‘MasterChef’ Viewers Slam “Twist Week” After Last Night’s Cruel Pressure Test
MasterChef viewers are filthy with the cooking show, after a week of confusing twists that haven’t showcased the contestants as chefs, and instead just created needless drama.
In a team service challenge on Monday night’s episode, despite each group developing their own menu, the judges’ twist meant that each team had to abandon their plans, switch teams, and cook dishes they never intended to make. This left viewers wondering how cooking another team’s menu showed off the contestants’ own skills — with flavour combinations and early decisions already out of their hands.
Poh’s masterplan has coming into place, not having a clear plan has left the brown team in tatters while she has a full menu to work with #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/XEi5UHq6YS
— Tas Mavridis* (@TasMavridis) May 11, 2020
Then on last night’s pressure test, the contestants were given a recipe to recreate Darren Purchese’s mango passionfruit pavlova but halfway through the cook their recipes were taken away, and they had to make the pavlova based off memory.
Fans of the series will know that pressure tests are all about following a recipe down to every specific detail, so this twist seemed to contradict the nature of the challenge.
But wait, there's more! #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/Y368tpxqUk
— masterchefau (@masterchefau) May 12, 2020
The twist led to almost every contestant in the pressure test slowly imploding. Poh became catatonic and didn’t know what to think or do; Amina absolutely lost the plot and forgot everything she had read (thankfully, Jess came to the rescue); and even Reynold (sweet, precious Reynold) started to question his own dessert-making skills, as he had previously prided himself on being able to perfectly execute a dessert recipe.
The twist just seemed cruel and purely for the sake of drama, rather than trying to get the best out of the contestants.
MasterChef fans have slammed ‘Twist Week’:
Imagine getting eliminated from #masterchefau not because of your own recipe but because you couldn’t remember someone else’s recipe off by heart… I love you Masterchef but this challenge blows.
— Basic Masterchef Quotes (@BasicMasterchef) May 12, 2020
MasterChef, you sit there. You sit there and think about what you’ve done today. Amina is gone. Reynold is embarrassed and upset. Everyone’s stressed, and for WHAT?! tWiST WeEK? BAD PRODUCERS ?VERY BAD. GO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU’VE DONE ? #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/VAGp4ICk5k
— Michelle Rennex (@michellerennex) May 12, 2020
This was a bad challenge for #MasterChefAU. For a show that is always praised for how food-focused, positive and drama-free it is, this felt like the contestants were intentionally set to fail for added drama. All the contestants are upset and stressed for not much reward.
— Lucia (@lfsleigh) May 12, 2020
I kind of wanted Poh to jump onto the bench and scream "EVERYONE STOP! THERE'S NO POINT TO ANY OF THIS! WE'VE ALL LOST OUR WAY!" #MasterChefAU
— Adam Liaw (@adamliaw) May 12, 2020
Tonight's "twist" to remove the recipe of such a complex dessert pressure test was utter stupidity. They are over doing it this season with all these dramatic changes. Getting over it really! ? #MasterChefAU
— Hoda (@Koodzie) May 12, 2020
I love twist week it makes so much sense and really showcases these talented chefs’ skills, only it doesn’t and I hate it. #MasterChefAU
— Tara Watson (@tara_watson_) May 12, 2020
Anyway I think we can all agree that "twist week" should be banished to the hell from whence it came #MasterChefAU
— Amy (@heapzgood) May 12, 2020
Following the cook, Amina couldn’t recover from all the stress and after serving up a flawed pavlova, she was sent packing. Amina’s infectious, bubbly energy made her a fan fave all season, so many viewers were devastated to see her go.
My reaction to AMINA being eliminated #MasterChefAU
courtesy of @khanhong pic.twitter.com/JGLkkAU7jI
— J O D E S ? (@jodes888) May 12, 2020
Hopefully, the rest of Twist Week doesn’t continue to push the contestants to their breaking points, because I can’t handle seeing Poh and Reynold that upset again.
I honestly would have paid to see this last night…
If someone asked me to make a recipe with 76 different elements I would simple ignore it, execute a flawless white chocolate velouté, remove my apron and exit without so much as a backwards look while the kitchen erupted into chaos behind me. #MasterChefAU
— Adam Liaw (@adamliaw) May 12, 2020