MasterChef NZ 7-9

Tonight 27 of the country's top amateur cooks arrive in Queenstown to make their signature dish for the judges as they try to secure one of only 16 aprons.

With the last chance for a place in the grand final, two contestants give everything in a challenge that will take the winner one step closer to the MasterChef crown.

In the MasterChef Kitchen, the contestants get inventive to avoid elimination in a challenge where they must use coffee as the hero ingredient for a sweet or savoury dish.