Masterchef Season 4 Gets A Two-Hour Premiere Later This Month

If it seems like Fox's cooking competition Masterchef is coming back earlier and earlier each year, it's because it is. The first season debuted in late July. Seasons 2 and 3 premiered in early June and this year, the show will return in late May. Fox announced that the two-hour season premiere of Masterchef will air May 22 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

One of numerous Gordon Ramsay fronted cooking series on Fox, Masterchef features cooking enthusiasts - meaning, amateurs, not professional cooks or chefs - as they attempt to impress Gordon Ramsay with their cooking abilities in the hopes of winning the title of "MasterChef." As last season proved, you don't need the ability to see in order to be a good cook. Christine, a blind 32-year-old creative-writing student, competed with the help of an assistant to pass her ingredients for the challenges (Christine did all of the actual cooking) and went on to face off against Army contract specialist Josh in the finals. Christine took home the $250,000 grand prize and earned herself the title of MasterChef, not to mention her own cookbook deal. Her book Recipes from My Home Kitchen: Asian and American Comfort Food from the Winner of MasterChef Season 3 on Fox is available for pre-order and hits shelves May 14. The title is a mouthful, but if the recipes are as good as Christine performed in the series, it's a tasty mouthful!

Who will earn the grand prize in Season 4? We'll find out. But first we have to see who makes the finals. Masterchef hopefuls will prepare their signature dish for judges Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot in the hopes of earning an apron and a spot on the show. The top finalists for the season will be revealed on Wednesday, May 29, a week after the 2-hour premiere.