Latest news with #AndyAllen
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MasterChef Australia: Back To Win sees top cook hang up her apron in heated elimination cook-off
Another MasterChef Australia: Back To Win elimination has seen a talented chef put down their skillet for the final time in an action-packed, temperature-rising cook-off. It was a lobster wonton that sent this ambitious candidate home on Sunday night following a prophetic insight and a broth that fell short. Seafood connoisseur Josh Niland challenged the MasterChef Australia participants with a dish famed for its easygoing nature - but easygoing it wasn't. The task was to create a surf and turf dish, with the chefs expected to put their own spin on the iconic food combo. Season 14 runner up Rhiannon Anderson, 48, who chose to make lobster wontons paired with beef broth, wasn't confident from the get-go, confessing in her piece to camera that she could be the one cooking for the last time in the MasterChef kitchen. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Seafood connoisseur Josh Niland challenged the MasterChef Australia participants with a dish famed for its easygoing nature - but easygoing it wasn't And after ending up in the bottom three with Tim and Darrsh, she was proved right. 'It has to come back to flavour and texture, which is why I'm so sorry to say this, Rhi. I'm sorry, you're going home,' Andy Allen told the chef. An emotional Rhi dubbed her second time round on the show a 'bloody epic experience' as she held back tears. 'How many people get to come back to win and just do what I've just done? And I've had an absolute blast.' She went on to say that she'd be heading home to her husband and hopping right back into the kitchen. 'I'll just have to go home to Deano and cook him something. Not quite as much fun, but anyway.' It comes after fan favourite Jimmy Wong was left the show on Tuesday after he was eliminated in a brutal dessert challenge on MasterChef Australia: Back to Win. The 58-year-old who last appeared on the cooking competition in season 8 confessed he was 'gutted' when his dish didn't meet the chefs' standards. Jimmy joined Ben, Rue and Tim in recreating an elaborate Balloon Puppy cake from guest judge Steven He of Melbourne's Le Yeahllow Jimmy joined Ben, Rue and Tim in recreating an elaborate Balloon Puppy cake from guest judge Steven He of Melbourne's Le Yeahllow. The amazing looking entrement treat featured a base of chocolate fairy sponge, shortbread crumble with dark chocolate and a layer of sour cherry compote and another layer of chocolate sponge. Between each layer there is ganache made from English breakfast tea, topped with a decoration of a miniature 'balloon dog' made of white chocolate. However, when Jimmy presented his version of the dessert his 'puppy' looked more like a 'potato starting to sprout' complained judge Andy Allen. Things went downhill for Jimmy with the judges complaining of 'flawed flavours', even if Andy ended up praising the cook for his 'delicious' cake. ''I'm so sorry to say Jimmy you're going home,' Judge Poh Ling Yeow announced at the end of the episode. An emotional Jimmy then paid tribute to his time on the show. 'I'm gutted but you know what? It's been an absolute privilege to be part of this amazing experience 'And I just wish all of you the best of luck and I will not be stopping,' he told the finalists. 'I will continue to fight for the things that I love and continue on this journey of mine.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MasterChef Australia's most difficult challenge yet sees eliminated contestant left with 'PTSD' after attempt at iconic Balloon Puppy cake
Fan favourite Jimmy Wong had to hang up his apron on Tuesday after he was eliminated in a brutal dessert challenge on MasterChef Australia: Back to Win. The 58-year-old who last appeared on the cooking competition in season 8 confessed he was 'gutted' when his dish fell short. Jimmy joined Ben, Rue and Tim in recreating an elaborate Balloon Puppy cake from guest judge Steven He of Melbourne 's Le Yeahllow. The amazing looking entrement treat featured a base of chocolate fairy sponge, shortbread crumble with dark chocolate and a layer of sour cherry compote and another layer of chocolate sponge. Between each layer there is ganache made from English breakfast tea, topped with a decoration of a miniature 'balloon dog' made of white chocolate. However, when Jimmy presented his version of the dessert his 'puppy' looked more like a 'potato starting to sprout' complained judge Andy Allen. Things went downhill for Jimmy with the judges complaining of 'flawed flavours', even if Andy ended up praising the cook for his 'delicious' cake. ''I'm so sorry to say Jimmy you're going home,' Judge Poh Ling Yeow announced at the end of the episode. An emotional Jimmy then paid tribute to his time on the show. 'I'm gutted but you know what? It's been an absolute privilege to be part of this amazing experience 'And I just wish all of you the best of luck and I will not be stopping,' he told the finalists. 