The final three contestants, Jamie, Callum, and Laura, knew the massive challenge ahead of them when they walked into the MasterChef kitchen on Monday night. The trio would each prepare a three-course menu of their own making to 20 diners and the four judges.

For Jamie, who went home fourth in his original season back in Season 6, this challenge was a massive milestone he had been hungry for all competition.

“There are certain things that are uniquely MasterChef and that concept of limited time, three courses in that environment and in that kitchen, and to feed that many people is something so unique, and something I really wanted,” Jamie told 10.

“To actually make it and know I was going to get to execute within that challenge was a big boost for me,” he continued. “Once I got into the semi final I definitely started to think about and imagine my partner, Clare, and the kids up on the gantry supporting me.

“As it stands, we just missed out so… give me a decade and if they do another Back To Win and I get invited, we’ll see,” Jamie added with a laugh.

Unlike Jamie, both Laura and Callum had competed in a semi final in the MasterChef kitchen, so the pair both knew what to expect and how to face the challenge, but for Jamie it was his first time. Knowing the calibre of his competitors, he believed that his only shot at making it to the finale was to go above and beyond, making the absolute most of every second in the challenge.

“I really wanted to put together something aspirational and something I was super proud of, and I wanted it to be a knife’s edge as to whether it came off or not because if it wasn’t that, then I don’t think I would have pushed myself in the way that I wanted to,” he explained.

“MasterChef cooking is its own sort of sport, it’s not quite home cooking even though it is based in those roots, it’s not quite professional cooking,” he said. “This sort of limited time pressure, competition-style cooking is so unique and, realistically, Callum and Laura are really bloody good at it. And they always have been!”

Designing his menu around a colour for each course, Jamie served up an entree of ‘Gold’, a golden beetroot prepared in multiple ways, his main course ‘Ruby’ featured duck and blackberries, and his ‘Tawny’ dessert was a roasted cauliflower ice cream served with a chocolate crémeux.

But his overly ambitious menu meant that time quickly got away from him, and several elements on his original menu had to be swapped out in order for his dishes to make it to diners in time.

“I think, if I got to do the challenge again, would I do anything differently? Potentially, but not much,” Jamie admitted. “Maybe there might have been some slight differences, but it still would have been as aspirational and still would have been trying to execute a concept that I thought would not only make me proud of what I’m putting out, but entertain and delight the guests, the judges, and hopefully the people at home watching.”

While the judges were impressed by the amount Jamie was able to achieve in the challenge, there were a few technical flaws in his dessert that was just enough to see Callum and Laura move ahead to the finale.

“As disappointed as I was with some dishes, I was also elated with some of the other things I put out and, even though the textures weren’t quite right on that dessert, the flavours were there and the concept was still coming across.”

Jamie added that the difference between the MasterChef kitchen and the real world is that in the real world he’d have the opportunity to re-do and re-plate his dish until it was up to his standards. “But that’s the beauty of the MasterChef kitchen, you get one chance and you deal with what comes.

“Even though the disappointment was there, I was still proud of what I did.”

Though he fell short of the final crack at the title, Jamie said it’s difficult to be too demoralised when looking at the calibre of talent that he competed against this season.

“I was happy to see my friends succeed,” he added. “I would have loved to have been part of [the finale] but I’m so happy for the season that I got to experience with those two in particular, as well as Depinder and Ben. That top five was such a phenomenal group to go through the entire experience with.”

Jamie spoke openly about his return to the MasterChef kitchen, after making the difficult decision to close his award-winning Alba Bar & Deli, coming into the competition would give him the opportunity to “have a proper think about where we go in the future”.

On social media, Jamie reflected on what he was able to reconnect with during the competition writing, “I cook to nourish and I cook because it gives me a chance to share and learn from other people and cultures. Simple food, beautiful produce, served with purpose and restraint. That's me. And ironically it's taken coming back to this place to remember that.”

“I think there’s something to be said about clean, beautiful cooking that’s steeped in tradition and is based around just really solid technique,” Jamie told 10.

“And I think with experience in the industry as well, it’s very easy to just chuck 12 things onto the plate and if they’re decent, there are plenty of places to hide if you mess one up. But if you put four things onto the plate and say hey, this is me and I think I’ve done all of this perfectly, it’s far more nerve-racking!

“I think that stripping back of ingredients is certainly the cooking I love, I think that is beautiful cooking,” Jamie continued. “So the fact that I sort of came the long way around to figure that out, and figure out that’s not just what I like eating but it’s how I like to cook and celebrate the ingredients, I think that it was a big thing and I’m happy it happened.”

Another moment to be happy about was when Jamie won $10,000 in travel vouchers – promising the judges that, if he won, he’d take his partner Clare to the Greek Islands where he’d propose to her.

“She just laughed at me, called me an idiot and moved on,” Jamie said. “We’re definitely planning a cheeky holiday which we never got to do. All our travel plans were either thwarted by COVID or, subsequently, we can’t leave so let’s just start a business and have a family instead!

“Now that we’re finally at a stage where we can take a step back, and Spill Wine supports itself, what’s coming next for me is an interesting prospect. But the holiday will happen [and] I think she’s more excited about the holiday to be honest,” Jamie laughed.

“I had an absolute blast, I’m so happy I said yes and I got to do the extent of this experience with absolutely incredible cooks but, first and foremost, incredible people. I’m so glad I said yes when I got the call and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Don’t miss the MasterChef Australia: Back To Win Grand Finale, Tuesday August 12 at 7.30.Watch and Stream Free on 10.