Visual Gastronomy – Masterchef USA

I just couldn’t resist posting about this show. I was watching episode 15 of season 2 yesterday night. Season 2 is currently airing on TV right now and while I had watched Masterchef Australia and UK, the American version has sooooo much drama and to an extent, you’d even wonder whether it was scripted. But…..as an enthusiast of all things food, it is rather fun to watch the contestants cringe under all those tasks which, mind you…..really is not easy.

There are 3 judges on the show, they are none other than the infamous Chef Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, a top restaurateur and Graham Elliot, also a top chef. I do wonder though, and I’m sure a lot of folks out there feel the same, whether this show was probably just another excuse to get into all that Gordon Ramsay’s fury-potty mouth-drama.

The show is divided into 3 main challenges;
1. The Mystery Box Challenges
2. The Team Challenges
3. The Pressure Tests

I usually skip the team challenges all the way to the end of the result cause you don’t really get to see much cooking during that time.

Mr. Joe, one of the judges, has been voted to be least favourite among fans, only because he constantly comes up with rhetorical snide comments from that shiny-headed, poker-face of his. But every once in a while, he does something drastic out of frustration that the contestants are still serving up what he calls, ‘garbage’ dishes. Although throwing away food that you cooked would be the greatest insult for anyone, I do empathise with him because it seems like some of the contestants are just there to give up. If you’re gonna be in this show, in front of judges of that calibre, you better bring your game on everytime.

I can’t say you’ll learn much about food or cooking on this show but it is fun to watch. Masterchef USA had a string of conspiracies on its own, like that fake crowd shot that was uncovered. It made people think that maybe the show wasn’t as highly rated as it claimed. Also, during season 1’s finale, the winner was disputable because she had dropped her chicken for one of her dishes. Although she managed to make another in 7 mins, it wasn’t all that perfect when it was served.

Whitney Miller (top), winner of Masterchef USA Season 1

The prize is $250,000 dollars, the title of Masterchef and your very own cookbook with a foreword by Chef Ramsay.

Right now for season 2, I’m rooting for Ben Starr. He can churn out great food and man, can he bake. But for the last challenge where he had to make tomato soup, things went awry and the dish was a total disaster. Still, he tried to make it sound like it was the best dish ever. Gordon Ramsay said he would be a great politician, Ben commented that his initials aren’t ‘B.S’ for nothing. Haha.

Have a good laugh or have a good time wasting it, but take a peek all the same. 🙂