Masterchef (2010) s05e01 Episode Script
Top 30 Compete
MasterChef.
The biggest cooking show in the world.
Right now the search is on for a new champion.
From coast to coast, they came The biggest cooking show on the planet.
Searched the entire country for the greatest home cook in America! This is MasterChef! Each bring their own story.
- I'm a marine.
- I'm a waiter.
- I'm a real estate agent.
- I'm a salesman.
- I'm a schoolteacher.
- I'm a student! I'm a stay-at-home mom! I'm a stay-at-home dad! And for the 30 best home cooks who earned the chance, they'll have to prove themselves to three of the biggest names In the culinary world.
Michelin star chef Graham Elliot, world-renowned restaurateur Joe Bastianich, and culinary legend Gordon Ramsay.
Here they come! This year, the competition will be bigger and more challenging than ever before.
You got 60 guests, the bride and groom and their wedding! Now the stage is set for America's top home cooks to do the battle.
Save your place in the MasterChef kitchen.
And tonight they will prove themselves against I accept that challenge.
Gordon Ramsay.
I'll cook alongside all of you.
After an extensive nationwide search, the MasterChef judges have selected the top 30 best home cooks in America to battle it out for a white apron in the MasterChef kitchen.
I've been cooking since I was, like, 12.
Now I'm in the MasterChef top 30.
You have beat thousands and thousands of people.
I said, "This is real.
" I'm super passionate about food.
I want to write cookbooks.
I don't want to go home with my tail between my legs.
I want that apron.
I don't enter competitions that I don't plan on winning.
I'm confident enough that I know I'm gonna get an apron.
It's just "When am I gonna get an apron?" I am a law school graduate, But I was born into a family that cooks a lot.
My dream is to open up a restaurant.
Getting that apron will really ignite who I am in my journey here in life.
The game starts right now in this kitchen.
I'm getting an apron.
The rest of you guys, figure it out amongst yourselves.
I'm here to do this.
Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.
You are about to do battle in the biggest culinary competition anywhere in the world today.
This is the search for the best home cook in America.
One of you 30 home cooks standing here before us will become America's next MasterChef.
One of you home cooks will win $250 million.
One of you will be immortalized in the kitchens of America with your very own cookbook.
And that's not all.
There's another prize.
The MasterChef trophy.
This trophy is the validation of one person's incredible journey from home cook to MasterChef.
Before any of you get near that trophy, you still have to earn one of these.
A MasterChef apron.
Win an apron, and you are in with the chance of becoming this year's MasterChef.
If you don't win one, well, you go home.
We care about one thing and one thing only, and that is what you put on a plate.
Are you ready to face the challenge that can earn you a MasterChef apron? Are you ready? Yes! You'll be given just one hour to conceive, create, and plate one stunning dish.
On the face of it, this challenge is simple.
Please turn over your chopping boards.
What exactly does this mean? When I saw myself in the mirror, I was like, "Damn, I look good.
" But I have no idea what's in store.
To win an apron, we need you to put yourself on a plate.
This is your chance to create a dish that speaks to us about you.
Think about your life story, and put it on that plate.
Show us your signature dish.
My signature dish is coriander crusted shrimp.
Because I am from Louisiana, this is me on a plate, with a little bit of latina.
I'm gonna make a venison chimichurri.
I'm a hunter.
I cook venison all the time.
It's an homage to me and where I grew up.
This is me on a plate.
When you go into the pantry, look around.
Look at all the incredible items you have at your fingertips.
You won't find a better pantry anywhere in the world.
Use those ingredients to showcase you and your signature dish.
Oh, just one more thing.
Not all of you are gonna make it through the next hour.
As you cook, we'll be watching your every move, and if we don't like what we see, you will be going home immediately.
It's insane that they will pull people in the middle of their cook.
I'm not gonna lie.
It is terrifying.
Are you ready? Yes, chef! Your one hour starts Now.
Good luck.
The competition begins not at the ranges but in the pantry.
Where's the flour? Where's the flour? This is a signature dish.
You have to be disciplined, deciding which of these ingredients they want to cook with.
You got to stay clear to your ideas.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
- Sorry.
- Excuse me.
I'm making my white wine apricot chicken.
This dish is something that I would do at home.
I can really show who I am as a person and then tell my competitors, "You need to be watching out.
" Oh, Willie, my chemicals.
I love my chemicals, Willie.
My strengths as a cook really come from my love of technology.
I do a lot of molecular gastronomy which involves powders and chemicals.
To get this apron, it really means everything to me.
Oh, my god! Let's go.
Wow.
So the biggest search we've ever had.
These are the 30 finalists, the 30 best home cooks in America.
We know that these guys can cook.
The question is: Can they do what they do here in the MasterChef kitchen? We're gonna eliminate someone immediately.
What are we looking for? The way they're organized, disorganized.
Are they caked in flour? The knife work's got to be right.
They've got to be clean.
That is the very basics.
I'm making peanut butter bread pudding with a mixed berry compote, chocolate covered pretzels, and a little creme fraiche sauce.
It shows who I am.
I elevate comfort food to a higher level.
I'm taking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and turning it into something you could put on a restaurant menu.
I'm making chicken liver ravioli with a fresh-made ricotta.
Reducing down probably most of the bottle of wine, some champagne, vinegar.
I'm gonna crush everybody under my techniques, and then I'm gonna be making some fresh dough here in a minute.
Today I am making blueberry goat cheese and basil hand pies.
I've always loved food, but it's only been in the last year or so that I really realized I don't want to be working in a cubicle for the rest of my life.
I want to be cooking for the rest of my life, and I think something as crazy as being on MasterChef is gonna give me the courage to take hold of my dreams.
I want an apron with every part of my being.
I want to be here so bad and prove that I can do this, and I know that I can.
I know I can.
Come on! Yeah.
This smells good.
What is it? It's my ramen stock.
I got some chicken bones.
I got dashi in there.
I'm gonna add a little soy sauce.
It's got aromatics.
Some ginger.
Some garlic.
It smells amazing.
Let's go, guys.
Willie, all right, what are you doing? Right now I'm making my sauce for my chicken.
What's in there? Apricot preserves, white wine, but I am adding a kick to it, so it is all gonna balance out.
Good luck.
- Tyler.
- Hey, chefs, how are you? Good.
Good.
What are you making? - Venison.
- Is this sauce finished already? Yes, sir.
It's a chimichurri.
What is that? Might want to make sure you go back and taste that.
- Gavin.
- Yes, sir.
You're making so many things.
- You're doing the ricotta.
- Yes.
- You're making fresh pasta.
- Yes.
Why something so complicated? Cause you know what? I don't think anybody here else has the techniques that I do.
So that is the chicken liver.
Taste it.
Quick.
- What's the one thing that needs? - Salt.
Bugger! I've broken my syringe, and I have absolutely no idea what to do.