'I will continue to fight for the things that I love and continue on this journey of mine.' In the end it was Ben Macdonald who triumphed walking away the winner of the next-level challenge. Jimmy later reviewed his own performance in a chat with 10Play. 'I was in my head, I wasn't able to get past the stress and the anxiety over following recipes in that time frame,' he told the platform. 'I have a little bit of PTSD from that experience,' he joked. 'Coming in this time, I said, look, just believe in yourself, sit into the process and trust your gut. Try to be as calm as possible because I know I've had enough experience in between the two seasons to believe in the fact that I can do this.' It comes after MasterChef Australia: Back to Win sent home Matt Hopcraft after the dentist failed to impress the judges in Sunday's elimination challenge. Matt, 53, who finished sixth on the cooking competition in 2015, hung up his apron when his Italian meringue missed the mark. The popular contestant struggled in the presentation of his Bombe Alaska dessert which included a burning rum finish. However, the dish was a disappointment with the meringue ending up wet, instead of silky, a result of Matt running out of time. Matt was given credit for his delicious ice cream by Andy Allen, but the judge also slammed the dish for its 'overly boozy' flavour. come to an abrupt end,' Matt said in an Instagram post.
The Advertiser
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
'Craziest ride of my life': MasterChef judge leading by example
Andy Allen was working for his cousin on a building site in Wickham 13 years ago when he received the phone call that would change his life. "I was an electrician at the time, and I had sent out the application [to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia] thinking nothing would come of it," he tells Weekender. "A friend of mine dared me to do it, actually. "I still remember being on the job site and getting a phone call from an unknown number - this was a couple of months after I'd filled out the application, so I'd pretty much forgotten all about it. "I answered, and it was a producer on MasterChef asking if I could come down to Sydney and have a crack. "So I had to talk to my boss, who was my cousin, and I was like 'Mate, I've gotta go down to Sydney for a couple of days and I'll see you next week'. Well, one thing led to another and another and I never went back to the job site!" Andy, who was born and raised in Maitland, was one exam away from completing his electrician qualifications. He loved to play basketball and he loved to cook, and watched cooking shows to improve his skills. But he took a punt, made it to the final 24 contestants on season four of MasterChef Australia, and on July 25, 2012, defeated Julia Taylor and Audra Morrice in the grand finale. After the show, he published his first cookbook, The Next Element, and started working as a cook at Sydney restaurant Three Blue Ducks. In 2016, he jumped on board as a co-owner when the Three Blue Ducks opened a new restaurant in Rosebery. Two years later, it was awarded an SMH Good Food Guide chef's hat. Andy dipped his toe into the television presenting world, working on Andy and Ben Eat Australia, Andy and Ben Eat The World, Farm To Fork and Three Blue Ducks for Network 10. In 2020, in what was a first for the series worldwide, Andy returned to the MasterChef kitchen as a judge. He's currently on our television screens as a judge on MasterChef Australia: Back To Win alongside Sofia Levin, Poh Ling Yeow and Jean-Christophe Novelli. He's in Melbourne when Weekender calls, having recently bought a house with wife Alexandra (the couple married in 2022) for $3.85 million in Northcote. I know how much he paid because the finer details of the sale were shared widely by the media in April. "I was pretty shocked at that ... it must have been a slow news day," Andy quips. "Alex and I had been toying around with the idea of buying a place down here for a while. I'm loving it - I have jobs to do, mow the lawn, all that stuff. I'm finding myself turning into my old man, which is a little bit scary. I now understand why he would just potter around the house on a Saturday morning." Any electrical work that needed to be done? "No, we got a place that was fully ready to go," he replies, laughing. "It's the first home we've purchased together, so it's nice to feel a sense of accomplishment for something we've worked really hard for." He describes his first season as a judge, alongside Jock Zonfrillo and Melissa Leong, as "bizarre". "Matt [Preston], Gary [Mehigan] and George [Calombaris] had done their thing for such a long time. It wasn't so much nerves, I was more wondering how this was going to go," Andy says. "It was so weird, as soon as I got that first critique out, I realised that they respected my opinion, they respected what I'd done in the industry, they just wanted to get better, and they knew that this was a huge learning process. "It was a huge weight off my shoulders. "Doing Back To Win again, I feel like I'm part of the furniture now at the studio." MasterChef is produced in more than 50 countries and airs in 200 territories. I ask why it is