Third Home Cook of Season 5 Exits the MASTERCHEF CANADA Kitchen on CTV

Reem Ahmed from Toronto, Ont., is the third home cook eliminated from the competition.

Following an intense Mystery Box and Elimination Challenge, MASTERCHEF CANADA judges Michael Bonacini, Claudio Aprile, and Alvin Leung revealed that Reem Ahmed, a Biomedical Engineer from Toronto, Ont., would be the third home cook to hand over her white apron and depart the MASTERCHEF CANADA Kitchen. In next week’s all-new episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA airing Tuesday, May 1 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 MT on CTV and CTV GO, the Top 9 home cooks head to a Toronto dog park, and are tasked with creating and delivering delicious donuts to dog owners in just two hours. On tonight’s fast-moving episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA, the Top 10 tackled a Mystery Box Challenge. Beneath the iconic Mystery Box was a second box from Chefs Plate, Canada’s #1 meal kit service that delivers all of the fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step recipes required to make a MASTERCHEF-worthy meal at home in 30 minutes or less. Further elevating the challenge, the home cooks were asked to create the dish in just 30 minutes – the shortest allotted time for a home cook to create a dish in MASTERCHEF CANADA history. MASTERCHEF CANADA’s partnership with Chefs Plate gives Canadians the opportunity, for the first time ever, to enjoy a recipe inspired by the winning home cook’s dish at home. The Chefs Plate meal kit containing all of the fresh ingredients and instructions to make the recipe inspired by the winning dish is available to order now (Tuesday, April 24 at 10 p.m. ET until May 6) at chefsplate.com. Handily winning the Mystery Box Challenge with his flavourful stuffed pork with crisp potatoes, brussel sprouts, and mixed green salad, Michael G. was excused from the Elimination Challenge and was given the additional advantage of assigning the home cooks fresh, dried, or canned mushrooms as their key ingredient. Eugene’s wildly innovative vegetarian “bone marrow” of potato confit and mushroom paste on a bed of crisp vegetables was named the winning dishing, saving him from elimination. The bottom three dishes were delivered by Nadia, Jonathan, and Reem. Ultimately, Reem’s Macaroni and Béchamel with canned mushrooms was deemed too simple, resulting in her elimination from the MASTERCHEF CANADA Kitchen. In the next all-new episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA, “Barker’s Dozen” (Tuesday, May 1 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 MT on CTV and CTV GO), a Team Challenge takes place along Toronto’s waterfront at the dog-friendly Cherry Beach. The home cooks are given just two hours to churn out donuts for dog owners who frequent the park. With access to a fully-stocked mobile pantry, each team must show creativity, imagination, and deliver a great tasting donut. The team that sells the most donuts wins, with the losing team facing a Pressure Test, and at least one home cook is eliminated from the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen. The remaining Top 9 home cooks vying for the title of MASTERCHEF CANADA and the $100,000 cash prize are:

• Eugene Cheng, Financial Advisor and Rowing Coach from Vancouver, B.C.
• Michael Griffiths, Mathematician from Richmond Hill, Ont.
• Andy Hay, Small Business Owner from Dartmouth, N.S.
• Jen Jenkins, Stay-at-Home Mom from Dawson Creek, B.C.
• Marissa Leon-John, Tech Support Manager from Dollard–des–Ormeaux, Qué.
• Jonathan Rahim, Real Estate Agent from Winnipeg, Man.
• Nadia Rehman, Account Executive from Markham, Ont.
• Beccy Stables, Tile Setter Assistant from Sherwood Park, Alta.
• Michael Varga, Firefighter from Vancouver, B.C.

Fans are invited to visit CTV.ca/MasterChefCanada throughout the season for exclusive content, including background on this season’s finalists and the MASTERCHEF CANADA judges, as well as interviews, recipes, and more. CTV.ca also offers viewers behind-the-scenes glimpses of this season’s challenges, culinary creations, triumphs, and upsets. Immediately following next week’s episode, one of this season’s home cooks will be given a chance to reclaim their white apron and the opportunity to return to the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen in the CTV.ca digital exclusive, MASTERCHEF CANADA: REDEMPTION. Presented by Miele and hosted by esteemed judge Claudio Aprile at the Miele Experience Centre, one of this season’s previously eliminated home cooks will go head-to-head with the eliminated home cook from Episode 5, available on CTV.ca Tuesday, May 1 following the network broadcast. The winner will move on to compete in a second REDEMPTION challenge the following week (May 8), and ultimately a chance to step back into the MASTERCHEF CANADA Kitchen. Throughout Season 5, viewers across the country can satisfy their MASTERCHEF CANADA cravings by tuning to the series’ previous seasons, now streaming on CraveTV™. Following the finale of Season 5 on CTV, the current season of MASTERCHEF CANADA will be available in its entirety on CraveTV, and is also slated to air on Gusto this summer (check local listings). Season 5 of MASTERCHEF CANADA has partnered with Chefs Plate and SPLENDA^® Sweeteners. The MASTERCHEF format and finished programmes are represented internationally by Endemol Shine Group, and is based on a format originally created by Franc Roddam. MASTERCHEF CANADA is produced by Proper Television in association with CTV. Proper’s Co-President Cathie James is the Executive Producer and Showrunner and Co-President Lesia Capone is Executive Producer. For Bell Media, Tina Apostolopoulos is Production Executive; Robin Johnston is Director, Original Programming, Factual and Reality; Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Original Programming; Pat DiVittorio is Vice-President, CTV and Specialty Programming. Mike Cosentino is President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media. SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Twitter: #MasterChefCanada @CTV_PR @CTV_Television @MasterChefCDA Michael Bonachini – @Michael Bonacini Alvin Leung – @TheDemonChef Claudio Aprile – @ClaudioAprile Facebook: Facebook.com/CTV Facebook.com/MasterChefCDA Instagram: @ctv_pr @ctv_television @MasterChefCDA Eugene Cheng – @eugeneacheng Michael Griffiths – @michaelsfoodexperience Andy Hay – @andyseastcoastkitchen_ Jen Jenkins – @jenjenkins0517 Marissa Leon-John – @mdominique Jonathan Rahim – @jonnyrahim Nadia Rehman – @nadzland Beccy Stables – @beccystables Michael Varga – @thecup14