Plot Synopsis

MASTERCHEF takes amateur chefs -- many of whom simply cook as a hobby -- and attempt to turn one of them into culinary masters. These contestants come from all walks of life and now they finally have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show their passion and excitement for food as their skills and palate are tested. Contestants compete head-to-head in various challenges by creating delicious dishes with the hopes of becoming the winner of a $250,000 prize and a book deal to publish their own cookbook. Past winners include: Whitney Miller (Season 1); Jennifer Behm (Season 2); Christine Ha (Season 3); Luca Manfe (Season 4); Courtney Lapresi (Season 5); Claudia Sandoval (Season 6); Shaun O'Neale (Season 7); Dino Luciano (Season 8); Gerron Hurt (Season 9).

Season 5 of MASTERCHEF premiered on Monday, May 26, 2014 at 8pm ET/PT on Fox, with all three judges returning for the show's fifth season. This season started with these 30 contestants, who represented 14 states and all walks of life: Elise Mayfield (hometown: Birmingham, AL; profession: e-Learning Administrator); Natanya Spears (Phoenix, AZ; Construction Coordinator); Gordon Houston (Irvine, CA; Law Student Graduate); Daniel McGuffey (Los Angeles, CA; Video Game Designer); Leslie Gilliams (Malibu, CA; Stay-at-Home-Dad); Ahran Cho (Palo Alto, CA; High School Student); Amy Pezeshkifar (Tarzana, CA; Graduate Student); Ruth Schreber Sanchez (Yorba Linda, CA; Stay-at-Home Mom); Francis Biondi (Orlando, FL; Server); Chandis Siwek (Star, ID; Dietician Intern); Rickie Perez (Chicago, IL; Food Truck Manager); Dan Wu (Lexington, KY; Unemployed); Corey Charles (Pikeville, KY; Winery Manager); Astrid Lavenia (Mandeville, LA; Food Sales); Christian Green (New Orleans, LA; Sales Representative); Michael Williams (Thibidaux, LA; Student); Stephani Syfax-Shepherd (Detroit, MI; Server); Elizabeth Cauvel (Brooklyn, NY; Advertising Executive); Francis Legge (NYC, NY; Music Video Director); Jaimee Vitolo (Queens, NY; Bakery Assistant); Christine Silverstein (Yonkers, NY; Investment Director); Whitney Bray (Columbus, OH; Call Center Representative); Tyler Viars (Wilmington, OH; Hunting Sales Manager); Kira Novak (Youngstown, OH; Medical Recruiter); Gavin Edmondson (Meadville, PA; Admissions Counselor); Courtney Lapresi (Philadelphia, PA; Aerial Dancer); Cutter Brewer (Beaumont, TX; Petroleum Landman); Willie Mike (Houston, TX; Church Music Director); Victoria Scroggins (San Angelo, TX; Bartender); and Jordan Kaminski (Muskego, WI; College Student).

Chef Gordon Ramsay and acclaimed chef Graham Elliot welcome judge Christina Tosi, renowned pastry chef, owner and founder of New York City's Milk Bar, to Season 6 of MASTERCHEF, when it premiered with a special two-hour event Wednesday, May 20, 2015 from 8-10pm ET/PT. In the season premiere, 40 of the best home cooks in America travel to Los Angeles to present their signature dishes to the three judges, who taste for flavor, creativity and presentation. In order to move to the next round, the home cooks must have an immense passion for food and be determined to out-cook their rivals in a series of head-to-head battles to earn a coveted white apron and compete for a chance to win the MASTERCHEF title, a cookbook deal and the $250,000 grand prize. The culinary series moves into its regular time period the following week on Wednesday, May 27 from 8-9pm ET/PT.

FOX premiered Season 7 of MASTERCHEF on Wednesday June 1, 2016 at 8pm ET/PT. Award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay and renowned pastry chef Christina Tosi welcome 40 home cooks into the MASTERCHEF kitchen in Los Angeles, CA. Throughout the season, special guest judges will join Chef Ramsay and Tosi on the search for America's best home cook, including guest judge and world-renowned chef Wolfgang Puck, as well as celebrity chefs Aaron Sanchez, Edward Lee, Kevin Sbraga and Richard Blais. In the seaeson opener, "Battle for a White Apron (Part 1)," 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 and move forward to compete for the MASTERCHEF title, a cookbook deal and the $250,000 grand prize. 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. Past winners include Shaun O'Neale (Season 7), Claudia Sandoval (Season 6), Courtney Lapresi (Season 5); Luca Manfe (Season 4); Christine Ha (Season 3), the first-ever blind contestant; Jennifer Behm (Season 2); and Whitney Miller (Season 1).

Season 8 of MASTERCHEF premiered on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at 8pm ET/PT on FOX, with Gordon Ramsay, Christina Tosi and new judge Aaron Sanchez welcoming 40 of the nation's best home cooks to the MASTERCHEF kitchen. The three celebrated food experts put the latest group of contestants through a series of challenging elimination rounds, in order to turn one home cook into a culinary master. In the season premiere, the Top 40 travel to Los Angeles to compete in the Battle for a White Apron challenge, during which only 20 will move forward in the contest for the MASTERCHEF title, a cookbook deal and the $250,000 grand prize.