that MasterChef Australia continues to rate the highest among international audiences. "You know, I have thought about it, and I reckon it's so popular because we treat it as a cooking competition," Andy says. "I mean, I was a sparky in Newcastle before I filled out that application form and went on the craziest ride of my life. "When all you're trying to do is get the best out of people in such a positive environment, they realise that they can grab onto this opportunity with both hands and see what they can do with it. They know it can change their lives." There are so many former MasterChef Australia contestants working in the food industry, in the media, and writing books. It's proof that this is a competition with a reward that extends beyond the $250,000 prize money. "We film for five-and-a-half months a year, contestants leave their friends, their family, their careers. There's so much on the line for the contestants," Andy says. "It's an experience for people to walk into that kitchen, let their guard down, lap it up and see what they can get out of it. "The MasterChef kitchen is the ultimate leveller. It doesn't matter how much experience you've got, the challenges are just so random, and you can't be good at everything." Scottish-born Jock died unexpectedly in April 2023, the day before season 15 of MasterChef Australia was due to premiere. The outpouring of grief from the 46-year-old's industry peers, family, friends and fans has been well-documented. Andy and Jock shared a strong bond and were great mates. Was it difficult to carry on as a judge in a space that Jock filled with his personality and presence? "Oh, it was rough at the start. It was rough," Andy says. "I'm kind of lucky, I guess, because I've never had someone really close to me pass away, especially so suddenly. This was a full crash course in grieving. "On last year's series, the first shot was just me in the kitchen with a light shining on me, 20-odd new contestants running through the doors, and I just remember feeling it was sink or swim at that point. "There was one part of me going 'This is going to be really hard' and another part going 'What would Jock do?' And I know he would just get in there and do the best job that he possibly could. "That's been my mission for a couple of seasons now; to really make sure that what we created lives on in the best possible way. "And there's still many times when I get that wave of grief that sweeps me up ... and that's one of the things I've learned about grief, it will hit you any time, it will hit you over the most insignificant thing, and you just have to accept that and continue to move forward." Andy reckons he's "getting there" when it comes to dealing with his grief. "Last year it was a lot about missing Jock and wishing he was around. This year, I still miss him every single day, don't get me wrong, but for me it's now more about celebrating him and trying to move forward," he says. "Sometimes this wave comes over me, it will be one small, minute thing and it just gets you, it cripples you, and there have been times on set when I just go white for no reason and the producers are, like, 'Are you OK?' "But you have to just process it and move forward. When you love someone dearly and they're not there any more, that's what happens." Outside of the MasterChef kitchen, Andy enjoys spending time in his own. He creates and shares cooking videos on social media and says he is inspired by the contestants he judges week in and week out. "Cooking is still an outlet for me. I still enjoy it," he says. "I'll come home after a 12-hour day and cook Alex dinner. That's my switch-off time, I can just focus on what's for dinner. It sounds so cringe but it's also so real: when there's a lot of other stuff going on in your life, you can process it while you're cooking a bowl of pasta. "I get to spend six months of my life being inspired by what contestants can do with food when they're put under pressure. If you're not inspired in that kind of situation, it's probably time to give it up, you know?" He had been training for a half marathon, however, says he "did a hamstring seven weeks out". "I'm still not 100 per cent better. But my wife got there, and she ran another one last week. She's got the bug," he says. In 2022, Andy co-founded new mid-strength beer Travla with Australian actor Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Warcraft, Raised By Wolves, Dune: Prophecy, Black Snow, Boy Swallows Universe), so that is also keeping him busy. "He's a funny, unique man who will not quit until it's a success. He's the best business partner I could ever ask for," Andy says. "Travla has started to go really, really well. It's starting to kick some goals as a beer brand that celebrates country living and country values. "Travis is a country boy. He grew up just outside of Echuca, at Lockington, and it doesn't matter where he goes or what he does, he'll always be that guy from Lockington. "He's got this total juxtaposition of what he's exposed to through what he does in Hollywood and around he world, but at heart he's a guy who just wants to be on the farm." So, does