{"id":34113,"date":"2012-07-04T00:18:47","date_gmt":"2012-07-03T22:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.whalecottage.com\/blog\/?p=34113"},"modified":"2012-07-04T21:46:52","modified_gmt":"2012-07-04T19:46:52","slug":"masterchef-sa-episode-16-deena-honoured-by-star-chef-michel-roux-jnr-lungi-ballotined-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrisvonulmenstein.com\/blog\/restaurant-news\/masterchef-sa-episode-16-deena-honoured-by-star-chef-michel-roux-jnr-lungi-ballotined-out\/","title":{"rendered":"MasterChef SA episode 16: Deena Naidoo honoured by star Chef Michel Roux Jnr, Lungi Nhlanhla ballotined out!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Last night’s episode 16 was the most sophisticated MasterChef SA one we have seen to date, and reached a high with Chef Michel Roux Jnr of La Gavroche, a two Michelin star restaurant in London, giving a Masterclass. It felt that we as viewers as well as the final five Finalists had reached culinary heaven, the closest that most of us will get to getting a taste of a Michelin star restaurant! \u00a0It will have taught the MasterChef SA judges how gracious one can be with one’s feedback, no matter how negative the message is.<\/p>\n

The episode started with a quick reminder of the big prizes at stake for the winner of\u00a0MasterChef SA: R250000 in cash from Robertsons, a year’s supply of Nederburg as well as tuition from the SA Sommeliers Association<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, a trip to Tuscany sponsored by Woolworths, a Hyundai, and a year of being in charge of Tsogo Sun’s MondoVino Restaurant at Montecasino. \u00a0Sue-Ann Allen was the first to put up her hand when the finalists were asked who wants to become the winner of MasterChef SA.<\/p>\n

Chef Michel Roux Jnr was introduced to the Finalists, Deena Naidoo saying that it was a treat to meet this ‘culinary royalty<\/em>‘. La Gavroche opened in 1993, and Chef Michel is a judge on MasterChef UK. Lungi Nhlanhla cried tears of happiness in experiencing this famous chef. Chef Michel said of himself that he comes from a ‘family dynasty of butter and cream loving chefs’<\/em>, whose clients ‘leave content with a full tummy’<\/em>. \u00a0Chef Pete Goffe-Wood said that his meal at La Gavroche was ‘one of the most memorable’<\/em> he has experienced. Chef Michel shared with the finalists that if they \"\"<\/a>‘cook from the heart and believe in what you put on the plate’<\/em>, they would be a champion. He prepared his La Gavroche signature dish, sounding even better with its French name, being artichoke stuffed with chicken liver, topped with truffle slices, and served with a Madeira sauce. All the Finalists as well as the viewers were taken through a step by step explanation of how to make the precious dish. \u00a0Turning the artichokes was difficult but important to reveal the beautiful shape of the heart. Chef Michel said that he seasons at the beginning, and then adds more, if needed. Keeping the chicken mousse on ice is important. Deena said he ‘captured every motion<\/em>‘ of Chef Michel, who said one must take the ‘choke out of the artichoke’<\/em>, yet retain its shape. Truffles must be treated with respect, being so expensive, he emphasised. Guests expect to pay more for dishes with truffles, but they expect the chef to be generous with them too, he said. \u00a0Sue-Ann said that Chef Michel’s work once again showed the ‘simple beauty of food<\/em>‘. \u00a0When she tasted his dish, she said that she experienced a ‘texture and taste explosion<\/em>‘. Sarel praised its ‘earthiness’<\/em>, saying it was ‘just beautiful’,<\/em> and Deena said it was a ‘heavenly dish cooked by a genius<\/em>‘.<\/p>\n

The task to the Finalists was to replicate the artichoke dish of Chef Michel Jnr, and to make a chicken ballotine, which can be prepared by braising or roasting it. The expectation of the Finalists was ‘perfection<\/em>‘, he said. The ‘carrot’ offered was a bell, which the Finalist preparing the best dish would receive, for use in episode 17, to obtain advice from one of the Chef Judges.<\/p>\n

Sue-Ann chose to make a cream cheese, sage, rosemary and parma ham stuffed chicken ballotine with beetroot rings and green pea mash. \u00a0 She was said to cook with ‘heart’<\/em>. \u00a0The judges were sceptical about her cream cheese stuffing, describing it as an ‘interesting combination’<\/em>, and questioned how it would hold together, to which she answered that she would use egg white. Chef Michel said her presentation was nice, and its taste was the closest to his. However, her ballotine was not so successful, the cream cheese not binding.\u00a0Sue-Ann said that who ‘comes out strong today, will have a serious chance to win<\/em>‘.<\/p>\n

