# MasterChef Italia

MasterChef Italia is the Italian version of culinary talent show MasterChef. The first edition was aired from 21 September to 7 December 2011 on Sky Uno.
The judges are chefs Bruno Barbieri, Carlo Cracco, Antonino Cannavacciuolo by the fifth edition and restaurateur Joe Bastianich (judge of MasterChef U.S.). Voiceovers are made by Simone D'Andrea and Luisa Ziliotto for the first five editions, Stefania Nali for the sixth and seventh and Ilaria Egitto from the eighth. Carlo Cracco quit the program after the end of 6th season and was replaced by Antonia Klugmann in the 7th. Antonia Klugmann was in turn replaced by Giorgio Locatelli for Season 8.
MasterChef Italia winners earn €100,000 in gold coins and get to publish a recipe book (published by RCS Rizzoli).
The success of the first edition included parodies of the program, including The Scoured, Crozza in Wonderland and Made in Sud with the parody Mastrochef

## Format

* Mystery Box Challenge: participants have to prepare a dish following the instructions of the judges and the ingredients contained in their Mystery Boxes. The judges taste the three most interesting dishes, and the winner is given an advantage for the next challenge.
* Invention Test: the participants have to re-create a dish decided by the judges or, often, by a guest (including renowned figures such as Marco Pierre White, Masaharu Morimoto and Matt Preston). The winner of the Mystery Box Challenge is given an advantage over the other participants, which could go as far as being exempted from the challenge. The duration of this test is variable, and here the judges, after tasting all dishes, nominate the winner of the test (who can choose their own team in the challenge in external as well as having other benefits) and the three cooks with the worst outcome, and between them at least one is eliminated (sometimes the others are sent directly to the Pressure Test).
* Team Challenge: in this test, the candidates are divided into two teams (or challenge each other) and have to prepare dishes to be served in a particular situation, usually outside MasterChef's kitchen, and for a considerable number of people, ranging from 100 to 10. MasterChef Italia has visited several locations in Italy and abroad, including Norwegian fjords, the Vatican, Naples. The winner of the invention test can choose the components of either teams and, at times, the courses to prepare, or have other particular advantages, such as advice from local chefs. The winning team will be voted upon by the guests they prepared food for, by simple majority.
* Pressure Test: the members of the losing team will compete against each other in a task (or set of tasks), usually with a very strict time limit, until at least one of them is eliminated.
* Duel: if foreseen, the worst competitor in the Invention Test and the worst competitor in the Pressure Test or the two worst competitors in the Pressure Test compete in a very demanding test with very little time available, at the end of which one of the two is eliminated.
* Skill Test: present since the ninth edition and alternated in the episodes with the sequence of Team Challenge and Pressure Test, requires the competitors to take a surprise exam on a specific skill, divided into three steps, each assigned to a judge, where the worst is eliminated.
* Golden Mystery Box: the competitors must create a dish using all or some of the ingredients found inside a box, often with unexpected events and additional rules that make everything more difficult, regarding the particular cooking technique or the obligatory or prohibited use of a particular ingredient or tool. At the end of the test, the judges move between the stations to observe the dishes and then taste the best dishes, usually more than 3. The winners go up to the balcony and directly access the outdoor test or the next Skill Test.
* Black Mystery Box: the competitors must create a dish using all or some of the ingredients found inside a box, often with unexpected events and additional rules that make everything more difficult, regarding the particular cooking technique or the obligatory or prohibited use of a particular ingredient or tool. At the end of the test, the judges move between the stations to observe the dishes and the winning competitor receives a lesson in the MasterChef Magazine. The judges then call the worst dishes, and the 3 worst will face a Pressure Test.
* Stress Test: introduced in the thirteenth edition, competitors must pass a skills exam in 10 minutes, to demonstrate that they are able to work under pressure. The test is led by a "shadow" chef whose identity is revealed shortly before the start of the test.
* The Final: in the Season Finale, the two (or three) remaining participants face each other in a 2-hour long duel, during which they have to serve their own degustation menu, composed of at least four courses.

