Grace King proved herself as a strong contender in the MasterChef Australia kitchen time and time again, with some of the makings of a winner. However, Kirsten Tibballs’ intricate Pressure Test led to her downfall, with Grace eliminated just one spot shy of the Top 10.
Grace competed against Emily, Luke and Aaron and the four home cooks were tasked with recreating Kirsten’s Chocolate Iris dessert, which has over 100 steps. While Grace’s finished dish looked good on the outside, the inside had a lack of structure, with the chocolate mousse and cremeux mixing together rather than sitting in separate layers — this small error led to Grace’s elimination.
In an interview with TV WEEK., Grace said that while it was upsetting to get so close to the Top 10, it’s all a part of the competition.
“It was obviously heartbreaking to get so close and not make it, but that’s the risk you take,” she told the publication. “I was nervous to watch the Top 10 be announced right after I left. That stings.”
Despite the devastating result, Grace said the lead up to her elimination was one of her favourite memories from the whole competition.
“I know this is a crazy thing to say, but my elimination day was my favourite day of the whole competition,” the Melbourne retail assistant admits. “The night before, Aaron, Emily, Luke and I all agreed that the next day would be someone’s last in the competition, and we didn’t want that to become a bad memory.
“We spent the day playing board games and dancing to the radio in the green room. It was so much better than feeling the pressure or competing against friends that you love so much.”
Grace reveals her favourite MasterChef Australia judge
Grace shared that she felt particularly inspired by the two female judges on the MasterChef Australia panel, Poh Ling Yeow and Sofia Levin, and found them both incredibly relatable.
“I really connected with Poh and Sofia,” she told the publication. “Being a young woman in the food industry comes with its own struggles. Poh came into the food world very young and had a lot to prove, so it was incredibly inspiring to watch her stand in front of us every day with so much conviction and knowledge.
“And Sofia is probably one of the smartest food writers around. There wasn’t a dish or ingredient that came up that she wasn’t across.”
While Grace may be gone from the MasterChef competition, she’s planning on following her dreams of working in the food industry.
“My friends and I are so excited to properly launch our catering company, Dinner Party,” she said. “We’ll specialise in smaller, intimate private events with an ever-changing menu based on seasonality and everyone’s unique vision. Stay tuned!”
MasterChef Australia airs Sunday 7pm and Monday and Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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