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The following contains spoilers for MasterChef Season 12, Episodes 1 and 2, "Back to Win - Audition Battles" and "Back to Win - Audition Battles, Part 2," which premiered Wednesday, May 25 and June 1 on Fox.
Masterchef has returned to Fox for Season 12 with a twist. Back to Win is bringing back former contestants from the prior 11 iterations, including some contestants from MasterChef Junior who are all grown up. The return of fan favorites is always great, but MasterChef's format makes it a perfect vehicle for this comeback season.
The veteran cooking show relies on an audition process in which home cooks prepare a single dish to wow the judges and gain admission into the competition. MasterChef brought 40 former contestants back for a shot at redemption and only 20 chefs will earn their white aprons and actually participate in the season. While Top Chef contestants return often, this is the first version of MasterChef to focus on previous competitors.
The audition process allows for a large cast while still ensuring that each contestant gets adequate attention. MasterChef prides itself on giving home cooks professional-level experience, even when the contestants are children, and the results of this training are on full display in Season 12. Contestants are brought forth in pre-determined groups to audition and viewers are treated to an update on what the chefs have been up to since they left the show. Micah Yaroch was a standout in Season 10 and did not get an apron in the audition process this time, but the show was able to convey his great personal growth in just a few quick segments. He went from being admittedly insecure to a wonderfully confident professional pastry chef. The audition format means that the show can pack 40 such triumphs into a short amount of time. For those waiting for Food Wars to return, MasterChef offers chef battles similar to the anime but also showcases each individual.
The judges established strong relationships with these contestants in prior seasons which make the show even better. Each season, at least one or two contestants freeze up around the judges, but the Back to Win theme eliminates that possibility. Comfortable players make for great television and great banter. Season 12, Episode 2, "Back to Win - Audition Battles Part 2" saw Tommy Walton engage in a playful back and forth with intimidating judge Joe Bastianich that could only come with a certain level of trust and comfort. The relationships also make the judges' elimination decisions more dramatic, since they have to cut people into whom they have become deeply invested.
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When the audition phase is finished, having returning players should improve the already high quality of MasterChef's challenges. They never quite reach the esoteric levels of making Dr. Strange-themed pizza poppers, but they do require a certain level of creativity and thought. Returning contestants should know the in and outs of the challenges and elevate the quality of their dishes as a result. MasterChef hopefuls make food that always looks delicious, but given that many of those featured in Back to Win are now professionals in the food industry, the expectations for great food are at an all-time high. The show will have to rethink old challenges or invent new ones to keep the contestants on their toes.
MasterChef's unique structure allows for a myriad of returning contestants in Season 12, all of whom get adequate camera time. The large cast and the variety of advantages that having familiar faces provides proves that the Fox series is well-suited for comeback seasons. Fans can look forward to this new season with even more excitement -- and maybe it won't be the last one in this particular format.
MasterChef airs Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. on Fox.