## Season One

The first season of MasterChef Italy aired from 21 September to 7 December in 2011 on Sky and saw Spyros Theodoridis come out the winner. In addition, on 21 and 28 December, two special episodes were aired dedicated to the background and to the comments of the protagonists.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Fred Reitsma | 58 | Trade agent | Livorno, Tuscany | Eliminated 1st | 18th |
| Paolo Vidoz | 40 | Former boxer and farmer | Gorizia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Eliminated 2nd | 17th |
| Marìka Gennari | 30 | Athlete | Novara, Piedmont | Eliminated 3rd | 16th |
| Davide Spadoni | 23 | Employee | La Spezia, Liguria | Eliminated 4th | 15th |
| Diego Spatari | 40 | Skipper | Firenze, Tuscany | Eliminated 5th | 14th |
| Alessandro de Sio | 27 | Bartender | Salerno, Campania | Eliminated 6th | 13th |
| Agnese Malatesti | 33 | Event organizer | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 7th | 12th |
| Giada Serra | 20 | Oriental language student | Varese, Lombardy | Eliminated 8th | 11th |
| Anna Lupi | 48 | Former dancer | Verona, Veneto | Eliminated 9th | 10th |
| Enea Mazzoleni | 23 | Architectonic restorer | Bergamo, Lombardy | Eliminated 10th | 9th |
| Chiara Orioli | 26 | Personal trainer | Brescia, Lombardy | Eliminated 11th | 8th |
| Alberico Nunziata | 34 | Air Force sergeant | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 12th | 7th |
| Federico Stefanini | 28 | 3D Graphic designer | Parma, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 13th | 6th |
| Giuseppe Danny D'Annibale | 30 | Engineering student | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 14th | 5th |
| Immacolata Imma Gargiulo | 38 | Housewife | Napoli, Campania | Eliminated 15th | 4th |
| Ilenia Bazzacco | 38 | Housewife | Treviso, Veneto | Eliminated 16th | 3rd |
| Luisa Cuozzo | 23 | Political science student | Napoli, Campania | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Spyros Theodoridis | 37 | Employee | Modena, Emilia-Romagna | Winner | 1st |

## Season Two

In February 2012 Sky Italy opened up the casting for the second edition.
The winner of the second edition was attorney Tiziana Stefanelli. Unlike the previous edition, the first MasterChef aired on Sky One from 13 December 2012 to 21 February 2013. On days 19, 20 and 21 November 2012, three special introductory episodes had aired: Joe Bastianich: Family Affairs, Carlo Cracco:The Squaring Of The Egg and Bruno Barbieri: Chef 7-Star. In addition, the three judges were guests in an episode of X Factor Italy, of That Heavenly Goal! and The Barbarian Invasions.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Giorgio Gramegna | 32 | Graphic designer | Novara, Piedmont | Eliminated 1st | 18th |
| Regina Finocchiaro | 23 | Engineering student | Acireale, Sicily | Eliminated 2nd | 17th |
| Margherita Rigotti | 26 | Unemployed | Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige | Eliminated 3rd | 16th |
| Federico Bonadies | 33 | Engineer | Bari, Apulia | Eliminated 4th | 15th |
| Giorgio Anthony Ruggeri | 29 | Agriculture student | Ragusa, Sicily | Eliminated 5th | 14th |
| Letizia Fidotti | 24 | Law student | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 6th | 13th |
| Guido D'Eramo | 48 | Plumber | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 7th | 12th |
| Suien Sani | 25 | Unemployed | Pistoia, Tuscany | Eliminated 8th | 11th |
| Agnese Gullotta | 22 | Psychology student | Misterbianco, Sicily | Eliminated 9th | 10th |
| Michele Bendini | 34 | Veterinarian | Città di Castello, Umbria | Eliminated 10th | 9th |
| Nicola Dragani | 41 | Kitchen hand | Pescara, Abruzzo | Eliminated 11th | 8th |
| Paola Galloni | 39 | Housewife | Milan, Lombardy | Eliminated 12th | 7th |
| Daiana Cecconi | 53 | Housewife | Follonica, Tuscany | Eliminated 13th | 6th |
| Marika Elefante | 27 | Educational Sciences student | Napoli, Campania | Eliminated 14th | 5th |
| Ivan Iurato | 35 | Employee | Comiso, Sicily | Eliminated 15th | 4th |
| Andrea Marconetti | 37 | Computer programmer | Vimodrone, Lombardy | Eliminated 16th | 3rd |
| Maurizio Rosazza Prin | 33 | Painter and copywriter | Como, Lombardy | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Tiziana Stefanelli | 41 | Lawyer | Rome, Lazio | Winner | 1st |

## Season Three

In February 2013 casting opened for the third edition. The race started 19 December 2013 and ended on 6 March 2014. The winner of the third edition was Francesco Federico Ferrero, a medical intern. Unlike the other two editions, the winner was announced live at the General Stores in Milan. The season will be broadcast again on Cielo, a DTV channel, in September 2014.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Margherita Cicinelli | 18 | High school student | Giovinazzo, Apulia | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Haeri Youn | 31 | Housewife | Pioltello, Lombardy | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Daniele Pietrobelli | 29 | Videogames developer | Schio, Veneto | Eliminated 3st | 18th |
| Giovanna Walendziak | 35 | Employee | Altavilla Vicentina, Veneto | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Jessica Rizzetto | 25 | Worker | Pordenone, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Giorgio Deriu | 25 | Law student | Melendugno, Apulia | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Laura Castrataro | 48 | Unemployed | Rocchetta a Volturno, Molise | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Michele Guida | 45 | Worker | Ordona, Apulia | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Ludovica Baiocco | 30 | Housewife | Montecosaro, Marche | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Marco Gianfreda | 39 | Director | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Emma Sarr | 27 | Unemployed | Fossano, Piedmont | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Beatrice De Tullio | 23 | Management student | Pescara, Abruzzo | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Michele Cannistraro | 35 | Foreman | Rozzano, Lombardy | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Alberto Naponi | 69 | Retired | Cremona, Lombardy | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Rachida Karrati | 48 | Seamstress | Sorisole, Lombardy | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Eleonora Federici | 35 | Gemologist | Pavia, Lombardy | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Salvatore Russo | 40 | Sea captain | Piano di Sorrento, Campania | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Enrica Della Martira | 32 | Sales representative | Florence, Tuscany | Eliminated 18th | 3rd |
| Almo Bibolotti | 39 | Dog hotelier | Bari, Apulia | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Federico Francesco Ferrero | 39 | Nutritionist doctor | Turin, Piedmont | Winner | 1st |

