Eight weeks in and the competition fiercer than ever, MasterChef served up a soup-themed Mystery Box Challenge. Finally producing the performance everyone had been waiting for, Wade bowled the judges over with his hearty Mushroom Soup with Porcini Croutons, winning the right to select the core ingredient for the Mystery Box Challenge.

Paying homage to the deliciousness of ‘Dude Food’, the Mystery Box Challenge set the contestants the task of cooking the kind of comfort food that demands licking your fingers clean after. With a range of sauces to pick from as the core component, Wade opted for Kewpie Mayonnaise.

Confident from the moment the theme was revealed, Tregan made the challenge her own with a Dude Food fish to die for. The judges simply couldn’t get enough of her Sloppy Joe with Braised Pork Ribs, awarding her the chance to compete for a coveted Immunity Pin. Andrew, Amina and Sam weren’t so fortunate, bound for a Pressure Test.

From the moment the legendary Christine Manfield walked into the kitchen, the three amateurs battling for survival knew they were facing an uphill struggle. The complex balance of flavours in Christine’s Smoked River Trout with Mussels gave the contestants plenty to think about, and by the narrowest of margins Sam was Eliminated from the competition.

A nervous Tregan took on celebrity chef Daniel Wilson in her Immunity Challenge, assisted by Jules and Julia. While she wasn’t able to join Mindy as a Pin holder, her Goats Cheese and Raisin Ravioli delighted the judges and secured their vote as the challenge’s best main.

A trip to suburbia was on the menu for Wednesday’s Team Challenge, with the contestants divided into three groups and asked to cook within an assigned house using nothing but the ingredients found within it. Wade captained the Red Team to victory - their standout dish, Beau’s Chicken Ballotine, enjoying a stellar reception.

A heartbreaking Elimination Challenge saw the contestants cooking with an ever-decreasing amount of ingredients on Thursday, with Tregan waving goodbye to her MasterChef dreams after being out-cooked by close friends Jules and Julia in the final round.

Concluding the week, the contestants enjoyed a MasterClass on the spectacular Kangaroo Island. The judges produced some beautiful dishes using local ingredients: George cooked Marron Sliders with Coleslaw; Matt a Roasted Lamb Rack and Harissa Chicken Skewers; and Gary Sheeps Milk Yoghurt Mouse with Honey Toasted Muesli.