MasterChef

MASTERCHEF ITALIA

MasterChef Italia is the Italian version of the famous cooking talent show MasterChef. It is a TV program in which non-professional cooks compete by preparing dishes in front of a jury of renowned chefs. In each episode there are different challenges (Mystery Box, Invention Test, Pressure Test, outdoor challenges, and so on) and one or more contestants are eliminated. In the end only one contestant remains, who becomes the “MasterChef of Italy” and wins a cash prize and/or the chance to publish a cookbook, depending on the season. The show airs on Sky and later free-to-air on TV8 and is one of the most popular cooking shows in Italy.

The music of MasterChef Italia is a key element in creating the show’s atmosphere.
For the Italian version of the format, he oversees the musical side in its entirety: he composes original pieces specifically created for the programme and serves as Music Supervisor, selecting and proposing soundtracks and catalogue songs that the writers then use throughout the episodes.

The musical style of MasterChef is strongly cinematic: strings and percussion heighten the tension during the challenges and pressure tests, lighter and more playful themes accompany the funnier clips, and different variations of the main theme are adapted to the various moments of the story.

For some spin-offs, such as Celebrity MasterChef Italia, he has composed bespoke original theme tunes.

The theme song “Charging Up” (guitars: Frank Cara, bass: Antonio Brunetti) is used in the promos and in the opening of the show on Sky Uno.

COUNTRY: ITALY
YEAR: 2011 – PRESENT
GENRE: COOKING TALENT SHOW
SEASONS: 14
EPISODES: 167 (AS OF 27 FEBRUARY 2025)
RUNNING TIME: 60–70 MINUTES
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: ITALIAN

HOSTS:
BRUNO BARBIERI (SEASONS 1–PRESENT)
ANTONINO CANNAVACCIUOLO (SEASONS 5–PRESENT)
GIORGIO LOCATELLI (SEASONS 8–PRESENT)
JOE BASTIANICH (SEASONS 1–8)
CARLO CRACCO (SEASONS 1–6)
ANTONIA KLUGMANN (SEASON 7)

CREATOR:
FRANC RODDAM

DIRECTOR:
UMBERTO SPINAZZOLA

MUSIC:
GIAN LUCA NIGRO

PRODUCTION COMPANY:
MAGNOLIA (SEASONS 1–5)
ENDEMOL (SEASONS 6+)

TV NETWORK:
CIELO (SEASON 1 FIRST-RUN, SEASONS 2–11 RE-RUNS)
SKY UNO (SEASON 1 RE-RUN, SEASONS 2+)
TV8 (RE-RUNS SEASONS 5+)