MasterChef Brazil and the Setting of a Contemporary Imagined Community

ABSTRACT

The Brazilian edition of MasterChef is analysed as promoting the establishment of “cultural identities” through the kitchen environment. This reality/talent show contributes to the creation of a contemporary Brazilian “imagined community”, despite the global nature of the franchise. As a result of the variations in the recipes, the dishes prepared in the first season of MasterChef make it possible for viewers to observe influences of the diversity of peoples who migrated to Brazil, as well as its territorial dynamics. The preparation of Italian pasta, Brazilian moqueca, and Brazilian feijoada by contestants is analysed according to the notion of “material culture”, which leads to the identification of features of Brazilian culinary culture (including a contemporary one) in the process of the transformation of the food.

KEYWORDS:

• MasterChef
• imagined communities
• material culture
• cultural identity
• Brazilian cuisine

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Carlos Eduardo Marquioni http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6201-6070

Caroline Cavalcanti de Oliveira http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6238-073X

Notes

1 The quotes used were retrieved from http://entretenimento.band.uol.com.br/masterchef/videos.asp on November 16, 2014. In quotes and citations, the season and the corresponding episode are referenced. For example, MC-BR S01E04 refers to season 1 (S01), episode 4 (E04).

2 All translations from the Portuguese are our own.

3 It is also relevant here to note that culture is a priori an unfinished process.

4 Tape-recorded interview with P. Carosella, H. Fogaça, and E. Jacquin, judges of MasterChef Brazil, September 20, 2014, São Paulo.

5 Tape-recorded interview with P. Carosella, H. Fogaça, and E. Jacquin, judges of MasterChef Brazil, September 20, 2014, São Paulo.