Masterchef (2010) s06e01 Episode Script
Let The Battle Commence (Top 40)
The MasterChef white apron.
The coveted ticket into the world's biggest and toughest cooking competition.
From every corner of America - MasterChef! MasterChef! - Good to see you.
Home cooks came out in the thousands for a chance to win one.
I'm a student.
- I'm a police officer.
- I'm a dentist.
- I'm a bartender.
- I'm a paramedic.
I'm an architect.
I'm a social worker.
But only the 20 best were invited to the MasterChef kitchen to prove themselves to three of the food world's biggest names.
With multiple Michelin stars and 25 restaurants across the world, I'm the man behind a billion-dollar empire, Gordon Ramsay.
America's youngest four-star chef, critically acclaimed restaurateur, Graham Elliott.
And now joining the MasterChef judging panel, James Beard award-winning pastry chef and owner of seven renowned bakeries across North America, culinary superstar Christina Tosi.
Together we will find America's greatest home cooks.
Here are our guests.
It will be a roller coaster ride for those who make it.
The cowboys are arriving.
They'll face some of the toughest Welcome, everyone, to fabulous Las Vegas.
Most spectacular A toast to 100 episodes.
And incredible challenges in MasterChef history.
- I love it.
Good job.
- Wow.
Creating dish after dazzling dish, they'll battle it out for a $1/4 million, their own cookbook, and the title of MasterChef.
I left my job to be here, but I'm in the top 20, and to have this apron means everything to me.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I'm not gonna lose.
Winning MasterChef would be the absolute pursuit of happiness for me.
I feel so great to be a part of the top 20 of MasterChef.
I'm a single mom, and I got a nine-year-old who's my everything.
She's my biggest cheerleader, so to be the next MasterChef would be life-changing.
Yeah! I'm Gordon Ramsay.
And I'm Graham Elliot.
You are the top 20 home cooks in America.
Welcome to MasterChef.
We are so proud to introduce you all to the newest member of the MasterChef family, a phenomenal new judge.
Just in her early 30s, already owns a North American food empire, please welcome Christina Tosi.
Welcome.
Hey, guys, how are you? Whoo! I'm so excited to be here.
When I grew up in Virginia playing around in my mom's kitchen, I never in my wildest dreams thought it could lead me to this place.
Dream big, everyone.
You never know where your fooreams might take you.
You are 20 of the best home cooks across all America.
Our big question is, who is the best here? - Right here.
- Right here.
Right here.
Big man, why do you think you're the best? - Because I have the work ethic.
- Good.
I have the talent, and I'm gonna compete.
I'm gonna beat you because I'm gonna work harder than you.
Love the confidence.
I played college football.
You can't take me down, baby.
- Oh, hey! And what's so special about you, young lady? I was born to Lebanese immigrants, and I'm here fulfilling the American dream.
I'm combining my Lebanese roots and American cooking, and that's who I am.
Brilliant.
Tommy, what separates you from the talent around you? I want to unleash an avalanche of style.
- Wow.
- I design clothing in Chicago.
Right.
And I'm going to put couture on a plate.
Fantastic.
Glad to hear it, Tommy.
Are you ready to show us how good you really are? Are you all ready to put on a MasterChef apron? There's only one thing standing between you and a white apron.
These people.
What is this? I thought that we were the only people that were supposed to be here, then you see a lot more people packing in.
It's 20 more of the best home cooks across America.
If they thought it was gonna be easy, they have no idea what I'm about to do today.
I'm here to be the best.
Are you gonna welcome them? No.
You will each compete in a head-to-head culinary battle.
In each group, there are home cooks with similar signature dishes, steak versus steak, seafood versus seafood, bakers versus bakers, and this is what you're fighting for a coveted MasterChef white apron.
Boom! Win your battle, and you win an apron and a place in the competition, but if you lose your battle, you win a ticket home.
Game faces on.
Are you all ready? Yes, Chef.
Let battle commence.
Whoo! In the battle for their aprons, the home cooks will have just 30 minutes to prepare their signature dish.
We will then decide who wins the MasterChef apron and gets to take a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
With the home cooks' friends and families providing support, our first battle for an apron faces off Claudia and Andrew, two home cooks who each have a sensational way to serve up shrimp.
Claudia is an events manager who wants to turn her ambition into an apron.
Cooking is something that has been a passion for me my whole life.
I'm gonna grab some of these rajas con queso, a staple in Mexican cuisine.
