WEBVTT - MELANIE AND MINOLI'S MASTERCHEF DEEP DIVE! 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:01.720 It's in the news today, but it was actually on 0:00:01.800 --> 0:00:04.040 TV Reload the podcast last week, Neyline. 0:00:04.400 --> 0:00:07.720 Welcome back to TV Reload. My name's Benjamin Norris, and 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.400 on this podcast, I go behind the scenes with the 0:00:10.440 --> 0:00:14.080 biggest players in television. Each episode, you will get a 0:00:14.120 --> 0:00:19.480 front row seat with content makers like executive producers, writers, editors, 0:00:19.480 --> 0:00:22.680 and casting agents, plus the talent that we see on 0:00:22.720 --> 0:00:26.560 our screens. TV Reload reloads the shows that you are 0:00:26.600 --> 0:00:29.720 currently watching and gives you a better insight at our 0:00:29.760 --> 0:00:33.879 television industry and streaming services. Today on the podcast, I 0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:38.080 have one of the latest eliminated Master Chef contestants, Melanie. 0:00:38.280 --> 0:00:40.879 I am so excited to share this chat with you 0:00:40.960 --> 0:00:45.080 today as Melanie was super fun and she's really excited 0:00:45.120 --> 0:00:47.200 to share with you what's coming up next for her 0:00:47.600 --> 0:00:50.760 in the cooking world. A quick side note last week 0:00:50.800 --> 0:00:53.760 I did have the COVID and so I missed publishing 0:00:53.800 --> 0:00:57.040 my chat with Manoli, which I've now attached. At the 0:00:57.160 --> 0:00:59.880 end of this chat, I'm hoping to also catch up 0:00:59.880 --> 0:01:02.200 with Jen to give you guys the goss on her 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:05.280 time in the Master Chef kitchen that'll most likely happened 0:01:05.360 --> 0:01:09.600 next week. Getting back into today's chat. Melanie was a 0:01:09.640 --> 0:01:13.600 fantastic addition to the Master Chef Fans Versus Favorites competition, 0:01:14.080 --> 0:01:17.000 and while she took last night's pressure test with Gusto, 0:01:17.440 --> 0:01:22.080 her celiac disease was a major setback. Imagine not being 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:25.560 able to taste what you're cooking on Master Chef. It'd 0:01:25.600 --> 0:01:28.399 be like losing your voice on the Voice or not 0:01:28.480 --> 0:01:31.760 being able to nominate on Big Brother. You know to 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:35.520 be pretty hot. However, let's get started with these chats. 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:39.480 I'd like to welcome Melanie and then Manoli to TV Reload. 0:01:40.560 --> 0:01:44.479 They can't falter on the integrity, otherwise the show's integrity 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:45.479 goes out the door. 0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:48.800 Master Cheff has produced some of the biggest names in food. 0:01:48.960 --> 0:01:51.440 I would love to come back and set them a 0:01:51.440 --> 0:01:52.840 gluten free challenge. 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:56.760 The first time ever. It's funds versus feverorites. 0:01:57.240 --> 0:01:59.720 The heart and soul of the show hasn't changed since 0:01:59.680 --> 0:01:59.920 the star. 0:02:00.320 --> 0:02:02.920 In the end, the pressure got to Minoli and the 0:02:03.200 --> 0:02:05.040 favorite was sadly sent home. 0:02:05.520 --> 0:02:08.480 I knew that she was always going to use that pin. 0:02:08.520 --> 0:02:12.720 Dish that least resembles Josh's was yours, Melanie. 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:15.200 Anyone can be eliminated in this kitchen. It's one bad 0:02:15.200 --> 0:02:16.440 cook is enough to send you home. 0:02:17.360 --> 0:02:18.880 Hi Melanie, how are you? 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:20.800 I'm well, Thanks, how are you? 0:02:22.080 --> 0:02:27.000 I'm doing very well. Congratulations on Mastership Australia fans versus favorites. 0:02:27.480 --> 0:02:30.600 I honestly took one look at that tuner Wellington and 0:02:30.639 --> 0:02:32.720 thought maybe all of you were going home. 