MasterChef judges blown away by an unlikely, and very humble recipe

In a cook to earn its winner a spot in the next immunity challenge, one lucky contestant blows the judges away with a very simple sandwich recipe.

MasterChef contestants have faced a challenge similar to one that left many in tears during last year’s season.

In one of the most emotional episodes of the 2020 season, contestants were asked to cook something from their childhood and there wasn’t a dry eye in Australia when fan favourite Reynold Poernomo broke down in tears recalling an emotional time in his childhood.

This year contestants arrived for a Mystery Box challenge but instead of boxes on the benches there was one huge Mystery Box at the front of the room with a projector that played heartwarming messages from contestant’s families.

Each cook had 75 minutes to make a dish inspired by family, with the makers of the top two dishes from the cook joining Tommy and Linda in Thursday’s huge Immunity Challenge.

One standout cook was Pete, who was given the ultimate compliment by judge Melissa Leong after cooking an extremely humble recipe of a peanut putter and jelly (or jam as it’s sometimes called in Australia).

Melissa Leong compares Pete to Heston Blumenthal. Picture: Channel 10

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Mel compared Pete to the one and only Heston Blumenthal when the Aussie unveiled his exceptional dessert.

Pete was inspired by his children, who often love to eat the humble, delicious sandwich.

Surprised by how Pete had transformed a simple sanger into a layered and complex dessert, Andy exclaimed “this is very adult!”

Mel said “you know who else does that really well? Heston! Taking nostalgia, talking a simple childish delight and transforming it in terms of the textures, the layers, the experience. That’s like level 50 of being a cook!”

Pete is chuffed with the compliment. Picture: Channel 10

Last year Reynold broke down during the emotional family-inspired challenge. Picture: Channel 10

Last year during a similar challenge Melissa asked Reynold about a photo.

“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.

“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.”

The episode was heavily applauded by viewers, including season one winner Julie Goodwin.

“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,” she tweeted at the time.