| Ep#/Wk-Ep# | Original airdate | Episode Title / Event | Total viewers (5 Metro Cities) | Nightly Ranking | Weekly Ranking |
|---|
| Week 1 |
|---|
| 1/01-1 | Sunday 1 May 2011 | Series Premiere: Top 50 Part 1 – The top 50 began with a giant mystery box challenge, using commonly bought ingredients. Michael W. had the best dish of the day, while the ten worst performers were sent into a chocolate elimination challenge led by Adriano Zumbo. The following five contestants: Michael S, Tony, Sarah, Nathan, and Dai produced the worst dishes and were eliminated from the competition. | 1,569,000 | 1st | 7th |
| 2/01-2 | Monday 2 May 2011 | Top 50 Part 2 – The remaining 45 contestants competed in a three-stage basic skills test. The five slowest to prepare 2 kg of potatoes for chips, to hand whisk a basic mayonnaise, and to correctly segment a whole chicken went into an elimination round of scone-making. Craig P, Cindy, Tanja, Elizabeth, and Liz produced the least consistent and worst tasting scones and were eliminated from the competition. | 1,656,000 | 2nd | 2nd |
| 3/01-3 | Tuesday 3 May 2011 | Top 50 Part 3 – 40 contestants competed in a Pressure Test, vying for six spots in the Top 24. They each had two hours to complete a dessert tasting plate set by Maggie Beer. Most contestants struggled with such a challenge, with one not presenting a dish to the judges because he felt it was not of acceptable quality. Craig Y. was awarded the first spot after tasting. In the end, Michael, Kate, Adam, Hayden, and Cleo received the remaining 5 spots and secured their place in the main competition, while the ten least impressive performers went into an Elimination Challenge. | 1,593,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 4/01-4 | Wednesday 4 May 2011 | Top 50 Part 4 – The ten least impressive from the Pressure Test were given a choice as to what would be the core of their Elimination Challenge dish; they could spend two hours on a fishing boat and risk what (if anything) they caught, or use a mystery ingredient unknown until the start of the challenge. Of the four that chose fishing, all caught at least one fish, while crocodile was revealed as the mystery ingredient for the remaining six. Elisa, Jess, Myri, and Alby struggled with preparing such an unfamiliar meat and were sent home. | 1,519,000 | 1st | 8th |
| 5/01-5 | Thursday 5 May 2011 | Top 50 Part 5 – The remaining contestants competed for six more spots in the Top 24, cooking a "desert island dish" with five of their favourite ingredients. With the freedom to cook their favourite dish and no threat of elimination, many contestants talents shone through. In the end, Alana, Billy, Arena, Kumar, Seamus and Danielle received their spots in the main competition. | 1,633,000 | 1st | 3rd |
| 6/01-6 | Friday 6 May 2011 | MasterClass 1 | 1,020,000 | 2nd | 28th |
| Week 2 |
|---|
| 7/02-1 | Sunday 8 May 2011 | Top 50 Part 6 – With the final twelve spots in the Top 24 on the line, the remaining contestants competed in two challenges, a taste test and an invention test. The twenty-four hopefuls were given three minutes to each taste and name as many of the thirty ingredients of Aria's Consommé, provided by Matt Moran. It was revealed that for the invention test, they would receive only the ingredients they correctly identified in the Consommé; those who fared poorly in the taste test struggled with the limitations of the challenge. Ultimately, after some debate by the judges, Andrew, Shannon, Peter, Paul, Rachel, Dani, Tom, Sun, Jay, Ellie, Mat and Chelsea emerged successful, completing the Top 24. While Marie, Nick, Gemma, Samantha, Sam, John, Rod, Vittoria, Ariana, Daniel, and Greg were eliminated, and after surviving 3 pressure tests, Alex was eliminated as well, or is he? | 1,503,000 | 3rd | 5th |
| 8/02-2 | Monday 9 May 2011 | Top 24 Cooking Challenge – Matt went to Alex's house to bring him back in competition after Paul's withdrawal. The contestants competed in their first challenge in the MasterChef kitchen: preparing the dish that "changed their life". Hayden, Billy and Kate were judged the best of the day, and it was Hayden who won the right to contest the first Immunity Challenge of the series. | 1,523,000 | 1st | 6th
(1,502,000) |
| 9/02-3 | Tuesday 10 May 2011 | Immunity Challenge 1 – Hayden beat Ormeggio apprentice Alex Keene (22-21) | 1,440,000 | 2nd |
| 10/02-4 | Wednesday 11 May 2011 | Offsite Challenge 1 – Contestants were rudely awoken at midnight to discover their first team challenge: baking bread for five of Sydney's top restaurants. After being randomly selected into teams, Sun was nominated leader of the Blue Team and Tom the Red Team. The Blue Team struggled with organization and made a couple of crucial errors in the early stages of the challenge, but recovered well to just edge out the Blue Team for victory. | 1,443,000 | 2nd |
| 11/02-5 | Thursday 12 May 2011 | Elimination Challenge 1 – As the Blue Team enjoyed their reward, the Red Team were asked to nominate their two worst performers for an In-the-round Elimination Challenge. Tom, who took responsibility as team leader, and Kumar, whose ciabatta bread contributed to the team's loss put themselves forward. They were given 90 minutes to use three guests favourite ingredients to make three of their favourite dishes with no aid of a recipe. Ultimately, Kumar received two votes to Tom's one, sealing Tom's exit from the competition. | 1,571,000 | 1st |
| 12/02-6 | Friday 13 May 2011 | MasterClass 2 | 840,000 | 7th | 34th |
| Week 3 |
|---|
