>> Cameron Williams (aca): Now welcome back.
The series has only just begun but already MasterChef has a star and his name is John
Hughes.
He's won rave reviews not for his cooking but for his bravery.
>> John Hughes: My food's not of standard to present to my friends, my family, how could
I go and present to you guys standing here today.
>> Damian Murphy: It was the night of MasterChef, dished up a serve of humble pie.
>> John Hughes: When I make wine, when I cook for my friends or my family, I produce quality.
>> Damian Murphy: Cerebral palsy sufferer John Hughes
>> John Hughes: I put my heart and soul into it and using my time.
Today you gave me a recipe but time-wise I was out of my depth.
>> Person 2: I felt so proud I actually had a tear in the eye.
>> Person 3: I thought that was great, yeah I've never seen that before.
>> Matt Preston: Maggie Beer
>> Damian Murphy: MasterChef is back, with a bang.
>> Maggie Beer: Three dishes.
>> Damian Murphy: Cuisine queen Maggie Beer last night challenged the restaurant wannabe's
to a tricky trio of desserts, to really sort the wheat from the chaff.
>> Luke Mangan: You know that sort of dish is quite complicated in its own little way,
it's got three little components which need to be all perfect.
>> Damian Murphy: Celebrity chef Luke Mangan.
>> Luke Mangan: It is hard, but I guess that's why they're there to do it.
>> Matt Preston: And your time starts now.
>> Damian Murphy: Well talk about kitchen chaos.
Plates were smashed, saucepans burnt and MasterChef was on fire.
>> Gary Mehigan: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
>> Damian Murphy: At the kitchen rear, John Hughes was in a pickle.
>> Maggie Beer: You need dry flour and baking powder and sift it in and then pour the oil
on it, so just start [?] with that.
>> John Hughes: My name's John Hughes and I'm a winemaker from the Barossa Valley.
I've got slight cerebral palsy, slightly affects my mobility.
My biggest concern about being on MasterChef is timing.
>> Marelle Thornton: I think this is a remarkable story.
>> Damian Murphy: Marelle Thornton from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.
>> Marelle Thornton: I think he's sending a terrific message to people to motivate them,
to be the best that they can be and he's obviously putting his best food forward.
>> George Calombaris: Three, two, one, that's it!
Step away from your benches.
>> Gary Mehigan: Well done guys.
>> George Calombaris: Well done.
>> Damian Murphy: As MasterChef goes, this would be a pressure cooker and Hughes felt
that he'd failed.
>> Maggie Beer: It was a tough challenge, it was a tough challenge.
>> Peter Ford: It was a great moment of television and that's what producers of a reality TV
show actually want to present.
>> Damian Murphy: Entertainment editor, Peter Ford.
>> Matt Preston: Next up is John.
>> Peter Ford: Australians love battlers and we love people getting in there and giving
it a red hot shot and here is somebody who does have challenges but despite that he's
in there giving it a go.
>> Matt Preston: John, John, John.
>> John Hughes: I'm not going to present guys.
>> Marelle THornton: A very courageous piece of television and a very courageous John I
have to say.
>> Matt Preston: Noone's had the gut, the courage to say I'm not happy with that, I
don't want you to taste it and i think that's an amazing thing to do.
>> Damian Murphy: It was a MasterChef moment.
>> Matt preston: Gary, ever cooked a dish in the restaurant and then thrown it away?
>> Gary Mehigan: Uh, yep.
>> Matt Preston: George?
>> George Colambaris: Plenty of times
>> Matt Preston: Maggie?
>> Maggie Beer: Absolutely
>> Matt Preston: John you're in pretty good company.
I know you want to do it just go.
>> Maggie Beer: I want to give you a hug.
>> Luke Mangan: I think it shows that John is a perfectionist and that's what this business
is all about, being a perfectionist.
>> Matt Preston: John, thank you for your bravery and thank you for your honesty.
You can go back to your bench.
>> Luke Mangan: I wish him all the best, if he doesn't get through, please come work for
me.
>> Craig: When John came up to the judges without his plate of food, it just showed
the courage of his convictions.
>> Kate: The integrity that he showed was pretty profound.