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MasterChef Indonesia
MasterChef Indonesia
MasterChef Indonesia
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MasterChef Indonesia
GenreTalent show
Cookery
Reality show
Created byFranc Roddam
Judges
Country of originIndonesia
Original languageIndonesian
No. of seasons12
No. of episodes264
Production
Executive producers
  • Ubey Sain (2011)
  • Adam Sugriwo (2013)
  • Jahja Immanuel Riyanto (2015)
  • Syilvia Pradhika (2019)
  • Bramantyo N. Wikastopo (2019)
Producers
  • Adam Sugriwo (2011–2012)
  • Otty Indra (2011–2013)
  • Bramantyo N. Wikastopo (2015)
  • Eri Sumaryadi (2019)
  • Tisondo Karel (2020-2025)
Camera setupMultiple-camera
Running time120–270 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkRCTI
Release1 May 2011 (2011-05-01) –
present

MasterChef Indonesia (abbreviated as MCI) is an Indonesian competitive cooking reality show based on the original British series of the same name, open to amateur and home chefs.[1] Produced by Endemol Shine Group, it debuted on 1 May 2011 on RCTI and has twelve seasons to date.

Format

[edit]

MasterChef Indonesia airs two days a week from Saturday to Sunday. The competition takes place in the RCTI's studio in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta which is known as MasterChef Gallery and includes a large kitchen area with several cooking stations which is overlooked by a balcony, a well-stocked pantry, and a freezer.[2]

At the audition round, the contestants have to prepare their mainstay dish for around 30 minutes. The judges can advance them to the next round based on their dishes by deciding to give them an apron or not.

In the bootcamp round, the first challenge is to have the contestants perform basic skills such as filleting a fish, peeling shrimp, etc. During that time, the judges will observe their techniques. The second challenge requires the contestants to create a dish using a prepared staple ingredient. The judges can advance them to the gallery round or eliminate them, taking their aprons, based on their cooking techniques and the taste of their dishes.

Subsequently, the formal competition typically begins following a three event cycle that takes place over two episodes, where the judges will eliminate one or even two contestants after the third event. The events typically are:

  • Mystery Box: Contestants are all given a box with the same ingredients and must use only those ingredients to create a dish within a fixed amount of time. The judges will select 3 dishes based on visual appearance and technique alone to taste, and from these 3 select one winner who will gain an advantage to prevent the pressure test and advance to the next round automatically.
  • Elimination Test: The judges explain to the mystery box winner the theme of the elimination test (or sometimes take the winner to the pantry) and tell of at least one advantage. The typical example of this is selecting the specific ingredient to use or dish to recreate, but can also include automatic advancement to the next round, assigning certain ingredients to specific chefs or saving one of the contestants. The rest of the contestants are then informed and collected any ingredients that has been prepared for this test with a fixed amount of time to complete the dish. Judges evaluate all dishes based on taste and visual appeal. One from the contestants with a best dish will go straight to the next round and then the judges will nominate some of the contestants with a worst dish and critique their dishes before telling them to get ready for the pressure test.
  • Pressure Test: The worst performing contestants must compete against each other to make a standard dish within a very limited amount of time that requires a great degree of cooking finesse. For those contestants who pass to the next round will watch the test from the balcony. Each dish is judged on the taste, visual appeal and technique, and the losing contestant is eliminated.
  • Signature Dish: Contestants are tasked with creating a dish that represented themselves and their cooking philosophy around a staple ingredient or theme.
  • Duplication Test: Contestants are required to duplicate a certain dish in terms of presentation and taste.
  • Skills Test: The judges explain the preparation of a specific dish, or the preparation of an ingredient. The contestant is then required to reproduce that dish in a specific time limit – typically 15–20 minutes. The judges then look the contestant's attempt and give feedback. The judges give a 1-minute penalty to a contestant who cannot prepare the ingredient or cook the dish properly before continuing the next step.
  • Offsite Challenge: Challenges that must be done outside the MasterChef gallery.

Seasons overview

[edit]
Season Premiere Date Finale Date Time Winner Runner-up No. of Finalists Judges
1 2 3
1 1 May 2011 (2011-05-01) 21 August 2011 (2011-08-21) 4:30 pm Lucky Andreono † Agus Gazali Rahman 20 Juna Rorimpandey Rinrin Marinka Vindex Tengker
2 8 July 2012 (2012-07-08) 28 October 2012 (2012-10-28) 5:30 pm Desi Trisnawati Taufik Hidayat Degan Septoadji Juna Rorimpandey
3 5 May 2013 (2013-05-05) 17 August 2013 (2013-08-17) 4:15 pm William Gozali Febrian Wicaksono 25 Arnold Poernomo
4 31 May 2015 (2015-05-31) 12 September 2015 (2015-09-12) 4:30 pm Luvita Hodiono Deny Gumilang 30 Matteo Guerinoni Arnold Poernomo —
5 3 March 2019 (2019-03-03) 16 June 2019 (2019-06-16) 4:00 pm[a] Stefani Horison Kaisha Fridayassie 26 Juna Rorimpandey Renatta Moeloek Arnold Poernomo
6 21 December 2019 (2019-12-21) 8 March 2020 (2020-03-08) 4:30 pm Eric Herjanto Firhan Ashari 28
7 26 September 2020 (2020-09-26) 27 December 2020 (2020-12-27) Jerry Andrean Audrey Wicaksana Tanaja 20
8 29 May 2021 (2021-05-29) 29 August 2021 (2021-08-29) Jesselyn Lauwreen Nadya Puteri 18
9 22 January 2022 (2022-01-22) 24 April 2022 (2022-04-24) 5:00 pm Cheryl Puteri Gunawan Palitho Aventus Simanjuntak 22
10 24 December 2022 (2022-12-24) 26 March 2023 (2023-03-26) Giovanni Vergio Fahmi Prachaya Ruangroj 24
11 26 August 2023 (2023-08-26) 26 November 2023 (2023-11-26) 4:30 pm Belinda Christina Sianto Rizkisyah Putra Singarimbun
12 8 February 2025 (2025-02-08) 17 May 2025 (2025-05-17) 3:00 pm[b] Fajar Gusti Pangestu Putu Hovit Yusmanjia 25 Rudy Choirudin

Note:

  1. ^ Starting in 19 April 2019, the broadcast time was changed from the previous 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm.[3]
  2. ^ During the holy month of Ramadan, the broadcast time was changed from the previous 3:45 pm to 2:00 pm (including 13 April 2025). On 5-6 and 12 April 2025, the broadcast time was changed from the previous 2:00 pm to 2:30 pm. Starting 19 April 2025, the broadcast time was changed from the previous 2:30 pm to 3:00 pm.

Winners and Runner-ups' statistics

[edit]

Winners

[edit]
Season Contestants Age[a] Origin Occupation Win amount Number of Pressure Tests
Individual Team Yes No
1 Lucky Andreono † 31 Malang Furniture Entrepreneur 10 4 6 0
2 Desi Trisnawati 39 Bangka Hotel Director 11 6 2 0
3 William Gozali 22 Jakarta Store Supervisor 5 5 3 0
4 Luvita Hodiono 20 Jakarta College Student 7 3 1 0
5 Stefani Horison 22 Sampit Online Food Entrepreneur 1 3 6 1
6 Eric Herjanto 33 Jakarta Scientist 5 1 3 0
7 Jerry Andrean 24 Banten Entrepreneur 3 1 5 0
8 Jesselyn Lauwreen 21 Medan Fresh Graduate 3 2 6 0
9 Cheryl Puteri Gunawan 24 Surabaya Content Creator 2 0 3 0
10 Giovanni Vergio 28 Jakarta Expedition Marketing 6 0 4 1
11 Belinda Christina Sianto 22 Malang Student 2 3 7 0
12 Fajar Gusti Pangestu 25 Tabanan Entrepreneur 11 2 1 1

Runner-ups

[edit]
Season Contestants Age[a] Origin Occupation Win amount Number of Pressure Tests
Individual Team Yes No
1 Agus Gazali Rahman 25 Banjarmasin Teacher 5 4 4 0
2 Taufik Hidayat 30 Surabaya Property Agent 8 8 0
3 Febrian Wicaksono 25 Solo Private Employee 4 2 7 0
4 Deny Gumilang 35 Jakarta Entrepreneur 5 0 5 0
5 Kaisha Fridayassie 30 Bogor Entrepreneur 2 2 7 0
6 Firhan Ashari 22 Cilegon College Student 4 2 4 0
7 Audrey Wicaksana Tanaja 23 Surabaya Cook Helper 1 3 5 0
8 Nadya Puteri 25 Jakarta Bread Seller 4 0 7 0
9 Palitho Aventus Simanjuntak 29 Malang Cafe Owner 1 2 8 0
10 Fahmi Prachaya Ruangroj 22 Bogor Fresh Graduate 4 1 4 1
11 Rizkisyah Putra Singarimbun 22 Medan Restaurant Employee 5 3 4 0
12 Putu Hovit Yusmanjia 33 Gianyar Restaurant Owner 7 0 3 1

Notes:

  1. ^ a b Ages stated are at start of contest.

Black Teams' best result statistics

[edit]
Best Result Season Contestants[a] Age[b] Origin Occupation
Winner 7 Jerry Andrean 24 Banten Entrepreneur
Runner-Up 2 Taufik Hidayat 30 Surabaya Property Agent
TOP 3 3 Marissa Navratilova 26 Jakarta Stay-at-home Mom
4 Yulia Baltschun 24 Pangandaran College Student
5 Shierleen Sulivan 20 Bandung College Student
10 Bernardinus Mario Oswin Gitta 19 Yogyakarta Fresh Graduate
11 Nick Nierxen 24 Batam Property Agent
4 8 Febi Astrina Asyagaf 33 Jambi Marketer
5 12 Wiji Indah Arianti 40 Kediri Food stall owner
6 1 Feronika Ang 25 Toli-Toli Interior Designer
6 Christo Tjahjanto 24 Medan Model
9 Raden Indra Lesmana 37 Cibinong Freelancer

Notes:

  1. ^ if in the season more than one contestant, the best result is going to be in list
  2. ^ Ages stated are at start of contest.

