It’s almost time to find out who will be crowned winner of MasterChef 2019 and we couldn’t be more excited!
In tonight’s finale, Larissa Takchi, Simon Toohey and Tessa Boersma will battle it out for the coveted title in front of judges Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris and Matt Preston.
Here, the top 3 open up to TV WEEK ahead of their final cook…
Larissa can’t believe she’s in the top 3.
(Image: 10)Congrats for making the top 3! Did you ever think you’d make it this far?!
There’s no way I thought I would make it this far, I wasn’t even sure if I’d get to audition!
What has been your highlight so far?
I think my highlight was cooking for Massimo Botturo. Not only was Massimo so inspiring , the challenge he set for us was almost life-changing. He pushed my creativity to the very edge and I’ll have to travel to Italy and thank him for that. He has changed my perspective on food so drastically and he’s part of the reason why I push myself so hard to be creative.
Is the MasterChef experience what you imagined?
Being a viewer of MasterChef versus being a contestant is so different. I think the thing that struck me the most was how genuine the show was. Being a viewer, I was always so sceptical about how legitimate the challenges were and I guess when I finally made it on the show, I saw how every challenge is exactly as you see on TV. As a viewer I think you forget how much sacrifice there is involved or you underestimate the sacrifice – like not speaking or seeing your family or friends for months on end and the lack of freedom and lack of independence. I didn’t think it was going to be that hard but my god, it was a struggle – one that was well worth it though!
Simon studied hard in the MasterChef mansion.
(Image: 10)Simon Toohey
Why do you think you’ve made it this far in the competition?
I worked really hard while in the MasterChef house, studying as much as I could and practising as often as possible. I tried to think creatively so I could cook creatively.
Who will you stay in touch with?
Living in a house with 24 people had the potential to be quite difficult, but there was never ever an issue! We became family, I will stay in touch with everyone. But I will be calling Steph and Mandy as soon as I am out to see how they are as I miss them dearly.
What have you learnt about yourself?
I learnt to be patient with myself and with stressful situations. I learnt to trust my instincts and forgive myself for making mistakes… and that human beings from all sorts backgrounds and ages will always come together and support one another through the tough times! I also think I learnt that I may actually know how to cook… which was weird!
Tessa says her competitive nature has got her this far.
(Image: 10)Tessa Boersma
Why do you think you’ve made it this far in the competition?
My competitive nature definitely got me this far. I hate losing so for me each challenge was a chance to prove to myself what I’m made of. In saying that, there are definitely highs and lows throughout the competition so you need to be kind to yourself, and others. The contestants all look out for each other and that’s what helps you get through those tough times.
What has been your biggest challenge so far?
My biggest challenge so far has definitely been the elimination cook where Derek went home. That was a low day and such a stressful cook for all of us. Being top 8 at that point, we are all so hungry to get to the finish line so any elimination from that point onwards has been difficult.
What are your plans should you win?
If I win I want to do some travel to grow my knowledge on different cuisines. I also eventually want to own my one restaurant so I will need to get some experience in a commercial kitchen ASAP. Before all that though I will need a holiday! This MasterChef stuff gets pretty overwhelming so having a break somewhere with a beach would be nice!
MasterChef Australia, Tuesday, 7.30pm, 10
