MasterChef: Eliminated Simon Toohey reveals broccoli dish he should have served up

MasterChef contestant Simon Toohey has revealed how his overcooked “disgusting” broccoli dish, that got him eliminated, should have looked.

MasterChef contestant Simon Toohey, who was booted from the competition last night after serving up a plate of overcooked broccoli, has revealed how the dish was supposed to look – and it’s way, way better.

So good, he’s claimed, it would have given him a spot in the top 10 finalists.

Toohey found himself in the bottom four fighting to stay in the kitchen against fellow contestants Sarah Tiong, Reynold Poernomo and Tessa Boersma.

The challenge facing them was to whip up an Aussie classic.

Tiong went for her version of charcoal chicken and Poernomo a dessert based on the Cherry Ripe chocolate bar. Toohey plumped for something called “naked broccoli”.

The look from MasterChef host Jock Zonfrillo you never want to get. Picture: Channel 10.

MasterChef contestant Simon Toohey ballsed up his broc.

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‘SLOP ON A PLATE’

Judge Jock Zonfrillo was far from impressed when, after an hour in the kitchen, he was offered Toohey’s minimal serving.

He commented that the plate, which consisted of a piece of broccoli stalk and some broccoli cream, compared unfavourably to Poernomo whose creation included a coconut ice cream, coconut dacquoise, cherry and blood lime compote, meringue shards and a sprinkling of yoghurt snow all of which came together to vaguely resemble the Sydney Opera House.

However, they could have forgiven Toohey if the broccoli stalk actually tasted top notch. But saggy and wilting, and recalling the worst element of the worst Sunday lunch you’ve ever had, it just didn’t.

Toohey conceded he had left the vegetable in the sous vide water bath for far too long leading the stalk to lose all its verdant vibrancy and appear mushy and grey.

It was the vegetable of every child’s food nightmares.

It didn’t go down well with viewers either. One called it “slop on a plate,” another settled for plain old “disgusting”.

Others wondered when and how broccoli stalks had become an Australian classic.

Nothing says Straya like a broccoli stalk cooked within an inch of its life with a dollop of some pale brown mush. #MasterchefAU pic.twitter.com/JRLl1zDCQk

— The Late Cut (@The_Late_Cut) June 7, 2020

Oh dear. Simon served slop on a plate 🤢

Soggy broccoli stalk....... God help me if he says this is the way we should be looking at food, after serving that muck#MasterChefAU

— JustJoolzy🤦🏻‍♀️ (@Just_Joolzy) June 7, 2020

You know I think my Mum should go on #MasterchefAU she can make Broccoli look just as feckless as Simon's did tonight. Doesn't take her 60mins either, boiling flat stick for 20mins usually does it.

— Netti (@470Netti) June 7, 2020

The bizarre broccoli balls-up denied Toohey a spot in the final 10 of MasterChef: Back to Win. 

Taking to Instagram after the show, he addressed the dinnertime debacle.

He posted a picture of a far more enticing and fresh-looking broccoli stalk with a dollop of cream by the side.

RELATED: Grocer doubles prices for customers that snap off broccoli stalks

How the dish should have looked. Picture: Simon Toohey/Instagram.

It looked far removed from what he served the judges.

“The … picture is of the dish that I conceptualised a few weeks beforehand.

“It was delicious and I’m sure would have put me into that top 10. However today wasn’t my day and I just couldn’t make it work,” he wrote.

He said his two seasons on MasterChef had been “two of the best years”.

Toohey also gave a shout out the show’s new judges which alongside Zonfrillo are former winner Andy Allen and food writer Melissa Leong.

“You have made this show a great success. There is no doubt that MasterChef will last for another 10 years with you three at the reins.”