MasterChef SA: Tumi sent home

After the MasterChef Mystery Box Challenge, 6 contestants, Tumi, Leandri, Mary, Amanda, Sanet, and Seline, were to survive the Pressure Test.

Leandri’s worst nightmare realised when they were faced with an Identification Test and it was clear who the contenders were for the Elimination Challenge.

Cheese! A clearly disgusted Leandri had no choice but to grab this challenge head-on, ‘Okay – bring out the stinky feet,’ she sighed. ‘I don’t eat cheese, I don’t know cheese types.’

It was clear that there was a lack of confidence about this pungent luxury with Tumi also glumly admitting: ‘I’m nervous because I know I’m not good with names.’

With no real surprise, Tumi and Leandri headed to the Elimination Challenge, shortly followed by sister Selene.

Benny explained that Bouillabaisse comprises fish cooked in stock and herbs and that it originated in the French harbour city of Marseille, also revealing that the contestants would not get a recipe, but had to reconstruct the dish purely based on their tasting of it.

At the sound of Bouillabaisse, Leandri started chirping ‘All I taste is garlic, salt and fish!’ while her sister Selene worriedly pointed out that there’s a taste to this dish that you can’t quite put your finger on. Tumi also joined the choir confessing, ‘I’m not a seafood fan.’

With 60 minutes to complete the dish, a quick stop in the pantry was required, but not everyone grabbed essentials, leaving Tumi devastated without crucial calamari.

The calamari also presented a problem for Seline with plating. ‘I genuinely forgot that it was in my stock,’ she explained, unwilling to add the over-cooked calamari to her plate because ‘no-one likes eating an eraser,’ she pointed out.

When it came down to the judges’ verdict, Pete said that Tumi had obviously cooked like a man possessed. ‘You can taste that you put your heart and soul into this,’ he said. ‘It makes a difference to the food.’

But sadly that was not enough to keep Tumi on board and he bid a dignified farewell.

‘I’m proud to say I come out a better person than I came in,’ Tumi reflected. ‘I’m happy to have had this opportunity. I feel proud that I went out fighting, no matter how short the game has been for me.’

For more information and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, visit the official website at www.mnet.co.za and follow MasterChef South Africa on Twitter at @MasterChef_SA and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MasterChefSA