MasterChef season 8 episode 8 exclusive: Gabriel’s kidney problem
You’ve seen something similar to this in the past where contestants are stuck with having to cook strange proteins — or at least proteins that are strange to Americans. We’re talking things like cheeks and testicles, which are delicacies in other parts of the world. If you can prove that you can make something fantastic using ingredients that you don’t know all that well, you’ve got a really good chance of going far in the competition! It’s a sign that you know and understand how flavors work, and also how you are able to adapt on the fly. Based on Fox’s press release, the proteins in this challenge will be picked at random and are all various forms of beef.
Let’s be honest — if there’s one thing that will get Gordon Ramsay shouting your praises, it’s passion. Making something using unusual ingredients and being proud of it is a true sign of what he’s looking for with this show.
For the youngest remaining contestant in 19-year old Gabriel, it looks like he’s going to have a bigger challenge than anyone. He’s not a big meat-eater, and he’s stuck here in a situation where he has to work with kidneys, something that he has almost no experience with. He’s getting ingredients that he would use typically for beef, and is hoping in the process that it produces something great. (We certainly hope that’s the case for Gabriel, given that we haven’t really seen him emerge all that much since the start of the season, and this would be a great chance for him to get a little more air time and prove to be a big-time contender. We like the show to have as much parity as possible.)
Just like in many other mystery box challenges over the years, the winner here, whether it be Gabriel or someone else, will have a big advantage moving forward. Fox also says that “those who didn’t impress must face off in an elimination challenge,” so it’s possible that we could have an elimination challenge in this episode where not every home cook has a chance to compete and either the winner gets to save people, or the judges pick people who are safe based on past performances. We’ll see what happens! We’ve tried to make some big-and-bold predictions on the show in the past, but we haven’t always been on the money with those.
If you were taking part in this Mystery Box Challenge, what body part of the cow would you want to work with? Share in the comments!
Also, be sure to head over here in the event you do want to get some additional insight into the show, including some exclusive exit interviews. (Photo: NBC.)