Lungi was praised for her concept of echoing the artichoke stuffing in her ballotine, ‘a very clever idea’<\/em> according to Chef Michel. Yet he expressed his concern about her cauliflower pure\u00e9, cutting it fine if she wanted it to set and cook. \u00a0Chef Benny Masekwameng praised her artichoke dish, cut open to show the chicken liver inside. Chef Michel said that her concept was right, but not its execution. Her cauliflower mousse did not hold, and went ‘blop’<\/em>, she said. While the judges were evaluating her dish, she started to cry, and gentleman Chef Benny got up and gave her a hanky to dry her tears. Chef Michel said her plate was too full, and she should have used a bigger plate to make her dish look better and neater. He told her that ‘we must learn through our mistakes<\/em>‘. \u00a0Chef Andrew told her that ‘to be adventurous with food, you need boundaries as well’.<\/em><\/p>\n

Deena used minced pork with roasted pistachio nuts. He said that he was worried about being judged by Chef Michel, but told himself to keep focus, and show respect to Chef Michel. His biggest challenge was to turn the arti\"\"<\/a>choke, he said. \u00a0His dish was described as being ‘visually bold and simple’<\/em>, but his use of two plates was questioned by the judges. Deena said he wanted to highlight the accompaniment on a separate plate, in honour of Chef Michel. Chef Pete very quickly said that it was the wrong thing to do. Chef Andrew Atkinson gave an approving wink. Chef Pete liked the\u00a0ballotine sausage, saying it was clever, with his use of pistachio and the crisp ham on the outside. Chef Michel said that it was the only ‘true ballotine<\/em>‘ prepared of the five he evaluated, especially as Deena had toasted the pistachio nuts.<\/p>\n

Sarel Loots stuffed his ballotine with peppadew (spicy capsicum, it was explained to Chef Michel, not having heard of it or tasted it before). \u00a0When he was questioned about the peppadew overpowering the truffle, he said that it would give his dish colour, and that he was ‘experimenta<\/em>l’, wanting to ‘push the envelope’<\/em>! Chef Michel said that the truffle should be the star, and not the peppadew. The presentation was praised, but he was told his dish came in two separate parts: the artichoke mousse, which was a little heavy and dense, and the ballotine, which had a good balance of flavour, but the two did not match each other, as the peppadew overpowered the truffle. Sarel had taken a huge risk, he was told. During the broadcast, Sarel Tweeted sweetly: ‘We were so honoured to be in this episode – going home will be no problem<\/em>‘.<\/p>\n

Manisha Naidu looked worried when preparing her dish, and Chef Michel advised her to ‘stay calm, stay focused, and believe in yourself<\/em>‘. \u00a0She said it was hard work to pass the chicken through the sieve to make the mousse. \u00a0Manisha was told that she could have added more colour to her dish, and that her stuffing was not visible (she said her mushrooms had shrunk). But her artichoke was well turned, and was very close to his. \u00a0Her ballotine was dull and over-cooked, said Chef Pete.<\/p>\n

Chef Michel presented the bell for the best dish to Deena, saying that he ‘might one day become a professional chef<\/em>‘, in presenting the ‘only true ballotine today<\/em>‘, amazing praise! \u00a0Lungi was sent home, and Chef Benny said that she had cooked some of his favourite dishes on the\"\"<\/a> show, reflecting her creativity and passion for food. \u00a0Chef Pete encouraged her to keep on cooking, and that ‘we look forward to seeing more of you’.<\/em> Lungi said she was now recognised as a cook, having ‘become a mature young woman who had travelled an amazing road of self-discovery’<\/em> through MasterChef SA. \u00a0The highest compliment came from Chef Michel, with his invitation for Lungi to visit him at his restaurant when she comes to London. Chef Peter Tempelhoff of Eat Ou<\/strong>t <\/strong>Top 10 top restaurant The Greenhouse at Cellars Hohenhort<\/a><\/span><\/strong> will give a Masterclass in episode 17.<\/p>\n

It was interesting to note that only one of the three or four Robertons TV commercials in MasterChef SA last night featured Chef Reuben Riffel<\/a>!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com<\/a> Twitter: @WhaleCottage<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last night’s episode 16 was the most sophisticated MasterChef SA one we have seen to date, and reached a high with Chef Michel Roux Jnr of La Gavroche, a two Michelin star restaurant in London, giving a Masterclass. It felt that we as viewers as well as the final five Finalists had reached culinary heaven, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[124,14539,362,20,21,293],"tags":[15291,1449,16205,32378,15190,4180,13295,15914,15397,32404,16207,651,14544,12340,399,1458,2551,252,1347,10151,16206,15200,15408,2690,16208,15907,32373,171],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t