‘MasterChef’ Viewers Call BS On Laura Competing In Jock’s Challenge Last Night
One of MasterChef’s most beloved contestants, Laura Sharrad, has found herself in hot water after viewers have accused her of having an unfair advantage in the competition.
During last night’s pressure test, Laura along with six other contestants had to recreate three dishes — scarlet prawns, bunya nut chawanmushi and berry crumpets — from judge Jock Zonfrillo’s restaurant Orana in South Australia. The only problem? Jock previously employed Laura as a chef at that very restaurant.
So are we just ignoring that Laura used to work at Orana? Cool cool #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/1XZAmNd0oV
— Holly Kershaw (@holkershaw) April 21, 2020
Many viewers were suss over whether Laura would have had experience cooking the above dishes while working at Orana, or at the very least be familiar enough with Jock’s style of food to know how to impress her former mentor.
By the end of the cook, Laura avoided going into the second pressure test round as her three dishes impressed the judges. Coincidence? Fans think TF not.
Viewers called BS over Laura’s potential unfair advantage:
Are we all just going to ignore the fact that Laura, who worked at Orana for 2.5 years, is doing a pressure test consisting of Orana dishes, against people who have not worked at Orana? #MasterChefAU #rigged
— Will Tilley (@will_tilley) April 21, 2020
???? Laura in an elimination challenge that just so happens to be an Orana challenge. Where she worked??? No surprises that she nailed in. Where’s the equality? #MasterChefAU
— Dave Phillips (@Slightdave) April 21, 2020
Laura stays in the competition after cooking three dishes from Jock’s restaurant…where she previously worked. #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/WVYcWieR9d
— Tara Watson (@tara_watson_) April 21, 2020
Hello twitter MasterChef fans, did they say if Laura has ever cooked these Orana recipes before? Heck of an advantage 🙃#MasterChefAU
— Adrienne Davies (@adrienne_davies) April 21, 2020
How surprising that Laura’s looked ‘exactly the same as Jock’s did’. That’s so surprising GIVEN SHE WORKED THERE #MasterChefAU
— Rachel Smith (@rachsmithjourno) April 21, 2020
#Laura seems to have excelled with the #crumpet & prawn challenge. Is that because she’s made it before at #orana As I’ve said before perception is important. #MasterChefAU
— Karen Smith (@mintomusings) April 21, 2020
This isn’t the first time Laura has been accused of receiving preferential treatment. When the season began, both she and Ben Milbourne were accused of favouritism because of their close relationships with Jock and Andy Allen respectively.
However, Jock maintains that he won’t treat Laura any differently to the rest of the contestants. “I said it in the first tasting, there is no favouritism,” he told The Daily Telegraph. “If anything, Laura will be at a disadvantage carrying the weight of cooking for her mentor.”
It is worth noting that Laura worked at Orana straight after she finished MasterChef as runner-up way back in 2014, so it’s unlikely that she would have cooked professionally with Jock’s current menu.
We’ve reached out to Network Ten for comment.