or


[08/10/10 - 10:04 PM]
Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot Announce the "Masterchef" Top 14
FOX details the latest "Masterchef" elimination.

[via press release from FOX]

GORDON RAMSAY, JOE BASTIANICH AND GRAHAM ELLIOT ANNOUNCE THE "MASTERCHEF" TOP 14

Teacher, Software Engineer, Construction Worker and Doctor Among Finalists

Competition Continues Next Week with a Two-Hour Episode on a New Night Wednesday, August 18, on FOX

After scouring the nation for the best amateur cooks in America, the judges of MASTERCHEF have chosen the 14 hopefuls who will compete for the title of America's first-ever MASTERCHEF. The Top 14 are Sheetal Bhagat, Tony Carbone, Jake Gandolfo, Sharone Hakman, Jenna Hamiter, Kim Dung "Slim" Huynh, Faruq Jenkins, Mike Kim, Lee Knaz, David Miller, Whitney Miller, Tracy Nailor, Avis White and Sheena Zadeh.

The competition heats up next when the MASTERCHEF Top 14 enter the kitchen on a new night and time beginning Wednesday, Aug. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Throughout the season, the home cooks will undergo a series of high-pressure individual and team challenges from creating incredible gourmet dishes using mystery ingredients and identifying components in a complex dish to providing an all-American send-off meal for hundreds of U.S. Marines and catering a high-end wedding. The MASTERCHEF judges � Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot � are looking for the contestant who possesses a refined palate as well as the right blend of skill, passion and creativity.

Below are the Top 14 home cooks on MASTERCHEF:

Sheetal Bhagat
Age: 37
Occupation: Teacher
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Cooking inspiration: My mom had the biggest influence on me. Everything she made used fresh ingredients; there was nothing canned or processed. I have carried her philosophy of healthy eating using only pure fresh ingredients into my cooking today.

Tony Carbone
Age: 31
Occupation: Server
Hometown: Boston, MA
Cooking inspiration: My mother and grandmother. They spoiled me with great food growing up, so I knew that when I got older if I wanted to keep eating as good as I did growing up, then I'd need to learn to cook like them.

Jake Gandolfo
Age: 38
Occupation: Construction Worker
Hometown: Santa Cruz, CA
Cooking inspiration: My mother and Julia Child. Some of my earliest memories are of standing on a stool and canning vegetables from the family garden with my mom while watching "The French Chef" on television.

Sharone Hakman
Age: 28
Occupation: Financial Advisor
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Cooking inspiration: I'd have to say I inspired myself. When I was a kid, my mother was not part of our lives, and my dad was always working to support us. When my grandma wasn't around, I had to go into our fridge and make something out of nothing. I taught myself how to create dishes at a very young age. This "survival" mode was how I started out, but cooking then became a creative outlet that I haven't been able to stop since.

Jenna Hamiter
Age: 23
Occupation: Homemaker
Hometown: Euless, TX
Cooking inspiration: My 85-year-old grandmother, who is a successful homemaker with nine children and 25 grandchildren. She's has always been the gracious hostess, turning out spectacular desserts and parties for decades. I am thankful and privileged to still enjoy moments with her in the kitchen.

Kim Dung "Slim" Huynh
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Harvey, LA
Cooking inspiration: My mom. As a child, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen trying to see over the stove to find out what she was cooking.

Faruq Jenkins
Age: 30
Occupation: Bartender
Hometown: Glendale, CA
Cooking inspiration: My mother and grandmother. My fondest memories of the holidays are staying up late and waking up early to help cook. The time I was able to spend with them in the kitchen was priceless.

Mike Kim
Age: 34
Occupation: Server
Hometown: Redondo Beach, CA
Cooking inspiration: While my parents were instrumental in inspiring me to cook, fishing also played an important role. I started deep-sea fishing when I moved to California, and as I encountered a plethora of the freshest fish imaginable � from Yellowtail to Pacific Sheepshead and more � my understanding, passion and inspiration for cooking reached a whole new level.

Lee Knaz
Age: 27
Occupation: Bartender
Hometown: Venice, CA
Cooking inspiration: I grew up in a family of non-cooks, but growing up in Israel I would watch hours of cooking shows. My first memories are of satellite-broadcasted French channels that would air cooking shows with Jo�l Robuchon and Jacques P�pin. I didn't understand a word they were saying, but I was completely fascinated by them.

David Miller
Age: 29
Occupation: Software Engineer
Hometown: Newton Centre, MA
Cooking inspiration: My mother. I always loved helping her in the kitchen � whether it was doing prep work, making gravy or doing dishes. As a teenager, I was vegetarian, and my mom accommodated that � she loves making people happy through food.

Whitney Miller
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Poplarville, MS
Cooking inspiration: My great-grandmother. My family would eat lunch at her house every Sunday when I was younger. I spent hours watching her make homemade biscuits, seafood gumbo, lemon meringue pies and countless other Southern favorites.

Tracy Nailor
Age: 42
Occupation: Doctor Currently Resides: Atlanta, GA
Cooking inspiration: My mother is the person who taught me the fundamentals of cooking. When I create a dish or prepare a family favorite, I am carrying on her legacy and honoring her memory by doing something she loved. I am grateful we were able to share that time.

Avis White
Age: 47
Occupation: Elderly Caregiver Currently Resides: Vacherie, LA
Cooking inspiration: My grandmother always instilled in me the importance of family. She also felt it was important that I knew how to cook, clean, pay bills, and take care of myself at a young age. The one thing she wanted me to be really good at was cooking and baking, so she spent countless hours teaching me how to do just that. I am so grateful for those life lessons because it has made me the great cook that I am.

Sheena Zadeh
Age: 26
Occupation: Marketing Executive
Hometown: Anaheim, CA
Cooking inspiration: My first urge to cook came from watching cooking shows on television, but I was truly inspired to cook when I saw the smile on my dad's face the first time I put dinner on the table for my family.

Additionally, recipes inspired by the MASTERCHEF Top 14 will be featured in the upcoming "MasterChef Cookbook" published by Rodale Books, set to be released on September 1. For more information, please visit www.fox.com/masterchef.

MASTERCHEF is produced by Reveille, Shine TV and One Potato Two Potato and is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Shine TV. Shine International handles distribution for the MASTERCHEF format. Elisabeth Murdoch, Franc Roddam, Mark Koops, Howard T. Owens, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Pat Llewellyn, JD Roth and Todd Nelson serve as executive producers.





  [august 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· MASTERCHEF (FOX)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.