Forget Barbecue Sauce – you can now get your hands on BarbeRue Sauce.
Despite the season being very much in full swing, MasterChef contestant Rue Mupedzi has taken out a big win.
In a life-changing immunity challenge on Thursday night’s episode, the Perth-based oral health therapist produced a winning barbecue sauce and dish that will see her own condiment recipe bottled and stocked in Coles stores across Australia.
Growing up in Zimbabwe, the 29-year-old said she had never tried barbecue sauce until her family moved Down Under in 2009.
The culinary creative said she instantly fell in love with the flavour explosion.
Embracing a tangy and spicy flavour rather than the traditional sweet-skewed taste, Mupedzi’s dish – consisting of pork ribs and chicken – blew the judges away.
Speaking of her win, the Zimbabwean-born talent said: “It’s smoky, sweet and very spicy; it reminds me of weekends with family around the barbecue, sharing laughs and making memories and I’m hoping BarbeRue Sauce will create the same warm feelings for other families, too.”
“I still can’t believe I have my own sauce,” she said.
“It’s absolutely mind-blowing and I’m so grateful to the judges, MasterChef, Network 10 and of course Coles to have had this life-changing experience.
“To have my product on Coles shelves for the whole of Australia to try, is truly a dream come true.”
Guest chef Curtis Stone returned to the kitchen to help the contestants in the challenge, revealing that the winner would not only have guaranteed immunity from Sunday night’s elimination, but their condiment would be made available in Coles for a limited time.
Stone stressed just how big an opportunity this was, speaking to how long it can take people to get their products on shelves.
The late Jock Zonfrillo described it as “the biggest prize” they’d ever given away.
Mupezdi came up against fellow Perth contestant Ralph Kahango – as well as Adi Nevgi, Rhiannon Anderson and Brent Draper – in the immunity challenge.