I was raised on beans and rice, and food, for me, is love.
Do you like my food? Yes.
- Okay, good.
- Hi.
I got pregnant at 22 and have since been a single mother.
This competition is the perfect opportunity for me to show my daughter that Latinos are a viable and important part of this society.
I love you.
It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from.
You can absolutely make your dreams come true so long as you have the passion anrive.
I need to win that apron.
Everything's at stake.
I can't not win this.
But standing in her way is Andrew, a political fund raiser who hopes his Southern style will earn our votes.
Mmm.
Working in politics for over ten years, I know what it's like to lose, and I know what it's like to win.
Winning feels a lot better.
I grew up in Charleston, South Carolina.
The memories that I have from childhood are what motivates me to cook.
I remember walking across the street to cast a net off of the neighbor's dock to bring shrimp home that my mom would turn into shrimp and grits.
- Cheers to y'all.
- Cheers.
There's nothing more unifying than food.
There's nothing more divisive than politics.
I want to go from being a divider to being a uniter, so when all the votes are counted, I come out on top.
It's East Coast versus West Coast.
Got this, yeah? South Carolina versus California.
My shrimp dish with roots way back from Mexico are going to beat this dish from the South.
I'm bringing that apron back to my daughter just like I promised her.
Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.
Claudia, tell us about your dish.
I am cooking camarones barbones al mojo de ajo, which means they are head-on shrimp sautéed in an amazing garlic butter sauce, served on top of a grape pico as well as a white Mexican rice.
Andrew, what's the dish you're cooking for us tonight? I'm making Lowcountry shrimp and grits deglazed with a little bit of white vermouth.
I'm really, really excited to share the flavors of my childhood with y'all.
Two very talented home cooks battling it out for one apron.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Two incredible-sounding dishes.
- Yeah.
- I'm excited for this one.
But cooking shrimp with the shells on? - That's a chef's dream - Whole, head-on shrimp.
Well, you have to know what you're doing - Big time.
- Because you can never really tell when that shrimp is properly cooked when it's in the shell, so that will be a real test.
Yeah.
Shrimp and grits, that's a big one, that one, to pull it off in 30 minutes.
- Those grits don't cook easily.
- Yeah, exactly.
No.
If they're not seasoned well, that is the kiss of death.
Whoo.
Ten minutes gone, to get your hands on that apron.
Claudia, now, the shrimp you're gonna be - sautéing in garlic butter? - Yes.
Tell me about this rice.
Why is it gonna be magical? It is a Mazatlán Mexican rice, which is the one that we usually serve with a lot of our seafood dishes.
Sounds delicious.
Andrew, great knife skills.
- You're so kind.
- Brilliant.
What have you done with the bacon there? - You've rendered the fat down? - I've rendered the fat down.
I've poured a little bit of the fat off before I threw the mushrooms in.
Interesting.
How are you cooking the shrimp? I'm actually gonna add them to the sauce at the very end.
I finished the sauce with the sweet white vermouth, so it won't be too, too soupy when the shrimp go in.
Wow.
Come on, speed up.
Get it sauced, get it wiped, get it garnished.
Come on, Claudia, you've got to plate.
Season everything.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
- Hands in the air.
- Good job.
Well done.
Please bring your dishes to the front.
Claudia, describe the dish, please.
This is a shrimp sautéed in garlic and butter served over a grape pico and a Mexican white rice.
How many times have you cooked this dish? A million times.
It's my daughter's favorite.
The actual salsa's nice.
I like the heat in there.
Delicious.
Shrimps are cooked nicely crispy, elegant, nice flavor.
There's something quite charming.
- I feel the love.
- Thank you.
Very interesting combination of flavors and textures.
I think the presentation leaves a little bit more to be desired.
Good flavor.
I like the garlic.
The grape pico, I think it could use a pinch of salt, just to bring that out and make it a little more savory.
- Yeah.
- But I think it's really, really tasty.
- Andrew.
- Hello, Chef.
Describe the dish, please.
This is a Lowcountry shrimp and grits with a tomato and bacon scallion sauce with dry white vermouth.
What happens to shrimp when they're overcooked? They become rubbery.
Damn.
Man, the sauce with that vermouth, really delicious.
Well, thank you.
The shrimp has a little too much give, little overcooked, but I like the flavor.
I really enjoy the layers of the bacon and the mushroom and the shrimp.
Thanks.
Really well done.
This is tough.
Two very good dishes, one white apron.
Christina, which home cook should get the apron? Claudia, I loved your shrimp, but the rice didn't really enhance or elevate the dish.
Andrew, the sauce was so delicious.
I love the addition of the vermouth.
You wowed me.
I got to say, I think the apron should go to Andrew.
- Wow.
- Thank you.
- Really? - Yeah.
I disagree.
I mean, I liked them both, but one had the edge.
Claudia nailed the shrimp.
Cooked to perfection.
I'm going with Claudia.
- Wow, so it's on me now.
- Yup.
Two totally different styles, one apron.
The person whose dish just has a slight edge Claudia and Andrew have had just 30 minutes to prepare their signature shrimp dishes in a head-to-head battle where only one will win a coveted MasterChef apron.
With the votes split I think the apron should go to Andrew.
I'm going with Claudia.
It's all in Graham's hands.
The person whose dish just has a slight edge Andrew, great effort.
Claudia, sorry.
But you got to stick around longer.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Thank you, thank you.
- Good job.
Andrew, great dish, really delicious.
- Thank you.
Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Ahh! You won! I did it, honey! It's never fun to be on the losing side of any battle, but you just move forward and live to fight another day.
Oh! Fairy tales don't usually come true for people like me.
For me to actually have gotten this today means so much.
I love you.
Battling for a white apron next is Stephen from Palm Springs, who hopes to use his passion for gardening to harvest a MasterChef apron.
Gardening is what has brought me in to cooking today.
Over here I got celery.
I'm an urban gardener, so I grow really good food, and then I cook it, so you can eat it and be happy and healthy and make babies, and I'm not being arrogant, but my food is great.
And that's that.
Like, there's no words to describe my food.
It's a feeling.
It saturates every cell in the body.
I don't know.
It's beautiful.
Stephen's competition is Tommy.
I am sure some of the other contestants will, you know, have to take me with a grain of salt.
Oh, my God.
But I'm a regular guy from the South Side of Chicago who's made good.
I've been a fashion designer for my entire life, and I think fashion and food is related.
It is a visual art form.
My food is really pretty to look at.
You have to eat with your eyes before you eat with your stomach.
I don't like to be overconfident, but I'm the next MasterChef.
Welcome.
You know, Tommy's a great guy, but I didn't come here to play tiddlywinks.
I came here to win, and I'm gonna do my best to do it.
I want that MasterChef apron more than I want a Chanel haute couture dress.
Great to see you both.
- Thank you.
- How old are you? I'm the magical age of 53.
- Stop it.
- No way.
I'm not cut.
It's all real.
Amazing.
I only have one wrinkle, and I sit on it.
So, gentlemen, you're both cooking your signature dish, which is pork, battling it out for one apron.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Tommy, tell me about your pork dish.
My dish is a sophisticated version of a pork ballotine, and then I want to decorate my plate.
Pork can go kind of, you know, dull and boring, so I want to make sure that I bring some color and some artistry to the plate.
Just under 20 minutes to go.
Stephen, tell us about your dish.
It's stuffed pork as well and wrap it in bacon on the outside, give it a little bit more flavor, and finish with some steamed vegetables.
- Sounds awesome.
- Yeah, you betcha.
Coming up to the last three minutes.
Oh.
Oh.
No.
Tommy's tenderloin is raw in the center.
Ahh! Ahh! I think he might be done.
You think? I mean, he can pull this back.
Get it onto the pan now and sear it, kiss it.
Yup.
Last 60 seconds, come on.
Oh, my God.
Let's go, guys, let's go.
Come on, guys.
Ten, nine, eight Oh, God, help.
Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
Hands in the air.
Good job, guys.
Both of you, well done.
Okay, bring your dishes down to the front, please.
Tommy, describe your dish, please.
It's pork ballotine that is stuffed with fennel, zucchini, and Granny Smith apple with fennel fronds.
I got really nervous when you sliced that tenderloin 'cause it was raw.
Are you confident that it's cooked in the middle? The tenderloin is cooked perfectly.
It's moist, you got that sear around the outside.
I'm amazed you got it cooked.
Good job.
It's really, really tasty.
Plating-wise, you've got stems of the fennel, you've got the fronds, you've got a sage leaf.
It's nice that you're showing some of that artistry, but you need to dial it back.
The fennel fronds actually bring a really great, unexpected freshness to the dish.
Really great effort.
Thank you.
