MasterChef Paraguay
MasterChef Paraguay is a Paraguayan competitive cooking reality show, based on the original British series of MasterChef, open to amateur and home chefs. Produced by Chena TV, it debuted on April 3, 2018 on Telefuturo.
Amateur chefs compete to become the best amateur home cook in Paraguay through challenges issued by judges Nicolás Bo, Eugenia Aquino and José Torrijos. Paola Maltese is the main host.
Format
Amateur chefs were initially selected through auditions, selecting a total of two hundred competitors to the start of the televised competition. After the preliminary round, the competitors had an opportunity to prepare a signature dish for the trio of judges.The contestants were given a limited amount of time to prep their dish, and then given five minutes before the three judges to complete the cooking and assembly of the dish, during which the judges ask about their background.
The 3 judges taste the dish, and vote "yes" or "no" to keeping the chef in the competition; 2 "yes" votes are required for the chef to move on and receive a MasterChef apron, while those that fail to do so leave the competition.
Two rounds are then used to trim the number of chefs to 18. One type of challenge has the chefs performing a routine task such as dicing onions, during which the judges will observe their technique.
Judges can advance a chef to the next round or eliminate them at any time during the challenge by taking their apron. A second type of challenge is to have the chefs invent a new dish around a staple ingredient or a theme, with the judges advancing or eliminating players based on the taste of their dishes.
In the third season, the semi-finalists competed in duels of two or three people, where they had to cook a dish with a specific topic; the winner received an apron. There was then a final last-chance cook-off to select the last participant.
Subsequently, the formal competition begins typically following a 2-event cycle that takes place over a 90-minute episode, with a chef eliminated after the second event. The events typically are: Mystery Box Challenge, Team Challenge, Elimination Test and Pressure Test.
This cycle continues until only two chefs remain. The judges then select the winner of MasterChef.
Challenges
The events typically are:- Mystery Box: Cooks are all given a box with the same ingredients and must use only those ingredients to create a dish within a fixed amount of time. The judges will taste the dishes, and then select one winner who will gain an advantage in the next test.
- Team Challenge: The cooks are taken to an off-site location and are split into 2 teams by the team captains, with the cook with the best dish in the previous test getting first pick. The teams will typically have to prepare a meal for a number of diners in a limited amount of time or engage in a "restaurant takeover or pop-up restaurant" taking the place of the staff of a particular restaurant. Diners taste both meals and vote for their favourite, causing a team to forfeit a vote if a diner does not end receiving their meal. The winning team advances, while the losing team will participate in the elimination test upon returning to the MasterChef kitchen.
- Elimination Test: The chefs are given a fixed amount of time to complete the dish. Judges evaluate all dishes based on taste and visual appeal. The judges nominate the worst two to four dishes for elimination and criticize them before telling at least one of the home cooks to place their apron on their station and "leave the MasterChef kitchen", eliminating them.
- Pressure Test: Contestants must test their knowledge and skills. The best chef will be rewarded in some way, usually with immunity, ensuring their stay in the competition one week more, or will gain an advantage in the next test.
