The current season of the long-running culinary competition “MasterChef” has as its theme, “United Tastes of America,” and is kicking off with a series of regional auditions. In the first two episodes, home cooks from the Northeast and the Midwest competed to earn an apron, and the opportunity to compete in the show, hosted by celebrity chef, restaurateur and food personality Gordon Ramsay.
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On Wednesday, it was the West’s turn in the spotlight, as a variety of home cooks from such states as California, Alaska, and Hawaii prepared dishes in an attempt to show their stuff, and to impress regular judges Ramsay, chef Aarón Sánchez and restaurateur Joe Bastianich, along with guest judge, Los Angeles-based chef and restaurateur Susan Feniger.
Considering Portland’s reputation as a home for creative cooks — an image recently burnished by Gregory Gourdet’s Southeast establishment, Kann, being honored as best new American restaurant of the year at the 2023 James Beard Awards — it was a bit surprising that, for most of the “MasterChef” episode, no Rose City cooks appeared.
That was especially notable because earlier in the show, in an exchange with a Maui cook who goes by the name of Madame Donut, Bastianich told her, “You’re cooking against maybe cooks from Southern California, Portland, Oregon, and then you have Hawaii. Which is cool, but it’s not the first place I think of when I think fo food, quite frankly.”
Portland home cook James Barfield, as seen in the June 7 episode of “MasterChef.”
It wasn’t until late in the episode that a Portland home cook, James Barfield, appeared. As he was preparing a dish featuring what he called Northwest crab cake, with tartar sauce and sauteed squash, Ramsay and Feniger talked to Barfield about why he was auditioning.
“My mom taught me to cook,” Barfield said, and then added that she had passed away. Ramsay asked what his mother had taught Barfield as he was growing up.
“That I could do anything,” Barfield said.
After Ramsay asked and learned that Barfield’s late mother’s name was Gloria, Feniger suggested his dish should be called Glorious Gloria Crab Cakes.
When it was his turn, Barfield presented his dish to the judges, and said he was a 31-year-old from Portland.
Bastianich asked, “Where does the passion for cooking come from?” Barfield grew emotional as he talked about his late mother, and his twin brother, who wasn’t able to accompany Barfield to the audition, but encouraged Barfield to try for a “MasterChef” apron.
“You’re clearly a passionate guy,” Ramsay said. “But, what’s your dream?”
Barfield said his dream was to open a food cart to serve soup, because “I love making soups.”
Then, it was time for the judges to taste his dish. Sánchez said the crab cake was “taking over my palate in a beautiful way.” Feniger said she would have liked Barfield to use higher heat to give the crab cakes more crispness, but she complimented the seasoning.
James Barfield, left, with judges Joe Bastianich and Aarón Sánchez in the June 7 episode of “MasterChef.”
Finally, Ramsay used his familiar bait-and-switch method of seeming to agonize over whether to go along with his fellow judges and give Barfield a “yes” vote. Noting that this season of “MasterChef” was leveling up, Ramsay dramatically paused, then told Barfield, “That is one of the best crab cakes I’ve ever tasted. It is an absolute yes from me.”
Ramsay shook Barfield’s hand, gave him a hug, and handed the choked-up Portland cook a “MasterChef” apron.
Local Fox affiliate KPTV also interviewed Barfield about being on “MasterChef.”
The auditions continue next Wednesday, with cooks from the South testing their mettle. According to the show’s website, the season will find the cooks competing in a State Fair challenge, Mystery Box challenges, cooking at Dodger Stadium, and competing in tag team event, where they’re challenged to prepare “a Michelin-star quality three-course meal.”
The winner of this season of “MasterChef” will be awarded a cash prize of $250,000.
“MasterChef: United Tastes of America” continues with new episodes at 8 .p.m. Wednesdays, on Fox.
