Masterchef returned with a bang on Monday night — when the judges praised a contestant for the “best Ackee and Salt Fish” they’d ever seen on the show.
Gregg Wallace, 58, and John Torode, 57, returned to screens for the 2023 season of Masterchef UK to host the auditions for the new BBC series.
Nine aspiring home chefs went into the kitchen to deliver their best work under strict time pressure in this nerve-wracking episode.
Tensions were high from the start when the judges were met with two undercooked chickens, blue rice and a hollandaise sauce cooked in the microwave.
But while the judges were impressed with one “outstanding” aspiring chef, viewers at home were less impressed, labeling the contestants the “most annoying” yet.
Oh dear: Masterchef UK returned to screens on Monday night – but viewers called the contestants ‘the most annoying’ yet
New Series: Judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode returned to oversee nine contestants taking part in auditions
Matthew, 33, an IT project coordinator from Wolverhampton, won over the judges with his Caribbean cuisine.
He presented Gregg and John with a classic Ackee and salt fish with coconut and lime rice.
Stunned by such success so early in the show, Gregg said, “Matthew, that’s the prettiest and smartest Ackee and salt fish I’ve ever seen.” That tastes fantastic.
“There’s absolutely nothing stopping me from scrapping that record and asking for another one.”
John added, “This is the best Ackee and salt fish I’ve ever eaten.” Ever!’
The tasty dish quickly earned Matthew one of the first aprons of the series as he advanced to the next round.
However, viewers were not impressed with the new batch of contestants.
Geva, a city council member, infuriated TV viewers over her failed attempt to microwave hollandaise sauce, while her pancakes reminded people of “sick” and “Branston pickle.”
Wow: Matthew, 33, wowed the judges with his Ackee and salt fish, which they called the best they’d ever seen
Enthusiasm: However, participant Nickolas was seen as ‘annoying’ by many viewers at home
Divisive: Some believed Geva’s pancakes looked like ‘Branston pickle’ and one even said it reminded them of ‘sick’
Eliminated: Geva left the show after making hollandaise sauce in the microwave and failing to impress with her pancakes
People at home couldn’t believe their eyes at her antics and said, ‘Geva made stout sauce in round 1 and sick on a pancake in round 2.
“Did Geva just put Branston on her pancakes?”
Meanwhile, product trainer Jonny and supermarket manager Woei both suffered from uncooked chickens and had to cook again in the invention round – where contestants are given an hour and 15 minutes to cook a recipe from certain ingredients.
“Nothing exudes failure more than being a Masterchef and serving pink chicken,” said one viewer.
But it was delivery boy Nickolas who enraged viewers, as he ran for the ingredients in the invention challenge to get the best ingredients, with the judges noting his “enthusiasm.”
Linda Bateman tweeted, “Is it just me or is Nicholas intensely annoying?” while Pip Horton added, “Most annoying contestants ever.”
Another added, “Calm down Nickolas,” and a fourth added, “I already want Nicholas to crash and burn as soon as possible.”
At the end of the episode, Matthew and Terri were followed to the next round by Zoe, Jonny, Woei and Nickolas. Geva and Jo were eliminated.
Masterchef UK continues on BBC One on Tuesday at 8pm.
Cooking Disasters: There were two uncooked chickens in the first 25 minutes of the show, with Jonny’s whole chicken having pink segments
Unusual approach: Geva’s hollandaise sauce broke after she tried to cook it in the microwave