Seasons synopsis

[edit]

Season 1 (2011)

[edit]

This inaugural season premiered on 1 May 2011. The judges for this season were Juna Rorimpandey, Rinrin Marinka, and Vindex Tengker. There were 20 finalists competing for the title.

On 8 May 2011, Dudi withdrew from the competition due to his deteriorating health condition.[citation needed]

The first Indonesian MasterChef winner was Lucky Andreono, a 31-year-old furniture entrepreneur, with Agus Sasirangan, a 25-year-old teacher, being the runner-up.

Top 20

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status Ref
1 Lucky Andreono† 31 Malang Furniture Entrepreneur Winner 21 August [4]
2 Agus Gazali Rahman 25 Banjarmasin Teacher Runner-up 21 August
3 Santiana Hermono 27 Yogyakarta Computer Sales Eliminated 14 August
4 Rahmi Melati Johan 22 Padang College Student Eliminated 7 August
5 Priscilya "Priscil" Princessa 22 Bandung Model Eliminated 24 July
6 Feronika "Fero"Ang 25 Toli-Toli Interior Designer Eliminated 5 June
Returned 11 June
Second Elimination 10 July
7 Albie Martha Hidayat 36 Bandung Store Manager Eliminated 3 July
8 Gunawan "Sarwan" Hakim 41 Surabaya Office Boy Eliminated 26 June
9 Duhita "Tata" Cynthia Arsani 28 Jakarta Cafe Owner Eliminated 19 June
10 Kevindra "Kevin" Prianto Soemantri 18 Jakarta Student Eliminated 12 June
11 Hendry Ho 31 Bandar Lampung Private Teacher Eliminated 11 June
Second Elimination 2 July
Non Elimination (4 June)
12 Sasha Ali Halvorsen 37 Jakarta Engineer Eliminated 29 May
13 Teguh Adi Prabowo 38 Surabaya Craftsman Eliminated 29 May
Second Elimination 9 July
14 Hilman Elhaki 38 Bandung Snack Entrepreneur Eliminated 28 May
Non Elimination (22 May)
15 Farah Inggrid 38 Jakarta Wedding Organiser Eliminated 21 May
16 Niken Menik 58 Jakarta Company Consultant Eliminated 15 May
17 Marcella Bustami 29 Bogor Accessories Entrepreneur Eliminated 14 May
Second Elimination 18 June
18 Aditya "Adit" Tirto Usodo 26 Jakarta Parkour Athlete Eliminated 8 May
Second Elimination 25 June
19 Abud Dudi† 59 Surabaya Director Withdrew 8 May
20 Allen 33 Surabaya Contractor Eliminated 7 May

Season 2 (2012)

[edit]

The second season premiered on 21 August 2012. This season, Juna Rorimpandey and Rinrin Marinka returned as judges, while Vindex Tengker was replaced by Degan Septoadji.

There were 20 original finalists competing this season. Adeline withdrew from the competition on 29 July 2012.[5]

The winner was Desi Trisnawati, a 39-year-old hotel director from Bangka. Taufik Hidayat, a 30-year-old property agent, was the runner-up.

Top 20

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status Ref
1 Desi Trisnawati 39 Bangka Hotel Director Winner 28 October [6]
2 Taufik "Opik" Hidayat 30 Surabaya Property Agent Eliminated 26 August
Returned 15 September
Runner-Up 28 October
3 Ken Kurniawan Sutanto 30 Surabaya Restaurant Manager Eliminated 14 October
Non Elimination (7 October)
4 Vera Christiani 23 Bandung Graphic Designer Black Team 8 September
Returned 22 September
Eliminated 6 October
5 Baguzt Noverman 30 Surabaya Tattoo Artist Eliminated 25 August
Returned 8 September
Second Elimination 30 September
6 Joice Pesulima† 60 Jakarta Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 23 September
7 Nurul K. Aswan 25 Jakarta Stay-at-Home Mum Black Team 22 September
Eliminated 29 September
8 Beng Budiarso 32 Jakarta Cake Decorator Eliminated 16 September
9 Zartika "Zeze" Zahra 20 Jakarta College Student Black Team 15 September
Eliminated 29 September
10 Amalia "Hani" Hendrajatin 23 Bandung Dancer Eliminated 9 September
11 Lutfi Karismanto 23 Jakarta Freelancer Eliminated 2 September
12 Widya Pratiwi 22 Jakarta Restaurant Staff Eliminated 19 August
13 Dianita "Dian" Tiastuti 25 Jakarta Film Publisher Eliminated 18 August
Second Elimination 1 September
14 Agus Mamake† 28 Kroya Fruit Seller Eliminated 12 August
Second Elimination 29 September
15 Faisal Esach Rifky 21 Sidoarjo College Student Eliminated 11 August
Second Elimination 29 September
Non Elimination (5 August)
16 Yudi Baskoro 21 Jakarta Hotel Security Eliminated 4 August
17 Adeline "Adel" 37 Bandung Civil Servant Withdrew 29 July
18 Kevin Lim 18 Bandung College Student Eliminated 28 July
19 Ogan Muhsin 36 Jakarta Fitness Centre General Manager Eliminated 22 July
20 Nuuril Fahmia 25 Bandung Flight Attendant Eliminated 21 July

Season 3 (2013)

[edit]

The third season premiered on 5 May 2013. This season, judges Rinrin Marinka and Degan Septoadji returned from the previous season with a new addition to the judge, Arnold Poernomo, replacing Juna Rorimpandey. The number of finalists was 25 contestants, up from the previous 20 contestants.

The winner of this season was William Gozali, a 22-year-old store supervisor, with Febrian Wicaksono, a 25-year-old private employee, as the runner-up.

Top 25

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status Ref
1 William Gozali 22 Jakarta Store Supervisor Winner 17 August [7]
2 Febrian Wicaksono "Brian" 25 Solo Private Employee Runner-up 17 August
3 Marissa Navratilova "Rissa" 26 Jakarta Stay-at-home Mom Eliminated 22 June
Returned 30 June
Black Team 6 July
Returned 13 July
Second Elimination 10 August
4 Melitta Kumalasari 24 Jakarta Private Employee Eliminated 8 June
Returned 6 July
Second Elimination 4 August
5 Nino Andre 28 Surabaya IT Employee Black Team 30 June
Returned 7 July
Eliminated 3 August
6 Dentia "Denty" Mayasari 28 Denpasar Homestay Owner Eliminated 16 June
Returned 30 June
Second Elimination 28 July
7 Lius Antoni 22 Jakarta Private Employee Eliminated 25 May
Returned 29 June
Second Elimination 27 July
8 Agung Putu Setyawati "Tya" 21 Denpasar College Student Eliminated 21 July
9 Angella Limmunandar 38 Manado Stay-at-home Mum Eliminated 20 July
10 Blasius Yogi Hantara 45 Yogyakarta Dancer Eliminated 14 July
11-13 Evengeline Mimi Morysa 26 Jakarta Entrepreneur Black Team 29 June
Returned 30 June
Black Team 7 July
Eliminated 13 July
Lim Kevin Gunawan 26 Bandung Entrepreneur Black Team 30 June
Returned 6 July
Eliminated 13 July
Ilham Gilang Ramadhan 24 Situbondo Private Teacher Black Team 6 July
Eliminated 13 July
Non Elimination (6–7 July)
14 Nurul Annisa Octavia 20 Bandung College Student Black Team 30 June
Eliminated 30 June
15 Patty Maulana 28 Palembang Civil Servant Eliminated 1 June
Second Elimination 29 June
16 Maichel Surya Wijaya 27 Jakarta Private Teacher Eliminated 22 June
17 Dominicus Revaldi 23 Surabaya Business Consultant Eliminated 16 June
18 Giovanni "Gio" Kurniawan 20 Jakarta College Student Eliminated 15 June
19 Ratna Duwi 23 Jakarta Customer Relation Executive Eliminated 9 June
19 Soraya "Ray" Nakagawa 53 Yogyakarta Stay-at-home Mom Eliminated 2 June
20 Rani Kirana 30 Yogyakarta Stay-at-home Mom
21 Lilian Danil 29 Bandung Lecturer Eliminated 1 June
23 Melati Yusmarelda 26 Yogyakarta Interior Designer Eliminated 26 May
24 Setiyono 37 Wonosobo Merchant Eliminated 25 May
25 Ernest H.O. Lontoh 33 Bogor Restaurant Manager Eliminated 19 May

Season 4 (2015)

[edit]

The fourth season premiered on 31 May 2015. The number of finalists was 30 contestants, up from the previous 25 contestants. There were only two judges this season. Arnold Poernomo returned, with new judge Matteo Guerinoni joining him, replacing both Rinrin Marinka and Degan Septoadji.

On 25 July 2015, Budi A. M. withdrew from the competition due to a long-term stomach problem that caused him to be unable to finish his cooking in the elimination test.[8]

The winner of this season was Luvita Hodiono, a 20-year-old college student, making her the youngest winner in the history of MasterChef Indonesia. She defeated Deny Gumilang, a 35-year-old entrepreneur.