I brought this from home.
They don't have them here.
I need a syringe to pump my spaghetti with these.
All of you, stop! Knives down! Now! I told you we were watching every move.
We told you some of you will not make it trough the hour.
Oh, boy.
Better not call out my name.
He did call out the salt issue.
I fixed that immediately.
Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully he doesn't call me out.
My syringe broke right at the beginning of all my magic molecular bullocks.
So this point I'm thinking I've got no chance.
I know my chimichurri was a mess, but I can make it better.
To be handed an apron means everything.
I can't go home.
Right now one of you will be leaving MasterChef.
It's the first day in the MasterChef kitchen for 30 home cooks who are preparing their signature dishes in hopes of winning a coveted white apron.
All of you, stop! We told you some of you will not make it through the hour.
Gavin, from the minute you started cooking, you've forgotten the most important ingredient.
You're not tasting anything as you cook.
Chicken liver pate - bland.
It's just not MasterChef.
Turn off your gas.
You are out of the competition.
The rest of you, continue.
Oh, my god.
There's a lot of pressure in the kitchen.
You know, going into this, I was like, "Oh, it's not gonna be that hard.
" But with all the frantic activity going on around you, it's a lot more difficult than I thought.
Really focus on you on a plate.
Francis, how are you doing? I had a little emergency.
My syringe broke, so I've had to figure out another way to make my tomato spaghetti.
What the hell are you doing [bleep.]
around with a syringe at such a critical stage? You know, I live life on the edge.
I'm gonna make it.
How are you gonna utilize it? How are you gonna get this back? Hoping that this squeeze bottle and tube can work.
- Please fit.
- Good luck.
I'm making ricotta gnocchi in a brown butter sage sauce with some peas.
When I was in my senior year of college, I was taking 18 credits, I had five jobs, and I still couldn't pay my rent, so I had to make the decision to go work in a gentlemen's club.
But I can't be an entertainer forever.
But I can be a cook forever.
This is the most important dish of my entire life right now.
Yes, I have to get that white apron.
I got to be here tomorrow and the next day and the next day, all the way until I get that MasterChef trophy.
All right, Natanya, what are you doing? This is my lemon butter caper sauce.
Is there wine in there? - A little bit.
- It´s like, raw wine still? Yeah.
- You should taste that.
- Really? Elizabeth, how's the dish? Coming together great.
The peanut butter bread pudding is in the oven, and this is the mixed berry compote to go on top.
Let me have a look.
Right.
Is that gonna cook in time? I hope so, chef.
Why'd you do 'em so deep in such a big mold? Um, I just wanted you to get in there So it's not fully cooked through-- Yeah, but we're not cooking a flat tray.
You've still got mix there left, haven't you? - Okay, yeah.
- Get it in flat.
You know, like you're making a brownie.
- Okay.
So, some pretty good dishes out there.
- Yeah.
- I'm impressed.
There were some surprises.
- Dan's ramen dish.
- Awesome.
Pure, authentic courageous cooking.
Simple.
Right on.
Tyler's got his chimichurri down.
It's nice that he's rethinking it.
Willie, I mean, he's playing to his strengths.
The sauce, the pan-dripping He shows skill.
But there's some there that didn't push the boat out good enough.
Ten minutes left.
Everybody, knives down! Natanya, turn your gas off.
Your sauce is broken, over-acidulated.
Raw wine.
Too many technical errors.
Please leave the MasterChef kitchen.
Okay.
All of you, eight minutes to go.
Eight minutes to keep yourself in the competition.
Come on.
Let's go.
Seasoning, plating.
We want to see beautiful dishes as well as delicious dishes.
Taste everything before it goes on that plate.
Let's go, guys! Pull it together! This is it! Get it sauced, get it wiped, get it garnished! Save your place in the MasterChef kitchen.
And stop.
Hands in the air.
Well done.
Even from here, some of those dishes look and smell delicious.
After observing and sampling all the dishes throughout the challenge, the judges will now take one final taste to determine which home cooks will receive a MasterChef apron and move on to the next stage of the competition.
Your technique is good, but I'm just not sure if it's worth my time taking you to next level.
It's good.
It's sweet.
Is this the absolute best that you could have done? These hand pies are good.
Why gnocchi? I'm a third-generation Italian.
I wanted to take something that was from home and make it into something that was mine.
So fresh ricotta mixed through.
Yes.
It actually tastes better than it looks.
Why is this you on a plate? I am a person of color.
I love sweet, salty, and different textures.
So this right here is bringing all those things together.
It's MasterChef.
Not Junior MasterChef.
Bold move making dessert.
If we call your name, come down here and receive your MasterChef white apron.
That apron in his hand, it represents so much.
That's gonna lead me to the title of MasterChef.
I just cooked my soul on that plate.
Like, put me out of my misery and say my name.
If I can take something as humble as a pbj and turn it into something that you'd want to eat at a restaurant, the apron is just like floating in front of my mind.
The first apron belongs to Courtney.
I came here with a dream.
Now it's really coming true.
Well done.
- Thank you.
Definitely you on a plate.
Authentic, brave, tenacious.
It's incredibly delicious.
- Great job.
- Good job.
Thank you.
MasterChef is gonna give me the tools that I need to create a new profession for myself.
Wow.
I'm so proud of myself.
There's another home cook whose dish showed us what this home cook is all about.
I put myself on that plate.
My flavors are good.
This dish does show my potential.
I'm hungry for it.
Like, I need that apron.
This is totally, like, freaking me out.
The next apron belongs to big Willie! Well done, big man.
Maybe they'll call my name next time.
Dan Wu.
Yeah! Jamiee.
Tyler.
The first couple aprons I'm thinking, "Yay.
There are all still so many more aprons to give out.
" - Victoria.
- Boom! - Christine.
- Kira.
Each bloody apron is disappearing, and I'm starting to get very nervous.
Christian.
Loren.
Cotter.
Jordan.
Daniel.
They keep calling names.
Whitney.
And none of them are my name.
This is the last apron.
There's no way they cannot give me an apron.
There's just absolutely no way.
This is has been a very tough decision.
I want that apron so badly.
I want this with every fiber of my being.
The last apron in this challenge belongs to I'm mentally preparing to make the phone call to my husband saying, "Now I'm coming home.
" If you don't win an apron, you go home.
The last apron in this challenge belongs to Elizabeth.
Congratulations.
Oh, thank god.
I'm officially a MasterChef competitor.
Really good job, indeed.
Congratulations.
Well done.
I finally feel validated and, like, I feel like I deserve to be here.
This is the best moment of my life.
You nine, please come down to the front.
Tough one, that one.
Elise.
How are you feeling? Pretty devastated, to be honest.
Why? I put my whole life on hold for this.
It was the start to something new.
Now I got to figure out something else.
Listen, you made it this far because clearly you are talented home cooks.
