Dana Leaming Leaves Masterchef New Zealand

Dana Leaming Leaves Masterchef New Zealand
APRIL 2013

Dana Leaming became the eighth contestant from the Top 16 to leave MasterChef New Zealand on Sunday 14th April (7.30 pm – 8.30 pm) on TV ONE.

In tonight’s show the Top Nine had 60 minutes to cook a dish from nine different Jetstar airline destinations around the Pacific rim.

Up for grabs were eight seats on a Jetstar flight bound for Fiji.

Paula Saengthian-Ngam won an extra prize - Jetstar tickets for two to Thailand - after wowing the MasterChef judges with her interpretation of pad Thai with prawns, chicken and tofu.

Dana Leaming was initially confident cooking Japanese for the challenge.
“I know a little bit about Japanese food – fresh spring rolls, deep fried spring rolls…” she told the judges.

“Dana, the Japanese don’t do spring rolls,” judge Ray McVinnie interrupted her.
She was further surprised when her box of ingredients revealed a recipe for buckwheat noodle soup with prawn tempura.

“I really don’t know about Asian flavours,” she confessed. “It’s just not one of my things.”

Determined to work with what she’d been given, the 22-year-old gamely set to preparing kombu seaweed for a dashi stock.

Ray and fellow judges Simon Gault and Josh Emett watched with interest.
“If you don’t do dashi stock right it can taste really bitter and nasty,” Ray said.

“If Dana messes that up she’ll have nowhere to hide.”

With just ten minutes left to the challenge, Dana grimaced as she tasted her soup.

“It’s really salty, it’s terrible!” she wailed.

“I think Dana’s in a whole heap of trouble,” observed Josh.

“When she’s tasting she looks like she’s not getting the answers she wants. There’s a look of total confusion on her face.”

Presenting her dish for tasting, Dana was desperate.

“I really want to get through this,” she said, “because I’ve never been overseas before. If I have to go home today it’s going to be horrendous.”

“What’s the unusual smell there?” Josh asked as he prepared to taste the brew.
“It smells rather stinky,” Ray sniffed. “It’s little bit unpleasant. I really don’t want to eat this.”

“I’m just left with this awful, bitter taste in my mouth,” added Simon as he swallowed a mouthful.

In the Bottom Two alongside Kelly Kaihea, the judges told it to Dana straight.
"Dana, we would have loved to have taken you on your first overseas trip, but it’s not to be,” Ray said.

“Your soup was inedible.

“Unfortunately, your lack of knowledge has been your downfall.”
“Good luck Dana, it’s now time to say your goodbyes and leave the MasterChef kitchen,” said Josh.

With hugs for the remaining contestants and fist pumps for each of the judges, Dana was philosophical about her success.

“To be honest, I’m so surprised that I made it to the Top Nine,” she said.
“This has probably been one of the greatest experiences of my life. It’s going to be part of me for a very long time.

“I’m going to miss all these people – they’re a super Top Eight and they deserve to be here.”

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For an exclusive interview with Dana Leaming go to www.tvnz.co.nz/masterchef

MasterChef New Zealand continues Sundays at 7.30pm on TV ONE. At stake for the remaining contestants is the MasterChef New Zealand title and more than $100,000 worth of prizes.

The remaining contestants are: Aaron Brunet (Raglan); Ella Krauts (Christchurch); Eliott Brookes (Wellington); Jennis Hayes (Auckland); Kelly Kaihea (Auckland); Paula Saengthian-Ngam (Nelson); Sushil Ravikumar (Wellington); Vanessa Baxter (Auckland)

ENDS

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