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:36.720 I think we're all in the same boat. It was. 0:02:38.280 --> 0:02:40.760 Definitely not a dishow was super king to tackle, but 0:02:41.400 --> 0:02:42.880 you know, you gotta do what you gotta do. 0:02:43.480 --> 0:02:46.600 Was this a huge hurdle for you? You know, your gluten 0:02:46.680 --> 0:02:49.160 intolerant and so you kind even taste the Wellington? 0:02:49.760 --> 0:02:49.960 You know? 0:02:50.320 --> 0:02:52.320 Was was this too much of a hurdle for you 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:53.280 up against the others? 0:02:54.240 --> 0:02:57.400 Well, I'm actually I have Celiac disease, so it's a 0:02:57.440 --> 0:03:00.720 little bit different from gluten intolerance. But yeah, crux of 0:03:00.760 --> 0:03:03.400 these shoes the same. I couldn't eat it and couldn't 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:07.880 taste it. Definitely a challenge, but it's it wasn't one 0:03:07.919 --> 0:03:09.760 that I didn't expect to come across in a mass 0:03:09.800 --> 0:03:14.440 chef kitchen. I was quite mentally prepared for it, and yeah, 0:03:14.639 --> 0:03:15.519 just unfortunate. 0:03:15.560 --> 0:03:17.680 But lack of the drawer really is there any way 0:03:17.840 --> 0:03:20.400 of evening out the disadvantage. I mean, I was thinking 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:23.360 maybe we could tie the other contestant shoelaces together. What 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:24.000 are your thoughts? 0:03:24.360 --> 0:03:27.080 I mean, you know, if we wanted to reshoot it 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:29.320 and that was suggested, I probably wouldn't say no. 0:03:31.560 --> 0:03:33.280 It was a huge challenge for all of us. 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:35.800 And I mean, you know, it's very easy to say like, oh, 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:38.120 I was disadvantaged and that's why I laughed. But I mean, 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:41.360 you know, who knows there's every possibility that even if 0:03:41.360 --> 0:03:43.040 I had been able to taste it all, I still 0:03:43.160 --> 0:03:44.200 would have really struggled. 0:03:44.200 --> 0:03:45.960 So you know, it is what it is. It was 0:03:45.960 --> 0:03:46.840 a really hard cook. 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:48.800 I appreciate your attitude with this. I think it's a 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:51.600 very good attitude to have. You know, in the moment 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:55.600 on set the clock is going, are there times where 0:03:55.600 --> 0:03:58.560 you think I simply can't do this and you feel 0:03:58.560 --> 0:03:59.960 like you just want to walk out of that kid? 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:00.640 Oh? 0:04:00.680 --> 0:04:03.560 Absolutely, about every thirty seconds. It's just like I was 0:04:03.640 --> 0:04:05.840 rolling that pastry and it wasn't getting finner. I wanted 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:08.040 to chuck through all in a way and just walk out. 0:04:08.520 --> 0:04:11.360 It's infuriating, but you know, like that's part of the challenge. 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:13.080 Isn't it to put you under that much pressure and 0:04:13.120 --> 0:04:15.800 to see how you respond? And I think that's why 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:17.359 at the end of the day, like I knew the 0:04:17.360 --> 0:04:19.560 dish wasn't perfect, but I was still really proud of 0:04:19.839 --> 0:04:21.279 what I put up and the fact that I got 0:04:21.279 --> 0:04:24.200 through it. Like it's really hard to be laser focused 0:04:24.200 --> 0:04:26.320 on such a long challenge and the fact that I 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:28.760 made it through with only you know, moderate to mine 0:04:28.760 --> 0:04:32.440 and melting meltdowns was quite an achievement, I thought. 0:04:32.800 --> 0:04:35.320 I think. So, you know what I loved the most 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:37.799 about you this week was in one of the previous 0:04:37.839 --> 0:04:41.479 episodes where Maggie Beer turned up, and you know, you 0:04:41.480 --> 0:04:43.479 were fan going so hard. You were like, you know, 0:04:43.520 --> 0:04:45.080 I don't even know how I can deal with this lady. 