Top 30

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status Ref
1 Luvita Hodiono 20 Jakarta College Student Winner 12 September [9]
2 Deny Gumilang 35 Jakarta Entrepreneur Runner-Up 12 September
3 Yulia Baltschun 24 Pangandaran College Student Eliminated 18 July
Black Team 8 August
Returned 9 August
Second Elimination 6 September
4 Shella Jane Lokito 22 Surabaya Entrepreneur Eliminated 5 September
5 Axhiang Leeyan 35 Bangka Belitung Restaurateur Eliminated 30 August
6-7 Laras Andini 27 Malang Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 29 August
Risky Aprilian 24 Surabaya Veterinarian
8 Antonius Henri A.D. 38 Bogor Fitness Coach Eliminated 23 August
9 Beatrix Sunarso 34 Jakarta Private Employee Eliminated 22 August
Non Elimination (16 August)
10 Anwar Sanjaya 23 Jakarta College Student Black Team 8 August
Returned 9 August
Eliminated 15 August
11 Terennia "Tere" Risley 19 Surabaya College Student Black Team 9 August
Eliminated 9 August
12 Valda Rompas 25 Sukabumi Entertainer Eliminated 1 August
Black Team 8 August
Second Elimination 9 August
13 Febrian "Bachien" Rachman 27 Jakarta Consultant Marketing Eliminated 26 July
Black Team 8 August
Second Elimination 9 August
14 Raymond Phang 24 Jakarta IT Marketing Eliminated 28 June
Black Team 8 August
Second Elimination 9 August
Non Elimination (2 August)
15 Budi A.M.† 40 Jakarta Restaurant Manager Withdrew 25 July
16 Nuning Putri 46 Jakarta Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 19 July
17 Acep Mohamad 29 Bandung Musician Eliminated 18 July
18 Andi Mifta 25 Makassar Private Employee Eliminated 12 July
19 Samuel Gan 43 Mataram Headmaster Eliminated 11 July
20 Andre Soeprapto 36 Jakarta Presenter Eliminated 5 July
21 Rubby J. Cherub 31 Jakarta Host Eliminated 4 July
22 Arya Wiwaha 29 Bandung Entrepreneur Eliminated 27 June
Non Elimination (21 June)
23-24 Margaretha "Emma" E. Padink 24 Surabaya Private Employee Eliminated 20 June
Riyardi "Ardi" Limas 22 Jakarta Entrepreneur
25 Amalia "Amel" Hapsari 23 Sidoarjo Private Employee Eliminated 14 June
26 Adri M.C. 36 Bandung Tour Guide Eliminated 13 June
Dwy Linda Subandi 23 Jakarta IT Staff
28-29 Zakki Purnama 25 Bandung Entrepreneur Eliminated 7 June
Adji Mas Bratasena 18 Wonogiri College Student
30 Gratia Eirene 24 Jakarta Public Relations Eliminated 6 June

Season 5 (2019)

[edit]

After a four-year hiatus, MasterChef Indonesia confirmed on 27 September 2018, in its official Instagram, that the series had been renewed for the fifth season.[10] This season premiered on 3 March 2019 with Juna Rorimpandey and Arnold Poernomo returning as judges, and a new addition to the judge Renatta Moeloek replacing Matteo Guerinoni. The number of finalists decreased from the previous 30 to 26 contestants.

Fani Horison from Sampit was announced as the winner, with Kai Firdayassie as the runner-up.

Top 26

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status Ref
1 Stefani "Fani" Horison 22 Sampit Online Food Entrepreneur Winner 16 June [11]
2 Kaisha "Kai" Fridayassie 30 Bogor Entrepreneur Runner-Up 16 June
3 Shierleen "Elin" Sulivan 20 Bandung College Student Eliminated 6 April
Black Team 21 April
Returned 27 April
Second Elimination 2 June
Non Elimination (25 May)
4 Yulita "Lita" Intan Sari 29 Banjarmasin Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 19 May
Non Elimination (12 May)
5 Bukhori R. H. 26 Manokwari Online Food Entrepreneur Eliminated 11 May
6 Daniar Widyana 27 Banyuwangi Entertainer Eliminated 28 April
7-11 Devina "Devi" Hermawan 25 Bandung Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 27 April
Fiki Dwi Cahyono 25 Surabaya Restaurant Worker
Theophilus Hans 22 Jakarta College Student
Kevin Christian 26 Jakarta Freelancer Eliminated 6 April
Black Team 21 April
Returned 27 April
Second Elimination 27 April
Maria Irene 24 Jakarta Freelancer Eliminated 7 April
Black Team 21 April
Returned 27 April
Second Elimination 27 April
12 Fickri Rahmawan 23 Bandung Entrepreneur Eliminated 20 April
Black Team 21 April
Second Elimination 27 April
13 Kadek Dwi Tjahyadi 35 Denpasar Pharmacist Assistant
14 Bayu Wratsongko 28 Yogyakarta Chicken Seller Eliminated 14 April
Black Team 21 April
Second Elimination 27 April
15 Sany Nuzul 22 Bandung College Student Eliminated 13 April
Black Team 21 April
Second Elimination 27 April
16 Syafril "Rama" Ramadhan 31 Jakarta Fried Rice Stall Owner Eliminated 7 April
Black Team 21 April
Second Elimination 27 April
17-19 Sarah Eka Aprilia 26 Jakarta Stay-at-Home Mum Eliminated 31 March
Rizky Maulana 25 Yogyakarta Lecturer
Christina Ribka 22 Surabaya College Student
Non Elimination (30 March)
20-21 Andy Hartono 28 Jakarta Restaurant Owner Eliminated 24 March
Dave Christiano 21 Sidoarjo Fresh Graduate
22-23 Brian Ardianto 27 Malang Food Stylist Eliminated 23 March
Yonathan "Joey" Melvin 28 Jakarta Kitchen Planner
24 Erham Tanjung 56 Jakarta Chemical Company CEO Eliminated 17 March
25-26 Hariall "Riall" Arief 24 Pontianak Private Employee Eliminated 16 March
Heru "Heiru" Dwi Putro 28 Purwokerto Bar Manager

Season 6 (2019–20)

[edit]

The sixth season premiered on 21 December 2019 with Juna Rorimpandey, Arnold Poernomo, and Renatta Moeloek returning as judges. The number of finalists increased to 28 contestants from the previous 26 contestants.

On 11 January 2020, Eddy Siswanto was disqualified from the competition because he was found cheating by carrying a recipe note while making a dessert in a Safe and Risk challenge.[12]

On 25 January 2020, Arthur Tamnge withdrew from the competition because he had to tend to his pregnant wife although he had passed the pressure test.[13]

At the end of the season, Eric Herjanto was declared the winner, with Firhan Ashari as the runner-up.[14]

Top 28

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status Ref
1 Eric Herjanto 33 Jakarta Scientist Winner 8 March [15]
2 Firhan Ashari 22 Cilegon College Student Runner-Up 8 March
3 Ade Kurniawan Saputra 24 Bandung Textile Entrepreneur Eliminated 8 March
Non Elimination (7 March)
4 Fransisca 26 Jakarta Model Eliminated 1 March
Non Elimination (29 February)
5 Vanty Veronica 41 Sukabumi Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 23 February
6 Christo Tjahjanto 24 Medan Model Eliminated 19 January
Black Team 26 January
Returned 26 January
Second Elimination 22 February
7-8 Fajar Alam Setiabudi 37 Jakarta Biker Eliminated 16 February
Christina Amelia Chuatan 30 Singkawang Receptionst
9 Putu Wahyu Saputra 21 Bali Steward Eliminated 15 February
10 Oetami "Amy Zein" Ramayani 42 Jakarta Radio Announcer Eliminated 9 February
11-12 Imelda Tahir 31 Jakarta Entertainer Eliminated 8 February
Soni Syam 26 Bandung Textile entrepreneur
13-14 Lydia "Fifin" Finna 28 Banjarnegara Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 2 February
Lidya Permata 26 Bandung Gamer
15-16 Gina Aditya 27 Bogor Model Eliminated 1 February
Surya Firdaus 32 Aceh Rujak Seller
17 Nurhayati Sintia Massa 27 Gorontalo Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 25 January
Black Team 26 January
Second Elimination 26 January
18 Arthur Tamnge 27 Bandung Research & Deveploment Staff Withdrew 25 January
19 E.F. Julian Diaz 21 Maumere Entrepreneur Eliminated 19 January
Black Team 26 January
Returned 26 January
Second Elimination 1 February
20 Jordhi Aldyan 22 Bandung College Student Eliminated 19 January
Black Team 26 January
Second Elimination 26 January
Non Elimination (18 January)
21-22 Aji Leddy 58 Samarinda Stay-at-Home Mom Eliminated 12 January
Black Team 26 January
Second Elimination 26 January
Trendy Wijaya 27 Tegal Bird Trainer
23 Ira Nadya Octavira 30 Sukabumi Headmaster Eliminated 11 January
24 Eddy Siswanto 49 Bangka YouTuber Disqualified 11 January
25-26 Ari Fauzi Azhari† 25 Bandung Wedding Planner Eliminated 5 January
Rania Karima 20 Depok College Student
27 Amira Wardiyanila Fatin 23 Purbalingga Online Entrepreneur Eliminated 4 January
28 Ilham Satrio Mahardiko 24 Pekanbaru Agriculture Entrepreneur Eliminated 29 December

Season 7 (2020)

[edit]

The seventh season premiered on 26 September 2020 with all three previous judges returning. The number of contestants decreased from 28 to 20.

Since this season was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, practice of social distancing, wearing a cooking mask and gloves while handling ingredients were required. For the first time in history, a mother and son (Yuli and Hamdzah) competed together in the gallery.

The winner was 24-year-old entrepreneur Jerry Andrean, who was eliminated on 31 October and returned on 7 November, making him the first former Black Team member to win the competition. The runner-up was 23-year-old cook helper, Audrey Wicaksono.