## Season Four

In February 2014 casting opened for the fourth season scheduled for the second half of 2014 again on Sky Uno. Filming of these episodes will begin in June. MasterChef Italy started on 18 December 2014 and the winner was Stefano Callegaro. The winner's name was leaked by the media and published before the final episode of the season.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Gabriele Costantino | 46 | Business consultant | Arezzo, Tuscany | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Alessandro Clementi | 31 | Employee | Dairago, Lombardy | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Carmine Giovinazzo | 30 | Trucker | Codevigo, Veneto | Eliminated 3st | 18th |
| Ilaria Carratù | 24 | Sales representative | Naples, Campania | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Serena De Maio | 25 | Unemployed | Vicenza, Veneto | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Fabiano Mantovan | 41 | Craftsman | Porto Viro, Veneto | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Viola Melania Berti | 20 | Barlady | Milano, Lombardy | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Chiara Zanotti | 37 | Travel agent | Monterotondo, Lazio | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Silvana Amodeo | 32 | Housewife | Bitonto, Apulia | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Giuseppe Garozzo Zannini Quirini | 50 | Civil servant | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Filippo Cassano | 40 | Project manager | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Valentina Pozzato | 29 | Nurse | Biella, Piedmont | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Simone Finetti | 24 | Electrician | Argenta, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Federica Fiocchetti | 32 | Housewife | Padenghe sul Garda, Lombardy | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Maria Acquaroli | 27 | Wedding planner | Bergamo, Lombardy | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Arianna Contenti | 42 | Bank clerk | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Paolo Armando | 42 | Computer technician and catechist | Cuneo, Piedmont | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Amelia Falco | 26 | Economics student | Piana di Monte Verna, Campania | Eliminated 18th | 3rd |
| Nicolò Pietro Prati | 21 | Agriculture student | Milan, Lombardy | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Stefano Callegaro | 43 | Realtor | Adria, Veneto | Winner | 1st |

## Season Five

In February 2015 casting opened for the fifth season started on 18 December 2015, on Sky Uno. By this season there was a new entry, Antonino Cannavacciuolo as a new judge. The Season Finale aired on 3 March 2016, and the winner was Erica Liverani.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Jacopo Maraldi | 22 | Law student | Cesenatico, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Ivana Fulvia Acciaioli | 61 | Retired teacher | Prato, Tuscany | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Sabina Babura | 22 | Housewife | Pavullo nel Frignano, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 3st | 18th |
| Francesco Amato | 48 | Employee | Mestre, Veneto | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Beatrice Ronconi | 24 | Pig farmer | Marmirolo, Lombardy | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Alice Pasquato | 29 | Marketing manager | Brenta, Lombardy | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Luigi Muraro | 24 | Graphic designer | Zevio, Veneto | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Maria "Marzia" Bellino | 57 | Pharmacist | Casola Valsenio, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Laura Duchini | 40 | Unemployed | Bellinzona, Ticino | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Andrea Torelli | 33 | Photographer | Borgo Valsugana, Trentino-Alto Adige | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Giovanni Gaetani | 26 | PhD student in philosophy | Gaeta, Lazio | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Mattia D'Agostini | 21 | Waiter | Selvazzano Dentro, Veneto | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Sylvie Rondeau | 47 | Fashion designer | Casciago, Lombardy | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Rubina Rovini | 34 | Unemployed | Pontedera, Tuscany | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Dario Baruffa | 29 | Gas station attendant | Berra, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Lucia Giorgi | 50 | Shop assistant | Brescia, Lombardy | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Maradona Youssef | 28 | Educational Sciences student | Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Lorenzo De Guio | 23 | Butcher | Roana, Veneto | Eliminated 18th | 3rd |
| Alida Gotta | 25 | Unemployed | Turin, Piedmont | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Erica Liverani | 30 | Physiotherapist | Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna | Winner | 1st |

## Season Six

In February 2016 casting opened for the sixth season scheduled for the second half of 2016 on Sky Uno. The winner of this season was the youngest winner in MasterChef Italia History, Valerio Braschi (18 years old).

