He made taste buds dance in delight with Nonna’s meatballs and a silky salted coconut panna cotta.
But in the end a French dish was his final creation, as the nation’s favourite Italian home cook hung up his Masterchef apron.
Sans Souci’s Aldo Ortado was eliminated from the Channel 10 reality cooking show last night, Thursday, June 21.
Aldo, 31, who manages Cronulla restaurants Giro Osteria and Alphabet St, fought it out in fiery competition kitchen-side with other talented home cooks from across Australia.
He made it to the final 12.
There was a twist because Aldo was not eliminated immediately after he failed to impress with his butterflied prawns with chervil butter.
He got a ‘second chance cook’ to win his way back into the competition, but that was where his battle ended, serving up fish and mussel broth that judges said was too salty.
“I was given a French cuisine as my last dish – I guess that was the luck of the draw,” he said.
“I’m not disappointed because I don’t see it as an end point – it’s the beginning.
“A big part of the show is that it opens many doors, and if you’re smart enough, you can catch every opportunity.”
Aldo’s muse throughout the competition was his grandmother, Nonna Lucia.
“She wasn’t upset, she just asked if I did my best and said if I’m happy then that’s what matters,” he said.
“I still want to pursue my dream to open my own restaurant named after her – that’s the ultimate plan. A local business and something small – no more than about 50 seats, and just cooking my own food.”
A big highlight of the show was meeting Maggie Beer.
“She was so supportive and comforting when I was under pressure to put up a dish,” Aldo said.
“I never imagined I would cook for her let alone have her say my dish was one of the best she’s eaten.
“But it’s more than about the food – it’s the people.
“Coming from Italy I didn’t have many friends here so I enjoyed being part of the big family.”
He is in talks to collaborate with Alpino Gelato in Marrickville, and is working on a cook book that will include his Nonna’s classic recipes.
Aldo was tipped as an early ‘favourite’ to win Masterchef this year, based on past winners being from NSW, having fewer than five letters in their name, and about 30 years of age.
The research from BonusCodeBets.co.uk, which looked at the characteristics of all 212 contestants from the past nine series, named contestant Khan Ong as the next favourite to win the title.