Last night’s episode of MasterChef NZ saw two talented contestants, Lily Brown and Ben Sheehan, going home – but in a shocking twist, 26-year-old Ben chose to walk out of the show after deciding the competitive environment wasn’t for him.
The decision was all the more surprising because Ben had been given high praise by star chef Marco Pierre White, who said he could see Ben making it all the way to the top two after seeing him work through a tough dinner service.
However, in a blog post published yesterday Ben revealed that he was homesick, frustrated and “over the competition”.
“I couldn’t see sticking it out to the end as an option. Leaving after the high of working with Marco, on my own terms, was something I was happy to do,” he wrote.
“Most of all, in my six weeks in the MC house, I realised what cooking is to me – and it holds a special place – not something I want to turn into the daily grind.”
The Auckland-based sales and marketing manager said he had “zero regrets” about his decision to leave the show, and he wanted to thank his “amazing” fellow contestants.
He wasn’t the only one leaving the show last night, however. Fan favourite Lily Brown was also sent packing during a challenge in which the contestants had to create a potential My Food Bag meal for guest judge Nadia Lim.
Lily Brown’s Moroccan-inspired dish divided the judges
Gemma Wynne-Lewis was crowned the winner of the night for her pork chop with parmesan polenta, but Lily was sent home after struggling to cook the venison for her Moroccan-inspired dish perfectly.
However, the 37-year-old entrepreneur looks to have bounced back from her elimination and has her sights set on a reappearance on reality TV, in the next season of Dancing with the Stars!
There are now six contestants left in the competition. MasterChef NZ returns on Sunday at 7pm.