Yes, chef.
But we are not giving up on you just yet.
You all face one last and final chance for some, or all of you, to earn a MasterChef apron.
In that first challenge, you had the full pantry at your disposal.
Now you'll all be cooking with the same exact ingredients.
In the equipment room, each of you will find a refrigerator.
In each refrigerator, you will find identical ingredients-- the kind of things that you would find in millions of homes across America: bacon; bell peppers; carrots; shrimp; potatoes; and of course, the most popular protein: chicken.
Along with all those classic american ingredients, you'll also have the use of our own MasterChef staple pantry box.
So in this challenge, you'll take the most common ingredients likely to be found virtually in any fridge across the country and turn them into an amazing dish good enough to earn you a MasterChef apron.
But unlike being in your own house, one of us is going to cook alongside you.
Are you kidding me? So which of us three do you challenge? - Astrid.
- Gordon Ramsay.
I respect the hell out of you, so let's bring it, baby.
You and I, mano-a-mano.
I accept that challenge.
I'll cook alongside all of you.
You all have one hour to cook us something incredible, a dish that proves that you deserve to be in this competition.
You're gonna be cooking your dishes alongside Gordon Ramsay.
He's gonna show you what one day you can aspire to become.
- Now, is everyone ready? - Yes, chef! Your one hour to keep yourselves in this competition starts Now.
Holy bugger and bullocks.
We have a final challenge, an all-American challenge, and this is the time to prove that I'm not just a one-trick pony.
Anyone in America tonight could go in their refrigerator and cook along.
Everyone has potatoes.
Everyone has bacon.
Everyone has a piece of chicken.
I hope they have that imagination to use that hour to maximizing that flavor.
Ten minutes gone.
You ready? I was born ready, Graham.
Show us what you got, chef.
The coat is off.
Yay, chef! Chef, might I ask? - Please.
- What are you cooking? Wait and find out.
Okay, guys, time is running down.
Corey.
What are you making? We're gonna do a potato and parmesan souffle.
and cfc-- it's a corn-fried chicken.
Now, this is a dish you might make at home? - Yes.
- Have you made it before? - Not in this exact way.
Why would you on such an important dish-- Why would you change the techniques? 'Cause I'm evolving.
Elise, how are you doing? Chef, it's a pleasure to be cooking behind you.
What is that in there? This is the filling to a chicken pot pie.
I'm about to roll out my dough.
And you're not thinking it's a little bit dangerous doing a pie again? - It is.
- Wow.
I'm looking forward to that chicken pot pie.
- Yes, sir.
- Ah.
My kind of cooking is for feeding my family, so I'm gonna make a stuffed chicken breast with spinach, mushrooms, and bacon.
At the end of the day, if my children aren't eating at the table, I'm--I wasted all that food for nothing.
I'm 56 years old, and I'm a stay-at-home dad from Malibu, California.
Come on in.
Let me show you around.
Well, my wife's the breadwinner.
Married her with five children.
She was tired of being a stay-at-home wife.
And she seems to make more money than I ever would have, and things are good.
I can't complain.
I'd be a fool if I did.
When you're hot, you're hot, and I'm hot.
I'm gonna make this happen.
Guys, just over Look at Astrid's station.
Yeah.
Does she cook like that at home? This is not gonna fly.
This is disgusting.
This is not how you work in restaurants.
Everyone listen up a second.
We're not gonna tolerate disgusting working conditions.
This is a kitchen.
We have sanitary standards.
This is dangerous.
You're gonna fall.
You're gonna hurt yourself.
You're gonna hurt me, and I'm just not gonna tolerate it.
Nine home cooks have been given a second chance to earn an apron, using the most common everyday ingredients.
But while Gordon shows them what it takes to be a real MasterChef, some have not followed his example.
Astrid.
This is not gonna fly.
This is disgusting.
This is not how you work in restaurants.
Everyone listen up a second.
We're not gonna tolerate disgusting working conditions.
We have sanitary standards.
This is dangerous, and I'm just not gonna tolerate it.
Here we go.
I'm going home.
Back to my four children in New Orleans.
Take this as a warning, because if you were in my kitchen, you'd be taking a taxi home.
Wow.
I am embarrassed.
But all I know is that right now, Astrid, you've got to focus.
Thought they had people that cleaned.
Watch Gordon.
Look what he's doing.
Yeah.
He's using the french coffee press to put the broth in with fresh herbs.
So they'll keep steeping, so you're pressing those oils out of the actual herbs.
I've never seen that technique.
That's nice.
That's a nice idea.
Nine home cooks and one MasterChef.
Oh, she's shaking down there.
Poor thing.
Take a deep breath, Chandis.
Take a deep breath.
I am making rosti stacks, Which are, like potato pancakes with shrimp and a mint aioli.
I'm from Idaho, so I'm gonna make Idaho proud and make these potatoes perfect.
I grew up on a farm, gardening with my mom, and then hunting with my dad.
My parents taught me sustainability from a young age.
When you are able to cook and put in fresh ingredients, it can really revolutionize your life.
Five minutes, guys.
Five minutes left to cook.
Won't that burn, Leslie? No, not really.
Don't you worry about me.
I'm not worried about you.
All right.
You got a lot up your sleeve, right? I got a lot of tricks up this sleeve.
Show me.
I don't need to show you.
Just wait and see.
Let the judges be it.
You need one of these, right? Yeah, I want one of those.
And maybe, it might be yours.
One minute left! - Let's go, guys! - You got this! Take it home, guys.
Take it home.
Let's go.
Think about plating.
Think about style, finesse.
Polish up those plates, last looks.
This is where you can make a difference.
Let's go! - Where's Gordon going? - Come on, baby.
And stop.
Hands in the air.
Good job, guys.
Bring it up, chef.
Describe your dish, chef.
A delicious minted shrimp dumpling, cooked in a sweet and sour Asian style broth.
Please, have a taste it.
I had a bird's eye view of chef Ramsay's dish.
That was an awesome-looking dish.
It's delicious, chef.
What's the heat from? The heat was from the ginger, the chili flakes, and then the caramelized garlic.
That is the standard that you should be aspiring to reach.
Would the following three home cooks please bring their dishes up here.
Corey, Leslie, and little Gordon.
Let's go.
Three of you make your way down to the front, please.
First up, Gordon.
Please describe your dish.
I have a pan-seared chicken breast that I marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and mustard.
And then I have a soft-boiled egg and a potato puree.
So there's another Gordon in this kitchen.
And he made this right here.
Look at yours.
Now, if I didn't know who made what, I'd probably be able to know by now.
Chef, that's like the world series, and mine's, like, t-ball I think.
I don't even know if it's the same sport.
But Great flavor, the puree.
What else is in that? A little bit of butter, and at the very end added a little bit of chicken stock.
Overall, it's a tasty dish that you want to eat some more of.