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:48.960 It just was so endearing. But were you as familiar 0:04:49.000 --> 0:04:50.720 with Josh Nylon's cooking. 0:04:50.880 --> 0:04:53.120 Probably not to the same level as Maggie Beer. 0:04:53.160 --> 0:04:55.240 I mean, Maggie Beer has been on TV since like 0:04:55.400 --> 0:04:57.000 for as long as I can remember, I was watching 0:04:57.040 --> 0:04:58.160 the cook in the Chef. 0:04:58.160 --> 0:05:01.440 So there's a different level idolization, of course. 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:03.320 But in saying that, I've been a fan of The 0:05:03.400 --> 0:05:07.040 Master Chef Show for years and Josh Nyalen has been 0:05:07.040 --> 0:05:09.839 on before, and you know, he's spoken about with such 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:12.520 reverence and I have seen you know, I've seen him 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:13.120 on Instagram. 0:05:13.160 --> 0:05:14.120 I see what he creates. 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:16.599 I have a lot of respect for what he does, 0:05:17.200 --> 0:05:19.440 you know, the way he champions you know, produce and 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:22.400 things that most people throw away. I think it's really admirable. 0:05:22.720 --> 0:05:26.400 So definitely a different level of respect. Maybe not to 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:29.360 the point of fangirling, but definitely Like he was being 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:31.080 so nice to me when I was having a meltdown, 0:05:31.080 --> 0:05:32.159 So it was really. 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:34.960 Quite upsetting that he'd set me such a hard challenge. 0:05:34.960 --> 0:05:37.000 But nice to know that someone you idolize is also 0:05:37.040 --> 0:05:37.839 a really nice person. 0:05:38.000 --> 0:05:39.719 Yeah. I was wondering if he was like the black 0:05:39.800 --> 0:05:42.360 Crow of you know, chefs that you didn't want to 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:45.320 see turn up. You're like, oh, no, it's him, you know. 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:48.000 Was it a sign or did you know when he 0:05:48.040 --> 0:05:49.960 came through that you might be in trouble? 0:05:50.160 --> 0:05:51.000 Oh? Absolutely. 0:05:51.320 --> 0:05:53.480 As soon as they said what do they say, like 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:57.440 the Finn to Gill movement or something like that, which 0:05:57.480 --> 0:05:59.600 is what you know he's known for using every single 0:05:59.600 --> 0:06:02.360 part of the fish, I was like, oh, well that's 0:06:02.480 --> 0:06:03.120 been corn. 0:06:05.440 --> 0:06:08.880 So the Wellington basically comprised of a beautiful cente cup 0:06:08.880 --> 0:06:13.160 piece of tuna, then mushroom duct cell, and then around 0:06:13.200 --> 0:06:17.440 that is a very thin beer and buckwheat crape, and 0:06:17.480 --> 0:06:22.520 then around that then the sour cream pastry, a sauce 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:26.560 which is made using all of the bones from the tuna. 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:29.400 It shouldn't really taste like a fish based sauce. It 0:06:29.440 --> 0:06:33.400 should taste quite meaty. And then mashed potato, because you 0:06:33.440 --> 0:06:38.640 know what's to Wellington without mash. 0:06:37.600 --> 0:06:40.360 And I hate cooking with fish. I always have. It's 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:41.320 not my strong suit. 0:06:41.400 --> 0:06:43.440 So of all the pressure tests to do, I was 0:06:43.480 --> 0:06:46.240 really hoping for us for a dessert dish that I could, 0:06:46.320 --> 0:06:48.479 you know, maybe rely on a few more instincts. But 0:06:49.040 --> 0:06:51.640 like as it was, I was quite relieved to see 0:06:51.720 --> 0:06:53.719 just the tuna Wellington. I knew they wouldn't bring in 0:06:53.720 --> 0:06:56.159 a whole tuna for us to butcher, so I was like, well, 0:06:56.240 --> 0:06:59.040 you know, that's