I Had Dinner On The Set Of MasterChef And It Wasn't What I Expected

I love a good cooking competition show. From Top Chef to "Hell's Kitchen," "Chopped" to "Iron Chef," there are too many to choose from. It doesn't matter if you want to watch professional chefs battle it out in a cooking arena or amateur chefs compete for a large monetary prize; odds are, there's a show that fits whichever mold you like. One of our favorites is Fox's "MasterChef."

Gracing television screens since 2010, the reality show pits amateur chefs against each other in a variety of competitions for the title of MasterChef. Hosted by Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, and Aarón Sánchez, this show has everything an audience wants in a cooking competition: amazing food, intrigue among contestants, and plenty of yelling... usually from Ramsay. But all that drama leads to plenty of wealth. Not only do the winners get a hefty monetary prize, they are usually catapulted to instant fame. Some open restaurants, some publish cookbooks, and others turn their fortunes into wildly popular food trucks.

So, when Mashed was invited to participate in an episode, I was beside myself. I'd finally get to witness firsthand what goes on behind the scenes while hopefully tasting some amazing food. While I did enjoy some delectable dishes, the experience wasn't quite everything I'd hoped it would be. 

I've been to plenty of outdoor bistros. So, when I entered Ramsay's Rooftop, it took me a minute before I realized I wasn't eating at another Gordon Ramsay restaurant but rather a set in the middle of downtown Los Angeles. Wooden tables and white love seats covered the astroturf rooftop. Stunning centerpieces of autumn-colored Gerber daisies and roses dotted each table, and sleek silverware was wrapped in red or blue cloth napkins. Even the heat lamps were showstoppers: giant white and black lamps that looked like something out of "Alice in Wonderland" just so the patrons wouldn't get cold. Servers dressed in black served each course, and, similar to a real restaurant, they ensured my water and wine glasses were never empty.

But it was all just window dressing. Once seated, it became clear this wasn't just some restaurant "MasterChef" had taken over. Blankets were hidden around the set in case the guests got cold during dinner, and those red and blue napkins were how Joe Bastianich and Aarón Sánchez knew which tables to attend to. See, those napkins represented which team was making your food. I got the blue team, so Chef Sánchez (the blue team's coach) was my host for the evening. Every time he visited my table, so did several cameras. Those cameras captured every bite, comment, and critique that was made by Sánchez and the diners. 

While the dinner took several hours to shoot, there were only two courses: an appetizer and a main course, and each course had two options. The appetizer had two different kinds of shellfish: scallops and lobster. But I didn't get to choose our dish; I just ate what was placed in front of me. Out of the two selections, the scallops were definitely the inferior choice.

They were so thin that we believed the chefs had either pounded them with a metal mallet or sliced them in half. Because of their slight stature, I didn't get that luscious meatiness I look for in a scallop. Flavor-wise, they were fine, rich with a nice tang, thanks to the citrus vinaigrette, but the overall feeling at our table was that the scallops were overcooked. The cauliflower purée had a delightfully velvety texture, and the simple salad added a nice herbaceousness that elevated the dish. But it wasn't enough to give Sánchez a glowing review.

Even though the toughness of the scallops might not guarantee a team's loss, a lack of scallops would. Each plate was supposed to come with five, and while most did receive the allotted amount, one diner at my table only received three. He felt cheated and made it known not only to us, his fellow tablemates, but to Sánchez and the cameras as well.

Lobster bisque is one of my favorite dishes, especially on a chilly night. Usually thick and creamy with large chunks of lobster floating throughout, it's like a velvety blanket that coats the throat. So, when I was told lobster bisque was going to be one of the appetizers, I hoped and prayed that the soup would be the appetizer I'd get. Although I received the lobster dish, it was not the rich soup I was expecting. Sure, there was lobster, but there was no luscious soup surrounding it. Instead, I found a small lobster tail sliced into four distinct pieces drizzled with a sauce and some baby vegetables. 

Much like prime rib at a buffet, the lobster tail had several doneness options. Even though that works for a large roast served at a buffet, it's not the ideal choice for lobster. A lobster tail should be cooked medium the whole way through, and unfortunately, that was not the case here. Instead, the tail was tough and rubbery at the end. Thankfully, as I moved up, the tail became light and buttery, just the texture we normally desire when eating this particular shellfish. While the drizzle of sauce and fricassee of baby vegetables were a nice touch, they just couldn't improve upon the overcooked lobster.

This was another dish I was excited to sample, as I'll eat duck any time it's listed on a restaurant menu. While I was concerned about the entrée after the quality of the cook on the first two dishes, I still had high hopes for the poultry. The dish was absolutely beautiful to behold, a stunning array of greens, yellows, and purples, making it clear the cooks had been schooled on how to plate the entrées after the previous appetizer mishaps. 

Once I got over the beauty of the plate, I dug in. I was thrilled to discover that the duck was, far and away, the best dish of the evening. The skin was crisp, and the meat was cooked perfectly. It was so tender, the meat practically melted in my mouth. And the skin was so crispy, I would have been happy eating that on its own. The beets, beet greens, and pickled blackberries were the perfect accouterments, adding a delightful tang to contrast the savoriness of the duck. 

But this dish didn't come without drama. Before the second course was served, I was told that Chef Ramsay was so unhappy with the blue team and how they were cooking the duck that he supposedly picked up a breast and threw it across the kitchen set. Maybe that act was enough to finally get the blue team back on track because this dish was far and away the highlight of the night.

Just like the appetizer, there were only two choices for the entrée: duck or New York steak. Even though I was thrilled to get the roasted duck, I thought I'd be just as happy with the steak. It turned out, I got the better of the two dishes. 

Even though the plate looked amazing, with a gorgeous steak sitting on top of a Jerusalem artichoke purée and several pieces of braised fennel surrounding the meat, I discovered the steak wasn't always cooked well. Some guests received a steak with a perfect medium-rare all the way through, while others weren't so lucky. One diner at my table said his steak was well done at one end and totally rare at the other, forcing him to scour the cut to find the edible sections. The black garlic added a delightful umami angle  that elevated the overall dish, but it just wasn't enough to overcome the rare piece of meat. This dish added yet another notch to the blue team's already fraying belt. 

Overall, dining at Ramsay's Rooftop and being a part of the "Mashed" shoot made for an interesting evening. Even though it was a chilly night in downtown Los Angeles, I ended up having a delightful time and a decent meal. A meal that came from the losing team, but a delightful meal nonetheless. There was really only one part of the night by which I was disappointed: I wish I could've seen the show happening in the kitchen. 

I was told that I'd be sitting right by the kitchen, so I was sure I'd get a wonderful meal while watching the Gordon Ramsay show, complete with plenty of chastising, screaming, and throwing. Unfortunately, all I got was a lovely meal and delightful conversation from my tablemates. I was indeed seated right next to the kitchen, but there was a huge wall between us and the set, which meant I didn't see any of the fireworks that went on that night. Everyone was so disappointed, especially after we heard from others that the show in the kitchen was totally popcorn-worthy, complete with plenty of screaming and food throwing.

Don't misunderstand; I was thrilled to be included in this fun event and give my food reviews to Aarón Sánchez on camera. I just wish I could have had the whole experience.