he ever miss his sparky days? "My tool kit is still at Mum and Dad's," he says. "I'll go home to visit and sometimes there will be a box of downlights or a couple of ceiling fans in front of the door, and Mum gives me the eye. "I can't really say no, can I?" Andy Allen was working for his cousin on a building site in Wickham 13 years ago when he received the phone call that would change his life. "I was an electrician at the time, and I had sent out the application [to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia] thinking nothing would come of it," he tells Weekender. "A friend of mine dared me to do it, actually. "I still remember being on the job site and getting a phone call from an unknown number - this was a couple of months after I'd filled out the application, so I'd pretty much forgotten all about it. "I answered, and it was a producer on MasterChef asking if I could come down to Sydney and have a crack. "So I had to talk to my boss, who was my cousin, and I was like 'Mate, I've gotta go down to Sydney for a couple of days and I'll see you next week'. Well, one thing led to another and another and I never went back to the job site!" Andy, who was born and raised in Maitland, was one exam away from completing his electrician qualifications. He loved to play basketball and he loved to cook, and watched cooking shows to improve his skills. But he took a punt, made it to the final 24 contestants on season four of MasterChef Australia, and on July 25, 2012, defeated Julia Taylor and Audra Morrice in the grand finale. After the show, he published his first cookbook, The Next Element, and started working as a cook at Sydney restaurant Three Blue Ducks. In 2016, he jumped on board as a co-owner when the Three Blue Ducks opened a new restaurant in Rosebery. Two years later, it was awarded an SMH Good Food Guide chef's hat. Andy dipped his toe into the television presenting world, working on Andy and Ben Eat Australia, Andy and Ben Eat The World, Farm To Fork and Three Blue Ducks for Network 10. In 2020, in what was a first for the series worldwide, Andy returned to the MasterChef kitchen as a judge. He's currently on our television screens as a judge on MasterChef Australia: Back To Win alongside Sofia Levin, Poh Ling Yeow and Jean-Christophe Novelli. He's in Melbourne when Weekender calls, having recently bought a house with wife Alexandra (the couple married in 2022) for $3.85 million in Northcote. I know how much he paid because the finer details of the sale were shared widely by the media in April. "I was pretty shocked at that ... it must have been a slow news day," Andy quips. "Alex and I had been toying around with the idea of buying a place down here for a while. I'm loving it - I have jobs to do, mow the lawn, all that stuff. I'm finding myself turning into my old man, which is a little bit scary. I now understand why he would just potter around the house on a Saturday morning." Any electrical work that needed to be done? "No, we got a place that was fully ready to go," he replies, laughing. "It's the first home we've purchased together, so it's nice to feel a sense of accomplishment for something we've worked really hard for." He describes his first season as a judge, alongside Jock Zonfrillo and Melissa Leong, as "bizarre". "Matt [Preston], Gary [Mehigan] and George [Calombaris] had done their thing for such a long time. It wasn't so much nerves, I was more wondering how this was going to go," Andy says. "It was so weird, as soon as I got that first critique out, I realised that they respected my opinion, they respected what I'd done in the industry, they just wanted to get better, and they knew that this was a huge learning process. "It was a huge weight off my shoulders. "Doing Back To Win again, I feel like I'm part of the furniture now at the studio." MasterChef is produced in more than 50 countries and airs in 200 territories. I ask why it is that MasterChef Australia continues to rate the highest among international audiences. "You know, I have thought about it, and I reckon it's so popular because we treat it as a cooking competition," Andy says. "I mean, I was a sparky in Newcastle before I filled out that application form and went on the craziest ride of my life. "When all you're trying to do is get the best out of people in such a positive environment, they realise that they can grab onto this opportunity with both hands and see what they can do with it. They know it can change their lives." There are so many former MasterChef Australia contestants working in the food industry, in the media, and writing books. It's proof that this is a competition with a reward that extends beyond the $250,000 prize money. "We film for five-and-a-half months a year, contestants leave their friends, their family, their careers. There's so much on the line for the contestants," Andy says. "It's an experience for people to walk into that kitchen, let their guard down, lap it up and see what they can get out of it. "The MasterChef kitchen is the ultimate leveller. It doesn't matter how much experience you've got, the challenges are just so random, and you