! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) GEORGIA: I've got two fillets. One looks horrendous, one looks really average. But if I make sure there's no bones, that might be my saving grace today. JESSICA: I'm still really not sure how I'm going. The fillets are a nice shape, but there's still a lot of pin bones I've got to get out. This has to be perfect. It's so much pressure. One minute left! Three minutes down! Fillet it! Don't hack it! GEORGE: Come on, guys! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) MARCUS: I'm just frantically trying to get bones out of my fish. It's looking horrible. But you know what? I'll keep fighting to the end. Remember to pin-bone! ASHLEIGH: One of my fillets is still pretty much full of bones. I'm being really rough and I'm pulling out bits of the flesh with the bones now. I'm worried I'm just gonna make a complete mess of this. 30 seconds left. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) GEORGIA: As I'm hacking at this fish, I could hear my dad over my shoulder saying, "What are you doing? Use this! Don't do that!" I'm really struggling at this point. SARA: Come on, Marcus. Nearly there. Ten seconds left! Nine! ALL: Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One! That's it! Time! Knife down, pincers down! (APPLAUSE) (SIGHS) Time's up. I am not sure about my fillets. I don't think I could have done any better, but who knows what everybody else has done? I don't know who's looking more worried. Let's start with Kha. Bring your fish forward. Let's have a look. (APPLAUSE) KHA: I'm really nervous. I don't want to go into the third round - another step to elimination. Mmm. Gee. You all had a bit more trouble than we thought you'd have. Kha? Yeah, four minutes - it's not a lot of time. No, it's not. It's quick, isn't it? Yeah, it's quick. But, you know, you've got the fillets off, so that's one thing, but as George is pointing out, you've smashed the flesh. And that's the problem with a snapper - it's got VERY delicate flesh. So if you tried to cook that, that'd just fall apart. You know, Kha, with this competition, it's often about what everyone else has done as much as what you've done. Thank you, Kha. (APPLAUSE) Ashleigh, you're next. ASHLEIGH: I'm feeling pretty flat. I know that my fillets are still full of bones, and I'm pretty sure that's gonna be enough to send me through to the next round of elimination. Obviously, there's some marks in there where you've pressed a bit too hard with your fingers, but it's good that you've left the shape of the fish, which is important. But you've left bones in it. Yep. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) Georgia. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Did you feel comfortable with that challenge? You've obviously filleted lots of fish with your family. Yes, I have. My hands were trembling and I've gone through the side. Mmm. How many fish do you think you've filleted in your life? Oh, my God. I don't even know. Way...too many to be able to do that to one. (CHUCKLES) My dad would be screaming at me right now. What are you getting so upset for? I just feel like that's something... I'm sorry. ..something that I'd feel confident doing, and nerves just got the better of me. (SNIFFS) You know when you go fishing with your family or your dad and you...you know, you're filleting on the pier or the beach, you don't have the three of us dissecting it and... And it's not in four minutes! No, it's not in four minutes. I just... Yeah, I... Nerves got the better of me. Georgia, that's the competition, huh? You've got to really... At this stage, you've got to toughen up. Seriously. Yeah, I know. 'Cause if you find yourself in the next round, it's make or break, right? Yeah, yeah. Thank you. (SNIFFS) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) I need to suck it up. Jessica, you're next. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Ooh. Holy schmoly. Mmm. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. There's bones in there. Mmm. (GARY CHUCKLES) They look fantastic. I'm really impressed. Really impressed, actually. Because in this one, there's only one pin bone. Just there. A tiny one. Obviously, you didn't get round to pin-boning that one, but it's just how thick you've kept the fillets - so, you've got all the flesh off. You've done an amazing job in four minutes. (WHISPERS) Thank you! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) The judges seem to be very impressed, so hopefully, this is gonna be enough to get me over the line. Marcus, up you come. (APPLAUSE) You had some trouble, didn't you? A lot. A lot of trouble. . You had some trouble, didn't you? MARCUS: A lot. A lot of trouble. Um, you've looked down the line. Are you going through to the next round, potentially facing elimination? I think you might be right. (APPLAUSE) That's absolutely fair. So, I'm thinking about the next round, and what could be next? If I call your name, you're through to the third and final round of the first elimination. Marcus. Georgia. And the third person... ..is Kha. KHA: It sucks. No-one wants to be there. No-one wants to be the first one out. So I've got to push through. Well done, Ashleigh. Well done, Jessica. Saved yourself. So, girls, up you go to the balcony. Well done. ASHLEIGH: I am SO relieved. I don't know if I could have faced going through another round on a fish challenge, and it's just the best feeling. Kha, Marcus, Georgia, this is it. This is your last chance to stay in this competition. To save yourself. To prove to yourself first and foremost - and us - that you can cook. GEORGIA: If I'm the first person eliminated, from a fish challenge, I'll never be able to look at my dad in the eye ever again. I'm just really hoping that I can redeem myself. You have 45 minutes to cook a magnificent dish from these beautiful ingredients, including that fish. MARCUS: 45 minutes is not a great deal of time. I'm gonna have to cook simply, which is something that I don't generally do. But you know what? I'm giving it a red-hot go. This is it, guys. First elimination. Make-or-break time. You have 45 minutes, and your time starts...now. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) GEORGIA: We have 45 minutes. It's really not that much time. So I choose the flathead. It's a fish that I've been eating since I was a little kid. Everything's riding on this. This is my last chance and I cannot stuff this up. KHA: I think this is barra. Looking at the pantry, there's hundreds of dishes that go through my mind, but I choose the tuna, because it's already filleted and I know it's really easy to cook. MARCUS: Looking at all this fish, I don't have much time to waste. I decide to pick up the flathead. Just gonna batter and fry it. It's gonna be as simple as possible. WOMAN: Alright. Come on, Marcus. (APPLAUDS) (SIGHS) So, I'm gonna do some seared tuna on some crushed potatoes with a lemon vinaigrette. My biggest concern is that I overcook the tuna or I could potentially be going too simple. This cook's so important for me because I want to prove to my parents that they're wrong, and if I go home early, then I'M wrong and they're right. (PANTS) I'm going to do... a pan-fried flathead with a potato puree and a salsa verde. Um, flathead's something my family and I absolutely love. We love to catch it and eat it. So, hopefully, the judges like it today. I'm really trying to show who I am today. I've just got to make sure that this dish is perfect. This is my last chance, and I'm gonna give this everything I've got. To be the first to be eliminated, that'd be the worst. No-one wants to be that guy. So, today, I'm going towards simplicity. It's the Friday night classic - fish and chips. Alright, Marcus? Are you good? Uh...very nervous. What's the dish? Battered chips and tartare. Love that. Yeah. Fish and chips sounds easy, but it's risky. Right? Because if the batter, you don't test it, comes out and it's soggy - disaster. So, fish and chips, it's got to be crispy all round. Yeah, right. So, that's the thing you've got to work towards. Alright? Alright. 'Cause there's too many things that can go wrong on this. When it comes to cooking, I don't do simple. I'm an industrial designer. When I make a dish at home, I research it and develop the dish for months. I love my processes and techy toys a little too much. As a creative, that's what I do. Cooking this simply is a bit of a risk for me, but I think I should be able to pull off a really simple and delicious dish. Kha. What's the dish? I'm gonna do a seared tuna with crushed potatoes with a lemon vinaigrette. Hey, that sounds alright, doesn't it? Nice. Smart. Don't have to fillet the fish, do you? That's yum. Yeah. That can look really pretty. I mean, it can look bistro and just, ptt, you know, with the potato in the bowl, but it could look REALLY pretty. The risk is, though, tuna - overcook that... I promise you I won't overcook it. ..it's like cardboard, right? I love promises, Kha. You promise me. I promise you. I love promises. So, I've eaten this tuna a lot before, but I've actually never cooked with it. So I'm a bit worried, but I have time to think about it. Here we go. Hey? You're doing alright now, aren't you? Are you? (LAUGHS) (GIGGLES) Yeah, I'm OK. See, a bit of flathead - that's classic Australian. And you've done a good job. That looks good. Yeah, it really does. I'm going to do a salsa verde and a potato puree with just a pan-seared flathead. Yeah? That's how we do it in our family. We flour it, we cook it in butter. Yeah. MasterChef kitchen - what can you do that's gonna make the difference? OK. Thank...thank you. That's what you