Masterchef returns with a bang as the judges heap praise onto a contestant for the ‘best Ackee and salt fish’ they’ve seen – but viewers slam the line-up as ‘the most annoying’ yet
Masterchef returned with a bang on Monday evening – as the judges praised a contestant for the ‘best Ackee and salt fish’ they’d ever seen on the show.
Gregg Wallace, 58, and John Torode, 57, returned to screens for the 2023 season of Masterchef UK to host the auditions for the new BBC series.
Nine ambitious home cooks took to the kitchen to produce their best work under strict time pressures in the nail-biting episode.
Tensions were high from the start as the judges were met with two undercooked chickens, blue rice and a hollandaise sauce cooked in the microwave.
But while the judges were wowed by one ‘outstanding’ aspiring chef, viewers at home were less impressed, branding the contestants as the ‘most annoying’ to date.
Oh dear: Masterchef UK returned to screens on Monday night – but viewers slammed the contestants as ‘the most annoying’ yet
New series: Judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode returned to oversee nine contestants compete in auditions
Matthew, 33, an IT project coordinator from Wolverhampton, won over the judges with his Caribbean cooking.
He presented Gregg and John with a classic Ackee and salt fish with coconut and lime rice.
Stunned at such a success so early in the show, Gregg said: ‘Matthew that is the prettiest and smartest Ackee and salt fish I’be ever seen. That tastes fantastic.
‘There is absolutely nothing that would stop me demolishing that plate and asking for another one.’
John added: ‘This is the best Ackee and salt fish I’ve ever eaten. Ever!’
The tasty dish quickly won Matthew one of the first aprons of the series, as he progressed through to the next round.
However, viewers were less than impressed with the new set of contestants.
Geva, a local government councillor, sent TV watchers into a fury at her botched attempt to make hollandaise sauce in the microwave, while her pancakes reminded people of ‘sick’ and ‘Branston pickle’.
Wow: Matthew, 33, stunned the judges with his Ackee and salt fish, which they called the best they’d ever seen
Enthusiasm: However contestant Nickolas was seen by ‘annoying’ by many viewers at home
Divisive: Some believed Geva’s pancakes looked like ‘Branston pickle’ and one even said it reminded them of ‘sick’
Eliminated: Geva left the show after making hollandaise sauce in the microwave and failing to wow with her pancakes
People at home couldn’t believe their eyes at her antics, commenting: ‘Geva made solid sauce in round 1, and sick on a pancake in round 2.
‘Did Geva just top her pancakes with Branston?’
Meanwhile product trainer Jonny and supermarket manager Woei both suffered from uncooked chickens and had to cook again in the invention round – where contestants are given an hour and 15 minutes to cook up a recipe from given ingredients.
‘Nothing says failure more than going on Masterchef and serving pink chicken,’ commented one viewer.
But it was delivery driver Nickolas who sent viewers into a fury, as he ran towards the ingredients in the invention challenge to snatch up the best ingredients, with the judges noting his ‘enthusiasm’.
Linda Bateman tweeted: ‘Is it me or is Nicholas intensely annoying?’ while Pip Horton added: ‘Most annoying set of contestants ever.’
Another added: ‘Calm down Nickolas’ and a fourth said: ‘I already want Nicholas to crash and burn at the earliest opportunity.’
At the end of the episode, Matthew and Terri were followed through to the next round by Zoe, Jonny, Woei and Nickolas. Geva and Jo were eliminated.
Masterchef UK continues on BBC One on Tuesday at 8pm.
Cooking disasters: There were two uncooked chickens in the first 25 minutes of the show, with Jonny’s whole chicken having pink segments
Unusual approach: Geva’s hollandaise sauce split after she attempted to cook it in the microwave
Source: Read Full Article