Top 20

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status
1 Jerry Andrean 24 Banten Entrepreneur Winner 27 December
Returned 7 November
Black Team 1 November
Eliminated 31 October
2 Audrey Wicaksana Tanaja 23 Surabaya Cook Helper Runner-up 27 December
3 Nindy Novitasari Sanyoto 24 Lombok Online Entrepreneur Third Place 20 December
Non-Elimination (13 December)
4 Faiz Naufal Habibie 24 Bangka Online Entrepreneur Eliminated 6 December
Non-Elimination (5 December)
5 Clavania "Clava" Kho 20 Jakarta Student Eliminated 29 November
Non-Elimination (28 November)
6 Adit Gurnawijaya 27 Sukabumi Musician Eliminated 22 November
7 Rebecca "Becca" Natalia Suwignyo 23 Banjarmasin Preschool Teacher Eliminated 21 November
8 Hamdzah Herrynaldi Timories 29 Tangerang Tour Guide
Yuli's Son 		Eliminated 15 November
9-10 Malik Abdul Aziz Amri Akbar 26 Jakarta Artist Eliminated 24 October
Black Team 1 November
Returned 7 November
Second Elimination 14 November
Mariska Tracy 34 Belitung Stay-at-home Mom Eliminated 14 November
11 Muhamad Umair Dava † 21 Bandung Hairstylist Eliminated 8 November
12 Risma Yulana 48 Jakarta Dance Teacher
13 Zahra "Yuri" Yuriva Dermawan 21 Bandung Entertainer Eliminated 7 November
14 Ramos Nenggo 33 Manado Head of Marketing Eliminated 31 October
Black Team 1 November
Second Elimination 7 November
15 Siti "Yuli" Yuliana 51 Tangerang Stay-at-home Mom
Hamdzah's Mom 		Eliminated 25 October
16-17 Isman Fajar 26 Kudus Grilled Chicken Seller Eliminated 18 October
Black Team 1 November
Second Elimination 1 November
Faradiba Chika Jusuf 22 Bogor Clothes Seller Eliminated 18 October
18 Victor "Vicky" Sumanti 35 Manado Model Eliminated 17 October
Black Team 1 November
Second Elimination 7 November
Non-Elimination (11 October)
19 Hanzel Christheo 19 Jakarta Student Eliminated 10 October
Black Team 1 November
Second Elimination 7 November
20 Dini Dinda 27 Tangerang Sate Taichan Seller Eliminated 4 October

Season 8 (2021)

[edit]

The first episode of the 8th season aired on 29 May 2021. All three previous judges returned in this season. The number of contestants decreased from 20 to 18.

Although Olivia was given a second chance to be back in the competition as a Black Team member, she decided to withdraw as she felt overwhelmed by the competition.

The winner was Jesselyn Lauwreen from Medan, making her the second Sumatran to win the title. Nadya Puteri from Jakarta was the runner-up.

Top 18

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status
1 Jesselyn Lauwreen 21 Medan Fresh Graduate Winner 29 August
2 Nadya Puteri 25 Jakarta Bread Seller Runner-up 29 August
3 Suhaidi "Adi" Jamaan 41 Tanah Datar Chilli Farmer Eliminated 22 August
4 Febi "Febs" Astrina Asyagaf 33 Jambi Marketer Eliminated 17 July
Black Team 31 July
Returned 7 August
Second Elimination 21 August
5 Bryan C. Ferrysienanda 24 Jakarta Online Food Entrepreneur Eliminated 15 August
6 Wynne Intan Pratiwi 24 Palembang DJ Eliminated 14 August
7 Digna Thea Damara Gunawan 23 Semarang Salad Seller Eliminated 11 July
Black Team 31 July
Returned 7 August
Second Elimination 8 August
8 Jenny Hendrawati 27 Bandung Online Bakery Owner Eliminated 7 August
9 Olivia Tommy Putri 24 Surabaya Property Agent Eliminated 25 July
Black Team 31 July
Withdrew 31 July
Non-Elimination (18 & 24 July)
10 La Ode Saiful Rahman 25 Pulau Muna Assistant Chef Eliminated 11 July
11 Brian Rizky Ali Rachmalika 27 Malang Transportation Entrepreneur Eliminated 10 July
Non-Elimination (3-4 July)
12 Yogi Indrayana 41 Bandung Entrepreneur Eliminated 27 June
13 Hardian "Seto" Eko Nurseto 37 Bandung Lecturer Eliminated 26 June
14 Hygianti Medina Putri Hapsari 18 Semarang Bread Seller Eliminated 20 June
15 Wita Wulandari 37 Tasikmalaya Retired Marketing Leader Eliminated 19 June
16 Dudiek Hidayat 24 Bekasi Koi Fish Seller Eliminated 13 June
17 Ahmad Dani Arisa 18 Banyuwangi Student Eliminated 12 June
18 Fasha Denisa 33 Jakarta Food Stylist Eliminated 6 June

Season 9 (2022)

[edit]

MasterChef Indonesia Season 9 has aired since 22 January 2022, with all three judges returning. The number of finalists increased from the previous 18 to 22 contestants.

This season introduces a new format during the audition round. If all three of the judges give a "yes" to a contestant, that contestant will wear a white apron and automatically proceed to the Gallery. However, if only two out of the three judges give a "yes", then the contestant will have to wear a gray apron and go to the Bootcamp round before the gallery.

The winner of this season was 24-year-old Cheryl Puteri Gunawan, with Palitho Aventus Simanjuntak as the runner-up.

Top 22

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age[a] Origin Occupation Status
1 Cheryl Puteri Gunawan 24 Surabaya Content Creator Winner 24 April
2 Palitho Aventus Simanjuntak 29 Malang Cafe Owner Runner-up 24 April
3 Muhammad Arsyan Dwianto 25 Jakarta Burger Seller Eliminated 17 April
4 Tjoa Victor Agustino Wibowo 24 Semarang Online Food Entrepreneur Eliminated 16 April
5-6 Teresa Machel Wie 24 Jakarta Juice Entrepreneur Eliminated 10 April
Raden Indra Lesmana 37 Cibinong Freelancer Eliminated 5 March
Black Team 19 March
Returned 26 March
Second Elimination 10 April
7 Dewi Valerie Taniaty 25 Medan Housewife Eliminated 3 April
8 Mei-Mei Tanujaya 46 Pekanbaru Owner Baking House Eliminated 2 April
9-10 Marsha "Ray" Rayhan Paramarta 26 Jakarta Chicken Noodle Seller Eliminated 27 March
Devy Anastasia 24 Jakarta Laundry Entrepreneur Eliminated 13 March
Black Team March 19
Returned 26 March
Second Elimination 27 March
11-12 Christopher Jonathan Alden 23 Surabaya Fresh Graduate Eliminated 26 March
Aurelia Shearen Chang 27 Jakarta Yogurt Drink Entrepreneur Eliminated 5 March
Black Team March 19
Second Elimination 26 March
13-14 Billy Leonardo 31 Bali Cleaning Service Entrepreneur Eliminated 27 February
Black Team 19 March
Second Elimination 19 March
Dara Rahma Illahiya 34 Bandung Cake Decorator Eliminated 5 March
Black Team 19 March
Second Elimination 19 March
Non-Elimination (26 February)
15-16 Dewi "Noni" Tiara Regita 24 Jakarta Catering Entrepreneur Eliminated 20 February
Okky Ho 42 Bandung Trader
17 Didy "Ocit" Rosyidi 29 Serang English Teacher Eliminated 19 February
18 Zulfikar "Joel" Hazli 48 Aceh Restaurant Entrepreneur Eliminated 13 February
19 Josua "Joe" Bachtiar 28 Jakarta Private Sector Employee Eliminated 12 February
20 Dinda Alamanda 31 Bengkulu Housewife Eliminated 6 February
21 Dea Prasetyawati Wibowo 40 Malang Dean Eliminated 5 February
22 Aprillia "April" Noerdjaja 25 Jakarta Food Entrepreneur Eliminated 30 January

Season 10 (2022-2023)

[edit]

The 10th season premiered on 24 December 2022 with all 3 returning judges. The number of contestants increased from 22 to 24.

The winner is 28-year-old Gio Vergio from Jakarta, with 22-year-old Ami Prachaya from Bogor as runner-up.

Top 24

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age Origin Occupation Status
1 Giovanni "Gio" Vergio 28 Jakarta Expedition Marketing Winner March 26
2 Fahmi "Ami" Prachaya Ruangroj 22 Bogor Fresh Graduate Runner-up March 26
3 Bernardinus Mario Oswin Gitta 19 Yogyakarta Fresh Graduate Eliminated January 29
Black Team 11 February
Returned February 12
Second Elimination 19 March
4 Syahril Azwardi 26 Bangkalan Cafe Supervisor Eliminated March 18
Non-Elimination (12 March)
5 Surya "Sen" Irawan 33 Surabaya Chiropractor Eliminated February 5
Black Team February 11
Returned February 12
Second Elimination 11 March
6 Syaiful Fahmi 30 Bekasi Food Stylist Eliminated March 5
7 Anna Madani 30 Jember Beauty Therapist Eliminated January 29
Black Team February 11
Returned February 12
Second Elimination 26 February
8 Alicia Angie Wiranata 26 Jakarta Food Scientist Eliminated January 25
9 Lidwina "Wina" Shinta Purnamasari Wibisono 37 Surabaya Housewife Eliminated January 28
Black Team 11 February
Returned February 12
Second Elimination 19 February
Ravi Raffaelo 27 Jakarta Rice Bowl Entrepreneur Eliminated February 19
11 Putu "Una" Adinda Sri Fortuna Dewi 21 Bali Tea Entrepreneur
Rommy Gonadi 29 Banjarmasin Bread Entrepreneur
13 Ichaaa Ndroooooot 29 Balikpapan Methamphetamine Narcotics Deptcollector Eliminated February 12
Amrizal Nuril Abdi 30 Malang Food Blogger
15 Vivi Dwi Santi 31 Kotabaru Vet Eliminated February 5
Black Team February 11
Second Elimination 12 February
16 Agnesia "Agnes" Cahaya 26 Jakarta Designer Eliminated January 29
Black Team February 11
Second Elimination 12 February
17 Ayu Kandiningsih 36 Yogyakarta Disc Jockey Eliminated January 23
18 Rayhan Akbar 25 Bekasi Coffee Entrepreneur Eliminated January 22
19 Nurul "Nisa" Annisa Safitri 24 Palembang Foodpreneur Eliminated January 15
20 Alfian Misbachul Munir 19 Sidoarjo UI/UX Designer
Rahman HN 27 Maros Social Worker
22 Made Budiarta 56 Bali HR Manager Eliminated 14 January
Non-Elimination (7–8 January)
23 Jesslyn "Jejes" Shania 24 Bandung Pastry Seller Eliminated January 1
24 Rinto Ardiono Bessi 27 So'e Daily Worker

Season 11 (2023)

[edit]

The 11th season premiered on 26 August 2023 with all 3 returning judges. The number of contestants remained the same from last season at 24. This is the final season for Arnold Poernomo as judge. Belinda Christina from Malang was declared the winner in this season, with Kiki Singarimbun from Medan as runner-up.

