Ep 1. Cockatoo Island

The exciting third season of MasterChef Australia kicks off with a bang in episode one, entitled "Cockatoo Island". The first episode of the season sees the contestants take on their first challenge, which involves cooking for the Australian Navy on the historic Cockatoo Island.

The contestants are introduced to the island by host George Calombaris, who tells them that they will be cooking for 150 members of the navy in just three hours, using only the limited ingredients available to them on the island. The contestants are split into three teams of six, and each team must create three different dishes to present to the navy.

The teams work tirelessly to come up with creative and delicious dishes to impress the judges, who include celebrity chefs Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan, and George Calombaris. The pressure is on as the contestants are racing against the clock to prepare their dishes in time for the Navy's arrival.

As the contestants cook, tensions start to rise between some of them. Some contestants struggle to work as a team, while others try to take charge and dictate their team's strategy. One contestant, in particular, feels overwhelmed by the pressure of the challenge and starts to lose confidence in themselves.

In the end, it all comes down to the dishes. Each team presents their three dishes to the navy, who then vote on their favorite. The judges taste each dish and provide their own feedback, while the contestants wait anxiously for the results.

The winning team is announced, and they are thrilled to learn that their dishes were a hit with the Navy. However, for the losing team, the pressure is on as they prepare to face the first elimination of the season. The judges choose one contestant from the losing team to face an individual challenge in the next episode.

Overall, "Cockatoo Island" is an exciting start to the third season of MasterChef Australia. The challenge is intense, and it truly tests the contestants' ability to work under pressure and collaborate as a team. The episode also introduces us to the new crop of talented cooks who will be competing this year, and we get a glimpse of the drama and tension that is sure to unfold as the season progresses.