Fox has set a June 1, 2016 premiere date for season seven of the culinary competition series MasterChef and announced the 40 home cooks who will be attempting to compete for the coveted title of MasterChef. Chefs Gordon Ramsay and Christina Tosi will once again be judging the cooks, but this upcoming season will also find guest judges including Wolfgang Puck, Aarón Sánchez, Edward Lee, Kevin Sbraga and Richard Blais assisting Ramsay and Tosi in tasting and critiquing the home cooks’ efforts.
Previous MasterChef winners include Whitney Miller, Jennifer Behm, Christine Ha, Luca Manfe, Courtney Lapresi, and Claudia Sandoval. The winner of season seven will receive a cookbook deal, $250,000, and the MasterChef title. Among the 40 home chefs hoping for a shot at the title are a DJ, a lifeguard, three firefighters, and a professional poker player.
The Plot: In the season premiere episode, 40 of the best home cooks in America travel to Los Angeles to compete in the MasterChef Battle of the Apron challenge, during which they will attempt to earn a coveted white apron. Judging the battle rounds will be Ramsay and Tosi, who will taste for flavor, creativity and presentation. In order to move to the next round of the competition, the home cooks must display culinary skills, as well as an immense passion for food, and be determined to out-cook their rivals. Once the MasterChef Battle for the Apron concludes, the top home cooks will be put through their paces in a series of challenges designed to test their palates, food knowledge, passion and culinary skills. Later in the season, the hopefuls set out to cook appetizers and entrees for a very special wedding of a previous MasterChef contestant, steak dishes for over 100 veterans and a group of sweet 16-ers. They also will face the infamous MasterChef tag team and restaurant takeover challenges. With each new challenge, the pressure will mount as the home cooks compete for the coveted MasterChef title.
Top 40 Season 7 Home Cooks:
Long Beach, CA
Gina Ruccione, Food Blogger
Los Angeles, CA
Samson Kohanski, Mixologist
Pauma Valley, CA
Ashley Travers, Small Business Owner
Pauma Valley, CA
Bill Travers, Retired
San Diego, CA
Diamond Alexander, Web Designer
San Diego, CA
Tricia Crivello, Insurance Broker
Denver, CO
Barbara Savage, Investigator
Miami, FL
Alejandro Toro, Voice Over Artist
Miami, FL
Andrea Galan, Student
Orlando, FL
Manny Washington, Firefighter
Chicago, IL
Caitlin Meade, Nutritionist
Chicago, IL
Cassie Peterson, Bakery Clerk
Chicago, IL
Corey Rice, Computer Tech & Hotel Front Desk Representative
Park Forest, IL
Takeila Peebles, Nail Technician
Plainfield, IL
Diana Bilow, Server
Irvington, KY
Brandi Mudd, 5th Grade Teacher
Newport, KY
Shelby Reid, Pool Lifeguard
Belleville, MI
Zack Wilson, Construction Worker
Detroit, MI
Neco Washington, Nail Technician
West Bloomfield, MI
Brian Schneble, Senior Business Manager
Hattiesburg, MS
Katie Dixon, Personal Trainer & Retail Associate
Las Vegas, NV
D’Andre Balaoing, Bartender
Las Vegas, NV
David Williams, Poker Player
Las Vegas, NV
James Woods, Truck Driver
Las Vegas, NV
Shaun O’Neale, DJ
Las Vegas, NV
Shawn Norris, Restaurant Manager
Las Vegas, NV
Will Staten, Karate Instructor
Gillette, NJ
Lisa-Ann Marchesi, Insurance Manager
Brooklyn, NY
Joe Russo, Firefighter
Long Island, NY
Terry Mueller, Handyman
New Hartford, NY
Brittany Craig, Server
Queens, NY
Eric Howard, Firefighter
Charlotte, NC
Dan Paustian, Server
Philadelphia, PA
Joe Pickens, Sales Rep
Slippery Rock, PA
Nathan Barnhouse, Tuxedo Salesman
Chattanooga, TN
Tanorria Askew, Credit Union Coordinator
Knoxville, TN
Zac Fallon, Musician
Austin, TX
Taylor Waltmon, Digital Marketer
Dallas, TX
Jessica McPhaul, Yoga Instructor
Milwaukee, WI
Freddy Coleman, Firefighter