Northeast Ohio's culinary prowess once again will be in the national spotlight as Season 4 of Fox's "MasterChef" premiers tomorrow night. The popular reality competition show features the best "home cooks" from around the country as they're put through a series of challenges in hopes of being crowned the next MasterChef.
Strongsville native and downtown Cleveland resident Dean Karadimas is one of the 100 contestants featured on the show's premier. A web designer by day, Karadimas' true passion is cooking. Using his web savvy, his cooking skills, and his on-air personality, Karadimas has built a successful website presence called Dude Cooking Food.
According to him, the video content "shows people how to make simple dishes with real entertainment value."
So how does the charismatic home cook fare against the program's infamous and hot-headed host Gordon Ramsey? "Contrary to the way you see him on TV, Ramsey is one of the nicest men I have ever met," says Karadimas. "In fact, the entire panel was super positive."
Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., Liquid (1212 W. 6th Street) will host an official MasterChef watch party. "It is especially exciting as Dean Karadimas is a Cleveland native," says Liquid's Melissa Paradise. "We love to support our city and the talent within."
The free event will feature chef demos, music and small bites of Karadimas' qualifying dish, panko-crusted pork chop. Another MasterChef contestant, Tore Cunningham, 19, from Akron, will be showing off her chainsaw skills as she creates an ice sculptor.
As for whether or not Karadimas makes it past the first cut, which eliminates roughly half of the contestants, he's not talking. But he's more than happy to discuss his future plans. In addition to pitching Dude Cooking Food to a network, he hints that "a food truck will probably be happening."