| 13/03-1 | Sunday 15 May 2011 | Sunday Challenge 1 – In a Mystery Box which included rabbit and mustard fruits, contestants were tasked with producing a dish which contained every ingredient in the box. The quality of dishes presented varied wildly, with many highs and many lows, the unfamiliarity of the meat proving to be a curse for many. After a difficult decision by the judges, it was Jay who beat out Cleo and Craig for dish of the day, while Billy, Ellie and Alex landed in the Bottom 3, facing elimination. | 1,409,000 | 4th | 9th |
| 14/03-2 | Monday 16 May 2011 | Pressure Test 1 – Billy, Ellie and Alex were faced with a Cherry Bombe Alaska and a two-hour time limit. Each contestant faced the challenge differently; Ellie worked calmly and methodically, Billy took a number of shortcuts and deviated from the recipe in a few key areas, and Alex struggled to juggle each element, quickly falling behind and only just finishing after judges intervention. In the end, Ellie wowed the judges with her recreation, and while Billy was warned for departing from the recipe, it was Alex who was eliminated, this time for good. | 1,571,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 15/03-3 | Tuesday 17 May 2011 | Immunity Challenge 2 – Colin Fassnidge beat Jay (26-19) | 1,373,000 | 2nd | 11th |
| 16/03-4 | Wednesday 18 May 2011 | Offsite Challenge 2 – The male and female contestants faced off against each other as they took over the running of the Mean Fiddler pub for a regular evening service. They each were tasked to prepare a menu of seven items fitting certain criteria, for example one burger, one special, one dessert, etc. The judges tasted the dishes and scored each team, also taking into account customer reaction. While both teams had big problems, especially with their steak orders, it was the male Red team's 16 returned meals that sent them straight to elimination. | 1,401,000 | 2nd | 10th |
| 17/03-5 | Thursday 19 May 2011 | Elimination Challenge 2 – After losing the battle of the sexes, the entire Red team faced a three-round Elimination Challenge. They had the freedom to cook whatever they wanted, but only a short amount of time in which to prepare their dish (ten or fifteen minutes). Contestants were declared safe at the end of each round and by the final round only Andrew and Seamus remained. Seamus was deemed to have delivered the weaker dish and was eliminated. | 1,507,000 | 1st | 6th |
| 18/03-6 | Friday 20 May 2011 | MasterClass 3 | 988,000 | 5th | 29th |
| Week 4 |
|---|
| 19/04-1 | Sunday 22 May 2011 | Sunday Challenge 2 – Contestants competed in teams of three in a mix of Invention Test and Mystery Box. Each team randomly chose a protein (such as pork or scallops) and a cooking method (such as roasting or braising) and were tasked with creating a dish around that element. Some teams struggled with their unusual combinations, such as cooking snapper en croute (in pastry), but Sun, Peter and Craig triumphed with their pork en papillote (in paper). Chelsea, Rachel and Ellie's smoked octopus was judged the least impressive, sending the three girls into elimination. | 1,469,000 | 2nd | 6th |
| 20/04-2 | Monday 23 May 2011 | Pressure Test 2 – Chelsea, Rachel and Ellie had to recreate an Australian-ised pork with fried rice, without the aid of a recipe. Relying on their food knowledge proved a challenge for the three girls, as the wrong cuts of meat were chosen, sauces were unbalanced, and meat was overcooked. The judges decision proved difficult as Chelsea was found to have the best rice, Ellie the best meat, and Rachel the best sauce. Ultimately, Chelsea's lack of sauce, tough meat and over-reliance on outside help saw her eliminated from the competition. | 1,514,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 21/04-3 | Tuesday 24 May 2011 | Immunity Challenge 3 – Adam D'Sylva beat Craig, Peter and Sun (27-21) | 1,295,000 | 5th | 12th |
| 22/04-4 | Wednesday 25 May 2011 | Offsite Challenge 3 – Teams were tasked with catering for a busy Sunday morning at Cronulla Beach for hungry nippers and their families, providing a sausages sizzle and gelato. Two from each team had spent the night making three flavours of gelato each, while the rest of the team prepared their hand-made sausages. Hayden, being a lifeguard, attempted to boost sales by charming the crowds toward the Blue Team, sparking strong rivalry between the teams. By providing a 'breakfast sausage,' Michael's Red Team managed to start selling over an hour before Craig's Blue Team. As it came down to how much money the teams made, the Blue Team's slow start cost them in the end with earning $2,114 over the Red Team's $2,434, sending them into elimination. | 1,236,000 | 6th | 17th |
| 23/04-5 | Thursday 26 May 2011 | Elimination Challenge 3 – The Blue Team were faced with a pastry skills based challenge; they needed to prepare a sponge, a custard, a toffee and finally a ganache. They were not allowed to move on to the custard until they had finished the preparation of their sponge, and so on through the stages, before combining all four elements into their own dessert creation. Sun, Peter and Kumar had serious problems with each of their elements, but it was Cleo's mistake of starting her ganache before completely finishing her toffee that forced the judges to eliminate her. | 1,464,000 | 1st | 8th |
| 24/04-6 | Friday 27 May 2011 | MasterClass 4 | 921,000 | 6th | 32nd |
| Week 5 (Western Australia Week) |
|---|
| 25/05-1 | Sunday 29 May 2011 | Sunday Challenge 3 – Contestants were whisked away to Western Australia and the Sunrise Dam Gold Mine for a team challenge like no other: catering for 450 hungry workers over a 24 hours and three courses. Early on, Jay and Dani's leadership of the Blue Team proved a little shaky, as poor rostering lead to short staffing, and a lack of preparation meant they were still planning their breakfast menu just before service started. Each team had its share of mishaps during the challenge, and although the Blue Team served up uncooked fish and deep-fried bacon, they managed to win the challenge by a small margin (685 votes to Danielle and Kate's Red's 665), leaving the Red Team with a second shift in the Mine's kitchen. | 1,511,000 | 4th | 8th |
