Susanne Huber Leaves Masterchef New Zealand

Susanne Huber Leaves Masterchef New Zealand

STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 8.30PM SUNDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2013

Susanne Huber became the first contestant from the Top 16 to leave MasterChef New Zealand on Sunday 24th February (7.30 pm – 8.30 pm) on TV ONE.

In tonight’s show the Top 16 travelled to the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua to take part in a team hangi challenge.

Split into four teams of four, each team was given four and a half hours to dig a pit, light a fire, prepare their food and cook a traditional Maori hangi, gourmet style.

The Green Team - comprised of Elliot Brookes, Michael Gin, Kelly Kaihea and Dana Leaming - won the challenge with dishes of Mokoia koura with avocado and tomato salsa and dill mayo; hangi pork with yam, apple, taro, chilli and coconut cream; and pork sausage with red onion, cabbage and apple coleslaw.

The Red Team lost the challenge and its worst performing member - Susanne Huber - was sent home.

From the start Susanne had been confident she and her team could deliver a winning feast.

Despite a lack of experience with hangi she thought that an Austrian- style stuffing, traditional to her homeland, would be an ideal contribution.

Presenting their food to the MasterChef judges, she was shocked when Simon Gault, Ray McVinnie and Josh Emett turned their noses up at what they had produced.

“This is bloody awful,” said Simon, after tasting the hangi chicken with bread stuffing.

“There’s nothing of substance in here,” opined Josh as he picked through the Mokoia koura with salad greens and a Thai dressing.

“The pork is shocking, and it should never have been taken out of the ground,” he added.

Guest judge, chef Rex Morgan, thought the hangi lamb with garlic and rosemary was rather nice.

But Ray’s critique of the silver beet roulade with bread stuffing was damning.

“It tastes like glue!” he complained. “I am not happy at all.”

“Susanne,” Ray continued, “your silver beet stuffing is a big disappointment.

“I am really surprised you have made such a bad job of what is essentially a traditional Austrian dish.”

Told to pack her bags and go home, the 48-year-old expressed disappointment.

“Leaving is sad, because I didn’t get a chance to cook in the MasterChef kitchen,” she said.

“And I can’t show what I can do… but it definitely doesn’t put me off cooking!”
ENDS
For an exclusive interview with Susanne Huber go to www.tvnz.co.nz/masterchef
MasterChef New Zealand continues Sundays at 7.30pm on TV ONE. At stake for the remaining contestants is the MasterChef New Zealand title and more than $100,000 worth of prizes.
The remaining contestants are: Aaron Brunet (Raglan); Corinna Jewanski (Paraparaumu); Dana Leaming (Wellington); David Jamieson (Wellington); Ella Krauts (Christchurch); Eliott Brookes (Wellington); Jennis Hayes (Auckland); Kelly Kaihea (Auckland); Kris Williams (Matakana); Michael Gin (Dunedin); Paula Saengthian-ngam (Nelson); Raheel Kerr (Hamilton); Serena Edwards (Auckland); Sushil Ravikumar (Wellington); Vanessa Baxter (Auckland).

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