Masterchef Italia 13, the eleventh and twelfth episodes: a class of women in command (not all with class)

To tell the truth, the going got tough in this one thirteenth edition of Masterchef Italy, it had been understood for a while. Thanks to some characters with a rather tough character (and with undoubted skills in the kitchen), who were able to add a little spice to a vintage which is a little lacking in terms of imagination regarding illustrious gastronomic guests (so much so that Davide Scabin returns, who we had already seen in audition and in the first episodeand who perhaps at this point is doing his tests as a new judge).

Luckily there is one to compensate Sparkling masterclass, where friendships and fratricidal wars are consumed by alternating seamlessly, between hugs, sworn revenge, traps and low blows. It is above all the women who give movement to everything a class that seems to have a clearly female dominance: the quartet composed of Eleonora, Deborah, Kassandra and Michela seems to be the one most focused on the objective, and it is perhaps also this that pushes them to argue with each other, not always with the right amount of fairness between colleagues. In particular, it is now clear, it is Kassandra and Michela who compete for the role of the villains, while Eleonora lacks a bit of confidence but undoubtedly has all it takes. Among men, except for Settimino (who sooner or later will abandon the Masterclass, and then we will miss him greatly)the only one really noteworthy seems to be Nicholasas long as he doesn't get lost in his role as an intellectual jester.

Mystery Box

The episode starts with red, «the color of danger» says Bruno Barbieri. The first Red Mystery Box of the history of Masterchef Italia plans to pit aspiring chefs against each other: the worst in the test will in fact be chosen by the best.

Inside the box it is located the Cyber ​​Egg, chef Davide Scabin's most identifying and futuristic dish, who in fact returns as a guest after his contribution as a shadow judge. The kids will not have to replicate what is one of the symbolic dishes of contemporary Italian and international cuisine, but rather be inspired by this very new and original idea, which Scabin says was born by chance.

The protagonist of the test will therefore be an egg: it will have to be interpreted not only taking into account taste (indeed, says Scabin, even leaving it in the background) but working on technique and above all creativity. «I have to try an idea», concludes Scabin.

Some ideas actually seem very good, but not everyone seems to have understood the purpose of the test. Niccolò and Deborah's dishes are chosen among the bestand it is the latter that wins the test, earning the second Golden Pin on her apron.

She will therefore be the one to choose the first among the worst dishes: she chooses Andrea, who is joined among the worst by Settimino (who presents a peasant and not very creative dish), Alberto (who wanted to fill the yolk but was unable to give shape to his idea), Kassandra (who wanted to make a chocolate dish but couldn't find it among the ingredients in the pantry) and Filippo (who was freely inspired by Pino Cuttaia's cuttlefish egg).

Alberto is saved, while all the others end up in the Invention Test.

Invention Test

In front of the competitors with the black apron there are seven cases containing seven ingredients, which must be recognized only by touch. The more ingredients each competitor recognizes, the more they will have available to cook.

In the end, having many ingredients often doesn't help to clarify ideas, especially when you have little time available. Settimino for example, with just one product (the marrow), manages to make a nice dish and ends up on the balcony. Instead Andrewwho was the one who managed to gather the most products in the first part of the test, gets confused when it comes to cooking them, and in fact has to leave the kitchen Masterchef.

Philipwho also ended up among the worst and with an overly self-confident attitude and too little inclination to listen to advice, ends up directly at the Pressure Test, skipping the external test.

Test outdoors

It takes place on a padel court, with two healthy menus, the outdoor test of this episode. The captains are chosen by the judges, who want to see a couple of contestants bring out their character better: Kassandra and Niccolò will lead the teams.

The blue team, led by Niccolò, does not stick to the idea of ​​a light and healthy menu and, despite the convincing explanation of the team leader who says he added the sausage to the risotto because “It's not just what's good that's good, but also what makes you feel good”loses the outdoor test and ends up in the Pressure Test.

Pressure Test

The team that ends up at Pressure is therefore the one captained by Niccolò, and composed of Lorenzo, Michela, Sara, Alberto and Elonora. Filippo, who had been pardoned by the judges at the Invention, also joins them for the last test.

The last chance of salvation for the competitors is represented by squid, which will have to be the protagonists of a dish, the stuffed squid (and here Settimino, from the balcony, eats his hands). The luckiest will have thirty minutes available to cook, the others will not: Kassandra, winner of the outdoor test, will dictate the times of all the competitors. Obviously, Michela has the least amount of time (21 minutes).with whom Kassandra has never denied hostility, and it all ends in a Mexican standoff of murderous glances.

Even when put in difficulty, Michela once again proves that she is the most formidable competitor. Yet, once in front of the judges, she uses her Golden Pin to save herself. Alberto, who in life is a fish shop manager, fills the squid without rinsing it first: that residual sand costs him his apron and his place in the Masterchef kitchen.