that is one positive to take from 0:06:59.080 --> 0:06:59.640 it all. 0:07:00.360 --> 0:07:03.279 You're like, bring back the polywaffle. That bird looks easy 0:07:03.320 --> 0:07:03.960 compared to this. 0:07:06.080 --> 0:07:06.520 That far. 0:07:06.640 --> 0:07:09.400 I was watching that from the gantry thinking like, oh god, 0:07:09.480 --> 0:07:13.240 I'd literally rather do anything, But you know that's what 0:07:13.280 --> 0:07:16.640 I mean all the pressure tests are hard, and there's 0:07:16.720 --> 0:07:19.040 really no way of comparing the level of difficulty because 0:07:19.080 --> 0:07:21.280 so much of it belongs on your comfort zone and 0:07:21.320 --> 0:07:23.960 what your personal experience is and what you like to cook. 0:07:24.080 --> 0:07:26.160 So yes, if I had done a dessert one, or 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:28.960 even the tart one that I couldn't have tasted almost anything, 0:07:29.160 --> 0:07:30.960 I think I probably would have been more comfortable, like 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:32.880 would have been able to rely a lot more on 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:35.200 my instincts, whereas tuna. 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:36.080 Is not in the budget. 0:07:36.600 --> 0:07:39.560 So it's like, you know, so far removed from what 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:41.960 I eat and what I cook that it was. Yeah, 0:07:41.960 --> 0:07:44.000 it was definitely a new experience, but you know what 0:07:44.080 --> 0:07:46.480 a way to go having just met Maggie Beer then 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:48.200 do a pressure test like that, like you know, go 0:07:48.240 --> 0:07:48.840 out with a bang. 0:07:49.560 --> 0:07:51.640 It kind of when it was revealed, it was just 0:07:51.680 --> 0:07:53.440 so intricate that I was like it looked like a 0:07:53.480 --> 0:07:56.280 Christmas decoration. There was so much going on in the detail, 0:07:56.520 --> 0:07:58.960 you know, and so it was quite frightening. And going 0:07:59.000 --> 0:08:01.200 back to what you said before, I mean he was 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:05.600 introduced as he started a fin to Gill movement. I 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:09.480 mean that's pretty crazy. If you came back though as 0:08:09.480 --> 0:08:11.800 a super chef in years to come which Melanie, of 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:14.600 course you will. What do you think, you know, would 0:08:14.640 --> 0:08:16.920 be your pressure test, Like, what is something that you 0:08:17.000 --> 0:08:20.840 make that's quite elaborate that you think would be fitting 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:25.040 to unnerve the chefs in the future, future master chefs. 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:28.280 I mean, I would love to come back and set 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:31.000 them a gluten free challenge where they have where I say, look, 0:08:31.040 --> 0:08:33.400 this is my you know, maybe don't give them a 0:08:33.440 --> 0:08:36.000 recipe and let people see how hard it is to 0:08:36.040 --> 0:08:40.360 come up with, you know, like free pastry without There's 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:42.440 a lot of science that goes into gluten free cooking 0:08:42.600 --> 0:08:45.600 and to develop recipes like that, I have to, you know, 0:08:45.679 --> 0:08:49.640 work with and understand literally dozens of starches and flowers 0:08:49.679 --> 0:08:52.480 and use them in a way that you know, sort 0:08:52.520 --> 0:08:54.640 of tries to mimic the properties of a really simple 0:08:54.800 --> 0:08:57.719 wheat flower. And it's incredibly frustrating and difficult, but when 0:08:57.720 --> 0:08:59.760 you nail it, it's so exciting. And I would love 0:08:59.800 --> 0:09:01.480 to come back and set them a challenge like that, 0:09:01.559 --> 0:09:05.640 you know, make a dessert that's completely gluten free and yeah, 0:09:05.640 --> 0:09:08.920 I don't know, just watch the carnage because quite frankly, 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:11.800 I think it would be quite enjoyable because I'm evil. 0:09:12.559 --> 0:09:14.480 I think I think you're onto something I reckon that's 0:09:14.480 --> 0:09:17.240 going to unnerve a lot of people. You know, Harry 0:09:17.240 --> 0:09:20.360 and Billy sort of represent two cornerstones of the competition. 