have to think about, right? I'm really trying to show who I am today with this dish. But it's at the back of the mind that I might have kept it too simple and I start to panic. Timing is everything when you're cooking fish, and you've got 30 minutes left! 30 minutes left! FIONA: Come on, guys! Come on, come on, come on! MARCUS: 30 minutes to go and I'm hacking at this fish, and I'm gonna get it battered come hell or high water. Marcus? Yeah? If you want to get the skin off, try to have it skin down. I'm just trying to get rid of the, uh, ribs. I am spending a lot of time on the fish and I'm probably working it a bit too much, just because I want to make sure that there's no bones in them. Keep your knife flat, yeah? So you don't take too much of the flesh off. And watch your hands, for God's sake! I've got my potatoes on, and now it's time for the vinaigrette. I just get some verjuice, some olive oil and some water and I mix it together, add some salt, and it just has to be a perfect balance of sweetness, sourness and saltiness. SARA: What's it missing, Kha? What are you feeling? I'm feeling it might be a bit too sour. So, what can you do to counteract that? Something sweet. It has to be perfect. If not, it's gonna be out of balance and the judges will hate it. GEORGIA: I've got the fillets off my fish. I've got the potatoes that are cooked sitting inside the food processor. I've decided to make my mash in the blender. It's the quickest thing to do right now in the time that we have. Are you making mash in a blender? I was going to try. Does it work? I have done it before. OK. Oh, you're scaring me! Does it go gluey? Pardon? Does it go gluey? It can do, yeah. I need to come up with an alternative to make sure that my mash isn't gluey, and...I'm kind of freaking out. Um... Think, Georgia, think. Marcus, Kha, Georgia, you are cooking for your place in this competition. 20 minutes to go. Come on! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Let's go! Come on! MARCUS: So finally I manage to get the fillets battered and into the oil, and quite frankly, I'm just in a kerfuffle. Oh. What am I doing? Think, think, think, think. I decide to drop the chips and make some very thin discs with the potatoes. It wouldn't be fish and chips, but it would be something. So, to make these discs, I'm gonna use a mandolin. If they're thin enough, they should cook quickly. SARA: Careful. FIONA: Watch your fingers! BILLIE: I can't watch. I can't watch it. I can't watch it. So, I'm frantically mandolining, and...I'm distracted by something for an instant. MAN: Ooh. Ooooh! And I've torn my fingernail clean off! Nurse! I just... At this point, I'm bleeding profusely, so I'm thinking, "Am I actually gonna get anything up on the plate?" Hmmm. Ooh, enough window-shopping! It's time to make your choice in the first referendum on the New Zealand flag. Just rank the five options, then pop them in the post by Tuesday. I've made my decision. How about you? Call 0800 36 76 56 or visit elections.org.nz. . I just... So, I've had a little bit of an accident. I've torn my fingernail clean off. I call the nurse. She says it looks pretty bad. I just... Can I just, uh... ..just bandage it up and just keep on going? NURSE: Yep. OK. So, I'm thinking at this point, "Am I actually gonna get anything up on the plate?" Try to keep it up. Yep. That'll be great. Alright! And he's back! Come on, Marcus! You can do it! Come on, Marcus! (ALL CHEER AND APPLAUD) Don't give up! You've got it, buddy! Turn your gas on, Marcus! So, at this point, there's no tartare, there's no chips with fish and chips. If I'm one hand down, that's fine. Even if it's my dominant one, I'm still gonna keep cracking on. Don't give up, Marcus. Don't give up. 10 minutes to go! 10 minutes till your fate is decided! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) You can do it, Marcus! Well, interesting challenge. It's a short one, but we always feel, in this kitchen, a short one is gonna be a good one, and so far, the one I like is Kha. Picked the tuna, so there's no filleting, there's no bones to worry about, and he's got this idea of just doing a smashed potato with olive oil. So, simple idea. Lemon vinaigrette. It'll work. Yep. Can he make it flashy? Can he add a little touch of something that makes us go, "Wow"? I'm concerned about Marcus. He's doing fish and chips, and he just looks all over the shop. I mean, the filleting of the fish wasn't that good. The batter - who knows? Gary, Georgia's mashed potato blended - a recipe for disaster. It is a little bit. The other thing is, too, that she's pan-frying flathead, which is something that she would cook at home, but flathead, if you're not careful, can overcook in seconds and it ends up, you know, weeping that white protein, and you KNOW it's gonna be like cardboard. So, at its best, it's