- So good job.
- Thank you, chef.
Leslie.
Describe your dish.
It's a chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, and bacon with a mashed potato and some carrots.
Leslie, where do you live? - Malibu, California.
- Malibu.
I don't think all of Malibu could eat this portion tonight.
Nice seasoning on the chicken.
Nice and crisp.
The skin on the top, good technique.
Delicious food.
Absurd portions.
Corey, let's go.
Here we have fried chicken With sauteed spinach with a potato souffle and a parmesan crisp.
It's a play on the souffle.
There's a golden rule in cooking: you never play with a souffle.
Yes, chef.
There's a golden rule in cooking.
You never play with a souffle.
Yes, chef.
Man Wow.
How did you cook the chicken? Deep-fried it at about 350 for ten minutes or so.
A little bit over, probably.
Man Here's the thing: I mean, if there's one staple across the country, it's fried chicken.
- Yeah.
- Well, you understand, so this should be done with your eyes closed.
I broke the plate.
My apologies.
The dish was broken way before that.
Thank you.
Man That's hard.
I understand if he didn't think it was the best.
It wasn't the best.
But I definitely still feel like I have a decent chance.
He utilized the time wisely.
The egg was stupid.
I had to prove to the chefs today I could present an immaculate dish based upon ingredients we all have at home, and I did that, and I deserve to be up there.
He's got the most important thing right: he's got the flavor perfectly.
I most certainly belong up there with any one of them, but at the end of the day, I think there are a lot of one-trick ponies in there.
And I don't want to be the only horse that gets kicked in the ass.
All right, guys.
We gave you a second chance.
Not everybody can take that chance and turn it into an apron.
Gordon Yes, chef.
I'm sorry.
You're not going back to school.
Oh, my god, thank you, chef.
Thank you so much.
Corey.
Yes, chef.
I think that we all three agree that your future is not in the MasterChef kitchen.
Understandable, chef.
It's the end of the road.
Thank you so much.
And then, Leslie, we have you.
Do you really need this competition? Yes.
I just need an honest-to-goodness chance to learn from some of the best people in the world.
We think we can teach you some new tricks.
Come get your apron.
Thank you very much.
I promise you you won't regret it.
Thank you.
Great job.
The next three home cooks are Astrid, Amy, and Michael.
Let's start off with Astrid.
Describe your dish.
Pan-seared chicken breast with a potato hash, a demi-glace, as well as a butter stock emulsion sauce.
Chicken's nailed.
Potatoes, bacon, delicious.
Really good indeed.
Seasoned.
Lemon Totally unnecessary.
Overall The flavor's there.
Thank you.
Amy, please bring your dish forward.
So today I made two tacos, a shrimp taco and a chicken taco, with a chimichurri sauce and bell pepper salsa.
I like the shrimp but the chicken's pretty dry.
Next up, michael.
That is a sauce piquant with a pan roasted chicken and a corn maque choux topped with a poached egg.
I want you to try that.
Oh, it's too salty.
One apron.
Three home cooks.
This apron belongs to Astrid.
Come and get it.
Wow.
Thank you.
Good dish, but clean it up in the kitchen.
Out of the three to only get that one apron, it's a fantastic feeling.
Hoo-rah.
Okay, final three, please make your way down to the front.
Okay, Francis.
Please bring us your plate.
So tell me everything that we have here.
It is a spinach pasta with a creamy, spicy sauce underneath with sous vide shrimp.
What's the thinking behind this thing? It was called runaway shrimp.
My concept was, it would look like seaweed, and the shrimp were leaving 'em running away from the seaweed.
I hope that it tastes great.
Pasta's great.
The shrimp are delicious, but This is the sauce here? Yes.
Made from the head? I'm not sure.
Chandis.
Please bring us your dish.
What's this dish called? This is a rosti stack with spinach, shrimp, and mint.
A rosti stack? It's potato pancakes, essentially.
You know, the shrimp, they're cooked fine.
But you know one of the worst offenses in the MasterChef kitchen? No.
Serve us raw potatoes.
Have a bite.
Is it raw? It is raw.
Last up, Elise.
Describe your dish.
It's chicken pot pie and it's succotash with roasted chicken, mushrooms, carrots.
Another bloody pie.
Two pies in one night.
- Redemption pie.
- Seriously? Yes.
Here's the really bizarre news.
Now you're starting to freak me out slightly, because it actually does taste good.
Thank you, chef.
- But it's a pot pie.
- I understand.
I wanted you to come out of your comfort zone.
Not dive back in it.
However, it may look a mess, but there is something there.
I might be the underdog right now, but I am scrappy and I'll fight for a privilege to please, please cook in this kitchen.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I left everything out on that plate, and it is very disheartening to feel that you have disappointed yourself and the judges.
Clearly three very talented home cooks fighting to continue that incredible journey across this competition.
Chandis You had 60 minutes to prove your potential to us.
There was some incredible moments across those 60 minutes, but you had some elements that were unforgivable.
Chandis Your journey started tonight, and it's ending tonight.
I'm sorry.
It's just not good enough to warrant an apron.
- Thank you.
- Good night.
It's been such an honor to be in the MasterChef kitchen.
I'm so proud of myself for doing it.
I didn't know what to expect jumping into this awesome challenge, but I definitely leave here a stronger person.
Francis I wanted you to cook again tonight to see what basic skills you have up your sleeve, to see what you're like with just good humble ingredients.
You made a very bold move making pasta for the very first time.
Francis Your journey is gonna continue.
Congratulations.
Yeah, francis! To get that apron handed to me by Gordon Ramsay, the most iconic chef to me in the world, it's just I can't-- it's just overwhelming.
Elise I know how much this means to you, but my frustration, I wasn't convinced by the pies in the first round.
We give you a second chance; another pie reemerges.
I don't-- I want this privilege to be here.
I want to cook with all these amazing people, and I want to prove my worth to myself and to you.
Young lady I'm sorry.
You are not going upstairs to the balcony.
Yes, chef.
Because they are coming down to congratulate you.
Well done.
Congratulations.
Thank you, chef.
I won't let you down.
No more pies.
Thank you.
No more pies.
Thank you.
Getting that apron and to shake chef Ramsay's hand and for him to say "Congratulations," I don't know, this might be the best day of my entire life so far.
You are the top 22.
Congratulations! You all should be incredibly proud because we are.
And now One of you 22 talented home cooks standing in front of us are gonna become america's next MasterChef.
Make sure it's you.
Next time on MasterChef, They've won their aprons It's time for the world's biggest cooking competition to truly begin.
And now the top 22 fight to keep them.
Oh, that smells good.
It isn't long before the knives come out.
I got where I got because I work.
You [bleep.]
live in Malibu.
You want drama, I'll give it to you.
And the brutal cuts begin.
Absolutely disgusting.
In a shocking double elimination.
Nobody wants this more than me.
Sync & correction: Kamèa
The biggest cooking show in the world.
Right now the search is on for a new champion.
From coast to coast, they came The biggest cooking show on the planet.
Searched the entire country for the greatest home cook in America! This is MasterChef! Each bring their own story.
- I'm a marine.
- I'm a waiter.
- I'm a real estate agent.
- I'm a salesman.
- I'm a schoolteacher.
- I'm a student! I'm a stay-at-home mom! I'm a stay-at-home dad! And for the 30 best home cooks who earned the chance, they'll have to prove themselves to three of the biggest names In the culinary world.
Michelin star chef Graham Elliot, world-renowned restaurateur Joe Bastianich, and culinary legend Gordon Ramsay.
Here they come! This year, the competition will be bigger and more challenging than ever before.
You got 60 guests, the bride and groom and their wedding! Now the stage is set for America's top home cooks to do the battle.
Save your place in the MasterChef kitchen.
And tonight they will prove themselves against I accept that challenge.
Gordon Ramsay.
I'll cook alongside all of you.
After an extensive nationwide search, the MasterChef judges have selected the top 30 best home cooks in America to battle it out for a white apron in the MasterChef kitchen.
I've been cooking since I was, like, 12.
Now I'm in the MasterChef top 30.
You have beat thousands and thousands of people.
I said, "This is real.
" I'm super passionate about food.
I want to write cookbooks.
I don't want to go home with my tail between my legs.
I want that apron.
I don't enter competitions that I don't plan on winning.
I'm confident enough that I know I'm gonna get an apron.
It's just "When am I gonna get an apron?" I am a law school graduate, But I was born into a family that cooks a lot.
My dream is to open up a restaurant.
Getting that apron will really ignite who I am in my journey here in life.
The game starts right now in this kitchen.
I'm getting an apron.
The rest of you guys, figure it out amongst yourselves.
I'm here to do this.
Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.
You are about to do battle in the biggest culinary competition anywhere in the world today.
This is the search for the best home cook in America.
One of you 30 home cooks standing here before us will become America's next MasterChef.
One of you home cooks will win $250 million.
One of you will be immortalized in the kitchens of America with your very own cookbook.
And that's not all.
There's another prize.
The MasterChef trophy.
This trophy is the validation of one person's incredible journey from home cook to MasterChef.
Before any of you get near that trophy, you still have to earn one of these.
A MasterChef apron.
Win an apron, and you are in with the chance of becoming this year's MasterChef.
If you don't win one, well, you go home.
We care about one thing and one thing only, and that is what you put on a plate.
Are you ready to face the challenge that can earn you a MasterChef apron? Are you ready? Yes! You'll be given just one hour to conceive, create, and plate one stunning dish.
On the face of it, this challenge is simple.
Please turn over your chopping boards.
What exactly does this mean? When I saw myself in the mirror, I was like, "Damn, I look good.
" But I have no idea what's in store.
To win an apron, we need you to put yourself on a plate.
This is your chance to create a dish that speaks to us about you.
Think about your life story, and put it on that plate.
Show us your signature dish.
My signature dish is coriander crusted shrimp.
Because I am from Louisiana, this is me on a plate, with a little bit of latina.
I'm gonna make a venison chimichurri.
I'm a hunter.
I cook venison all the time.
It's an homage to me and where I grew up.
This is me on a plate.
When you go into the pantry, look around.
Look at all the incredible items you have at your fingertips.
You won't find a better pantry anywhere in the world.
Use those ingredients to showcase you and your signature dish.
Oh, just one more thing.
Not all of you are gonna make it through the next hour.
As you cook, we'll be watching your every move, and if we don't like what we see, you will be going home immediately.
It's insane that they will pull people in the middle of their cook.
I'm not gonna lie.
It is terrifying.
Are you ready? Yes, chef! Your one hour starts Now.
Good luck.
The competition begins not at the ranges but in the pantry.
Where's the flour? Where's the flour? This is a signature dish.
You have to be disciplined, deciding which of these ingredients they want to cook with.
You got to stay clear to your ideas.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
- Sorry.
- Excuse me.
I'm making my white wine apricot chicken.
This dish is something that I would do at home.
I can really show who I am as a person and then tell my competitors, "You need to be watching out.
" Oh, Willie, my chemicals.
I love my chemicals, Willie.
My strengths as a cook really come from my love of technology.
I do a lot of molecular gastronomy which involves powders and chemicals.
To get this apron, it really means everything to me.
Oh, my god! Let's go.
Wow.
So the biggest search we've ever had.
These are the 30 finalists, the 30 best home cooks in America.
We know that these guys can cook.
The question is: Can they do what they do here in the MasterChef kitchen? We're gonna eliminate someone immediately.
What are we looking for? The way they're organized, disorganized.
Are they caked in flour? The knife work's got to be right.
They've got to be clean.
That is the very basics.
I'm making peanut butter bread pudding with a mixed berry compote, chocolate covered pretzels, and a little creme fraiche sauce.
It shows who I am.
I elevate comfort food to a higher level.
I'm taking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and turning it into something you could put on a restaurant menu.
I'm making chicken liver ravioli with a fresh-made ricotta.
Reducing down probably most of the bottle of wine, some champagne, vinegar.
I'm gonna crush everybody under my techniques, and then I'm gonna be making some fresh dough here in a minute.
Today I am making blueberry goat cheese and basil hand pies.
I've always loved food, but it's only been in the last year or so that I really realized I don't want to be working in a cubicle for the rest of my life.
I want to be cooking for the rest of my life, and I think something as crazy as being on MasterChef is gonna give me the courage to take hold of my dreams.
I want an apron with every part of my being.
I want to be here so bad and prove that I can do this, and I know that I can.
I know I can.
Come on! Yeah.
This smells good.
What is it? It's my ramen stock.
I got some chicken bones.
I got dashi in there.
I'm gonna add a little soy sauce.
It's got aromatics.
Some ginger.
Some garlic.
It smells amazing.
Let's go, guys.
Willie, all right, what are you doing? Right now I'm making my sauce for my chicken.
What's in there? Apricot preserves, white wine, but I am adding a kick to it, so it is all gonna balance out.
Good luck.
- Tyler.
- Hey, chefs, how are you? Good.
Good.
What are you making? - Venison.
- Is this sauce finished already? Yes, sir.
It's a chimichurri.
What is that? Might want to make sure you go back and taste that.
- Gavin.
- Yes, sir.
You're making so many things.
- You're doing the ricotta.
- Yes.
- You're making fresh pasta.
- Yes.
Why something so complicated? Cause you know what? I don't think anybody here else has the techniques that I do.
So that is the chicken liver.
Taste it.
Quick.
- What's the one thing that needs? - Salt.
Bugger! I've broken my syringe, and I have absolutely no idea what to do.
I brought this from home.
They don't have them here.