| 26/05-2 | Monday 30 May 2011 | W.A. Invention Test – As winners of the Team Challenge, the Blue Team competed against each other at Margaret River's Clairault Winery for a double chance at immunity: to cook off in the Immunity Challenge and be exempt from the next elimination challenge in the MasterChef kitchen. The ten contestants faced an Invention Test, each cooking a different meat picked at random and using a range of organic ingredients from chef Jake Drachenberg's kitchen garden. In the end, Michael and Jay impressed the judges the most, and it was Jay's skillful technique when cooking the Western Australian crustacean marron that sent him into the Immunity Challenge. | 1,577,000 | 1st | 5th |
| 27/05-3 | Tuesday 31 May 2011 | Immunity Challenge 4 – Tony Howell beat Jay (23-22) | 1,502,000 | 2nd | 9th |
| 28/05-4 | Wednesday 1 June 2011 | "Tinned and Frozen Challenge" – Contestants (all except Jay who had immunity) were given 90 minutes, full run of the pantry and the freedom to cook what they wanted, but with one twist: the only ingredients available to them were tinned and frozen produce. This confused a number of contestants who struggled to produce smart, tasty dishes within the limits of the challenge. Many also rose to the challenge, producing a Top 5 and giving winners Billy and Shannon a special reward and private MasterClass. However, Andrew and Kumar's dishes did not impress and landed them in an Elimination Challenge. | 1,602,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 29/05-5 | Thursday 2 June 2011 | Elimination Challenge 4 – Andrew and Kumar faced a "Fix that Dish" Challenge; they had eight steps each to fix a Massaman curry. Both contestants choice of ingredients surprised and confused both judges and other contestants, as neither Andrew or Kumar picked peanuts or potatoes, two key ingredients in the traditional dish. In the end, the judges faced a tough decision as neither dish was considered close enough to an actual Massaman curry. However, Kumar's tenderer meat and decision to add cashews gave his dish a slight edge over Andrew's, sending Andrew home. | 1,532,000 | 1st | 7th |
| 30/05-6 | Friday 3 June 2011 | MasterClass 5 | 860,000 | 7th | 40th |
| Week 6 |
|---|
| 31/06-1 | Sunday 5 June 2011 | Sunday Challenge 4 – In a "Super Invention Test" with a Spanish theme, contestants were given the choice of three pairs of core ingredients: lamb and anchovies, orange and sherry, or squid and chorizo. The "super" twist of the challenge came when, after each contestant had picked their 15 additional ingredients, the judges redistributed each contestants set of ingredients, forcing them to show their flexibility in the kitchen. Danielle beat out Arena, Shannon and Michael for top spot, while some disastrous efforts dropped Jay, Dani and Ellie into the Bottom 3. | 1,445,000 | 5th | 9th |
| 32/06-2 | Monday 6 June 2011 | Pressure Test 3 – Jay, Dani and Ellie faced a Pressure Test set by Dan Hong, head chef at Ms G restaurant: pandan chiffon cake with black sesame icecream and coconut tapioca. All three contestants struggled with technical elements of the dish, but it was especially Jay whose instinctive style of cooking did not gel with the precise nature of the dish. While Dani had tapioca "like chalk," and Ellie had elements that were below standard, it was Jay's uneven dish with sugary praline that led to a tearful elimination. | 1,637,000 | 1st | 3rd |
| 33/06-3 | Tuesday 7 June 2011 | Immunity Challenge 5 – Thorsten Schmidt beat Danielle (26-21) | 1,439,000 | 3rd | 10th |
| 34/06-4 | Wednesday 8 June 2011 | Offsite Challenge 4 – In the first ever Tag-team Challenge, teams were asked to prepare six dishes with only one team member cooking at any one time. Additionally, only the first to cook would be allowed to view the recipe, with a one-minute change-over period to relay information about the dishes. Communication breakdowns brought both teams problems and left some group members relying only on instinct. Surprise guest judge Nigella Lawson (whose recipes contestants were making) praised both teams efforts; especially Alana's Red Team's game pie and velvet cupcakes and Adam's Blue Team's roast lamb and devil's food cake. In the end though it was the Blue Team's better overall performance which gave them the three judges votes, sending the Red Team to elimination. | 1,633,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 35/06-5 | Thursday 9 June 2011 | Elimination Challenge 5 – Shannon and Arena put themselves forward as the two weakest performers from the Red Team and faced off in a Pressure Test. They were given a core ingredient (one whole chicken) and complete freedom of choice to prepare as many dishes as they would like in 75 minutes. Each contestant struggled with the pressure of the challenge, both running out of time and presenting incomplete dishes. The judges praised Shannon's steamed chicken breast and Arena's chicken soup, but ultimately the overall quality of Arena's dishes did not match Shannon's and she was eliminated. | 1,564,000 | 1st | 5th |
| 36/06-6 | Friday 10 June 2011 | MasterClass 6 | 858,000 | 7th | 41st |
| Week 7 |