- Stephen.
- Yes? Please describe your dish.
Basically, I took the pork loin and packed it with the farm.
I have apples, raisins, walnuts, and then steamed vegetables with couscous.
You've got walnut, raisins - Mm-hmm.
- Apple? Yeah.
I think those flavors are classic, - and they taste great.
- Right on.
- All right.
- I appreciate that.
Tenderloin's got a little bit too much stuffing in there, so you've lost that texture in slicing.
I just wish you'd roasted the vegetables rather than steaming them, because as you can see, it's raw, raw beetroot.
So I would have preferred to see less stuffing inside the pork and more roasting of the vegetables.
All right.
Your pork has a really great flavor to it.
Thank you.
But the vegetable, in the middle, they're almost so hard they could just be a crudité on the side.
The irony of those vegetables you being an urban gardener.
Yeah, it's sad.
It's the thing you love, but it also might be the thing that sends you home.
- Let's go, guys.
- Come on.
Oh, my God.
In this MasterChef battle for an apron, Chicago fashion designer Tommy Ahh! is going head-to-head with Stephen Come on.
an urban gardener from Palm Springs.
I just wish you'd roasted the vegetables rather than steaming them.
It's raw.
The irony of those vegetables you being an urban gardener.
Yeah, it's sad.
It's the thing you love, but it also might be the thing that sends you home.
Tough, two pork dishes, two very energetic, talented individuals.
- Stephen's filling.
- Filling's good.
Tommy's was a mess.
Four minutes to go, it was raw inside.
- Amazing he pulled it back.
- Right.
- Wow.
- I know.
I know.
You both did a really great job.
Which one of these pork dishes wins this apron? The apron goes to I'm disappointed that I didn't win, but Tommy, he's a great competitor.
He had a great dish, better than mine, and he ended winning that apron.
Congratulations to him.
Oh, my God.
You did it.
Get ready.
I'm not leaving.
Buckle up your seat belts.
It's going to be a bumpy ride.
Our next battle features lamb.
This time four talented home cooks will battle it out for two MasterChef aprons.
Go, Moniza! My name is Moniza.
I grew up in a Pakistani household where lamb was as common as chicken or beef, so Pakistan knows how to cook lamb.
My mama taught me right.
Come on, Derrick.
My name's Derrick, and I'm a drummer.
It's a concert in the kitchen when I'm in there.
The other contestants, they're my opening act, and I'm gonna be the headliner of this lamb battle.
My name is Nate.
I live in Chicago, Illinois.
Chicago's the best food city in America.
It's a melting pot, and the way I cook is international, so I have no borders to what I'm gonna put on a plate, and I can't wait to show that.
Welcome.
Come on down, guys.
My name's Amanda.
I grew up in a strict Lebanese family.
I came to love cooking by seeing my grandmother cook for our entire family.
I cook Middle Eastern fusion food, so I am the expert when it comes to cooking lamb.
Four talented cooks, two aprons up for grabs.
Your time starts now.
Whoo.
- Wow, lamb.
- Yeah.
Now, seriously, one of my favorite proteins.
- Yeah.
- Right.
I think everybody's become much more of a foodie, so instead of, you know, just a chicken breast or something else, you're seeing people from completely different backgrounds parts of the world doing lamb.
It really shows the power of how food unites.
Exactly.
- Right, Nate.
- Yes, Chef? What are you making? I'm doing a porcini mushroom-crusted rack of lamb with a puree of cauliflower.
- Do you always cook this fancy? - I do.
I live in Chicago, and I'm lucky enough to have all of my best friends in the same neighborhood as me.
Right.
So instead of all 12 of us going out for fine dining, I bring the fine dining to my place.
Nice.
just under 20 minutes to go.
My drum solo.
- All right, Derrick.
- Yes, ma'am? What do we have here? It's a pistachio-crusted rack of lamb over a parsnip puree.
I want 'em juicy, flavorful.
Okay.
So what does this apron mean to you? I'm a mama's boy.
She raised me as a single mom, so I'm doing this for her.
Do you make this dish for your mom at home? My mom has never tasted this, and she has no idea I'm here.
Why not? There's been a thousand letdowns being a drummer, so this is going to be a phone call that I am the next MasterChef.
Good luck, Derrick.
It's just under 15 minutes to go.
Amanda, what's the dish? It's my grandmother's lamb kofta with a jalapeno-dusted potato and a sumac aioli.
