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'So ridiculous!' MasterChef's controversial decision slammed
Thursday night's episode of MasterChef left social media fuming over a decision that was made that saw Amina Elshafei unable to taste her own dishes.
The episode involved Amina, Tracy Collins and Emelia Jackson cooking five plates in a sushi train challenge where the other contestants and judges would also be dining, meaning they had to make 100 plates each.
During the challenge, Amina was forced to cook with beef that wasn't halal, meaning she couldn't taste it while cooking.
She asked Emelia to taste her bulgogi for her, something that viewers have praised.
One viewer wrote, "Emelia tasting Amina's food to give her an idea about what it taste like because it isn't halal... That is why we love @masterchefau. No sabotage here, good wholesome camaraderie."
#MasterChefAU Emelia tasting Amina's food to give her an idea about what it taste like because it isn't halal... That is why we love @masterchefau. No sabotage here, good wholesome camaraderie pic.twitter.com/P7tAEIcr6D
— Neel P (Not Sarah🥕) (@neels_pandit) May 7, 2020
Another added, "Emelia tasting Amina’s beef because it ain’t halal is so wholesome and a win for representation on TV."
Emelia tasting Amina’s beef because it ain’t halal is so wholesome and a win for representation on tv. #masterchefau
— Timothy Tan (@fattitan) May 7, 2020
Someone else wrote, "Very nice moment on @masterchefau tonight when Emilia tried Amina's meat because it wasn't halal."
Very nice moment on @masterchefau tonight when Emilia tried Amina's meat because it wasn't halal.#MasterChefAU
— Matty (@MatanSlonim1997) May 7, 2020
This 3 girls are just pure love! Amina asking Emelia to taste bcos beef is not halal, Emelia wiping Tracy's dishes on the train, Tracy asking Amina to sing. No bad bone. Winners all. #masterchefau
— Irina 🇦🇺🇵🇭 (@IrinaLV143) May 7, 2020
Bloody respect for Amina who got eliminated on a pork dish in her season and now is playing for immunity when she can’t taste the dishes because they’re not halal. I can’t imagine not trying to fix to taste. And she still kills it. What a machine. #MasterChefAU
— Sare Bear (@sezzzza) May 7, 2020
However, others were upset that the show didn't try and make sure the meat was halal given there were so few people cooking that night.
One user wrote, "I'm just mad they couldn’t find any halal meat options for Amina to cook with at the very least."
Im just mad they couldn’t find any halal meat options for amina to cook with at the very least #MasterchefAU
— flower peddler (@dollylama__) May 7, 2020
Another added, "Why is the meat not halal when the competitor is Muslim? How can Masterchef not accomodate for her?? Honestly so ridiculous..... how hard can it be to attain halal meat for a challenge that she is knowingly competing in."
Why is the meat not halal when the competitor is Muslim? How can Masterchef not accomodate for her?? Honestly so ridiculous..... how hard can it be to attain halal meat for a challenge that she is knowingly competing in. #masterchefau
— ☾madeleine⁰⁰ (@idgimaddy) May 7, 2020
Someone else said, "If you knew Amina was cooking, out of only 3 people today, why wouldn't you make sure the meat is halal?"
If you knew Amina was cooking, out of only 3 people today, why wouldn't you make sure the meat is halal? #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/dRtnSp0Bb6
— Joanne T (@seenowrong) May 7, 2020
Perhaps start catering Halal so that Amena can taste her own food 🤦🏽♀️ #MasterChefAU
— Lola T (@Lola____T) May 7, 2020
Wait, they knew Amina was cooking, couldn't they make sure the meat was halal? #MasterChefAU
— Lia (@LiaMirch) May 7, 2020
How come they can’t supply Amina with halal meat so she can taste her dishes? #MasterChefAU
— Lauren (@MsLauren_K) May 7, 2020
Amina, luckily, went on to win the challenge with the judges enjoying her plates the most.
Do you know how much of a boss bitch and bomb cook you have to be to win immunity when you couldn’t even taste your food because the meat wasn’t halal? KING SHIT 🗣 #MasterChefAU
— Michelle Rennex (@michellerennex) May 7, 2020
It's not the first time MasterChef has done this. Fans thought it was unfair when Amina was forced into cooking pork – something she is unable to eat due to her Muslim beliefs – during her first MasterChef run in 2012. This dish is what led to her elimination.
A similar situation happened a year later in 2013 when Samira El Khafir, who is also Muslim, was eliminated after cooking a pork dish during her MasterChef season.
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