Top 24

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age Origin Occupation Status
1 Belinda Christina Sianto 22 Malang Student Winner November 26
2 Rizkisyah "Kiki" Putra Singarimbun 22 Medan Restaurant Employee Runner-up November 26
3 Nick Nierxen 24 Batam Property Agent Eliminated September 30
Black Team October 7
Returned October 14
Second Elimination November 19
4 Nadhifa "Dhifa" Citra Aisyah Nurputeri 25 Bogor Entrepreneur Eliminated November 18
5 Johardi "Joe" 33 Tangerang Bread Entrepreneur Eliminated November 12
6 Natanayel "Nata" Sianturi 28 Medan Private Sector Employee Eliminated November 5
7-8 Harris Bayu Kusuma 33 Surakarta Restaurant Entrepreneur Eliminated November 4
Yogi Ramdhani Wiyanto 22 Sumbawa Merchant
Non-Elimination (29 October)
9 Fransiskus Christian "Theo" Theodorus Qwensi 22 Surabaya Student Eliminated October 1
Black Team October 7
Returned October 14
Second Elimination October 28
10 Sarjia Samin Ibrahim 31 Sorong Content Creator Eliminated October 22
11-12 Liem "Jeff" Jeffry Raharjo 28 Semarang Private Officer Eliminated October 21
Usman M. Nur 47 Jambi Caterer
13-14 Arrodiyatus "Arro" Samawati Hikmah 40 Bali Vegan Cafe Owner Eliminated October 15
Teddy Cahyadi 28 Bekasi Content Creator Eliminated September 30
Black Team October 7
Returned October 14
Second Elimination October 15
15-16 Rizky Ardhya "Gei" Garini 29 Jakarta Housewife Eliminated October 1
Black Team October 7
Second Elimination 14 October
Farah Amelia 34 Jakarta Catering Courier
17 Adisurya Satriawan 29 Yogyakarta Restaurant Owner Eliminated September 30
Black Team October 7
Withdrew October 14
18 Kamajaya "Raja" Adiwida Patriot 21 Kediri Fresh Graduate Eliminated September 24
19 Kanthi Lestari 42 Bali Caterer Eliminated September 23
20 Syarifa Maulida Mulahela 25 Lombok Cake Decorator Eliminated September 17
21 Andriano "Andre" Calrinto Mami 25 Labuan Bajo Masters Student Eliminated September 16
22-23 Joni Priansyah Nicodemus Sinaga Mandalahi 28 Tanah Karo Farmer Eliminated September 10
Rossa Verina Nugroho 26 Blitar Cafe Owner
24 Qisthas Tsana I Noeman 34 Bandung Design Consultant Eliminated September 3

Season 12 (2025)

[edit]

The 12th season premiered on 8 February 2025 with Juna Rorimpandey & Renatta Moeloek along with new judge Rudy Choirudin, replacing Arnold Poernomo. The number of contestants increased from 24 to 25. Fajar Gusti Pangestu, a 25-year-old entrepreneur from Tabanan was declared the winner in this season, with 33-year-old Putu Hovit Yusmanjia from Gianyar as the runner-up.

Top 25

[edit]
Rank Contestant Age Origin Occupation Status
1 Fajar Gusti Pangestu 25 Tabanan Entrepreneur Winner May 17
2 Putu Hovit Yusmanjia 33 Gianyar Restaurant Owner Runner-up May 17
3 Andhana "Danny" Adyandra 33 Jakarta Agroforestry Specialist Eliminated May 10
4 Desy Caroline 26 Bangka Beauty Consultant Elimated May 4
5-6 Aqilah Natasya Rahman 22 Malang Entrepreneur Eliminated March 8
Black Team March 23
Returned March 30
Second Eliminated May 3
Wiji Indah Arianti 40 Kediri Food Stall Owner
7-8 Muhammad Azwar 32 Tanjung Balai Restaurant Supervisor Eliminated April 27
Aulia Zahra Dewanti 22 Kendal Cake Decorator
9-10 Malrani Ayu Oktavia 28 Kendal Village Apparatus Eliminated April 26
I Wayan Manik Amerta 24 Gianyar Chicken Supplier
11-12 Katarina Kirana Sekarayu 26 Bogor Restaurant Manager Eliminated April 20
Sie Vincent "Vinz" Bastian S. 33 Singkawang Insulation Salesman
13 Stephanie Jane Sutanto 25 Probolinggo Online Cake Business Owner Eliminated March 22
Black Team March 23
Returned March 30
Second Eliminated April 19
14 Vini Mudsyandari 31 Bekasi YouTuber Eliminated April 19
Non Elimination (12-13 April)
15 Ardhitogap "Togap" Siregar 35 Bandung Professional Conference Organizer Eliminated April 6
16 Sanggar Renggo Wibowo 35 Pasuruan Mandhi Rice Merchant Eliminated March 30
17 Rudi Hartono Panjaitan 32 Porsea Spice Merchant Eliminated March 16
Black Team March 23
Second Eliminated March 30
18 Tiara Isdiana 30 Jakarta Human Resources Eliminated March 15
Black Team March 23
Second Elimination March 29
19 Puguh Kristanto 25 Mojokerto Content Creator Eliminated March 9
Black Team March 23
Second Eliminated March 30
20-21 Lucky "Oky" Reza 33 Bandung Salon Owner Eliminated March 8
Black Team March 23
Second Eliminated March 30
Oji Martoji 34 Mojokerto Private Employee
Non Elimination (1-2 March)
22 Hendy Yosafat "Yosa" Tan 30 Banyuwangi Merchant Eliminated February 23
Black Team March 23
Second Eliminated March 30
23-24 Calista Azzahra 20 Bogor Student Eliminated February 23
Black Team March 23
Second Elimination March 29
Tintin Suhartini 43 Bandung Cake Entrepreneur
25 Inez San Dewi 46 Kediri Caterer Eliminated February 22
Black Team March 23
Second Eliminated March 30

Controversy

[edit]

Eddy Siswanto's Recipe Paper

[edit]

In season 6, when the cooking time was almost half an hour, Eddy cheated by bringing a written recipe. Chef Arnold who saw Eddy's actions immediately took the recipe paper from Eddy and immediately disqualified Eddy from this challenge. After being removed from Masterchef Indonesia Season 6, on his YouTube account, Eddy regretted his actions which were considered shocking throughout the history of Masterchef Indonesia. In addition, he said Everything thus it's Moron Eddy Siswanto has been Disqualification the action of bringing his recipe notes because he forgot the ingredients in making the dish. That's why he was forced to cheat by bringing the recipe notes in order to finish the special dish quickly and get praise from the Masterchef Indonesia judges. After admitting his mistake, Eddy immediately apologized to the participants and judges of Masterchef Indonesia. Eddy hopes that his embarrassing incident that tarnished Masterchef Indonesia will not happen again in the next season.

Racism and social discrimination accusation

[edit]

Belinda's victory at the end of season 11 was met with backlash. Netizens believed that the cooking skill of the season's runner-up, Kiki, was vastly superior than Belinda,[16][17] which raised the issue of longstanding racism and social discrimination on the show.[18] Netizens suspected that the judges gave Belinda (Chinese-Indonesian descent) and Kiki (Malay descent) an unfair and disproportionate assessment due to their race and social status. Netizens believed that MCI has a racial preference when choosing a winner because most of the show's previous winners are of Chinese-Indonesian descent, same as Belinda. Netizens also accused MCI of social discrimination, where Belinda is a graduate of prestigious culinary school Le Cordon Bleu in New Zealand (same with many previous MCI winners) while Kiki is a graduate of a vocational high school in Medan. Netizens believed that MCI disregards contestants' cooking abilities and only referring to their ethnicity and educational background when choosing their winner.[16]

The day after the finale episode aired, Kiki's name trended on X (formerly Twitter) in fourth place with more than 85,700 posts.,[19] alongside the hashtag #MasterChefChindo (slang for Chinese-Indonesian) which trended on 26–27 November 2023.[20] Netizens also flooded the Instagram accounts of judges Juna and Renatta with criticisms, with Renatta's latest instagram post reaching ten thousand comments.[21][22][23] The backlash caused the official Instagram account of MCI to close the comments column on Belinda's winning post.[24][25] MCI's Instagram account also lost approximately 13,000 followers because of the backlash. In fact, one of the judges on MasterChef Indonesia once stated that the true champion was actually the runner-up, while the actual runner-up finished in third place, because the first-place win had already been prearranged as requested, if the runner-up was also prearranged, then the first-place winner ended up in third position.[26]