I need a syringe to pump my spaghetti with these.
All of you, stop! Knives down! Now! I told you we were watching every move.
We told you some of you will not make it trough the hour.
Oh, boy.
Better not call out my name.
He did call out the salt issue.
I fixed that immediately.
Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully he doesn't call me out.
My syringe broke right at the beginning of all my magic molecular bullocks.
So this point I'm thinking I've got no chance.
I know my chimichurri was a mess, but I can make it better.
To be handed an apron means everything.
I can't go home.
Right now one of you will be leaving MasterChef.
It's the first day in the MasterChef kitchen for 30 home cooks who are preparing their signature dishes in hopes of winning a coveted white apron.
All of you, stop! We told you some of you will not make it through the hour.
Gavin, from the minute you started cooking, you've forgotten the most important ingredient.
You're not tasting anything as you cook.
Chicken liver pate - bland.
It's just not MasterChef.
Turn off your gas.
You are out of the competition.
The rest of you, continue.
Oh, my god.
There's a lot of pressure in the kitchen.
You know, going into this, I was like, "Oh, it's not gonna be that hard.
" But with all the frantic activity going on around you, it's a lot more difficult than I thought.
Really focus on you on a plate.
Francis, how are you doing? I had a little emergency.
My syringe broke, so I've had to figure out another way to make my tomato spaghetti.
What the hell are you doing [bleep.]
around with a syringe at such a critical stage? You know, I live life on the edge.
I'm gonna make it.
How are you gonna utilize it? How are you gonna get this back? Hoping that this squeeze bottle and tube can work.
- Please fit.
- Good luck.
I'm making ricotta gnocchi in a brown butter sage sauce with some peas.
When I was in my senior year of college, I was taking 18 credits, I had five jobs, and I still couldn't pay my rent, so I had to make the decision to go work in a gentlemen's club.
But I can't be an entertainer forever.
But I can be a cook forever.
This is the most important dish of my entire life right now.
Yes, I have to get that white apron.
I got to be here tomorrow and the next day and the next day, all the way until I get that MasterChef trophy.
All right, Natanya, what are you doing? This is my lemon butter caper sauce.
Is there wine in there? - A little bit.
- It´s like, raw wine still? Yeah.
- You should taste that.
- Really? Elizabeth, how's the dish? Coming together great.
The peanut butter bread pudding is in the oven, and this is the mixed berry compote to go on top.
Let me have a look.
Right.
Is that gonna cook in time? I hope so, chef.
Why'd you do 'em so deep in such a big mold? Um, I just wanted you to get in there So it's not fully cooked through-- Yeah, but we're not cooking a flat tray.
You've still got mix there left, haven't you? - Okay, yeah.
- Get it in flat.
You know, like you're making a brownie.
- Okay.
So, some pretty good dishes out there.
- Yeah.
- I'm impressed.
There were some surprises.
- Dan's ramen dish.
- Awesome.
Pure, authentic courageous cooking.
Simple.
Right on.
Tyler's got his chimichurri down.
It's nice that he's rethinking it.
Willie, I mean, he's playing to his strengths.
The sauce, the pan-dripping He shows skill.
But there's some there that didn't push the boat out good enough.
Ten minutes left.
Everybody, knives down! Natanya, turn your gas off.
Your sauce is broken, over-acidulated.
Raw wine.
Too many technical errors.
Please leave the MasterChef kitchen.
Okay.
All of you, eight minutes to go.
Eight minutes to keep yourself in the competition.
Come on.
Let's go.
Seasoning, plating.
We want to see beautiful dishes as well as delicious dishes.
Taste everything before it goes on that plate.
Let's go, guys! Pull it together! This is it! Get it sauced, get it wiped, get it garnished! Save your place in the MasterChef kitchen.
And stop.
Hands in the air.
Well done.
Even from here, some of those dishes look and smell delicious.
After observing and sampling all the dishes throughout the challenge, the judges will now take one final taste to determine which home cooks will receive a MasterChef apron and move on to the next stage of the competition.
Your technique is good, but I'm just not sure if it's worth my time taking you to next level.
It's good.
It's sweet.
Is this the absolute best that you could have done? These hand pies are good.
Why gnocchi? I'm a third-generation Italian.
I wanted to take something that was from home and make it into something that was mine.
So fresh ricotta mixed through.
Yes.
It actually tastes better than it looks.
Why is this you on a plate? I am a person of color.
I love sweet, salty, and different textures.
So this right here is bringing all those things together.
It's MasterChef.
Not Junior MasterChef.
Bold move making dessert.
If we call your name, come down here and receive your MasterChef white apron.
That apron in his hand, it represents so much.
That's gonna lead me to the title of MasterChef.
I just cooked my soul on that plate.
Like, put me out of my misery and say my name.
If I can take something as humble as a pbj and turn it into something that you'd want to eat at a restaurant, the apron is just like floating in front of my mind.
The first apron belongs to Courtney.
I came here with a dream.
Now it's really coming true.
Well done.
- Thank you.
Definitely you on a plate.
Authentic, brave, tenacious.
It's incredibly delicious.
- Great job.
- Good job.
Thank you.
MasterChef is gonna give me the tools that I need to create a new profession for myself.
Wow.
I'm so proud of myself.
There's another home cook whose dish showed us what this home cook is all about.
I put myself on that plate.
My flavors are good.
This dish does show my potential.
I'm hungry for it.
Like, I need that apron.
This is totally, like, freaking me out.
The next apron belongs to big Willie! Well done, big man.
Maybe they'll call my name next time.
Dan Wu.
Yeah! Jamiee.
Tyler.
The first couple aprons I'm thinking, "Yay.
There are all still so many more aprons to give out.
" - Victoria.
- Boom! - Christine.
- Kira.
Each bloody apron is disappearing, and I'm starting to get very nervous.
Christian.
Loren.
Cotter.
Jordan.
Daniel.
They keep calling names.
Whitney.
And none of them are my name.
This is the last apron.
There's no way they cannot give me an apron.
There's just absolutely no way.
This is has been a very tough decision.
I want that apron so badly.
I want this with every fiber of my being.
The last apron in this challenge belongs to I'm mentally preparing to make the phone call to my husband saying, "Now I'm coming home.
" If you don't win an apron, you go home.
The last apron in this challenge belongs to Elizabeth.
Congratulations.
Oh, thank god.
I'm officially a MasterChef competitor.
Really good job, indeed.
Congratulations.
Well done.
I finally feel validated and, like, I feel like I deserve to be here.
This is the best moment of my life.
You nine, please come down to the front.
Tough one, that one.
Elise.
How are you feeling? Pretty devastated, to be honest.
Why? I put my whole life on hold for this.
It was the start to something new.
Now I got to figure out something else.
Listen, you made it this far because clearly you are talented home cooks.
Yes, chef.
But we are not giving up on you just yet.
You all face one last and final chance for some, or all of you, to earn a MasterChef apron.
In that first challenge, you had the full pantry at your disposal.
Now you'll all be cooking with the same exact ingredients.
In the equipment room, each of you will find a refrigerator.
In each refrigerator, you will find identical ingredients-- the kind of things that you would find in millions of homes across America: bacon; bell peppers; carrots; shrimp; potatoes; and of course, the most popular protein: chicken.
Along with all those classic american ingredients, you'll also have the use of our own MasterChef staple pantry box.
So in this challenge, you'll take the most common ingredients likely to be found virtually in any fridge across the country and turn them into an amazing dish good enough to earn you a MasterChef apron.
But unlike being in your own house, one of us is going to cook alongside you.
Are you kidding me? So which of us three do you challenge? - Astrid.
- Gordon Ramsay.
I respect the hell out of you, so let's bring it, baby.
You and I, mano-a-mano.
I accept that challenge.
I'll cook alongside all of you.
You all have one hour to cook us something incredible, a dish that proves that you deserve to be in this competition.
You're gonna be cooking your dishes alongside Gordon Ramsay.
He's gonna show you what one day you can aspire to become.
- Now, is everyone ready? - Yes, chef! Your one hour to keep yourselves in this competition starts Now.
Holy bugger and bullocks.
We have a final challenge, an all-American challenge, and this is the time to prove that I'm not just a one-trick pony.
Anyone in America tonight could go in their refrigerator and cook along.
Everyone has potatoes.
Everyone has bacon.
Everyone has a piece of chicken.
I hope they have that imagination to use that hour to maximizing that flavor.
Ten minutes gone.
You ready? I was born ready, Graham.
Show us what you got, chef.
The coat is off.
Yay, chef! Chef, might I ask? - Please.
- What are you cooking? Wait and find out.
Okay, guys, time is running down.
Corey.
What are you making? We're gonna do a potato and parmesan souffle.
and cfc-- it's a corn-fried chicken.
Now, this is a dish you might make at home? - Yes.
- Have you made it before? - Not in this exact way.
Why would you on such an important dish-- Why would you change the techniques? 'Cause I'm evolving.
Elise, how are you doing? Chef, it's a pleasure to be cooking behind you.
What is that in there? This is the filling to a chicken pot pie.
I'm about to roll out my dough.
And you're not thinking it's a little bit dangerous doing a pie again? - It is.
- Wow.
I'm looking forward to that chicken pot pie.
- Yes, sir.
- Ah.
My kind of cooking is for feeding my family, so I'm gonna make a stuffed chicken breast with spinach, mushrooms, and bacon.
At the end of the day, if my children aren't eating at the table, I'm--I wasted all that food for nothing.
I'm 56 years old, and I'm a stay-at-home dad from Malibu, California.
Come on in.
Let me show you around.
Well, my wife's the breadwinner.
Married her with five children.
She was tired of being a stay-at-home wife.
And she seems to make more money than I ever would have, and things are good.
I can't complain.
I'd be a fool if I did.
When you're hot, you're hot, and I'm hot.
I'm gonna make this happen.
Guys, just over Look at Astrid's station.
Yeah.
Does she cook like that at home? This is not gonna fly.
This is disgusting.
This is not how you work in restaurants.
Everyone listen up a second.
We're not gonna tolerate disgusting working conditions.
This is a kitchen.
We have sanitary standards.
This is dangerous.
You're gonna fall.
You're gonna hurt yourself.
You're gonna hurt me, and I'm just not gonna tolerate it.
Nine home cooks have been given a second chance to earn an apron, using the most common everyday ingredients.
But while Gordon shows them what it takes to be a real MasterChef, some have not followed his example.
Astrid.
This is not gonna fly.
This is disgusting.
This is not how you work in restaurants.
Everyone listen up a second.
We're not gonna tolerate disgusting working conditions.
We have sanitary standards.
This is dangerous, and I'm just not gonna tolerate it.
Here we go.
I'm going home.
Back to my four children in New Orleans.
Take this as a warning, because if you were in my kitchen, you'd be taking a taxi home.
Wow.
I am embarrassed.
But all I know is that right now, Astrid, you've got to focus.
Thought they had people that cleaned.
Watch Gordon.
Look what he's doing.
Yeah.
He's using the french coffee press to put the broth in with fresh herbs.
So they'll keep steeping, so you're pressing those oils out of the actual herbs.
I've never seen that technique.
That's nice.
That's a nice idea.
Nine home cooks and one MasterChef.
Oh, she's shaking down there.
Poor thing.
Take a deep breath, Chandis.
Take a deep breath.
I am making rosti stacks, Which are, like potato pancakes with shrimp and a mint aioli.
I'm from Idaho, so I'm gonna make Idaho proud and make these potatoes perfect.
I grew up on a farm, gardening with my mom, and then hunting with my dad.
My parents taught me sustainability from a young age.
When you are able to cook and put in fresh ingredients, it can really revolutionize your life.
Five minutes, guys.
Five minutes left to cook.
Won't that burn, Leslie? No, not really.
Don't you worry about me.
I'm not worried about you.
All right.
You got a lot up your sleeve, right? I got a lot of tricks up this sleeve.
Show me.
I don't need to show you.
Just wait and see.
Let the judges be it.
You need one of these, right? Yeah, I want one of those.
And maybe, it might be yours.
One minute left! - Let's go, guys! - You got this! Take it home, guys.
Take it home.
Let's go.
Think about plating.
Think about style, finesse.
Polish up those plates, last looks.
This is where you can make a difference.
Let's go! - Where's Gordon going? - Come on, baby.
And stop.
Hands in the air.
Good job, guys.
Bring it up, chef.
Describe your dish, chef.
A delicious minted shrimp dumpling, cooked in a sweet and sour Asian style broth.
Please, have a taste it.
I had a bird's eye view of chef Ramsay's dish.
That was an awesome-looking dish.
It's delicious, chef.
What's the heat from? The heat was from the ginger, the chili flakes, and then the caramelized garlic.
That is the standard that you should be aspiring to reach.
Would the following three home cooks please bring their dishes up here.
Corey, Leslie, and little Gordon.
Let's go.
Three of you make your way down to the front, please.
First up, Gordon.
Please describe your dish.
I have a pan-seared chicken breast that I marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and mustard.
And then I have a soft-boiled egg and a potato puree.
So there's another Gordon in this kitchen.
And he made this right here.
Look at yours.
Now, if I didn't know who made what, I'd probably be able to know by now.
Chef, that's like the world series, and mine's, like, t-ball I think.
I don't even know if it's the same sport.
But Great flavor, the puree.
What else is in that? A little bit of butter, and at the very end added a little bit of chicken stock.
Overall, it's a tasty dish that you want to eat some more of.
- So good job.
- Thank you, chef.
Leslie.
Describe your dish.
It's a chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, and bacon with a mashed potato and some carrots.
Leslie, where do you live? - Malibu, California.
- Malibu.
I don't think all of Malibu could eat this portion tonight.
Nice seasoning on the chicken.
Nice and crisp.
The skin on the top, good technique.
Delicious food.
Absurd portions.
Corey, let's go.
Here we have fried chicken With sauteed spinach with a potato souffle and a parmesan crisp.
It's a play on the souffle.
There's a golden rule in cooking: you never play with a souffle.
Yes, chef.
There's a golden rule in cooking.
You never play with a souffle.
Yes, chef.
Man Wow.
How did you cook the chicken? Deep-fried it at about 350 for ten minutes or so.
A little bit over, probably.
Man Here's the thing: I mean, if there's one staple across the country, it's fried chicken.
- Yeah.
- Well, you understand, so this should be done with your eyes closed.
I broke the plate.
My apologies.
The dish was broken way before that.
Thank you.
Man That's hard.
I understand if he didn't think it was the best.
It wasn't the best.
But I definitely still feel like I have a decent chance.
He utilized the time wisely.
The egg was stupid.
I had to prove to the chefs today I could present an immaculate dish based upon ingredients we all have at home, and I did that, and I deserve to be up there.
He's got the most important thing right: he's got the flavor perfectly.
I most certainly belong up there with any one of them, but at the end of the day, I think there are a lot of one-trick ponies in there.
And I don't want to be the only horse that gets kicked in the ass.
All right, guys.
We gave you a second chance.
Not everybody can take that chance and turn it into an apron.
Gordon Yes, chef.
I'm sorry.
You're not going back to school.
Oh, my god, thank you, chef.
Thank you so much.
Corey.
Yes, chef.
I think that we all three agree that your future is not in the MasterChef kitchen.
Understandable, chef.
It's the end of the road.
Thank you so much.
And then, Leslie, we have you.
Do you really need this competition? Yes.
I just need an honest-to-goodness chance to learn from some of the best people in the world.
We think we can teach you some new tricks.
Come get your apron.
Thank you very much.
I promise you you won't regret it.
Thank you.
Great job.
The next three home cooks are Astrid, Amy, and Michael.
Let's start off with Astrid.
Describe your dish.
Pan-seared chicken breast with a potato hash, a demi-glace, as well as a butter stock emulsion sauce.
Chicken's nailed.
Potatoes, bacon, delicious.
Really good indeed.
Seasoned.
Lemon Totally unnecessary.
Overall The flavor's there.
Thank you.
Amy, please bring your dish forward.
So today I made two tacos, a shrimp taco and a chicken taco, with a chimichurri sauce and bell pepper salsa.
I like the shrimp but the chicken's pretty dry.
Next up, michael.
That is a sauce piquant with a pan roasted chicken and a corn maque choux topped with a poached egg.
I want you to try that.
Oh, it's too salty.
One apron.
Three home cooks.
This apron belongs to Astrid.
Come and get it.
Wow.
Thank you.
Good dish, but clean it up in the kitchen.
Out of the three to only get that one apron, it's a fantastic feeling.
Hoo-rah.
Okay, final three, please make your way down to the front.
Okay, Francis.
Please bring us your plate.
So tell me everything that we have here.
It is a spinach pasta with a creamy, spicy sauce underneath with sous vide shrimp.
What's the thinking behind this thing? It was called runaway shrimp.
My concept was, it would look like seaweed, and the shrimp were leaving 'em running away from the seaweed.
I hope that it tastes great.
Pasta's great.
The shrimp are delicious, but This is the sauce here? Yes.
Made from the head? I'm not sure.
Chandis.
Please bring us your dish.
What's this dish called? This is a rosti stack with spinach, shrimp, and mint.
A rosti stack? It's potato pancakes, essentially.
You know, the shrimp, they're cooked fine.
But you know one of the worst offenses in the MasterChef kitchen? No.
Serve us raw potatoes.
Have a bite.
Is it raw? It is raw.
Last up, Elise.
Describe your dish.
It's chicken pot pie and it's succotash with roasted chicken, mushrooms, carrots.
Another bloody pie.
Two pies in one night.
- Redemption pie.
- Seriously? Yes.
Here's the really bizarre news.
Now you're starting to freak me out slightly, because it actually does taste good.
Thank you, chef.
- But it's a pot pie.
- I understand.
I wanted you to come out of your comfort zone.
Not dive back in it.
However, it may look a mess, but there is something there.
I might be the underdog right now, but I am scrappy and I'll fight for a privilege to please, please cook in this kitchen.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I left everything out on that plate, and it is very disheartening to feel that you have disappointed yourself and the judges.
Clearly three very talented home cooks fighting to continue that incredible journey across this competition.
Chandis You had 60 minutes to prove your potential to us.
There was some incredible moments across those 60 minutes, but you had some elements that were unforgivable.
Chandis Your journey started tonight, and it's ending tonight.
I'm sorry.
It's just not good enough to warrant an apron.
- Thank you.
- Good night.
It's been such an honor to be in the MasterChef kitchen.
I'm so proud of myself for doing it.
I didn't know what to expect jumping into this awesome challenge, but I definitely leave here a stronger person.
Francis I wanted you to cook again tonight to see what basic skills you have up your sleeve, to see what you're like with just good humble ingredients.
You made a very bold move making pasta for the very first time.
Francis Your journey is gonna continue.
Congratulations.
Yeah, francis! To get that apron handed to me by Gordon Ramsay, the most iconic chef to me in the world, it's just I can't-- it's just overwhelming.
Elise I know how much this means to you, but my frustration, I wasn't convinced by the pies in the first round.
We give you a second chance; another pie reemerges.
I don't-- I want this privilege to be here.
I want to cook with all these amazing people, and I want to prove my worth to myself and to you.
Young lady I'm sorry.
You are not going upstairs to the balcony.
Yes, chef.
Because they are coming down to congratulate you.
Well done.
Congratulations.
Thank you, chef.
I won't let you down.
No more pies.
Thank you.
No more pies.
Thank you.
Getting that apron and to shake chef Ramsay's hand and for him to say "Congratulations," I don't know, this might be the best day of my entire life so far.
You are the top 22.
Congratulations! You all should be incredibly proud because we are.
And now One of you 22 talented home cooks standing in front of us are gonna become america's next MasterChef.
Make sure it's you.
Next time on MasterChef, They've won their aprons It's time for the world's biggest cooking competition to truly begin.
And now the top 22 fight to keep them.
Oh, that smells good.
It isn't long before the knives come out.
I got where I got because I work.
You [bleep.]
live in Malibu.
You want drama, I'll give it to you.
And the brutal cuts begin.
Absolutely disgusting.
In a shocking double elimination.
Nobody wants this more than me.
Sync & correction: Kamèa