Fans of a Katherine Masterchef sweetheart were left shocked and confused, when their favourite chef left the latest season of the hit show after just one week.

Katherinite Lynton Tapp was the much-loved Masterchef runner-up in 2013 but a ‘beige and dull’ buckwheat blue swimmer crab dish was the end of his 2020 TV cooking career last night.

After a “frantic and intense” cook-off, Mr Tapp said it was “unfortunate” he didn’t get to continue through the competition.

“Of course I enjoyed it. There’s no downside to me – I go home to my beautiful little boy and my gorgeous wife,” he said.

Throughout the week, Mr Tapp was continuously among the top three chefs, but last night’s elimination round brought him to his knees.

Just like fellow contestants and fans at home, Judge Andy Allen was shocked with the early elimination of the fan-favourite.

“I didn’t expect that, and it hurts me, because he’s a very talented cook,” he said after trying the buckwheat dish.

“Lynton, I’ve said this before: You’re right up there with the best cooks in the competition, but today just wasn’t your day. You’ve had the highest of highs … but unfortunately the lowest of lows.”

In September 2013, the young Katherine stockman shot to stardom and a nail-biting Masterchef finale saw the town unite in shock when a soft meringue cost their humble local hero the title.

Two years after becoming Masterchef runner-up, the Katherinite released a cookbook, packed with 180 pages of recipes and stories of the locals who support the NT food industry.

“‘Outback Pantry’ was a way to give people an insight into what our farmers are producing, particularly those in the Northern Territory,” Mr Tapp said.

“We’re known as a region that produces beef, but the fact is we do so much more than that, which is why I have included farmers and their stories alongside the recipes in Outback Pantry.”

Despite his early elimination from this year’s Masterchef TV screens, it’s not all over for Lynton Tapp fans.
From his family kitchen – in Covid-19 home isolation – the 32-year-old has been recording cooking videos together with his adorable junior chef Atticus.

The clips, posted to Instagram and Facebook, show Mr Tapp cook up a storm with his son excitedly squealing while watching his dad prepare classics like ricotta gnocchi, oven chips and Hollandaise sauce.