Devin Hogan, Head Chef and Owner at SMAK Delicatessen and Restaurant
in Cape Town, bowed out of Top Chef on Tuesday (27 September) in the penultimate episode of the series, leaving two cheftestants to go into next week’s finale: Annemarie Robertson and Ayabonga Gope.
Here's a recap of Tuesday's events by the show, with a look at what to expect in the finale:
Episode 12
Devin’s pastry work in the dessert themed Elimination Challenge let him down and saw the judges send him packing.
The pressure was on from the get-go when the remaining three cheftestants went straight into an Elimination Challenge. The judges and guest judge, celebrity chef Yudhika Sujanani, asked them to each prepare a sweet sensation which included three different types of desserts: one baked, one set and one confectionary item.
Yudhika, a self-titled ‘foodpreneur’, cautioned the cheftestants to ensure their desserts didn’t just look the part but that these also tasted good. With three hours to cook the three cheftestants set out to wow the judges and claim their spot in the finale.
Ayabonga Gope admitted to hating desserts but said he knows his flavours well enough to wing it. He made a lemon and lime cheesecake, truffles with shortbread and roasted coconut and berries and a wheat free chocolate cake with cream cheese icing.
Devin, who felt confident going into the challenge, slowly lost his way while making a chocolate sponge filled with cinnamon and chocolate mousse, a strawberry and maple panna cotta and a banoffee pie inspired slice.
Annemarie Robertson was meanwhile intent on out cooking the other competitors with her basil panna cotta with blueberry syrup and pistachio brittle, peanut butter chocolate cake and passion fruit and white chocolate truffles.
Tension mounted as Ayabonga and Annemarie started plating while Devin was still scrambling to temper chocolate to decorate his chocolate sponge cake. Tripped up the clock he served a rather sad looking cake to the judges.
But it wasn’t just his cake that was a letdown for the judges. Devin’s panna cotta garnish was criticised for being strangely salty and his banoffee slices failed to impress.
Devin admitted that he should’ve done more to cook his way into the final. He said he was sad to leave the show, but had an amazing experience that can never be taken away from him.
Meanwhile the closest menu to dessert perfection was that of Annemarie’s who will go head to head with Ayabonga Gope in the finale next week as they battle it out for the title of Top Chef and R100 000 in cash.
What to expect...
The two chefs will be given four hours to produce the best four course meal of their lives. Previously eliminated cheftestants will also be making an appearance and one of South Africa's most celebrated chefs and owner of The Test Kitchen in Cape Town, Luke Dale-Roberts, joins the judges in making their final decision.
Top Chef SA airs on SABC3 on Tuesdays at 20h00.