MasterChef faces one of the most significant shake-ups in its history. RTVE has decided to let go of Samantha Vallejo-Nágera, a member of the jury since the program's premiere in 2013, and replace her with Marta Sanahuja (Delicious Martha), a gastronomic influencer with a large social media presence and millions of followers.
Vallejo-Nágera's departure brings an end to a thirteen-season run in which the chef became one of the most recognizable figures of the format, alongside Pepe Rodríguez and Jordi Cruz. Her exit represents the first major break from the original judging panel since the talent show's inception.
The chosen replacement does not come from the television circuit or haute cuisine, but from the digital environment. Delicious Martha —stage name of Marta Sanahuja— has millions of followers and has built her career on social media, recipe books, and collaborations with brands, a profile aligned with the program's renewal strategy.
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With this decision, the cooking show takes another step in its shift towards a younger audience and the digital universe. A change that, however, has generated criticism from a large part of its most loyal audience, who see the arrival of an influencer as a dilution of its gastronomic trajectory in favor of social media impact. RTVE has not clarified whether this is a turning point or a long-term strategy, but the move leaves little room for doubt: the culinary talent show is entering a new phase and does so with no intention of keeping its past intact.