An Unexpected Double Elimination Sends Home Andrew Al-Khouri and Cody Karey from CTV's MASTERCHEF CANADA

– MASTERCHEF's Graham Elliot surprises the remaining Top 8 home cooks with a special Mystery Box Challenge in the next episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA on Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. CT) –

TORONTO, April 5, 2015 /CNW/ - The most fearsome Pressure Test in MASTERCHEF CANADA history saw two home cooks leave the kitchen. Andrew Al-Khouri (@Zataartheory) from Halifax, N.S. and Cody Karey (@codykarey) from Vancouver, B.C. were both sent home by judges Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung, and Claudio Aprile after failing to properly replicate a French fruit tart. The next episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA airs Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. CT) on CTV and CTV GO, and features MASTERCHEF's Graham Elliot who surprises the Top 8 home cooks with a special Mystery Box, while an underwater-themed Elimination Challenge sends at least one cook home.

In tonight's episode, the remaining Top 10 home cooks took on their biggest team challenge yet: catering a Harbour Cruise wedding. They were tasked with creating stunning French-inspired canapés, appetizers, and main dishes for the bride, groom, and their wedding guests. The winners of last week's Mystery Box Challenge, Andrew Al-Khouri and Michael Motamedi, led the teams with Michael strategically selecting home cooks for the Red Team, and Andrew confidently stacked the Blue Team with strong cooks. Both teams suffered setbacks during the high-stress challenge, including a lack of strong leadership from Blue Team's Andrew, and a hair found by the bride on a canapé  from the Red Team. With setbacks for each team, the home cooks watched anxiously as the bride and groom sliced into a red-dyed wedding cake, revealing the Red Team as winners of the team challenge.

Back in the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen, the Blue Team learned that all five team members would be participating in the Pressure Test, and the judges then revealed that two home cooks would be eliminated. The stakes were raised even higher when it was revealed that the Pressure Test was the most difficult one ever attempted on MASTERCHEF CANADA: replicating a French fruit tart, a technique-driven speciality with three separate components, in only 45 minutes.

The home cooks strived to create exact duplications of the delicate tart, with its balanced proportions of flaky pastry, vanilla bean pastry cream, and glazed fresh fruit. The judges found three desserts varying in consistency and quality, but it was Andrew's tart, with its bland pastry cream, and Cody Karey's incomplete tart, missing the raspberry fruit layer, that sealed their fates and sent them both home from the competition.

**Media Note** – Download photos for MASTERCHEF CANADA at BellMediaPR.ca

In the next new episode of MASTERCHEF CANADA (Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m./8 p.m. CT), MASTERCHEF judge Graham Elliot presents the home cooks with the smallest Mystery Box in MASTERCHEF CANADA history, filled with tiny proteins and vegetables. The home cook who wins the challenge receives an advantage in the Elimination Challenge, choosing which live underwater creature their fellow competitors have to cook with.

The home cooks vying for the title of MASTERCHEF CANADA and the $100,000 cash prize are:

1. Christopher Siu, a Pharmacy Student from Markham, Ont.
2. David Jorge, a Concrete Contractor from Surrey, B.C.
3. Jennifer Innis, a Dental Hygienist from Vernon, B.C.
4. Jon Hameister-Ries, a former Pro Football Player and Financial Advisor from Vancouver, B.C.
5. Line Pelletier, a Canadian Military Veteran and Computer Specialist from Moncton, N.B.
6. Michael Motamedi, an Entrepreneur from Toronto, Ont.
7. Sabrina Poirier, an Office Manager from Montréal, Que.
8. Tammy Wood, a Retail Clerk from Agassiz, B.C.

MASTERCHEF CANADA also streams on demand on CTV GO and CTV.ca, and episodes encore following their broadcast premieres Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on M3, Saturdays at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two, and Sundays at 5 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Viewers can watch Andrew and Cody live on CANADA AM (Weekdays at 6 a.m. ET) and CP24 BREAKFAST (Weekdays 5:30 a.m. ET), as well as Andrew on CTV MORNING LIVE ATLANTIC (Weekdays at 7 a.m. AT on CTV Two Atlantic), on Monday, April 5 as they discuss their time on MASTERCHEF CANADA.

The MASTERCHEF format is represented internationally by Shine International, the sales and distribution arm of Shine Group, and is based on a format originally created by Franc Roddam.

MASTERCHEF CANADA is produced by Proper Television in association with CTV. President of Proper Television, Guy O'Sullivan is executive producer, along with Proper's Vice-President and Creative Director, Cathie James. Shine America's Paula Warwick is Creative Consultant. For Bell Media, Tina Apostolopoulos is Production Executive, Factual and Reality, Independent Production. Robin Johnston is Director, Factual and Reality, Independent Production. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks and CraveTV. Phil King is President - CTV, Sports, and Entertainment Programming.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
#MasterChefCanada
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@MasterChefCDA
Michael Bonacini – @MichaelBonacini
Alvin Leung – @TheDemonChef
Claudio Aprile – @ClaudioAprile
Christopher Siu – @Baker_Siu
David Jorge – @concrete_cook
Jennifer Innis – @JenniferInnis
Jon Hameister-Ries – @jonhr67
Line Pelletier – @TheSaucyLine
Michael Motamedi – @MichaelBaffi
Sabrina Poirier – @Sabrinapmtl
Tammy Wood – @saucysgotgame

Facebook:
facebook.com/ctv
facebook.com/MasterChefCDA

Instagram:
MasterChefCDA
BellMediaPR
Claudio Aprile – claudioaprile1
Christopher Siu – baker_siu
David Jorge – concrete_cook
Jennifer Innis – jensheninnis
Jon Hameister-Ries – jonhr67
Line Pelletier – TheSaucyLine
Michael Motamedi – MichaelBaffi 
Sabrina Poirier – Sabrinapmtl
Tammy Wood – saucysgotgame

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 13 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

- CTV -

SOURCE CTV