Review: Advantages and accidents on MasterChef Canada

If you had the chance to save a competitor in MasterChef Canada, would you save a friend, a weak chef or a strong chef? That was the task left to Jon to contemplate after he emerged as champion of the first Mystery Box Challenge.

If it was me, I’d be saving weaker chefs I felt I could take down later in the contest. Home cooks that looked like they’d break under the pressure of group challenges, would stress out over little things or be totally disorganized. So I wasn’t shocked at all when Jon—after kicking butt with his cream cheese tarts—picked Jennifer as one of the three chefs he’d save from elimination. I was a little shocked that Jon chose David as his first save, though. I’m guessing it’s because they’ve become fast friends, but David has proven himself to be a skilled competitor and that move may come back to haunt Jon.

Speaking of decisions coming back to haunt them, I wonder how Kevin felt after basically saving Andrew from elimination this week? Andrew badly overcooked his pork chop in the Mystery Box and asked for another chunk of meat. Kevin gave him his, and Andrew not only got kudos for that plate but went on to land the top dish of the night with his crispy ginger beef. Andrew will be one of two captains when MasterChef Canada moves to Toronto’s docklands to prepare food for Cirque du Soleil in two week’s time.

Also nabbing a captain’s spot was Line, who was able to turn the one stir fry she tried years ago into a winning plate. The girl needs to lay off the shocked look on her face, though, she knows what she’s doing.

At the other end of the scale were Debbie, Kyle and Kwasi. Debbie cut herself early on Sunday night and never recovered, Kyle’s huge chunks of vegetables doomed him, especially when Alvin made a point of telling him that, and Kwasi’s veggie stir fry wasn’t up to snuff. In the end it was Debbie and Kyle who were shown the door.

Notes and quotes

  • There are still some chefs that haven’t gotten the spotlight at all, like Cody, Christopher and Kristen
  • Is it just me, or does the exterior to MasterChef look a lot like the exterior for Hell’s Kitchen?
  • Lifehack! I forgot you can sharpen a knife using the bottom of a ceramic bowl.
  • “Kevin?!” You couldn’t fake the surprise reaction when Kevin heard his name called out.
  • Michael Bonacini once cooked a chicken with the gizzards still in the plastic bag inside of it? There is hope for us all.

MasterChef Canada

airs Sundays at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

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