If there's one thing I love, it's kofta.
No pressure then.
Seriously, I love it.
Good luck.
Thank you, Chef.
- Hi, Moniza.
- Hi, Chef.
- These smell delicious.
- Thank you.
I love the pine nuts in them.
What's the dish? It's a beef and lamb kabob with pine nuts and parsley.
And what are you preparing here? This is your So this is my tahini mixture with lemon and garlic.
Are you worried about anything? You have just over five minutes to go.
The only thing I'm worried about is the time right now.
Come on, let's go.
Undercook, overcook, underseason, overseason, those are the big issues here that will separate them from getting an apron or just going home empty-handed.
Four stunning dishes, two aprons up for grabs.
Make it count, guys.
Put everything on the plate for a reason.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
Hands in the air.
Four stunning dishes, two aprons up for grabs.
Five, four, three, two, one, stop.
Hands in the air.
Well done.
Wow, that was definitely the battle of the lamb.
Now, very carefully bring your dishes down to the front, please.
Four stunning lamb dishes stand in front of us, but only two of you are leaving with the MasterChef apron.
Right, Nate.
Yes, Chef.
Describe the dish, please.
So I have a porcini mushroom-crusted rack of lamb with a pureed cauliflower, tomato relish, and a herb vinaigrette.
Let's have a look.
Is that what you wanted? It's probably closer on the rare side, but it looks fairly good.
What's the seasoning in there? Shallot, salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar.
The flavoring's good, but it's a little bit too rare, so it's very tough.
You know, you've got the best cut of lamb, so it should be melting in my mouth.
It's not.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
- Hi, Amanda.
- Hello, Chef.
What's the dish? My grandmother's lamb kofta combined with a jalapeno-dusted potato and a sumac aioli.
Nice depth of flavor.
Really nice decision, that sumac, on seasoning, really brings out both the potatoes and the lamb.
I could see that the potatoes, if they were crisp, would really be a great statement in texture, but they're a little soft, so you can sort of see where you lost track of time.
Definitely.
- Derrick, how are we doing? - Doing well.
Go ahead and tell me what you've made.
It's a pistachio-crusted rack of lamb over parsnip puree and quinoa with a coconut curry sauce.
I'm gonna be honest the preparation, the flavor, the technique, and the plating, you've nailed them all.
I think you've got a long, long road ahead of you with cooking.
This is one of the best things that we've had so far.
- Thank you.
- Good job.
- Right, Moniza.
- Yes? Describe the dish, please.
My dish is a beef and lamb kabob with pine nuts and parsley upon a sauce with ghee.
That's where I get my Pakistani, Indian flair with.
That is raw.
That's disappointing to me.
Oh, dear.
Let me take an end of one.
Mmm.
That bit tastes good.
There's something quite charming, but the lamb is raw.
It's a comfort food.
- Yeah.
- That's not giving me comfort.
Of course.
That's giving me the heebie-jeebies.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Damn.
Four lamb dishes, two aprons up for grabs, but let's be honest, the first apron goes to the one individual that we strongly believe stood head and shoulders above their competition.
We would like that person to very confidently pick up their apron.
Congratulations.
Thanks, Chef.
Well done.
Perfectly executed.
Thank you, Chef.
Put that apron on, and walk through those doors with your head up high, and make that important call to your mother.
Well done.
Good job.
- Thank you.
- Well done.
Good job.
I did it.
I went into that kitchen, and I rocked the house.
My dish was a hit.
It was the best show I've ever put on in my life.
- Mom? - Hey.
I got some news for you.
I'm gonna be on MasterChef.
What? - Oh, my God.
- Yeah.
I am so proud of you, honey.
Thank you.
I love you.
- I love you very much.
- I can't believe it.
I'm gonna be the first ever rock and roll MasterChef.
She's so proud of you.
You know she is.
Three of you left, one apron up for grabs.
This is tough.
All three of you cooked your heart out.
All three of you made mistakes, but all three of you, we see something in you.
So right now, this is a very tough decision.
The apron goes to Congratulations.
This is to make my family proud.
This is to make all minorities in America proud, let them know that they can do anything they put their mind to.
I won an apron in the lamb battle, and I'm going to be the next MasterChef.
Coming up, when hometown rivals face off over fish Whoo! Will the pressure of the MasterChef kitchen prove too much? Earth to Katrina.
MasterChef home cooks come from all walks of life.
I work for the railroad.
