Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1503089
4 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 5 JULY 2023 4 NEWS ANTON Attard and Mark Grech, the production team be- hind X Factor Malta and busi- ness reality show Shark Tank, will be producing the first edi- tion of gastronomic hit series MasterChef Malta. The renowned local produc- ers are the two shareholders of Greatt Company Ltd, which is producing the show in associa- tion Endemol Shin Group, Ziji Productions and PBS Malta. "This is the chance for par- ticipants to be part of histo- ry as we bring the renowned MasterChef series to Malta for the very first time," the pro- ducers said. "Whether you're a passionate home cook or a seasoned food enthusiast... un- leash your culinary creativity, embrace the flavours of Malta, and get ready for an unforget- table journey in the kitchen. Don't miss this opportunity to make your mark on the Mal- tese culinary scene." A local panel of judges will be selected for the Malta edition. MasterChef is a competi- tive cooking reality show pro- duced by Endemol Shine UK and broadcast in 60 countries around the world. In the UK, it is produced by the BBC. The show initially ran from 1990 to 2001 and was revived in 2005 as MasterChef Goes Large. The revival featured a new format devised by Franc Roddam and John Silver. In 2008, the name was changed back to MasterChef but the format remained unchanged. The series currently appears in four versions: the main Mas- terChef series; Celebrity Mas- terChef; MasterChef: The Pro- fessionals, with working chefs; and Junior MasterChef, with children between the ages of nine and twelve. Maltese contestants in Mas- terChef have previously includ- ed Sean Gravina, who appeared in the quarter-final of Series 7 of Master Chef on BBC2 in 2014. He is currently Chef Pa- tron at Crust. An ITS gradu- ate, Gravina started his career cooking at The Hilton Malta and Chez Phillipe. This was followed by a stint at London's Le Cordon Bleu, where he re- ceived a diploma in French cui- sine. While in London, Gravi- na worked for Gordon Ramsay at Maze in Mayfair, as well as London's The Dorchester un- der the guidance of Chef Wolf- gang Puck. Masterchef Malta set to hit PBS screens in February 2024 The current line-up of MasterChef USA judges consists of Gordon Ramsay (centre), Joe Bastianich (left) and Aarón Sánchez (right) TRIBUTES on social media have poured in after the shocking deaths of two young men – un- related – both aged in their 20s. The Mqabba FC goalkeeper and 24-year-old police con- stable Kurt Polidano, died on Monday; artist Josef Grech, 27, died on Saturday. Police are ex- cluding foul play in both cases. Friends and relatives ex- pressed shock at the sudden news of their deaths. Polidano was said by his club to have been an "exemplary, hardworking and energetic young man." "We remember you stepping into our club's nursery for the first time where, together with other children, you worked hard to learn and succeed. We had asked you to be a coach where the good you did is indescriba- ble," the football club said. Polidano, who had also played on loan with Birkirkara, Qrendi and Zurrieq and coached chil- dren at the Mqabba club, was described by well-wishers as a person always with a smile on his face who was loved by the children he coached. His funeral will be held on Wednesday 5 July at 9am at his hometown Qrendi's parish church. "We ask for prayers in these difficult moments. Thanks all who showed solidar- ity with us today," Polidano's mother said on Facebook. Family and friends also paid tribute to actor Josef Grech, a Burmarrad man who formed part of the theatre group Dwal Ġodda, which is known for its Good Friday pageants. "There are few men like him. We grew and learned together. We worked together, laughed, and cried together. More than that, we cherish the silence because words can be empty," the Dwal Ġodda troupe said on Facebook. His funeral takes place on Wednesday, July 5 at 9am at Immaculate Heart of Mary Par- ish Church, Burmarrad. Kurt Polidano and Josef Grech Deaths of Mqabba goalie, and Dwal Godda actor, shock friends and family