MasterChef USA is an American competitive cooking show that aired on PBS from 2000 to 2001. The series was hosted by Gary Rhodes. The series format was based directly on BBC's MasterChef, which used Rhodes as host during 2001. The show had two seasons.
The first season premiered on April 1, 2000 with a total of 13 half-hour-long episodes and 1 hour-long special. 27 contestants arose from the auditions held in each region, in which office manager Nancy Vaziri of Homewood, Illinois won the title of MasterChef 2000.
The second season started on April 7, 2001 with a total of 13 half-hour episodes and 1 hour-long special. Similarly, 27 contestants advanced; wherein business owner Geoffrey Hill of Evanston, Illinois was proclaimed as MasterChef 2001.
Production Due to the success of the British Broadcasting Corporation cooking show MasterChef, PBS acquired rights to screen and West 175 make an American version of MasterChef.
When it came to finding a chef to present the show, executive producer Elizabeth Brock initially wanted British cook Gary Rhodes for the job. "He is so alive on camera," points out Brock. "And he also has the unique ability to combine true expertise on cooking with his gift of communicating in an entertaining style."
Summary During the first 9 weeks, twenty-seven cooks from different regions faced-off in a challenge involving their best original two-course menu which must cost less than $60.00 and cook them in only two and a half hours. Nine contestants will be picked to move on to the next round where they will battle against another set of cooks from another region. From there, three will be picked to compete in the finale, where one of them will grab the coveted title for the next MasterChef.
Season 1 The first season saw 27 cooks battling for a spot in the semi-final round. A set of three cooks competed in the Southwestern, Southeastern, and Northwestern regions while six cooks competed in a two-part challenge in the Midwestern, Western, and Northeastern divisions. On May 27, 2000, the complete setlist of 27 cooks were revealed. In the end, medical practice office manager Nancy Vaziri of Homewood, Illinois was proclaimed MasterChef 2000, winning herself a trip to CuisinArt Resort and Spa, a $1000 Williams Sonoma gift certificate, a subscription to the International Association of Culinary Professionals and a short-term editorial for Bon Appétit.
ContestantStateRegionOccupationStatus Nancy Vaziri IL Midwestern Medical Practice Office ManagerWinner 24 June Lynne Champion CA Western Bed and Breakfast OwnerRunner-up 24 June Stephen Both DE Northeastern Painting ContractorThird 24 June Gary Wall TX Southwestern Television directorEliminated 17 June Jennifer Spencer GA Southeastern Insurance Underwriter Bob Hafey IL Midwestern Manufacturing ManagerEliminated 10 June Lani Meltzer CA Western Surgical Assistant Dana Maxey NY Northeastern Investment BankerEliminated 3 June Scott Stevenson OR Northwestern Realtor Lew Sherwood NY Northeastern Advertising ExecutiveEliminated 27 May Pietro Fragale NY Northeastern Hospital Administrator Erminia Mack IL Midwestern HomemakerEliminated 20 May Dhont Martial IL Midwestern Surgeon James Morgan AZ Western Information DesignerEliminated 13 May Michelle Fish AZ Western Scuba Diver Kirk Cochran GA Southeastern FirefighterEliminated 6 May Nikki Norman FL Southeastern Community and civic volunteer Frances Maxwell WA Northwestern StudentEliminated 29 April Melanie Hartley WA Northwestern Nurse Richard Russell VA Northeastern U.S. House of Representative Deputy Chief of Staff in ScienceEliminated 22 April Shanti Jain NJ Northeastern Homemaker Renee Evers NV Western MusicianEliminated 15 April Richard Kronick AZ Western Graphic designer Peter Flores IL Midwestern ParalegalEliminated 8 April Susan Achinapura IL Midwestern Homemaker Kay Dalton TX Southwestern MomEliminated 1 April Richard Winters TX Southwestern Rancher
Ep# / Show-Ep# Original Airdate Episode Title / Event Ref. Regional Cook-offs 1/1.1 1 April 2000 Series Premiere: Regional Cook-off 1.1 - 27 amateur chefs from different parts of the country competed in 9 first-round challenges which will minimize the field to 9. In the first cook-off, Skitch Henderson and David Rosengarten judged the cooking of Southwestern cooks Gary, Kay, and Richard W. in a two-course menu challenge. Gary was announced through to the semi-finals, while Kay and Rick are eliminated. 2/1.2 8 April 2000 Regional Cook-off 1.2 - Midwestern chefs Nancy, Peter, and Susan are judged by George Wallace and Michel Nischan. Nancy was proclaimed the winner, sending Peter and Susan packing. 3/1.3 15 April 2000 Regional Cook-off 1.3 - Guest judges Robin Leach and Lidia Bastianich criticized Western cooks Lynne, Renee, and Richard K. Lynne won by a clean slate, defeating Renee and Richie. 