An Indigenous ritual on MasterChef renders Pete incredibly emotional

An indigenous ‘Welcome to Land’ ritual conducted on the MasterChef contestants leaves one contestant feeling incredibly emotional.

The contestants of MasterChef are thrilled to be out of Melbourne and in the beautiful lands of the Northern Territory.

Whilst cooking under the stars the previous night with Uluru as their backdrop, the orange team failed to win the service challenge, meaning Pete, Tommy, Kishwar and Depinder are in Tuesday night’s elimination cook at beautiful Simpson’s Gap, 30 minutes from Alice Springs.

Before they can start, the group are welcomed by the Arrernte people — traditional custodians of the land who conduct a smoking ceremony – to keep the contestants safe and let the land guide them.

The contestants receive a Welcome To Country from traditional custodians of the land. Picture: Channel 10

RELATED: Star chef’s incredible cancer journey

As an elder waves the smoking eucalyptus leaves around Pete, she explains: “Why we do this, the welcome to country? It’s to keep you safe from the land. And the land will heal you and guide you as well.”

The elder explains that the Welcome to Country ritual keeps you safe from the land. Picture: Channel 10

RELATED: Contestant tells celeb chef to ‘get stuffed’

The entire ordeal renders Pete incredibly emotional.

“The Welcome to Country ceremony is easily the most humbling experience I’ve ever had. To be welcomed to these areas by the Indigenous people is beyond special,” he said.

Pete gets incredibly emotional over the ritual. Picture: Channel 10

For the challenge, Melissa welcomes Rayleen Brown, an expert with a wealth of knowledge in Indigenous ingredients who takes the group through the various native ingredients she has foraged - acacia seeds, bush tomatoes, desert limes, quandongs and ruby salt bush.

The contestants have 75 minutes to cook a dish that features one of more of the native ingredients Rayleen has bought in. All dishes will be tasted and the least impressive dish will send its maker home from the competition.

To see who leaves the competition, tune into MasterChef at 7:30pm on Channel 10.