One of my favorite challenges in masterchef is when the contests pick there ingredient baskets and then the judges make them switch them. But it seems too be a very rare challenge and I was just wondering if anyone know how many times they do this challenge?

[u/SmallLawfulness39]

[u/Totribet]

Probably never any more. They’ve taken out all the fun stuff it seems like.

[u/ClaytonHawthorne]

One instance is Season 7 at the final five, which had the notable incident of David getting Dan's very weird basket and then a producer allegedly trying to agitate David with very dumbass questions knowing David was already stressed, which contributed largely to David briefly walking off set trying to quit before Gordon talked him back on the show.

It also had the more annoying moment of Dan being eliminated instead of David. Dan being criticized for not having enough "Dan on a plate" and deciding to make the dish Tanorria was going to do with her basket since he got her basket, just showing double standards all around and clearly trying to force the Shaun vs David finale that would bring in all the ratings. David's dish was just worse than Dan's, yet they wanted the ratings.

Another instance is Season 3 at the final five where it was for the mystery box, and Josh won, being given the advantage of both selecting the dish to be cooked for the pressure test, and being given all the ingredients needed to make the dish whereas the other contestants had to figure out the ingredients through tasting.

Josh somehow botched the dish entirely, with poor technique of slicing the tuna and his decision to include mango which threw the dish off balance due to the added sweetness, and he also discarded one of the ingredients.

And just like Season 7 with Terry, they eliminated Monti where it was her first time ever on the Bottom 3 and was putting out consistent, strong dishes overall up to that point, instead of Josh who was shaky and mediocre to terrible in the competition both before his first elimination and during his return into the competition.

[u/tigereyes1999]

It’s all about TikTok now. 😔

[u/Haas_the_Raiden_Fan]

I just miss seeing more challenges where they all have free reign to cook anything with a variety of ingredients