MasterChef Australia: Fans and Favourites is in full swing after a stellar two-hour premiere on Easter Monday, and already, things are heating up in the kitchen.
The 14th season of the smash hit reality competition series has paired 12 hopeful home cooks, the Fans, with 12 returning competitors from the past 13 years, the Favourites,. The returning chefs span the entire series’ run, with season one winner Julie Goodwin competing alongside season 13’s Minoli De Silva and Tommy Pham.
This season, Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo have the immensely difficult challenge of judging the contestants’ meals. With so much talent in the kitchen this year, the competition is tighter than ever.
Every year, the contestants plate up their meals in the hopes that their dish will be magnificent enough to earn them a coveted Immunity Pin.
Once a contestant has been awarded an Immunity Pin, it can keep them from being eliminated. An Immunity Pin played at the right moment can make a huge difference to a MasterChef hopeful’s journey, and save them from elimination at just the right moment.
Basically, it’s a huge advantage, and, in the very first episode, three chefs were awarded Immunity Pins.
The first pin of the season went to Tommy Pham, whose Vietnamese fermented noodle soup wowed the judges for the Favourites.
The second pin went to Fan Harry Tomlinson, whose burnt cabbage won her a pin for the Fans.
The real twist came when the judges awarded Favourite Christina Batista a third Immunity Pin, for her incredible Portuguese ‘Bacalhau à Bràs dish.
Of course, the season is just getting started, so keep checking back as we update this post with everyone who has won an Immunity Pin on MasterChef Australia: Fans and Favourites.
Tommy Pham
Harry Tomlinson
Christina Batista
Julie Goodwin
MasterChef Australia airs at 7.30pm Sunday-Thursdays, only on 10 and 10 Play on Demand.
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