He Was Supposed to WIN! The DEVASTATING MasterChef Elimination That Has the Internet Demanding Answers for Pat McGarry!
He’d been one of the show’s standout cooks, and many were surprised to see him not make, at least, the top three.
(Channel 10)
Pat McGarry’s elimination on MasterChef left viewers devastated, divided and angry as the talented cook was tipped to win the competition.
The four contestants facing elimination were split into two groups and had to incorporate either smoke or flambe into their dishes.
The loser of each group then had to battle to stay in the show. The dish that impressed the judges the least was sent home.
Sadly, Pat’s Charred Octopus with Romesco sauce wasn’t enough to beat Luke Harris’ kingfish mosaic with miso beurre blanc.
Pat’s dish was particularly called out for the octopus being unevenly cooked.
He became emotional when his name was called to leave, but he thanked the judges and his fellow contestants, who were also visibly upset by the decision.
At the time of filming, Pat had a partner who was seven months pregnant and a two-year-old daughter at home.
So while it was devastating for him to be eliminated, there was a small silver lining.
“I’m ready to go home to my girls,” he said.
(Channel 10)
Fans were devastated by Pat’s elimination
Fans were equally as upset over the judges’ decision.
Some called it “unfair” and said they had tipped Pat to win the $250,000 cash prize.
“The fact that Pat has so much better of a track record than Luke and goes home JUST because Luke cooked slightly better than him once is so unfair,” one viewer claimed.
“Pat was my pick to win, so him going home before Top 5 is only slightly more upsetting than him going out in a face-off with Luke of all people. What weird parallel universe am I in,” added another.
(Channel 10)
“This one hurts the most, you could tell how much he loved it,” wrote a third.
But not everyone was on his side and admitted that, in a restaurant setting, Luke’s dish would have been superior.
“No matter how great you’re, if you fail on elimination day, you’re out,” said one.
“I think people here are forgetting the point of elimination is to not cook the worst dish,” added another.
Pat’s response to his elimination
Pat told TV Week he had a “weird feeling” when he woke up on elimination day that something might happen to him.
Despite the disappointment of being booted from the show, there was a sense of relief.
“I felt like I was so tightly wound for a lot of the experience because I was so nervous and putting a lot of pressure on myself that the first initial feeling was, ‘Ah, I can exhale and breathe’,” he said.
“The first morning after my elimination, it was a beautiful sunny day. I went for a massive walk around Melbourne, got a coffee and was super relaxed. Then I got to get home to see the girls as soon as possible.”
Pat made a massive dedication to his partner, Emma, following his elimination from the show being aired.
“You’ve been my biggest supporter through every high and low. Frankie and Stevie, everything I do is for you girls. I can’t wait to be home, make you way too many potato dishes and probably never hear the end of ‘Dad was on TV’,” he said.
“Now it’s time to slow down, spend some quality time at home with my favourite people and maybe let someone else cook for a change. Although… let’s not get carried away.”