Tonight on the Season Six premiere of MASTERCHEF, 40 of the best home cooks in America travelled to Los Angeles to present their signature dishes to the distinguished judging panel: Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot and new judge Christina Tosi. Following a powerful series of head-to-head battles to earn a coveted white apron, the judges announced which hopefuls would advance in the competition. The MASTERCHEF Season Six Top Finalists are: Justin Banister, Darah Carattini, Charlie Chapman, Veronica Cili, Dan Collado, Olivia Crouppen, Shelly Flash, Katrina Kozar, Stephen Lee, Christopher Lu, Mateo McConnell, Nick Nappi, Derrick Peltz, Kerry Prince, Jesse Romero, Amanda Saab, Claudia Sandoval, Hetal Vasavada, Ailsa Von Dobeneck, Tommy Walton, Brianna Watson and Sara Zacek.
The competition continues on Wednesday, May 27 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, as the Top Finalists face their first mystery box challenge of the season. Each contestant is shocked to find 20 very familiar ingredients that they left behind in their own home kitchens. They are each asked to prepare a phenomenal dish worthy of serving the judges in the MASTERCHEF kitchen. The winner of the Mystery Box Challenge will receive a significant advantage in the season’s first elimination test, during which contestants must make their versions of an apple pie. At the end of the episode, the MASTERCHEF journey will end for two home cooks.
Watch/share a first look at the Top 22 Finalists: https://youtu.be/bCWgSrSTNL4
Below are the Top 22 Finalists and the signature dish that earned them a MASTERCHEF apron:
| JUSTIN BANISTER Age: 18 Hometown: New Caney, TX Occupation: High School Student Signature Dish: Potato Gnocchi with Goat Cheese, Marinara and Basil Pesto
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| DARAH CARATTINI Age: 30 Hometown: Irvine, CA Occupation: Amusement Park Guide Signature Dish: Seaside Sonata
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| CHARLIE CHAPMAN Age: 25 Hometown: New Orleans, LA Occupation: HVAC Technician Signature Dish: Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
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| VERONICA CILI Age: 58 Hometown: Key West, FL Occupation: Beauty Consultant Signature Dish: Pear and Fig Custard Pie
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| DAN COLLADO Age: 29 Hometown: Chicago, IL Occupation: Engineer/Model Signature Dish: Rosemary-Romano Veal Rib Chop
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| OLIVIA CROUPPEN Age: 25 Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA Occupation: Fashion Stylist Signature Dish: Ahi Tartare with Basil Lemongrass Aioli and Pickled Cucumber, Green Mango and Radish |
| SHELLY FLASH Age: 32 Hometown: Brooklyn, NY Occupation: Kitchen Assistant Signature Dish: Escovitch Chicken with Mashed Sweet Plantains |
| KATRINA KOZAR Age: 34 Hometown: Milwaukee, WI Occupation: Administrative Assistant Signature Dish: Pan-Seared Salmon with Penang Curry Sauce and Peas with Jasmine Rice |
| STEPHEN LEE Age: 47 Hometown: Palm Springs, CA Occupation: Urban Gardener Signature Dish: Pork Tenderloin and Couscous with Vegetables |
| CHRISTOPHER LU Age: 30 Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Occupation: Restaurant Manager Signature Dish: Chicken Scaloppini with Strawberry Balsamic Agrodo
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| MATEO MCCONNELL Age: 38 Hometown: Atlanta, GA Occupation: High School Teacher Signature Dish: Hanger Steak Tacos on Homemade Corn Tortillas with Salsa Verde |
| NICK NAPPI Age: 31 Hometown: San Mateo, CA Occupation: Dishwasher Sales Rep Signature Dish: Herb Crusted Lamb Pops with Brown Butter, Sundried Tomato Gnocchi
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| DERRICK PELTZ Age: 28 Hometown: Fort Myers, FL Occupation: Drummer Signature Dish: Pistachio Crusted Lamb Lollipops
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| KERRY PRINCE Age: 37 Hometown: Greensboro, NC Occupation: Human Resources Rep Signature Dish: Fried Catfish Tacos with Pickled Slaw, Avocado Crema and Sweet Spicy Salsa |
| JESSE ROMERO Age: 29 Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA Occupation: Petroleum Landman Signature Dish: Fried Soft-Shell Crab with Andouille Corn Maque Choux and Bourbon Cream Sauce |
| AMANDA SAAB Age: 25 Hometown: Seattle, WA Occupation: Social Worker Signature Dish: Lamb Kefta with Sumac Aioli and Jalapeno Dusted Potatoes
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| CLAUDIA SANDOVAL Age: 31 Hometown: La Mesa, CA Occupation: Events Manager Signature Dish: Camarones Barbones Al Mojo de Ajo over Mexican White Rice
