The MasterChef Australia judge Matt Preston Instagram account shows new-style Chinese dishes at Lee Ho Fook as a “warm-up lunch” for runner-up Matt Sinclair and winner Elena Duggan.
Duggan was crowned the winner in the MasterChef Australia finale on July 26. After a tense, grueling three-meal cook-off, she beat out Sinclair. However, many viewers were disappointed by the outcome, saying that Sinclair’s overall consistency throughout the competition was not recognized and that he should have won.
Verjus in Egg – Photo Credit: tenplay.com.au
Although he went into the final dessert round ahead of Duggan, when it came time to mastering Heston Blumenthal’s 91-step dessert called “Verjus in Egg,” Sinclair couldn’t follow through. His dessert’s panna cotta failed to set correctly. Although he tried to make it again, it cost him too much time and his chocolate eggshell cracked open, causing him to lose serious points in the final round.
Sinclair, 27, describes the MasterChef Australia journey as character building. Despite losing in the finale, he did win $40,000 and will likely use it to buy a food truck, a dream of his. Duggan, 32, knew that she was up against some really tough competition, saying that Sinclair had displayed fantastic knowledge, strength, and capabilities since the beginning of the show.
Elena, Heston, Matt (Left to Right) – Photo Credit: tenplay.com.au
However, her strategy was simply to focus on bettering her own technique and skills, and it worked! She walked away with $250,000 and a monthly column in Delicious magazine. She says she is grateful for the entire MasterChef experience.
Preston’s Food Secrets and Favorite Foods
Matt Preston’s favorite foods are a topic of interest for many viewers, as the MasterChef judge is also a renowned food critic. Here are some of his favorites, as well as Matt Preston’s food secrets:
- Best fast food in Australia is a burger with “the lot”
- The best leftovers are takeaway curry from the night before (the flavors are allowed to soak and develop more overnight)
- Best sports stadium food is hot meat pie with sauce
- Best food to take on a road trip? Burgers, again with all the trimmings
- Favorite cuisine of all time? Preston can’t choose because they’re all good, although his least favorite would be German food
- Best hangover food? An egg-and-bacon sandwich because of the salt and fat, along with a cup of sweet tea
- Best airline food? Preston recommends going with the sandwich and always opting for chicken over beef because it tastes better given the cooking method on an airplane
- One pantry item that’s always restocked is flake salt
- One food he will never eat: whale. Preston tried it once and strongly disliked it
- Savory or sweet? Preston prefers an entrée over dessert because he loves veggies
- Favorite dish for a quiet night in? Meat on the BBQ with flatbread or a dish of pasta
- Parma or steak? It’s Parma for Preston, hands down: “There’s something truly Australian about it. Anything crumbed is always good, let’s be honest”
It also seems, judging by Matt Preston’s Instagram, that he likes international cuisine too, like new style Chinese food from Lee Ho Fook. Yum! This judge and food critic really knows a thing or two about big flavor! Congratulations to both Matt Sinclair and winner Elena Duggan for their awesome efforts in the 2016 competition.
Sources:
Johnson, K., “’Australia’s new Shannon Noll’: Twitter reacts to Matt Sinclair’s MasterChef loss as 1.88 million tune in to watch Elena Duggan crowned winner in nail-biting finale,” Daily Mail web site, July 27, 2016; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3709962/Twitter-compares-Matt-Sinclair-s-MasterChef-Australia-loss-Shannon-Noll-1-88-million-tune-watch-Elena-Duggan-crowned-winner.html, last accessed August 5, 2016.
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