The ninth season of MASTERCHEF premiered on Wednesday, May 30, 2018 from 8-10pm ET/PT on FOX. For the first time ever, the judges -- host and award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay, acclaimed chef Aaron Sanchez and renowned restaurateur Joe Bastianich -- choose their favorite home cooks and mentor them throughout the competition. In the season premiere, the nation's best home cooks travel to Los Angeles to compete for a spot in the Top 24. That's when the twist kicks in: the judges each will have eight aprons to hand out to the home cooks whom they deem worthy - and they will then mentor those contestants throughout the competition. However, as in all prior seasons, only one home cook will claim the MASTERCHEF title and the $250,000 grand prize. Competitors in the new season include: Jessica Meuse (Country Singer; Slapout, AL); Darrick Krause (Engineer; Peoria, AZ); S.J. (College Student; Los Angeles, CA); Sal Maida (Architect; Los Angeles, CA); Imani Browning (Server; San Francisco, CA); Cynthia Smith-Allen Bey (Accounting Assistant; Sylmar, CA); Nik Stewart (Model; Cayman Islands); Tianjin Bowen Li (Pilot; China); Shanika Patterson (Event Promoter; Miami, FL); Sid Hoeltzell (Food Photographer; Miami, FL); Ashley Mincey (Professional Grocery Shopper; Opa-Locka, FL); Camerron Dangerfield (Financial Analyst; Atlanta, GA); Farhan Momin (Dental Student; Chicago, IL); Julia Danno (Sales Manager; Chicago, IL); Matt Houck (Optometrist; Iowa City, IA); Samantha Daily (College Student; West Des Moines, IA); Gerron Hurt (English Teacher; Louisville, KY); Mark Myers Jr. (Firefighter; Shreveport, LA); Mark Ingraham (Dishwasher; Rockport, ME); Tye Hall Brown (Associate Professor; Laurel, MD); Lindsay Haigh (Trial Attorney; Orange, MA); Alecia Winters (Daycare Owner; Grand Rapids, MI); Jannie Lam (Cocktail Server; Las Vegas, NV); Stephanie Willis (Bartender; Cherry Hill, NJ); Maya Rose Lederer (Personal Assistant; Brooklyn, NY); Daniela Savone (ESL Teacher; Mamaroneck, NY); Frank Tufano (Bartender; Westchester, NY); Hope McFarland (Health Care Administrator; Clayton, NC); Jody Rhodes (Hunting Guide; Four Oaks, NC); Juni Cuevas (Disability Analyst; Raleigh, NC); Olusola Ogbomo (Bus Driver; Columbia, SC); Markheavens Tshuma (Retail Manager; Butterworth, South Africa); Mark Medlin (Business Owner; Nashville, TN); Chera Lynn Little (Realtor; Austin, TX); Cesar Cano (High School Teacher; Houston, TX); Chelsea Sargent (Sales Specialist; Houston, TX); Ralph Xavier Degala (Senior Accountant; Houston TX); Ryan Cortez Taylor Waltmon (Drummer Sales Training Director; Houston, TX); Jason Beauchamp (Business Owner; San Antonio, TX); Orlando Velasquez (Family & Criminal Law; San Antonio, TX); Eric Clingan (Criminal Defense Attorney; Fairfax, VA); and Emily Hallock (Food Research Analyst; Neenah, WI).

Celebrating its milestone 10th season, MASTERCHEF aired two nights per week on FOX, kicking off Wednesday, May 29, 2019 from 8-9pm ET/PT and joining the Thursday lineup on Thursday, June 20 from 8-9pm ET/PT. On MASTERCHEF, award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay, acclaimed chef Aaron Sanchez and renowned restaurateur Joe Bastianich put a new batch of talented home cooks through a series of challenges and elimination rounds, with one home cook ultimately claiming the title of MASTERCHEF and the $250,000 grand prize. This season, the judges select just 20 incredible home cooks from this batch of 36 home cooks: Brielle Gunderson (Stay-At-Home Mom; Phoenix, AZ); David Ke (Electrical Engineer; Folsom, CA); Fred Chang (Revenue Analyst; Redondo Beach, CA); Sarah Faherty (Former Army Interrogator; San Diego, CA); Deanna Colon (Vocal Coach; Simi Valley, CA); Camerron Dangerfield (Product Analyst; Atlanta, GA); Dorian Hunter (Creeler; Cartersville, GA); Noah Sims (Septic Systems Foreman; Epworth, GA); Algean Garner II (Clinical Psychologist; Chicago, IL); Luca Schifanella (Scientist; Milan, Italy); Kenny Palazzolo (Carpenter; Boston, MA); Liz Linn (Events Consultant; Durand, MI); Micah Yaroch (Kitchen Porter; Grand Rapids, MI); Vivian Aronson (Yoga Instructor; Minneapolis, MN); Windy Ross (Child Protection Supervisor; St. Paul, MN); Manjula Sarkar (HR Director; Somerset, NJ); Wuta Onda (English Teacher; Bronx, NY); Evan Tesiny (Sales Coordinator; Brooklyn, NY); Kimberly White(Shoe Designer; New York, NY); Lydia Carlston (Model; New York, NY); Shari Mukherjee (Stay-At-Home Mom; Rochester, NY); Charli Spiegel (Bartender; Troy, NY); Subha Ramiah (R&D Director; West Nyack, NY); Renee Rice (Receptionist; Ada, OK); Sam Haaz (Attorney, Philadelphia, PA); Michael Silverstein (Real Estate Flipper; Pittsburgh, PA); Nick DiGiovanni (College Student; Barrington, RI); Jason Keefe (Truck Contractor; Charleston, SC); Jamie Hough (Fisherman; Poly's Island, SC); Anthony Rivera (Telecom Service Manager; Summerville, SC); Ari Goodstein (Sales Manager; Summerville, SC); Allen Soriano (Entrepreneur; Austin, TX); Bri Baker (Cocktail Server; Dallas, TX); Mollie Guerra (Account Manager; Dallas, TX); Sabina Pincus (Software Sales; Dallas, TX); and Keturah King (Freelance Writer; London, UK).

