This weekend in Dallas, MasterChef is hosting an open casting call, which, as the long-running cooking contest show makes very clear, is your best chance at landing a spot on season eight of the show. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, home cooks from around DFW will converge on the Sheraton at 400 N. Olive St. to try out for the show. If you miss Saturday, your only other option is to apply by submitting a video.
The show has seen some North Texas contenders like Waxahachie native Aundrea Richardson, Ben Starr of Lewisville and, perhaps most famously, Polyphonic Spree band member Jennie Kelley, but if you're serious about taking your pan-searing skills to prime time television, here are a few tips for acing the audition:
1. Pre-register and fill out the requisite paperwork. Even if you're a limbless former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader/combat veteran who climbed Mount Everest to cook paella for orphaned Nepalese mountain goats, go through the steps to show that you've got your shit together. A compelling personal story and mean hollandaise sauce will only get you so far.
2. Cook something awesome, but keep in mind that you'll be waiting in line for awhile. For the audition, MasterChef asks that you bring a dish that represents you and shows off your culinary prowess. That said, there's zero chance that your dish will be hot when it gets to the casting table, so plan accordingly. There's no sense in slaving over a souffle that will fall long before it reaches its intended target. You will have three minutes to plate the dish before it's served.
3. Dress to impress and be awesome. It's TV, guys. Reality TV.
Master Chef Open Casting Call, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, April 16, Sheraton Dallas, 400 N. Olive St. Details at masterchefcasting.com.