ROCKHAMPTON-BORN bartender Harry Foster has survived the MasterChef judges' auditions.

The 21-year-old didn't waste his second chance on the show last night after failing to get through to the Top 24 in Sunday's premiere.

The competition was fierce for this year's judges' auditions, with a record 19 cooks getting through to the Top 24 on the first day.

"I wasn't really in the right headspace to cook (on the first day)," Foster told the Bulletin.

"There were so many cameras and people and unfortunately I didn't get it quite right."

Frost was one of 11 amateur cooks who were invited to cook again last night for one of five white aprons.

He was presented with 10 ingredients he identified as his favourites to cook with in his application form and asked to cook a dish using at least one of them.

Foster impressed the judges with his grilled lobster and coriander sambal with Asian chicken broth.

"I love seafood and I love lobster. It means so much to me because I've grown up cooking and eating this food," he said.

"I spent a lot of time in Asia a couple of years ago and it's my favourite cuisine. I love cooking with and eating those flavours."

Gary Mehigan said his love for south-east Asian flavours shone through in the dish and George Calombaris praised him for cooking a tricky shellfish "perfectly".

Clermont ranger Miles Pritchett, though, was unsuccessful and has only one more chance to cook for the final berth in the Top 24.