Masterchef Season Premiere: Part I

Masterchef is back for its third season and momentum seems to be building for Ramsay's latest American project. If you're new to the show, Chef Gordon Ramsay is out to find the best amateur chefs in America. With the help of chefs Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot, Ramsay has a unique tryout premise. The contestant hopefuls are asked to prepare their best dish, which is judged by the three. If it is good enough, the amateur chef earns a white Masterchef apron, along with entry into the competition. Click below for a recap of the Monday's Masterchef hopefuls...




Michael Chen:  The college freshman from Austin, Texas hopes to leave behind his pursuit of a science degree for the rigors of a culinary career. Having just come out of the closet to his parents, Chen is coming into his own and it showed in his cooking. His Chinese dumplings topped with scallions and homemade sesame oil blew the chefs away and earned his apron in a unanimous decision by the judges.

Monti Carlo: The single mother of a boy named Danger wasn't able to finish her sauce in time to add it to her Shepherd's Pie, but it was still good enough to impress two of the judges -- which is enough for an apron on the show. Her unique story seemed a bit outlandish and hard to believe for Joe Bastianich so she will have an uphill battle trying to win him over during the competition.

Samantha McNulty: This recent high school graduate from New Jersey impressed the judges with her Mini Quadruple Layer Carrot Cake. Unfortunately, her skills were a bit too raw for two of the judges and they had to send her packing, encouraging her to keep working and try again next year.

Ryan the "Flavor Elevator": This awkward 26 year old from New York fumbled his way around the kitchen before producing a plate of succulent Red Wine Short Ribs, pressure cooked to help the meat fall off the bone. His dish easily won over the judges and he received the coveted Masterchef apron.

Josh from Mississippi: This seven-footer from (you guessed it) Mississippi is putting his basketball ambitions on the back burner for his true passion - cooking. Drawing for his Cajun roots, Josh cooked a wonderful Shrimp Etoufee that impressed the judges enough to get a white apron.


Christine: I didn't catch where she was from (maybe Texas), but her story provided the night's obligatory tearjerker. Having suffered blindness stemmed from a disease of the nervous system, Christine relies on her taste and memories to cook food. The judges were careful to not give her preferential treatment, which was not a problem when she produced the "dish of the night," a Vietnamese Catfish plate that wowed the panel. Her triumph was a wonderful moment and she will definitely be a fan favorite as we enter the competition.


Unfortunately, we were not able to see all the amateurs that advanced so far, but some quick shots of their dishes showed that there is a great deal of talent in this year's competition. Who was your favorite from tonight? Are any of these chefs real contenders for the title? 


Tune in tomorrow night on Fox for the second half of the season premiere.