UNPACKED REALITY - MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA - SNEZANA

It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload, the podcast last Deep Neby. Hey guys, welcome back to TV Reload. I want to thank you for clicking and downloading on today's episode with Schnez, the eighth eliminated contestant on Master Chef Australia, which is now on Network ten from Sunday through to Thursday nights at seven point thirty. With food always on the brain, it's little wonder that Schnez has found her way into the Master

You may have to follow me there.

We will also discuss what Chnez had to give up and leave behind to take part in the show. Obviously not a honeymoon like Harry, but it's amazing to hear what people have to leave behind to take part in this series. There is so much to unpack with Schnez today, so sit back and relax as we unpack the wonderful world of mastershef Australia.

Hi Schnez, how are you.

I'm good, how are you Ben? Thanks for having me?

No, no, no, I'm excited. I'm so excited. To be talking to you, and I want to say to start with congratulations on making it this far into the competition.

You should be so proud of yourself.

I know, thank you so much. I aptiate well, I want to tell you so far.

I was topping to go a little bit further, but to be honest, after last night's episode, I'm so overvolved with supports and messages and beautiful people reached out to me and I feel like I wannted something.

So it's great.

We in my house, oh my god, we do a little pick at the start of every season about who we think is going to win, and my partner picked you, which is great. And then you also have inspired me because when we first get to know the contestants, I remember reading about you loving to make sort of stews and curries and things like that. So you inspired me to go on by a French oven to make stews.

Like a Dutch Dutch Yeah, yesh, my god, yes.

So I made one last night which I made like a lamb stew and for people listening. So sorry about going so personal on this, but I can't miss the opportunity wish Nez to ask about what I need to cook in a French oven.

What is your best thing that you would cook in a Dutch oven?

Oh my god, I'm a big fan of that chairman. I cook everything in it, from baking bread to like any stew, soups, anything that can I put in ovid and forget about. So I would definitely say my forever favorite is the smoked speck with the beans. It's like a it's a bean stew with a smoke speck. It can easily be done as a vegetarian vegan. You just get rid of the smokespeck and add some smoke Africa, but you have to try this. It's a Serbian traditional, okay,

Okay, Fault.

I'm going to slide into your DMS on this one, and then I'm going to attempt to cook it and put it on my socials for people who are playing along at home.

So we'll see how we can.

Percent sending you for these, and I'm going to make it a readA.

For you as well.

Well.

You also share something in common with my partner, which is at the start when we're reading those bios and you said, you know you can't help, but when you're cooking breakfast, you think about lunch, and when you're cooking lunch, you think about dinner.

That is that is him to a tea.

All I do, and even when I go to work, I always find some like food is around me and all we do is like plan how we're going to do lunch?

Who brings what was the spread for today?

So we always had like a toasted Tuesdays, we had like cookeday Thursdays and things like that. So even at work, we always plan food.

Well.

I relate to you very hard, you know. I was very disappointed that you left, and I was curious to know what was your expectation on the competition as you started. Did you have any idea as to how far you would go?

I my initial thought is, oh, please, let's arrive day one, so that would me.

And then after first cook, I was so worried. I was like, oh my god, what am I doing here? Everyone is so good? Because everyone is so good this year.

I'm not even joking. There shows some amazing skills. And more I get to know, the more I realized how good everyone is so I'm so worried a start, but then kind of after a couple of cooks in the kitchen, I gained some confidence. I got some great fever from judges, and I realized that just going there and I let it all out, I just go crazy and cook a million miles.

And a half and I always produce something beautiful.

And I really kind of starting getting this confidence and thinking, okay, I could actually you know, get good food out. So yeah, it's changed throughout the cook.

Well, I think in some ways. For me, I always like to think about what the biggest take home would have been, and I mean it's putting you on the pressure, putting you under a lot of pressure.

Who answered this question?

But is there something that the judges taught you this year that has changed the way in which you now cook in your own kitchen.

I learned so many tips and tricks and judges are amazing and this is probably not even shown in every single episode, but they would come to you and give you a little cheap and help you out, and we were soaking it in as a sponge.

I'm so blessed to have this judge this year. It's been it's been so.

Helpful, but one thing I learned from them is the main thing that I would kind of take on board and if I would ever do this again, it's the cook food that you really love, the cook that you're passionate, the food that you're passionate about, food the people around you love, not trying to be something else, you know what I mean.

I think that's my biggest thing.