gonna be creamy, delicious and wonderful, and at its worst - inedible. KHA: So, my potatoes are pretty much done. I just need to crush them and then just sear off the tuna, just get some colour on the outside, and it's done. I'm really terrified cooking that piece of tuna, because it has to be perfect - it's my future. It's either me staying in the competition or me being eliminated. MATTHEW: Come on, Kha. You can do it, matey! (APPLAUDS) After Gary has seen the way that I was going to make the potatoes using the blender, I've decided to make a puree instead using the ricer. Make it nice and smooth, and hopefully it'll be good. I'm worried that the dish isn't complex enough and...um, that it'll send me home, but I'm just trying to stick to what I know, what I've been taught, what I love to eat, and hopefully, it'll get me through today. I've got three simple elements. Each of them has to be perfect. I really need to focus, stay calm and make sure I put up a good dish today. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) MARCUS: I'm frantic at this point. I'm just hoping against hope that if I can get something up, I might have a chance of actually pulling this off. SARA: Marcus, don't forget about your fish! Come on, Marcus! (FIONA GROANS) What are you looking for? Colour or... How do you know it's done? Uh, colour. Marcus's dish is good. He had really good ideas. He wants to keep it really simple. Fish and chips - basics. But it seems like that's also slipping away from him now. His fish is looking really crispy and delicious, but there's not a lot else happening. The pressure is well and truly building! Five minutes to go! Come on! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) KHA: With five minutes to go, I start cooking my tuna, because I know you only need 30 seconds on each side. I'm feeling nervous, but I've eaten a lot of tuna before, so I know what perfectly cooked tuna should be like. Flip! WOMAN: Flip it. Salsa verde's done. Puree's done. So, going well, I think. (CHUCKLES) Fingers crossed. I just really need to make sure that I don't overcook the flathead. I can't afford any mistakes today. MARCUS: All the balls are up in the air, and at this point, I just need to keep juggling them. BILLIE: Come on, Marcus! Keep pushing! You're almost there! I get the fish out of the deep-fryer and it's crispy. That's great, but unfortunately, they're stuck to the basket. Like a madman, I'm trying to get this fish out, and I am damned if I'm gonna let this fish beat me. Oh, Marcus, what's happened? Oh, I've... (GROANS) It's just got stuck to the bottom. So, you've dropped the fish and it's sunk to the bottom, the hot batter has set around the wire at the bottom? Yep, unfortunately. So, the fish is out, but the batter's just a little bit doughy. (SIGHS) Oh, it's not so crispy. So I think, "Well, chuck it back in the deep-fryer." The concern is that... it might overdo the fish. But I really need it crispy, so it's a risk I'm willing to take. Time to start plating up! Three minutes to go! (ALL CHEER AND APPLAUD) BILLIE: Whoo! Let's go! Keep pushing, Marcus! Keep on going! Tuna looks beautiful, Kha. Looks gorgeous, Kha. Yeah, I'm worried about Kha, 'cause I think his tuna's looking really good, but I'm a bit worried how he's gonna plate up, because at this point, presentation is just as important as the actual dish. You know what? That's like a clock. Alright? Make it look just like food. Like, natural. The clock's up there. I don't need a clock on the plate. So, I've got two minutes to go and George comes in and he's hating how I'm plating the dish. So I panic and I run and I just try to get another plate. Come on, come on, come on! So at this rate, I'm possibly facing elimination and leaving this competition, and I'm just really worried. . KHA: So, with two minutes to go, George comes up and he doesn't like how I'm plating my dish. Alright? Make it look just like food. Like, natural. So I panic and I run and I just try to get another plate, and I'm just really worried. Come on, come on, come on! The pressure of elimination - unique, isn't it? One minute to go! Come on! (OTHERS SHOUT ENCOURAGEMENT) BILLIE: Come on! Keep pushing, Marcus! MARCUS: I get the fish out of the deep-fryer, and it's crispy and it looks pretty golden. So I'm happy with that. That's a win. The fish looks awesome, Marcus. Salt. But it probably could be overdone. GEORGIA: I'm not really happy with the presentation, but once you start, it's really hard to stop. So I'm a bit worried they're not gonna like the presentation. AVA: Come on, guys! BILLIE: Come on! You're nearly there! Marcus, come on! SARA: Marcus, just get it on! GARY: Ten seconds! Nine. ALL: Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Time's up! