MasterChef Talk: part 3
Every week, FavorFlav publishes an interview with that week’s eliminated contestant.
At the end of week two, Stephan also had to say goodbye to the MasterChef kitchen. We asked him about his culinary dream and what the deal is exactly with refined dishes.
Have you recovered a bit from your MasterChef adventure? Have you received many reactions?
It was a wonderful adventure, and that is genuinely how I experienced it. However, it was both physically and emotionally more intense than I had expected. By now, I have recovered. I received a great many reactions, from people around me and even from strangers. Taking part had a major impact.
What ultimately made you decide to take part in MasterChef?
I don’t think there was really one particular thing that made the difference. But if I had to think of something, it would be that I took part in a cooking competition during the summer. It was at a trade fair, and I was standing behind one of those kitchen counters working. When I got home that evening, I thought: why shouldn’t I apply for MasterChef Holland? Let’s see how far I can get without any background in cooking.
That fiddly stuff isn’t for me, so I blamed my ‘sausage fingers’
While baking the sticky toffee cake, you said that working delicately is difficult with large hands. What is THE dish to make with big men’s hands?
Hahaha, yes, that fiddly stuff is absolutely not for me. I just blamed my ‘sausage fingers’. I think I’m more of a hearty-food kind of person. A beautiful piece of meat can certainly be prepared in a refined way, but I’m not going to start working with a gel or crumble. I find that difficult.
Which challenge would you really not have wanted to miss?
Joris Bijdendijk’s masterclass. It was such a beautiful and refined dish. I really loved being allowed to make it. The way you make that stock completely clear, just like water, while all the flavours really burst out! I’ll definitely make that one at home a few more times.
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You said you would really like to open a café, has that dream become any closer now?
I don’t think that dream has come any closer yet. Running a café would have to be compatible with my current job, and I haven’t yet found the ultimate combination for that. Cooking, and especially entrepreneurship in the hospitality industry, really appeals to me. After taking part in MasterChef, I gained enormous respect for working in hospitality. You really have to work hard there. The pressure of being only as good as your last dish is enormous. But who knows what may come my way. I always see opportunities everywhere, so nothing is ruled out.
Never want to miss an episode of MasterChef again? Watch every weekday at 6:30 p.m. on SBS6.
Text: Marieke Migchelbrink
Image: SBS6 – MasterChef
