Two hours after the proposed start, Week 9 of the Zim Cook Off began at its new venue in Highlands Park. There were three competitors left: Devine Rwambirwa, Amy McLeod and Brenda Hewitt-Voue, all of whom impressed the judges in last week’s challenge.

After winning the immunity challenge last week, Nicholas Fourie had a seat at the judges’ table. There he got to see to see the competition from their perspective, and will hopefully come to next week’s challenge with a more enlightened view.

The three that cooked had to replicate a desert prepared by judge Chef Tafadzwa, who works with Chef Stephen Hyde at the Bronte Hotel. The desert was Lemon Torte, a creamy dish with a testing symmetrical spiral of spun sugar.

During the challenge, the contestants were focused and seemed confident with their chances, although Brenda showed signs of struggle with the altering of the temperature of her stove. When judging time came, confidence was still showing on each contestant’s face. Sadly it was Brenda who was eliminated, because she left out certain elements of the dish like the spiralled spun sugar, clearly indicating to the judges that she might not be able to handle the more technical aspects of food preparation.

Next week, all previously eliminated contestants will be brought back. The three that are left in will each choose two former contestants to form a brigade for the second to last challenge.

The new date for the final round is 30 November. Catch the penultimate challenge this Saturday at Highlands Park in Glen Lorne.