MasterChef Australia fans devastated by shock development in competition: 'So sad to see'

Sunday night's elimination episode of MasterChef Australia saw the shock exit of firm fan favourite (and former pop star) Juan De La Cruz, after a taxing challenge set by Chef Luke Nguyen. The task was for the contestants to first choose between a visible ingredient or one concealed under a cloche.

The unlucky home cooks who made it into round two of the elimination cook needed to use whichever ingredient they had passed over in round one. For Juan that meant he needed to create a dish that would wow the judges more than his Vietnamese tacos had in his first attempt.

Sadly for the always-smiling Argentine, it just wasn't to be with Andy, Poh, Jean-Christophe, Sophia and Luke declaring his salted soybean empanadas too sweet, leading to a tearful goodbye.

Calling the competition, "the best experience" of his life, Juan told his fellow contestants how much he would miss them - and judging by the tear-strewn faces of the other cooks, the feeling was very mutual.

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MasterChef viewers react to Juan's elimination

Viewers were also left distraught at Juan's exit with many of them taking to social media to mourn his elimination...and the end of all of the puns.

"He is well and truly JUAN in a million, god dam I'm going to miss the Juan Puns," one dejected viewer wrote on X.

"So sad to see Juan go, loved his good energy," said another.

"Love his contagious smile 😁😁😁 !!!!!," wrote another. "This show is incomplete without his energy."

"The girls are all crying," someone else noted. "Juan must have been a nice guy to have around the kitchen."

"Sad he’s gone! Such a breath of fresh air," a fan wrote on Facebook while another called him a "beautiful person inside and out."

Could Juan have his own TV show?

There were several viewers who, while sad, seemed hopeful that we've not seen the last of Juan with many suggesting that he might be given his own show.

Don't worry, Juan. Channel 10 will probably give you a tv show," said one person on X.

"Imagine a Juan versus Miguel (Maestre) show," someone replied.

"Juan of my favs," another punned. "I'm sure he will be on our screens cooking again."

"The good looks, a smile brighter than the sun, the beautiful accent and overall vibrant energy... Juan De La Cruz needs to be on television in some capacity," someone else enthused. "He's great talent. Someone make this happen."

Fans deem judge's decision as 'unfair'

Other fans, however, were more concerned with what they saw as the wrong decision from the judges, considering that fellow competitor Steve had failed to properly cook his bitter melon.

"Doesn't seem right to send Juan home when you say that Steve's was undercooked!," wrote one viewer.

"The other night, the elimination judgement was based on what was lacking the main ingredients, and tonight was what the judges would order again?!?," someone debated. "Yet Steve's main ingredient winter melon wasn't even cooked. So upset for Juan."

"Wouldn’t the dish that used the main ingredient best be safe???," a viewer questioned on X.

"I'd argue that that's exactly what happened," someone replied. "Yes, the bitter melon was undercooked. But the way Steve used it was great! Whereas the way Juan used the salted soybeans made no sense, and created something not entirely pleasant to eat. Steve's is much easier to fix."

"Surely the judgement should be on the better use of your required ingredient?," another reasoned. "Steve didn’t even cook his."

MasterChef viewers react to controversial decision: 'What an absolute joke'

The discourse comes after fans were outraged at the elimination of Lourdes due to her overcooking her smoked egg yolk raviolo during an elimination challenge, despite Gillian failing to get all of her elements onto the plate.

Facing a tough decision, the judges debated who they should send home, ultimately deciding that Lourdes should be the one to go as she had failed to nail the main element of the dish.

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"Gill was missing so many elements!" someone said. "Seems ridiculous she isn't out."

"What an absolute joke!" another raged. "Lourdes had elements on the plate and she’s eliminated."

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