On 6 August 2024, the show would renew for season 12 after a 7 month hiatus and eventually premiered on 8 February 2025.[27]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Result Ref
2012 Panasonic Gobel Awards Program Pencarian Bakat Terfavorit
(Favorite Talent Search Program) 		Won [28]
2013 [29]
2014 Nominated [30][31]
2019 Won [32]
2019 Indonesian Television Awards Program Akhir Pekan Terpopuler
(Popular Weekend Program)
2020 RCTI+ Indonesian Digital Awards Most Favorite Talent Search Nominated
2020 Indonesian Television Awards Program Akhir Pekan Terpopuler
(Popular Weekend Program) 		Won
2021 Program Akhir Pekan Terpopuler
(Popular Weekend Program)
2022 Program Akhir Pekan Terpopuler
(Popular Weekend Program)
2022 Anugerah Komisi Penyiaran Indonesia
(Indonesian Broadcasting Commission Award) 		Program Ajang Bakat
(Talent Show Program) 		Nominated
2023 Dahsyatnya Awards Talent Search Terdahsyat
(The Most Awesome Talent Search)
2023 Indonesian Television Awards Program Akhir Pekan Terpopuler
(Popular Weekend Program) 		Won
2024 Program Akhir Pekan Terpopuler
(Popular Weekend Program)

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

MasterChef Indonesia

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
is an Indonesian series featuring amateur home cooks competing in culinary challenges to become Indonesia's top chef, adapted from the British format originally created by the . The program premiered on 1 May 2011 on , produced by FremantleMedia, with the inaugural season concluding on 21 August 2011 and crowning Lucky Andreono, a 28-year-old furniture entrepreneur, as its first winner. Subsequent seasons have introduced rotating panels of celebrity chef judges, including consistent figures such as alongside others like Arnold Poernomo, Renatta Moeloek, and Rudy Choirudin, who evaluate contestants on technique, creativity, and flavor in formats involving invention tests, pressure cookers, and team challenges. By 2025, the series had reached its twelfth season, with entrepreneur Fajar Pangestu declared the winner on 17 May 2025, reflecting the show's enduring popularity in promoting culinary skills among everyday Indonesians through rigorous, merit-based competition. The competition emphasizes practical cooking proficiency over formal training, often highlighting diverse regional ingredients and techniques inherent to Indonesian .

Program Overview

Concept and Format

MasterChef Indonesia is a competitive cooking program adapted from the original British MasterChef series, designed to identify and cultivate Indonesia's premier amateur chef through rigorous culinary trials. The core objective is to select the nation's top home cook by evaluating participants' technical proficiency, inventive application of ingredients, and composure in high-stakes environments, often blending traditional Indonesian flavors with global culinary methods. The competition structure typically begins with nationwide auditions, where entrants—restricted to non-professional cooks—prepare and present an original dish for appraisal by a fixed panel of expert judges comprising renowned Indonesian chefs. Successful applicants proceed to intensive bootcamp phases testing foundational techniques, followed by the primary "gallery" stage featuring weekly eliminations. Key challenges include invention tests, such as the "mystery box" or "mystery bag," where contestants must improvise dishes from undisclosed ingredients within strict time limits; pressure tests requiring exact replication of complex recipes under observation; collaborative team efforts simulating service; and external location-based tasks to assess adaptability. Judges deliver immediate feedback on execution, taste balance, presentation, and , imposing penalties like time deductions for errors in preparation or safety. Poor performance leads to elimination votes, progressively reducing the roster from dozens to a final few, culminating in a grand finale where the winner receives prizes including cash awards, culinary training opportunities, and professional endorsements. This iterative process ensures only those demonstrating consistent excellence advance, with episodes airing bi-weekly to build suspense and viewer engagement.

Judging and Challenges

The judging panel in MasterChef Indonesia typically comprises three professional chefs who assess contestants' dishes based on criteria including flavor balance, cooking technique, presentation, creativity, and adherence to time constraints. In recent seasons, such as Season 10 onward, the panel has featured , known for his expertise in precision and fitness-oriented cuisine; Chef Arnold Poernomo, specializing in and Asian fusion; and Chef Renatta Moeloek, with training in French techniques and a focus on patisserie. Earlier seasons employed different combinations, such as alongside Vindex Tengker and , reflecting shifts in production to incorporate evolving culinary perspectives. Judges deliver critiques immediately after tasting, often imposing penalties like time deductions for errors in ingredient handling or , to enforce discipline and skill refinement. Challenges are structured to test a progression of skills, from foundational techniques in bootcamp rounds to high-pressure eliminations, emphasizing both international standards and Indonesian culinary elements like spice profiles and local ingredients. Bootcamp phases include basic proficiency tests, such as precise knife skills for filleting and portioning, followed by head-to-head cooking duels and elimination dishes prepared under observation. Pressure tests require replicating complex recipes, such as multi-step frittatas or zero-waste dishes, where judges monitor for exact compliance across dozens of steps. Invention challenges, often via mystery boxes, demand original creations using provided or pantry ingredients, judged on innovation and execution within timed limits. Team and off-site challenges introduce and real-world application, such as group tasks replicating regional Indonesian dishes or cooking at external venues with limited resources, heightening stakes through peer accountability. Limited utensil challenges restrict tools to essentials like a single pan or , forcing adaptive techniques and resourcefulness, as seen in Season 10 episodes where contestants navigated constraints to produce cohesive meals. These formats escalate in difficulty as numbers dwindle, with top phases incorporating guest judges or thematic twists like spicy-crispy mandates to push precision under scrutiny. Overall, challenges prioritize empirical skill demonstration over subjective flair, with eliminations determined by comparative scoring from the panel's direct evaluations.

History and Production

Origins and Premiere

MasterChef Indonesia is the Indonesian adaptation of the international competitive cooking format originally developed by for the British series in 1990. The program was licensed and localized for the Indonesian market by FremantleMedia, which handled production for the initial seasons, adapting the core elements of amateur home cooks competing in culinary challenges under professional judges. This version emphasized Indonesian culinary influences alongside international techniques, aiming to identify and train promising talents from diverse backgrounds across the archipelago. The series premiered on May 1, 2011, airing on , a major Indonesian television network. The debut season featured an audition process selecting contestants from public open calls, culminating in a finale broadcast on August 21, 2011, where Lucky Andreono was crowned the inaugural winner. Initial episodes introduced the format's signature elements, including mystery box challenges, team tasks, and elimination rounds, hosted in a studio kitchen setup in , with judging panels comprising culinary experts , , and Vindex Tengker. The launch capitalized on the growing popularity of reality cooking shows globally, positioning to attract viewers interested in food culture and skill-based competition amid Indonesia's burgeoning media landscape.

Broadcasting and Network Changes

MasterChef Indonesia premiered on on 1 May 2011, airing initial seasons in a weekend format typically spanning Saturdays and Sundays from the network's studios in Kebon Jeruk, . The program maintained this broadcast schedule through its first four seasons, concluding season 4 in 2015 without interruption in network affiliation. Following the end of season 4, the series entered a four-year hiatus, with no episodes broadcast until its renewal announcement in September 2018. Season 5 returned to on 3 March 2019, preserving the original network and weekend airing pattern while introducing updated production under . Subsequent seasons from 5 through 12 (up to 2025) continued exclusively on , with no shift to alternative networks such as or GTV. Broadcast timing has seen minor adjustments over time, including earlier slots during Ramadan or specific seasons; for instance, season 12 episodes aired starting at 14:00 WIB to accommodate viewer preferences. In parallel, episodes became available via RCTI's digital platform RCTI+ for on-demand streaming, expanding accessibility beyond linear television without altering the primary broadcast network. These developments reflect adaptations to viewing habits rather than fundamental network transitions, maintaining RCTI as the sole broadcaster throughout the program's history.

Judges and Production Team

The judging panel of MasterChef Indonesia consists of professional chefs selected for their expertise in various culinary disciplines, with serving as a consistent judge since the premiere season in 2011. In the inaugural season, the panel included and Vindex Tengker alongside Rorimpandey, focusing on foundational skills and local flavors. Subsequent seasons introduced Degan Septoadji and Arnold Poernomo starting from season 3 in 2013, replacing earlier members to incorporate patisserie and fine-dining perspectives. Renatta Moeloek joined as a judge from season 5 onward, bringing experience in and celebrity chef training, which expanded the panel's emphasis on international techniques adapted to Indonesian ingredients. Poernomo departed after season 11 in 2023, replaced by Rudy Choirudin in season 12 premiering in 2025, a move aimed at refreshing the dynamic while maintaining scrutiny on precision and creativity. The judges' critiques prioritize technical execution, flavor balance, and innovation, often drawing from their professional backgrounds in high-end restaurants. Production is handled through a partnership between local broadcaster (under MNC Group) and international format owner (now Banijay), with licensing renewals ensuring format fidelity since the 2011 debut. Early seasons involved FremantleMedia elements, but primary execution falls to 's in-house teams for challenges, set design, and , adapting the global template to Indonesian cultural contexts like regional ingredient sourcing. No specific executive producers are publicly detailed beyond network programming directors, such as Dini Aryanti Putri for season 4 innovations.

