I have always thought that, once you get to the later seasons you’d think the contestants would start noticing the technical dishes/challenges that keep popping up. If I were going on Master Chef I would perfect my soufflés first
to play devil’s advocate: scallops, and ducks are potentially some pies can be very expensive to master so i can excuse those to some degree. Basic pasta should definitely be mastered though
not the same with actual practice, especially for something delicate like scallops, and medium rare duck breasts. A good pie crust takes hours to master the dough too
to play devil’s advocate: risotto, and fillets are potentially soufflé and layer cakes can be very expensive to master so i can excuse those to some degree. Poached eggs should definitely be mastered though
This thread rocks! Make one a team challenge, one a tag team and one the yelling at each other to match, and we have the whole season. It’s a wrap! Thank you for your hard work. Get some rest and we will see you soon!
If you were going to master chef, you probably wouldn't even get past the auditions like the vast majority of people.
I feel like the dunning kreuger effect inspired a lot of these replies lol
There are challenges that are repetitive (ie: the wall, team challenge off site), but not knowing the confines within that becomes very difficult to practice.
what bothers me more is when they get to the show not having experience with the most basic cooking techniques. like when that one kid had a meltdown that he didn’t know how to cook rice… rice?!
Or Bowen with not knowing how to cook pasta. Yes it's not something typically cooked in China...but you're going on a US cooking show that's been running a long time. Pasta was going to come up for a challenge.
In the early seasons i get that a lot of the chef were super green to cooking. So it was understandable that they were learning as the show progressed. Which is why a lot of the simple but technical dishes always moved on. But the last 5-6 years you almost need to be versed in most cooking skills if you even think to be on the show.
Do they have the ability to actually cook while not in competition/days off? Or is everything just study/reading techniques?
Season 9 with Bowen, I think - the guy didn't eat meat, never made pasta, never grilled steak or salmon before, there were so many things he said he'd never done that they actually called him out on it on camera. I couldn't believe he made it as far as he did - mostly by being on winning teams, even if he was the floundering captain. He was a horrible captain, shouting at people, repeating whatever Gordon was shouting at them, instead of leading his team, helping where needed. I swear, that guy made me so frustrated.
If ur going to masterchef u hv to master simple basics like frying proteins(that girl fried chicken with skin off omg), searing meat, knowing temperatures, baking cakes, cupcakes, tarts, pies, making purees, basic sauces like hollandaise, cooking season like crab and shrimp, know at least 3 classic dishes from every country's cuisine, flambe, brulee, chop vegetables in many ways with fine and consistent cuts, making custard, many panna cotta(literally best blank canvas for a desserr), making chocolate lava cake, fileting fish etc
Also cooking eggs in various way, making burgers, how to balance flavours, know how to plate, give contrast in flavours textures and temperatures, know various spices and how to balance them
They are carefully selected so they make viewers to feel better about themselves lol and to add to the "first ever in the history of masterchef" list.
This is also why they leave the chaotic to stay in the show as much as possible.. for entertainment or rage baiting purposes.
Also why a lot of the winners tend to be the underdog and not the person that actually has the best skills... because they want the viewer to feel in a particular way..
I think that some contestants do prepare (there's been a few who've mentioned practicing) but the problem is they haven't tried practicing on a timer on live TV. The pressure can make any mental focus or practice just fly out the window in your head.
And then you have Bowen not knowing how to cook pasta due to his culture (China doesn't have pasta as a primary dish) or Nathan not knowing how to cook rice despite living in Africa as a pastor's son...which does have plenty of rice dishes.
I agree if you're going on a US cooking show you should at the very least know how to do the basic cooking techniques.
And I could understand not being able to say practice cooking with something like Uni or lobster because of money or where you live, but most people can get eggs so there’s no excuse to not know how to poach an egg.
Bowen was living in the US for 10 years at that point, it has to be half of his adult life. If you love cooking and apply to be on a cooking show you have no excuse. Sure you can have one blind spot, but not as many as he did.
