Readers of this blog will know I am a bit of a fan of MasterChef Australia and last night saw the sixth elimination, with South Australia’s Scott Yeoman eliminated in a spectacular Pressure Test. I managed to catch up with Scott for a chat after that elimination.

The night before the Pressure Test, Scott had a food nightmare or a “foodmare”.

“The night before I literally had a vivid dream that I was in an elimination and it was a 25 page dessert challenge. And my Dad was in the dream and says ‘Just follow the recipe you’ll be right, you’ll be right’. Unfortunately the dream came true – it wasn’t 25 pages but it was a pretty hefty recipe I had to follow.”

Christy Tania from Om Nom, a dessert restaurant in Melbourne, set a spectacular challenge – Mango Alfonso.

When Christy took off the cloche, she revealed a dessert consisting of 10 individual elements including mango and shiso profiteroles, kalamansi sorbet with coconut lemongrass foam and a choux pastry.

“When she pulled that lid off I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ and then running through all the different elements I was already starting to doubt myself.”

But it wasn’t only Scott who struggled, all of the contestants struggled with the choux pastry, not letting the mixture cool before adding the egg yolks.

“I made it once before and it turned out not too bad but the whole recipe just threw me and I was so overwhelmed by it all.”

But Scott feels confident making desserts with a successful chocolate ganache tart in the Maggie Beer challenge.

“When I did the shortcrust sweet pastry it’s the best it ever turned out for me.”

Scott feels most proud of the Shannon Bennett (from Vue de monde) Pressure Test. He was really sick and couldn’t compete and went straight to the Pressure Test “and then to come back strong and have that recognition from Shannon Bennett himself and the other judges saying I did a fantastic job, that meant a lot”.

I was curious about how Scott felt doing the Mystery Boxes. Pulling off that lid and seeing the ingredients they are supposed to cook with.

“You do a lot of reading and focus on different areas of cooking. There are always different things floating in your head. It’s just having the ability to think quickly… it’s a difficult challenge to do, but it’s fun, I always enjoyed doing it.”

And living in the house with the other contestants?

“Everyone is really good. Obviously there were some people who kept to themselves more so than others. But we always had dinner together where we would all sit down at the table and have a laugh. There was no one I didn’t get a long with.”

Scott’s a carpenter by trade and is currently working with his friend on his new restaurant/bar Bread and Bone Woodgrill in Adelaide, where he will move into the kitchen after it opens soon.

Scott also says: “I’d like to do a food truck tour around Australia. I want to utilise local produce and get the local community involved.”

And if you’re thinking of applying for MasterChef Australia, Scott says:

“It’s an amazing process. It is hard work… it is long days but if you’re passionate about food and you love doing it, and you want to learn from the best, and you want to push yourself as a home cook and have a career in food – or just push yourself beyond your limits – then definitely apply.

“I have absolutely no regrets in the show whatsoever and met some amazing people who Ill stay friends with for the rest of my life.”

* Images courtesy Channel 10