Ewa Leja, producer of the TVN programs “MasterChef” and “MasterChef Junior”, received the prestigious Ars Coquinaria award granted by the Academy of Gastronomy in Poland. She was awarded as a Friend of Taste.
The Gastronomy Academy appreciated the great success “MasterChef” and “MasterChef Junior”, which contributed to the creation of cooking fashion in Poland and increased the popularity of gastronomic tourism. – This is an award not only for me, but for the entire team working on “MasterChef” and “MasterChef Junior” – says Ewa Leja, the program’s producer. Their editorial team consists of ten people, but about a hundred people work on the final result. – I am glad that we have had a loyal group of viewers for years. They love our jurors and the fact that they can learn something about cooking from them. It is also important that the programs are recorded in a cordial atmosphere. There is no shouting or crushing criticism here. Simply perfect entertainment for a Sunday evening – says Leja to tvn24.pl.
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Ewa Leja, producer of “MasteChef”TVN
“MasterChef” and “MasterChef Junior”
“MasterChef” has been broadcast on TVN since 2012. From the beginning, the efforts of amateur chefs have been assessed by Magda Gessler, Anna Starmach and Michel Moran. In the current, 12th edition, they were joined by Tomasz Jakubiak. In 2016, “MasterChef Junior” was launched, and soon “MasterChef” for teenagers will be launched, in which we will see Dorota Szelągowska. – I am glad that over the years “MasterChef” has developed such a strong brand, not only among viewers, but also among professional chefs. When we started, it was treated by the catering industry with a pinch of salt as just another entertainment show. Now everyone knows that these amateurs are people with great talent who, after the program, go on the market, open restaurants and specialize in fine dining – says Leja. The “MasterChef” team follows the careers of the finalists and is in contact with them. Some – such as Barbara Ritz or Beata Śniechowska, winners of the first and second editions – are restaurant owners. Others write culinary books and are influencers. – They came to the program as amateurs, unsure of themselves and their skills. They did not have the courage to cook, some of them were not allowed to do so by their parents. They got the wind in their sails in “MasterChef”. Now they are professionals who make money by cooking. This program changes lives, says Leja.
What is the Gastronomy Academy?
The Academy of Gastronomy in Poland is a branch of the International Academy of Gastronomy (Académie Internationale de la Gastronomie) operating since 1927 – a renowned association dealing with education and promotion of culinary art, which annually awards the prestigious AIG PRIX awards (for people and institutions that stand out in the area of given country’s international level in the field of creating, supporting or developing gastronomy). The Polish branch of the Academy of Gastronomy has been awarding Ars Coquinaria awards for seven years in three categories: Champion of Champions, Polish Product and Friend of Taste. The latter is awarded to those who uniquely contribute to the development and improvement of the level of Polish gastronomy. This year, in addition to Ewa Lea, the reviewer and culinary traveler Robert Makłowicz and the journalist Robert Mazurek were also awarded in this category.
Main photo source: TVN