‘MasterChef’: Fans rejoice as Bri is eliminated and Subha wins the mystery box challenge
This week’s mystery box challenge had a twist which the home cooks didn’t see coming. Traditionally, the mystery box challenge provides immunity from the elimination round held next day for the winner of the challenge and nobody is eliminated in a mystery box challenge performance. However, this week the judges threw a curveball, and announced that one of the home cooks will be eliminated at the end of the challenge, while the winner won’t be getting an immunity but instead a chance to have their recipe published in the prestigious ‘Family Circle Magazine’.
The stakes were set high as the top eight home cooks fought for a spot on the show. This week’s mystery challenge was cooking a one-pot meal/dish on a single cast iron pan in just 60 minutes and the guest judge was none other than the renowned cookbook author Daphne Oz.
As the timer began, the participants ran into the vast MasterChef pantry to pick out their choice of ingredients to whip up a delightful plate of one-pot goodness. All the participants zeroed down on a very interesting dish with a strong backstory to their selection. For instance, Nick picked clam chowder because he grew up eating it, while Noah cooked a Chinese Frittata to honor his girlfriend and her Chinese family. Bri immediately panicked on seeing the mystery box challenge as she revealed that she doesn’t have a cast iron pan at home, so she doesn’t know how to work with it. She decided to play it safe and picked the classic crispy skin salmon with corn puree, candied bacon, roasted dark carrots, and pickled shallots. When the judges pointed out that it is a very basic dish and that she needed to do something to elevate it, she assured them that she would bring her best efforts to the table.
However, unfortunately for our young plating queen, her salmon’s skin gets stuck to the pan, forcing her to start over again. Bri has consistently been at the bottom of the challenge for several weeks now, and although she had to redo her entire dish, the salmon was still raw, when she eventually presented it to the judges. While the judges appreciated her corn puree and candied bacon, they were disappointed with the lack of flavors and the raw salmon. The judges after some deliberation decided that it was time for her to leave the show.
While Bri may be wallowing in misery, fans are extremely happy about her elimination. As she has consistently been in the bottom, and many deserving contestants kept getting eliminated week after week while she managed to stay on the show. In fact, fans are still fuming about Jamie’s elimination last week, while Bri got saved. This week Bri was again at the bottom and fans felt that it was unfair that she is again in the same spot as she was in the last week’s episode. A fan wrote, “Gordon Ramsay really said "this is a shock to us" before sending Bri home. They were joking right? Lmao. Homegirl was consistently in the bottom. #MasterChef”. Another fan commented, “They sent Jamie home last week, over Bri, only for Bri to come back this week and do the same thing... #MasterChef”. “@MASTERCHEFonFOX I am glad to see #Bri going home. I was tired of seeing her cry every week in the bottom. #MasterChef looking forward to see who wins”, tweeted a fan.
The other highlight of the episode was Subha’s victory. Subha, who has been “the Willy Wonka” of this season, has finally once and for all proved to all his critics that he has very well earned and deserved his spot on the show. Subha whipped up a sumptuous Shrimp Biryani with apple cucumber and date salad. He was very calm and confident throughout the challenge, as he felt that this challenge was straight up his alley. He revealed that his sister taught him how to cook the biryani, so it’s a dish close to his heart. When he presented the dish to the judges, all of them were bowled over by his unique skill of nailing the flavours of whatever dish he chooses to create. Judge Joe in fact went as far as to warn the other eight participants that Subha is the one to watch out for. When Subha was finally announced as the winner, we all were extremely proud and happy for this man. A fan wrote, “I can not even put into words how much this warms my heart. Subha has been through the RINGER so far this season, and to see him so happy and calm with the best dish of the night that he was so happy to make- It's so nice to see him get his due #MasterChef”.
Another fan shared, “People really out here grouping Subha & Bri together. Homegirl only knows how to plate a dish, not cook it. She bats her eyelashes and cries literally every single time, skating right through. Subha knows how to flavor and season his food. They’re nowhere near the same #Masterchef”.
Tune in to MasterChef season 10, on Wednesday and Thursday nights, at 8/7c on Fox.