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) ROSE: Good job, everyone! Well done, Marcus! WOMAN: Well done! Well done! (MARCUS GRUNTS) (GEORGIA LAUGHS) Time's up and I'm... absolutely exhausted. I've barely got fingers left to count. But I've got something that resembles a meal. I'm relieved. I'm a bit overwhelmed. It's been a really big day. I'm not super happy with the presentation, but I did my best, and that's all I could do. KHA: I believe this dish will make my parents proud, because I've cooked to the best of my abilities, and hopefully it'll keep me in. Good luck, Kha. Good luck, mate. I'm feeling immense pressure, because I've got to prove that I can actually do well in this industry and to prove to my parents that I can actually be a good chef. So, that dish holds my future. So, Kha, what have you cooked? So, seared tuna on a bed of crushed potatoes with a vinaigrette. OK. Are you pleased with the dish? I'm a bit scared that it might be too simple. Yeah. That's what I'm scared of. You know what the funny thing is? When you started cooking, right, and I'm gonna be straight up and honest with you, I thought, "What a great idea," and then I was looking at Marcus struggling with his batter and thinking, "I know the result of this." And now you've put the dish up... I don't know. That's the...that's the truth. Fingers crossed. Thanks, Kha. Thanks, guys. Look, I mean, we know that it lacks that slight little bit of, you know, gloss, shine. And he's tried to present it prettily. Yeah. You know, in Kha's terms, you know? And he's got a lot to learn, let's be honest. The tuna was the easy way to go. You know? Taking the fillets off - we want to see technique as well, don't we? Yeah, it's the smart way to go, I reckon. Smart...smart, but you know what? At this stage of the competition, stand out from the pack. Yeah. Show us what you can do. You know, the biggest problem with seafood is that a lot of the time, it gets covered in flavour, where you don't actually get to taste that fish, and I taste that tuna. It is beautifully cooked. Yeah. Could there be more? Yes. And when I say more, I mean, I'm getting this sort of one-dimensional flavour - which is nice, and I'm not complaining, but...it's that little bit more. I agree. I think what he's done well is champion the tuna. There's no doubt about it. And I think the choice was smart. I think the rest of it was 'play safe'. In terms of the elements, you know, the potatoes are well cooked, the tomatoes have broken down to an almost sticky, super sweet-sour combination, which is great, and the tuna's perfectly cooked. But it's monochrome in look and it's quite...two-dimensional in flavour, and I'm looking for that third dimension. I'm looking for that excitement. Mmm. Right. Let's get the next dish in. Yeah. KHA: Good luck, Georgia. Thanks, guys. I really can't go home on a fish challenge. It's a part of who I am and it's one of my strengths. I cooked from my heart. I did something simple. I did flavours I know complement the fish. I really am not ready to go home. Hello. I just hope I've done enough. Georgia, firstly, what's the dish? Flathead that's been pan-seared, with a salsa verde and a potato puree. I was thinking about you and I'm thinking, "Jeez." Right from the get-go, you put your flag up and waved it and said you like fish. Yeah. And you're here now. Yeah, I know. I lost my cool. (CHUCKLES) Emotional, you reckon, maybe? Yeah, really emotional. It's so emotional in here. Yeah. I'm really devastated that I...I didn't... Yeah. ..I didn't smash it. How did that pressure affect you? The pressure definitely affected me, in not a great way. I doubted myself standing up there in the first round. That put me in the second round. The second round, I was shaking all over the place and I just wasn't thinking clear. I could hear my dad over my shoulder saying, "Don't do that," and I did it. It was just silly, just a silly mistake. Well, let's just hope that you've done enough to keep yourself here. Thank you. Me too. Thank you. The one concern I have - and I reckon it's a really tasty dish, especially with that amount of salsa verde around it - is that fish looks overcooked. Mmm. It's more than I'd cook it. It... Yes. Let's be honest. Yes. It's VERY delicate, flathead. Mmm! That salsa verde is absolutely zinging with acidity, loaded with that kind of bright, herbaceous freshness of herbs, and for me, it makes the dish. Um, the potato puree is wonderfully smooth, creamy, rich. I would suggest quite buttery. Yeah. And the only let-down is the fact that the fish has been taken slightly over where I think any of us would like to see it. If only for, you know, two minutes less in the pan... Yeah. But you know what? That is a really tasty dish. And the mashed potato's lovely. Shall we get the next dish in? Yeah. Let's do it. KHA: Good luck, mate. GEORGIA: Good luck. Thank you. Look, I've