Joe Bastianich on MasterChef: Whose “Poor Attitude” is “Disappointing”?

Dinah’s Family Restaurant is an iconic LA institution—a beloved diner serving loyal customers since its inception in 1959. In my 30-plus years in the restaurant business, I can tell you, the most consistent thing that you can expect from all customers is in fact just that—consistency! As a guest, there is nothing more disappointing than ordering your favorite dish only to find it markedly different from the last time you ate it. People need reliability when it comes to their food. It makes them feel good about paying for it. This is key in establishing trust between you and your customers.

To put it mildly, deviating from the norm here does not put butts in seats, and that’s what makes a restaurant a financially viable business. A professional kitchen is nothing like experimenting with your own recipes on your own time at home. It is the nonstop replicating of someone else’s menu, and it needs to be done perfectly each time. This is really what last night’s challenge was all about, because we already know our home cooks can knock off a club sandwich—unless we’re talking about Elise.

Christine truly shined as team captain and had the right idea from the get-go. She may have ruled with an iron fist, but in a hectic fast-paced diner, that’s exactly what is needed, and her victory is proof of that. No talking unless absolutely necessary is the norm in every professional kitchen during service. She really did a fantastic job at running her team.

There really wasn’t too much pressure in last night’s pressure test for Big Willy—and that’s what he deserved. Kind and gracious to the core, his choice to save others in lieu of himself was no shock to anyone. He performs with an efficiency that I think no other contestant does this season and so far it’s worked for him.

We judges were less than thrilled with last night’s retaining of Cutter, but the performance on the plate has to come first, and Dan’s cake was indeed the worst put forth. We know that Cutter is cracking under the pressure, but he’s seen the format—don’t tell me he doesn’t know what to expect. We judges are harsh. It’s what he signed up for. Gordon and Graham and myself did not make a field trip to Texas, knock on his door, and beg him to enter this competition. His poor attitude is disappointing and makes it less enjoyable to put the time in with him, quite frankly.

Although initially Dan seemed to be in the top echelon, he hit a downward slope that he wasn’t able to pull himself out of. He should be proud of what he accomplished on the show and I hope he keeps cooking.

Tune in next week on Monday, July 21 at 8/7c on FOX. Also, follow me on Twitter @JBastianich.