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Premiere Date | Finale Date | No. of Finalists | Winner | Runner-up | Judge 1 | Judge 2 | Judge 3 |
| 1 | 20 | April 3, 2018 | August 7, 2018 | 18 | María Liz Ocampos | Diego Brítez | Rodolfo Angenscheidt | Eugenia Aquino | José Torrijos |
| 2 | 20 | August 14, 2018 | December 18, 2018 | 18 | Nancy Talavera | Verónica Pereira | Rodolfo Angenscheidt | Eugenia Aquino | José Torrijos |
| 3 | 22 | April 1, 2019 | August 19, 2019 | 21 | Joaquín Alcorta | Fernando Fabio | Nicolás Bo | Eugenia Aquino | José Torrijos |
First Season (2018)
Top 18
| Contestant | Age | Residence | Occupation | Winnings | Finish | Place |
 María Liz Ocampos | 34 | Mariano Roque Alonso | Nurse | 9 | Episode 20 | 1 |
| Diego Brítez | 31 | Fernando de la Mora | Merchant | 11 | Episode 20 | 2 |
| Isabel Krause | 24 | Ciudad del Este | Student | 6 | Episode 20 | 3 |
 Joseph Hsu | 24 | Ciudad del Este | Merchant | 6 | Episode 19 | 4 |
| Alan Paiva | 40 | Caaguazú | Manager | 8 | Episode 18 | 5 |
| Luis Rojas | 32 | Asunción | Merchant | 4 | Episode 17 | 6 |
 Mauricio Machado | 50 | Asunción | Metrologist | 1 | Episode 16 | 7 |
| Adriana Navratil | 19 | Capitán Miranda | Student | 4 | Episode 15 | 8 |
| Arcenio Ortega | 81 | Lambaré | Industrial technician | 2 | Episode 13 | 9 |
| Tania Casañas | 25 | Villarrica | Psychologist | 0 | Episode 12 | 10 |
| Herminia Núñez | 60 | Asunción | Housewife | 3 | Episode 11 | 11 |
 Isaac Espinosa | 22 | Asunción | Dustman | 2 | Episode 10 | 12 |
| Toribia Saucedo | 49 | Asunción | Housewife | 2 | Episode 8 | 13 |
| Erika Sganzella | 50 | Asunción | Surgeon | 3 | Episode 7 | 14 |
| Fabián Santander | 23 | Asunción | Barman | 1 | Episode 6 | 15 |
| Mercedes Pitta | 20 | San Lorenzo | Student | 0 | Episode 5 | 16 |
| Evelin Giménez | 34 | Tobatí | Housewife | 0 | Episode 4 | 17 |
| Renato González | 26 | Ciudad del Este | Manager | 0 | Episode 3 | 18 |
Elimination table
Key
Second Season (2018)
Top 18
| Contestant | Age | Residence | Occupation | Winnings | Finish | Place |
| Nancy Talavera | 33 | Presidente Franco | Housemaid | 11 | Episode 20 | 1 |
| Verónica "Veró" Pereira | 28 | Asunción | Make-up artist | 11 | Episode 20 | 2 |
| Fernando Ramírez | 34 | Asunción | Merchant | 6 | Episode 19 | 3 |
| Tatiana Renna | 42 | San Lorenzo | Housewife | 6 | Episode 18 | 4 |
| Jorgelina Salgado | 27 | Asunción | Insurance agent | 3 | Episode 17 | 5 |
| Sara Cheblis | 28 | Asunción | Barista | 4 | Episode 16 | 6 |
| Francisca "Kiki" Jara | 61 | Villa Elisa | Housewife | 7 | Episode 15 | 7 |
| Diego Paredes | 31 | Asunción | Lawyer / Firefighter | 3 | Episode 14 | 8 |
| Armando Riveros | 39 | Coronel Oviedo | Councilman | 4 | Episode 13 | 9 |
 Karen Chiri | 29 | San Lorenzo | Craftswoman | 2 | Episode 11 | 10 |
| Juan Marcelo Torres | 32 | Villa Elisa | Civil engineer | 0 | Episode 9 | 11 |
| Joaquín Alcorta | 32 | Fernando de la Mora | Graphic designer | 2 | Episode 9 | 12 |
| Rolando Raúl Núñez | 25 | Fernando de la Mora | Former football player | 2 | Episode 8 | 13 |
| Ulises León | 57 | Asunción | Architect | 2 | Episode 7 | 14 |
| Ingrid Armoa | 44 | Asunción | Lawyer / Radio presenter | 0 | Episode 6 | 15 |
| Nora Sánchez | 28 | Fernando de la Mora | Nurse | 1 | Episode 5 | 16 |
| Aldana Damelio | 24 | Asunción | Student | 1 | Episode 4 | 17 |
| Javier Manera | 30 | Ciudad del Este | Merchant | 0 | Episode 3 | 18 |
Elimination table
Key
Third Season (2019)
Top 21