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:23.920 Do you think that they might be the strongest competitors 0:09:24.120 --> 0:09:26.000 for the final prize at this point? 0:09:26.440 --> 0:09:27.560 It's really hard to say. 0:09:27.679 --> 0:09:30.679 I mean, I think among the fans, it's really difficult 0:09:30.720 --> 0:09:33.320 to pinpoint any one person because we're all growing so 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:37.800 much all the time, like we're just learning constantly, and 0:09:38.200 --> 0:09:40.200 so much of it also depends on what challenge we've 0:09:40.240 --> 0:09:42.200 given on any given day, you know, like we all 0:09:42.240 --> 0:09:44.760 have a very different skill set and a lot of different, 0:09:44.840 --> 0:09:46.760 you know, varying experiences. 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:48.640 So it's hard to pinpoint a fan. 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:51.360 As for favorites, I mean, I think we're all watching 0:09:51.400 --> 0:09:54.680 Billy with a really really close eye because we know 0:09:54.840 --> 0:09:58.680 that she obviously won the first time around. She then, 0:09:58.920 --> 0:10:01.160 you know, was offered a job by Heston, which you 0:10:01.200 --> 0:10:03.640 know is not something that any Tom Dick or Harry 0:10:03.679 --> 0:10:07.160 is going to get given, and we know she's insanely talented. 0:10:07.320 --> 0:10:10.360 So yeah, a bit of a mixed bag, but yeah, 0:10:10.400 --> 0:10:11.760 I think everybody's watching Billy. 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:18.360 Billy, you were cool calm and collected through most of 0:10:18.400 --> 0:10:19.920 the cook and. 0:10:19.800 --> 0:10:21.280 That translated onto the place. 0:10:22.000 --> 0:10:27.640 Your pastry was flaky and antuck cell was stella. Overall, 0:10:27.840 --> 0:10:29.200 it was a lovely dish. 0:10:29.280 --> 0:10:33.640 You're also safe, thank you. 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:35.760 You know. I don't know if you're following the social media, 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:38.720 but I watched Master Chef with my Twitter and everything 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:40.480 else so that I can, you know, read along with 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:44.800 that new book. My favorite tweet last night was I swear, 0:10:45.559 --> 0:10:49.560 I swear that stressed Billy is calmer than most people's calm. 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:51.240 She is the zen master. 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:54.040 He absolutely is. And we've spoken to her about it, 0:10:54.120 --> 0:10:55.119 and she's. 0:10:54.880 --> 0:10:57.960 Funny because she says like she is stressed on the inside, 0:10:58.000 --> 0:11:01.120 but she just I don't know, maybe she's phenomenal actress, 0:11:01.280 --> 0:11:03.720 or she just knows that she needs to be, you know, 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:06.920 calmness to do well. But whatever she does clearly works 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:11.800 for it because she's just this very solid, focused queen 0:11:11.880 --> 0:11:13.079 every time she's in the kitchen. 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:14.920 It's amazing to watch and to learn from. 0:11:15.160 --> 0:11:17.720 It just reminds me of the book Silence of the Lambs. 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:19.800 Now bear with me while I go with this, but 0:11:19.880 --> 0:11:23.360 I'm like they describe Hannibal Elector when he's first introduced 0:11:23.360 --> 0:11:25.720 in the book as though, you know, no matter what 0:11:25.760 --> 0:11:28.640 he does when he's eating people or the horrific things 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:32.040 are happening, that he's heartbeat never goes above a certain level. 