If you have ever watched any competitive reality television
cooking show like Masterchef or The Next Food Network Star, at some
point you probably think "how did they come up with these people?"
or "I know I could do better than that!" Since the competitiors for
these programs are chosen from people from all walks of life, in
theory you have as good a chance as anyone to be on the show.
So what's it like to try out for the show? Someone who has been
there - she applied for Masterchef - tells Salon what the process is
like. Jessie Glenn made it all the way from the initial
submission of a video to the on-screen tryouts in Los Angeles. She
shares her experience, and after reading her story, you will
probably not be rushing to submit your application to any cooking
show.
Shows like Masterchef do not want contestants, or even people
who try out to be contestants, to talk about the experience.
However, Glenn did not submit the forms that bound her to secrecy,
so she's sharing a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what happens up to
the point of getting that coveted apron.
She describes the obvious attempt to make sure the contestants
question themselves and to manipulate their feelings, along with an
intense sense of pressure. Glenn's experience rings true to me - I
also tried out for the program several years ago, although I did
not make it quite as far as she did.