MasterChef – Recap & Review – Auditions Part One

photo: fox

MasterChef
Auditions Part One

Original Air Date: Jul 27, 2010

JD – Associate Staff Writer
jd@thetwocentscorp.com

MasterChef was first introduced in 1990 on the BBC. Since then, it has gone on to produce multiple incarnations, first in Australia and New Zealand, and now in Norway, France, Finland, Greece, and America (among others). This year’s American incarnation is hosted by Gordon Ramsay, whose claim to fame in America includes Hell’s Kitchen and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. Oh, and he’s also infamous for having a fiery temper and yelling and cursing at people on TV.

My good friend said that reviewing this show should be easy: “Gordon said the F word at them sixteen times and then walked out.” We’ll see if she’s right.

When we start, there’s a packed room full of hopefuls who have been judged as the best of the country, ready to cook a dish for our three judges. Those judges are Gordon Ramsay, of course, Graham Elliot, who became America’s youngest four-star chef at 27, and Joe Bastianich, who owns 20 of America’s best restaurants and 3 award-winning Italian wineries.

The people ready to cook for them on this episode have to create their best example of their cooking in one hour, and those who make the cut are given their own MasterChef apron. Only 30 out of the 100 people in the room will get one. The grand prize for the person who makes it to the end of the competition? $250,000, getting to publish their own cookbook, and the title of America’s first MasterChef.

As with any competition shows, especially in the audition stage, there are gems and there are disasters. Let’s look at those who shined, and those who flopped.

The worst of the worst:
Suzette, who cooked tilapia fish tacos with mango salsa – She flirted horribly and shamelessly with Gordon during her presentation, even going so far as to invite him to play soccer with her after the show. When the judges tasted her food, you could tell it was bad… then Gordon spit it out and thought he was going to be sick. When she asked for advice in how to make the dish better, Joe replied that the show wasn’t long enough.

Randy, who cooked a loaded potato casserole, which he called “funeral potatoes” – It had cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and a big pot of melted butter in it, and was served on a plate in the shape of a pig. Joe called it caveman food, and all three judges said no. After Randy left, the judges inspected the dish more closely, and were actually able to pour out all the butter, fat, and oil just sitting on the surface of the casserole dish. Gordon called Randy a walking f***ing disaster, and Graham said he was crying on the inside.

My two cents:
They didn’t really show many of the horrible failures in this episode. I guess that’s probably a good thing, except for the people who watch Gordon’s shows for the train wrecks. Honestly, if they searched the country to find the best amateur chefs, I have no idea how people like these two got chosen. What could they have possibly done to impress the talent scouts, and why couldn’t they do it again?

Who won a MasterChef apron:
Mike, who cooked a pan seared duck breast with orange miso sauce – Gordon said the textures were mind-blowing and the balance was unique. Graham described the dish as “like sex in your mouth”, and Joe said it had a beautiful balance.

Tracy, who cooked smothered chicken with grilled Brussels sprouts – Tracy gave an emotional speech about how her mother’s cooking had inspired her. Her mother died about a year after Tracy had her write down all the family recipes in a book which has become a cherished possession. All the judges agreed to keep her, seeing the potential for growth outside the cookbook, and Gordon said that people like her were the reason MasterChef was created.

Dave, who cooked New England style Bouillabaisse – Dave started out with arrogance and bravado, cooking a dish that takes two days to do right in one hour. Gordon said that good chefs are confident, and insecure chefs are arrogant, at which point Dave broke into tears and showed the real him. Gordon still gave Dave a no. Graham said yes. Joe seemed torn, but when Dave promised him he was going to “bring it”, Joe gave him a yes too.

Avis, who cooked catfish Arcadia over angel hair pasta, which she promised would make their tongues slap their brains out – Graham said he saw that she was selfless and passionate but that the food also had to be good. All the judges agreed that the pasta was heavy and over-cooked, but the catfish was cooked very well. Graham said yes, Joe said no, and Gordon gave her an apron, at which point she nearly crushed him in an enthusiastic hug.

Faruq, who cooked “chic” macaroni and cheese – Gordon was concerned about the lack of seasoning, and said it could have been a very good dish if it had been seasoned properly. He was impressed, though, that Faruq had the guts to do something so simple. He had Faruq bring his wife and child in, and asked his wife what she thought it meant to Faruq to be here. She emotionally said that it meant everything, and that he had sacrificed his dreams of becoming a chef to be a good dad and husband. Joe still gave Faruq a no. Graham said yes. Gordon called Faruq’s wife and child to come over to him, and gave the apron to his son to give to his dad.

And of course, there were other winners who we didn’t meet and were just thrown into happy little montages.

My two cents:
Mike was exceptional, but there was something too perfect about him for me. It didn’t seem like there was much potential for growth because he was already very good. Tracy cooked something that looked like something I would eat, and she really wanted it. I think she has a lot of potential. Dave? I hope he learned his lesson about being so phony. Avis had soul and a warm personality, but the pasta concerns me. It’s not really hard to cook good pasta. Faruq made me cry happy tears for him. What he did was really gutsy, and it paid off even if it wasn’t perfect.

As for the judges, Gordon was calmer than a lot of people expect from him. He didn’t fly of the rails or curse at anyone. Of course this is the auditions, and it could change once the competition really gets going. Graham seems to be the most forgiving and the warmest of the group. When the first person cooked beer cheese soup, he said he would eat a bowl of it (a “guilty pleasure”), even when Gordon and Joe insisted that he would die if he ate a bowl of it. Joe seems pretty cold and distant to me. He seemed to always be looking down his nose at people.

As of right now, my inclination as far as the chefs go is for Tracy and Faruq. Maybe that’s because their auditions were so emotional, which might not make it a fair judgement, but they both struck a chord with me.

So what did you guys think? Who were your favorites? Did anyone get an apron you don’t think they deserved? Give me your two cents?

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