After conducting a nationwide search, 100 of the best amateur cooks in America - including a police officer, an oil rig engineer, an interior designer, a forklift operator, a professional poker player, a classical pianist and a tattoo shop owner - were flown to Los Angeles in the hopes of becoming the next MASTERCHEF and walking away with the life-changing grand prize. The hopefuls will prepare their signature dishes and present them to judges Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot. The amateur cooks will be put through the paces, and only the most deserving among them will win the coveted white apron and move on to the next round of the competition.