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:35.560 And I feel like maybe Billy's the Hannibal Lecter of 0:11:35.640 --> 0:11:36.240 Master Chef. 0:11:36.679 --> 0:11:39.160 I mean, maybe she's. 0:11:39.200 --> 0:11:41.559 I mean, I want to assure people she is lovely, 0:11:41.800 --> 0:11:44.719 and she does seem to get painted a bit like that. 0:11:44.760 --> 0:11:46.680 I actually sent her a screenshot of a headline that 0:11:46.720 --> 0:11:48.400 came out a few weeks ago. It was like Billy 0:11:48.480 --> 0:11:51.160 is sharpening her knives for the Master Chef kitchen or something, 0:11:51.160 --> 0:11:52.080 and I send it to her and I was like, 0:11:52.160 --> 0:11:56.600 this is ominous. But she's really great, and she's very 0:11:56.640 --> 0:11:59.160 generous with like her advice and recipes. You know, if 0:11:59.200 --> 0:12:02.240 you ask her for help, she's very happy to, you know, 0:12:02.280 --> 0:12:04.440 not just give a recipe, but also all the information 0:12:04.480 --> 0:12:05.320 around it and everything. 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:07.520 She's very high quality. 0:12:07.880 --> 0:12:11.160 Who did you learn the most from this season, like 0:12:11.200 --> 0:12:14.840 in terms of working alongside the entire cast of fans 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:18.200 versus favorites, you know, who was the other contestant that 0:12:18.240 --> 0:12:19.600 you learned the most from. 0:12:19.679 --> 0:12:21.679 Oh that's a really hard question because I feel like 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:24.320 I've learned a lot of different things from all the 0:12:24.320 --> 0:12:25.280 different contestants. 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:26.560 You know, I would. 0:12:26.400 --> 0:12:29.200 Say I spend a lot of time around Ali, and 0:12:29.480 --> 0:12:33.840 she's always cooking, and she's incredibly inventive, and she has 0:12:33.880 --> 0:12:37.119 this way about like figuring out how to layer flavors 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:40.800 through dishes, and watching her cook and watching her think 0:12:40.840 --> 0:12:43.679 about food really open my eyes a lot. 0:12:43.720 --> 0:12:44.760 So I think i'd say. 0:12:44.640 --> 0:12:48.360 Ali, Wow, Okay, Well, I appreciate anyone who can narrow 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:51.520 it down to one person, especially on a competition that 0:12:52.120 --> 0:12:54.199 has as many contestants as Masterships. 0:12:54.200 --> 0:12:56.120 So you know, if we have all day, I will 0:12:56.160 --> 0:12:58.000 go on and talk about how great they all are. 0:12:58.040 --> 0:13:01.880 But yeah, to narrow it. You know, who were you 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:05.640 the most surprised to see return in the competition? I mean, 0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:08.800 the caliber of the talent this year is exceptional. You 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:10.920 know who was it that walked through the door that 0:13:11.040 --> 0:13:13.080 gave you the biggest wow factor? 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:14.520 Probably Sashi. 0:13:14.840 --> 0:13:19.280 Actually Sashi's name was kept under wraps, you know, by 0:13:19.400 --> 0:13:22.320 the publicity going into the competition. We had an inkling 0:13:22.360 --> 0:13:24.680 about a couple of the others. So when Sashi walked 0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:27.080 through the door, I think we all just stopped and 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:27.520 we're like. 0:13:27.920 --> 0:13:30.520 What are we doing here, how can we compet? 