The final two Contestants, Sue-Ann and Deena were wined and dined at the Montecasino Palazzo Hotel, courtesy of Tsogo Sun in Johannesburg.

They also found an invitation encased in a cloche inviting them to a private dinner at the MondoVino restaurant at Montecasino! They were delighted to be eating at the restaurant one of them would win. “This is an incredibly special opportunity… so I am definitely going to don the high heels,” said Sue-Ann. Dinner was cooked and served by none other than the trio of Judges.

Back in the MasterChef Kitchen, all the Top 18 Contestants made an appearance to watch Sue-Ann and Deena in the final cook-off. Fortune, who was the first person to be eliminated, said: “I’ve missed everyone so much. It honestly feels like a family reunion!”

Benny explained that the Finalé would consist out of three rounds: a Mystery Box, an Invention Test and a Pressure Test. The Judges would score each round and at the end, the person with the most points would become South Africa’s first MasterChef.

The Mystery Box revealed a selection of veggies, which Deena and Sue-Ann had to make a starter with. Sue-Ann decided to go for beetroot and goats’ cheese samoosas with crispy fried ribbons of vegetables and herbed mayonnaise. Deena made a medley of vegetables: sautéed Brussels sprouts, roasted root vegetables and a parsnip purée. For the first time in the MasterChef Kitchen, both Contestants were done with their plates with five minutes to spare.

For the Invention Test, which was the main course, Sue-Ann decided to make a poached fillet of beef with a jus and vegetables. Deena opted for a loin of crumbs encrusted with fresh coriander.

The dessert that was revealed for the Pressure Test: a deconstructed milk tart consisting of thin pastry layers with a base of cinnamon and apple gel and piped-out milk tart filling. It was topped with crystallised fennel seeds and a spun sugar spiral and served with a baby basil and appel moes. Benny described it as “a South African classic recreated as a fine dining dessert.”

The spun sugar turned out to be more of a challenge for both Contestants and Sue-Ann had to leave it off her plate.

At the end, Benny said the final was the culmination of their culinary journey. Andrew announced the winner: “This decision will change one of your lives. The winner of MasterChef South Africa is… Deena!”

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