Basmah Qazi
Food & Wine

Fans fuming after MasterChef Australia crowns youngest ever winner

MasterChef’s grand finale aired on Tuesday night where the top three contestants battled it out for the top prize.

After Larissa Takchi, Simon Toohey and Tessa Boersma took part in an intense service challenge, it was Larissa that ultimately came out on top with her pavlova receiving a perfect score from the judges.

At just 22 years old, she is the youngest ever winner in the show’s history.

She was awarded a brand new Holden Equinox, a monthly column in Delicious magazine and a quarter of a million dollars.

Feeling overwhelmed, the young cook said: “Thank you so much. Honestly, I can’t believe it. I am so surprised that I even made it this far in the competition.

“And to say that I’ve actually won is just so weird to even say out loud. I’ve got you three to thank for it,” she told the judges.

“Honestly, you’ve seen me, how I’ve grown since I first came to the competition. You guys are like my three dads. You’ve kind of brought me up in this way!”

Her mother, who was standing beside her, was also visibly proud, saying: “I can’t believe what she’s achieved. She’s just young and just starting out and she just taught herself everything, really. She’s just got this drive in her and she has places to go.”

Coming in at second place was Tessa Boersma, who was awarded $30,000, and was gracious in defeat, saying: “I’ve learnt so much being in this competition about myself and what I’m capable of, and it’s changed me completely for the better.”

She added, “And Larissa, she’s so incredible and completely deserves to win." 

But not everyone was happy with the outcome, with viewers taking to Twitter to express their fury at the so-called favouritism shown by the judges.

“The judges have been pushing the ‘youngest contestant’ agenda for a while … looking back I should of known,” tweeted one viewer.

“Rock hard sorbet, collapsed meringues … judges: 10/10. Not sure anyone is surprised but hey, maybe one year they’ll start doing blind tastings in the finale,” wrote another.

“10/10 for a dessert with cracked meringue and rock hard sorbet. Melting it would have made it syrupy. Larissa was always going to win. Judges loved her and the fact she would be the youngest winner was good for them. She was very lucky the past few weeks,” said another viewer.

“So Larissa serves up bone marrow and Coles brand Laurent sourdough an hour late and gets 9/10. Seems legit,” a user tweeted in regards to the winner's entrée, which was served late due to her having trouble in the kitchen.

This season of MasterChef Australia is the last for judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris, who announced yesterday afternoon that they will not be returning next year.

The three chefs took to Instagram late last night to post their individual statements, confirming that they were “unable to agree to all terms of the new contract” with Mehigan denying that money was the reason why.

"Thank you so very much for supporting @masterchefau over the last 11 years," Preston wrote on Instagram, captioning a photo of himself, Mehigan and Calombaris. 

"We have loved every single moment. It is however with a heavy heart that I can confirm that Season 11 was our last. We were really keen to continue but we were unable to agree to all terms for the new contract."

He wished "the new judges all the best with the show that we love so much," and said he would not be making any further comment.

Tags:
MasterChef, TV, Cooking, Food