Season Seven of MASTERCHEF to Premiere on FOX 6/1

Award-winning chefs Gordon Ramsay and Christina Tosi welcome 40 new home cooks into the MASTERCHEF kitchen for Season Seven, premiering Wednesday, June 1 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), on FOX. The contestants will not only have to impress Chefs Ramsay and Tosi, but throughout the season, will compete for the approval of culinary greats and special culinary guest judges, including Wolfgang Puck, Aarón Sánchez, Edward Lee, Kevin Sbraga and Richard Blais.

Thousands of hopefuls auditioned at MASTERCHEF's open casting calls in Austin, TX; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Jackson, MS; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Louisville, KY; Minneapolis, MN; New York, NY; San Diego, CA; and San Francisco, CA. However, only one talented home cook will join MASTERCHEF winners Claudia Sandoval (Season Six), Courtney Lapresi (Season Five); Luca Manfe (Season Four); Christine Ha (Season Three), the first-ever blind contestant; Jennifer Behm (Season Two); and Whitney Miller (Season One) in the elite group of MASTERCHEF titleholders.

Representing 15 states across the country, this season's 40 contestants - including a professional poker player, DJ, web designer, yoga instructor, pool lifeguard, investigator, three firefighters and more - take time away from their busy day jobs in hopes of turning their culinary dreams into reality.

In the season premiere episode, 40 of the best home cooks in America travel to Los Angeles to compete in the MASTERCHEF Battle of the Apron challenge, during which they will attempt the to earn a coveted white apron and move forward to compete for the MASTERCHEF title, a cookbook deal and the $250,000 grand prize. Judging the battle rounds will be Ramsay and Tosi, who will taste for flavor, creativity and presentation. In order to move to the next round of the competition, the home cooks must display culinary skills, as well as an immense passion for food, and be determined to out-cook their rivals.

Once the MASTERCHEF Battle for the Apron concludes, the top home cooks will be put through their paces in a series of challenges designed to test their palates, food knowledge, passion and culinary skills. Later in the season, the hopefuls set out to cook appetizers and entrees for a very special wedding of a previous MASTERCHEF contestant, steak dishes for over 100 veterans and a group of sweet 16-ers. They also will face the infamous MASTERCHEF tag team and RESTAURANT TAKEOVER challenges. With each new challenge, the pressure will mount as the home cooks compete for the coveted MASTERCHEF title.

Below are the hometowns, names and professions of the Top 40 Home Cooks who participated in the MASTERCHEF Battle for the Apron:

State/Hometown		Name		Profession
California
	Long Beach		Gina Ruccione		Food Blogger
	Los Angeles		Samson Kohanski		Mixologist
	Pauma Valley		Ashley Travers		Small Business Owner
	Pauma Valley		Bill Travers		Retired
	San Diego		Diamond Alexander		Web Designer
	San Diego		Tricia Crivello		Insurance Broker
Colorado
	Denver		Barbara Savage		Investigator
Florida
Miami		Alejandro Toro		Voice Over Artist
Miami		Andrea Galan		Student
Orlando		Manny Washington		Firefighter
Illinois
	Chicago		Caitlin Meade		Nutritionist
	Chicago		Cassie Peterson		Bakery Clerk
	Chicago		Corey Rice		Computer Tech & Hotel Front Desk Representative
	Park Forest		Takeila Peebles		Nail Technician
	Plainfield		Diana Bilow		Server
Kentucky
	Irvington		Brandi Mudd		5th Grade Teacher
	Newport		Shelby Reid		Pool Lifeguard
Michigan
	Belleville		Zack Wilson		Construction Worker
	Detroit		Neco Washington		Nail Technician
	West Bloomfield		Brian Schneble		Senior Business Manager
Mississippi
	Hattiesburg		Katie Dixon		Personal Trainer & Retail Associate
Nevada
	Las Vegas		D'Andre Balaoing		Bartender
	Las Vegas		David Williams		Poker Player
	Las Vegas		James Woods		Truck Driver
	Las Vegas		Shaun O'Neale		DJ
	Las Vegas		Shawn Norris		Restaurant Manager
	Las Vegas		Will Staten		Karate Instructor
New Jersey
	Gillette		Lisa-Ann Marchesi		Insurance Manager
New York
	Brooklyn		Joe Russo		Firefighter
	Long Island		Terry Mueller		Handyman
	New Hartford		Brittany Craig		Server
	Queens		Eric Howard		Firefighter
North Carolina
	Charlotte		Dan Paustian		Server
Pennsylvania
	Philadelphia		Joe Pickens		Sales Rep
	Slippery Rock		Nathan Barnhouse		Tuxedo Salesman
Tennessee
	Chattanooga		Tanorria Askew		Credit Union Coordinator
	Knoxville		Zac Fallon		Musician
Texas
	Austin		Taylor Waltmon		Digital Marketer
	Dallas		Jessica McPhaul		Yoga Instructor
Wisconsin
	Milwaukee		Freddy Coleman		Firefighter

MASTERCHEF is produced by Endemol Shine NORTH AMERICA and One Potato Two Potato, and is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Endemol Shine. Elisabeth Murdoch, Eden Gaha, Michael Brooks, Robin Ashbrook, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Patricia Llewellyn and Ben Adler serve as executive producers. "Like" MASTERCHEF on Facebook atfacebook.com/MasterChef. Follow the series on Twitter @MASTERCHEFonFOX and join the discussion at #masterchef.

Follow the judges on Twitter: Gordon Ramsay - @gordonramsay; Christina Tosi - @christinatosi; and the guest judges on Twitter: Wolfgang Puck - @WolfgangPuck; Aarón Sánchez - @Chef_Aaron; Edward Lee - @ChefEdwardLee; Kevin Sbraga - @KSbraga; and Richard Blais - @RichardBlais.

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