4/1.4 22 April 2000 Regional Cook-off 1.4 - Northeast chefs Richard R., Shanti, and Stephen vied in a cookoff watched by Madhur Jaffrey and Carolyn O'Neil. Stephen triumphed, sending Richard and Shanti home. 5/1.5 29 April 2000 Regional Cook-off 1.5 - Northwestern amateurs Frances, Melanie, and Scott competed in a cookoff for Thierry Rautureau and Claudia Cohen. In the end, Scott went forward while Frances and Melanie walked. 6/1.6 6 May 2000 Regional Cook-off 1.6 - Southeastern contestants Jennifer, Kirk, and Nikki battled in a challenge judged by Nathalie Dupree and Colman Andrews. Jennifer advanced whereas Kirk and Nikki stayed. 7/1.7 13 May 2000 Regional Cook-off 1.7 - The second set of Western amateurs (Lani, Michelle, and Morgan) competed to satisfy judges Molly O'Neill and Vincent Schiavelli. Ultimately, Lani saved herself from elimination with Michelle and Morgan. 8/1.8 20 May 2000 Regional Cook-off 1.8 - Midwestern chefs Bob, Erminia, and Jack fought against each other to win judges George Wallace and Stephan Pyles. The challenge witnessed Erminia and Jack lacking skills compared to Bob, eliminating them. 9/1.9 27 May 2000 Regional Cook-off 1.9 - The last group of cooks from the Northeast (Dana, Lew, and Pietro) were judged by Jacques Torres and Jock Soto. Dana gained the last spot in the semi-finals while Lew and Pietro departed the competition. Semi-Finals 10/1.10 3 June 2000 Semi-Finals 1.1 - Dana, Lynne, and Scott met in a semi-final round with judges Sissy Biggers and Kit Skarstrom. Lynne was the obvious winner, while Dana and Scott lost. 11/1.11 10 June 2000 Semi-Finals 1.2 - A semi-final round cookoff features Bob, Lani, and Nancy cooking for Sheila Lukins and Claudia Cohen. After a long decision, Nancy was deemed safe. On the other hand, Bob and Lani left the competition. 12/1.12 17 June 2000 Semi-Finals 1.3 - The last semi-final round saw Gary, Jennifer, and Stephen battling for Joan Nathan and Tanya Wenman Steel. Stephen proved stronger, eliminating Gary and Jennifer. Finale Special 1 22 June 2000 MasterChef USA Special 1 - The special featured a preview of the final-round cook-off. The episode also included interviews with the contestants and season highlights. Finale 1 24 June 2000 Grand Finale 1 - The finale saw Lynne, Nancy, and Stephen cooking for Jacques Pepin and Robin Mattson in a three-course meal challenge. Nancy's menu which consisted of Mushroom Pâté in Filo Pastry Baskets atop Field of Greens, Morgh Pollo (Seasoned Pilaf of Roasted Chicken), and Fruit Tart Cheesecake was deemed more impressive, defeating Lynne and Stephen for the title of MasterChef 2000.
Season 2 The second season, like its predecessor, witnessed 27 cooks battling for a spot in the semi-final round. A set of three cooks competed in the Southwestern, Southeastern, and Northwestern regions while six cooks competed in a two-part challenge in the Midwestern, Western, and Northeastern divisions. On June 2, 2001, the complete setlist of 27 cooks were revealed. In the end, small business owner Geoffrey Hill of Evanston, Illinois was announced MasterChef 2001, claiming prizes that included an all-expense-paid two-week stay at Cuisinarts Caribbean resort, Le Creuset cookware, $1000 Williams-Sonoma gift certificate and other cuisine-related prizes.
ContestantStateRegionOccupationStatus Geoffrey Hill IL Midwestern Business OwnerWinner 30 June David Ross WA Northwestern Airline SupervisorRunner-up 30 June Lala Cheema FL Southeastern Biology TeacherThird 30 June Josie Aaronson-Gelb CA Western Public Relations OfficerEliminated 23 June Marion Stevens CA Western Retired Cindy Blakeslee VT Northeastern Non-profit Organization DirectorEliminated 16 June Kyung Chang NY Northeastern Set Designer Janet Moore MI Midwestern RetiredEliminated 9 June Mary Boyd TX Southwestern Realtor Herman Liu NM Southwestern Management ConsultantEliminated 2 June Kristen Ritchie OK Southwestern Company Vice President Baron Long CA Western Professional Sales AgentEliminated 26 May Martina Thurlow CA Western Attorney Charles Sweeney DC Northeastern Corporate Communications ManagerEliminated 19 May Joan Churchill NH Northeastern Theatrical Designer Camilla Saulsbury IN Midwestern StudentEliminated 12 May Robert Whitt IN Midwestern Real Estate Firm President Kimberly Davis FL Southeastern Self-employedEliminated 5 May Peter Hyzak FL Southeastern Sales Manager Gail Singer CA Western Real Estate AgentEliminated 28 April Heather Rizzoli CA Western Self-employed Laura Chavoen NY Northeastern Business StrategistEliminated 21 April Tirso Perez NY Northeastern Restaurateur Joseph King WA Northwestern Software DeveloperEliminated 14 April Kathy Urbano ID Northwestern Counselor Kaylan Dutta MI Midwestern EngineerEliminated 7 April Norita Solt IA Midwestern Retired