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| 37/07-1 | Sunday 12 June 2011 | QANTAS Fine Dining Challenge – Contestants were paired up and asked to prepare one of eight courses of Neil Perry's QANTAS First Class menu. They were given 60 minutes of mise en place, followed by 20 minutes to cook, plate and serve one course at a time to 27 special guests, including world class chefs Thomas Keller and Andoni Adruiz. The extreme pressure of the challenge led to some problems especially in the plating stage, with most teams struggling with presentation. Ultimately, it was Kate and Danielle's poached snapper that the judges deemed most impressive, rewarding them with the chance to cook alongside Thomas and Andoni at a dinner for the Starlight Children's Foundation, and Kate a shot at immunity. However, it was Rachel and Craig whose tart lacked flavour and Michael and Shannon whose pudding was too dense who were deemed least impressive, landing them in the Bottom 4. | 1,349,000 | 4th | 13th |
| 38/07-2 | Monday 13 June 2011 | Pressure Test 4 – Craig, Michael, Shannon and Rachel faced a Heston Blumenthal creation: a seemingly simple burger with chips and milkshake. But true to his molecular gastronomy style the dish was a complex combination of cooking styles, including a milkshake inspired by a personal memory. Michael's dish overall impressed, especially with his lime shake reminiscent of his now-deceased father, and Craig also impressed with his extremely thick chocolate milkshake. But despite having "the best bun of the lot" according to Heston, Rachel's overcooked meat and rushed milkshake lead to her elimination. | 1,909,000 | 1st | 2nd |
| 39/07-3 | Tuesday 14 June 2011 | Immunity Challenge 6 – Darren Purchese beat Kate (26-24) | 1,559,000 | 2nd | 6th |
| 40/07-4 | Wednesday 15 June 2011 | Offsite Challenge 5 – In this "sustainable food challenge," contestants prepared a lunch service at the Greenhouse "pop up" restaurant in Sydney under the guidance of chef Matt Stone, with an emphasis on minimising waste. Their guests (including famous chefs and sustainable food experts) would vote for their favourite team, with the two best performers from the winning team experiencing a shift in Gary Mehigan's restaurant Fenix. Blue Team members questioned Sun's leadership as a lack of organisation slowed service down considerably. In the end, the Blue Team were commended for their sustainable menu and some excellent dishes, including Alana's dessert and Hayden's prawns. While Craig's Red Team worked well in the kitchen, their wastage was significant and they suffered from a poor dessert. The Blue Team won in a landslide (45-21), even without the bonus 10 votes they received for their minimal waste, with Alana and Hayden receiving the reward. The entire Red Team fell into an Elimination Challenge. | 1,607,000 | 2nd | 5th |
| 41/07-5 | Thursday 16 June 2011 | Elimination Challenge 6 – The losing team faced a three-round elimination challenge, where they had 15 minutes and limited ingredients to produce their dish. Billy, Danielle and Ellie created the best dishes of the first round using only three ingredients, with Dani and Michael escaping elimination in the second round with dishes made from only six ingredients. In the final round, Craig and Shannon both impressed with their two very different dishes; the judges naming them two of the competitions best. The quality of Shannon's was judged as slightly below Craig's sealing her elimination from the competition. | 1,615,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 42/07-6 | Friday 17 June 2011 | MasterClass 7 | 928,000 | 5th | 32nd |
| Week 8 |
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| 43/08-1 | Sunday 19 June 2011 | Sunday Challenge 6 – In this Korean-inspired "Invention Box" challenge set by Korean-American top chef David Chang, contestants were faced with a range of exotic Korean ingredients and a randomly selected protein. Many contestants floundered with such unknown ingredients, but Dani, Hayden and Peter impressed with their inventiveness, creativity and tasty Korean flavours. In the end, Hayden was crowned the winner of the challenge, earning him a spot in the Immunity Challenge, and immunity from the Team Challenge. Danielle, Michael, Adam and Ellie (who did not compete due to sickness and received an automatic bottom spot) were left as the Bottom 4. | 1,615,000 | 2nd | 6th |
| 44/08-2 | Monday 20 June 2011 | Pressure Test 5 – Danielle, Michael, Adam and Ellie faced a Pressure Test set by George's mother Mary Calombaris: cooking 4 traditional Greek-Cypriotic dishes. Contestants struggled to plate up each dish in the 90 minutes provided, with some receiving a helping hand from Mary herself. Ellie and Michael dishes were the two best received, while Adam and Danielle's were plagued with errors including raw pastry and overly salty, garlicky and oily elements. Despite performing the worst, Danielle was saved from elimination when Adam, realising that he did not have the same passion for the food industry as his competitors, withdrew from the competition. | 1,681,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 45/08-3 | Tuesday 21 June 2011 | Immunity Challenge 7 – Vincent Gadan beat Hayden (21-19) | 1,597,000 | 2nd | 7th |
| 46/08-4 | Wednesday 22 June 2011 | Offsite Challenge 6 – Teams (excluding Hayden, who had immunity) were taken to Westfield Sydney, where they were asked to prepare some simple dishes (such as burger and fries, pizza, cake and pastry) with one twist: each dish had specific dietary restrictions (such as lactose free, low salt or vegan). Contestants from each team were paired off and given 60 minutes to prepare their dish, with the best dish receiving a vote from the judges. Many contestants failed to fit the brief of the challenge and lost votes accordingly, and despite two disastrous dishes it was the Blue Team's overall performance that won them the challenge, sending the entire Red Team to elimination. | 1,773,000 | 1st | 1st |
| 47/08-5 | Thursday 23 June 2011 | Elimination Challenge 7 – The Red Team faced an "In-the-round" challenge with two stages: three contestants at a time would prepare a savoury dish in 15 minutes with the least impressive from each group going into the final elimination round cooking a sweet dish in 30 minutes. Craig's overcooked quail breast and Alana's raw lamb led them to the final round, where it was Craig's undercooked apple fritters that led to his elimination. | 1,511,000 | 1st | 10th |
| 48/08-6 | Friday 24 June 2011 | MasterClass 8 | 978,000 | 5th | 27th |
| Week 9 |
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| 49/09-1 | Sunday 26 June 2011 | Sunday Challenge 7 – The Top 12 contestants were tasked with preparing lunch for 200 hungry farmers and their families when they travelled into the NSW country to Matt Moran's dad's lamb farm. They had four hours to prepare any dish they wanted under the restrictions of an outdoor fire and with lamb as their only protein, their guests voting for their favourite dish. Michael's decision to ignore the lamb and cook two sweet dishes confused the judges but led him to second place, behind winner Billy, whose hearty and spicy Lamb Curry and sweet Rocky Road were perfect for the cold and wet weather and proved popular with adults and children alike. Danielle, Ellie and Peter's uneven and unattractive dishes landed them in the Bottom 3, to face elimination. | 1,604,000 | 3rd | 7th |
| 50/09-2 | Monday 27 June 2011 | Pressure Test 6 – Ellie, Danielle and Peter were set a tough test by chef Matthew Kemp: to re-invent the classic French dish Duck à l'orange, with no aid of a recipe. Despite initially struggling for ideas and burning her hand, Ellie's dish universally impressed the judges. And while Peter was criticised for not being inventive enough, it was Danielle's cold pasta dish missing the orange flavours that led to her elimination. | 1,578,000 | 1st | 6th |
| 51/09-3 | Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Immunity Challenge 8 – Merle Parrish (Country Women's Association) beat Billy (24-21) | 1,688,000 | 1st | 3rd |
| 52/09-4 | Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Offsite Challenge 7 – Teams were faced with their first catering jobs: The Blue Team, a corporate 3-course lunch for 12, and the Red Team, a 21st birthday for 50 guests. The Blue Team, led by Peter, worked well in the kitchen and were commended for the quality of their dishes, while the Red Team, led by Ellie, had "kitchen chaos" as forgotten ingredients delayed preparations, and were criticised for their decision to prepare a rabbit terrine dish which did not involve any cooking. Ultimately Blue failed to deliver on the client's brief: a light lunch delivered within a strict time limit, while Red impressed with their menu and the interactive element to their birthday cake, filling the client's brief. The Red Team members secured their places in the Top 10; despite being out-cooked by the Blue Team they delivered what the client wanted, leading the Blue Team to elimination. | 1,693,000 | 1st | 1st |
| 53/09-5 | Thursday 30 June 2011 | Elimination Challenge 8 – The Blue Team (minus Hayden, who chose to use his immunity pin) were faced with two challenges, a Taste Test and an Invention Test. Michael, Peter, Billy and Kumar were given three minutes to each taste and name as many of the ingredients of a terrine, blind-folded. Those they guessed correctly would be the only ingredients they would have to cook with in the 40-minute Invention Test. It came down to Michael (who had 11 ingredients, the most) and Kumar (with the fewest at four ingredients) and it was the latter's lack of available ingredients that sealed his fate. | 1,532,000 | 1st | 9th |
| 54/09-6 | Friday 1 July 2011 | MasterClass 9 | 837,000 | 8th | 36th |
| Week 10 |
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| 55/10-1 | Sunday 3 July 2011 | Sunday Challenge 8 – In the first Sunday Challenge in the Top 10, the contestants were faced with a Mystery Box and an Invention Test. The winner of the steamed pudding-themed Mystery Box challenge was Kate with a white chocolate and raspberry pudding with Kahlua ice cream, who then picked figs as the core ingredient for the Middle Eastern-themed Invention Test. Peter, Michael and Dani were selected as the top three and in the end it was Dani who prevailed with her idea of a 'frozen baklava' (fig and pistachio ice cream between sheets of filo pastry), especially impressing guest chef Shane Delia. As winner of this challenge, besides the chance to win immunity, Dani received an "unparalleled" advantage going into the next week. Hayden, Billy and Mat were named the bottom three and were sent into an Elimination Challenge. | 1,560,000 | 3rd | 8th |
| 56/10-2 | Monday 4 July 2011 | Pressure Test 7 – Mat, Billy and Hayden faced off in a Pressure Test, in which they had to recreate a Salt-crusted Guinea Fowl with a Mushroom Duxelle and a Thyme Jus, with two complementary side dishes of their own choosing. Mat showed most competency overall despite a burnt hand, only slightly overcooking the guinea fowl. Despite his perfectly cooked guinea fowl and excellent gratin dauphinois side dish, it was Billy's raw beetroot salad and "rubbish" jus that saw him eliminated from the competition. | 1,590,000 | 1st | 5th |
| 57/10-3 | Tuesday 5 July 2011 | Immunity Challenge 9 – Dani beat Alessandro Pavoni (22-22) [Note 1] | 1,500,000 | 1st | 11th |
| 58/10-4 | Wednesday 6 July 2011 | Offsite Challenge 8 – After Mat's removal from the competition for having an unauthorised mobile phone, Billy returned to the house. Teams were tasked with providing a three-course lunch service at the Merivale Felix restaurant in Sydney, under the scrutiny of iconic British chef Marco Pierre White. The Blue Team (which Dani was able to hand-pick due to her Sunday Challenge win) chose to prepare a French menu for 30 French expats, leaving the Red Team (with Alana as captain) with a British menu for British expats. Both teams struggled with the pressures of a professional kitchen, but it was the Blue Team that proved the most disorganised, especially during preparation time and the start of service. Despite surpassing the Red Team by dessert and receiving high praise from the judges for the quality of their dishes, their overall performance saw them going into elimination. | 1,726,000 | 2nd | 2nd |
| 59/10-5 | Thursday 7 July 2011 | Elimination Challenge 9 – After Dani chose to use her immunity pin, Michael, Hayden, Kate and Peter faced a three-round elimination challenge, with the best performer in each round declared safe. In the first round, they were given 15 minutes to prepare Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with a dipping sauce, testing their knife skills and ability to balance flavours. Michael's technical precision led him to be the first deemed safe from elimination. In the second round, they had to trim, French, truss and cook a rib-eye steak to medium rare in 25 minutes. Hayden's decision to wrap his frenched bone in foil gave him the slightest edge over Peter, sealing his place in the top 8. In the final round, Peter and Kate had 60 minutes to make an apple pie with custard. Despite wholly positive reactions to both pies, it was Peter's slightly undercooked pastry that sent him home. | 1,638,000 | 1st | 3rd |
| 60/10-6 | Friday 8 July 2011 | MasterClass 10 | 963,000 | 6th | 33rd |
| Week 11 (New York Week) |
|---|
| 61/11-1 | Sunday 10 July 2011 | Sunday Challenge 9 – In their first challenge in New York, contestants were each sent to a different part of the city (such as Chinatown, The Bronx and Brooklyn) to get inspiration for a restaurant-quality dish. The best dish would earn its maker an advantage at the next challenge with the worst performer going straight into lockdown to face elimination later in the week. The top three were Michael, Billy and Alana, with Michael's evocation of 'street food' with a Mexican taco landing him the win. Dani and Sun were the least impressive, and it was Sun's flawed honey cake invention that sent her into lockdown facing elimination. | 1,615,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 62/11-2 | Monday 11 July 2011 | United Nations Challenge – In the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations, the contestants were tasked with preparing canapés for a V.I.P. event hosted by the Australian mission to the U.N. The winning dish would be determined by guests' votes (representatives of all 192 member states), earning its maker a chance at immunity, while the worst performer would face lockdown and a spot in the elimination challenge. As winner of the Sunday Challenge, Michael had access to each recipe and picked each contestant's dish, his decisions not making him popular. Hayden and Ellie's dishes received the most votes and it was Ellie's duck canapé that earned her the win. Dani and Billy's dishes were the least popular, with Billy's bland vichyssoise receiving the fewest votes and leaving him facing elimination. | 1,758,000 | 1st | 2nd |
| 63/11-3 | Tuesday 12 July 2011 | Immunity Challenge 10 – Ellie beat Cesare Casella (24-22) | 1,612,000 | 2nd | 5th |
| 64/11-4 | Wednesday 13 July 2011 | Ultimate Dinner Party Challenge – Teams had 3.5 hours to race from Times Square to the Four Seasons Restaurant to each cook one course for "the ultimate dinner party". After choosing their dish, they collected the recipe and ingredients for the dishes from a famous restaurant in New York City. Alana and Ellie, despite struggling with navigation and arriving in the kitchen last, delivered the dish of the day. Hayden and Dani could not hold onto their advantage in arriving first, sending them into the elimination challenge. | 1,620,000 | 1st | 3rd |
| 65/11-5 | Thursday 14 July 2011 | Elimination Challenge 10 – Sun, Dani, Hayden and Billy were tasked with cooking traditional soul food under the scrutiny of three generations of the Woods family, of the world-famous Sylvia's Restaurant of Harlem. Each contestant had to prepare the restaurant's signature dishes of BBQ Ribs, Fried Chicken and Macaroni 'n' Cheese, plus a different side dish. Billy was the best performer of the day, receiving positive comments for all three dishes and his sides of Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens. Sun was plagued by raw chicken and a bland side of Potato Salad, sealing her elimination. | 1,609,000 | 1st | 6th |
| 66/11-6 | Friday 15 July 2011 | MasterClass 11 | 964,000 | 7th | 30th |
| Week 12 |
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| 67/12-1 | Sunday 17 July 2011 | Sunday Challenge 10 – Contestants each prepared one vegetarian course for the 14th Dalai Lama and his guests, four charity leaders. Under the guidance of guest chef and Buddhist Kylie Kwong, they had a strict three-hour deadline. Dani beat out Michael for the win, with a well received Sri Lankan Vegetarian Curry. Ellie, Billy and Kate's dishes "lacked punch," sending them into a Pressure Test to face elimination. | 1,725,000 | 1st | 2nd |
| 68/12-2 | Monday 18 July 2011 | Pressure Test 8 – After Ellie decided to use her immunity pin, Billy and Kate had two hours to recreate Katrina Kanetani's 'Autumn' dessert plate. Both contestants, though strong in desserts, struggled with multiple elements of the dish. In the end, Kate was praised for her strong flavours, while Billy's dish showed technical precision and flair; both dishes had some technical errors. The judges ultimately decided that Kate's dish was more refined, eliminating Billy for the second and last time. | 1,650,000 | 1st | 3rd |
| 69/12-3 | Tuesday 19 July 2011 | Immunity Challenge 11 – Dani beat Eamon Sullivan (25-24) | 1,468,000 | 3rd | 9th |
| 70/12-4 | Wednesday 20 July 2011 | QANTAS First Lounge Challenge – In the first part of the challenge, team captains Hayden and Alana faced a mini Mystery Box, with the winner receiving an advantage for their team in the second part of the challenge. Alana won for the Red Team, gaining them the advantage as teams took over the QANTAS First Lounge kitchen at Sydney Airport. They took the first 90-minute shift, taking over the service from professional chefs with all prep work done and a clean kitchen, followed by the Blue Team. Overall, Red performed well, delivering two outstanding dishes but struggling with time management and a "disastrous" Club Sandwich (the lounge's signature dish). Despite all of Blue's dishes being on time and producing an excellent Club Sandwich, it was their fish, both raw and burnt, that lost them the challenge. | 1,533,000 | 1st | 8th |
| 71/12-5 | Thursday 21 July 2011 | Elimination Challenge 11 – Hayden, Kate and Michael had 90 minutes and an open pantry to cook a dish that demonstrated skills acquired throughout the competition. Each contestant impressed the judges with their dish, with only minor flaws. Kate's Stuffed Squab with Parsnip Purée and Jus Gras, was perfectly cooked but criticised for a slightly fibrous purée. Michael wowed the judges with his Sous-vide Chicken with Crispy Chicken Skin, Pea Purée and Jus Gras, only slightly overcooking the end of the breast. Hayden's Sesame-encrusted Coral Trout with Tapioca Pearls and Garlic Wasabi Cream was praised for its complex flavour combinations, but a garnish of pickled daikon was so salty that Gary deemed it "almost inedible". This small mistake was enough to seal Hayden's elimination for the competition. | 1,605,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 72/12-6 | Friday 22 July 2011 | MasterClass 12 | 770,000 | 11th | 52nd |
| Week 13 (Semi-Finals Week) |
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| 73/13-1 | Sunday 24 July 2011 | Sunday Challenge 11 – In a Mystery Box Challenge without elimination, the top 5 picked each other's ingredients as per the Secret Santa method. The winner would earn the final chance to cook for immunity and a spread on their winning recipe in Taste magazine. Michael and Alana were the top two, but Michael's Panna Cotta with Roasted Rhubarb and Orange & Honey Syrup triumphed in the end, and the recipe was subsequently published in Taste. | 1,734,000 | 2nd | 3rd |
| 74/13-2 | Monday 25 July 2011 | Family Dinner Challenge – In a second challenge without elimination, contestants cooked ten servings of a single dish of their choosing for the judges, who were joined by all the contestants' families. Alana's Pancake Stack met with ravings from the judges: she was rewarded a night at home with her family in Brisbane, accompanied by a four-course dinner cooked by Gary and George along with two sous-chefs from their restaurants, and the floor run by Matt Preston as maître d'. | 1,674,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 75/13-3 | Tuesday 26 July 2011 | Immunity Challenge 12 – Teage Ezard beat Michael (26-25) | 1,356,000 | 3rd | 12th |
| 76/13-4 | Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Worst Nightmare Challenge – The top 5 were surprised by George in the early morning as he showed up at the house with three guest chefs, who each brought one unusual core ingredient of their own choosing. The contestants were given two hours of mise en place and then 10 minutes to plate up during service. Although her Caramelised Pumpkin Cake was a little dense for some judges, it was enough to land Kate the win and a one-on-one MasterClass with Matt Moran. Michael's Sea Urchin with Angel Hair Pasta suffered from claggy pasta, but his respect for the core ingredient was enough to land him the second spot in Finals Week. Dani and Ellie were the bottom two: Dani's Liquorice Ice Cream lacked in presentation and concept and Ellie's Lobster Salad with Salsify Purée had the core ingredient of salsify playing second fiddle. Alana landed in the middle, but she was informed that she would be up for elimination if Dani decided to use her immunity pin. | 1,675,000 | 1st | 5th |
| 77/13-5 | Thursday 28 July 2011 | Elimination Challenge 12 – Dani chose to use her immunity pin, sending Alana into the Elimination Challenge against Ellie. They faced a "Fix Your Biggest Stuff-up" Challenge in which they had to re-invent a bad dish they cooked earlier in the competition. For Ellie it was a dish from episode 31 and for Alana it was both her dishes from episode 47. Ellie got 75 minutes like in the original challenge, Alana only got 45. Ellie left the capsicums out of her dish and turned it into a dessert, while Alana decided only to improve the weak points of the original dishes, being raw lamb and crunchy, undercooked pear. Ultimately, Alana's decision to leave the fat on her lamb cutlets did not go well with the judges, but her Poached Pear dessert was deemed faultless. Ellie's eggy Crème Caramel and the pith left on the orange wedges in her Citrus Salad were enough to lead to a teary elimination. | 1,528,000 | 1st | 8th |
| 78/13-6 | Friday 29 July 2011 | MasterClass 13 | 910,000 | 7th | 39th |
| Week 14 (Finals Week) |
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| 79/14-1 | Sunday 31 July 2011 | Sunday Challenge 12 – In the first challenge of Finals Week, again without elimination, contestants were to develop a recipe for a single dish, which was then styled and photographed as if designed for their personal cookbook. The recipes would then be tested by four contestants who had to follow the recipe to the letter. They were paired up with a contestant in the studio and had to cook the dish along with them within 90 minutes, so their version of the dish could be judged by how much it tasted like the contestants' original recipes. All contestants ran into trouble with mistakes in their recipes or processes that proved too complicated for contestants, except for winner Michael, who had written a recipe that was so easy to follow that Sue, the contestant assigned to him, even managed to cook a better version of his dish according to Matt Preston. | 1,731,000 | 1st | 4th |
