The next challenge takes teams to Balmain, Sydney and Australia’s pub capital, for the ultimate Aussie Pub Crawl. Colin and Pete will be doing the crawling, while the teams will be doing the cooking.
The day begins with a sad announcement, as Vicky explains that Celine is in hospital, and they need to withdraw from the competition. The other teams bid Vicky a tearful goodbye, and then it is on to the next challenge.
Colin and Pete explain that the teams will be cooking a pub lunch for them and the Balmain locals. The ten teams are split between five pubs around Balmain. Their guests will be actual paying customers who will pay what they think the meal is worth. Whichever team raises the most money will be the People’s Choice, and safe from the next two eliminations. Pete and Colin will decide the two worst performing dishes, which will put their chefs straight into a Sudden Death Cook Off.
Teams are given fifteen minutes to source their ingredients at Coles. Robert takes the opportunity to relax by riding the trolleys, Rose is far from relaxed and screams like a strangled chicken at her little chick Josh to ‘get the chicken!!!’.
Back in the kitchens, teams have one and a half hours to prepare their dishes.
Drasko is overcome with the experience of stepping into a commercial kitchen, and needs a few moments to collect himself. He acquaints himself with all the commercial sized appliances, and almost takes some selfies to capture the moment.
Shaz and Jac are preparing Chargrilled Lamb with Roast Vegetable and Feta Salad. They explain that if they do not pull this off, they expect to be banned from every pub when they return to Mt Isa. On tasting, the Judges say it looks inviting, and it is clear they have given it lots of thought, as it is a very well put together dish. Colin says that he would happily pay for the meal, and Pete says they have nailed it, and claims it is his dish of the day.
In the same kitchen, Dave and Rob are cooking Butter Chicken with Saffron Rice and Flatbread. Still slightly stinging from being criticized for being too pedestrian with their meals, they hope this dish will prove they can take risks.
On tasting, the Judges think it is grossly missing salt, and the flavor of the sauce has not penetrated into the chicken. Colin says it is an ordinary dish, and points out that it is the third time that he has given them the lecture. Three times and you’re out as far as Colin is concerned. The guests agree that it is nothing to rave about, with one guest claiming she has eaten better. Ouch! Seems like the boys’ ‘shake and bake’ catch cry was more ‘shake and flake’ this time around.
Spice Girls Debra A and Eva B are making Fish and Sweet Potato Chips and Chilli Mayonnaise. The Judges do not like their cubed chips. They find them tricky to eat and soggy. However, they find the fish moist and tasty, and the mayonnaise packs a great punch.
In the same kitchen, Robert and Lynzey are preparing a Tex Mex meal of Spicy Beef Fajitas with Jalapeno Pico de Gallo – translation - Mexican salsa. The Judges think it is no fiesta in the mouth, and the anticipated Mexican flavours are not coming through. Colin says it lacks spice and is not exciting and does not deliver. The guests agree, and are disappointed that it is not what they expected from the menu.
Ash and Camilla are creating an upmarket steak and chips with Pittsburgh Rare with French Fries, Mushy Peas and Café de Paris Butter. When some of the steaks are returned for being too rare, Ash struggles to understand what part of Rare on the menu the guests did not understand. The Judges think the steak is cooked perfectly, the butter is a surprising accompaniment. Colin thinks it is a real winner, but wonders how the patrons will appreciate it.
Across the bench, Rose and Josh are preparing Stuffed Chicken Breast with Chilli Breadcrumbs and Polenta Chips. It is their take on the classic chicken parmigiana. The chicken is not cooking as quickly as they would like, and Josh observes that a good vet could bring it back to life. Their stuffed chicken is rapidly stuffing up their chances of pulling off a great dish. Teetotaler Rose is so distressed that it is driving her to drink - she thinks having a scotch might help the situation, so luckily she is in a pub. They manage to get the chicken cooked on the pan, and on tasting the Judges think the dish works well – the chicken is moist, the flavours are great, and overall it is moreish.
Kool Kat and Understated Andre are making Snapper with Carrot Puree, Duck Fat Potatoes and Tomato Salsa. Understated Andre loses his cool with the fish skinning and scaling. After Kool Kat manages to calm him down, he decides to cook it with the skin on. On tasting, the Judges find the fish cooked to perfection.
On the other side of the kitchen, Carol and Adam are cooking Pink Ling En Papillote with Green Beans and Hazelnut Crumb – it is the fancy schmancy term for ‘fish in a bag’. Their meal is very intricate and they struggle during service. The Judges find the dish colourful, but feel it needs more liquid in the bag, even though the fish is just cooked.
Drasko and Bianca are preparing Mexican Pork Ribs with White Beans and Pickled Onions. On tasting, the Judges love the combination of flavours – sweet, char, pickle and the kick from the beans. They think it will be a crowd favourite, with Colin saying it is his kind of dish, and brands it his dish of the day. At the end of the cook, modest Drasko claims it was chaos, but he still enjoyed himself, he can still see himself cooking for the rest of his life and he still wants to be a chef. Glad he cleared that up for the audience, and glad there is still an ‘I’ in Bianca.
On the other side of the bench, Emma and Jane are making Kangaroo Fillet with Cauliflower Puree and Red Wine Jus. Twenty minutes into service, they still have not managed to produce a single plate of food. Their diners are waiting… and waiting,.. and waiting. The pub crawl has slowed down to become a complete pub stop. When it finally arrives front of house, the Judges think the kangaroo is cooked beautifully, but overall it is a beige dish and holds nothing to excite them.
Time for the verdict. The People’s Choice goes to Jac and Shaz for their lamb. Shaz becomes so emotional at the thought that she will not be banned from any pubs on her return to Mt Isa, that she begins to cry.
Pete and Colin nominate Rob and Dave’s Curry and Robert and Lynzey’s Fajitas as the two worst dishes of the day. Emma and Jane have dodged a major bullet, and Sudden Death will see a cook off between Southern Style and Far North Queensland cooking.