By JOLENE OGLE
NOOSA local Elena Duggan has taken out the top title in the 2016 Masterchef competition, beating Noosa chef Matt Sinclair by just two points in a nail-biting finale.
The two amateur cooks took on the ‘Verjus in Egg’, a complex 91-step dessert creation by Heston Blumenthal and his executive chef at Dinner by Heston, Ashley Palmer-Watts, in a five and a half hour cook on the Channel 10 reality show.
The true spirit of the show shone through when Ms Duggan left her own cook to help Mr Sinclair in the final moments, but Mr Sinclair was “gutted” when his egg began to split in the last few second of the competition.
Despite an early three-point lead, Mr Sinclair wasn’t able to make the points to see the season out as the winner.
Ms Duggan, who grew up in Tewantin, won the $250,000 prize by just two points and said she was “so grateful for the entire experience”, thanking Mr Sinclair for his friendship throughout the competition.
“I’ve learnt a lot about food from Matt,” she said.
On congratulating his fellow-competitor, Mr Sinclair said she had earned the win and thanked her for helping him make it through the competition.
Noosa local Mr Sinclair walked away with a surprise $40,000 prize as runner-up and has told local media he will put the money towards his food truck business, Ten Piece Cutlery.
Masterchef judges said they couldn’t wait to line up for Mr Sinclair’s street food cuisine, and Noosa locals might not have to wait for long with Mr Sinclair in talks to host a pop-up restaurant at Ricky’s River Bar, where he has been working for the past two months.
