MasterChef 13, judge Giorgio Locatelli: “Cassandra is like a daughter. Antonio, what a head. “I see young people who feel very insecure.”

“It was the edition The most humane ever:We left with 20 people who had in mind to cook, and no one was there To play the gameTo increase your followers on Instagram. Competitors were also a nice cross-section ofItaly todayWhether by age, origin or life experiences. And I think so We are three judges We were able to get a lot out Their personalities: In my opinion, this is important, because the audience is watching Chef Not only to cook, but also to learn how to do it Personal From competitors It expresses itself through food. Like talent but also InsecurityI problemsthe Shortcomings They pray on the board.” Giorgio Locatellistar chef with “Locanda Locatelli” In London since 2018, a judge of the Sky Original cooking show produced by Endemol Shine Italy has been evaluating Thirteenth edition On the eve of the final, it airs on Thursday 29 February on Sky and is broadcast on Now.

Don't you think there was too much emotion in this edition? Lots of mood swings, especially among the younger competitors.
“Yes, of course, very much Up and down Unjustified! Antonino (Cannafaciolo, unknown) It was frustrated Because of the cries of some competitors who patted me on the back… I wanted to say to those people: You think you have nothing, but you have everything. Look forward with confidence. You don't have to think about how many times you fell, you should think about how many times you got up. We all have insecurities and gaps, they are sacred and must be understood. But you have to find a way to turn it to your advantage.”

Who are the most emotional contestants?
“I did see a generational difference: 'older' people have more self-confidence, let's think about it SeventhAnd perhaps a competitor Most popular of all time. When he came out I received 200 letters of dissatisfaction. He never lost heart, even when he had to prepare a dish with only one ingredient, marrow. Instead when I approached Cassandra I didn't know what to say, my hands were sweating…”

How is that?
“With her, I developed a Almost a paternal relationship: I didn't know how to deal with it EmotionalI approached her to say something but I didn't want to cause any harm. exactly like With my daughter: I actually called Margarita and told her, “There's a master chef Your alter ego“I looked at Cassandra and thought: Can't she see herself in the mirror in the morning? Doesn't she realize that she is beautiful, that she is young, that she has traveled, that she can do everything? That's what I want to say To the childreneven outside of MasterChef.”

What is his message?
“I know these people It's been difficult yearsBetween Covid and this world that is not going through a good moment, but we must not give up doing things. And you shouldn't think that life is like you Social mediaEverything is perfect: negative things exist, and they work to grow. We judges desperately wanted to pass this idea. We realized we had simpler characters, but with more Beliefs».

The competitor who showed determination?
“Antonio: He was able to turn every test into a positive result. He has a head and a personality.”

What do you say about Anna, who made her dance in every episode?
“Lady Anna is great. He ruined me, he made me dance a lot but I'm a bad dancer. “My wife says I can't even dance at private parties.”

What ending should we expect?
«Bombshell: There will be a three-Michelin-starred chef Andreas Caminada“This will be a nice trick for kids.”

Will you still be among the judges next year?“One hundred percent, yes.”

David Scapin, who participated in several episodes this year, has been talked about as a possible fourth referee from the next tournament. What do you think?
“He is a very talented chef, and he will succeed because he is very different from us. It combines a desperate search for innovation with an old, rough atmosphere that almost inspires fear. He reminds me of the chef when I worked at the Savoy Hotel. But it's not easy to be four referees, we tried at the beginning with Joe Bastianich. But it gets very long…”

Let's go to work in restaurants: there are still grueling shifts and inadequate wages. How do you make this sector more attractive to young people?
“If we continue with the idea that children have to make their way and suffer, we won't have any more chefs in the future. This job must become a profession with rules and career paths. It's already become that way: I see young chefs changing things in their kitchens, and different people arriving. At Locanda Locatelli in London, I have a surgeon's son on my team. It was previously unthinkable: only the son of a chef or waiter was a chef. So this is the time to take a step forward. Of course there is another issue.”

any?
“Labor cost: In my restaurant it is about 60 percent. Obviously, you then have to download it to the customer's account. Well, I tell customers that they can't complain about high prices, when they go somewhere, they should also evaluate how it works. “It's easy to run a place with four slaves, but when you do things right it's different.”

How does a well-known chef like you react to negative reviews?
“Bad, because it often comes not from those who know about it, but from those who do not understand anything. Today all food critics are on the internet. However, Gordon Ramsay is right: in this job you will never get 100% buy-in, you have to know that and you have to know how to manage it.”

What is this moment for Italian cuisine?
“Excellent, there is good work done on classic dishes, but also introducing new ingredients. Well, I was a little shocked by the Italian government, which prohibits research on artificial meat: research should always be done. “I think that in this dark historical moment, between wars and tensions, cooking is a breath of fresh air for many people: it is better to be in front of the stove than with the TV on.”