can't be good at everything." Scottish-born Jock died unexpectedly in April 2023, the day before season 15 of MasterChef Australia was due to premiere. The outpouring of grief from the 46-year-old's industry peers, family, friends and fans has been well-documented. Andy and Jock shared a strong bond and were great mates. Was it difficult to carry on as a judge in a space that Jock filled with his personality and presence? "Oh, it was rough at the start. It was rough," Andy says. "I'm kind of lucky, I guess, because I've never had someone really close to me pass away, especially so suddenly. This was a full crash course in grieving. "On last year's series, the first shot was just me in the kitchen with a light shining on me, 20-odd new contestants running through the doors, and I just remember feeling it was sink or swim at that point. "There was one part of me going 'This is going to be really hard' and another part going 'What would Jock do?' And I know he would just get in there and do the best job that he possibly could. "That's been my mission for a couple of seasons now; to really make sure that what we created lives on in the best possible way. "And there's still many times when I get that wave of grief that sweeps me up ... and that's one of the things I've learned about grief, it will hit you any time, it will hit you over the most insignificant thing, and you just have to accept that and continue to move forward." Andy reckons he's "getting there" when it comes to dealing with his grief. "Last year it was a lot about missing Jock and wishing he was around. This year, I still miss him every single day, don't get me wrong, but for me it's now more about celebrating him and trying to move forward," he says. "Sometimes this wave comes over me, it will be one small, minute thing and it just gets you, it cripples you, and there have been times on set when I just go white for no reason and the producers are, like, 'Are you OK?' "But you have to just process it and move forward. When you love someone dearly and they're not there any more, that's what happens." Outside of the MasterChef kitchen, Andy enjoys spending time in his own. He creates and shares cooking videos on social media and says he is inspired by the contestants he judges week in and week out. "Cooking is still an outlet for me. I still enjoy it," he says. "I'll come home after a 12-hour day and cook Alex dinner. That's my switch-off time, I can just focus on what's for dinner. It sounds so cringe but it's also so real: when there's a lot of other stuff going on in your life, you can process it while you're cooking a bowl of pasta. "I get to spend six months of my life being inspired by what contestants can do with food when they're put under pressure. If you're not inspired in that kind of situation, it's probably time to give it up, you know?" He had been training for a half marathon, however, says he "did a hamstring seven weeks out". "I'm still not 100 per cent better. But my wife got there, and she ran another one last week. She's got the bug," he says. In 2022, Andy co-founded new mid-strength beer Travla with Australian actor Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Warcraft, Raised By Wolves, Dune: Prophecy, Black Snow, Boy Swallows Universe), so that is also keeping him busy. "He's a funny, unique man who will not quit until it's a success. He's the best business partner I could ever ask for," Andy says. "Travla has started to go really, really well. It's starting to kick some goals as a beer brand that celebrates country living and country values. "Travis is a country boy. He grew up just outside of Echuca, at Lockington, and it doesn't matter where he goes or what he does, he'll always be that guy from Lockington. "He's got this total juxtaposition of what he's exposed to through what he does in Hollywood and around he world, but at heart he's a guy who just wants to be on the farm." So, does he ever miss his sparky days? "My tool kit is still at Mum and Dad's," he says. "I'll go home to visit and sometimes there will be a box of downlights or a couple of ceiling fans in front of the door, and Mum gives me the eye. "I can't really say no, can I?" Andy Allen was working for his cousin on a building site in Wickham 13 years ago when he received the phone call that would change his life. "I was an electrician at the time, and I had sent out the application [to be a contestant on MasterChef Australia] thinking nothing would come of it," he tells Weekender. "A friend of mine dared me to do it, actually. "I still remember being on the job site and getting a phone call from an unknown number - this was a couple of months after I'd filled out the application, so I'd pretty much forgotten all about it. "I answered, and it was a producer on MasterChef asking if I could come down to Sydney and have a crack. "So I had to talk to my boss, who was my cousin, and I was like 'Mate, I've gotta go down to Sydney for a couple of days and I'll see you next week'. Well, one thing led to another and another and I never went back to the job site!" Andy, who was born and raised in Maitland, was one exam away