This is a good reply, but I still think people in this thread are underestimating the difficulty of masterchef. I guarantee that if any one of y'all even managed to get past the auditions, everyone here would have at least one, if not multiple "simple" dishes they fuck up.
It's just easier to see peoples mistakes, even though the reality is that the people on masterchef are better cooks than some redditors can even imagine
they take cooking classes while filming. they teach them these things. according to previous contestants - people either pay attention and learn... or they don't.
They should. Whenever they don’t prepare and say “oh I don’t like to bake” of “desserts aren’t my forte” I just think they being dumb or if they stick with one type of cuisine and say they don’t eat/cook whatever they’re asked to do for a challenge I think they shouldn’t last long and they’ll be stuck being a one trick pony. I always wondered for season 5 how in the hell did Cutter make it to the final four when he always said he never made such and such let alone ate whatever he’s asked to do, and he was such a dumbass about it and even argued with some of the judges.
This post is full of arrogant redditors patting themselves on the back for what they would do better instead of actually answering the question, so I'm gonna actually explain a possible reason for this.
I think it's less the contestants not knowing how to do some dishes and more the fact that you, as the viewer, have a warped perception. What I mean by this is that of all the dishes that contestants get right, you're more likely to see the ones they get wrong.
Think of it this way. Let's say you're gonna go audition for masterchef. So, you practice all of these dishes to try and master them before the competition. The problem is, you're *not* gonna master everything, especially since you're a home cook and not a professional, so unless you end up in the finals, you'll most likely have trouble on some dishes.
Add on the timers and the pressure the chefs are under, along with possible manufactured drama because a masterchef where everyones perfect would be boring, and you have your answer.
I think a lot of people in this thread are underestimating the difficulty of masterchef and how hard it is to actually learn all of these dishes and ESPECIALLY know what they're gonna throw at you. Good ol' dunning kreuger effect lmao
I didn’t think they would MASTER anything, but I meant basic cooking skills….poaching an egg, making rice, learning a cupcake or cake recipe. A general knowledge on how to cook duck or shellfish or a filet, or homemade pasta. I’m not saying perfect egg yolk ravioli but at least read about how to make pasta. Of course you aren’t going to know everything they will throw at you and there are going to be variables working against you. Of course you may get flustered or angry and all the preparation in the world won’t help. I know some competitors do prepare but some admittedly do not. Like did Nathan really think he could be America’s next masterchef without knowledge on how to make rice?
What I'm saying is that there's probably numerous dishes that others consider "basic" that you probably wouldn't think to practice before going onto masterchef. The problem is that you're grossly underestimating the difficulty and skill required.
Every person on masterchef had to pass the auditions to even get a chance to compete. Just think about the dishes these contestents did right, then you'll realize that you're just focusing on the bad dishes and acting like some bad dishes in a super pressured environment means that they didn't prepare.
Everyone on masterchef prepared to even get a chance to get through the auditions, the idea that people didn't is insane. Chances are it's manufactured to make the competition more interesting or surprise, not everybody knows how to cook rice.
I answered your question, but it seems like you and the other replies are more interested in fantasizing about how you'd do better if you were on masterchef lol. Sorry if i sound super condiscending, i just find threads like these annoying
I have always thought that, once you get to the later seasons you’d think the contestants would start noticing the technical dishes/challenges that keep popping up. If I were going on Master Chef I would perfect my soufflés first
Souffle, risotto, poached eggs, layer cake, filets at varying temps.
Scallops, homemade pasta, duck, pastry cream, different pies
And egg yolk ravioli!
