‘MasterChef’ recap: The Three Musketeers are back in action

Fess up, “MasterChef” fans. How many times?

As in, how many times did you find yourself choking back tears (or, perhaps, rolling your eyes) during the two-hour debut of Season 4 of the prime-time show that puts the home cook center stage.

Sure, the winner of this reality show competition walks away with $250,000 (cash, we are led to believe) but you can’t help but get the idea that the men and women seriously vying for the title would do it all for free.

PHOTOS: Hollywood backlot moments

Like everyone, they’re just looking for validation for their all-encompassing passion. If you are a home cook you can’t help but imagine yourself cooking for the trio of judges: restaurant owner Joe Bastianich and chefs Gordon Ramsay and Graham Elliot.

Four seasons in, the show has perfected the recipe for taking viewers on an emotional roller-coaster ride with a touch of the oddball thrown in.

Or a robot. Or a marriage proposal. Or an ostrich. Or water bugs (!) for eating.

In a media conference call earlier this week, Bastianich said he believes the celebration of the oft-overlooked home cook is far and away the key to the show’s ratings success.

But he added that the returning panel of judges also plays a role in the show’s popularity, and he’s right.

While other competition shows seems to change judges as often as one changes underwear, the three “MasterChef’ judges have been intact from the very beginning. That allows the viewer at home to play along, predicting which judge will like -- or dislike -- a particular dish, or a particular competitor.

By now, we all know: If you make Italian, you’d better bring it or Bastianich will kick you out the door. Elliot enjoys a well presented dish -- but he’s all about taste, and believes it trumps all. Ramsay is Mr. Technique.

Who were your favorite competitors so far? Jordan? Christine? Jesse? (Gotta hand it to Jesse, she did not back down from tha filet of fish challenge.) Don’t get too attached, though. Half of them will be going home -- next week.

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