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| Synopsis: Years before "Top
Chef" and "Hell’s Kitchen," the BBC’s "MasterChef"
was scouring the countryside for exceptional culinary talent. Now in an
extended format, U.S. premiere MasterChef Goes Large is a thirty-episode
cooking competition like no other. Out of thousands of amateur cooks —
from stockbrokers and hairdressers to bar owners and real estate brokers
— only 100 were selected to endure a relentless stream of seemingly impossible
culinary challenges.
Over twenty episodes, restaurateur and chef, John Torode, and fruit and vegetable expert, Gregg Wallace, put 100 chefs through a set of grueling challenges with the aim to eliminate them from the competition. The contestants must show they understand cooking — ingredients, taste, and presentation — but they must also prove they have the talent, passion, stamina and leadership to earn the life-changing title of MasterChef. James has excellent food knowledge, but his nectarine soufflé has fallen, revealing a lack of technique. Will that be his exit ticket? Catherine is an incredibly gifted cook, but for every masterpiece she makes, there are two or three flops. Will her inconsistency get her voted off? Jonathan has potential, but his nerves keep holding him back. Charlotte knows how to manage staff, but does she really think she can wear heels in the kitchen? Mark showed promise with a homemade sausage, but when on the grill at Sticky Fingers (Bill Wyman’s burger bar), Mark’s dream of becoming a chef goes up in flames — along with the cremated burgers, ribs, and steaks on the grill in front of him. Each of the first twenty episodes will feature three basic tests created to separate the stars from the kitchen disasters. The Invention Test. Each aspiring chef is given the same ingredients and thirty minutes to prove they understand how food and flavoring works. Does Stilton cheese go with sesame oil? How about mashed potatoes and soy sauce? Is squid better when stuffed with lamb? Is grapefruit a good duck marinade? Can you make avocado ice cream? Find out! The Pressure Test. The contestants are taken from the relative safety of the test kitchen for a glimpse of life in real professional kitchens. They’re put to work immediately and the pressure’s on to get the food out on time without standards falling. Time is money, it’s hot, it’s loud, it’s hectic — can they crank out everything from pakoras to sushi to scrambled eggs for paying customers? The Final Test. Each chef designs and prepares a two-course meal in just 50 minutes. This is their chance to show off their creativity, technique and presentation but the judges ask harsh questions and give critical reviews. In the final ten episodes, only four chefs remain and the challenges get more risky, complicated and creative. They’ll cook for pop stars, food critics and aristocrats among others. When preparing 600 canapés for the cast of musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the time crunch brings out the best and worst in each personality. Who copes the best and leads the team to success? When they spend a full day cooking outdoors for the British Army, will the lamb be tender despite being cooked in a makeshift oven? Will the ingredients be too sophisticated for hungry soldiers? When the finalists are invited to a screen test for a television cooking show will they be able to cook, talk, smile and look at the camera all at the same time? Having faced weeks of extreme challenges that tested their character,
commitment and cooking who will the judges pick? Who will gain national
exposure and the dream gig of a three month apprenticeship in the kitchen
of Le Gavroche — the first British restaurant to be awarded three Michelin
stars?
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