MASTERCHEF returned for its eleventh season -- titled MASTERCHEF: LEGENDS -- on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT on FOX, with Gordon Ramsay, Aaron Sanchez, and Joe Bastianich returning for the new season. Every week, one of the world's biggest culinary legends -- Emeril Lagasse, Roy Choi, Nancy Silverton, Paula Deen and Morimoto -- visits the MASTERCHEF kitchen to inspire contestants. For the first time ever, only 15 of the best home cooks in America will receive the coveted white apron and impress four legends with all new challenges, including the toughest yet, a head-to-head battle with MASTERCHEF's own culinary legend, Gordon Ramsay. Only one home cook will ultimately claim the MASTERCHEF title, the $250,000 grand prize, a complete VIKING kitchen and kitchen tools and bakeware products from OXO.

Season 12 of MASTERCHEF premiered on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT on FOX, featuring Gordon Ramsay, Aaron Sanchez and Joe Bastianich. For the first time ever, MASTERCHEF is re-opening the door to some of the most memorable and talented cooks in the competition's history, including two MASTERCHEF JUNIOR cooks now competing as adults! Twenty All-Stars get a second chance to prove they have what it takes, facing the toughest challenges to-date, all while being held to the highest standards in MASTERCHEF history. The MASTERCHEF contestants will face a challenge of feeding hungry members of the Coast Guard, demonstrate their skills in a vegan dish challenge, travel to Horsetown USA (Norco, CA) to feed cowboys and compete in the fan-favorite restaurant takeover challenge at Wolfgang Puck's "Spago." Only one home cook will ultimately claim the MASTERCHEF title, the $250,000 grand prize and a complete state-of-the-art kitchen from Viking.

The thirteenth season of MASTERCHEF debuted on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT on FOX. The new season celebrates the "United Tastes of America," bringing together chefs from four regions of the country: the Northeast, the Midwest, the West, and the South. During the auditions, chefs from each region prepare their signature dishes for judges Gordon Ramsay, Aaron Sanchez and Joe Bastianich, with a different guest judge, including Daphne Oz (Northeast), Graham Elliot (Midwest), Susan Feniger (West), and more. In each region, five home cooks receive a coveted white apron and move on in the hopes of becoming the next MasterChef.

MASTERCHEF: GENERATIONS, the 14th season of the series, debuted on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT on FOX. Gordon Ramsay, Aaron Sanchez and Joe Bastianich return for the ultimate cook-off, as the top home cooks from four different generations -- Gen Z, Millenials, Gen X and Baby Boomers -- battle it out. The home cooks face a multitude of cooking trials, including a restaurant takeover challenge, a series of iconic Mystery Box challenges, cooking a meal at the Major League Soccer LAFC stadium, and the fan-favorite Tag Team event, where they must create a Michelin-star quality three-course meal! Only one home cook will win it all and take home the cash prize of $250,000 and the title of America's MasterChef. In the season opener, "Millennials Auditions," five home cooks will receive a coveted white apron and move on in the hopes of claiming the title of the next MasterChef champion, a trophy and $250,000. Cookbook author and food journalist Priya Krishna joins as guest judge for this episode.
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On Wednesday, September 18, 2024 from 8-10pm ET/PT, FOX premiered the two-part season finale of MASTERCHEF: GENERATIONS, the 14th season of the series:

"Finale (Part 1)" (8pm): The top three chefs -- Becca Gibb, Kamay Lafalaise, and Michael Leonard -- enter the MasterChef finale where they must create an impressive three-course meal, starting with an awe-inspiring appetizer.

"Finale (Part 2)" (9pm): The MasterChef finale continues with entree and dessert courses that highlight the generational backgrounds and culinary skill sets of each chef as they become steps closer to the $250,000 grand prize.

MASTERCHEF has been renewed for a 15th season.