Details on Fox’s ‘MasterChef’ Season Seven

MasterChef Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay (Photo by Matt Hoyle / FOX)

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