Minoli DeSilva is still in disbelief that she made it back into the MasterChef Australia kitchen, after winning back her apron during second chance week.
“I was focusing so hard on the apron, and trying to see my name on it, so my eyes were just glued,” DeSilva told POPSUGAR Australia of her triumphant return. “And when the apron dropped, I just let all my feelings out.”
DeSilva won back her apron during a pressure test set by Anthony Hart, in which she was competing against Conor Curran, Eric Mao and Katrina Dunnet.
Ultimately, she reigned supreme with a chocolate oasis that most closely resembled Hart’s thanks to her impressive ability to temper chocolate.
The 34-year-old breast cancer survivor was an early favourite in the competition, making her May 2nd exit a huge shock.
“Being around so many cooks that are incredible, I did get intimidated,” Minoli told POPSUGAR Australia during an interview after her elimination.
“You have to remember that you’re running your own race and not to compare yourself to others which is what I did and I’m like, ‘Okay, maybe I need to do something different’ and then I tried to do something that just wasn’t naturally me.”
This time around DeSilva is determined to last the distance in the competition and show Australia everything she’s got.
“I went in with the mindset that I wasn’t going to fail,” she said of her mindset heading back into the game. “I honestly think that your mind frame is one of the most important things. Like, honestly, something like this doesn’t come around very often. And you just have to give everything all the time, because you never know where that may take you in life.”
The MasterChef kitchen has become a surrogate family for the contestants, with the aspiring cooks forming fast friendships.
So, who was DeSilva most excited to be reunited with upon her return?
“Amir, Brent, Sabina….,” she said. “It was just so fun to be back there and be part of that electric energy that I really just forgot. You know, I missed that energy.
“And Sabina is hilarious. She is one of the funniest people I have met.”
