Chelsea Holmes Leaves Masterchef New Zealand

STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 8.30 PM TUESDAY 6TH MARCH 2012.

Chelsea Holmes became the first contestant from the Top 16 to leave MasterChef New Zealand on Tuesday 6th March (7.30 pm – 8.30 pm) on TV ONE.
In tonight’s show the Top 16 contestants moved into a luxury home on Auckland's North Shore. But they had a rude awakening with a midnight visit from MasterChef judge Simon Gault. Simon revealed the Top 16’s first challenge, an overnight shift at Auckland’s Loaf Handcrafted Breads under the watchful eye of owner Sean Armstrong.

Split into two teams, Red and Blue, at Loaf the contestants had just eight hours to bake eight different types of bread, one per team member. The breads had to be delivered to the Fish restaurant at the Hilton Hotel by 8am the next day.

The Red Team won the challenge, ensuring all its members were immune from elimination.

Andy and Matt from the Blue Team were singled out for their strong performances.

Zee Tana, a celiac sufferer, was the first in the Red Team to hold his hand up to make the gluten-free spicy carrot cake. Auckland mother-of-one, Chelsea Holmes from Team Blue also volunteered for the task, thinking it would be fun to compete with Zee. But they were both quickly under fire from judge Simon Gault and Sean who berated them for risking contamination of their gluten free ingredients. The pressure getting to Chelsea, she confessed she had ‘blown it’.

At tasting, Zee got a further blast from the judges and guest judge, Fish restaurant executive chef Shane Yardley, who declared Zee’s cake to be very dry and thick. But they saved their harshest criticisms for Chelsea Holmes’ much smaller loaf; Ray McVinnie described it as full of baking soda, and having a raw spice flavour.

Chelsea’s confidence wasn’t dented. “I don’t think it will be me going home today. And I feel sad for those who will be leaving,” she said.

So, it was an enormous shock for the 23-year-old when she was told to leave the MasterChef kitchen. In tears, Chelsea said she had been 100 percent sure that she would be in. “I don’t think anyone thought it would be me.”

Simon Gault told her she was supposed to be baking a gluten free spicy carrot cake, but what she made tasted more like a raw spice cake. “Maybe baking isn’t for you”, Simon mused. Ray McVinnie agreed. “It (the loaf) was a bit unpleasant,” he said.

Chelsea admitted that she hadn’t tasted her loaves, but she didn’t think they were bad enough for her to be sent home. “It was a tough night,” she said. “I was very tired. And at judging I think the judges tried to crack me a little bit.”

Heading home, she said she was looking forward to seeing her family, and carrying on with food-related projects she started before MasterChef. “I won’t say goodbye because I’m not gone. I’m going to write a cookbook for mums and bubs. I am going to do it. I will do it! Keep an eye for us out there!”

ENDS
For Chelsea Holmes’ thoughts on being evicted from the kitchen, visit the TVNZ MasterChef NZ site for an exclusive interview.

MasterChef New Zealand continues Tuesdays 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: Andrea Bathgate ( Auckland), Andy Currin(Wellington), Matt Gilray (Christchurch), Alana Harper (Timaru), Al Markham ( Lower Hutt), Charlene McGechan (Rotorua), Dave McKinnon (Christchurch), Ben Munro (Russell), Chantelle O’Brien( Ashburton), Tony Price ( Auckland) Ana Schwarz ( Waiheke), Zee Tana (Auckland ), Brenton Thornton (Auckland), Chris Turner (Christchurch), Chelsea Winter ( Auckland).