Plus, her go-to easy dinner recipes.

MasterChef Australia: Back to Win week 1 is already over and on Sunday night, the dreaded elimination challenge took place. There were tears, heartwarming moments, a pressure-filled challenge, and a difficult first goodbye.

An emotional video documenting the contestant’s time on MasterChef set the scene for the challenge. Using inspiration from the video, they had to cook a dish that best represents who they are now and with only 90 minutes on the clock, it was guaranteed to be a tough one.

Unfortunately, it was second-guessing, stress and too much multitasking that brought Cath’s MasterChef journey to an end.

The mushroom disaster

In our interview with Cath, she said, “I wanted to keep growing and challenging myself. There’s something really special about stepping back into the MasterChef Australia kitchen. I was so excited to meet the extended MasterChef Australia family, to spend time with them and soak up their knowledge. I just wanted to feed off it all, learn and be inspired.”

Eager to take a risk and push her limits, she strayed from her usual simplistic, homely recipes and tried cooking up a Japanese-inspired dish with marinated grilled mushrooms cooked on the hibachi. As time ticked past and she began multitasking on other components, the mushrooms got a little too charred for the judges’ liking and ended up… burnt.

The judges couldn’t get past the mistake, and she was the first contestant to be eliminated. While Cath was disappointed, she said it was also one of her favourite moments in the competition.

“Plating a dish that represented me as a work in progress – I was proud to take a chance and cook something that showed how far I’ve come as a cook,” she said. “I took the word ‘joy’ into my final cook, which is how I felt throughout the whole challenge, so I’m glad I went out of the competition with joy in my heart.”

3 things Cath would do differently

Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but while we can’t go back and change our mistakes, we can certainly learn from them.

If Cath could have her time over in the MasterChef kitchen again, she said she would do a few things differently:

1. I’d breathe more, I sometimes forgot to pause and just take it all in.

2. I’d trust my instincts sooner. I second-guessed myself with the elements on my final plate, and that cost me dearly.

3. I’d also worry less about perfection and spend more time enjoying the beautiful, chaotic mess of it all.

What’s next for Cath?

Watching her on MasterChef Australia: Back to Win season 17 isn’t the last time we’re going to see Cath! In fact, she has some exciting projects in the pipeline.

“I’ve created Cath’s Kitchen, where I run cooking classes in my home for small, intimate groups. I also offer all-abilities cooking workshops in the disability sector, and I run leadership and team-building workshops for both corporate and small business,” she said.

“I’ve launched a little social media series called Bubbles, Beers, and Bruschetta, which has sparked the idea for a book filled with my bruschetta creations. I’ve even got a Bubbles and Bruschetta event with a winery coming up in a few weeks!”

But that isn’t the only book idea she’s cooked up. “I’m continually working away on my cookbook, From How to WOW—it’s a collection of what I call “cuddle recipes.” They’re dishes made with love, simple at heart, but elevated with a little wow. Like turning a humble banana bread into a miso banana bread with maple frosting and sesame brittle. It’s all about love on a plate.”

“I would love a spot on a cooking show, I asked Laura Sharrad if I could be a guest on My Market Kitchen…I hope this comes to fruition. I’m excited about continuing to explore a world in food…how lucky am I!”

Go-to easy dinner recipes by Cath

We asked Cath for her go-to recipes when she doesn’t feel like cooking and we love her carb-y suggestions!

“A quick bruschetta, grilled sourdough kissed with garlic, slathered with some sort of cheese (burrata or stracciatella) fresh tomato, homemade pesto (which is always in my fridge) finished with some salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Or, a quick pasta with prawns, chilli, garlic, lemon, and white wine. They’re both quick, comforting, full of carbs, and pair perfectly with a glass of wine. What more could you want?”

The best advice she’s received from the judges

It isn’t every day you get priceless feedback on your cooking from acclaimed chefs and food critics. We asked Cath to share some of the best advice she’s received from the brilliant MasterChef judges.

Poh said, “It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you tell your story.”

“That really stayed with me,” Cath said. “Yes, I’m disappointed with my early exit but I’m incredibly proud, too. I hope I can inspire other women my age to step outside their comfort zone. Even when things don’t go to plan, you grow just by showing up.”

“Andy reminded me to “taste everything” and to make sure every element belongs on the plate and [in season 15] Jock always said, “Give back more than you take.” That one lives in my heart. I carry it into everything I do, whether it’s charity work, guest speaking, or supporting small local businesses.”