Seasons and Competitions

Seasons 1–4 (2011–2015)

The first four seasons of MasterChef Indonesia aired on , featuring amateur home cooks competing in elimination-based challenges that tested culinary skills, , and pressure-cooking under time constraints. These early seasons established with weekly episodes broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays, typically involving team challenges, mystery box tasks, and off-site cooking events judged by professional Indonesian chefs. Season 1 premiered on May 1, 2011, and ran for 27 episodes until the finale on August 21, 2011, where Lucky Andreono, a furniture entrepreneur from , defeated runner-up Agus Sasirangan with a final score of 131 to 129 points across multiple dishes. The season featured 20 contestants selected from auditions, judged by , , and Vindex Tengker. Season 2 began on July 8, 2012, shifting to weekday afternoon slots at 5:00 p.m., and concluded with Desi Trisnawati, a 39-year-old hotel director from Bangka, as the winner. Like the first season, it involved around 20 contestants facing progressive eliminations, with judges including and alongside guest experts. The third season launched on May 5, 2013, expanding to 25 top contestants and introducing Arnold Poernomo to the judging panel with and Degan Septoadji. Gozali, a 22-year-old store supervisor from , won the competition. Season 4, following a nearly two-year hiatus, premiered on May 31, 2015, and ended on September 12, 2015, with a reduced judging panel of two—Arnold Poernomo and Italian restaurant owner —overseeing 30 contestants. Luvita Hodiono, a student from , emerged victorious over runner-up Deny Gumilang.
SeasonPremiere YearWinnerRunner-upContestants
12011Lucky AndreonoAgus Sasirangan20
22012Desi TrisnawatiNot specified in sources~20
32013William GozaliNot specified in sources25
42015Luvita HodionoDeny Gumilang30

Seasons 5–8 (2019–2021)

Season 5 marked the revival of MasterChef Indonesia after a nearly four-year hiatus since season 4 concluded in 2015, with the season airing on in 2019 under the consistent judging panel of , Chef Arnold Poernomo, and Chef Renatta Moeloek, who replaced earlier judges like . Stefani Horison, also known as Fani, was crowned the winner, showcasing skills that later led her to open a restaurant specializing in Malaysian-inspired dishes such as in . The season emphasized amateur home cooks competing through challenges testing creativity, precision, and cultural fusion in . Season 6 followed in late 2019, maintaining the same judges and format focused on elimination rounds, team challenges, and pressure tests. Eric Herjanto, a and , won the season finale on March 8, 2020, defeating runner-up Firhan Ashari in a competition that highlighted innovative dishes like his signature lamb noodles. Herjanto's victory underscored the show's appeal to contestants blending scientific precision with culinary artistry, as he later pursued ventures in consulting and roasting. Season 7 premiered on September 26, 2020, amid the ongoing , with production adaptations including stricter health protocols while retaining the core judges. Entrepreneur Jerry Andrean from claimed the title on December 28, 2020, beating runner-up Audrey Wicaksana and securing a prize including hundreds of millions of rupiah, which he invested in food businesses like Rempah Bakar and Kamabe. Andrean's path included a mid-season elimination and return via a second-chance challenge, demonstrating resilience in tasks that evaluated entrepreneurial flair alongside cooking proficiency. Season 8 launched on May 29, 2021, continuing the judging trio and format amid pandemic recovery, with 21-year-old Jesselyn Lauwreen from — the youngest contestant—emerging victorious as a recent culinary school graduate. Her win highlighted bold flavors and technical execution in finals against competitors like Firhan Ashari, leading to post-show opportunities at institutions like . These seasons collectively revived the franchise's popularity, drawing diverse amateur participants from across and emphasizing skill-based progression over prior formats.

Seasons 9–12 (2022–2025)

Season 9 premiered on on January 22, 2022, and concluded with the grand final on April 24, 2022. The season featured amateur home cooks competing through various challenges, including team tasks and pressure tests, judged by , Arnold Poernomo, and Renatta Moeloek. Puteri Gunawan emerged as the winner, defeating finalists including Palitho Aventus Simanjuntak and Arsyan Dwianto. Season 10 began airing on December 24, 2022, and ended in late March 2023, with the grand final occurring on March 26, 2023. The competition maintained the standard format of elimination rounds and culinary invention tests under the same judging panel. Giovanni Vergio, known as Gio, was declared the winner after outperforming finalists such as Fahmi Prachaya in the final rounds. Season 11 aired throughout 2023, culminating in the grand final on November 26, 2023. secured the victory with a 10-point lead over runner-up Rizkisyah Putra Singarimbun, amid public debate regarding the judges' decision that highlighted ethnic undercurrents in contestant support. The season proceeded with familiar challenges judged by Rorimpandey, Poernomo, and Moeloek, focusing on precision in dishes reflecting Indonesian and international cuisines. Season 12 launched on February 8, 2025, and wrapped up on May 17, 2025, introducing Rudy Choirudin as a new judge replacing Poernomo, alongside returning judges Rorimpandey and Moeloek. Fajar Gusti Pangestu won the season, beating competitors by a 14-point margin in the finale, and marked the moment by proposing to his girlfriend onstage. The season included over 20 initial contestants narrowing down through auditions, mystery boxes, and off-site cooking trials.

Participants and Outcomes

Winners and Their Achievements

The winners of MasterChef Indonesia have predominantly pursued culinary ventures post-victory, including opening restaurants, launching food businesses, and furthering formal training at institutions like , though outcomes vary by individual with some achieving media prominence and others facing limited public follow-through. Season prizes typically include a , cash (e.g., Rp 300 million in later seasons), and professional equipment, enabling many to establish enterprises rooted in Indonesian fusion cuisine.
SeasonPremiere YearWinnerKey Post-Show Achievements
12011Lucky Andreono (age 31, furniture entrepreneur from Malang)Launched smoked food outlet Nge Smoked and spice business Daun Jeruk; innovated dishes emphasizing Indonesian flavors; deceased March 29, 2022, at age 41.
22012Desi Trisnawati (from Bangka Belitung)Advanced to hotel directorship, applying competition skills in professional hospitality management.
32013William Gozali (age 22, store supervisor, youngest winner to date)Opened restaurant Sunny Fatday in Jakarta; built a popular YouTube cooking channel with tutorials on creative Indonesian-Western fusion; collaborated on pop-up eateries and culinary events.
42015Luvita PutrantoEstablished personal culinary brand focusing on home-style Indonesian dishes; maintained lower public profile compared to media-active peers.
52019StefanPursued chef roles emphasizing precision techniques learned on the show; details on specific ventures limited in public records.
62020EricLeveraged win for professional kitchen advancement; active in social media sharing competition-inspired recipes.
72021Jerry AndreanTransitioned to consulting and media appearances, highlighting raw culinary innovation in interviews.
82021Jesselyn LauwreenCompleted advanced training at Le Cordon Bleu Bangkok and Paris; secured chef positions post-graduation, focusing on international techniques.
92022Cheryl PuteriOperates bakery CHER specializing in pastries; Le Cordon Bleu graduate recognized as emerging talent in Indonesia's dessert scene.
102022Giovanni "Gio" Vergio (from Jakarta)Founded GVNM Family food venture and This Guy Cooks outlet in Jakarta, emphasizing simple yet elevated casual dining.
112023Belinda Christina Sianto (from Malang, Le Cordon Bleu alumna with Diplôme de Cuisine and Avancé Culinaire)Advanced culinary education prior to win; post-victory focused on professional chef roles, amid public debate over selection.
122025Fajar Gusti PangestuRecent victor who proposed to partner onstage; early career details emerging, noted as first non-ethnic Chinese winner in program history.
Notable patterns include frequent enrollment in elite culinary programs and business startups, with winners like William Gozali and Cheryl Puteri achieving sustained visibility through digital platforms and branded outlets. However, not all transitioned seamlessly to , as some returned to prior professions or maintained modest profiles, reflecting the competitive nature of Indonesia's culinary market.

Runners-up and Notable Finalists

In MasterChef Indonesia, runners-up have often demonstrated strong culinary skills, with several advancing to significant post-show careers in the . For instance, Agus Sasirangan, runner-up of Season 1 (2011), later pursued professional cooking endeavors following his competitive performance. Taufik Hidayat, known as Opik and runner-up of Season 2 (2012), represented a notable early contestant in his 30s who reached the final despite the competition's youth skew. Season 3 (2013) runner-up Febrian Wicaksono showcased consistent challenge wins, including early mystery box victories, highlighting his technical proficiency. Deny Gumilang, who placed second in Season 4 (2015), exemplified resilience in a field of 30 contestants. Kaisha Fridayassie, runner-up of Season 5 (2019), competed in the show's revival era and gained recognition for her innovative dishes. Firhan Ashari finished as runner-up in Season 6 (), noted for his competitive edge against the winner in key rounds. Wicaksana Tanaja, Season 7 (2021) runner-up, transitioned into culinary roles post-elimination. In Season 11 (2023), Rizkisyah Putra Singarimbun, popularly known as Kiki, placed second despite viewer claims of outperforming the winner in nine challenges compared to five, sparking debate over judging criteria.
SeasonRunner-upNotable Aspects
8 (2021)(Details limited in primary sources; contestant advanced to amid high competition)Competed in pandemic-era format changes.
9 (2022)(Specific runner-up data sparse; focus on top performers)Featured rising culinary talents.
10 (2023)Ami PrachayaRecent graduate reaching .
12 (2025)Putu Hovit YusmanjiaCompeted in against winner Fajar Gusti Pangestu.
Other notable finalists include third-place contestants like those in Seasons 3 and 11, who often secured industry placements, though empirical data on long-term outcomes remains tied to individual trajectories rather than show guarantees. Contestant cohorts in have typically ranged from 20 to 30 participants per season in the early years (seasons 1–4, 2011–2015), stabilizing at 20–24 in subsequent seasons (5–12, 2019–2025). This structure allows for progressive eliminations through auditions, mystery box challenges, and pressure tests, with total participants across 12 seasons exceeding 250 individuals, predominantly amateurs from urban backgrounds. Demographic data on contestants remains sparse in , but observable patterns include a predominance of young adults aged 20–30, often with prior experience in food-related or rather than professional culinary training. Regional origins skew toward major cities such as , , , and , reflecting access to auditions and urban concentration of applicants, though later seasons show slight increases in representation from outer islands like and . Gender distribution among winners exhibits parity, with 6 males and 6 females across 12 seasons: males in seasons 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, and 12; females in seasons 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 11. However, ethnic trends reveal a marked overrepresentation of Chinese-Indonesian descent among winners, with all seasons 1–11 producing such victors before season 12's non-Chinese-Indonesian champion, prompting scrutiny of applicant pools and selection processes amid Indonesia's diverse population. This pattern aligns with urban contestant sourcing, where Chinese-Indonesian communities are prominent in culinary entrepreneurship, though it does not necessarily indicate bias without granular audition data.
Season RangeTypical Cohort SizeNotable Demographic Notes
1–4 (2011–2015)20–30Early focus on Java-based amateurs; mixed genders in finals.
5–8 (2019–2021)20–22Rising female finalist presence; urban professionals dominant.
9–12 (2022–2025)22–24Broader regional entries; ethnic winner shift in S12.