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| HETAL VASAVADA Age: 27 Hometown: Bloomfield, NJ Occupation: Start-Up Developer Signature Dish: Puff pastry, Caramel Apple Dessert with Cardamom Whipped Cream
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| AILSA VON DOBENECK Age: 28 Hometown: Norfolk, VA Occupation: Assistant Railroad Manager Signature Dish: Bobotie
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| TOMMY WALTON Age: 53 Hometown: Chicago, IL Occupation: Fashion Designer Signature Dish: Ballotine of Pork Tenderloin
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| BRIANNA WATSON Age: 24 Hometown: Worcester, MA Occupation: Hairstylist Signature Dish: Grilled Delmonico Steak Over Garlic and Butter couscous with Rustic Artichoke and Broccolini Pesto
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| SARA ZACEK Age: 29 Hometown: Bailey’s Harbor, WI Occupation: Mobile Home Park Manager Signature Dish: Blueberry Crostada
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Later this season, the hopefuls visit an amusement park to create amusement park-themed meals; cook for Las Vegas jugglers, magicians and dancers; visit a cattle ranch to prepare meals for ranchers and cowboys; and face the infamous restaurant takeover. With each new challenge, the pressure will mount as the home cooks compete for the coveted title of MASTERCHEF, a cookbook deal and the $250,000 grand prize. MASTERCHEF will also reach a milestone this season, celebrating its 100th episode of the series.
MASTERCHEF is produced by Endemol Shine North America and One Potato Two Potato, and is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Endemol Shine. Elisabeth Murdoch, Eden Gaha, Robin Ashbrook, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Patricia Llewellyn and Ben Adler serve as executive producers. “Like” MASTERCHEF on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MasterChef. Follow the series on Twitter @MASTERCHEFonFOX and join the discussion with #masterchef. Follow the judges on Twitter: Gordon Ramsay - @gordonramsay; Graham Elliot - @grahamelliot; Christina Tosi - @christinatosi.
About One Potato Two Potato
Renowned for award-winning original programming, One Potato Two Potato produces high-quality TV shows on both sides of the Atlantic, including the smash-hit HOTEL HELL, the blockbuster MASTERCHEF and irresistible spin-off MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, all for FOX; new cable food series, “Best New Restaurant,” which premiered in January and competition series “Food Court Wars.” In the U.K., “Gordon Ramsay Behind Bars” and “Gordon Ramsay’s Great Escape,” for Channel 4; food biography and nostalgia series “My Kitchen,” for UKTV’s Good Food Channel; and “Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch,” starring Tilly Ramsay for U.K. children’s channel CBBC. OPTP has also produced two instructional cookery series featuring Gordon Ramsay, “Ultimate Home Cooking” and “Ultimate Cookery Course,” both of which have sold all over the globe.
About Endemol Shine North America
Endemol Shine North America delivers world-class content and compelling storytelling to multiple platforms in the U.S. and across the globe. Endemol Shine North America is part of Endemol Shine Group, the newly launched global content creator, producer and distributor with a diverse portfolio of companies in the U.S. that are behind some of the most prominent hit television formats and series in the world. Its Endemol Shine Latino division oversees all Spanish-language sales and development in both the U.S. and Mexico. And subsidiary production companies include Authentic Entertainment, Original Media, True Entertainment and 51 Minds Entertainment. In addition, Endemol Shine North America has a strategic partnership with Ryan Seacrest Productions.
Endemol Shine Group’s companies in North America are behind hit series, including “Below Deck” (Bravo), “Big Brother” (CBS), “The Biggest Loser” (NBC), BULLSEYE (FOX), “Fake Off (TruTV), “Hell on Wheels” (AMC), “Ink Master” (Spike), “It Takes a Church” (GSN), “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (E!), “Kingdom” (DirecTV), “Knife Fight” (Esquire), MASTERCHEF (FOX), MASTERCHEF JUNIOR (FOX), “Restaurant Startup” (CNBC), “Swamp People” (History), “The Island” (NBC), “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo), “Steve Harvey” (NBCU),”T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle” (VH1), “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge” (CMT), “Wipeout” (ABC) and many more.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: For episodic photos and more information on MASTERCHEF, please visit http://www.foxflash.com/div.php/main/page?aID=1z2z2z308.]
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