Steve Braunias: Temperature's rising - use it to cook

Masterchef top 8 contestant Ben Sheehan. Photo / Supplied

MasterChef is about to get even awesomer - but the contestants keep their cool.

All hail Ben, the existential hero of MasterChef NZ. No one should mistake his shock walk-out from the show as the act of a quitter or someone weak in the head. It took immense courage to leave.

He revealed the uncomfortable truth of existentialism, which holds that life is essentially absurd and ultimately meaningless. It certainly seems that way whenever Mark, the boring judge, is around.

Ben was complex. He presented as gentle Ben but there was a side of him which hinted at Ben the bastard. There was an arrogance about him, and his eyes were dark with rage.

He scoffed at another of the judges, weird Al. He plotted against fellow contestant Lily. Last Sunday, he was incapable of peeling a potato.

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Plainly he had demons. He left looking just like a ghost, and he'll haunt the rest of the series.

The show also lost its best cook when Mark, Al and the increasingly unhinged Josh sent Lily home. What the hell were they thinking? They weren't thinking. They felt threatened.

Lily's flamboyant meals were too much for the three judges; they got rid of her out of spite and envy.

Give them bread and jam and they'd make toast, and plate it nice. She'd whip up a pudding, and spell your name on the top with crusts.

The reasons for her exit were faint and unconvincing. Her only fault was to slightly overcook the venison. But Richard completely under-cooked it and served raw meat. Lyme disease with that? Oh deer, etc.

As for Tim, he served a chicken dish that looked like he'd sneezed on the plate. He's plainly a terrific guy but it's also obvious he's the show's worst cook. He should have been sent home.

So should Mark the judge. He's bringing Al down, and Josh can barely look at him. He wore a crazy shirt on Monday and flirted wildly with guest judge and former MasterChef NZ winner Nadia Lim, but still came across as the man at the party who you'd sit on the roof to avoid.

Ray McVinnie! Please come back. Please escort Mark off the premises.

Awesome show, though. And about to get awesomer. The tension is mounting. The temperature is rising. Richard: use it to cook the meat next time.

How the final six contestants measure up