MasterChef & Google+ Introduce New Cookalong Series

LOS ANGELES: Next week Google+ Hangouts is scheduled to begin streaming a live cookalong show featuring MasterChef fans and finalists and moderated by Laura Vitale, the creator of YouTube’s Laura in the Kitchen.

Each one-hour episode will watch as a handful of fans prepare food and converse in real time with a finalist from the fourth season of FOX’s MasterChef, a reality cooking competition from Shine America and One Potato Two Potato. The first cookalong will kick off on Tuesday, June 18 at 9 p.m. with 34-year-old contestant Krissi Biasiello, who will be making a fried chicken dish. Later episodes are set to air at the same time on July 9, July 23, August 6, August 20 and September 3 on the MasterChef Google+ page and FOX’s YouTube channel.

Steve Grove, the director of Google+ Partnerships, commented: "MasterChef is a great partner that’s leveraging the power of Hangouts technology to connect people in a truly interactive cooking experience. They are one of the first reality television series to provide a new avenue to continue to engage with the series’ fans."

"We are constantly looking for the most innovative ways to allow our MasterChef fans the chance to interact with the series on multiple platforms," added Vivi Zigler, the president of Shine 360˚. "Cooking is inherently social and Google+ Hangouts offer MasterChef‘s loyal audience a truly unique and informative social experience."