from completing his electrician qualifications. He loved to play basketball and he loved to cook, and watched cooking shows to improve his skills. But he took a punt, made it to the final 24 contestants on season four of MasterChef Australia, and on July 25, 2012, defeated Julia Taylor and Audra Morrice in the grand finale. After the show, he published his first cookbook, The Next Element, and started working as a cook at Sydney restaurant Three Blue Ducks. In 2016, he jumped on board as a co-owner when the Three Blue Ducks opened a new restaurant in Rosebery. Two years later, it was awarded an SMH Good Food Guide chef's hat. Andy dipped his toe into the television presenting world, working on Andy and Ben Eat Australia, Andy and Ben Eat The World, Farm To Fork and Three Blue Ducks for Network 10. In 2020, in what was a first for the series worldwide, Andy returned to the MasterChef kitchen as a judge. He's currently on our television screens as a judge on MasterChef Australia: Back To Win alongside Sofia Levin, Poh Ling Yeow and Jean-Christophe Novelli. He's in Melbourne when Weekender calls, having recently bought a house with wife Alexandra (the couple married in 2022) for $3.85 million in Northcote. I know how much he paid because the finer details of the sale were shared widely by the media in April. "I was pretty shocked at that ... it must have been a slow news day," Andy quips. "Alex and I had been toying around with the idea of buying a place down here for a while. I'm loving it - I have jobs to do, mow the lawn, all that stuff. I'm finding myself turning into my old man, which is a little bit scary. I now understand why he would just potter around the house on a Saturday morning." Any electrical work that needed to be done? "No, we got a place that was fully ready to go," he replies, laughing. "It's the first home we've purchased together, so it's nice to feel a sense of accomplishment for something we've worked really hard for." He describes his first season as a judge, alongside Jock Zonfrillo and Melissa Leong, as "bizarre". "Matt [Preston], Gary [Mehigan] and George [Calombaris] had done their thing for such a long time. It wasn't so much nerves, I was more wondering how this was going to go," Andy says. "It was so weird, as soon as I got that first critique out, I realised that they respected my opinion, they respected what I'd done in the industry, they just wanted to get better, and they knew that this was a huge learning process. "It was a huge weight off my shoulders. "Doing Back To Win again, I feel like I'm part of the furniture now at the studio." MasterChef is produced in more than 50 countries and airs in 200 territories. I ask why it is that MasterChef Australia continues to rate the highest among international audiences. "You know, I have thought about it, and I reckon it's so popular because we treat it as a cooking competition," Andy says. "I mean, I was a sparky in Newcastle before I filled out that application form and went on the craziest ride of my life. "When all you're trying to do is get the best out of people in such a positive environment, they realise that they can grab onto this opportunity with both hands and see what they can do with it. They know it can change their lives." There are so many former MasterChef Australia contestants working in the food industry, in the media, and writing books. It's proof that this is a competition with a reward that extends beyond the $250,000 prize money. "We film for five-and-a-half months a year, contestants leave their friends, their family, their careers. There's so much on the line for the contestants," Andy says. "It's an experience for people to walk into that kitchen, let their guard down, lap it up and see what they can get out of it. "The MasterChef kitchen is the ultimate leveller. It doesn't matter how much experience you've got, the challenges are just so random, and you can't be good at everything." Scottish-born Jock died unexpectedly in April 2023, the day before season 15 of MasterChef Australia was due to premiere. The outpouring of grief from the 46-year-old's industry peers, family, friends and fans has been well-documented. Andy and Jock shared a strong bond and were great mates. Was it difficult to carry on as a judge in a space that Jock filled with his personality and presence? "Oh, it was rough at the start. It was rough," Andy says. "I'm kind of lucky, I guess, because I've never had someone really close to me pass away, especially so suddenly. This was a full crash course in grieving. "On last year's series, the first shot was just me in the kitchen with a light shining on me, 20-odd new contestants running through the doors, and I just remember feeling it was sink or swim at that point. "There was one part of me going 'This is going to be really hard' and another part going 'What would Jock do?' And I know he would just get in there and do the best job that he possibly could. "That's been my mission for a couple of seasons now; to really make sure that what we created lives on in the best possible way. "And there's still many times when I get that wave of grief that