The judges revealed that the celebs would have to risk cooking time for ingredients as they’d reveal four covered pantries at different times during the 90-minute cook. If a celeb didn’t see ingredients they wanted to use, they’d have to wait for the next pantry to be revealed, eating into their total time.
The celebs had to weigh up if they wanted more time with fewer ingredients, or risk a quicker cook with a full spread of ingredients on offer.
For Thorpey, at the 80-minute reveal of the second pantry, he saw what he needed to create a Middle Eastern take on an Eton Mess.
“When I saw the first reveal I was pretty sure I knew what I was going to make,” Thorpey told 10 play over the phone. “I was just trying to work out timing but also, in the challenge, I was kind of in my head working out if they were going to have store-bought meringue under the last reveal or not.
“It’s bizarre,” he added, laughing. “Meringues are one of the easiest things to make for anyone out there… I was looking for store-bought meringues and I was like there’s no way.”
Thankfully he didn’t gamble most of his time on wondering if pre-made meringue was under the finale cloth, but unfortunately, the judges failed to taste his meringue in the final dish, and it was enough to end his time in the kitchen.
An author of two cookbooks, Thorpey was one of the biggest threats in the competition. With a love for cooking and a passion for food, the other celebs were right to be intimidated by him from the outset.
“For me, if I’ve got a weekend away with friends I’m the person that will cook for everyone,” he said. “That’s what I love doing, sharing food with friends and family.”
Hoping to challenge himself and learn a few things along the way, Thorpey said he quickly realised the kind of food he loves to make doesn’t necessarily fit the brief of the MasterChef kitchen.
“I like cooking things that take hours! Things that take six hours in the oven or slow-cooked lamb, really robust flavours,” Thorpey said, adding that he loves being able to celebrate the “plethora of good produce we have access to in Australia”.
“I’m the kind of person who likes to be left alone in the kitchen. I’m like, there’s the wine. Pour yourself a glass and get out of my kitchen!”
During the competition, Thorpey not only plated up some dishes that truly impressed Mel, Andy and Jock but also opened up about what the dishes meant to him.
“There’s usually positive emotions around food and, I think that was consistent for all of us. It’s talking about our experiences and how food can connect us,” he said.
“The only thing I was disappointed in myself was that I hadn’t cooked my best food for the judges,” he admitted. "It's kind of frustrating leaving on that note.
“They should do another show called ‘MasterChef Weekends’ where you have all the time in the world,” he joked. “It would be FAR less interesting television, unless you’re talking for six hours about nothing.”
