‘MasterChef’ coming to Chicago this fall in search of home cooks

SHARE ‘MasterChef’ coming to Chicago this fall in search of home cooks

Think your home cooking skills measure up to “MasterChef” status?

The Fox cooking competition, is scouring the country for contestants, embarking on an 11-city open casting call starting Sept. 13 in San Diego.

Talent scouts will pull into Chicago Oct. 11 for auditions from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Hotel Allegro, 171 W. Randolph.

Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Chicago chef Graham Elliot make up the judges panel on the popular series in the midst of its fifth season. The next all-new episode airs at 7 p.m. Monday on WFLD-Channel 32.

Hopefuls should keep in mind that you must be at least 18 years old as of Jan. 1, 2015, to be eligible. Amateurs only; if you’ve ever worked as a professional chef, they don’t want you. Ditto if your main source of income comes from “preparing and cooking fresh food in a professional environment (restaurants, hotels, canteens, catering, etc).”

Candidates will need to bring a dish designed to wow food experts. It must be served on one plate, and you won’t have access to any equipment to heat your food. You bring the utensils, too. Once you’re in the audition room, you’ll be given 3 minutes to plate your dish.

The show’s producers encourage people to pre-register their profiles and download an application before the casting call. Get the details — and an application — here.

— Lori Rackl, TV Critic

The Latest
Open at Navy Pier through Oct. 31, “Chicago: Home of House” honors genre’s pioneers, milestones and origins as a Chicago art form.
The crowd waited several minutes before the result was reviewed by the stewards and declared official.
In the eighth, Michael Busch tripled, and Wisdom, who had homered earlier, singled him home for the run that proved to be the difference in the Cubs’ 6-5 win.
Ball exercised the $21.4 million player option for next season. The hope is that he can overcome three left knee surgeries since 2022 and be available by fall camp.