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Alves "Lalla" Pedriali | 61 | Retired teacher | Cesena, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Antonella Orsino | 37 | Accountant | Cusano Mutri, Campania | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Vittoria Polloni | 29 | Store manager | Brescia, Lombardy | Eliminated 3st | 18th |
| Alain Stratta | 33 | Insurance adjuster | Donnas, Aosta Valley | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Marco Moreschi | 40 | Entrepreneur | Gussago, Lombardy | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Marco Vandoni | 37 | Manager | Milan, Lombardy | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Barbara D'Aniello | 44 | Beautician | Verona, Veneto | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Maria Zaccagni | 29 | Employee | Bari, Apulia | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Daniele Cui | 37 | Stay-at-home dad | Selargius, Sardinia | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Roberto Perugini | 36 | Worker | Predappio, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Mariangela Gigante | 39 | Criminal lawyer | Castellaneta, Apulia | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Giulia Brandi | 30 | Shop keeper | Fermignano, Marche | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Gabriele Gatti | 46 | Architect | Turin, Piedmont | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Michele Pirozzi | 34 | Funeral item representative | San Felice a Cancello, Campania | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Michele Ghedini | 21 | High school student | Porto Mantovano, Lombardy | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Loredana Martori | 38 | Architecture consultant | San Giorgio Morgeto, Calabria | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Margherita Russo | 27 | Law student | Palermo, Sicily | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Gloria Enrico | 24 | Barlady | Tovo San Giacomo, Liguria | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Cristina Nicolini | 25 | Practicing lawyer | Fiorentino, San Marino | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Valerio Braschi | 18 | High school student | Santarcangelo di Romagna, Emilia-Romagna | Winner | 1st |

## Season Seven

In February 2017 casting opened for the seventh season scheduled for the end of the year. The 7th season started airing in December 2017 until April 2018. Carlo Cracco was replaced by the first woman judge, Antonia Klugmann. This edition was won by Simone Scipioni.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Simonetta Piccardo | 47 | Unemployed | Genova, Liguria | Eliminated 1st | 22nd |
| Tiziana Sassi | 43 | Housewife | Romano di Lombardia, Lombardy | Eliminated 2nd | 21st |
| Eri Koishi | 45 | Self-employed | Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Eliminated 3rd | 20th |
| Jose Oppi | 27 | Musician | Massarosa, Tuscany | Eliminated 4th | 19th |
| Stefano Biondi | 20 | Civil engineering student | Cagliari, Sardinia | Eliminated 5th | 18th |
| Michele Sardo | 35 | Cruise ship personnel | Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Eliminated 6th | 17th |
| Rocco Buffone | 28 | Chemistry teacher | Amantea, Calabria | Eliminated 7th | 16th |
| Joayda Herrera | 31 | Shop keeper | Campobasso, Molise | Eliminated 8th | 15th |
| Matteo Marchetto | 56 | Physical education teacher | Sovizzo, Veneto | Eliminated 9th | 14th |
| Italo Screpanti | 74 | Retired airplane pilot | Pedaso, Marche | Eliminated 10th | 13th |
| Giovanna Rosanio | 50 | Kindergarten teacher | Deruta, Umbria | Eliminated 11th | 12th |
| Manuela Costantini | 36 | Real estate consultant | Ascoli Piceno, Marche | Eliminated 12th | 11th |
| Fabrizio Ferri | 53 | Egg carrier | Pescara, Abruzzo | Eliminated 13th | 10th |
| Ludovica Starita | 19 | Linguistic mediation student | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 14th | 9th |
| Francesco Rozza | 23 | Food science student | Ticengo, Lombardy | Eliminated 15th | 8th |
| Antonino Bucolo | 36 | Butcher | Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Sicily | Eliminated 16th | 7th |
| Marianna Calderaro | 40 | Employee | Monopoli, Apulia | Eliminated 17th | 6th |
| Denise Delli | 35 | Clinical risk manager | Calci, Tuscany | Eliminated 18th | 5th |
| Davide Aviano | 36 | Radiographer | Varese, Lombardy | Eliminated 19th | 4th |
| Alberto Menino | 23 | Mycologist | Tortona, Piedmont | Eliminated 20th | 3rd |
| Kateryna Gryniukh | 23 | Unemployed | Salerno, Campania | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Simone Scipioni | 20 | Food science student | Montecosaro, Marche | Winner | 1st |

