MasterChef is back on Fox for a fifth season of Gordon Ramsey’s yelling, Joe Bastianich’s devastating snark, and Graham Elliot’s kindly, but firm, criticism. We’re watching home cooks from across the US compete for the MasterChef trophy, a fat cash prize, and a book deal — but, let’s face it, we’re dying to watch them be eviscerated on live television first. Any Gordon Ramsey show has the feel of a gladiatorial arena, and MasterChef features a deadly trio of lions for the brave — and sometimes weepy — gladiators.
30 chefs went into combat in the pilot, with the team of judges swiftly winnowing them down to just 22 after two rounds of cooking. The good, the bad, and the ugly emerged over the course of the pilot, and some cooks are already starting to stand out. While it’s a bit too early to predict who will become the next MasterChef and who’s likely to be shed quickly as dead weight in the coming weeks (though neither of the eliminations in this week’s episode surprised me), some voices are already standing out.
Like Leslie Gilliams, the obnoxiously privileged stay-at-home dad from Malibu, who oozes middle class entitlement and bougie California self-centredness. He’s already emerging as a ‘character’ with major attitude, which means we’re probably likely to see him linger on the show far longer than he deserves to, thanks to the network’s preference for drama. Thus far his cooking hasn’t been that stellar, and I’m rooting for his elimination and a swift boot right in the pants of his pride.
On the flip side, we have the delightfully quirky and wonderful Francis, who has the potential to be totally lovable if he can break out of his obsession with molecular gastronomy (while Graham’s done a great deal of work in this arena, Francis needs to prove that he has the basic skills and ability to land on his feet first). In the pilot, he recovered swiftly from an equipment breakdown, but not swiftly enough, as he was still up in the second round for elimination and almost wasn’t brought on board over a sauce that wasn’t quite right.
I’m quietly rooting to see Francis make it into the top ten, at least, and I’m hoping that he maintains his cool as a man who seems to be having fun in the kitchen without viewing his fellow competitors adversarially. I also hope that his wild outfits will become a fixture in the kitchen.
Elise, too, is a character I have a soft spot for, with her earnest approach, heart, and clear love for food. But can she move out of the pie zone? She seems to suffer from a problem many competitors have on the programme, where they freeze up when confronted by their idols and retreat into their comfort zones, instead of using the show to push their limits and learn new skills. The learning curve in the MasterChef Kitchen is steep and unforgiving, and I hope she has what it takes.
She has the potential to be kept on simply because she adds drama with her tearful pleas, but I hope she’s kept on for her skills, not just the desire to drive ratings up. I suspect that she has a great deal potential and if she blooms on the show, the results could be absolutely amazing. In order to do so, though, she’s going to have to flash her fangs — and viewers who think she doesn’t have a set may be in for a rude surprise, as I sense some grit behind her demure exterior.
My early pick for number one is Dan Wu, who turned out what was far and away the best dish in the pilot. As an immigrant who spent his childhood in a multitude of US cities, Wu brings rich cultural and social experience to the kitchen, and he clearly has a strong sense not just of flavour, but also presentation, paired with a deep love for food and his family history. That same combination brought season three winner Christine Ha to the top, and I suspect it might carry Wu all the way as well, especially if he keeps it up.
However, Wu’s going to need to continue developing his technical skills and demonstrating his flexibility. Ha was nearly undone by an apple pie…what might Wu’s Achilles’ heel be?
One thing I find frustrating about reality television competitions is the tendency to balance and reward competitors not on the basis of true skill and merit, but ratings. With MasterChef and programmes that should ostensibly be based on sheer skills without any other considerations, this tendency is particularly glaring, with viewers asking why poor competitors are allowed to remain on air week after week while others are cut. Will MasterChef decide to set aside drama in favour of letting the best chef win this year? Let’s hope so, because while many viewers are always hungry for blood, I’m just plain hungry.