About this season
MasterChef USA, on PBS, is the original US adaptation of the BBC's MasterChef, a cooking competition for amateur cooks. Grab your whisks and hang on to your toques, as the 27 regional MasterChef champs chop, purée, roast, braise, sauté, simmer and grill their way through the Olympics of amateur cooking to the title of MasterChef USA! Host Gary Rhodes, one of Great Britain’s best-loved chefs, guides us through 13 half-hour episodes and an hour long prime time special. A panel of celebrity judges preside as 27 winning amateur chefs, wielding their own mouthwatering menus, battle over Brulée and Beurre Blanc, wrangle over roasted peppers and risotto, and strive to create the most satisfying soup, salad and soufflé.
Episodes (13)
1. Midwestern-A Regional Cookoff
Aired 7 April 2001 • 22 min
Midwestern-A region; judges are comic Bobby Collins and Chef Susan Feniger.
2. Northwestern Regional Cookoff
Aired 14 April 2001 • 22 min
Northwestern region; judges are editor Jerry Anne Divecchio and Chef Tom Douglas.
3. Northeastern-B Regional Cookoff
Aired 21 April 2001 • 22 min
Northeastern-B; judges are CNN's Laurin Sydney and Chef Benjamin Ford.
4. Western-A Regional Cookoff
Aired 28 April 2001 • 22 min
Western-A region; judges are Jacklyn Zeman and Chef Mark Peel.
5. Southeastern Regional Cookoff
Aired 5 May 2001 • 22 min
Southeastern region; judges are David Brenner and Chef Mary Sue Milliken.
6. Midwestern-B Regional Cookoff
Aired 12 May 2001 • 22 min
The second set of Midwestern-B region; judges are actress Suzanne Rogers and Chef Damian Mandola.
7. Northeastern-A Regional Cookoff
Aired 19 May 2001 • 22 min
Northeastern-A region; judges are Tom Bergeron and Chef Richard Kaupp.
8. Western-B Regional Cookoff
Aired 26 May 2001 • 22 min
Western-B region; judges are Bill Nye the Science Guy and Chef Michael Chiarello.
9. Southwestern Regional Cookoff
Aired 2 June 2001 • 22 min
The last group of cooks from the Southwestern region; judges are Suzanne Sena and Chef Mark Miller.
10. Semifinal Competition 1
Aired 9 June 2001 • 22 min
Semifinal 1; Southwestern/Midwestern regions; judges are Barbara Fairchild and Piero Selvaggio.
11. Semifinal Competition 2
Aired 16 June 2001 • 22 min
Semifinal 2; Northeastern/ Southeastern region; judges are A.J. Benza and Rick Bayless.
12. Semifinal Competition 3
Aired 23 June 2001 • 22 min
The last semi-final round, Semifinal 3; Northwestern/ Western regions; judges are actress Donna Mills and Allyson Thurber.
13. Grand Finale
Aired 30 June 2001 • 22 min
The three winners of semifinals 1, 2 and 3 compete in a three-course meal challenge; judges are B. Smith and MasterChef 2000 winner, Nancy Vaziri.