Maine Competitor Gives Inside Scoop On ‘Masterchef’ and Judges

Don't believe everything you see on TV, kids.

You probably already knew that, but it's always fun to know behind-the-scenes specifics of the shows we think we know. MasterChef fans may be intrigued to hear what it's like to be a contestant on the show as told by former competitor Mark Ingraham from Rockport, Maine.

First of all, MasterChef completely changed the narrative of Mark's whereabouts, focusing on his stint in Maine despite the fact that he moved to Illinois in 2009. According to Press Herald's interview with Ingraham, the show editors focus on what makes a better story.

Ingraham was living in Illinois and running his own gourmet pizza restaurant when he got the call to be on MasterChef. He closed his pizza place permanently to join for the season.

The Press Herald's Q&A with Ingraham shares juicy details about what it's like to be a contestant on the show, including how they decide on competitors' signature dishes, what the judges are really like, how the final edited show differs from what happens in taping, and what it's like to feel the pressure to make an amazing dish. All in all, Ingraham says it's the best experience he could have had on the show and he learned a lot from it.