That I learn, and I kind of feel like I learn it. Towards the end, I did try make a couple of kind of more refined, fancy addishes, and I feel like every time when I cooked from my heart and cooked the food that I'm so familiar with and that I love and enjoy, I always get a good feedback. So I think that's the key. Cook what you love and while people around love, you love, and that's going to be.

A good feed you know.

It was interesting I was talking to someone yesterday and they were saying about the ability to stay in your lane, and there is a bit of a debate over whether or not you should stay in your lane or try and push yourself. If you were to relive some of this again, do you think staying in your lane is more important or do you think to get to where you may need to be to win this show. You need to always step outside your comfort zone.

Well, so this is a tricky one. This is where I'm beating myself all the time.

Like I keep going through that what cook and I'm like, oh, I should have done this, I should have done that, And you know, definitely think, Yes, it's definitely important.

To push yourself step out of your comfort.

Zone because if you all cook like every day home nails, it.

Would be really Master Chef. So yeah, definitely push yourself, but.

Cook food that you love. The flavors are key. I think the flavors a main thing here.

Yeah.

I'm going to talk about flavors and presentation in a second, but I just want to know, going into last night's pressure test, who did you think was going to be your strongest competition.

I honestly thought Dash would be the best because he cooks this element all the time. Yeah, so I kind of thought he would be one to beat me first.

I think Dash having the really messy kitchen bench is the most relatable thing I've ever seen on Master Chef.

Yes, that was such a funny thing watching it last night when he couldn't find his butter, but in front of him.

I think that's most of Australia. We all like to think that we're really good cooks. But then when it comes to it, if you came into our home versus what we see our master chif people be like, okay, this is a mess health and safety issue.

Oh my husband, Alek, he's the one who does a cleating after me.

And he's like, and it comes in and cleans after you cook.

Well, it's kind of sort of like unspoken arrangements.

And then he does it, but he will. And he also thinks I don't know how to load a dishal shoft, so he does this.

I when I cook, I'm so fast and I don't like, go slowly, chop here, chop there at this I just got boom boom boom, boom bang And ten minutes later there's like twenty pots and pains on the bench and he will be like.

What happened?

Yeah, so I'm not sure who does the cleaning in your house.

Well, now there's a new rule. I'm telling you, I'm implementing it. I'm calling you.

Sorry, I've cooked and now the schz needs to be done. Okay, bye bye bye.

I think it's only a fair thing to do whoever cooks the other person.

Yeah, I guess it just just depends on that how messy you are?

You know, seeing Anna Apollo you walk into the kitchen, what did you expect from her?

Because I was wanting to know did you know much of her work? Like? How well did you know her style of cooking?

All right, because I'm a big fan of Master Show, and I remember the first time I actually noticed noticed Anna is when she came with that I think it's called Eaton's mess or honest something. When she came it's like that white tempered chocolate ball and then you kind.

Of snuffed it on the plate and all these good is was out. So that's the first thing came to one. I was like, I saw Anna, I knew it's going to be.

I thought it's going to be something super pink, it's going to be something floral.

It's going to be super tall.

So when I saw egg on toast, I got even more work is because I know the simple, yet it's probably more technically difficult.

Well, I'm not a big dessert person. I'm just going to say my version of dessert at home is vanilla ice cream with some Cottie's ice Magic on the That's basically that's the extent of my dessert.

So I'm with you, and you know what, because you are not a big dessert person, you're going to love this. Because I also always have a Lil ice cream in the household. And when I don't know what to have a dessert right with just some good olive oil and sea salt, flate, what must try this?

Trust me on this one.

So scoop of vanilli scream driddle with good, good, good quality olive oil and some sea salt, and you will love it.

Well.

This is kind of where I was getting a little bit lost because when it came to the food, I mean, when it came to this dessert, the sunny side up dessert, it made me think of that episode of Friends where Rachel cooks two different things at once.

She excently gets the recipes stuck.

Together and she looks like a meat sauce with a sweet sauce.

Sweet.

Yeah.

So I was like, you know, with the browns sugar sponge and the passion fruit curd and bacon, I've got to say, and I'm sure people are going to come for me when they listen to this podcast. But that looked disgusting to me. I was not interested in eating that at all. I have to ask you, was it any good? How did it taste?

I have to say it does come across overwhelming when you listen to it, Yeah, because it comes passion fruit. There's this banana, then there's a little pancake inside, then there's bacon. But when you have it all together, you get acidity of that passion fruit curd.

Okay, then you have that like a little.

Saltinus from that bacon and all the sweetness of the moose around.

It actually works really well together.

I watched the whole episode and I just kept saying to my partner, I was like, that doesn't look like something I want to eat.

Ever, I'm sorry, you know what, we.

Not desert people. And I was the same. I was the same.

I was, you know, and even now, listening to all the elements, it creates confusion.

But when you have it all.

Together, and especially we have bits of that bacon and passion group and kind of sweetness, it honestly works.

I don't know how, but it works really well well.

The passion through Courd was the first sign that things were kind of going a bitter rye for you. You know, when it comes to cooking in the Master Chef Kitchen, does the first thing that you seem to make a mistake with can that throw you off for the rest of the cook Like were you able to feel like you ever really recovered from that?

Well, that's what creates panic.

And I feel like it happened to me when I was doing my Jack in the Box and I stuffed up at one of the first elements. And I've done it three times and I lost so much and then I've got this panic that I couldn't shake off.

So same thing happened here.

And when you get in that Panicchimore, you start ripple double, you know, checking everything, and that takes even longer time. So every time I read a recipection going back, oh my god, oh my god, did not forget.

Something, just so I don't forget something again. And I feel like.

It's definitely like crucial role. And that's why I think easily I put stuff after moves and at that time I was already doing two three elements at the same time.

I don't even remember so well.

The debate on how the judges critique the food is often really contradicted in my opinion. You know, when it comes to presentation over flavor over the many seasons that I've been watching the show, and Andy did point it out last night, saying that they should go with flavor over presentation. But you know, what are your thoughts on those two priorities when it comes to putting a dish together?

To be honest, I like to eat with my eyes first.

And then you know, when you dig in, you need that to del So do you know what I mean? You see the first, when you see dish, you have expectation of that.

To be, you know, as what it looks.

But then if that doesn't deliver, it looks beautiful, but it doesn't taste as it looks, That's that would throw me off. So I'm actually here on this one, and I know I did leave and it should be on my favorite. I'm actually with Judges on this one because to me, it always comes down to flavor. Yes, obviously, if you're in a restaurant and get like a messy dish and that doesn't even look like her, you know this.

She would serve in.

A restaurant obviously throws you off, but when you tried, and if it's delicious, I'm always up for that option rather than getting something beautiful and then not as tasty.

So if you know what I.

Mean, well, I do know what you mean.

You know. What's also interesting about watching the show is how much of Google alerts I managed to put on my phone about any kind of conversation that's happening about Mastershop Really, and so I was reading yesterday, can we unpack the Invisible Sue?

I don't know if you've.

Read about this, but the fans are talking about Sue saying that, you know, they she's not being seen as as much as everyone else. You know, have you been reading any of that commentary? And did you get to know Sue very well?

What's the story there?

I didn't know this about Sue, but I can tell you one thing. I'm really close with Sue. Yeah, I'm really close with Sue soon so me it's like our mom, Pat and both beautiful people.

And Sue is such a strong cook.

Sue can make anything out of anything, and she's also amum.

She's been cooking for a long time.

And you should see Sue's like collection of Jesus. She makes her own cheeses on daily basis and she has cheeses all like five six years. I tried some of her stuff at the accommodation and she's.

A beautiful cook. Maybe because there is.

Twenty two of us, and I'm sure Sue's Tom is going to come.

You know, maybe while they're editing the program together, they're like, we need to, you know, give the people the screen time at the start because they're going And maybe they're saving Sue because she's going to win the show. You know, there's so many different ways that you could look at a participate on a show like this and their amount of visibility. You know, it's not always what you.

See exactly, and to be honest, it is hard to judge because there's twenty two of us and it's really hard to get equal amount of screen time for everyone. But then also every episode, I'm sure you because you watch it all the time, you know, it's usually four top dishes are featured, or like three, four, five top dishes and also bottom dishes, so every episode will show good dishes and bed dishes, so kind of when it's middle ish you won't be shown as much.

Well, we watched watching last night's episode. Now it's just become a game for us because when we see her with screen, you know, we're like.

Yes, did you see she was on the far right?

There?

She was up on the gan tree. So we're kind of we're now playing a game of not invisible suit where it's like more like where's Wally?

You know, just this show is definitely visible and you should follow her and support her.

So she's a beautiful person, beautiful mom, and excellent cook.

I can ensure you that what can you tell us about the cooks that have been left behind? Like, is there something that's starting to come to the surface about what the remaining cooks have in common.

