South Australian contestant Callum Hann defends Laura Sharrad as they secure spots in MasterChef’s top four
Adelaide’s Callum Hann and Laura Sharrad have both made the final four of this MasterChef season – and they still have some surprises up their sleeve to get them the win.
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Callum Hannhas launched a passionate defence ofLaura Sharrad as the South Australian pair plan their assault on the MasterChef crown.
With Ten’s cooking competition entering its final week, fan favourite Hann described Sharrad as a “brilliant cook” and said any online criticism of the young star was simply an example of “tall poppy syndrome”.
“It’s because she’s so good. Anyone who is awesome at anything in life, there’s going to be people who love them and people who want to cut them down,” said Hann, who along with Sharrad, Emelia Jackson and Reynold Poernomo, is in this season’s top four.
“I think anyone who doesn’t think Laura is one of the hottest young chefs in Australia is kidding themselves.
“A lot of people say she only cooks pasta but if you’ve watched the show, she’s only cooked it a handful of times... her knowledge of a variety of cuisines is incredible for someone as young as she is.”
While initially stung by the trolling on social media, Sharrad, 24, said she’s moved on and has answered her critics in the best way possible.
And she believes South Australia has a wonderful chance of adding another MasterChef title this year, following on from Adam Liaw (2010) and Sashi Cheliah (2018).
“Callum is definitely a dark horse, he’s a very well-rounded cook. I knew he would definitely make it this far,” said Sharrad, who runs Italian restaurant Nido with husband, Max, in Hyde Park.
“He knows his food and he’s very driven, very strategic.”
Hann added: “If I can’t win, I really hope Laura wins. We’ve been so well represented in the past on MasterChef so I think it’s only fair if it’s ‘Back to Win’, we come back and a South Australian takes it out.”
Sydney “dessert king” Reece Hignell was the latest contestant given the boot from the MasterChef kitchen on Sunday night.
The popular baker said he was “heartbroken” to have been eliminated so close to the finish line after his vegetarian entree of beetroot and goat’s cheese fell flat with the judges.
“I’m pretty upset about it, to leave at the end is heartbreaking,” he said.
“It’s incredibly frustrating, we all want this so bad. As much as we love each other, we all want to win for ourselves.”
With the MasterChef finale set for next Monday, Hann and Sharrad said they’ve both got something special left up their sleeve.
“You don’t want to be the Crows in the grand final against Richmond a couple of years ago and you’ve used up all your good stuff,” said Sprout Cooking’s Hann.
“If I can get to the finale, I’ve got some dishes I know the judges will love, there are a couple which are real humdingers so for me.
“At the pointy end of the competition, you want to bring out those big guns.”