Reception and Cultural Impact

Viewership and Popularity Metrics

MasterChef Indonesia has achieved notable peaks in television ratings, particularly during crossover episodes that leverage synergies with popular dramas. A collaboration with the sinetron Ikatan Cinta in Season 8, aired on July 3, 2021, recorded a household rating of 6.6 and an audience share of 31.1%, establishing the program's record high since its debut on . Earlier, in 2019, an episode topped charts with a rating of 4.8 and share of 25.9%, reflecting strong prime-time performance amid competitive Indonesian broadcasting. Subsequent seasons showed declining averages, indicative of shifting viewer preferences and production changes. The Season 11 grand finale in November 2023 drew ratings of 1.9 (share 9.7%) on Saturday and 2.9 (share 14.1%) on Sunday, underperforming compared to soap operas like Bidadari Surgamu. In Season 12, early 2025 episodes ranked as low as 24th on February 22 but climbed following adjustments, such as judge replacements, per Nielsen-tracked data shared on industry accounts. These metrics, measured via Nielsen's urban market panels (covering key cities like and ), underscore the show's reliance on event-driven spikes for visibility in a fragmented TV landscape dominated by serials. Sustained production through 12 seasons by 2025 signals enduring appeal, though without public absolute viewership figures, relative ratings highlight its variable but occasionally dominant status among formats.

Influence on Indonesian Culinary Scene

MasterChef Indonesia has heightened public interest in culinary skills by featuring challenges that require mastery of traditional dishes such as ayam betutu and rendang, thereby educating viewers on Indonesian flavors, techniques, and the use of local ingredients like artisanal salts from Gunung Krayan. The program emphasizes education over mere entertainment, with judges like Rinrin Marinka highlighting its role in skill-building, while contestants fuse global methods with Nusantara elements, as seen in winner Jerry Andrean's gulai udang incorporating Western precision. Alumni have expanded the culinary landscape through entrepreneurial ventures that modernize regional specialties, including Victor Agustino's RM Rindu Rasa offering updated fare like ayam pop and at accessible prices (Rp 20,000–60,000), and Jerry Andrean's Rempah Bakar specializing in spicy cobek preparations such as sapi cobek. Other participants, like Fajar Gusti's Cita Rasa Steak Kaki Lima in , adapt street-food concepts to premium items including tenderloin steaks, contributing to diversified dining options across , , and . Judges and former contestants actively promote underrepresented regional cuisines, with Renatta Moeloek— a judge since 2018—using pop-up events and her private dining business to showcase dishes like naniura ( pickled fish) and gehu (stuffed ), while advocating grilling over frying to counter perceptions of as unhealthy and incorporating produce such as moringa leaves. Season 8 alumnus Chef Laode urges youth to embrace staples like , corn, and for daily consumption and promotion, positioning them as globally competitive alternatives to imported foods. The series facilitates by elevating Indonesian recipes for international audiences, as noted by , who on November 26, 2023, described participants as potential "diplomats" capable of achieving global acceptance for local dishes through their talents displayed in competitions like Season 11.

Post-Show Careers of Participants

William Gozali, winner of season 3 in 2013, transitioned into professional chef work by opening Sunny Fatday restaurant in , , and hosting pop-up events such as The Naked Goose in 2015. He further enhanced his skills through courses at in 2016. Desi Trisnawati, season 2 winner in 2012, competed in the event in 2017 and collaborated on menu innovations, including belacan and croissant dishes at Joe Dough café in 2019. She has since focused on mentoring through Komunitas Maju Kuliner and supporting local UMKM initiatives. Jerry Andrean, victor of season 7 in December 2020, established multiple food and beverage ventures including Bumbu Racik, Rempah Bakar, and Kamabe. Eric Herjanto, who won season 6 on March 8, 2020, as a former , launched Bac specializing in , alongside Congkee and J Roastery. Cheryl Puteri Gunawan, season 9 champion in 2022 and a graduate, operates her bakery CHER's Recipe and maintains an active presence in culinary content creation. Several alumni, including season 11 winner Belinda Christina Sianto, another alumna with diplomas in cuisine from 2017, have leveraged the show for business startups or professional advancement in . Lucky Andreono, season 1 winner in 2011, pursued culinary innovation via platforms focused on smoked foods and Daun Jeruk before his death in March 2022 at age 41. Overall, post-show trajectories often involve entrepreneurship in restaurants, consulting, or media, though success varies with individual initiative and market conditions in Indonesia's competitive food sector.

Controversies and Criticisms

Allegations of Recipe Misappropriation

In January 2020, during Season 6 of MasterChef Indonesia, contestant Eddy Siswanto was disqualified after being caught with unauthorized recipe notes during a cooking challenge in the gallery. The notes, found in his pocket, listed ingredients matching the challenge's requirements, violating competition rules that prohibit external aids to ensure fair skill-based evaluation. Judge Chef Arnold Poernomo halted the challenge upon discovery, expressing frustration over the breach of integrity and immediately demanding Eddy's exit, stating it undermined the competition's emphasis on authentic culinary ability. Eddy later acknowledged the incident in interviews, claiming he had prepared the notes beforehand but forgot to remove them, insisting it was not intentional but an oversight. Production enforced the disqualification without , aligning with show protocols against any form of pre-prepared assistance, which could constitute of external knowledge in a format designed to test improvisation and memory. No formal legal action followed, as the notes were personal and not sourced from proprietary recipes, but the event drew public attention to enforcement of rules in high-stakes culinary contests. Similar isolated claims of rule violations involving recipe aids have surfaced in other seasons, such as unverified reports of contestants referencing hidden notes, though none resulted in confirmed disqualifications beyond Season 6. These incidents highlight tensions between contestants' preparation habits and the show's zero-tolerance policy, with judges prioritizing verifiable skill over memorized or documented to maintain competitive equity.

Claims of Ethnic Favoritism and Discrimination

In the grand final of MasterChef Indonesia Season 11, aired on November 26, 2023, contestant Christina Sianto, of Chinese-Indonesian descent, was declared the winner with a score of 1867 points, narrowly defeating runner-up Rizkisyah "Kiki" Putra Singarimbun, who scored 1857 points. This result prompted accusations from netizens on platforms including X (formerly Twitter) and of favoritism toward Chinese-Indonesians, a demographic sometimes derogatorily labeled "Chindo" in online discourse. Critics among viewers cited specific incidents in the final challenges, such as Belinda's reported errors in meat cutting, dish explanation, and serving protocols during a team task involving guest judge Choi Siwon, arguing these should have disadvantaged her relative to Kiki's execution. They further alleged a broader pattern of ethnic bias, noting that several prior seasons' winners—such as William Gozali (Season 3), Luvita Hodiono (Season 4), and Eric Herjanto (Season 6)—were also Chinese-Indonesian, interpreting this as evidence of preferential judging or production influence favoring that group over indigenous Indonesian ethnicities like Kiki's Medan Batak background. The backlash included demands to revoke the show's license, with hashtags like #MasterChefRasis gaining traction and prompting petitions to MasterChef's international body. Arnold Poernomo and others dismissed rigging claims, insisting scores reflected culinary merit, while some observers attributed the outcry to Indonesia's historical ethnic frictions rather than substantiated . No independent verification or formal investigation confirmed the favoritism allegations, which remained confined to public sentiment and amplification.

Accusations of Rigging and Judging Bias

In the finale of MasterChef Indonesia Season 11, aired on November 26, 2023, contestant Belinda Christina's victory over runner-up Kiki sparked widespread online accusations of , with detractors claiming the outcome was predetermined to favor certain participants. Social media users highlighted alleged discrepancies in judging criteria, such as inconsistent evaluations of technical skills and creativity during the final challenge, arguing that Kiki's dishes demonstrated superior execution despite receiving lower scores. These claims gained traction amid a broader pattern where eight of the prior ten winners had been of Chinese-Indonesian descent, fueling suspicions of scripted results to ensure marketable outcomes. Judges refuted the rigging allegations, with Chef Juna Rorimpandey stating on December 7, 2023, that the show is not a "set-up" and winners are selected based solely on performance in live challenges, emphasizing the transparency of the elimination process. Chef Arnold Poernomo similarly clarified that Kiki's elimination stemmed from specific shortcomings, including a near-disqualification for procedural violations during preparation, which undermined her final standing rather than any external interference. Management issued statements denying manipulation, attributing public distrust to high viewer expectations and unverified narratives. Critics of the judging panel also alleged in feedback delivery, pointing to instances where judges like Marinka Goveas provided harsher critiques to non-favored contestants in earlier episodes, potentially influencing eliminations. For example, during pressure tests, some viewers contended that subjective descriptors like "lacking finesse" were applied unevenly, favoring contestants with prior experience over home cooks. However, production records and post-episode analyses by culinary outlets indicated that judging adhered to predefined rubrics focusing on flavor balance, presentation, and innovation, with no evidence of systemic favoritism beyond anecdotal complaints. By early 2024, the controversy had subsided without formal investigations or legal challenges, though it prompted calls from netizens for the return of former judge Chef Marinka, perceived as more impartial, amid ongoing skepticism toward the panel's consistency in subsequent seasons.

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