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:32.880 Like, you know, we all watched Sash in his in 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:37.280 his season and he's like absolute dynamite and knows his 0:13:37.360 --> 0:13:39.680 way around flavors so much, and we were all thinking like, 0:13:39.720 --> 0:13:41.320 oh god, if that's what he was like when he 0:13:41.320 --> 0:13:44.040 was an amateur, how has that improves since he now, 0:13:44.160 --> 0:13:45.920 like you know, runs his own restaurant and he's had 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:49.800 all this experience, like yeah, he Oh, he's an absolute 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:51.600 legend in the kitchen, that's for sure. 0:13:51.880 --> 0:13:55.040 Isn't it funny how Master Chef is like this though 0:13:55.320 --> 0:13:57.560 you know, we or lose or however you compete in 0:13:57.559 --> 0:14:01.400 the competition, it doesn't take away from overall brand. Like 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:03.800 for Sashi, maybe it would have been a struggle to 0:14:03.800 --> 0:14:05.480 come back and be a part of this show, you know, 0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:07.680 would that take away from the way in which people 0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:12.360 perceive him. But funnily enough, it hasn't changed my interpretation 0:14:12.720 --> 0:14:16.160 or my perception of Sashi at all. In actual facts, 0:14:16.559 --> 0:14:20.080 it's made me like him more because of his graciousness 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:22.000 bowing out of the competition when he did. 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:24.640 Yeah, absolutely, I mean I think that was something that 0:14:25.160 --> 0:14:27.480 the fans were kind of told coming in. We were 0:14:27.560 --> 0:14:30.240 you know, they said, you guys must be so nervous, 0:14:30.240 --> 0:14:33.120 and it's it's obviously very daunting going up against them, 0:14:33.120 --> 0:14:35.120 But think about what these favorites putting on the line, 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:37.840 Like they have food businesses, they have reputations to protect, 0:14:38.360 --> 0:14:41.840 and that would be insanely scary, you know, to think about, 0:14:42.520 --> 0:14:44.480 just like, yeah, you've got a brand and a reputation 0:14:44.760 --> 0:14:48.520 you know, at stake, and that would have been really 0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:49.280 really intense. 0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:50.440 But you know, like it. 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:53.160 Didn't surprise it surprised us all that Sashi was eliminited 0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:54.720 at that point, But I think it just goes to 0:14:54.760 --> 0:14:57.320 show that anyone can be eliminated in this kitchen. It's 0:14:57.360 --> 0:14:59.120 one bad cook is enough to send you home, and 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:02.360 I think viewers know that, so I'm not surprised it 0:15:02.400 --> 0:15:04.640 doesn't It wouldn't you know, touch his brand for that 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:08.240 to have happened, and him being so gracious at going 0:15:08.240 --> 0:15:10.960 home in that at that point, that also didn't surprise us. 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:14.720 He's an absolute lovely guy. He's you know, an amazing 0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:16.720 cook and an absolute gem, and he was. 0:15:16.720 --> 0:15:18.760 Always so supportive of my gluten free food. 0:15:18.920 --> 0:15:20.880 He you know, it was chatting to me about how 0:15:20.920 --> 0:15:23.400 he could introduce glint free nand to his restaurant and 0:15:23.720 --> 0:15:25.440 he was eating my desserts and every time I told 0:15:25.520 --> 0:15:27.240 him they were gluten free, his jaw would just drop 0:15:27.320 --> 0:15:29.440 and he'd get so excited, And you know, it was 0:15:29.840 --> 0:15:33.000 that was a real highlight of you know, this season, 0:15:33.120 --> 0:15:35.640 was cooking four people I've idolized and having them lack 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:36.080 my food. 0:15:36.120 --> 0:15:37.760 It was really really special. 