## Season Eight

The 8th season of MasterChef started airing in December 2018 until April 2019. Antonia Klugmann left MasterChef after only one season, being replaced by chef Giorgio Locatelli. The winner was Valeria Raciti from Sicily. She then published the book Amore curiosità istinto. La mia cucina felice.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Paola Chiaraluce | 36 | Product manager | Dublin, Ireland | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Caterina Gualdi | 53 | Housewife | Cene, Lombardy | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Tiziana Bortolon | 53 | Craftswoman | Castelfranco Veneto, Veneto | Eliminated 3st | 18th |
| Tiziana Rispoli | 42 | Shop assistant | Positano, Campania | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Gerry Alotta | 37 | Blacksmith | Busto Arsizio, Lombardy | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Vito Tauro | 51 | Tire dealer | Castellana Grotte, Apulia | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Samuele Cesarini | 22 | Butcher | San Marino | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Anna Martelli | 72 | Retired | Pecetto Torinese, Piedmont | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Giovanni Venditti | 37 | Medical student | Naples, Campania | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Verando Zappi | 33 | Marketing and communication manager | Viterbo, Lazio | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Virginia Fabbri | 22 | Law student | Urbino, Marche | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Salvatore Cozzitorto | 31 | Cargo ship commander | Agrigento, Sicily | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Federico Penzo | 20 | Fisherman | Chioggia, Veneto | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Loretta Rizzotti | 51 | Architect | Rivanazzano Terme, Lombardy | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Giuseppe Lavecchia | 35 | Peddler | Salice Terme, Lombardy | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Guido Fejles | 33 | Practicing lawyer | Cambiano, Piedmont | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Alessandro Bigatti | 33 | Employee | Lodi, Lombardy | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Gloria Clama | 40 | Worker | Tolmezzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Gilberto Neirotti | 23 | Law student | Verona, Veneto | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Valeria Raciti | 31 | Secretary | Aci Sant'Antonio, Sicily | Winner | 1st |

## Season Nine

The 9th season of MasterChef started airing in December 2019. Joe Bastianich left MasterChef after eight seasons, Bruno Barbieri is now the only judge left from the original cast. Antonio Lorenzon is the winner of this season.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Alexandro Picchietti Fabrizi | 40 | Crane operator | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Maria Assunta Cassetta | 53 | Teacher | Rapolla, Basilicata | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Nunzia Borrelli | 44 | Beautician | Naples, Campania | Eliminated 3st | 18th |
| Rossella Costa | 48 | Entrepreneur | Catanzaro, Calabria | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Domenico Letizia | 36 | Lawyer | Marcianise, Campania | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Andrea De Giorgi | 23 | Shop assistant | Lecce, Apulia | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Gianna Meccariello | 29 | Shop assistant | Benevento, Campania | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Fabio Scotto di Vetta | 37 | Lawyer | Naples, Campania | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Annamaria Magi | 55 | Housewife | Lecce, Apulia | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Milenys De Las Mercedes Gordillo Sanchez | 49 | Shop assistant | Camerino, Marche | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Giada Meloni | 26 | Copywriter | Cornaredo, Lombardy | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Vincenzo Trimarco | 65 | Customs broker | Salerno, Campania | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Giulia Busato | 31 | Employee | Noale, Veneto | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Francesca Moi | 29 | Barlady | Pisa, Tuscany | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Luciano Di Marco | 52 | Surveyor | Palermo, Sicily | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Nicolò Duchini | 29 | Social media manager | Montepulciano, Tuscany | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Davide Tonetti | 30 | Unemployed | Gallarate, Lombardy | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Marisa Maffeo | 33 | Nurse | Parma, Emilia-Romagna | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Maria Teresa Ceglia | 31 | Financial advisor | Milan, Lombardy | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Antonio Lorenzon | 43 | Art director | Bassano del Grappa, Veneto | Winner | 1st |

## Season Ten

The 10th season of MasterChef started airing on 17 December 2020. The contestants include American journalist, Maxwell Alexander. The winner was Francesco Aquila.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Camilla Lucrezia Lampani | 35 | Unemployed | Albisola Superiore, Liguria | Eliminated 1st | 21st |
| Francesco Genovese | 59 | Bank clerk | Palermo, Sicily | Eliminated 2nd | 20th |
| Giuseppe Ricchiuti | 36 | Plumber | Florence, Tuscany | Eliminated 3rd | 19th |
| Irish Soldani | 25 | Event planner | Bassano del Grappa, Veneto | Eliminated 4th | 18th |
| Sedighe Sharifi Dahaji | 32 | Director | Venice, Veneto | Eliminated 5th | 17th |
| Alessandra Nioi | 29 | Law student | Elmas, Sardinia | Eliminated 6th | 16th |
| Marco Piccolo | 31 | Unemployed | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 7th | 15th |
| Daiana Meli | 32 | Lawyer | Caltanissetta, Sicily | Eliminated 8th | 14th |
| Ilda Muja | 43 | Self-employed | Novara, Piedmont | Eliminated 9th | 13th |
| Igor Nori | 42 | Choir director | Montecchio Maggiore, Veneto | Eliminated 10th | 12th |
| Valeria Caserta | 24 | Head waitress | Vasto, Abruzzo | Eliminated 11th | 11th |
| Cristiano Cavolini | 46 | Worker | Bologna, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 12th | 10th |
| Maxwell Alexander | 63 | Writer and journalist | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 13th | 9th |
| Jia Bi Ge | 53 | Translator | Bari, Apulia | Eliminated 14th | 8th |
| Eduard Lora Alcantara | 29 | Shop assistant | Verona, Veneto | Eliminated 15th | 7th |
| Federica Di Lieto | 30 | Chemical engineering student | Montalto Uffugo, Calabria | Eliminated 16th | 6th |
| Azzurra D'Arpa | 37 | Croupier | Palermo, Sicily | Eliminated 17th | 5th |
| Monir Eddardary | 29 | Flight attendant | Bevagna, Umbria | Eliminated 18th | 4th |
| Irene Volpe | 21 | Industrial design student | Rome, Lazio | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Antonio Colasanto | 26 | PhD student in Food chemistry | Novara, Piedmont | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Francesco Aquila | 34 | Maître | Bellaria – Igea Marina, Emilia-Romagna | Winner | 1st |

## Season Eleven

The 11th season of MasterChef started airing on 16 December 2021. The winner was Tracy Eboigbodin.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Giulia Masetti | 30 | Model | Bologna, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Andrealetizia Pedrini | 25 | Unemployed | Brighton, England | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Rita Monforte | 53 | Entrepreneur | Catania, Sicily | Eliminated 3st | 18th |
| Andrea Comazzi | 42 | Maître | Marano Ticino, Piedmont | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Nicholas Bianchini | 21 | Radiography student | Arezzo, Tuscany | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Anna Leone | 30 | Nutritionist | Codigoro, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Bruno Tanzi | 64 | Sales representative | Parma, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Maria Grazia "Mery" Liviero | 26 | Personal trainer | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Tina Caruso | 39 | Shop assistant | Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Pietro Adragna | 42 | Self-employed | Palermo, Sicily | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Dalia Rivolta | 30 | Commercial advisor | Turin, Piedmont | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Gabriele "Polone" Policarpo | 34 | Bouncer | Anzio, Lazio | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Mime Kataniwa | 48 | Tour guide | Florence, Tuscany | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Elena Morlacchi | 54 | Housewife | Lido Adriano, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Federico Chimirri | 30 | DJ | Milan, Lombardy | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Nicky Brian Perera | 28 | Designer | Brighton, England | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Lia Valetti | 30 | Bank clerk | Bardolino, Veneto | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Christian Passeri | 20 | Chemical engineering student | Bosconero, Piedmont | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Carmine Gorrasi | 18 | High school student | Battipaglia, Campania | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Tracy Eboigbodin | 28 | Waitress | Verona, Veneto | Winner | 1st |

## Season Twelve

The 12th season of MasterChef started airing on 15 December 2022. The winner was Edoardo Franco.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Luciana Battistini | 74 | Retired | Milan, Lombardy | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Rachele Rossi | 34 | Sales manager | Milan, Lombardy | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Francesco Girardi | 33 | Photographer | Cesena, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 3rd | 18th |
| Letizia Borri | 25 | Health Care Assistant | Carpi, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Francesca Filippone | 39 | Export manager | Rancio Valcuvia, Lombardy | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Ivana Santomo | 60 | Parliamentary secretary | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Giuseppe Carlone | 43 | Medical laboratory manager | Bari, Apulia | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Silvia Zummo | 56 | Hotelier | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Nicola Longanesi | 20 | Gastronomic sciences student | Bagnacavallo, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Ollivier Stemberger | 45 | Luxury goods manager | Parma, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Laura Manili | 31 | Architect | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Leonardo Colavito | 20 | Economy student | Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Francesco Saragò | 29 | Waiter | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Lavinia Scotto | 22 | Economy student | Chieri, Piedmont | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Roberto Resta | 34 | Mechanical designer | Fombio, Lombardy | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Sara Messaoudi | 27 | Employee | Bergamo, Lombardy | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Mattia Tagetto | 37 | Wine shop manager | Bolzano, Trentino-Alto Adige | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Antonio "Bubu" Gargiulo | 19 | Archeology student | Sestu, Sardinia | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Hue Dinh Thi | 27 | Project assistant | Florence, Tuscany | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Edoardo Franco | 26 | Unemployed | Varese, Lombardy | Winner | 1st |

## Season Thirteen

The 13th season of MasterChef started airing on 14 December 2023. The winner was Eleonora Riso.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Henintsoa "Chù" Razanadrabe | 22 | Economy student | Parma, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Fiorenza Pennacchio | 31 | Radiology technician | Giugliano in Campania, Campania | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Valeria Zullo | 52 | Windsurfer | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 3rd | 18th |
| Nicolò Molinari | 19 | Law student | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Beatrice Belli | 19 | Basketball player | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Anna Pisano | 62 | Pharmacist | San Marco Argentano, Calabria | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Andrea Sciamanna | 34 | Sommelier | Senigallia, Marche | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Alberto Pierobon | 33 | Manager of a fish shop | San Martino di Lupari, Veneto | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Alice Scaffardi | 27 | Unemployed | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Lorenzo Silvidio | 21 | Network marketer | Torrevecchia Teatina, Abruzzo | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Filippo Baldo | 25 | Architect | Cittadella, Veneto | Eliminated 11th | 10th |
| Marcus Agerstroem | 43 | Stay-at-home dad | Cherasco, Piedmont | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Settimino Difonzo | 61 | Grocer | Santeramo in Colle, Apulia | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Deborah Meloni | 30 | Team leader | Poggio Mirteto, Lazio | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Kassandra Galindo Rodriguez | 25 | Barlady | Verla di Giovo, Trentino-Alto Adige | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Niccolò Califano | 26 | Medical doctor | Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Sara Bellinzona | 24 | Employee | Montalto Pavese, Lombardy | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Antonio Mazzola | 28 | Surveyor | Höhenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn, Germany | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Michela Morelli | 45 | Personal trainer | Appiano sulla Strada del Vino, Trentino-Alto Adige | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Eleonora Riso | 27 | Waitress | Florence, Tuscany | Winner | 1st |

## Season Fourteen

The 14th season of MasterChef started airing on 12th December 2024. The winner was Yi Lan "Anna" Zhang.

### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Simone Bazzali | 29 | Farmer | Sospirolo, Veneto | Eliminated 1st | 20th |
| Giulio Valtriani | 35 | Lifeguard | Cascina, Tuscany | Eliminated 2nd | 19th |
| Ilaria di Lelio | 26 | Children's Entertainer | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 3rd | 18th |
| Gaetano Di Trapani | 19 | Student | Palermo, Sicily | Eliminated 4th | 17th |
| Laura Tampellini | 29 | Unemployed | Gambara, Lombardy | Eliminated 5th | 16th |
| Martina Buriani | 25 | Head Waitress | Pietrasanta, Tuscany | Eliminated 6th | 15th |
| Reza Djebbelly | 56 | Sales Manager | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 7th | 14th |
| Linda Mirabella | 49 | Bartender | Turin, Piedmont | Eliminated 8th | 13th |
| Giuseppe Pino Iacobbe | 61 | Carpenter | Miglianico, Abruzzo | Eliminated 9th | 12th |
| Sara Ferretti | 27 | Model | Naples, Campania | Eliminated 10th | 11th |
| Samuele Uva | 19 | Unemployed | Desenzano Del Garda, Lombardy | Eliminated 11th | 10h |
| Alessia Scita | 21 | Waitress | Parma, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 12th | 9th |
| Gianni Marino | 30 | Clerk | Palermo, Sicily | Eliminated 13th | 8th |
| Claudio Ciraci | 33 | Inspection Centre Owner | San Michele Salentino, Apulia | Eliminated 14th | 7th |
| Katia Bassolino | 43 | Clerk | Mariglianella, Campania | Eliminated 15th | 6th |
| Franco Della Bella | 43 | Marketing Director | Verona, Veneto | Eliminated 16th | 5th |
| Mary Cuzzupè | 30 | Human Resources Manager | Villongo, Lombardy | Eliminated 17th | 4th |
| Jacopo "Jack" Canevali | 26 | Content Creator | Cesano Boscone, Lombardy | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Simone Grazioso | 35 | Entrepreneur | La Morra, Piedmont | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Yi Lan "Anna" Zhang | 32 | Fashion Consultant | Milan, Lombardy | Winner | 1st |

## Spin-off editions
### Junior MasterChef Italia

On 16 April 2013, it was announced the MasterChef inspired spin-off, MasterChef Italy Junior, would involve children between 8 and 13 years of age. The casting began on 17 April 2013. The judges are Bruno Barbieri, Lidia Bastianich and Alessandro Borghese in the first two seasons, while Gennaro Esposito replaced Lidia Bastianich in the third. The first season aired from 13 March to 10 April 2014. After three seasons, the spin-off was put on hiatus.

### Celebrity MasterChef Italia

In 2017, the first season of Celebrity MasterChef Italia ended with the victory of Roberta Capua, an Italian TV host.

#### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Serra Yılmaz | 62 | Actress | Istanbul, Turkey | Eliminated 1st | 12th |
| Stefano Meloccaro | 52 | Sports journalist | Rieti, Lazio | Eliminated 2nd | 11th |
| Enrica Guidi | 32 | Actress | Livorno, Tuscany | Eliminated 3rd | 10th |
| Maria Grazia Cucinotta | 48 | Actress | Messina, Sicily | Eliminated 4th | 9th |
| Antonio Capitani | 58 | Astrologist | Porto Santo Stefano, Tuscany | Eliminated 5th | 8th |
| Mara Maionchi | 75 | Record producer | Bologna, Emilia-Romagna | Eliminated 6th | 7th |
| Alex Britti | 48 | Singer-songwriter | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 7th | 6th |
| Elena Di Cioccio | 42 | Actress and TV host | Milan, Lombardy | Eliminated 8th | 5th |
| Filippo Magnini | 35 | Swimmer | Pesaro, Marche | Eliminated 9th | 4th |
| Marisa Passera | 44 | TV and radio host | Milan, Lombardy | Eliminated 9th | 3rd |
| Nesli | 36 | Singer-songwriter | Senigallia, Marche | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Roberta Capua | 48 | TV host | Naples, Campania | Winner | 1st |

### Celebrity MasterChef Italia 2

In 2018, the second season of Celebrity MasterChef Italia ended with the victory of Anna Tatangelo, an Italian singer.

#### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Occupation | Origin | Status | Place |
| Laura Barriales | 35 | Actress and model | León, Spain | Eliminated 1st | 12th |
| Umberto Guidoni | 63 | Astronaut and astrophysicist | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 2nd | 11th |
| Barbara Alberti | 74 | Journalist and writer | Umbertide, Umbria | Eliminated 3rd | 10th |
| Valerio Spinella | 35 | Sports journalist | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 4th | 9th |
| Serena Autieri | 41 | Actress | Naples, Campania | Eliminated 5th | 8th |
| Lorenzo Amoruso | 46 | Former footballer | Bari, Apulia | Eliminated 6th | 7th |
| Andrea Lo Cicero | 41 | Rugby player | Catania, Sicily | Eliminated 7th | 6th |
| Margherita Granbassi | 38 | Former fencer and TV host | Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Eliminated 8th | 5th |
| Daniele Tombolini | 56 | Former referee | Loreto, Marche | Eliminated 9th | 4th |
| Davide Devenuto | 46 | Actor | Rome, Lazio | Eliminated 9th | 3rd |
| Orietta Berti | 71 | Singer | Cavriago, Emilia-Romagna | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Anna Tatangelo | 31 | Singer | Sora, Lazio | Winner | 1st |

### Masterchef All Stars Italia

On 1 June 2018, the Italian version of MasterChef All Stars is announced, the spin-off of MasterChef where 16 of the most talented former competitors of the seven editions held so far will participate. On 21 June, the 16 contestants who will form the cast were announced. The judges are Bruno Barbieri and Antonino Cannavacciuolo, supported each evening by a guest judge chosen in rotation among Joe Bastianich, Antonia Klugmann, Iginio Massari and Giorgio Locatelli. It was broadcast on Sky Uno from 20 December 2018 to 10 January 2019. The winner was Michele Cannistraro.

#### Contestants

| Contestant | Age | Previous Season | Previous Season Placing | Status | Place |
| Marika Elefante | 34 | MC2 | 5th | Eliminated 1st | Top 16 |
| Dario Baruffa | 32 | MC5 | 6th | Eliminated 2nd | Top 16 |
| Loredana Martori | 40 | MC6 | 5th | Eliminated 3rd | Top 16 |
| Anna Lupi | 56 | MC1 | 10th | Eliminated 4th | Top 16 |
| Daiana Cecconi | 59 | MC2 | 6th | Eliminated 5th | Top 16 |
| Paola Galloni | 45 | MC2 | 7th | Eliminated 6th | 11th |
| Almo Bibolotti | 44 | MC3 | 2nd | Eliminated 7th | 10th |
| Alberto Menino | 24 | MC7 | 3rd | Eliminated 8th | 9th |
| Maurizio Rosazza Prin | 40 | MC2 | 2nd | Eliminated 9th | 8th |
| Alida Gotta | 28 | MC5 | 2nd | Eliminated 10th | 7th |
| Ivan Iurato | 42 | MC2 | 4th | Eliminated 11th | 6th |
| Maradona Youssef | 31 | MC5 | 4th | Eliminated 12th | 5th |
| Giuseppe Danny D'Annibale | 38 | MC1 | 5th | Eliminated 13th | 4th |
| Simone Finetti | 29 | MC4 | 8th | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Rubina Rovini | 37 | MC5 | 7th | Runner-up | 2nd |
| Michele Cannistraro | 41 | MC3 | 8th | Winner | 1st |

## Note

* ↑ ^ The second season of Masterchef on Sky One | DavideMaggio.it
* ↑ MasterChef Italy 2012 promotional video
* ↑ "Ferrero: "I won Masterchef because no one had an idea of the kitchen," interview with the chef". Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
* ↑ Raciti, Valeria (2019). Amore curiosità istinto. La mia cucina felice. Baldini + Castoldi. ISBN 9788893881876.