Harry Butterfield made a name for himself on MasterChef Australia 2024 as the “fish guy,” and in an ironic twist of fate, he was eliminated during a Pressure Test involving fish.
From Crayfish Choo Chee to Cantonese Flower Crab, Harry proved his knowledge and prowess in whipping up all sorts of seafood dishes throughout the season.
It’s not only Harry who focused on his speciality. Sav predominantly cooks Sri Lankan-inspired dishes, Pezza often opts for prime cuts of meat, and Nat regularly whips up Asian dishes.
During a post-elimination interview with Chattr, Harry explained that when it comes to choosing the challenge dish, it’s a good idea to go with something you know you’re skilled at.
“I think it’d be silly to go into something like that, where you have the opportunity to play to your strengths in a particular challenge, and not take that,” he said.
“At the end of the day, we’re all obviously there to create awesome dishes because we love cooking, but it’s also a competition, and each one of us wanted to win,” he added.
Harry stressed the importance of versatility on MasterChef
Although Harry used his skills with seafood to help propel him through the competition, he recognised how important it is for MasterChef contestants to show that they’re not just a one-trick pony.
“I think I’ve shown some pretty good versatility across the show, whether it be different cuisines and flavours, tackling different proteins, and obviously, some sweets and stuff as well,” he said.
“I think it is important to show versatility, and I hope people can see that I tried.
“I was trying to be creative every time I stepped into the kitchen and came up with new flavours and ideas. But it’s also about taking the opportunity to do well,” he added.
What’s next for Harry?
While it might be the last viewers see of Harry competing on MasterChef, it’s unlikely it will be the last they’ll see of him online.
The seafood guru reflected fondly on his time on the show and wants to use his new platform to educate home cooks on how to cook seafood well through his YouTube channel, Fins ‘n Tins.
“I’m going to be doing a lot of ocean-to-plate tutorials and recipes, where I go out and catch the seafood, bring it back, and teach people how to cook it, prepare it, store it, fillet it.”
On top of that, he’s hoping to open a restaurant in the near future.
“I’ve had heaps of messages saying, ‘Open the restaurant, we want to make a booking,'” he laughed.
“I think the long-term goal is to open a restaurant, but we’re actually travelling to Europe for a few months. I really want to use that as inspiration and try to get some unique ideas that people aren’t doing here and combine that with my love of seafood.
“Then probably look to open a restaurant next year or even the year after,” he said.
Watch MasterChef Australia from Sunday – Wednesday on Channel 10 and 10 Play.
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