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Masterchef Goes Large

MasterChef Goes Large was called by one critic, "the Grand Prix of cooking competitions". The series ran from Monday to Friday for 6 weeks. Over 90 contestants were put through cooking tests in the MasterChef studio and outside on location in tough professional kitchens. The tests for the finalists got tougher and tougher, from catering for the rich and famous, to cooking for the army and navy, to cooking in the country's top Michelin-starred restaurants including the world's best restaurant, The Fat Duck. The final winner has just got a job cooking in one of New York's top restaurants.

Regular judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace passionately argued over who were the best cooks and the series was hailed for "breathing life back into an old format" and taking a show that had once focused on home-dinner-party cooks and opening it up to every food lover across the country, no matter their age, background or culinary experience.

What primarily separated MasterChef Goes Large from other stripped cooking shows was that it cared about character and story as well as food. Even though it was made on a day-time budget, it aimed for prime time production values, using the best industry talent and treating each programme as an individual film rather than a factory line.

It started with ratings of 1.5 million and grew steadily to a peak of just over 3 million and a 15% share. It broke through its BBC2 6.30 - 7pm slot and gained a steady loyal following - even from the TV critics, with the FT writing on its final day, "So after weeks of ferocious competition - this smartly souped-up version of the venerable cookery contest reaches its final. The hopeful amateur chefs have been whittled down to just three finalists, who have spent the past week facing - and rising to - yet more remarkable challenges. This finishes in the irresistible form that it has maintained throughout its run, and many viewers will already be licking their lips at the prospect of the next series." For the next series the run has been extended from 30 to 40 episodes.

Broadcaster: BBC
Format: 30 x 30"
Credits

Series Producer: Karen Ross