Carluke mum Laura Michael is aiming to serve up another dinner winner as she stars in the finals week of top TV show MasterChef tonight (Thursday).
The culinary queen has been on hot form on the popular cooking programme, making it to the last four contestants.
Laura will now go head-to-head with Alexina, Mike and Tom tonight as they all cook a dish to save their place in the competition, before cooking for the revered chef’s table – a service to some of the most decorated and celebrated chefs around the UK.
If Laura gets through that, she will make it to the final three in Friday’s show, where she will cook a three-course meal for Gregg and John to try and win the MasterChef crown.
In the first of three episodes this week, broadcast on Monday, contestants were asked to cater for 25 ‘lockdown heroes’ at the plush Plaisterers’ Hall in London.
That saw Laura, a jazz saxophonist, go up against cooking rivals Alexina, Madeenha, Mike and Tom.
Serving up one of two meat dishes on offer as part of a five-course menu, Laura impressed judges with her take on crispy duck – her kids’ favourite takeaway.
That saw her serve up a succulent duck’s breast on pea puree, with crispy duck sesame toast and shredded duck.
Her duck breast, pink and juicy with crispy skin, was praised by the diners with judge and presenter, Gregg Wallace, saying it was “buttery melt in the mouth”.
Laura said: “That was really tough, but I’m pleased that I got through it without setting myself on fire or crying.”
Having pulled through a nerve wracking and tough service, it was then back to MasterChef HQ where the five contestants served up a dish inspired by their own heroes.
There, Laura served up an apple and custard tart with caramelised apple balls and meringue in honour of her jazz hero, John Coltrane.
The American jazz saxophonist and composer was famed for having a ‘wickedly sweet tooth,’ with Laura putting together a dish he would have loved.
Chef, presenter and judge, John Torode, said: “Really beautiful work. I don’t have a massively sweet tooth, but I really like this dessert.”
Meanwhile Gregg, well-known for his sweet tooth and love of desserts, thought it was a bit “too sugary” because of the meringue.
However, Laura’s skill in wowing the judges earned a well-deserved place in the final four.
She said: “I was happy with the comments. It was a really sweet dessert, I knew that.
“I’m surprised it was John that liked the meringues and not Gregg,” she laughed.
Madeenha was eliminated from the competition after her hero-inspired dish failed to impress.
