MasterChef Paraguay


MasterChef Paraguay is a Paraguayan competitive cooking reality show, based on the original British series of MasterChef, open to amateur and home chefs. Produced by Chena TV, it debuted on April 3, 2018 on Telefuturo.
Amateur chefs compete to become the best amateur home cook in Paraguay through challenges issued by judges Nicolás Bo, Eugenia Aquino and José Torrijos. Paola Maltese is the main host.
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Format

Amateur chefs were initially selected through auditions, selecting a total of two hundred competitors to the start of the televised competition. After the preliminary round, the competitors had an opportunity to prepare a signature dish for the trio of judges.
The contestants were given a limited amount of time to prep their dish, and then given five minutes before the three judges to complete the cooking and assembly of the dish, during which the judges ask about their background.
The 3 judges taste the dish, and vote "yes" or "no" to keeping the chef in the competition; 2 "yes" votes are required for the chef to move on and receive a MasterChef apron, while those that fail to do so leave the competition.
Two rounds are then used to trim the number of chefs to 18. One type of challenge has the chefs performing a routine task such as dicing onions, during which the judges will observe their technique.
Judges can advance a chef to the next round or eliminate them at any time during the challenge by taking their apron. A second type of challenge is to have the chefs invent a new dish around a staple ingredient or a theme, with the judges advancing or eliminating players based on the taste of their dishes.
In the third season, the semi-finalists competed in duels of two or three people, where they had to cook a dish with a specific topic; the winner received an apron. There was then a final last-chance cook-off to select the last participant.
Subsequently, the formal competition begins typically following a 2-event cycle that takes place over a 90-minute episode, with a chef eliminated after the second event. The events typically are: Mystery Box Challenge, Team Challenge, Elimination Test and Pressure Test.
This cycle continues until only two chefs remain. The judges then select the winner of MasterChef.

Challenges

The events typically are:Mystery Box: Cooks are all given a box with the same ingredients and must use only those ingredients to create a dish within a fixed amount of time. The judges will taste the dishes, and then select one winner who will gain an advantage in the next test.Team Challenge: The cooks are taken to an off-site location and are split into 2 teams by the team captains, with the cook with the best dish in the previous test getting first pick. The teams will typically have to prepare a meal for a number of diners in a limited amount of time or engage in a "restaurant takeover or pop-up restaurant" taking the place of the staff of a particular restaurant. Diners taste both meals and vote for their favourite, causing a team to forfeit a vote if a diner does not end receiving their meal. The winning team advances, while the losing team will participate in the elimination test upon returning to the MasterChef kitchen.Elimination Test: The chefs are given a fixed amount of time to complete the dish. Judges evaluate all dishes based on taste and visual appeal. The judges nominate the worst two to four dishes for elimination and criticize them before telling at least one of the home cooks to place their apron on their station and "leave the MasterChef kitchen", eliminating them.Pressure Test: Contestants must test their knowledge and skills. The best chef will be rewarded in some way, usually with immunity, ensuring their stay in the competition one week more, or will gain an advantage in the next test.
The contestants have a certain time to perform all the tests, in which they must cook the menu and have it plated, and once finished they can not modify the dishes. The home cooks have 3 minutes to stock up on the ingredients they may need to cook from the supermarket in the indoor tests.

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesPremiere dateFinale dateNo. of FinalistsWinnerRunner-upJudge 1Judge 2Judge 3
120April 3, 2018August 7, 201818María Liz OcamposDiego BrítezRodolfo AngenscheidtEugenia AquinoJosé Torrijos
220August 14, 2018December 18, 201818Nancy TalaveraVerónica PereiraRodolfo AngenscheidtEugenia AquinoJosé Torrijos
322April 1, 2019August 19, 201921Joaquín AlcortaFernando FabioNicolás BoEugenia AquinoJosé Torrijos
440August 7, 2023December 19, 202322María Marta VillalbaShosiana PlesnarRodolfo AngenscheidtEugenia AquinoJosé Torrijos

First Season (2018)

