# Masterchef



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Did anyone follow this show?  The finale was last night.  I watched the whole season, I really enjoy the concept of home cooks competing.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

The US version was lame I thought. There is no judging standard. What was praised one time is dissed the next. I hate it when they refuse to taste a dish. Give the cook his chance and be fair about it.

Bastianich is a jerk and non-helpful, seems to be relishing the chance to put people down. Actually displays lack of knowledge of other cuisines.

One episode I watched last year with a Chinese challenge, the Chinese heritage girl made a Red Cooking broth and did some of the cooking in it. Ramsey is super impressed with the broth. But when it comes time to serve the dish, he's wondering where the broth reduction sauce is. Well, that's not how that is generally served.  He just doesn't understand the cuisine being highlighted here.

No, I think it's another poor cooking show orchestrated for dramatic failure in much the same way as Hell's Kitchen.

PBS Cooking Under Fire was a better incarnation of this concept. Constructive critiquing, helping the contestants grow into the skills needed for the prize in Todd English's kitchen and a clear standard of quality.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

I agree fully with Phil's assessment. I watched the first season, or a good part of it, just to see where it would go---which was, IMO, nowheres. My distinct impression was that they had already choosen the winner the day they qualified contestents.

What does a person's age have to do with whether or not they are good cooks? Yet, they kept harping on that one girl being so young (but never hit on another one who was the same age), and how she couldn't possibly be any good "yet."

As to Joe Bastianich, there's a reason he's the business brains, rather than the creative force, behind all those restaurants. He doesn't really understand food. Seems to me, if you're going to have somebody judging cooks it should be somebody who knows his way around a kitchen. Bastianich's culinary expertise, such as it is, is with wine. Actually, not wine in general, but Italian wine. That's a pretty tight area of knowledge, and doesn't qualify you to be so snobbish.

I have to wonder, though, if it matters to the outcome of any food competition show, who the judges are? I've yet to see any of them in which consistency was at all important, or in which there weren't distinct biases on the part of the judges, of where, in fact, the judges were experts in anything but the minds of the producers.

Last night, by accident, I happened to see a couple of episodes of BBQ Pitmasters. Same sort of set up. An MC who had the personality of a toad, three judges, of which only one has any barbeque credentials as such, and surprise last-minute challanges, designed to make the contestents fail.

And, of course, there's always Chopped. If somebody could explain why any professional, particularly female ones, would subject themselves to that sort of unfair, patently biased, judging I'd like to hear it.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

The title and premise of the show drives me crazy. I have been working professionally in restaurants for 37 years now and while I consider myself to be damn good, I wouldn't begin to consider myself a master chef.

The fact that these competitors can fix a total disaster in one segment than turn around in the next segment be proclaimed as fabulous doesn't fit with my description of what a master chef is.

It is no wonder that our industry is still stuck in the dark ages of long hours and low pay. As I cruise the internet, I see want ads looking for sandwich chefs. etc. etc. etc. God help us all.

Sorry for the rant.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Yep.  Show sucks.  Best thing you can say about it is that this year's winner is marginally less embarrassing than last year's Whitney.  Ramsay lost all credibility with that one, setting a new bar blatantly dishonest judgments made in a reality show.  Jennifer was not as obviously incompetent, but her "victory" did nothing to redeem him. 
 

Masterchef is far more about showmanship than cooking, but still...  We've been slimed.

BDL


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Title needs to be changed to: MasterHomeCook

IMHO, cooking ability is only one, and in many cases a small one at that, of the multitude of skills essential for an effective chef.

BTBS, WTHDIK


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Unfortunately, due to the plethera of food shows, and other influences, the term "chef" has become all but meaningless among the general public. Anyone who cooks even semi-professionally is a chef in their mind.

Here's just one example. At Fort Boonesborough last Saturday I was carrying a dish from the firepit to the display table. As I entered the cabin one of the visitors proclaimed, "ah, here's the chef." When I politely pointed out that "chef" is a professional title, that I didn't qualify as such, and that I was a cook, he gave me a strange look. As they left the cabin he remarked to his companion, "have you ever heard such nit-picking in your life?"

Thus, it's no surprise, on some of these cooking contests, that competitors are identified as "pizza chefs," and "sandwich chefs," and, yes, even "home chefs."

I've said it before, and it bears repeating: Those shows are a slap in the face to every professional in the industry. But, sadly, there's not much to be done about it---unless we boycot them, and get everyone we know to do the same. And what are the odds of that happening?


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Never thought about it that way, I enjoy this show much much more than I do Hell's Kitchen.  I take no part in bastardizing the culinary profession but I guess masterchef is to the culinary world what american idol is to the music world.  I cannot sit back and watch people who can't read a note of music skyrocket to stardom for their "talent" when someone like me has spent decades studying the subject.  Not that there's anything wrong with having a nice singing voice.  But alas I did enjoy this season of masterchef, sorry!


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Over fifty years ago, the one-liner was "six months ago I couldn't spell "engineer" and now I are one!"

Substitute "musician", "chef" or any other title and it still applies/img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif

Except now it is six hours rather than six weeks.