0:15:38.000 --> 0:15:39.800 Well, I can tell you that I went the moment 0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:42.600 that he was eliminated, I bought four boxes of Sashi 0:15:42.640 --> 0:15:46.120 Secrets from Woolworths, just because I felt like that was 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:48.080 my way to still be like, Sashia, I love you, 0:15:48.200 --> 0:15:52.840 it's fine, I've got my support. At any stage, were 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:56.680 you thinking, God, this season with all of these you know, 0:15:56.800 --> 0:15:59.240 favorites coming back, this is going to be way too hard. 0:15:59.680 --> 0:16:02.120 Why I apply for this season? I might have wanted 0:16:02.160 --> 0:16:04.160 to have applied for the next one. 0:16:04.480 --> 0:16:04.680 Yeah. 0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:06.920 Look, I mean I think a few of us, you know, 0:16:07.040 --> 0:16:11.320 had those moments. It was very daunting coming up against 0:16:11.320 --> 0:16:13.720 them in a season like this. But I think it's 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:15.320 a bit of give and take, isn't it. Like On 0:16:15.360 --> 0:16:17.960 the one hand, yes, maybe it was a harder season, 0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:20.320 But the flip side of that is like, look at 0:16:20.360 --> 0:16:23.000 the people we've now managed to meet and cook with 0:16:23.120 --> 0:16:26.160 and learn from, and they're all so supportive about what 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:27.160 we're going to do from here. 0:16:27.280 --> 0:16:28.600 You know, Mindy wants a. 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:30.000 Bunch of US fans to come up and do a 0:16:30.040 --> 0:16:33.800 takeover of a restaurant, and Michael's always happy to chat about, 0:16:33.840 --> 0:16:35.280 you know, where to go and where to go from 0:16:35.280 --> 0:16:37.600 here because he obviously has his own cooking show. And 0:16:37.680 --> 0:16:39.880 Julie wants me to come and do some gluten free 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:43.080 pasta classes at at cooking school. And it's just to have, 0:16:43.800 --> 0:16:45.960 you know, to have made friends with these people is 0:16:46.360 --> 0:16:50.640 such a privilege, and I think that outweighs any negative 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:52.120 aspects of being on this season. 0:16:52.680 --> 0:16:55.000 People are talking about the show all around the world. 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:57.960 I was telling one of the other contestants that because 0:16:57.960 --> 0:17:01.000 of my podcasting and interviewing the Mass to Chef contestants, 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:04.359 a journalist from The New Yorker wrote to me and 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:08.760 asked me about Master Chef Australia and he was so 0:17:08.960 --> 0:17:13.520 surprised of the level of this competition. So it's impressive 0:17:13.520 --> 0:17:15.680 that it's getting that kind of a reception globally. 0:17:16.040 --> 0:17:16.359 Oh. 0:17:16.520 --> 0:17:19.119 Absolutely, that that's really blown my mind. I mean we 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:22.160 got told early on that, you know, you'll be surprised at, 0:17:22.560 --> 0:17:26.439 you know, the international reaction, like apparently MasterChef Australia is 0:17:26.640 --> 0:17:30.480 you know, has a huge international following. But then to 0:17:30.520 --> 0:17:33.240 air and I started getting messages going I'm cheering for 0:17:33.320 --> 0:17:37.919 you from Switzerland and Fiji and Canada and Sweden and 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:41.680 all these like random places, and it's just that's really 0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:44.800 blown my mind that it could reach that far. And 0:17:45.200 --> 0:17:48.040 you know, especially I think it's really exciting for me 0:17:48.119 --> 0:17:51.280 that people are even in other countries are saying I 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:54.240 thank you for representing us as Celiacs because it's such 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:55.360 a huge platform. 0:17:55.800 --> 0:17:56.000 Yeah. 0:17:56.200 --> 0:17:59.320 That's been really really special and has honestly just blown 0:17:59.359 --> 0:17:59.760 my mind. 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:02.040 Melanie. You've made it to the top sixteen, which is 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:04.919 just so impressive. What do you want to do with 0:18:04.960 --> 0:18:06.879