Leicester’s BBC One MasterChef hopeful is on the grill in her toughest challenge yet

WARNING – This article contains spoilers

Leicester’s MasterChef hopeful Dr Dinta Thakkar has missed out on a place in the semi-finals on the BBC One show. The fusion chef fell short after a difficult canape task failed to meet expectations.

Dinta, who grew up in Kenya, faced off against eight fellow rivals in the latest Knockout Week challenge, tasked with creating a set of identical canapés, either sweet or savory. The Leicester GP had become known for her fusion cuisine and took it up a notch again in Friday’s episode (May 10) when she opted to make full English breakfast spreads with Indian spices.

The creation prompted Dinta to make her own vegan sausage, as well as deconstruct an egg so the whole thing would fit in one mouth, but the presentation of the dish, which was inside a potato waffle, left much to be desired by Judge Gregg Wallace. He said: “I love the lightness, fluffiness and crunchiness of the potato waffle. I love the spice on the sausage. I enjoy eating them, but I don’t think they’re smart enough. They just don’t seem that clear to me.”

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Fellow judge John Torode complimented the Leicester chef’s craft but felt the flavors were lacking. He said: “There’s a huge amount of work here – making your own vegan sausage, deconstructing an egg – but the potato itself is bland. When you say Indian flavors, I understand a little. I would like that to be more pronounced.”

The criticisms – the strongest tooth he has faced so far in the competition – left his position on MasterChef in doubt. Dinta admitted that they were both on the face, but that she was determined to continue in the competition.

However, John and Gregg, who both said they wanted more from Dinta, believed her time was up and eliminated her just one step away from a coveted semi-final spot. Speaking afterwards, Dinta revealed her sadness at leaving the show.

She said: “I’m disappointed to be going home. But at the same time, I’m very happy to have come this far. It was a tough but enjoyable experience. I’ve somewhat exceeded my own expectations with some of the things I’ve done. I’m going home with a smile.”

MasterChef continues without Dinta next week on BBC One as the semi-finals kick off. All previous episodes can now be streamed on BBC iPlayer.