MasterChef continues, we love Alvin Schultz, Suzy Singh and Christian Collins so far

By April MacIntyre Jun 15, 2011, 20:49 GMT

The contestants have one hour to prepare a dish using only the surprise ingredients contained in the mystery box, and the winner of this challenge gets to pick the ingredient that everyone else must cook with for the elimination challenge.

MasterChef continues Monday, June 20, on FOX

After scouring the nation for the best amateur cooks in the nation, the judges of MasterChef have chosen this season’s Top 18 finalists: Jennifer Behm, Erryn Cobb, Christian Collins, Christine Corley, Esther Kang, Jennie Kelley, Tracy Kontos, Max Kramer, Angel Moore-Soukkay, Giuseppe Morisco, Adrien Nieto, Derrick Prince, Mark Raffaelli, Alejandra Schrader, Alvin Schultz, Anthony Scruggs, Suzy Singh and Ben Starr.

Our favorite three? Alvin Schultz, Suzy Singh and Christian Collins!!

Only one finalist will walk away with the $250,000 grand prize.

On Monday, June 20 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, these finalists compete in the first challenge.

The contestants have one hour to prepare a dish using only the surprise ingredients contained in the mystery box, and the winner of this challenge gets to pick the ingredient that everyone else must cook with for the elimination challenge.

On Tuesday, June 21 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), the judges split the contestants into two teams and take them to a downtown Los Angeles cafeteria to cook for hundreds of people, where each team must cook a five-course meal. Elimination is on the line as the losing team is forced to complete a pressure test where one contestant will be sent home.

Below are the MASTERCHEF Top 18:

Jennifer Behm

Age: 34

Occupation: Realtor

Hometown: Wilmington, DE

First Dish She Mastered: “Grilled Cheese. I love making them with all sorts of yummy ingredients such as avocados, tomatoes, prosciutto, mushrooms, shrimp and so much more!”

Erryn Cobb

Age: 26

Occupation: Public Relations

Hometown: Chicago, IL

First Dish He Mastered: “My Mustard-Marinated Grilled Chicken. The chicken became the main event at all the post-football barbeques in college. We would have all of our teammates over, and as soon as the chicken came off the grill, it was gone!”

Christian Collins

Age: 31

Occupation: Stay-at-Home Dad

Hometown: Gloucester, MA

First Dish He Mastered: “Braised Short Ribs. They are a two-day process, but taking this lesser cut of meat and working it into satisfying, savory goodness is gastronomic gratification.”

Christine Corley

Age: 27

Occupation: Single Mom

Hometown: Sopchoppy, FL

First Dish She Mastered: “A simple grilled chicken, tomato, garlic, shallot and parmesan cheese pasta dish that I make all in one pan. After making it so many times, I’ve started adding different ingredients like artichokes, eggplant and spinach – it’s delicious!”

Esther Kang

Age: 28

Occupation: Lawyer

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

First Dish She Mastered: “Korean Pancakes. They are a very easy snack that can be made with many different combinations of vegetables and proteins.”

Jennie Kelley

Age: 37

Occupation: Musician

Hometown: Dallas, TX

First Dish She Mastered: “A lobster mac-and-cheese with orzo pasta, Gruyère, Fontina and peas. I have many tricks for this seemingly simple dish, such as using the same water for the lobster and the pasta and undercooking the pasta just slightly.”

Tracy Kontos

Age: 32

Occupation: Sales Consultant

Hometown: Coral Springs, FL

First Dish She Mastered: “At age 12, I learned how to make a Béchamel Sauce and started experimenting with cheeses and spices. And now I can confidently say I make the meanest mac-and-cheese this side of the Mississippi.”

Max Kramer

Age: 18

Occupation: Student

Hometown: New York, NY

First Dish He Mastered: “Filet Mignon with White Truffle Macaroni.”

Angel Moore-Soukkay

Age: 37

Occupation:  Property Manager

Hometown: Columbus, OH

First Dish She Mastered: “I am the master of the egg roll. Getting the technique down was kind of difficult, but practice makes perfect and now I make all different kinds of egg rolls.”

Giuseppe Morisco

Age: 38

Occupation: Granite Salesman

Hometown: Chicago, IL

First Dish He Mastered: “Risotto alla Pescatora. My hometown is right on the Adriatic Sea, so every kind of seafood you can imagine was a huge part of the cuisine. For me, there is nothing better than a dish that reminds me of the place where I have so many beautiful memories.”

Adrien Nieto

Age: 28

Occupation: Server

Hometown: Ventura, CA

First Dish He Mastered: “Eggs – as many ways as possible. It’s hard to beat something that goes beyond the realm of breakfast!”

Derrick Prince

Age: 33

Occupation: Web Designer

Currently Resides: Long Island, NY 

First Dish He Mastered: “A French omelet – the kind that doesn’t require a spatula or flipping utensils. It’s all in in the way you flick the pan back and forth to fold that fluffy sheet of eggs over onto itself and cover the filling.”

Mark Raffaelli

Age: 35

Occupation: Real Estate Broker

Currently Resides: Chicago, IL

First Dish He Mastered: “A boneless chicken breast stuffed with ricotta, spinach, pancetta and shallots topped with a mushroom Barolo sauce. It’s to die for!”

Alejandra Schrader

Age: 37

Occupation: Architect

Hometown: Playa del Rey, CA

First Dish She Mastered: “Hallacas, a Venezuelan staple for the holiday season that is similar to tamales. My specialty is spiced chicken and pork with chayote, peppers and root vegetables.”

Alvin Schultz

Age: 28

Occupation: Retail Manager

Hometown: Houston, TX 

First Dish He Mastered: “My mom’s Vietnamese Egg Rolls. There's so much technique involved in making the perfect egg roll, and I'm happy to say that friends and family can’t tell which are mine and which are my mom’s!”

Tony Scruggs

Age: 51

Occupation: Truck Driver

Hometown: Grant Park, IL 

First Dish He Mastered: “Eggs. My mom always let me cook when I was young, and they were a cheap way to keep me both busy and fed!”

Suzy Singh

Age: 27

Occupation: Neural Engineer

Hometown: Chicago, IL 

First Dish She Mastered: “Applesauce. It’s a tradition in my family. My aunts chopped and peeled the apples, my uncles tended the pot and I would stand on my stepstool and taste the mixture to make sure we had it just right.”

Ben Starr

Age: 33

Occupation: Travel Writer

Hometown: Dallas, TX

First Dish He Mastered: “Buttermilk Biscuits. My mom believed that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, so we would have scrambled eggs, sausage and buttermilk biscuits every single morning.”