MasterChef

[Felicia]

Gordon Ramsay requires no sleep. His restaurants number in the double digits, he hosts TV shows on both sides of the Atlantic, and he still has the energy to go apoplectic at the drop of a duck breast. And now he's premiering this new reality competition. A gustatory American Idol, MasterChef is more of a celebration of food than his other shows are, and Ramsay's role as the cruel heavy is usurped by the stuffy and supercilious restaurateur Joe Bastianich. It's not great TV, but compared with the concentrated incompetence of Hell's Kitchen, it's delicious!

[Maxim Oleksyn]

First, let’s talk about what works. MasterChef feels like a genuine celebration of food. Since the MasterChef contestants are everyday people from across the country, the show naturally presents us with a polyglot series of cuisines. Some of these, like the adorably excitable Michael’s Korean recipe for pan-seared duck breast, looked incredibly tasty. Others, like Chris’ Beer Cheese Soup, looked like a beautiful heart attack.
The main thing MasterChef has going for it is the judging. This is one of the most instantly appealing trio of judges in the (short) history of reality competitions. For one thing, they’re all capable of intriguingly complex decisions. Graham Elliot Bowles seems a little bit like the Paula-esque “nice” judge (he liked the Beer Cheese--yikes!), but he can be as dismissive as any of the food critics on Top Chef Masters. And Joe Bastianich is a revelation: hilariously abrupt and dour, he’s like the food-nazi version of Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men. It says something about the tenor of the judges’ table that Chef Ramsay was often cast in the role of the Nice Guy, as when he gave one contestant’s son the Magic Apron. :)

[Eva]

Totally agree with this ! He reminded me of the soup-nazi from Seinfield. I see this must be his real personality--he's the same way when he appears on his Mom's show (Love Lydia!!!)

[Zen Elipsys]

Ok….dude that was crying from Boston, how could he not be picked, LOL. Damn, never seen so many men cry!

Plus it’s cool to see these amateur cooks have their food tasted by the most talented chefs and restaurateurs. That one Korean guy is probably going to win it all.

The Chef/Nazi Joe is simply the funniest shit I have seen on these cooking shows.

[Assassin]

Is it just 'cause he's scary, or does Joe Bastianich look exactly like General Zod from Superman II?