I am a mechanical engineer, and I'm also a model.
I'm a human resources professional at a health food store.
I am a high school teacher of Spanish and science.
I've been a stay-at-home mom for almost 42 years.
I was a restaurant supply sales rep, but I left my job for this.
But creating extraordinary dishes That's really good.
- Young man, you can cook.
- Thank you, Chef.
delicious.
It's earthy with that punchy flavor.
That pastry cream filling is really delicious.
Elegant.
Protein you've nailed.
Great job.
Has turned these extraordinary home cooks This apron's going to Into potential MasterChefs.
- Ailsa.
- Yes! - Dan.
- Yes! - Kerry.
- Thanks, Chef.
- Mateo.
- Thank you.
- Veronica.
- Oh, my God.
- Nick.
- Thank you.
And proud winners of six more MasterChef aprons.
Ah! Next up to battle for an apron are Katrina and Taylor, hometown rivals going head-to-head over salmon.
Katrina is an admin assistant who's come in search of her true calling.
University housing, this is Katrina, how many I help you? The job that I do pays the bills, but it's not what pushes me every day.
Cooking makes me love life.
I grew up in a food family.
My dad's a hobby fisherman, so we would have fish every Friday.
I'm nervous.
You're gonna do such great things.
I know I can do this.
I just I really need to have some confidence in my head, in my heart.
I'm battling another person from Wisconsin, making salmon, and I'm gonna kick some ass.
Katrina's only obstacle is Taylor, a 23-year-old server who's no stranger to the taste of competition.
I play divisional football for about four years in college, and it's made me a much tougher individual.
I thought I wanted to be a football player, but for me, my actual dream is to be an executive chef.
Growing up in a single-parent household, my mother taught me how to be a man, you know, taught me how to take care of myself, and one of the things that went along with that was cooking.
She sacrificed so much so that I could get closer to my dreams, so doing this, I want to make sure that I can give something back to her, 'cause I always promised her that I was gonna give her something back for everything that she's done for me, so part of this is for her.
Welcome.
Come on down, please.
One person is going back to Milwaukee, and it's not gonna be me.
What's gonna happen in this battle today is that I'm gonna walk out with an apron.
This battle was tailor-made for Taylor.
Two salmon signature dishes, one apron, and 30 minutes to nail it.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Let's go.
- Taylor? - Yes, sir? What are you making to battle for that apron? My signature dish, it's a blackened salmon plated with a pineapple salsa.
How are you cooking the salmon? I'm gonna cook it in a cast iron skillet, gonna throw some canola oil on there as well.
I'm a big guy.
You know, I need the calories.
You know, I probably should be burning 'em off, but obviously, I mean, that hasn't been happening for a while.
- Katrina? - Yes, Chef.
How are you cooking the salmon? I'm making a pan-seared salmon with panang curry sauce, rice and peas, and a slaw.
Why curry with salmon? I really love spicy, sour, sweet, salty.
Good.
It's a little confusing to me, those salmon, curry flavors, but I also feel like it's ballsy.
Yeah.
Whoo! The level of the action that Taylor's bringing here, you know, like it's game day.
- Yeah.
- Ready.
If you guys came to change your lives, you have five minutes to do so.
Oh.
You can smell those blackening spices.
Mmm.
Taking off the rice from the direct heat like that, that damp cloth draws the moisture out, so it steams and stays fluffy.
How many home cooks do we see do that? Love it.
Yeah, but she has a lot to get done at this point.
Here we go, last minute.
Oh, my God.
Taste everything.
Let's go.
If it's not on the plate, we don't have anything to taste.
Ten, nine Taylor, keep going, keep going.
Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am.
Six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
- Hands in the air.
- Nice job, guys.
- Well done.
- Whew.
Both of you, very carefully bring your dishes down to the front, please.
Taylor, describe the dish, please.
So what I have for you today is a blackened salmon plated with a wonderful pineapple salsa as well as a little bit of a tangy lemon vinaigrette.
For me, salmon's cooked beautifully.
It's got that nice crust on the outside but pink in the middle.
Yes, Chef.
However, spices, slightly bland.
When you have that blackened seasoning, it needs a backup of salt as well, but there's a sort of rustic charm to the dish.
- Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
Thank you.
All right, let's see.
So salsa is one of those things that can show off some knife skill.
So I'm looking at the pineapple.
What's wrong with that? It's a little bit of the skin from the pineapple.
