Seven cooks remain to face the toughest battle of their lives and the ultimate showdown for culinary supremacy in ABS-CBN’s top-rating kusina serye MasterChef Pinoy Edition.

 

Three weeks before the grand finale titled MasterChef Pinoy Edition: The Live Cook-off set on February 9, the Top 7 cooks are set to conquer daunting challenges to prove their worth to host Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, Chef Ferns, Chef Lau, and Chef Jayps.

Carla, the Negosyante Kusinera of Bulacan has come a long way from being a home cook who thought she could only cook for her family and friends.  In the MasterChef cooking arena, she has proven to be one of the strongest contenders for her traditional dishes with a twist like sinigang na lechon kawali and pusit stuffed with Bicol Express.

Ivory’s flamboyant character reflects her dishes that seem as interesting as the headdresses she wears on the show. Admittedly inexperienced in cooking Filipino food, the Kusina Fashionista of Quezon City uses her experience of traveling to different countries by adding an extra punch to her dishes such as Caribbean embutido.

Another standout personality is JR, the Rakistang Kusinero of Benguet who has gained a bold competitive reputation when he spoke against wildcard contestant Sonny Boy joining the competition again. JR’s aggressiveness was evident in the special Christmas challenge, one of the few individual challenges he won in the kusina serye.

Unlike JR, the Chef Accountant of Muntinlupa Myra is a silent but worthy competitor as proven by the judges’ positive comments on her dishes. Her fellow cooks see her as a reliable team member who has an extraordinary flair for desserts.

While Reggie always gets dumped by girls, he can always turn his heartbreak into culinary genius. An early frontrunner in the show, the Romantic Kusinero of Laguna is one of the MasterChef cooks with the most number of top dishes, including bibingka deluxe, Pinoy-style shawarma, and longganisa sweet curry. Will he prevail until the very end?

From a humble living in the province, Ronnel is especially skilled in preparing classic Pinoy dishes. Despite his knack for inventing new and unusual dishes, the Boy Labong of Pampanga can whip up a simple yet outstanding dish like a tasty serving of nachos which he prepared and was named the top dish in one of the kusina serye’s challenges.

Meanwhile, Sonny Boy kept his fighting spirit burning after being eliminated early in the show and made a solid comeback as a wildcard contestant. Aside from his famous darak cookies, the Darak King of Bataan also made history when he became the first MasterChef cook to prepare the top dishes in two consecutive challenges.

Don’t miss the last three weeks of Masterchef Pinoy Edition as the Top 7 cooks fight their way to the top to become the first ever Pinoy MasterChef and win P1 million.

Masterchef Pinoy Edition airs Mondays through Fridays, 10:15AM, before Minute To Win It on ABS-CBN and Saturdays, 10AM, before Be Careful With My Heart: Saturday Rewind. For updates on the program, like www.facebook.com/MasterChefPH, follow @MasterChefPHL on Twitter, or visit www.masterchefph.tv.

Sonny Boy Tuazon, 24, from Bataan was eliminated from the hit reality cooking contest “MasterChef Pinoy Edition” hosted by Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo.

With the first elimination, 15 home cooks are left to compete for the P1-million cash prize.

Below are the 15 remaining contestants in the competition:

1. Carla Marcaida, 40, businesswoman from Bulacan
2. Betty Bais, 43, house helper from Cebu
3. Mac Serrano, 29, ex-seaman from Tarlac
4. Lito Dulva, 34, police officer from Sorsogon
5. Reggie Apolinario, 30, call center agent from Laguna

6. Gian Espadera, 20, Human Resource Management student from Davao
7. Myra Santos, 31, accounting associate from Muntinlupa
8. Maureen Angala, 33, housewife from Muntinlupa
9. Ivory Yat, 26, nurse from Quezon City
10. Ronnel Torres, 30, sari-sari store owner from Pampanga

11. Melissa Gutierrez, 51, marketing director from
Quezon City
12. Cons Osorio, 30, interior designer from San Juan City
13. Lilibeth Nicolas, 31, house helper from Quezon City
14. JR Royol, 29, band vocalist from Benguet
15. Malou Caiña, 41, branch supervisor from Cagayan de Oro

“MasterChef Pinoy Edition” airs weekdays before “Be Careful With My Heart.”

Meanwhile,”MasterChef Saturdish Edition” airs on Saturdays with Melai Cantiveros and former “Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition 4″ housemates Joj and Jai Agpangan.

After months of searching for the country’s best home cooks, ABS-CBN’s “MasterChef Pinoy Edition” on Thursday completed the show’s Top 16 finalists.

The 16 contestants will now compete for the P1-million cash prize.

Below are the show’s official Top 16 finalists:

1. Carla Marcaida, 40, businesswoman from Bulacan.
2. Betty Bais, 43, house helper from Cebu.
3. Sonny Boy Tuzon, 34, unemployed from Bataan.
4. Lito Dulva, 34, police officer from Sorsogon.
5. Reggie Apolinario, 30, call center agent from Laguna.

6. Gian Espadera, 20, Human Resource Management student from Davao.
7. Myra Santos, 31, accounting associate from Muntinlupa.
8. Maureen Angala, 33, housewife from Muntinlupa.
9. Ivory Yat, 26, nurse from Quezon City.
10. Ronnel Torres, 30, sari-sari store owner from Pampanga.

11. Melissa Gutierrez, 51, marketing director from
Quezon City.
12. Cons Osorio, 30, interior designer from San Juan City.
13. Lilibeth Nicolas, 31, house helper from Quezon City.
14. JR Royol, 29, band vocalist from Benguet.
15. Malou Caiña, 41, branch supervisor from Cagayan de Oro.
16. Mac Serrano, 29, ex-seaman from Tarlac.

The “MasterChef” franchise is from the U.K. show. The American version stars celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

“MasterChef Pinoy Edition” with chef-judges Fern Aracama, Rolando Laudico and JP Anglo and host-judge Judy Ann Santos airs weekdays before “Be Careful With My Heart.”

Meanwhile,”MasterChef Saturdish Edition” airs on Saturdays with Melai Cantiveros and former “Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition 4″ housemates Joj and Jai Agpangan.