On March 3, 2022, the11th edition of Masterchef Italia and to triumph was Tracy Ebigbodi, a young waitress of Nigerian origins who lives and works in Valais di Oppeano. Yet one special mention goes to the talented Carmine, the boy from Campania who asserted himself and in any case got on the podium.
Carmine Gorrasi is from Battipaglia and right from the qualifications he impressed the judges with his ideas and his imagination in the kitchen. In this edition of Masterchef is finished second making our land proud and certainly also the whole community of Battipaglia.
Who is Carmine: from the denied passion to the great peaks in the kitchen
Carmine has only 18 years and, as mentioned, he comes from Battipaglia, a town in the province of Salerno, although he now lives in Montecorvino Pugliano.
Despite the very young age has really clear ideas on his ambitions: one day will become a multi-starred chef, these were his words to the judges of Masterchef.
His passion for cooking and his innovative ideas led him to the final at Masterchef but, even if he did not take first place, his result is equally incredible. Although you do not study in the hotel industry, his unfulfilled dream, he dedicated himself to the study of the best culinary techniques. In fact, at the moment he is attending the last year of scientific high school, at the behest of the parents who preferred him to follow this path of study, but he never abandoned his dream of becoming a chef.
He started at 12 to approach the kitchen, together with his sister Sara, messing around together with her and sometimes even creating gastronomic disasters. But you know, you learn by making mistakes, and Carmine did not let himself be discouraged, persevering with the passion of him and studying self-taught.
The path to Masterchef: an immediate revelation
Carmine, during the Live cooking of the selections, he won over the judges and the public by cooking gods Gyoza, that is Japanese ravioli with scallops, cabbage, pork, spring onion, ginger, soy sauce, sugar and red pepper.
A definite dish very good and really cutting edge, so much so as to make them worth the title of "Signor Gorrasi“, Invented by chef Barbieri, and which allowed him to receive the coveted white apron that decrees access to the competition.
It quickly became the competitor to beat, one of the most feared of all those who participated in the competition, becoming the darling not only of the public, but also of chef Barbieri who saw in him the same flame of passion that drove him to the dawn of his career.
The dishes of the final and the sweet Battipaglia Total White
In the final at 3, in the presence of all the relatives of the competitors and former participants, Carmine Gorrasi, Christian Passeri and Tracy Ebigbodi challenged each other with the stove and gourmet dishes. Everyone had to prepare four courses, from appetizers to desserts.
Carmine he was very inspired by his Battipaglia, although he admitted that long ago it was the place he wanted to escape from. Today, however, you have understood that it represents your roots and that it must be valued.
Carmine presented the following Japanese-Campania menu:
- the appetizer: Neapolitan Kaiseki, that is, a reference to the plate of selections with courgette flower tempura, fried aubergine gunkan and raw cod in a nori seaweed crust;
- the first course: Gyoza with matcha tea stuffed with octopus genovese, caviar, scallop carpaccio, onion consommé and smoked tea;
- the second dish: Sapori di Casa, a tribute to grandparents. It would be hay-smoked pigeon breast, friggitiello stuffed with buffalo ricotta, parmigiana bonbons, and crusco pepper;
- the dessert: total white Battipaglia, that is buffalo and coconut parfait, yogurt and white chocolate snow, cedar cream, peanut shortbread and buffalo ice cream.
The second place did not discourage him, on the contrary he said he was more willing than ever to continue his journey because "It is not the end for me, but a great beginning".
Carmine's cuisine between avant-garde and fusion
His cuisine can be defined forefront, multiethnic and certainly characterized by contamination. In fact, the pivot on which her plates leverage is the fusion between the culinary tradition with roots in Battipaglia and the traditions of other cuisines in the world.
References to childhood and the countryside are always present and his favorite ingredients, which he almost always uses now, are there soy sauce and pigeon (great discovery made in Masterchef).
Future projects
Carmine said he wanted to finish high school and want to subscribe toUniversity. Surely at the moment he will try to get as much experience as possible, even in many restaurant kitchens if possible, in order to then grab the great dream of becoming a famous starred chef.
