MasterChef Professional: Being a Winner!

Me and my Mate Marco

I won!!!!!! I don't normally win things but, apart from the lottery, there was nothing better I could think of that would be better than winning a Pre-screening of MasterChef Professionals, which started last Sunday. So off we went to Fox Studios to see the kick off of what promises to be "the most challenging food competition yet." Of course, I've been looking forward to Marco and Matt putting the pros through some gruelling challenges, so it was pretty exciting. What I had failed to remember in the excitement of winning something, was that Marco and Matt were also going to be there answering questions. With only another 20 or so people there there was plenty of opportunity to hear from Matt and Marco on Australian food culture, MasterChef behind the scenes, favourite moments from the series, George and Gary ability to let go and Marco's reputation for making Gordon Ramsay cry. What a great afternoon and an amazing opportunity to meet an amazing food great (oh, and Matt Preston!)

MasterChef Live

I am the biggest MasterChef stalker groupie fan as you know, so I was so excited to attend MasterChef Live yesterday. It is the best of it's kind with so many cooking demonstrations, in between the exhibitors, we were hopping from stage to stage watching MasterChef contestants past and present sharing tips and tricks they have learnt and learning from the real life Sydney chefs.

I have several new little techniques that I'll try in our kitchen now - deep frying enoki mushrooms seems all the rage with the Season 4 contestants. We love mushrooms, and this little technique to add some crunch to a plate sounds like it will be great for summer entertaining!

Darren Robertson's sherbet is something I'll definitely test out at home. After a meal last year at Ritual where a cardamom sherbet lined the plate, it's been something I'd love to put my own spin on, and now I know how to make it!

Prompted by a fabulous meal at Ms Gs on Friday night, chicken was on my hubbies mind, and a causal conversation with Audra Morris sparked a few ideas for him to try for a fried chicken coating to rival Audra, Mindy and Kylies "3 Pepper Chicken" from their pop up, or Dan Hong's "Naked Chicken" that we loved the other night!

Duck from the Three Blue Ducks

Of course, it wasn't just picking up on techniques for the kitchen. We came home with lots of heavily discounted booty (including pre-sale of MasterChef 2012 winner, Andy's new book "The Next Element" and our bellys full of some amazing food - the highlight for me being the Three Blue Ducks slow roasted duck with Asian greens which fell off the bone and melted in your mouth - a perfect dish for eating with a plastic fork (and I hate eating with plastic cutlery at the best of times!) whilst sheltering from the light drizzle!