Fox has announced the 18 finalists in its MasterChef competition, the show show that stars Gordon Ramsey, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot. Following a nationwide search that drew nearly 30,000 hopefuls, the "best" among them were flown to Los
Angeles for a try-out.
They were subjected to more auditions and what the network calls culinary boot camp. On last night's broadcast, the contestants were brought to Camp Pendleton in southern California where they were split into two teams and challenged with preparing a
healthy and balanced meal for 201 servicemen and women.
The top chef will receive MASTERCHEF title along with a
cookbook deal and the $250,000.
In tonight's episode, there will be a mystery box challenge and then a competition to see who can cook the best risotto.
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Stacey
Amagrande
Age:
29
Occupation: Farmer’s Market
Manager
Hometown: Apple Valley,
CA
Keep up
with Stacey at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Soups, stews and
curries. Dishes with many ingredients, that require slow cooking.”
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Monti Carlo
Age:
36
Occupation: Homemaker
Hometown: Los Angeles,
CA
Keep up
with Monti at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Oxtail Stew! It’s a
slow cook recipe, so it takes all day to prepare, but the way your house smells
about two hours in is outrageous!”
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Michael Chen
Age:
19
Occupation: College Student
(Meteorology)
Hometown: Austin,
TX
Keep up
with Michael at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “My signature dish –
dumplings! It’s such a simple concept, but I love how anybody can have a role in
helping to make them. I’ve made dumplings with 70-year-olds and
five-year-olds.”
 Tali Clavijo
Age:
29
Occupation: Musician
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Keep up
with Tali at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Foam, sous vide and
explosive spheres. I love to transform and reinvent simple foods into modern
masterpieces.”
 Samantha de Silva
Age:
27
Occupation: Design Consultant
Hometown: Miami Beach,
FL
Keep up with Samantha
at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Black truffle and
pancetta brioche bread pudding topped with a poached egg. I adore the earthiness
of the truffle, mixed with the rich saltiness of pancetta and the wonderful
creaminess of the egg yellow. Truly decadent! ”
 Felix Fang
Age:
24
Occupation: Food Runner
Hometown:
Hollywood, CA
Keep up with Felix
at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “I don’t have just
one favorite thing to cook! But I enjoy exploring new cuisines and trying
unfamiliar techniques. I make a lot of kettle corn because it’s a fast, cheap
and tasty treat.”
 Christine
Ha
Age:
32
Occupation: Graduate Student
Hometown: Houston,
TX
Keep up with
Christine at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Vietnamese
eggrolls. My mom used to make them for special occasions, and they were my
favorite thing to eat growing up. As for sweets, I love making ice cream and I
have been experimenting with various creative flavors, like honey
lavender.”
Mike Hill
Age:
40
Occupation: Contractor
Hometown:
Powder Springs, GA
Keep up with Mike at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “French toast – a
Sunday tradition in my house. My daughter and I get up early on Sunday, go
shopping and make French toast together. I wouldn’t trade that for
anything.”
 Helene
Leeds
Age:
35
Occupation: Health Coach
Hometown: Baldwin, MD
Keep up with Helene
at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Salads and raw
superfood brownies and cheesecakes. Yum!”
 Scott Little
Age:
38
Occupation: Interactive Producer
Hometown: Annandale, VA
Keep up with Scott
at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Pork shoulder,
because the amazing flavors are so versatile. You can create tons of different
hearty dishes from it.”
 Dave
Mack
Age:
27
Occupation: Food Sales
Director
Hometown: Davie, FL
Keep up with Dave at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Tomato-based sauces
that are good enough to eat like soups. While road-tripping for three months, I
picked fresh, ripe tomatoes and made the best chunky marinara sauce.”
Josh
Marks
Age:
24
Occupation: U.S. Army Contract
Specialist
Currently
Resides: Jackson, MS
Keep up with Josh at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “My signature dish –
étouffée. It’s versatile enough to make anyone like étouffée. I enjoy trying
different variations, like shrimp, chicken or crawfish. I’m drooling just
thinking about it!”
David Martinez
Age:
32
Occupation: Educational
Administrator
Currently
Resides: Glencoe,
IL
Keep up with David
at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “My favorite thing to
cook is always something I haven’t made before. I love the challenge of making
something new for weeks until I get it perfect.”
Frank Mirando
Age:
28
Occupation: Stockbroker
Hometown: Holtsville, NY
Keep up with Frank
at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Long-braised pork
tomato sauce, a.k.a. Sunday sauce. It’s the meal that has brought my family and
most other Italian American families together every week for
generations.”
Tanya Noble
Age:
21
Occupation: Sociology Student
Hometown: Austin, TX
Keep up with Tanya
at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “A good piece of
pan-fried chicken. Perhaps it’s my southern roots (I was born in Texas after
all!), or perhaps it’s something about how deliciously crispy the skin gets, but
either way, I love it!”
Becky Reams
Age:
26
Occupation: Food Photographer
Hometown: Stilwell,
KS
Keep up with Becky
at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Anything that is
regional, local and in season. I try to cook regionally by cooking with local
seafood, produce and sustainably-raised meats.”
Anna Rossi
Age: 28
Occupation: Pharmaceutical Sales
Representative
Hometown: Boston, MA
Keep up with Anna at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “Local and seasonal
food. I love preparing food that is intentional, that has a story and celebrates
our community and where we live.”
Ryan Umane
Age:
26
Occupation:
Unemployed
Hometown: New York, NY
Keep up with Ryan at:
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Favorite Dish To
Cook: “My special
meatloaf. It’s quick, easy, delicious, economical and lasts me all
week.”
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