| Contestant | Age | Residence | Occupation | Winnings | Finish | Place |
| Joaquín Alcorta | 33 | Fernando de la Mora | Graphic designer/Season 2 Contestant | 9 | Episode 22 | 1 |
| Fernando Fabio | 42 | Asunción | Crane driver | 6 | Episode 22 | 2 |
| Isaías Ledesma | 20 | Coronel Oviedo | Student | 9 | Episode 21 | 3 |
| Ricardo Aranda | 22 | Villa Hayes / Limpio | Student | 8 | Episode 20 | 4 |
| Noelia Leguizamón | 38 | Fernando de la Mora | Dentist | 5 | Episode 19 | 5 |
| Juliana Sosa | 22 | Asunción | Student | 1 | Episode 18 | 6 |
| Marta "Martita" Martínez | 27 | San Lorenzo | Musician | 3 | Episode 17 | 7 |
| Walter Galeano | 38 | Mariano Roque Alonso | Night watchman | 4 | Episode 16 | 8 |
| Andrea Vera | 22 | Ñemby | Housewife | 4 | Episode 15 | 9 |
 Ross Collins | 54 | Asunción | University professor | 4 | Episode 12 | 10 |
| Armando Costa | 28 | Hernandarias | Merchant | 1 | Episode 11 | 11 |
 Demian Matos | 41 | Asunción | Merchant | 3 | Episode 10 | 12 |
| Perla Orué | 56 | Asunción | Dressmaker | 1 | Episode 9 | 13 |
| Laura Chamorro | 26 | San Lorenzo | Student | 3 | Episode 8 | 14 |
| César Ocampos | 25 | Itacurubí del Rosario / Lambaré | Bartender | 2 | Episode 8 | 15 |
| Ruth "Ruthy" Ubrán | 26 | Asunción | Nutritionist | 1 | Episode 7 | 16 |
| Cecilia Paredes | 31 | Encarnación | Make-up artist | 0 | Episode 6 | 17 |
| Carlos Pereira | 38 | Ciudad del Este | Stylist | 0 | Episode 5 | 18 |
| Rita Benítez | 30 | Lambaré / Asunción | Make-up artist | 0 | Episode 4 | 19 |
| Ruth González | 71 | Formosa / Luque | Housewife | 0 | Episode 3 | 20 |
| Víctor Sacco | 48 | Asunción | Business advisor | 0 | Episode 3 | 21 |
Elimination table
Key
MasterChef Profesionales
| Season | Episodes | Premiere Date | Finale Date | No. of Finalists | Winner | Runner-up | Judge 1 | Judge 2 | Judge 3 |
| 1 | 16 | September 9, 2019 | December 23, 2019 | 18 | Julián Endara | Rodrigo León | Nicolás Bo | Eugenia Aquino | José Torrijos |
First Season (2019)
Top 18
| Contestant | Age | Residence | Occupation | Winnings | Finish | Place |
 Julián Endara | 37 | Asunción | Chef owner | 10 | Episode 16 | 1 |
| Rodrigo León | 25 | Asunción | Chef of restaurant | 5 | Episode 16 | 2 |
| Juan Ángel Villamayor | 39 | San Bernardino | Independent chef | 7 | Episode 15 | 3–4 |
| Waldino "Waldi" Riveros | 46 | Luque | Executive chef | 3 | Episode 15 | 3–4 |
 Carolina Ronquillo | 31 | Asunción | Chef owner | 7 | Episode 14 | 5 |
| Walter Ferreira | 39 | Lambaré | Executive chef | 1 | Episode 13 | 6 |
| Lizzi Piñánez | 28 | Pirayú | Independent chef | 1 | Episode 12 | 7 |
| Pedro "Peta" Rüger | 41 | Asunción | Independent chef | 3 | Episode 11 | 8 |
| Sergio Vera | 23 | Luque | Sous-chef of restaurant/steakhouse | 2 | Episode 10 | 9 |
| Osvaldo Villalba | 37 | Asunción | Chef of restaurant | 1 | Episode 9 | 10–11 |
| Regina Cabañas | 25 | Asunción | Chef of restaurant | 4 | Episode 9 | 10–11 |
| Leticia Duarte | 36 | Fernando de la Mora | Chef owner | 1 | Episode 8 | 12 |
| Gabriel "Negro" Riveros | 44 | Luque | Chef owner of restaurant/barbecue | 0 | Episode 7 | 13 |
| Alexander "Alex" Cardozo | 25 | Asunción | Chef de cuisine | 1 | Episode 6 | 14 |
| Karina Ruiz Díaz | 35 | Asunción | Chef de cuisine | 1 | Episode 5 | 15 |
| Eduardo Caballero | 35 | Luque / Capiatá | Chef de cuisine | 1 | Episode 4 | 16 |
| Juan Ávila | 25 | Mariano Roque Alonso | Chef owner | 0 | Episode 3 | 17–18 |
| Pablo Mármol | 42 | Asunción | Chef de cuisine | 0 | Episode 3 | 17–18 |
Elimination table
Key