La Mala Rodríguez was eliminated after the judges rejected her stuffed pasta dish as inedible. A kitchen swap and a contest for immunity added pressure to the episode.
La Mala Rodríguez became the fifth contestant eliminated from this edition of MasterChef Celebrity Legends during a challenge built around cheese and stuffed pasta. The judges rejected her dish as “inedible.” Its butter-based sauce was the problem: the emulsion had split and the texture had broken down, leaving a plate the judges considered inedible.
Rodríguez could not fix the dish while the other contestants finished preparations using at least two different cheeses. She had been one of the season’s most recognisable contestants.
The kitchen swap made the final test harder. Contestants first identified cheeses, then prepared stuffed pasta with at least two varieties they had chosen. The judges later made them change kitchens and take over another contestant’s preparation. Several lost their rhythm, and the switch showed how much some dishes depended on a familiar workspace. Rodríguez was the only contestant left behind in that cooking round and became the week’s elimination.
Pressure had already begun building in the first challenge. In the food pong format, contestants won ingredients or utensils by landing a ball in one of the glasses. Each then had to use the item they won in a freestyle dish.
Juan Betancourt used the test to challenge María Escoté for the immunity pin she had won the previous week. The jury preferred Betancourt’s dish and awarded him the pin. Santiago and Bustamante also won praise for their preparations. Santiago earned the chance to donate 4,000 euros to the Aladina charity. Flo and La Mala Rodríguez received black aprons after their dishes ranked lowest in the round. RTVE confirms that Santiago Segura won immunity in the first challenge.
The outdoor challenge focused on team coordination. Contestants travelled to the Real Club Náutico de Madrid at the Pantano de San Juan, known as the “playa de Madrid,” where they had to reproduce a menu designed by chef Ramón Freixa for 70 diners.
Flo led the blue team, which lost its organisation during service. Santiago captained the red team, and the judges saved it. The split added pressure to an episode shaped by clashes over leadership and individual performance, alongside disputes over alliances.
At the final decision, the judges were choosing between La Mala Rodríguez and Florentino Fernández, known as Flo. They warned Flo for joking too much and losing focus on the cooking, but saved him and eliminated Rodríguez. El Televisiero reported accusations of “tongo” on social media. The posts reflect audience reaction but do not prove that the programme broke its rules.
Rodríguez said she regretted leaving but called the edition “fantasía” because she had enjoyed the experience. In an interview with La Vanguardia, she said she would like to see Marina Rivers or Paz win.