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

LOL. Let me just say this ...................................... _*"IT'S A TV SHOW!"*_.

I've been watching it the last 8 or so episodes. I thought it was a lot of fun. That one contestant, Christopher, needed a serious beating. I'm surprised that we didn't see the winner get in his face after being announced as the winner. I watched the show because of what it is, TV entertainment, just like all the other shows. I won't watch _Chopped!_ any more because I can't stand the judges. Alex Guarnaschelli, Scott Conant and Marc Murphy are absolutely the worst. I'm not saying that that discounts Joe Bastianich from being a really big jerk, it's just that he claims business over cooking. Why do so many of you get all bent out of shape over the word "Chef"? I don't get it. It's just a word. Call me whatever you want, just call me, and pay me too. Once again, please remember, it's just a TV show.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Yes, it's just a TV show, but it's of particularly low quality, concept and production. That's why we're ripping on it. We expect better.


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

OK. What exactly do you expect to be better? Polite conversation? Non-hectic actions? Contestants that are not all over the reservation? It's produced for two(2) purposes. The #1 main purpose is to make money. That's the main purpose of every TV show. The second is to entertain viewers. I'm only having conversation.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Masterchef started life on the BBC about 30 or more years ago.  It seems to have gone through many reincarnations in that time.  Not all for the better.  I've had 2 friends who've taken part (one actually won it about 15 years ago!) - I still watch it as I like to see how much improvement the contestants make over the length of the series.

That said, I don't know which format is used in the USA - the 'new(ish) one, or one of the previous ones!


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I don't find it entertaining because it potrays that entertainment is about humiliating someone else. And not in the pratfall style or self deprecation of Americas Funniest videos. Those aren't great entertainment either, but one could argue they too rely on embarassment.

I have the same problem with comedians whose entire schtick is to tear someone else down.

The format of the show claims to be to find good home cooks who have the skills to compete against each other to produce restaurant quality food .

Instead they cast people who are inept and bad at the task.

There is no standard of quality or performance.

 The critiques neither explain successes nor failures but are empty superlatives without basis.

The judges aren't qualified. 

These behaviors deny the premise of the show.  There is no competition in the end because the contest has no structure, no real meaning. so why watch?  All that's left is for viewers to feel better than the schmucks on the show. I find that repugnant and not entertaining.

 so they don't get to sell me advertising and fai l at making money.


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Then this is nothing like the UK's programme!

The contestants can ALL cook - maybe not well, but they are well-versed in many techniques.  Their results are judged by a chef and a food 'expert'.  And there are 'guest' chefs who judge each week.  They are also 'judged' by the chefs in the (mainly) five star restaurants where they are given a dish to cook during a real 'service' slot.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

phatch said:


> I have the same problem with comedians whose entire schtick is to tear someone else down.


That's why I like Brian Reagan so much. He's so funny yet he never mentions politics, sex, profanity, or religion.

I agree that I don't understand how they make their judgements sometimes. Joe B is the designated bad guy, he seems to enjoy this role. I secretely have always hated him, I never much liked his mother either although she's pleasant at least.

I like these contestants much more than I like the cooks on Hell's Kitchen. But I don't think I could ever enter any kind of competition and repeatedly bash other contestants like most of these guys do. Because it's so prevalent I assume they're guided into it by the producers.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Yesterday, had a ad in one of the local food rags:

*Cupcake Chef *Needed. Must have at least two years experience. Starting Salary commensurate with experience.

I had just prepared an updated bio for the bank. So I sent it off with 2 stamps, since it had some weight.

My first experience in my own business was baking mini cupcakes for our local airline feeder. So I told them I had

done maybe 120 million every 6 mths.

My wife says don't play around, but I would really like to follow this one through.

The food shows are so rushed through production the scripting is so obvious. They insult me. On every cook-off challenge it's such a coincidence

to have it tied to the last pair. Not to mention, I don't think I've ever seen so many people over the age of 25 still totally lost in life.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

panini said:


> Not to mention, I don't think I've ever seen so many people over the age of 25 still totally lost in life.


Then you must not be out looking for a job in these economic times. When I did my time as an inner-city school teacher I met too many people who were switching professions due to losing their jobs. Mostly wall-street types, lawyers, and other suit professionals that either got layed off, downsized, fired, etc. It doesn't surprise me at all to see people switching careers now. Besides, what's wrong with taking a shot at your dream? I won't argue that the show is derived and scripted or what not, just like American Idol and other talent based reality shows. However, thousands of people show up to audition and while almost none of them make the show I applaud their courage to put themselves out there and try out for something. And I don't see any of the contestants as lost, they all seem to have jobs, families, real lives.


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## youngchef11 (Aug 21, 2011)

The English one is much better! ;]


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## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Errr - YoungChef?

That would be BRITISH, not English....   Just saying - Ishbel, Scots and proud!


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## tylerm713 (Aug 6, 2010)

I watched the second half of this past season. It wasn't the worst cooking show I've seen, but far from the best. I'm not really a fan of Graham Elliot or Joe Bastianich (at least on the show).


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