given it a good fight today. I'm not necessarily proud of the dish, but I am proud of my actions. I've got crunchy fish on the plate - sans the chips, sans the tartare, but it's an interesting interpretation. Marcus, what's the dish? Battered and fried flathead with tomato and basil salad on the side and some potatoes just lightly fried. George said to you earlier that, for all three of you, this was your last chance to prove you deserve to be in the competition. Do you think you've done enough? Um...I don't know, is the honest answer. It depends how that fish turns out on the inside. But, yeah, in all honesty, you're gonna have to, as you know... Suck it and see. That is it. That's the whole idea. Well, Marcus, let's see if your batter's crispy, if your fish is beautifully cooked and how those accompaniments work with the dish. Yeah, sure. Thank you. Thank you very much for your time. Cheers, Marcus. Thanks, Marcus. Cheers. You know, the shame of this whole thing is that he just didn't adapt. He just kept...persisting in trying to do fish and chips. How's it looking there, George? Yeah, it's cooked. We're looking for three things - good accompaniments, well-cooked fish and crunchy batter. He's certainly got crunchy batter. He HAS got crunchy batter. When I was a kid, we used to have this terrible habit of going to the local chippy, and they used to have all these big chunks of batter that were left over from cooking the fish, and they'd put them all over your chips. The batter... ..is great, and it reminds me of those batter bits - crunchy, lovely. But... Oooh! That's what you call a visit to hospital. . I remember when we've had deep-fried fish on this show and you could squeeze it and the oil would come out. He's got the oil temperature right. The batter's good and crunchy. But... Oooh! That's what you call a visit to hospital. The batter is definitely crunchy. I'm struggling to understand the concept of the potato, and that... that tomato and basil salad, it ain't what a beautiful tomato and basil salad should be. Well, you've got three young cooks with their eyes brimming with hope and a real passion for food, and the tragedy is, we've got to go and tell one of them now that they're going home. Big day today. Your first elimination of 2015. And these kind of...things test your resolve, your resilience, your cooking skills, your knowledge, your creativity. Georgia, Marcus, Kha, the pressure really got to you, certainly in round one, then round two, and in round three, you all stumbled. GEORGIA: My heart's beating out of my chest and I really don't know at this point how I've gone. I could be going home. There was, however, one dish with one too many negatives... KHA: I'm worried that my dish might have been too simple and that I'll be going home. ..one dish that will send the first contestant home... ..in 2015. That's why, Marcus, you're going home. Kha and Georgia, you're safe. Oh. Well done. Mate... It's alright. GEORGIA: Thank you. No, not at all. No, it's all good. I didn't bleed on the dish. That's all that counts. (LAUGHTER) Now, this has hopefully given you an idea that hopefully you've either gone, "You know what? "I want to get into this industry." Yeah, yeah. And if you do, there's only one thing - from us - we'll give you in terms of a tip. It takes one thing to become successful in this industry. Hard work. Correct. Yeah. That's it. Yep. You do that, you'll become successful. And you'll love it. Fantastic. Marcus, hugs? Yes! Get in here! Yeah, everybody! Oh, wow! This wild ride's come to an end. I think it's a fantastic place to be and an incredible experience. (ALL CHEER) See you, mate. Good luck. I've met some fantastic people - and Massimo Bottura. That's pretty damn cool. If I take anything away with me, it's to cook simply. Like, I think I'm just gonna hang out with my mum and learn all her recipes, because, realistically, that's what cooking's all about - bringing people together with simple food. It doesn't need to be fancy. It just needs to be tasty. ANNOUNCER: Next time - the mystery box. You can lift the lids now. With so many options... "Come on, Sara, think." Nuh. Completely blank. ..it's hard to make a decision. Come on, guys! Let's go! Arggh! Would you believe, I'm making two dishes at the moment. What?! Nuh. Ridiculous idea. I could utterly embarrass myself. Good choices... GARY: Smashing. ..will produce some great cooking. It's brilliant. I love it. Then, with elimination looming... Can't see a dish. I can. ..the pressure ramps right up... Take away the hurry, because you're gonna stuff it up. WOMAN: Oh, crap! ..with one contestant delivering a dish so astonishing, it will blow our judges' minds. Ohh! MATT: Oh, yeah, baby! What?! Supertext Captions by Red Bee Media Australia www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Able 2015