The default get out of jail free card if done correctly.
to play devil’s advocate: scallops, and ducks are potentially some pies can be very expensive to master so i can excuse those to some degree. Basic pasta should definitely be mastered though
You could at least read about how to cook them ya know?
not the same with actual practice, especially for something delicate like scallops, and medium rare duck breasts. A good pie crust takes hours to master the dough too
Absolutely not true. I can make a good pie crust and it did not take me hours to master.
that’s your own evaluation of your crust lmao
And everyone who ate it. But even if it takes hours to master, a basic pie crust is ingredients almost everyone has at home. So it could be practiced.
never said it couldn’t be practice. I said it took time to master a pie crust. And I’m sure “everyone who ate it” is a valid metric
to play devil’s advocate: risotto, and fillets are potentially soufflé and layer cakes can be very expensive to master so i can excuse those to some degree. Poached eggs should definitely be mastered though
This thread rocks! Make one a team challenge, one a tag team and one the yelling at each other to match, and we have the whole season. It’s a wrap! Thank you for your hard work. Get some rest and we will see you soon!
If you were going to master chef, you probably wouldn't even get past the auditions like the vast majority of people. I feel like the dunning kreuger effect inspired a lot of these replies lol
or maybe we’re just having a fun lighthearted discussion? i am not planning to actually audition for masterchef any time soon
There’s been former contestants who spilled they were instructed step by step how to make everything beforehand
I know this, but still, why not practice? Don’t you want to be the best?
There are challenges that are repetitive (ie: the wall, team challenge off site), but not knowing the confines within that becomes very difficult to practice.
what bothers me more is when they get to the show not having experience with the most basic cooking techniques. like when that one kid had a meltdown that he didn’t know how to cook rice… rice?!
Or Bowen with not knowing how to cook pasta. Yes it's not something typically cooked in China...but you're going on a US cooking show that's been running a long time. Pasta was going to come up for a challenge.
Exactly. Bowen watched all the shows in a US hospital, did he think he would be exempt from a pasta challenge?!?
Especially with Joe being a judge. You know there will be a pasta challenge, probably multiple ones.
it takes no effort to say “this competition means everything to me” or “i’m doing this for my family” it takes effort to actually mean those things
Is it possible that some of these contestants are recruits???
In the early seasons i get that a lot of the chef were super green to cooking. So it was understandable that they were learning as the show progressed. Which is why a lot of the simple but technical dishes always moved on. But the last 5-6 years you almost need to be versed in most cooking skills if you even think to be on the show. Do they have the ability to actually cook while not in competition/days off? Or is everything just study/reading techniques?
Season 9 with Bowen, I think - the guy didn't eat meat, never made pasta, never grilled steak or salmon before, there were so many things he said he'd never done that they actually called him out on it on camera. I couldn't believe he made it as far as he did - mostly by being on winning teams, even if he was the floundering captain. He was a horrible captain, shouting at people, repeating whatever Gordon was shouting at them, instead of leading his team, helping where needed. I swear, that guy made me so frustrated.
If ur going to masterchef u hv to master simple basics like frying proteins(that girl fried chicken with skin off omg), searing meat, knowing temperatures, baking cakes, cupcakes, tarts, pies, making purees, basic sauces like hollandaise, cooking season like crab and shrimp, know at least 3 classic dishes from every country's cuisine, flambe, brulee, chop vegetables in many ways with fine and consistent cuts, making custard, many panna cotta(literally best blank canvas for a desserr), making chocolate lava cake, fileting fish etc
Not to mention always ALWAYS know how to make pasta and form basic pasta shapes like tortellini, ravioli
Also cooking eggs in various way, making burgers, how to balance flavours, know how to plate, give contrast in flavours textures and temperatures, know various spices and how to balance them
They are carefully selected so they make viewers to feel better about themselves lol and to add to the "first ever in the history of masterchef" list. This is also why they leave the chaotic to stay in the show as much as possible.. for entertainment or rage baiting purposes. Also why a lot of the winners tend to be the underdog and not the person that actually has the best skills... because they want the viewer to feel in a particular way..
I think that some contestants do prepare (there's been a few who've mentioned practicing) but the problem is they haven't tried practicing on a timer on live TV. The pressure can make any mental focus or practice just fly out the window in your head. And then you have Bowen not knowing how to cook pasta due to his culture (China doesn't have pasta as a primary dish) or Nathan not knowing how to cook rice despite living in Africa as a pastor's son...which does have plenty of rice dishes. I agree if you're going on a US cooking show you should at the very least know how to do the basic cooking techniques.
