Sachin Gosai, Head Chef at The National in Parktown North, failed to make the Top 3 on Top Chef SA on Tuesday (20 September) when his tongue turned out to be the worst dish of the night.
Here's a recap of the episode by the show:
Episode 11
This week’s Quickfire Challenge tested the remaining four cheftestant’s speed and creativity in the kitchen when they were asked to create a gourmet brunch in just 45 minutes.
Artisanal baker and restaurateur Jason Lilley joined the judges to decide on a winner. It was Devin Hogan’s three dishes of omelette, French toast topped with mushrooms and flapjacks which came out tops.
The four cheftestants were then put through their paces again in the nose-to-tail Elimination Challenge which involved cooking with brains, liver and tongue. Joining the resident judges and Jason Lilley in this challenge was also butcher and restaurateur Andy Fenner.
The cheftestants had to each create a two course meal in two hours with three different cuts of meat that they chose themselves in order according to a knife pull.
Judge Neill Anthony warned them that while any chef can cook chicken or steak, the lesser known cuts of meat require more skill.
All four cheftestants made bold choices. Devin cooked a smoked bone marrow starter followed by a springbok shank and brains main and Ayabonga Gope made a pork dish with sweet and sour cabbage and venison with chocolate sauce and liver.
Annemarie Robertson cooked a pork cheek dish and rabbit roulade while Sachin made a marinated beef tongue warm salad and warthog ravioli.
While Aya admitted to being out of his comfort zone, Devin undercooked the brains and Annemarie ran out of time plating, it was Sachin’s risky dishes that proved the most problematic.
Having never worked with tongue before it was undercooked and the judges also felt his ravioli was too thick which sealed his fate. In contrast, this week’s winner Annemarie’s dishes were labelled elegant and good to eat.
Sachin, who knew from an early age that he wanted to be a chef, says he is going to miss the excitement that the pressure of being in the Top Chef kitchen gave him but says he has learnt new techniques and made new friends along the way.
Only three cheftestants remain. Ayabonga, Devin and Annemarie will battle it out next week to see who makes the finale.