Former Canberra girl Annabel Lloyd has been eliminated from MasterChef Australia, saying it wouldn't have mattered if judge Andy Allen had been there or not.
The 31-year-old registered nurse was the last woman standing - and one of the top five - in the 2026 season, but undercooked dough sent her home on Wednesday night in pressure test set by judge Poh Ling Yeow
Judge Andy Allen, who has championed Annabel, was absent from judging duties for the pre-recorded episode because his wife was having their first baby.
Annabel was clear she would have gone home whether Andy was judging on the night or not, as she made mistakes cooking a traditional Malaysian snack Kuih koci.
"Oooh, I don't think Andy being there or not being there would have had much sway," she told The Canberra Times on Thursday.
"It's hard because watching that back, like, I felt really good for most of the cook and it was just when I was trying to do the dough right at the end.
"I'd never worked with a dough like that before and I just spent so long on it that it then just gave me no time to cook anything and the wheels just fell off.
"So, yep, that was all me."
Canberrans proudly claimed Annabel as one of theirs during the competition. While she now lives in Sydney, working at St Vincent's Hospital, Annabel grew up in the national capital, attending Canberra Girls Grammar School.
Her parents Pippa and Greg still live in Yarralumla. Annabel lives in a share house in Sydney with siblings Rosie and Jack.
"I'm a Canberran loud and proud," Annabel said with a laugh.
Every night [MasterChef was] on, Mum and Dad would send me a photo of them watching it.
Extremely creative during the show - white soy, black pepper, and vanilla ice cream anyone? - Annabel said she learnt how to cook with her family.
"My mum very much taught us to cook stuff from a young age. Like, we'd make pasta when we were really little and it was very much hands-on. Also with baking and stuff like that," she said.
"Mum had a beautiful garden and food was just really important to us as a family and it still is. Like, our entire family is completely obsessed with cooking and food. My dad, as he has wound down in his work life, in his career, he's started to cook a lot more, which is cool.
"But I think I amped it up when COVID hit, it was very much an outlet for me because everyone was in lockdown. It was the one activity we were allowed to do and it gave me a lot of joy."
Annabel, 31, said they were a close family but MasterChef had brought them even closer.
"It's been so nice just having them be so vocal in their support," she said.
"Every night it's on, Mum and Dad would send me a photo of them watching it. They forward support they've had from their friends.
"Mum wrote me a really beautiful letter just after I was eliminated. And it was nice to have that in writing - 'It was never about where you came in the competition but you've just gone so well'.
"It was so cool because we grew up watching MasterChef when we were little and mum was like, 'I just cannot believe you've done this, it is just amazing'."
Annabel has returned to nursing, saying it gives her so much satisfaction. But she does have food plans in her future.
"Cooking used to be a relaxing outlet for me but there's definitely been a fire that's been lit under me. Like, wow, I really want to build a bit of career in it as well."
In the pressure test, Annabel was up against fellow Canberran Casper Kenworthy, as well as Victorians Petro Papathomas from Victoria and Aaron Kher. Vinnie Gabaldi, from Melbourne, won immunity from the challenge and is also still in the mix.
Who does Annabel think is going to win MasterChef 2026?
"I think either Casper or Vinnie," she said.
"Casper because he has just been so solid from day one. Like, he's never put up a bad-tasting dish. He sometimes missed the mark on briefs but, technically, he is incredible and so creative.
"And then Vinnie because I reckon he's improved the most. And, looking back, a lot of people who improve the most end up winning."
When she's back in Canberra, Annabel may be spotted out and about in one of her favourite restaurants, including Japanese hotspot Raku on Bunda Street.
"Or Lambshed's down at Yarralumla shops. It's like this hidden gem and it's so, so good. They always have really beautiful wine-bar food which is right up my alley. And it's, literally, so close to my house."
Annabel was disappointed to not "cook for royalty" on Sunday when Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex is appearing on MasterChef Australia as a guest cook.
But fellow Canberran Casper was excited to plate up for the duchess.
"It's something none of us expected," Casper said.
"Never in a million years would you think that she would be on MasterChef Australia, and she was one of our favourite judges as well. She was interested in what you were doing and wanting to chat.
"Having someone who has really good confidence on camera actually made us more calm, so that was really valuable."
