by Todd Betzold

 

During the auditions of MasterChef, Stacey Amagrande was initially told no and sent away without an apron. Joe Bastianich tasted her dish again and changed his mind and came out and gave Stacey the apron she deserved. When she was sent home last week, Joe said giving her that apron was one of the best decisions he has ever made in his life. Today, we got an exclusive interview with Stacey as she talked about her experiences on MasterChef, Paula Deen and much more.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What made you want to try out for MasterChef?
A. Stacey: My husband and I are avid Gordon Ramsay followers. We watch all of his, like five million shows on the different networks (laughs). The casting people, when they had the open casting in L.A., had reached out to the farmers market that I was managing at the time and said they needed to find the best homecooks to come and try out for a show they were doing, a little thing called MasterChef and I about did a back flip. I know this show very well, I watch it. So, they gave us flyers to help promote their open casting and I did put the flyers on the table, but I also accepted the responsibility of being the representative (laughs). Although I put the flyers out, I was like I got it.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What was it like to be told no in your audition, but then have Joe come out to give you an apron after he changed his mind?
A. Stacey: I initially felt defeated and rejected by Joe and Gordon, who said no. Graham believed in me and that was great. Leaving there was the loneliest, sad walk of my life going down that hallway. All I could think was this is not how I had it planned and thinking to myself, I really don't accept this. None of me could accept this, I am so stubborn. I get out into the waiting room without an apron. You could hear a pin drop because everyone was so sure because I was so certain too. Not that I'm cocky, but I believed my food was great and I really believed they would see that. I went from being a sad, defeated girl to the warrior is back. Thank you Joe, now let me show you why that was a good decision. The change of events was just as emotional and I was literally a basket case. I think I sobbed to where my face hurt for a good half hour.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: Paula Deen was a guest judge on the last episode. What was that like having her taste your food?
A. Stacey: What she tasted of mine, she really enjoyed. Unfortunately, I did not get picked into the top three. She is such a classy lady and yet she can laugh at herself. She's got a beautiful personality and a balance of poise, but she's a clown. Having her right there in front of me, I've been watching her on TV for years and I make her recipes all of the time, One of her recipes for birthday cake is the only birthday cake I have received on my birthday. So, to meet her and have her taste my food, I did a buttered rub chicken. She came by and said how great I was doing at rubbing my meat. I don't think she realizes how cute and the sexual innuendos.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What were you thinking when it was you and Christine in the bottom two?
A. Stacey: I had acceptance. I knew it was going to be me. If they hadn't chosen me, they would have chosen poorly. I had actually made a lot more technical flaws then Christine did. Also, my communication skills were incredibly poor because I was struggling with the right questions and answers for her and try to keep in mind I couldn't tell her to look here and there. I was struggling in myself to find the right conversation starter. So when it came down to it, I told Christine when it comes down to today's performance, we didn't execute, but I failed a lot more and I lost my cool. She was poised and the only reason why she started to freak out was because I was way freaked out. They made the right decision and I back it 100%. I would have felt really crappy if Christine would have went home.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What was it like working with all the time constraints of the challenges and food ingredients given to you?
A. Stacey: It's so exhilarating. I didn't realize how capable we are as human beings. There is so much there and it really opened my eyes to the capability of humans. If you want to do something, you absolutely can. All these cooking shows are a prime exampling of that. The timing was daunting because the clock doesn't move like a clock, it counts down backwards. The ingredients, mainly for me it was the proteins, because I was a vegetarian for 14 years. If you give me a cut of meat, after 14 years of vegetarianism, I don't even know what that is. Once I got passed, I put myself through hell. I was killing lobsters and my neighbors' livestock. I had access to some of these interesting ingredients and having been an avid watcher of these shows, I knew you better be ready for the things you are most afraid of. I put myself through the best training that I knew how to do. I had friends put together Mystery Boxes for me and have them time me. Anything I could do.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What was your favorite challenge or test this season?
A. Stacey: Do you know I am the only one to never do a Pressure Test? The first one I was supposed to do I got a pass. After that point, the team I was on won every single challenge. I actually feel that is a disadvantage because I wasn't given the opportunity to see what I'm like under that kind of pressure, so I kind of feel like I missed out. But I am not complaining because it did keep me there and I was safe. I really dug the team challenges because we are out there with other people and I love people. If I had to pick one singular time during MasterChef, I would pick the food truck. It was crazy and hectic and I had my doubts and I wasn't sure we were going to win, but it was on the beach and I adore Mexican cuisine. I felt so in my element and the environment and the people. It just all around was a great experience.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: What's the biggest thing you are going to take away from this whole MasterChef experience?
A. Stacey: I'm absolutely capable of more than I ever gave myself credit for. I need to stop being in my own way. The passion that lies in all of us homecooks that we're able to get to this point in our lives and given an opportunity with this platform of MasterChef to continue to grow and learn and remain humble with your craft and always strive to know more. Be confident without cockiness. I think more than anything, I found who I am as a chef and I learned to be confident and I learned I have way more ability than I ever gave myself credit for and I need to remember that because that's how I am going to make great things happen. The second I forget that I am capable of greatness is the second I won't create anything great at all. They gave that to me. I did not have that confidence before MasterChef.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: Anything to add?
A. Stacey: Post-MasterChef life is just as exciting as being in the MasterChef world and filming the reality show. Great things are to come. I'm focusing on a cookbook. I'm going to be moving out to Hawaii to startup a catering business and hopefully the farm-to-table style restaurant. My dreams are big and I feel finally I have a way to reach them. It's been an incredible experience and I feel so blessed. I feel it is my duty, as a good human being, to just pay it forward. It's my obligation to just feed as many people and make them happy and I'm so excited to see what's to come.

 

MasterChef airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 9/8c on FOX.

 

(Image courtesy of FOX)

 

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