MasterChef fan favourite Melissa Leong breaks down after tasting contestant's Chinese dish

MasterChef judge Melissa Leong broke down in tears on Thursday night while tasting an exotic Asian-based dish.

The dish was arranged by contestant Eric Mao in the final round of the series’ ‘second chance’ week – which gives eliminated contestants another chance to compete.

Eric prepared tea smoked eggs, cold tofu in spring onion dressing and fried peanuts with seaweed – and it prompted an emotional reaction from Melissa.

‘I started to really feel it’: Popular MasterChef judge Melissa Leong (pictured) last night broke down in tears while tasting an exotic Asian-based dish.

 ‘What we have here is an opportunity, with cooking like this on this level, is to tell stories and to share our history’ said the fan favourite judge.

Melissa teared up, adding: ‘I watched Jock plating up and I could smell the smells and I started to really feel it.’

She praised Eric’s cooking skills and the simple, yet intricate,  complexity of the tastes and flavours resonating. 

Eric also responded with visible emotion, joining Mel in wiping away tears. 

Full of emotion: Contestant Eric (pictured) also responded with visible emotion, joining Mel in wiping away tears.

 ‘Starting with the peanuts … It’s just such a Chinese thing no matter where it’s been spread across the world,’ Mel said.

‘The egg, the jamminess of the yolk, and then you go on to the cold tofu. There’s such humility in its plainness and its ability to take on flavour.’

Mel then paused to catch herself, almost speechless, and finished her judgement with, ‘my heart’s beating, It’s history. It’s meaning. It’s life.” 

Judgement time: Mel paused to catch herself on last night’s episode and finished with, ‘my heart’s beating, its history. It’s meaning. It’s life’

On last week’s episode, Melissa tried to comfort contestant Therese Lum, who was also on the verge of tears after a cooking disaster.

Therese, 31, had failed to make a macadamia ice cream for her dessert dish and was forced to serve the judges a crumble.

Melissa acknowledged Therese’s ‘bravery’ and said she had the ‘utmost respect’ for the contestant to front the judges – knowing the end result of her dish.

Cooking disaster: On last week’s episode, Melissa tried to comfort contestant Therese Lum (pictured), who was on the verge of tears after a cooking disaster