Sorry aspiring chefs! But Joe Bastianich has decided to cut his ties with the hit television competitive cooking show US franchise "MasterChef" after the third season of its youth-oriented division, "MasterChef Junior."
The 46-year-old restaurateur, who is known for his sharp comments on the famous show, is reportedly planning to move on to a different path once the upcoming third season of "MasterChef Junior" wraps up next year, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
"Joe has played an integral role in the success of both MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, and we all appreciate his incredible culinary insight, sense of humor and passion," producers Shine America, OnePotato Two Potato and Fox said of the soon-to-exit judge in a joint statement. "He will always remain a member of the MasterChef family."
As of late, the youth division of the hit cooking franchise is halfway through its second season. Season 3, on the other hand, is set to premiere on Jan. 6.
Ahead of the third season's premiere, producers are already looking for the perfect replacement to fill in the spot of Bastianich, alongside cooking mentors Gordon Ramsay and Graham Elliott, according to TV Guide.
So what made him decide to exit the two shows for good? Apparently, Bastianich is ditching the U.S. franchise of "Masterchef" and "MasterChef Junior" for him to focus more on "MasterChef Italia" and CNBC's "Restaurant Startup," where he also serves as an executive producer.
"After several gratifying years as a judge on MasterChef and MasterChef Junior, I have decided to step down from my role on the show," Bastianich said in a statement. "It has been a pleasure working alongside Gordon and Graham on five seasons of MasterChef and three seasons of MasterChef Junior, and I look forward to continuing my current collaborations with Shine America."
"As co-owner and partner of the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, as well as Eataly throughout the Americas, I will be focusing my time and energies on their continued global expansion."
Apart from his two shows, Bastianich is also expected to get quite busy after acquiring Italian production company Todos Contentos, which currently handles the second season of "On the Road" for Italy's Sky Network.
Additionally, Bastianich, who has been critiquing aspiring chefs on the flagship show for the past five seasons, is a seasoned winemaker who also owns notable restaurants in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Singapore, reports Daily Mail.
His group, Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, is set to open Regina Ristorante at the Maritime Hotel in New York and is also working on Eataly outpost at the World Trade Centre in Sao Paolo.