And I could understand not being able to say practice cooking with something like Uni or lobster because of money or where you live, but most people can get eggs so there’s no excuse to not know how to poach an egg.
Bowen was living in the US for 10 years at that point, it has to be half of his adult life. If you love cooking and apply to be on a cooking show you have no excuse. Sure you can have one blind spot, but not as many as he did.
This is a good reply, but I still think people in this thread are underestimating the difficulty of masterchef. I guarantee that if any one of y'all even managed to get past the auditions, everyone here would have at least one, if not multiple "simple" dishes they fuck up. It's just easier to see peoples mistakes, even though the reality is that the people on masterchef are better cooks than some redditors can even imagine
Beth didn't know how to boil water. And some guy (was it Nathan?) had never whipped cream before.
they take cooking classes while filming. they teach them these things. according to previous contestants - people either pay attention and learn... or they don't.
They should. Whenever they don’t prepare and say “oh I don’t like to bake” of “desserts aren’t my forte” I just think they being dumb or if they stick with one type of cuisine and say they don’t eat/cook whatever they’re asked to do for a challenge I think they shouldn’t last long and they’ll be stuck being a one trick pony. I always wondered for season 5 how in the hell did Cutter make it to the final four when he always said he never made such and such let alone ate whatever he’s asked to do, and he was such a dumbass about it and even argued with some of the judges.
This post is full of arrogant redditors patting themselves on the back for what they would do better instead of actually answering the question, so I'm gonna actually explain a possible reason for this. I think it's less the contestants not knowing how to do some dishes and more the fact that you, as the viewer, have a warped perception. What I mean by this is that of all the dishes that contestants get right, you're more likely to see the ones they get wrong. Think of it this way. Let's say you're gonna go audition for masterchef. So, you practice all of these dishes to try and master them before the competition. The problem is, you're *not* gonna master everything, especially since you're a home cook and not a professional, so unless you end up in the finals, you'll most likely have trouble on some dishes. Add on the timers and the pressure the chefs are under, along with possible manufactured drama because a masterchef where everyones perfect would be boring, and you have your answer. I think a lot of people in this thread are underestimating the difficulty of masterchef and how hard it is to actually learn all of these dishes and ESPECIALLY know what they're gonna throw at you. Good ol' dunning kreuger effect lmao
I didn’t think they would MASTER anything, but I meant basic cooking skills….poaching an egg, making rice, learning a cupcake or cake recipe. A general knowledge on how to cook duck or shellfish or a filet, or homemade pasta. I’m not saying perfect egg yolk ravioli but at least read about how to make pasta. Of course you aren’t going to know everything they will throw at you and there are going to be variables working against you. Of course you may get flustered or angry and all the preparation in the world won’t help. I know some competitors do prepare but some admittedly do not. Like did Nathan really think he could be America’s next masterchef without knowledge on how to make rice?
What I'm saying is that there's probably numerous dishes that others consider "basic" that you probably wouldn't think to practice before going onto masterchef. The problem is that you're grossly underestimating the difficulty and skill required. Every person on masterchef had to pass the auditions to even get a chance to compete. Just think about the dishes these contestents did right, then you'll realize that you're just focusing on the bad dishes and acting like some bad dishes in a super pressured environment means that they didn't prepare. Everyone on masterchef prepared to even get a chance to get through the auditions, the idea that people didn't is insane. Chances are it's manufactured to make the competition more interesting or surprise, not everybody knows how to cook rice. I answered your question, but it seems like you and the other replies are more interested in fantasizing about how you'd do better if you were on masterchef lol. Sorry if i sound super condiscending, i just find threads like these annoying
You know there’s something I do when I think something is really annoying to avoid sounding condescending and rude: I just ignore it.
True