Little bit of the skin.
The good thing, salmon's awesome.
- Perfectly done.
- Thank you, Chef.
I think that the blackened rub on the salmon, for me, is what just seals the deal and the flavor.
I feel like I really understand your flavor palate.
Mm-hmm.
For me, it's very clear, the potential that you have.
- Thank you, ma'am.
- Very exciting, yes.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Right, young lady, describe the dish.
It is a pan-seared salmon with a panang curry sauce, and the slaw is just regular green cabbage.
It's supposed to have mint leaves and Thai basil leaves and a little bit of jalapeno.
Supposed to have? Doesn't have? Maybe have? Lost it? Someone stole it? What's going on? I hope it's in there.
Um Listen, if you don't know it's in there, we're screwed.
So is it in there or not? Earth to Katrina.
So is it in there or not? Earth to Katrina.
I had 'em in the bowl.
I don't know if they made it on the plate.
Phew, man, you've just given me a headache.
I'm sorry.
Right, what am I looking for inside the salmon? It should be pink.
Oh, no.
Should be, may be, will be, may not be? It'll be pink.
Good.
Let's taste it.
Pink throughout, a strong pink.
Katrina, salmon's cooked beautifully.
Flavor of the curry is delicious, sour, sweet, salty, so it's a traditional Thai-infused curry.
However, you don't know what's on the plate.
Salmon's great.
The cook, I think Taylor's was a little more in that mid-rare/medium phase.
I think this is just a little over.
I love that color.
I personally have never had a salmon curry before, but, man, this sauce, really delicious.
Thank you.
Right, one apron, two stunning dishes.
Graham? I'm going with Taylor.
Whew.
Thank you.
Christina? I got to go with Katrina.
This is so tough.
This is hard.
Yeah, but, I mean, the cook on Taylor's was perfect.
You can teach him some stuff.
Yeah, but Katrina's personality on her plate, you can really gauge what her potential is.
I'm gonna go with my heart and go with the individual that I think that can climb in this competition.
Come on, Katrina.
Katrina is a wonderful competitor.
She's from my hometown, so the fact that she's in the competition still, I'm proud of that, and I'm proud of her.
Aw, Taylor.
- I'm so proud of you.
- I'm sorry.
I didn't expect I'd get this far.
You know, I'm always the underdog.
I'm the girl who who doesn't win much.
Ahh! Next time on MasterChef The search for America's next MasterChef continues with the most spectacular dishes yet.
Ladies, 30 minutes to change your life.
And a single mom Come on.
Turns her cooking battle I'm making $10 an hour.
This is gonna change everything.
Into a showdown for the judges.
Give it to her, Graham.
I don't know which way to go.
And later The last two MasterChef aprons.
Some home cooks get a second chance Just get it on the plate! In an all-or-nothing final battle.
This apron belongs to
The coveted ticket into the world's biggest and toughest cooking competition.
From every corner of America - MasterChef! MasterChef! - Good to see you.
Home cooks came out in the thousands for a chance to win one.
I'm a student.
- I'm a police officer.
- I'm a dentist.
- I'm a bartender.
- I'm a paramedic.
I'm an architect.
I'm a social worker.
But only the 20 best were invited to the MasterChef kitchen to prove themselves to three of the food world's biggest names.
With multiple Michelin stars and 25 restaurants across the world, I'm the man behind a billion-dollar empire, Gordon Ramsay.
America's youngest four-star chef, critically acclaimed restaurateur, Graham Elliott.
And now joining the MasterChef judging panel, James Beard award-winning pastry chef and owner of seven renowned bakeries across North America, culinary superstar Christina Tosi.
Together we will find America's greatest home cooks.
Here are our guests.
It will be a roller coaster ride for those who make it.
The cowboys are arriving.
They'll face some of the toughest Welcome, everyone, to fabulous Las Vegas.
Most spectacular A toast to 100 episodes.
And incredible challenges in MasterChef history.
- I love it.
Good job.
- Wow.
Creating dish after dazzling dish, they'll battle it out for a $1/4 million, their own cookbook, and the title of MasterChef.
I left my job to be here, but I'm in the top 20, and to have this apron means everything to me.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I'm not gonna lose.
Winning MasterChef would be the absolute pursuit of happiness for me.
I feel so great to be a part of the top 20 of MasterChef.
I'm a single mom, and I got a nine-year-old who's my everything.
She's my biggest cheerleader, so to be the next MasterChef would be life-changing.
