Joe Bastianich Is So Over This MasterChef Food Trend - Exclusive
On season 13 of "MasterChef," Alabama farmer Savannah Miles achieved what the show's loyal fans considered impossible. The amateur cook combined her fried chicken and purple sweet potatoes with a post-modern twist on coleslaw and somehow managed to blow judge Joe Bastianich away. Miles opted to deconstruct the salad, which was a huge red flag for the "MasterChef" judge, at least before he tried it.
In an exclusive interview with Mashed, Bastianich cheerfully admitted he'd misjudged her. "The deconstructed [coleslaw] — maybe [I was] more surprised [by] because I'm not always a fan of deconstruction, so I found that cabbage of that coleslaw to be actually quite tasty," the restauranter told us. He wasn't ready to give all contestants a free hall pass for deconstructing future dishes, however. "I've seen a lot of deconstructing, which I'm not always a fan of unless there's a real motive of doing it," the restauranter adamantly maintained.
Joe Bastianich has had enough of trying this Italian dish on MasterChef
Just as Joe Bastianich would prefer not to have to critique deconstructed cakes, casseroles, or carbonaras — he'd also prefer that "MasterChef "contestants leave risotto to the professionals. "People always continue to want to cook risotto, which is such a challenging and tough dish. I have to judge that. I'm not always a fan," he told us exclusively.
Per Bastainich, the main stumbling block contestants run into when attempting the iconic Italian dish is confusing it with other foods. Per the restauranter, risotto is in a league of its own, or as the restauranter put it, "it's a very specific thing that you have to have the knowledge for." Rest assured, we're not here to give you a risotto seminar. Should you find yourself cooking risotto for the "MasterChef" judge one day, however, you'd be well served to not treat risotto as if it were a pasta dish. Additionally, follow Mashed's risotto guide: remember to toast your arborio rice, and — for Bastianich's sanity — lay off the cream.