Top 18

ContestantAgeResidenceOccupationWinningsFinishPlace
María Liz Ocampos34Mariano Roque AlonsoNurse9Episode 201
Diego Brítez31Fernando de la MoraMerchant11Episode 202
Isabel Krause24Ciudad del EsteStudent6Episode 203
Joseph Hsu24Ciudad del EsteMerchant6Episode 194
Alan Paiva40CaaguazúManager8Episode 185
Luis Rojas32AsunciónMerchant4Episode 176
Mauricio Machado50AsunciónMetrologist1Episode 167
Adriana Navratil19Capitán MirandaStudent4Episode 158
Arcenio Ortega81LambaréIndustrial technician2Episode 139
Tania Casañas25VillarricaPsychologist0Episode 1210
Herminia Núñez60AsunciónHousewife3Episode 1111
Isaac Espinosa22AsunciónDustman2Episode 1012
Toribia Saucedo49AsunciónHousewife2Episode 813
Erika Sganzella50AsunciónSurgeon3Episode 714
Fabián Santander23AsunciónBarman1Episode 615
Mercedes Pitta20San LorenzoStudent0Episode 516
Evelin Giménez34TobatíHousewife0Episode 417
Renato González26Ciudad del EsteManager0Episode 318

Elimination table



'''Key'''

Second Season (2018)

Top 18

ContestantAgeResidenceOccupationWinningsFinishPlace
Nancy Talavera33Presidente FrancoHousemaid11Episode 201
Verónica "Veró" Pereira28AsunciónMake-up artist11Episode 202
Fernando Ramírez34AsunciónMerchant6Episode 193
Tatiana Renna42San LorenzoHousewife6Episode 184
Jorgelina Salgado27AsunciónInsurance agent3Episode 175
Sara Cheblis28AsunciónBarista4Episode 166
Francisca "Kiki" Jara61Villa ElisaHousewife7Episode 157
Diego Paredes31AsunciónLawyer / Firefighter3Episode 148
Armando Riveros39Coronel OviedoCouncilman4Episode 139
Karen Chiri29San LorenzoCraftswoman2Episode 1110
Juan Marcelo Torres32Villa ElisaCivil engineer0Episode 911
Joaquín Alcorta32Fernando de la MoraGraphic designer2Episode 912
Rolando Raúl Núñez25Fernando de la MoraFormer football player2Episode 813
Ulises León57AsunciónArchitect2Episode 714
Ingrid Armoa44AsunciónLawyer / Radio presenter0Episode 615
Nora Sánchez28Fernando de la MoraNurse1Episode 516
Aldana Damelio24AsunciónStudent1Episode 417
Javier Manera30Ciudad del EsteMerchant0Episode 318

Elimination table



'''Key'''

Third Season (2019)

Top 21

ContestantAgeResidenceOccupationWinningsFinishPlace
Joaquín Alcorta33Fernando de la MoraGraphic designer/Season 2 Contestant9Episode 221
Fernando Fabio42AsunciónCrane driver6Episode 222
Isaías Ledesma20Coronel OviedoStudent9Episode 213
Ricardo Aranda22Villa Hayes / LimpioStudent8Episode 204
Noelia Leguizamón38Fernando de la MoraDentist5Episode 195
Juliana Sosa22AsunciónStudent1Episode 186
Marta "Martita" Martínez27San LorenzoMusician3Episode 177
Walter Galeano38Mariano Roque AlonsoNight watchman4Episode 168
Andrea Vera22ÑembyHousewife4Episode 159
Ross Collins54AsunciónUniversity professor4Episode 1210
Armando Costa28HernandariasMerchant1Episode 1111
Demian Matos41AsunciónMerchant3Episode 1012
Perla Orué56AsunciónDressmaker1Episode 913
Laura Chamorro26San LorenzoStudent3Episode 814
César Ocampos25Itacurubí del Rosario / LambaréBartender2Episode 815
Ruth "Ruthy" Ubrán26AsunciónNutritionist1Episode 716
Cecilia Paredes31EncarnaciónMake-up artist0Episode 617
Carlos Pereira38Ciudad del EsteStylist0Episode 518
Rita Benítez30Lambaré / AsunciónMake-up artist0Episode 419
Ruth González71Formosa / LuqueHousewife0Episode 320
Víctor Sacco48AsunciónBusiness advisor0Episode 321

Elimination table



'''Key'''

Fourth Season (2023)

