Tair Mordoch: "I should have been in the final, if not winning the season"

Tair Mordoch arrived at the current season of MasterChef as a completely different person than when we last saw her. Having evolved from a home cook into a culinary professional and a sauce business owner, she impressed the judges with numerous dishes before ending her journey in sixth place—the exact same result as her previous stint on the show. In an interview with mako, she reflects on what she could have done differently, the parts of herself she didn't get to showcase, and why returning to the show was worth it.

Although she has left the competition, Mordoch says she gained a great deal from the experience:

"I returned to a place of creativity, cooking things I don't necessarily make every day at home, focusing on plating and special dishes. It was important to me to showcase various cuisines and prepare dishes that hadn't been done on the show. I can always make pasta or Moroccan fish, but I think it's time to move beyond that."

When asked what she discovered about herself this time around, she noted:

"I came back knowing more; I was calmer and more professional. My thinking was more organized, and I never found myself running to the pantry ten times. I saw the clear difference between the Tair who was a home cook and the one for whom this is a profession today."

If she could return to the first day of the season, she would adjust her strategy:

"I would make many more sweets, as I think that goes over much better. It is also possible that I would have opted for more conventional dishes, because, in the end, the fact is that they work."

Despite finishing in the same spot as before, she remains confident in her potential:

"I had many more dishes, cuisines, and flavors to bring—more special and creative ones. I truly thought that this time I should have been in the final, if not winning the season. In the meantime, I am clearing the way for my next dream: my Asian sauce business."