Charles Lafortune is really very confident that his adaptation of “MasterChef” will delight the hearts of Quebecers in addition to scoring a big blow for TVA.
Resumed around the world, the culinary competition will borrow the codes of daily fictions, such as “Indefensible”, to bring spectators back the next day and will focus on attachment to the candidates, laughter, tears, strategy, surprise and passion for cooking to hook his audience.
“I think people are going to be very attached, very intrigued and at dinner time like that, I have the impression that if you eat a little bit late, you’re going to be hungry while listening to “MasterChef”” said namely Charles Lafortune, who produces the Quebec adaptation with his company Pixcom, Tuesday afternoon, seated behind the show’s kitchens. According to him, this is the kind of program that was missing from the TVA schedule.
Hosted and judged by Martin Picard and Stefano Faita, the Quebec adaptation, whose filming is already well advanced, will be deployed in 30-minute daily sessions. In a setting inspired by the American version, “MasterChef Québec” has kept the competition’s trademark. From January onwards, we will find the mystery box, the elimination challenges, and the creative challenges, but also the lounge, the pop-up restaurant and the huge pantry.
“I am happy to see the evolution of Martin and Stefano and the pleasure they take more and more in tasting the candidates’ dishes. There is no complacency. They say what they really think and that’s what makes the “show” super relevant. I also like to see the importance that the candidates give to the comments of the judges and their desire to win”, for his part underlined the director Guillaume St-Arnaud (“Get Me Out of Here”), between the filming of two episodes.
Martin Picard and Stefano Faita during the recording of an episode of “MasterChef Québec”, Tuesday December 5, 2023.
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“I’m convinced it’s going to be a success. The emotion is so high,” added the director while confiding that the candidates had quickly bonded with each other.
Among the 4,700 registrations, the production chose 35 participants for the auditions of the famous white apron which will give access to the competition. Of this number, 16 amateur chefs have officially joined the ranks of the brigade.
They are colorful people with different profiles and important culinary skills. We could therefore find an engineer or even a roofer who has the unfulfilled dream of being a chef, explained Mr. St-Arnaud.
Guillaume St-Arnaud on the set of “MasterChef Québec”, Tuesday December 5, 2023.
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Put end to end, “MasterChef” is more than 500 seasons around the world, available in 70 versions, in around twenty territories. “There’s a whole Bible that comes with that,” advised Charles Lafortune, who says he sometimes watches the set’s cameras from his offices.
With a few regional dishes on the menu, it is mainly Quebec products that will be highlighted in the local adaptation. “I think Quebecers are very interested in food in general, we are adventurous. There are a lot of cuisines that mix. […] But as soon as you put a culture in a format, the format adapts immediately,” recalled Charles Lafortune. The producer also admitted to having feared for his team when the cuts at TVA were announced in recent weeks.
“I am a child of TVA. I started hosting here, I was 29-30 years old. There’s a lot of people I grew up with here doing shows. I was very saddened by that, but I fully intend, when we have a second season, to bring back the people who were on the show,” he said.
“MasterChef Québec” will begin on January 8 on TVA.