| 80/14-2 | Monday 1 August 2011 | Pressure Test 9 – The top 4 were given 2 hours and 15 minutes to reproduce Maggie Beer's Chook Terrine with various accompaniments. All contestants struggled with the high level of technicality in the dish and despite each of them showing competence in the condiments and general plating, it was four undercooked terrines that sealed everyone's fate, as every contestant was sent into an elimination challenge. | 1,581,000 | 1st | 8th |
| 81/14-3 | Tuesday 2 August 2011 | Elimination Challenge 13 – Contestants were given three hours to cook three dishes that reflected the story of their life. Kate and Alana were the two best overall performers, with stunning desserts and very little substantial criticism on any of their dishes. Both Michael and Dani were criticised on some points, each overall only getting good comments on one of their three dishes. Despite Michael's overly sweet and acidic caper mayonnaise that tasted "like the beginning of a lemon curd" and a "hmm" duck dish, it was Dani's thick and underseasoned Sweetcorn Soup, poor Crab Wontons and grainy, icy Sesame Ice Cream that sent her packing. | 1,571,000 | 3rd | 9th |
| 82/14-4 | Wednesday 3 August 2011 | Three Hat Challenge – The top three were each sent to a different three hat establishment where they each designed a dish to fit on the menu of their assigned restaurant. They then had to cook the dish during lunch service, where Matt Preston joined by two of his fellow food critics would taste the dish and decide if it fitted in with the restaurant's menu, scrutinizing both flavour and presentation. Michael's main proved the most successful, guaranteeing him a spot in the grand finale. Although Kate came very close, her dessert fell just short of the mark, landing her in a Pressure Test elimination against Alana, whose dish was judged the least impressive overall. | 1,674,000 | 1st | 7th |
| 83/14-5 | Thursday 4 August 2011 | Pressure Test 10 – In a patented Adriano Zumbo superchallenge, Kate and Alana were given 4.5 hours to reproduce his "Fairytale House" dessert (a miniature gingerbread house with several candy and fruit decorations), with the last spot in the Grand Finale at stake. The challenge proved notoriously difficult indeed, but both contestants managed to plate up in the end. Despite setting herself back roughly 1.5 hours after burning her first batch of gingerbread, it was Kate that emerged victorious. Alana's skill shown in the preparation of the candies and other garnishes were ultimately not enough to make up for her burnt and overcooked gingerbread, leading to a teary elimination. | 1,697,000 | 1st | 6th |
| 84/14-6 | Friday 5 August 2011 | MasterClass 14 | 1,169,000 | 2nd | 22nd |
| Grand Finale |
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| 85/15-1 | Sunday 7 August 2011 | Grand Finale – Kate and Michael faced off in the Grand Finale, which consisted of three challenges: - Mystery Box Race (20 points) – In the first challenge, the finalists were given 45 minutes to cook a single dish with the ingredients given to them in three separate Mystery Boxes. They were to choose their ingredients and complete the mise en place on that bench before moving on to the next. Once prepared, they could not return to a previous bench. Kate's Balmain Bug and Crab Remoulade Salad was liked by the judges for clean and subtle flavours, but the judges were not sure her bug was cooked enough. Michael's Steak and Oyster Pie was hailed for its flavour combination, but was let down by crunchy carrots. Kate's dish scored 15 out of a possible 20, Michael's scored 17, giving him an early lead.
- Invention Test (40 points) – The second challenge was also dubbed the "Best Dish of Your Life" Challenge. Michael and Kate were given 2 hours and 15 minutes to cook a dish that demonstrated the skills they acquired throughout the competition. Michael's dish of Butter Poached Lobster with Fennel,Baby Leeks and Champagne Sauce was deemed simple by the judges and his last-minute decision to leave the roots on his leeks was not applauded. Kate's Sherry-Glazed Quail with Roast Garlic Custard, Asparagus Duxelle and Hazelnuts received good feedback overall, except for the slight smoky flavour in her custard, caused by the accidental burning of her bamboo steamer. Kate overtook Michael by scoring 36 points over his 31, giving them a respective total of 51 and 48 out of a possible 60.
- Pressure Test (40 points) – The third and final challenge was set by René Redzepi, head chef at Noma in Copenhagen, crowned Best Restaurant in the World two years in a row. He brought in his "Snowman" dessert, an intricate three-layered dish. Kate lost a third of her carrot puree for her carrot sorbet in the process of draining the liquid out of it, Michael lost half. When it came to plating up, Kate's carrot sorbet showed some cracks and Michael's passion fruit mousse, which makes up the snowman's head, was a bit loose. The judges raved about both finalists' dishes and polished the plates clean.
| 2,334,000 | 2nd | 2nd |
| 86/15-2 | Sunday 7 August 2011 | The Winner Announced – Kate is declared the winner, scoring a total of 87 points over Michael's 82. Kate wins $100,000 in cash, a culinary scholarship and a cookbook deal with Random House. Runner-up Michael is offered a culinary apprenticeship by judge Gary Mehigan at his restaurant, Fenix. | 2,740,000 | 1st | 1st |
