by Gina Scarpa

 

Last night, Gordon Ramsay unveiled his newest reality show, Master Chef, a popular hit from his home country of England. He'll search the country to find amateur chefs that have the potential to become a master chef and the winner will get their own cookbook and $250,000. Helping him judge the competition are renowned chefs and restaurant owners Graham Elliott and Joe Bastianich.

 

Out of the thousands that applied, only a few have been selected to compete and only 30 will be staying after the cut. Their first challenge is straightforward enough: cook the dish of your life. The dishes that get past the judges will earn the chef that made that a dish a Master Chef apron and a spot in the next round of the competition. The pressure is most definitely on!

 

After one hour, the chefs present to the judges. Chris's beer cheese soup leaves the judges split. Graham likes it but the other two think it's disgusting. It does, after all, look like baby food. With two votes against him, he's automatically out. Suzette relies on her feminine charm to help her through this round but Gordon spits her tilapia taco right out. She's out.

 

Finally, after a number of mediocre chefs are sent packing, a glimmer of hope walks into the room. Mike, from California, is very cool and cooks his duck with a quickness and a flare that makes one wonder how he's just a home chef. The judges can't say enough nice things - that apron is his! A favorite to win? Perhaps. Too early to say? Probably.

 

Mike starts a run of success and a few more chefs get their aprons and move on. One of those is Tracy, a doctor, inspired by her mother, who died suddenly three years ago. Right before she died, Tracy asked her mom to write down the family recipes and that cookbook is one of her most cherished possessions. It makes you root for her, to get those recipes that mean so much to her family out into the public eye.

 

Cue the bad dishes. Comments from the judges range from "I could taste the desperation" to "I can't think of a worse way of cooking that." Ouch.

 

David, a big personality from Boston, is up next with his bouillabaisse. Immediately, Gordon observes that a good bouillabaisse takes two days to cook and this guy did it in an hour. The judges have a hard time believing that this guy is for real. Whether he is or not, he's good tv. After Gordon puts his ego in check and shuts him down for all eternity, David gets an apron and moves on... but not because good ol' Gordy gave him a vote.

 

After a few more move on, Avis presents her Catfish Arcadia to the judges. Fortunately, her dish tastes better than it looks and earns her an apron. The same cannot be said for Randy, whose greasy "funeral potatoes" have him heading home. Faruq's macaroni and cheese may not be the most original dish that was presented but there are two things you should know about it. 1) I want that recipe and 2) He's through to the next round.

 

Half the chefs have been chosen.  Find out the remaining contestants that make it to the next round on Master Chef, Tuesdays at 9/8c on Fox.

 

(Image courtesy of Fox)

 

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