Tubridy to spice up Masterchef search

Ryan Tubridy will be helping to cook up a storm from next month when he kicks off the hunt for the country’s master chef.

The broadcaster will this year host extensive preview coverage of the Masterchef Ireland cookery competition on his morning radio show.

The cook-off is set to hit our screens on RTÉ Two on Thursday night next week.

Sixteen amateur chefs have won a place on the 11-week cook-off after hundreds applied to take part in the show — billed as the biggest cooking competition on television.

Michelin-starred chef Dylan McGrath and restaurateur Nick Munier return as the judges of the competition as the amateur cooks battle it out for a place in the final.

Complex culinary challenges have been promised, from mystery boxes with a twist, mass-catering, cooking for a pop-up restaurant, making ice cream, and molecular gastronomy taste tests.

A flying visit overseas is also on the cards before the 2012 champion is crowned.

Tubridy will feature chat and previews of the competition on the Tubridy show each Thursday morning on 2FM, while foodie Maia Dunphy will report from the set with behind-the-scenes features.

The opening programme will feature the first auditions as the judges search for the amateur cooks to go through to the final 16 for a chance to wear the Masterchef apron and win a €25,000 cash prize.

Meanwhile, Dylan McGrath had other things on his mind yesterday after armed raiders robbed his Dublin City restaurant making off with the weekend takings.

McGrath has said his staff were put through a terrible and unfortunate ordeal during an armed robbery.

Raiders with a gun and knife threatened eight employees at the Rustic Stone, locking them in a room before the thieves escaped with the weekend takings.

The celebrity chef was not in the premises, on South George’s St, when the robbery happened at about 11.30pm on Sunday.

But he has vowed the attack will not set back his business.

“This was a terrible and unfortunate ordeal to put the staff through.

“I am thankful that no one was injured, but upset that my hard-working team were subjected to this treatment.”

The raiders took several mobile phones from the employees before fleeing with a substantial amount of cash, believed to be up to €10,000.