Living their dreams

Living their dreams

Update on Top MasterChef 2016 Contenders

By Mila Astorga-Garcia

Jeremy Senaris of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Matthew Astorga of Pitt Meadows, British Columbia — the two Filipino-Canadians in the top three finalists for MasterChef Canada 2016 — say they are happy with their success and life-changing experience in Canada’s premiere cooking reality show, despite losing the championship title to Mary Berg of Toronto, Ontario.

After all, the two Pinoys emerged among the top three contenders from the original 40 top finalists all over Canada. The 40 who were chosen from thousands of applicants – all hopeful home cooks wanting to clinch the prestigious MasterChef Canada 2016 title, with the cash prize of $100,000 that goes with it.

“A dream come true,” says Senaris; “I’m living my dream,” says Astorga. The two confided to The Philippine Reporter the positive impact the MasterChef Canada experience brought to their young lives, during an exclusive interview.

Astorga was first eliminated during the competition of the top three finalists, held June 12. Then last Sunday, June 19, during the competition’s final segment, Senaris came close to winning the title as he was pitted against Berg.

The two finalists faced off in a competition that involved the preparation of a three course meal: an appetizer, entrée, and a dessert. Both presented culinary creations that impressed the judges. In the end, the three judges gave the title to Berg, earning for her the distinction of being the first woman to ever win the MasterChef Canada title.

Both Senaris and Astorga graciously admit that Berg, who has become a good friend, is a remarkably outstanding chef who “deserves to win.”

Meanwhile, doors have opened wide for the two top Pinoy MasterChef contenders as they are now regarded among Canada’s shining stars in the highly competitive and discriminating field of culinary art.

Astorga was immediately hired as Corporate Chef by the Joseph Richard Group, a consortium of over a dozen pubs, nightclubs, restaurants and other ventures owned by André Joseph Bourque and Ryan Richard Moreno. He is also collaborating with Season 2 MasterChef winner David Jorge from Surrey, BC on putting up an Asian fusion restaurant, Jorge’s second and Astorga’s first, that will offer their own brand of cooking.

Senaris has in the works starting this summer a line-up of offerings from individuals and groups to host pop-up dinners in restaurant venues where his kind of cooking will be featured. He has also been approached by Cancer Care Manitoba to host a huge fundraiser dinner for cancer research featuring his own menu — an undertaking close to his heart, as he lost his mother, who had inspired his love for cooking, to cancer.

What follows is The Philippine Reporter’s interview with MasterChef 2016 finalist Senaris.

(Interview with third place finalist Astorga will be printed in the next issue of The Philippine Reporter.)

TPR: Could you give us a little bit of your background? What got you interested in food?

JEREMY SENARIS

SENARIS: I was born in Winnipeg Manitoba in 1981. My parents migrated here from Cavite (Philippines) in the late 70s. I was raised here. My passion for food started when my mom (who was ill with cancer) passed away. I always baked in the kitchen with her when she was alive. We always cooked together. And she taught me how to cook certain things. I would help her cook lumpia, cook empanada. I used to help her, especially when she got sick. I would stay in the kitchen with her, and she would sit at the table, and tell me what to do so I can cook the meal because at that point, she was already sick and couldn’t cook. That was really where my cooking comes from. It reminds me of being with her. My memories of her in the kitchen. That’s where my love for cooking came from.

TPR: Why did you join MasterChef? How did you find out about it?

SENARIS: I was a fan of the Master Chef U.S. version for quite a long time. And when they finally had the season for the Canadian version, I was really excited, and I tried out for the first Season. I made it in the Manitoba audition, but unfortunately I did not make it to the top 50. So I didn’t make it for the first year. After that I didn’t want to try it anymore. I tried, but it didn’t happen. I wasn’t going to try but the people at MasterChef contacted me and urged me to apply for the third season, so I thought what the heck, so I did it again and I made it to the top 40…then those people were flown to Toronto for the competitions and only 14 out of the top 40 got the white apron.

(TPR Note: From the top 14, MasterChef Canada competitions went on every week, with each program culminating in the elimination of one finalist, until Senaris and Berg remained the two finalists to compete for the title of MasterChef Canada 2016, which was eventually won by the latter.)

TPR: How did you find the Season 3 MasterChef experience, in terms of its impact on your life?

SENARIS: The experience itself was amazing – a once in a lifetime experience. Not many people can say they had been through something like this. I think with all the other contestants, we all shared that feeling, that’s why we all became such friends, especially I became good friends with Matthew; I treat him like a little brother, and Mary and Veronica and Sean, we all became really really good friends because of this experience.

TPR: From this experience, what doors were opened to you?

SENARIS: It’s been opening doors for me, for the Filipino community. I actually got an offer to be a fundraiser for Cancer Care Manitoba. That’s an amazing thing to try and help out for something like cancer research.

MATTHEW ASTORGA

TPR: What do you think about the results of the competition?

SENARIS: After the results were said, I was sad because I wished that it could have been me as the MasterChef Canada Season 3. But I was still happy for my friend. Mary deserved it. She was a great contender and she’s my really good friend. I was sad but I was also happy for her because she deserved it as much as I did.

TPR: What are your dreams? What are your plans?

SENARIS: My dream is to one day open up a restaurant. I would love to have my own concept be based on Filipino food, so more Filipino fusion. Just basically what I have shown on the TV show; basically elevated and modern Filipino food.

TPR: What prospects are there towards your dream of opening a restaurant?’’

I have a few pop-up dinners planned in the future, a dinner based on my menu. That’s in the works in the next few months. I’ll be hosting dinner in restaurants… basically a private function, dinner tasting of my own menu.

TPR: What advice for success do you have for young people — based on your own success — especially for food dreamers who want to be chefs like you?

SENARIS: For me, I’ve always been one that never wants to give up, and that definitely how my attitude is and was in the competition, as it is in my life. I will never give up until I achieve what I want to achieve. For anybody that wants to join the food industry, I would just suggest: be creative and follow your cooking talent, and your heart.