MasterChef elimination: I just wasn't as good

MasterChef contestant Richard Harris was eliminated from the show last night.

Richard Harris has been eliminated from MasterChef after muddling the mascarpone in his dessert dish - but the Cantabrian says he "can't complain at all".

Harris, who once opted to cook eel for a challenge so that other contestants wouldn't have to, was gracious in defeat - even if it means he misses out on a trip to Dubai.

"I can't complain at all, I had the most amazing experience in my life and it was such a great challenge and I met the most amazing people," he told the Herald.

"As I walked out I had a bit of a sense of relief that I didn't have to go through the pain again of cooking in the kitchen because it's pretty nerve-wracking, but I'm pretty disappointed I had to leave."

Harris' elimination means he will miss out on a trip to Dubai, something he called disappointing.

MasterChef contestant Richard Harris was eliminated from the show last night.

However, he thought the show's judges were fair: "Maybe my combination was just not as good as other people's."

The challenge that sent him home, set by MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris, proved difficult for several competitors.

Glenda Clark was sure she was going home after her cream didn't set and she had to pour it over the plate, ruining the presentation of an otherwise delicate dish.

But Clark was spared and Harris took the fall after over whipping the mascarpone in his dish, giving it a strange texture which judges found overwhelming.

"I didn't even think about it at the time to tell the truth and then half an hour later I thought, 'Oh, that mascarpone went very yellow'."

Harris said he knew mascarpone was easy to over whip but he was distracted during the high pressure challenge.

"I was actually more concerned about my anise cream because it was a little runny."

Eliminated MasterChef contestant Richard Harris.

Harris said he would love for Clark to win, as the two had been friends since the start of the show.

Nasty rivalries were of no interest to Harris, even on a show like MasterChef.

"It's not hard to be nice to people and I think you waste a lot of energy being unkind to people."

"I'm a very gentle and respectful person ... I'm also very competitive but I don't like to push that in people's faces."

- nzherald.co.nz