Gone are the days when cooking was regarded as just for housewives. It’s the new swing that everybody dances to.

Ordinary plating? Forget it. Now more people want to learn about garnishing and how to appreciate food on suitable tableware. MasterChef is changing the way people see chefs as a professional career. Parents are no longer defensive upon hearing their children’s decisions to enroll in cooking schools and boyfriends who cook are starting to look hotter.

Success in attracting an audience has brought the second season of MasterChef Indonesia to RCTI this year. Producer Adam Sugriwo promises to bring “a bolder, bigger and better” spectacle to the show that is expected to return to the air on July 8.

“This season is about heart. There will be touching scenes and emotions such as happiness and sadness. The bond between the judges and the participants will be greater,” he told The Jakarta Post.

As in the first season, the second series will have three judges, but this time Vindex Valentino Tengker will be replaced by Degan Septoadji Suprijadi, a former executive chef of the Banyan Tree Bangkok in Thailand with almost 30 years of experience.

Adam said that this year, Vindex had a tight schedule that could not fit into the daily shooting routine of MasterChef Indonesia. Degan was chosen for his expertise in the culinary and hospitality industry in Indonesia and abroad.

The two other judges are Rinrin Marinka, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Australia, and Junior “Juna” Rorimpandey, who has 14 years of culinary experience in the US. Adam said the second season of the show would also give a close look at Juna’s deeper passion in transferring his knowledge to participants.

Known for his sharp tongue and criticism, Juna has been loved and hated by the audience and participants. The man said he hoped participants can get a glimpse of the hardships in the industry.

“I want to put into their mind that the first thing they should have in this industry is discipline. Not many people know that professional kitchen is militaristic,” he said.

 “I believe that nothing is impossible for people who put 100 percent of their mind into something. I am living proof,” he said.

Originally aired by UK’s BBC, MasterChef has appeared in several versions, such as the original MasterChef series, MasterChef: The Professionals for working chefs, Celebrity MasterChef for public figures and Junior MasterChef for children. The show — dedicated to people aged between 18 and 60 who have a passion for cooking — has inspired spin-offs in 20 countries, including Indonesia.

In the Indonesian version, 60 out of thousands of people were chosen during auditions in four major cities. The contestants later went through an elimination process in preliminary episodes, leaving 30 and later 20 participants with the right to wear the white MasterChef aprons.

Adam said the second season would cover topics not shown in the first season, such as the drama of the audition
process, where the 60 participants would be reduced to 30.

“We will have a boot camp that selects those who really have the basic skills. The top 20 participants will enter a gallery that is more luxurious than the first season last year,” he said.

Unlike Australia’s MasterChef, which airs some training sessions from prominent chefs, Adam said the training sessions in MasterChef Indonesia would be off air.

Juna said he had no certain expectations for the participants, but he wants to make sure that those who make it into the top five deserve the position.

“Whatever the motivations that bring the participants here, they need to know that they enter my industry. This is a reality show focusing on the cooking world — my world — and I can tell which ones really want to work in the kitchen,” he said.

MasterChef Indonesia Season 2
Saturday and Sunday, RCTI,
5:30 p.m.

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