sweeps me up ... and that's one of the things I've learned about grief, it will hit you any time, it will hit you over the most insignificant thing, and you just have to accept that and continue to move forward." Andy reckons he's "getting there" when it comes to dealing with his grief. "Last year it was a lot about missing Jock and wishing he was around. This year, I still miss him every single day, don't get me wrong, but for me it's now more about celebrating him and trying to move forward," he says. "Sometimes this wave comes over me, it will be one small, minute thing and it just gets you, it cripples you, and there have been times on set when I just go white for no reason and the producers are, like, 'Are you OK?' "But you have to just process it and move forward. When you love someone dearly and they're not there any more, that's what happens." Outside of the MasterChef kitchen, Andy enjoys spending time in his own. He creates and shares cooking videos on social media and says he is inspired by the contestants he judges week in and week out. "Cooking is still an outlet for me. I still enjoy it," he says. "I'll come home after a 12-hour day and cook Alex dinner. That's my switch-off time, I can just focus on what's for dinner. It sounds so cringe but it's also so real: when there's a lot of other stuff going on in your life, you can process it while you're cooking a bowl of pasta. "I get to spend six months of my life being inspired by what contestants can do with food when they're put under pressure. If you're not inspired in that kind of situation, it's probably time to give it up, you know?" He had been training for a half marathon, however, says he "did a hamstring seven weeks out". "I'm still not 100 per cent better. But my wife got there, and she ran another one last week. She's got the bug," he says. In 2022, Andy co-founded new mid-strength beer Travla with Australian actor Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Warcraft, Raised By Wolves, Dune: Prophecy, Black Snow, Boy Swallows Universe), so that is also keeping him busy. "He's a funny, unique man who will not quit until it's a success. He's the best business partner I could ever ask for," Andy says. "Travla has started to go really, really well. It's starting to kick some goals as a beer brand that celebrates country living and country values. "Travis is a country boy. He grew up just outside of Echuca, at Lockington, and it doesn't matter where he goes or what he does, he'll always be that guy from Lockington. "He's got this total juxtaposition of what he's exposed to through what he does in Hollywood and around he world, but at heart he's a guy who just wants to be on the farm." So, does he ever miss his sparky days? "My tool kit is still at Mum and Dad's," he says. "I'll go home to visit and sometimes there will be a box of downlights or a couple of ceiling fans in front of the door, and Mum gives me the eye. "I can't really say no, can I?"
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MasterChef Australia: Back To Win fan favourite eliminated after brutal dessert challenge
MasterChef Australia: Back to Win sent home Matt Hopcraft after the dentist failed to impress the judges in Sunday's elimination challenge. Matt, 53, who finished sixth on the cooking competition in 2015, hung up his apron when his Italian meringue missed the mark. The popular contestant struggled in the presentation of his Bombe Alaska dessert which included a burning rum finish. However, the dish was a disappointment with the meringue ending up wet, instead of silky, a result of Matt running out of time. Matt was given credit for his delicious ice cream by Andy Allen, but the judge also slammed the dish for its 'overly boozy' flavour. 'Well, it's been a wild ride, but sad to say that for me, my MasterChef journey has come to an abrupt end,' Matt said in an Instagram post. Adding some pictures from Sunday night's episode the kitchen star thank his fans and followers and MasterChef's cast and crew. 'It takes courage to say yes, to put yourself out there on national TV, to compete against the best and open yourself up to be judged and to be so vulnerable,' he wrote in the message. 'But the experience, and the opportunity for growth are second to none. This kitchen is a magical place where dreams come true.' 'I want to thank everyone for their words of encouragement and support – it's meant a lot to me knowing how many people have been behind me. A special shout out to my family for giving me them opportunity to do this again. MasterChef Australia is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and to get a second chance is just crazy.' he said. Talking about his exit on Sunday night, Matt said that the challenge put him'out of his element'. 'I was nervous, I'm not well known for my flair, dentists are not often thought of as being overly theatrical,' he told 10Play. 'I was definitely out of my element in that challenge, but that's also part of the fun of the MasterChef kitchen. 