This second week of the competition marked the big departure for the 16 selected candidates. On this occasion, Martin Picard and Stefano Faita welcomed their first guest judge of the season: Josée di Stasio. The former host ofAt the di Stasio sbegins with these unforgettable moments that stirred some emotions on the set of MasterChef Québec.
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The visit of Josée di Stasio, a great lady who is one of those who revolutionized our menus in Quebec, caused excitement and surprise on the set when Martin and Stefano announced their presence as a guest judge. Contestant Désirée couldn't hold back her tears when she saw her idol in person.
“She taught me to work instinctively in the kitchen!” she said. This moment also marked Ms. di Stasio. “It was very emotional for me too! Désirée followed my journey and learned to cook with me on television and from books. It was also very emotional when I tasted his dish. I didn't expect that at all! As presenters, we do our work without realizing our impact until we meet our audience. It helps me measure the intimacy created!” A long-time television presenter, she was thrilled on the set of MasterChef Québec. “I was impressed by the level of resources deployed, just by the work of the technical team to properly support each of the 16 participants.”
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An invitation you can't refuse!
Josée di Stasio admits that she is not the type to attend culinary competitions, but she accepted the invitation of her friends Martin and Stefano for very specific reasons. “I agreed to this second week because I didn't have to eliminate anyone during the challenge I took part in. That wouldn't have been pleasant for me! It is certain that when presenting the dishes I took the liberty of making comments, if only to improve the future performance of the candidates. I was there more as an observer. I quickly noticed the ones that stood out from the rest, and that sparked a great curiosity in me to see how they would improve later. I think that’s also the goal of the show: to watch the contestants to see how they will develop and improve!”
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She continues: “In this second week we were able to get to know the participants better. There were stronger personalities and others who were more reserved. What also really surprised me was how quickly they had to decide what to cook. You don't have a night to think. You have to pull yourself together very quickly and deal with the stress. Not to mention having to adapt to a cuisine they don't know! Consider Meriem's misfortune when she couldn't get her siphon to work while making her maple sabayon. She had to improvise to present something to us! I'm interested in taste, presentation and execution. Some have a perfect work schedule, others not at all. Some have also learned other culinary techniques! It was very interesting to see them go!”
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A challenge with three ingredients
“We saw how the participants were divided into three groups,” explains Josée di Stasio. One group had to highlight Stefano's chosen ingredient, rice; another, Martin's, maple syrup; and a third, mine, spinach. I chose this vegetable because I have a weakness for anything green on my plate! As a challenge, it was difficult because the main ingredient really needed to be highlighted. I've noticed that some people do too much and want to show off. It's better to limit yourself and work with finesse! At the end of the challenge, no one was eliminated. The winners were given the privilege of not being exposed to any danger during the elimination!” concludes Josée Di Stasio enthusiastically.