Forget about the jus, the quenelles and the tuiles. Hold the samphire, the goat’s curd and the bok choy.
And you may as well scrape all sage dust off the plate and into the bin… because the really notable thing cooked up on last night’s Masterchef was the Twitter storm about how to pronounce ‘chorizo’.
The spicy Spanish sausage may be a supermarket staple these days. But it seems how ‘chorizo’ trips off the tongue may be more divisive than the EU referendum.
That’s according to how passionate viewers got over how John Torode in particular – utilising a slight Spanish accent – said it during the first episode of the new series got his tongue around it, anyway.
Frustratingly for viewers’ ears, Gregg Wallace said it with a hard ‘z’. But it seems as if the inconsistency was more annoying as the suggestion John was being a wee bit pretentious.
Not at all comfortable with how John Torode says chorizo. #MasterChef
— 🌈 Paul 🌈 (@PJN74) February 26, 2018
I think John must have been thrilled that someone cooked with chorizo just so he could repeatedly say chori-tho #MasterChef
— Katy Holloran (@katy_hols) February 26, 2018
Tonight on #MasterChef we have the Chorizo pronunciation contest
— Niall (@Tyronetim67) February 26, 2018
When they keep pronouncing chorizo – chorithhhhho 🙄#MasterChef
— Dan Love (@DanLoveBug) February 26, 2018
Read more: BBC bosses tear strip off MasterChef motormouth John Torode
Indeed, unlike most disagreements that make it to the internet, viewers were less keen on being ‘right’ and more interested in getting chorizo off the menu to avoid the irritating disparity in the future.
Oh god we have chorizo back on the menu chorittzo choreeetho choreezo whatever #MasterChef
— NikkiBSnowboard (@nikki3006BK) February 26, 2018
Please ban Chorizo as an ingredient so we don’t have to hear John say it #MasterChef
— Sandeep (@Givemeabiscuit) February 26, 2018
However, one cheeky commenter seemed to want the wind up to continue forever. Hopefully this man will never be employed as programme commissioner at the BBC.
They should use chorizo every week and make everyone pronounce it differently just to annoy everyone#MasterChefUK #MasterChef
— John E. Blythe (@JohnnyBlythe) February 26, 2018
As it turns out, John’s pronunciation is in keeping with BBC Good Food’s recommendation.
Still, maybe Masterchef hopeful Jess – whose dish of pan-fried duck breast, bok choi, crispy shallots and a chorizo and butternut squash rosti served with a blackberry sauce was responsible for the online ire – could stick to regular bangers in future.
Contestant James looks like on to watch this series, having impressed viewers and judges in last night’s first episode with his dishes.
John enthused: “For an amateur out of a home kitchen, it is extraordinary what James has done today.”
It seems his kitchen hygiene could do with an upgrade, though. The 24-year-old from Oxford horrified those watching at home as he ‘double-dipped’ with his spoon during preparations.
James on #Masterchef just mixed his sauce with a spoon, put the spoon in his mouth to taste and then put the spoon BACK into the the bowl of sauce !!.
Disgusting 🤢
— Psycho Mantis (@Makaveli_1872) February 26, 2018
Read more: Gogglebox favourite signs up for Celebrity Masterchef
Masterchef is on BBC One, Monday at 9pm.
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