‘Perfect specimen’: MasterChef judge’s surprising call on AFL star

Nick Riewoldt, Collette Dinnigan and Tilly Ramsay go head to head in a tough MasterChef challenge. Who will come out on top? The judges weigh in.

It’s been weeks of some fabulous food and the three remaining stars are facing their final challenge to be crowned 2021 Celebrity MasterChef.

Nick Riewoldt, Collette Dinnigan and Tilly Ramsay go head to head as they tackle the toughest MasterChef challenge of all – a pressure test – in their final cook.

But just who has what it takes to win? Judges Melissa Leong, Jock Zonfrillo and Andy Allen hand down their report cards on the final three.

TILLY RAMSAY

Charity: “I’m playing for Great Ormond Street Charity, a children’s charity. It’s very close to all of us, Mum and Dad have had a foundation there. All my siblings ran the marathon to raise money for them … I was sad to not be able to raise that money (because of Covid).”

Judges’ favourite dish

ML: Those chocolate fondants were next level.

JZ: Tilly’s scallop dish from the Beauty mystery box. Considered cooking that showed us not only can she cook great food but her attention to seasoning and balance was, well, the absolute best.

AA: Seared scallop, sweet and sour beetroot and veloute sauce. The dish showed so much technique and maturity. I couldn’t fault anything on the plate.

Celebrity MasterChef’s final three – Tilly Ramsay, Nick Riewoldt and Collette Dinnigan.

Strength in the kitchen

ML: Being organised and keeping her cool.

JZ: Being Gordon’s daughter! I’m sure Tilly learnt a lot from Dad over the years but it means very little when you walk through the MasterChef kitchen doors and start panicking to cook a mystery box. She is one calm lady under pressure!

AA: For a 19-year-old, Tilly handled herself with such a high level of maturity.

Magic moment

ML: Honestly, just watching a 19-year-old hold her own with grace, good humour and skill among such luminaries was impressive every single day.

JZ: I think the way Tilly handled the distillery cook – unbelievable. I reckon Thorpey spent over half the cook cutting chips. Meanwhile Tilly organised pretty much everything else and with good grace too.

Tilly Ramsay is living up to expectations in the MasterChef kitchen.

MasterChef judges Melissa Leong, Jock Zonfrillo (far right) and Andy Allen.

AA: The finale – seeing Tilly push herself beyond anything she probably thought she would be able to do was unbelievable.

The big surprise

ML: That they were so honest, vulnerable and real in the kitchen. Years of being a public person means you become very good at presenting a certain side of yourself to the public, but they were each so generous with gifting us with who they really are.

JZ: Tilly brought an innocence and an inquisitiveness to the MasterChef kitchen that I just wasn’t expecting given who her old man is. Never afraid to hold her hand up and say ‘I’m not sure’ or ‘I don’t understand’. She may well be 19 but I reckon she’s been here before!

COLLETTE DINNIGAN

Charity: “I’m cooking for the Hope Delivery Foundation (which) one of our great chefs Neil Perry started. They need all the support they can to get food out to families. It saddens me, people not getting good food and this is a great place to start.”

Judges’ favourite dish

ML: Collette’s roast chicken with creamed corn. Elegant, full-flavoured … perfect.

JZ: It has to be risotto. I’ve never understood why everyone kept saying risotto is a death dish in the MasterChef kitchen … clearly whoever was eliminated in the past simply couldn’t cook risotto.

AA: Dorrigo duck breast with cherry sauce, pickled beetroot and fennel puree. I was really keen to see how she would go with refining a dish at Vue De Monde. Collette was able to put out a dish on the plate which belonged in a setting like Vue, but still packed the ultimate punch, but was perfectly balanced!

Fashion designer Collette Dinnigan.

Strength in the kitchen

ML: Producing crazy amounts of flavour and executing dishes that seem effortless, though are anything but.

JZ: Collette is an artistic, creative cook and that will always be her natural strength in the kitchen. It shouldn’t be any surprise given her career but it was amazing to see her flex that same muscle in the kitchen.

AA: Flavour, flavour, flavour!

Magic moment

ML: Watching Collette let her hair down and see her getting in there and having such fun with the other contestants – she seems reserved at first, but then you realise her warmth and humour is worth being patient for.

JZ: Any time Collette went into the pantry. It was priceless, so easily distracted by the quality ingredients and produce – that’s the sign of a great cook.

AA: Seeing Collette relax and open up to myself, Jock, Melissa and the rest of Australia, (and) fall in love with everything that MasterChef has to offer.

NICK RIEWOLDT

Charity: “My chosen charity is Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision – bone marrow syndrome. (It’s) grown rapidly and we are funding over 20 medical research projects. Maddie’s wish was to create change for bone marrow failure, and it’s been motivating.”

Favourite dish

ML: Dippy eggs! What a fun, nostalgic and clever dish!

JZ: Whisky-glazed pork ribs – the perfect cook and to see the collaboration between Nick and Rebecca was just brilliant.

AA: Mum’s Sunday roast. Yeah, it was a crazy tasty dish, but seeing Nick open up about his relationship with his family was really special.

Former AFL star Nick Riewoldt.

Strength in the kitchen

ML: Meeting the brief. Would you expect anything less?

JZ: The guy loves to be coached! He absorbs instruction, direction and advice and implemented pretty quicksticks. Being a fast learner and being able to process any criticism is key to succeeding in the MasterChef kitchen.

AA: I think Nick was probably one of the most naturally gifted cooks that we saw throughout the competition.

Magic moment

ML: It is such a wonderful thing to see someone like Nick be such a nurturer and carer in the kitchen. He is truly a team player as well as a natural leader.

JZ: Watching Nick pimp his Mam’s Sunday roast … unreal. Those baby chickens were cooked to absolute perfection. Better than his Mum? Maybe. What I do know is, he deep fried whole chickens … BOSS.

AA: Watching Nick be the ultimate team player in the kitchen. It didn’t matter what was going on around him, he’d always drop whatever he was doing to help others.

Big surprise

ML: Might Nick be the perfect specimen of a man? Quite possibly! He is an amazing dad, doting husband, clever, kind and caring … and boy, can he cook!

JZ: Nick is a competitor through and through and while that could go either way, I never saw him play dirty once. Quite the opposite – the bloke is a gentleman who naturally cares for teammates and competitors.

Celebrity MasterChef, Monday, 7.30pm, Ten and 10 Play on demand