This week’s MasterChef Australia 2024 elimination of Gillian Dinh was an emotional rollercoaster that left everyone teary-eyed.
We caught up with the talented Gill to chat about her journey, her inspirations, and what’s next on her culinary horizon.
An emotional Masterchef Australia 2024 elimination
When asked about watching back her elimination episode, Gill confessed to Chattr, “I didn’t even expect to cry the way that I do once you get back to be honest. Watching it with my family around was triggering. It was all the feels.”
The macaron taste test
Remember the intense macaron taste test? Gill’s first thought was pure relief. “Please don’t make me make macarons,” she laughed.
“I thought we’d have to recreate the flavours we guessed wrong. Thank God we didn’t. We just had to taste more.”
Coffee – friend or foe?
Coffee played a starring role in Gill’s elimination challenge, much to her dismay. “I will never be drinking coffee ever again,” she declared, adding, “It’s an ingredient that I don’t cook with or eat or drink.”
Despite her aversion, she decided on a Vietnamese coffee crème caramel. “The only way I could cook with coffee was to pair it with something familiar, like condensed milk in Vietnamese coffee. I thought I could balance it better.”
Dad’s wise words
Gill’s late father’s advice was a guiding light throughout the competition.
“My dad was the strongest person I knew. He battled leukaemia and told me, ‘Don’t be scared.’ That stuck with me – it was one of the last things he told me before he passed away.”
“It taught me to persevere through things I can control,” she reflected. “I can control and change things. Because he wasn’t able to change his circumstances with leukemia, for me, if I can face battles like a desert challenge where it’s up to me to learn the skills, practice, and hone them, then I’m going to tackle it full force and not be scared.”
Best part of the MasterChef Australia journey
For Gill, the camaraderie among contestants was the highlight.
“Meeting the other contestants was the best part. We became a big family. It was overwhelming but also incredibly rewarding to connect with people who shared the same passion and drive.”
What’s next for Gill?
Gill’s post-MasterChef plans are nothing short of ambitious – and she’s already booked and busy!
“I’m working in two commercial kitchens while running my lettering art business and doing the whole MasterChef thing,” she shared.
“I’m trying to learn as much as I can in the culinary world in a commercial setting, acquiring skills in that fast-paced environment. I want to put this into practice in the real world, open my own pop-ups, or collaborate with local businesses and people to do takeovers. Ultimately, the end goal is to intertwine my passions in food and art.”
“That’s through both a cookbook and present experiences. The whole purpose of food for me is to connect with people. Being able to intertwine my passions for food and art is the ideal scenario.”
She added, “That’s where I’m heading. That’s the main goal for me.”
Who’s got her vote?
As for who might take the MasterChef title, Gill has a couple of frontrunners. “I envision Darrsh or Harry winning. They’ve grown so much and are tough competitors. Whether they win or not, they’re going to succeed.”
Gill’s journey on MasterChef may have come to an end, but her culinary adventure is just beginning. With her incredible drive and creative vision, we can’t wait to see what she cooks up next!
Watch MasterChef Australia from Sunday – Wednesday at 7.30 pm on 10 and 10Play.
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