NI’s Jamie exits Masterchef after fish and chorizo dish flops
MASTERCHEF scaled back its contestants to a final six last night as Northern Ireland chef Jamie Patterson found himself in choppy waters during the seafood challenge.
The wine marketing manager was the latest to be cast from the show’s kitchens in the semi-final after his hake failed to hack it for a host of seafood experts.
Jamie, who now lives in London, spent his teenage years living outside Ballymoney and often spent weekends dining at the Ramore Wine Club in Portrush.
The semi-finalists travelled from the bustle of Billingsgate fishmonger stalls to the splendour of Fishmongers’ Hall to prepare a fish-based feast.
In the banqueting room of the ancient guild, they had their gastronomic mettles assessed by the palates of leading fish trade figures.
Time constraints weighed heavy on contestants. Lorna was reduced to tears when she took more than an hour to fillet fish.
Her crispy plaice tacos, however, won acclaim from the high-profile guests when it reached the tables and a place in the next round. She was one of two selected as having cooked the best meal of the day, and she and Dubliner Alison automatically progressed in the contest.
Jamie found himself cooking for his survival on the show after his hake and chorizo offering failed to secure him safety.
The final showdown was pitched as a vegetarian challenge but viewers were incredulous when three chefs exploited vague guidelines to make desserts.
“Ban all desserts,” wrote one on Twitter.
“Doing a dessert is definitely cheating on the vegetarian round,” said another.
For the show’s latest victim, his strawberry cheesecake failed to enrapture the judges.
“It doesn’t look quite finished yet,” said judge Gregg Wallace of Jamie’s final effort. The final half dozen cooks will now vie for a place in finals week.