'It's designed to push you, to help you grow… so you're nervous doing something like that, but you also embrace the opportunity to push yourself as far as you can go.' It comes after Steph de Sousa, 52, who appeared in the 11th season of the series and has since gone on to find cookbook fame with Air Fryer Queen and Easy Dinner Queen was knocked out last Sunday. Steph's team lost the notorious 'One Inch Cube Taste Test' and were placed in an elimination challenge. For the cook, contestants could only use the ingredients from the taste test, which led to Steph making a pork belly dish with caramel sauce and a celeriac, fennel and green apple coleslaw. But with no fish sauce at her disposal, Steph got creative by using Balachan – a fermented shrimp paste – instead, a choice that sealed her fate when it overpowered her caramel. Despite the judges' warnings that her flavours may be too punchy, the chef stuck to her guns and produced final result that she was proud of. 'I really love strong, funky flavours, I love fermented food and I really enjoyed my dish,' she told 10Play of her final episode cook. However, relying on her instincts saw the chef come in last, with an overpowering palate and pork belly fat that hadn't rendered enough. 'It's just the luck of the draw, isn't it? A bad cook on the wrong day,' Steph said. Speaking of her time on the show, Steph said that it was 'nowhere near as stressful' as the first time around, however she was still surprised when she was eliminated. 'Obviously it was a bit of a shock because I really liked my dish but I was happy just to be there for the short time that I was, and happy to go back and do what I love to do!' Fans had pegged the chef as a possible winner before the disastrous result.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
MasterChef star Andy Allen six-word message to Jock Zonfrillo's widow Lauren after she speaks about his death for the first time in TV interview
MasterChef Australia star Andy Allen has praised Lauren Zonfrillo, the widow of his late co-star Jock. Jock, who was found dead aged 46 in a Melbourne hotel room in 2023, co-judged alongside Andy on hit cooking show MasterChef Australia from 2020 up until his death. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Andy, 37, shared a photo that showed him holding a copy of Lauren's recently released book Till Death Do Us Part, in which she candidly opens up about life after Jock. Andy praised Lauren's candid account, offering a simple six word review. 'In awe of you @laurenzonfrillo,' Andy wrote, while urging his 385,000 followers to pick up a copy of the memoir. It comes after Andy recently opened up about his final meeting with Jock, revealing he saw the late celebrity chef just a couple of hours before he died. In a sit-down interview with 7NEWS Spotlight earlier this month, Andy, 37, recalled how he met Jock for lunch the day before his body was discovered. 'I've got hairs standing up already,' he told Liz Hayes as he looked back on his and Jock's final meal together, a moment he reflects back on a lot. Andy went on to reveal he had no idea that there was anything amiss during his last meeting with the celebrity chef. 'That's the thing that hurts the most,' he told Liz with tears in his eyes, '(be)cause it was so sudden.' Elsewhere in the heartbreaking interview, Andy recounted the moment he was given the news of Jock's passing by Lauren. The chef admitted the grief of losing his close friend hit him 'straight away', a feeling that made him instantly ill. 'As soon as I got off the phone, I ran straight to the bathroom and I vomited everywhere,' he said. Andy also shared how he still grieves his friend daily. 'I always think of him. And I miss him, I miss him so much. It's crazy that that never goes' he said. 'That being reminded of him wherever I go and no matter what I do, it is still as strong as the day that he passed two years ago.' Andy's raw on-screen moment comes after he shared a heartfelt tribute to his late co-star on the second anniversary of his death. He also recently shared a throwback photo to social media of he and Jock together and captioned it with some bittersweet words. 'Two years since we lost the great man, Jock Zonfrillo. I miss him more than ever,' Andy wrote. Last year, Andy told how it was 'really difficult' grieving in the public eye. 'It was the hardest time of my life, I had never had tragedy like that hit me so close, it was very uncharted waters and multiply that by it being in the public eye; it was really difficult,' he told the Herald Sun. Andy detailed his heavy emotional toll and told how he spent a 'full day crying' after travelling to Sicily to mark Jock's birthday. 'I spent a full day just crying, in a couple of hour increments, just having a good old cry, then I would be quiet... then I would go again,' he shared. Jock was found dead at the Zagame's House hotel in Carlton, near Melbourne's CBD, at around 2am on May 1, 2023. At the time, his wife Lauren was in Italy with their two children and had phoned Victoria Police to request a welfare check because he stopped answering her calls. Jock's death came just one day before the 2023 season of MasterChef was due to premiere, and it was delayed in arriving on air for a week 'out of respect'.
