MasterChef SA Season 2 episode 20: Amanda Beck kneaded out at Castelli’s, Kamini Pather and Tiron Eloff attend MasterClass in Jemma Valley!

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Last night’s episode 20 of MasterChef SA was one of two extremes, showing off the leading restaurant Ristorante Castelli in Addis Ababa, to a MasterClass being hosted in the Jemma Valley two hours away, in Ethiopia.

Leandri van der Wat and Amanda Beck went to the Italian Ristorante Castelli, where the Pressure Test was conducted in their kitchen, much being made of their ‘professional kitchen’, the first time that both Finalists had cooked in one. It looked old-fashioned, the restaurant being 65 years old, and is run by Rosa Castelli and her brother-in-law Carlo, with her daughter Rossella appearing on TV but not saying a word nor being involved in judging the dishes. The restaurant has been described by Sir Bob Geldof as the ‘best Italian restaurant in the world bar none’, reported The Telegraph, and little has changed in the restaurant over time. It is known as the best restaurant in Addis Ababa. Sir Bob added: ‘You haven’t tasted real pasta until you’ve been there’! The reception has many framed photographs of the famous people who have eaten there, including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and Bono. Chef Pete Goffe-Wood explained that Ethiopia has never been occupied, despite an attempt by the Italians.

The Pressure Test was to recreate the Castelli’s Lobster Raviolo, filled with ricotta, spinach, and tomato, and served with lobster and a lobster bisque. Chef Andrew Atkinson advised that the pasta should be prepared ‘al dente’, being thin but not too soft. They had to make their own pasta in the challenge, and Chef Andrew said that making pasta is an art form in itself, needing good kneading to release the glutens in the dough. Chef Benny explained how to make the Bisque, with tomato paste, wine, brandy, and cream. The two Finalists were given 60 minutes to prepare the dish, with ingredients and the recipe waiting for them in their preparation areas.

Amanda seemed happy and ‘in her element’, and said ‘the peace is in me’ compared to having ‘lost the plot’ in Tuesday’s episode 19, she said at the start to the Pressure Test. She had made pasta once before, but it was not perfect, she admitted. She knew that the pasta must be soft and shiny, and therefore she added extra water. She wasn’t sure about preparing the lobster for the bisque, and chopped it into bigger pieces. She started panicking, fearing that she was running out of time. She said that she was ‘living her dream, and that she was fighting for her apron‘. She struggled to use the pasta machine to make the pasta. She was not 100% happy with her effort, saying philosophically ‘it is what it is‘. An edge of her pasta broke off, and she said ‘just tough I guess’. She said that she was the most calm she had been in a Pressure Test, and smiled, as she was living her dream. She decided to not give up until the end. Chef Pete said that had she given up, she would not have known what she could have done. He could not taste the crayfish, and said that water had entered the raviolo, affecting its flavour. Chef Benny Masekwameng said that her lobster bisque was perfect, but that the raviolo had not cooked enough, as he tasted a thick layer of tomato. Chef Andrew said the bisque was balanced, that it was ‘spot on’, and he praised her for fighting through.

Leandri said it was fun and challenging to be cooking in the kitchen at Castelli’s. She got her pots of water boiling upfront, to not lose time. She said that she is working in an Italian restaurant, and therefore her pasta ‘can’t be off‘. She put strong pressure into the kneading of her dough. She described her work with the lobster as ‘hacking‘, to get it into small pieces. She had past experience with a pasta machine, but used a rolling pin in the end. Her bisque was strong, having reduced too much, and she added white wine twice, the judges observed. In presenting her dish to the judges, she said her dream is to open a Bistro serving coffee, and she wants to help children. Chef Pete told her that she was ‘progressing by leaps and bounds‘, and that she is no longer playing it safe. Her pasta was spot on, but the sauce was over-reduced. Chef Andrew said her pasta and the filling were good, while Chef Benny added that the consistency of the pasta was correct. What was most impressive was Leandri’s support of Amanda, when she was losing faith in her pasta preparation, and she encouraged her to keep going.

Kamini Pather and Tiron Eloff had jointly won a MasterClass in episode 19 with Chef Habte Ayehu (no reference found about him on Google) in the impressive Jemma Valley, named after the river below and surrounded by mountains, which has a bridge built over it by the Portuguese in the 16th century, said to have been made by mixing egg and lime. He demonstrated the making of a traditional ‘Doro wat’ stew, which is served at celebrations and shared with the family. Chef Habte made the wat with dry fried onions, cooking in their own juice, added oil, chili powder, berbere spice, feenugreek powder, and chicken pieces, creating layers of flavour Tiron said, and then water, garlic, and ginger. The dish was served with boiled egg, ayib cheese, and injera bread. The chef also made a vegetarian stew called ‘Shiro’, explaining that Wednesdays and Fridays are vegetarian days in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and this means that no eggs, butter or milk are used in the preparation of dishes on these days.

The judges had a tough time in deciding who they were sending home, as both Leandri and Amanda had made the dish of a similar standard. They said that the two had cooked their heart out, that both had seen highs and lows, and that both ‘have got what it takes to work in a professional kitchen’. Their decision was to send Amanda home, and she was very positive about the decision, yet she cried. Chef Benny said that she belongs in the kitchen, and that everything happens for a reason. Chef Pete congratulated Leandri for no longer playing it safe. She was tasked with taking the news to the other Finalists, who could not see the Pressure Test, that ‘we are not yet done with Ethiopia’. The other four Finalists were delighted to see Leandri survive the Pressure Test, and hugged her. From the preview of next week’s episode 21 it would appear that the Top 7 Finalists will cook at an Ethiopian market for the locals, and have to dish up for a ‘top sports star‘.

For an overview of what is lying ahead for the rest of Season 2 read here. For behind the scenes information on the filming of Season 2 in January read here. For an overview of episode 1 of Season 2 read here. For an overview of episode 2 of Season 2 read here, for episode 3 read here, for episode 4 here, episode 5 here, episode 6 here, episode 7, episode 8, episode 9, and episode 10, episode 11, episode 12, episode 13, episode 14, episode 15, episode 16, episode 17, episode 18, and episode 19 read here. Enter our competitions, to predict the Finalist who will be eliminated in the next Pressure Test, and which Finalist will win MasterChef SA Season 2.