Insect Inspection! Crickets Leap Onto The Menu In New Episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA: BACK TO WIN

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede When the term “crickets” is used in the entertainment world, it usually refers to the sound a comedian hears when a joke doesn’t land. But real crickets were in the spotlight in a new episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA: BACK TO WIN that aired Sunday, April 4 on CTV, and is available for catch-up on the all-new CTV.ca and CTV app. As part of a Mystery Box Challenge featuring only sustainable foods that leave a small environmental footprint, the seven remaining competitors had to incorporate crickets into their dishes. But when the bug battle reached its buzzy conclusion, one disappointed cook was asked to fly away home. SPOILER ALERT: Details about who was eliminated are about to be discussed. Given only an hour for the task, the cooks were encouraged to utilize as many of the sustainable ingredients in the Mystery Box as possible. But there was a twist at the 30-minute mark, when the cooks were suddenly given four additional ingredients, and they were required to incorporate at least one of them. Andrew Al-Khouri gained what was described as a “huge advantage” in the next episode by winning the challenge, with Jeremy Senaris coming in second. But it was a sad day for Andre Bhagwandat of Whitby, Ont., who had prepared cricket-crusted salmon with grilled nopales and pumpkin curry sauce. Chef Claudio Aprile thought the sauce was too salty – he said it was “a common mistake” to add salt to a sauce that already had caviar in it – and Chef Alvin Leung said that while Andre’s dish was quite tasty overall, it needed a little bit more. With Andre eliminated, only six chefs remain heading into another new episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA: BACK TO WIN, Sunday, April 11 at 9 p.m. ET, on CTV. Here’s what Andre had to say about the cricket crunch, and much more: Q: As you departed, you commented that you “never looked at food this way” prior to being on MASTERCHEF CANADA. Can you elaborate on that? ANDRE: “Before MASTERCHEF CANADA, cooking food was just something I had to do each day. I enjoyed making different things and experimenting, but when you step into the MASTERCHEF CANADA Kitchen, it becomes so much more. I started creating things I’ve never heard of, just to push the boundaries, and to show everyone how creative I really am.” Q: Having been through two grueling seasons, what would you say is the hardest part of the MASTERCHEF CANADA experience? ANDRE: “The hardest part is that whether you’ve had a bad cook or a good cook, as long as you’re still in the game, you have to one-up yourself each time. You’re never really safe, and that’s always in the back of your head.” Q: Chef Claudio Aprile wasn’t happy with your pumpkin sauce. Do you think that’s what got you sent home? Is there anything you could have done differently? ANDRE: “Part of cooking on MASTERCHEF CANADA is learning the judges’ palettes, and I think I’ve done a pretty good job doing that. In this case, Chef Claudio said my dish was a little too salty, and maybe that was enough to swing the difference. The only thing I would’ve done differently was the cook on the salmon.” Q: You picked Christopher Siu as the eventual winner. Why? Who is his biggest threat? ANDRE: “I picked Christopher because he kind of thinks like me, in terms of putting dishes together and components – he has a lot of wild ideas! He’s humble and confident, and those are the traits you need to make it to the end. Mai Nguyen will be his biggest threat, because she can execute to a ‘T.’ She has amazing skills and a diverse palette, and she has also made some of the most beautiful dishes.” billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv