Food Flies Out The Door in Episode Three of MASTERCHEF CANADA: BACK TO WIN

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede Contestants on MASTERCHEF CANADA: BACK TO WIN always have to “deliver,” in terms of overall performance. But in a new episode that debuted Sunday on CTV, and is available for catch-up on the all-new CTV.ca and CTV app, deliveries had to be made in a very literal sense – 260 of them in 90 minutes! The remaining 10 cooks were split into two teams of five, as the “MCC4U” food-delivery app was launched. The teams had to create original menus, and then be ready to take orders on the fly once the app went live. Customers were subsequently asked to rate the experience. So which quintet best delivered deliciousness at the doorstep? SPOILER ALERT: Details about what occurred are about to be discussed. The episode began with an unexpected twist: April Lee Baker, a private chef and caterer from Calgary, had been forced to leave the competition due to injury. That led to the return of Barrie McConachie, a private chef and culinary events entrepreneur from Vancouver, who had been eliminated the previous week. Here’s to third chances! Barrie joined Mai Nguyen (team captain), Andrew Al-Khouri, Jen Jenkins, and Andre Bhagwandat on the blue team, while the red team was composed of Jeremy Senaris (team captain), Marissa Leon-John, Thea Vanherwaarden, Christopher Siu, and Andy Hay. The final ratings were close, but the red team emerged victorious with a rating of 4.1 out of 5, besting the blue team’s 3.8. With members of the losing blue team headed for a pressure test in the next new episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA: BACK TO WIN, airing Sunday, March 14 at 9 p.m. ET on CTV, April Lee had a chance to reflect upon her premature exit: Viewers were shocked to learn that you had to step away from the competition due to injury. Can you tell us what happened? Are you okay now? APRIL LEE: “I woke up early in the morning with intense pain shooting in my back and numbness. Production set up a video call with a doctor, who recommended I get to the hospital, ASAP. I was examined and told that it was nerve-related and a potential disc bulge. It was determined that I wouldn’t be able to continue in the competition. It was heartbreaking. Once home, I followed up with my family doctor, and an MRI confirmed it was bulging discs, and fortunately not ruptured. It took a while to recover, but once I recovered I was able to start physio and strengthen my back.” Q: What was the driving force that brought you back to this show? Did you want to prove something to yourself, or prove something to others? APRIL LEE: “I wanted to come back for myself and prove that I had what it took to win the MASTERCHEF CANADA title. I had a few years of professional kitchen experience and had worked really long, hard hours. The opportunity to come back meant everything to me. With the pandemic, I was out of work, so I was looking to re-brand, and start up a website to branch out to virtual cooking classes.” Q: Having to leave in the manner that you did had to be frustrating. So how are you looking back at the experience now? If given the opportunity, would you consider trying again? APRIL LEE: “It was a very different experience from my first time. Filming during the pandemic was very difficult, with the restrictions and procedures in place. I hadn’t been in the kitchen for quite some time and maybe wasn’t at my physical or mental best. But I would definitely consider coming back! There’s something magical that happens to you in that kitchen. It allows you an opportunity to challenge yourself and really grow as a person and chef.” Q: If someone you know wants to try out for MASTERCHEF CANADA in the future, what is the No. 1 piece of advice you would give them? APRIL LEE: “Be yourself and focus on your style of cooking. Practice with a timer, get out of your comfort zone, and give it all you got!” billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv