Spanish television is funded by the taxes paid by all Spaniards. MasterChef remains one of the most watched programs, drawing large audiences nationwide. The first contestant revealed from the 12th edition, which premiered last night, is David. He is 27 years old and hails from Barcelona. He is described as a legionary with roots in Austria, a persona he has carried with pride throughout his career.
During his introduction, David described his demanding morning exercise routines. Host Jordi Cruz pressed him about his education. The contestant answered with a mix of studies: numerology, symbols, philosophy, and religion. Academically, David completed a vocational training program in bodywork and painting. He has previously worked as a security guard and a barber. Later, he joined the army to pursue a path as a legionnaire, a role he has consistently spoken of with pride.
“I don’t believe the world is round”
When the show presented the studio plan, the host and the judges teased the moment. They asked what he knows about Earth. David responded, claiming he doubts the Earth’s roundness. His remarks were met with laughter from fellow contestants. He then launched into a monologue about his daily climbs and his views on the Sun’s position, suggesting that distances and celestial motions might be interpreted differently from common scientific consensus.
As he spoke, Jordi Cruz offered a puzzled smile, while the contestant continued with a demonstration of his ideas about rotation and alignment of celestial bodies. He implied that familiar explanations might hide a different rhythm of movement, gesturing with his hands to illustrate a circular motion and the sun’s apparent path. He asserted that this perspective could be part of a broader set of “power combinations” he supposedly possesses.
Chef Marcos Moran observed that the dynamic seating arrangement made the moment even more challenging for the judges. He noted the tension in the room as the flat-earther maintained his stance, describing how experiences of speed and sensation inside a car could differ from the sensations one might expect in everyday life. The contestant continued to argue that conventional senses of motion may not capture the full picture of how we experience the world.
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Online audiences reacted with a mix of skepticism and humor. Judges acknowledged a liver dish seasoned with cloves as the first dish of the night, though it did not meet the highest standards. Aside from Pepe Rodríguez’s cautious nod, the rest of the panel appeared supportive of the early entrant. The episode sparked a wave of memes and commentary that surged across social platforms, reflecting a broad spectrum of opinions about the contestant and his beliefs.
The online discourse swung between playful profiles and pointed critiques, illustrating how a televised moment can quickly become a shared cultural conversation. Fans and critics alike weighed in on the contestant’s views, his culinary choices, and the tension between creativity and tradition that often characterizes MasterChef competitions.
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This self-described flat-earther favors a Mediterranean-inspired diet and has spoken about his hopes of starting a family and one day living on a small farm. The discussion around his statements continues to reverberate through social channels, inviting viewers to reflect on how personal beliefs intersect with a televised culinary journey. The episode serves as a reminder of the platform MasterChef provides: a space where ambition, tradition, debate, and appetite collide in front of a national audience.