I don't know what everyone has in common, because obviously everyone is different, has different set of skills. But as I mentioned from day one, I was blown away by skills of all contestants. And what I always loved about this show it's extremely supportive of each other, no matter.

How well do you do in the competition.

So I always thought it's maybe that's how they're show it on TV. But then now that I've been part of it, not once I could hear like negative comments about me, Ah, look what she's done from other contestants.

It's been extremely supportive. I'm honestly so proud to be part of it.

And even last night, every single one of them reached out to me and they all put it on their stories that put it on the social media. I'm actually really, really lucky to have this new Mastership family. And there's what's in common. There's so many good cooks there. There's so many good cooks that you probably can't even see the skills that are still I mean, there's still so much on this competition, but you'll see it's as great people and as great cooks.

Well.

I don't know if you've been listening to the podcast so far, but I've been interviewing everyone as they've come out, and it has been one of the best seasons within a collection of cast. Like I've just been so impressed by everyone and just so I don't.

Know what the word is.

I just feel so warmed by these these that's nice and their story, you know, I think that that's really important. But I've been asking annoying questions.

Yeah, I don't mind.

I think great, this is.

Well, we're going to go with something that's hard. You can only pick one who was your favorite contestant that is in the competition, maybe someone that's left, Like who do you think is gonna win?

I'm going to say some eat not because she's got my good friend, but she is the most beautiful person you can imagine.

And also I was, you know, I.

Had a change to eat some of her food and slavor there is Oh my god.

It's like a big hug.

Everything you hear from her is just explosion. It is beautiful and she's a beautiful cook. She's a great representation as well. She's a beautiful person and so funny as well.

And you know what, you will love love her.

Well, I'm gonna have to slide into her DMS now and get her version of what I should cook in my new French Dutch oven things. So yeah, she definitely, Yeah, she sounds like someone I need to be hitting out.

She is great.

She had that all like, not just because obviously her strength is Indian cooking, but that's not all she has. She made some amazing dishes and I'm sure you've seen it. That's so beautiful.

And plus the stuff we had in the hotel is just insane.

You know, Harry gave up his honeymoon to be on the show. Was there anything that you had to give up to be on the show?

Oh, my god, so much.

I'm mom to two young kids, and to be honest, it was an easy decision for me to come here, to go to the show and to kind of be apart from them for so long.

Yeah, and because you know they're six and.

Eight, they're still a little and my partner's been supporting me.

Yeah.

If my father's just boughted me from day one for this, and he's the actually one who put up my application. So it was hard decision for me to say yes, you know, I'll do it, And it wasn't easy for.

Me every time being apart.

So honestly, that's my This is my biggest kind of sacrifice. But then also I really wanted to show my kids if there's something you.

Want to do.

Now, Yes, to be sure, I am in my kitchen booth and I your hair from a pressure cooker.

Well, I'm running out of times, so I'm gonna have to quickly smash these last two questions with you.

Who is your favorite judge?

There's four judges, you know, this is really hard, you know, but I'm making everyone just pick.

One, okay, So I'm going to have to say Jean Christo okay, because look, he's knowledge and his specific kind of palite is insane, and he's just such a mentor. He he's that guy who just want to walk around. He just want to come and help you, even if it's competition and obviously they're not.

Allowed to help us during the cook but he's that guy who just you.

He's generally he genuinely wants to come out and help the trend.

It's a trend. And how hot is Sofia? Come on, let's throw it in.

Well yeah, I'm I'm yeah.

She's confused me in my life because she's a very she is very beautiful.

Is she a very beautiful lady?

So sunny?

Like I feel like she looks so much better in real than a TV as well.

She's really so good looking. Wow, she's so good looking. Every time we walk in was like, my god, look at Skia.

Well, what is something from behind the scenes?

Something that I ask everybody and I'm curious, is there a routine maybe you can help me with this? Is there a routine that you guys go through when it's before cooking, you know, the producers come over and do a check on how everyone looks before you can enter the kitchen. Is there any sort of screwed nerve of what you need to look like before starting the Absolutely?

No strawbing items, hair tied, you know, things like that, who needs.

A toilet thing?

Back check in this we do a couple of walkings, like while we walk in the kitchen, and then you know, when time starts the time that's.

Exactly what I want.

That's fine and shares and I can't wait to see what you do with this whole experience moving forward. And yeah, have have fun with chatting to the media today and being able to share your story.

Thank you so much. Then, it's been wonderful. Make sure message me.

I'll send you this recipe and try that icepress respect.

Yeah, I'm right into it. I'm so excited.