Top 22

ContestantAgeResidenceOccupationWinningsFinishPlace
María Marta "Martita" Villalba42Ciudad del EsteDentist8Episode 401
Shosiana Plesnar27AsunciónStudent9Episode 402
Santiago Canuto43AsunciónSommelier5Episode 383
Sofía "Sofí" Bramante36LuqueMerchant8Episode 364
Leila Jazmín Encina42LambaréMerchant4Episode 345
Víctor Reyes20Presidente FrancoStudent3Episode 326
Lucas "Lucata" Ortellado24AsunciónStudent2Episode 307
Gabriel Colmán46Villa ElisaMusic producer4Episode 288
Dominga Natalia Delgadillo30LuqueCommercial engineer3Episode 269
Luz Urunaga26Presidente FrancoPetty officer4Episode 2410
Víctor Hugo Maldonado37QuiindyLawyer2Episode 2011
Caroline "Caro" Elizabeth Sosa49CaacupéNurse2Episode 1812
Paolo Di Caterina25CapiatáMerchant1Episode 1413
Javier "Pipe" Ramírez29LuqueStudent1Episode 1214–15
Leonardo "Leo" Zarza32Villa ElisaStylist1Episode 1214–15
Juan Duarte33LambaréMerchant0Episode 1016
Claudia Romero44ÑembyNutritionist0Episode 1017
Rubén Cardus31AsunciónPhotographer0Episode 818
Carlos Rolón31Fernando de la MoraBarber0Episode 619–20
Marcela Verena Peña30CapiatáDoctor0Episode 619–20
Fabrizzio Valdez22AsunciónEmployee0Episode 421–22
Yong Sing Choi41AsunciónCook0Episode 421–22

Elimination table



'''Key'''

MasterChef Profesionales

SeasonEpisodesPremiere dateFinale dateNo. of FinalistsWinnerRunner-upJudge 1Judge 2Judge 3
116September 9, 2019December 23, 201918Julián EndaraRodrigo LeónNicolás BoEugenia AquinoJosé Torrijos

First Season (2019)

Top 18

ContestantAgeResidenceOccupationWinningsFinishPlace
Julián Endara37AsunciónChef owner10Episode 161
Rodrigo León25AsunciónChef of restaurant5Episode 162
Juan Ángel Villamayor39San BernardinoIndependent chef7Episode 153–4
Waldino "Waldi" Riveros46LuqueExecutive chef3Episode 153–4
Carolina Ronquillo31AsunciónChef owner7Episode 145
Walter Ferreira39LambaréExecutive chef1Episode 136
Lizzi Piñánez28PirayúIndependent chef1Episode 127
Pedro "Peta" Rüger41AsunciónIndependent chef3Episode 118
Sergio Vera23LuqueSous-chef of restaurant/steakhouse2Episode 109
Osvaldo Villalba37AsunciónChef of restaurant1Episode 910–11
Regina Cabañas25AsunciónChef of restaurant4Episode 910–11
Leticia Duarte36Fernando de la MoraChef owner1Episode 812
Gabriel "Negro" Riveros44LuqueChef owner of restaurant/barbecue0Episode 713
Alexander "Alex" Cardozo25AsunciónChef de cuisine1Episode 614
Karina Ruiz Díaz35AsunciónChef de cuisine1Episode 515
Eduardo Caballero35Luque / CapiatáChef de cuisine1Episode 416
Juan Ávila25Mariano Roque AlonsoChef owner0Episode 317–18
Pablo Mármol42AsunciónChef de cuisine0Episode 317–18

Elimination table



'''Key'''

MasterChef Celebrity

SeasonEpisodesPremiere dateFinale dateNo. of FinalistsWinnerRunner-upJudge 1Judge 2Judge 3
1TBAMay 19, 2025TBA18TBATBAFederico ScappiniEugenia AquinoJosé Torrijos

First Season (2025)

Top 18


ContestantOccupationWinningsFinishPlace
Lourdes GarcíaActress2
Miguel "Peque" BenítezRetired footballer1
Leryn FrancoModel, actress and athlete
Albert BenítezComedian
Yenny OrtegaContent creator
Jaime ZacherSinger1
Jessica TorresDancer and actress1
Bruno SosaActor
Karina GrauBodybuilder and nutritionist1
Gustavo CabañaComedian
Camila FlechaDJ
Mariano LópezTV host and journalist
Fátima RománSinger
Ramón SilvaGuaraní language professor1
Epifanio GonzálezFormer football referee2
Natalia Sosa JovellanosTV host and actress1Episode 616
Belén BogadoRadio host and journalistEpisode 417
Ariel DelgadilloContent creatorEpisode 218