MasterChef 2020: Viewers applaud emotional challenge

MasterChef viewers, contestants and judges were full of emotion tonight, with one heartbreaking moment proving too much for Mel.

Bella Fowler

3 min read

May 28, 2020 - 7:02AM

There wasn’t a dry eye in all of Australia during Wednesday’s MasterChef Mystery Box challenge – even from the contestants you’d least expect to pour their hearts out on television.

Usually closely-guarded dessert king Reynold Poernomo broke down in tears during the nostalgia-fuelled cook while recalling an emotional time in his childhood, setting judge Melissa Leong off too.

Just minutes in to the emotional challenge, fans were full of praise for the “incredibly moving” episode.

Starting with when Khanh discussed being born in a refugee camp — his photo a depiction of the day his family came to Australia — viewers flocked to Twitter to reveal they had already started crying.

“When we first came to Australia, there was no money,” a teary Khanh told the camera.

“My parents worked really hard to give me the chances that I have now, I am very thankful for that,” he said, adding that he would “channel his emotion” into his cook.

Khanh’s photo brought up a lot of feelings for the fan favourite. Picture: Channel 10.

Shortly after Khanh’s story, 26-year-old Reynold was overcome with emotion when he lifted the mystery box lid to unveil an adorable photo of him as a boy in his parent’s old restaurant, which was closed before his family immigrated to Australia.

When asked what his photo meant to him by judge Melissa Leong, Reynold’s recollection was twinged with pain as he described visiting his hardworking parents at their former restaurant in Indonesia, Bali Sunrise, where he would spend most days after school.

“A long time ago my parents had a restaurant together. I remember going after school, and people would think that I’d be learning so much from my mum or my dad, but actually they’d be working so hard in the restaurant,” he said, his voice quavering.

The dessert superstar was overcome with emotion. Picture: Channel 10.

“I remember during immigration having my parents taken away for a little bit. The restaurant closed down of course, my brother was getting food for me when I was hungry,” Reynold, whose family left Indonesia for Australia when he was four, shared through tears.

“It was the only time I had time with my parents, watching them work.”

“No doubt that is where you get your commitment and your drive from,” judge Melissa said warmly to the frontrunner.

Mel cried openly as Reynold reflected on his childhood. Picture: Channel 10.

“You’re going to make me emotional too!” she joked as she began to cry, adding: “I’m sure your parents are very proud of you.”

Reynold later said he was feeling an added layer of emotion given that at the time of filming, his family restaurants in Australia had to close amid the pandemic.

According to the Koi Dessert Bar Instagram, the popular sweet spot he runs with his brothers re-opened last week.

“I feel really emotional seeing the photo, because not only were they not happy memories with the pandemic happening right now with COVID-19, we had to close all of our venues,” he said on Wednesday.

“It won't be forever, but we're a family business and I'm not sure when we're going to open again. In a way, my family is a little bit jobless at the moment.

“We're struggling through this again. And that picture just really hit it home,” he said, adding that he was going to give his “absolute all” to turn the memory into a “beautiful and happy dish”.

He chose to create a dessert inspired by a pandan, coconut and palm sugar drink called cendol.

“I have never, ever experienced anything quite like that,” Mel later said of Reynold’s magnificent coconut dessert.

Throughout the episode, many thanked the program for telling the important stories of migrant families.

Bravo #MasterChefAU for allowing these stories on air. The richness and diversity and pain so many of us come from. What a crap time to not be able to hug each other. â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸
— Julie Goodwin (@_JulieGoodwin) May 27, 2020

It is too early in the night for these emotions! I want to hug Reynold and Khanh. Thank you for putting faces to these stories... and these stories on prime time TV #MasterChefAU #RefugeesWelcome pic.twitter.com/MfRGhSKudr
— Love, Michael ðŸŒˆ (@ChowYumFat) May 27, 2020

#masterchefau watching Khanh and Reynold tell their incredibly moving and inspiring stories to Mel, an Asian woman, who can directly relate to the struggles and experiences of immigrant families is why representation is so important and why this season of Masterchef is superior
— ALEXANDRA (@alexandrasings4) May 27, 2020

Less than 3 minutes into #MasterChefAU and Iâ€™m crying. Khanh and Reynold and their stories Iâ€™m crying while theyâ€™re crying and I canâ€™t help it ðŸ˜
— aliya ahmad (@_aloo_gobi) May 27, 2020

And this is why we need more diverse representation on Aussie TV. Because stories of kind, talented people who came from refugee and immigrant backgrounds are important reminders for everyone that successful Australians come in different forms along various paths. #MasterChefAU
— Isobel Ardent (@isobelardent) May 27, 2020

the immigrant stories iâ€™m crying the representation on this show is unparalleled #masterchefau
— noel (no-el) ðŸ (@cornoeliastreet) May 27, 2020

At the end of the cook, Khanh, Jess, Reynold, Poh and Brendan were chosen to fight for immunity — the judges selecting five instead of four given the high standard of the night.

“Today was a very unprecedented tasting. 11 absolutely amazing dishes. And if they weren't against each other, they would have been top four, every single one of them, any day of the week,” Jock told the contestants.

MasterChef: Back to Win continues Thursday from 7.30 on Ten.