Yeah! I'm Gordon Ramsay.
And I'm Graham Elliot.
You are the top 20 home cooks in America.
Welcome to MasterChef.
We are so proud to introduce you all to the newest member of the MasterChef family, a phenomenal new judge.
Just in her early 30s, already owns a North American food empire, please welcome Christina Tosi.
Welcome.
Hey, guys, how are you? Whoo! I'm so excited to be here.
When I grew up in Virginia playing around in my mom's kitchen, I never in my wildest dreams thought it could lead me to this place.
Dream big, everyone.
You never know where your fooreams might take you.
You are 20 of the best home cooks across all America.
Our big question is, who is the best here? - Right here.
- Right here.
Right here.
Big man, why do you think you're the best? - Because I have the work ethic.
- Good.
I have the talent, and I'm gonna compete.
I'm gonna beat you because I'm gonna work harder than you.
Love the confidence.
I played college football.
You can't take me down, baby.
- Oh, hey! And what's so special about you, young lady? I was born to Lebanese immigrants, and I'm here fulfilling the American dream.
I'm combining my Lebanese roots and American cooking, and that's who I am.
Brilliant.
Tommy, what separates you from the talent around you? I want to unleash an avalanche of style.
- Wow.
- I design clothing in Chicago.
Right.
And I'm going to put couture on a plate.
Fantastic.
Glad to hear it, Tommy.
Are you ready to show us how good you really are? Are you all ready to put on a MasterChef apron? There's only one thing standing between you and a white apron.
These people.
What is this? I thought that we were the only people that were supposed to be here, then you see a lot more people packing in.
It's 20 more of the best home cooks across America.
If they thought it was gonna be easy, they have no idea what I'm about to do today.
I'm here to be the best.
Are you gonna welcome them? No.
You will each compete in a head-to-head culinary battle.
In each group, there are home cooks with similar signature dishes, steak versus steak, seafood versus seafood, bakers versus bakers, and this is what you're fighting for a coveted MasterChef white apron.
Boom! Win your battle, and you win an apron and a place in the competition, but if you lose your battle, you win a ticket home.
Game faces on.
Are you all ready? Yes, Chef.
Let battle commence.
Whoo! In the battle for their aprons, the home cooks will have just 30 minutes to prepare their signature dish.
We will then decide who wins the MasterChef apron and gets to take a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
With the home cooks' friends and families providing support, our first battle for an apron faces off Claudia and Andrew, two home cooks who each have a sensational way to serve up shrimp.
Claudia is an events manager who wants to turn her ambition into an apron.
Cooking is something that has been a passion for me my whole life.
I'm gonna grab some of these rajas con queso, a staple in Mexican cuisine.
I was raised on beans and rice, and food, for me, is love.
Do you like my food? Yes.
- Okay, good.
- Hi.
I got pregnant at 22 and have since been a single mother.
This competition is the perfect opportunity for me to show my daughter that Latinos are a viable and important part of this society.
I love you.
It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from.
You can absolutely make your dreams come true so long as you have the passion anrive.
I need to win that apron.
Everything's at stake.
I can't not win this.
But standing in her way is Andrew, a political fund raiser who hopes his Southern style will earn our votes.
Mmm.
Working in politics for over ten years, I know what it's like to lose, and I know what it's like to win.
Winning feels a lot better.
I grew up in Charleston, South Carolina.
The memories that I have from childhood are what motivates me to cook.
I remember walking across the street to cast a net off of the neighbor's dock to bring shrimp home that my mom would turn into shrimp and grits.
- Cheers to y'all.
- Cheers.
There's nothing more unifying than food.
There's nothing more divisive than politics.
I want to go from being a divider to being a uniter, so when all the votes are counted, I come out on top.
It's East Coast versus West Coast.
Got this, yeah? South Carolina versus California.
My shrimp dish with roots way back from Mexico are going to beat this dish from the South.
I'm bringing that apron back to my daughter just like I promised her.
Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.
Claudia, tell us about your dish.
I am cooking camarones barbones al mojo de ajo, which means they are head-on shrimp sautéed in an amazing garlic butter sauce, served on top of a grape pico as well as a white Mexican rice.
Andrew, what's the dish you're cooking for us tonight? I'm making Lowcountry shrimp and grits deglazed with a little bit of white vermouth.
I'm really, really excited to share the flavors of my childhood with y'all.
Two very talented home cooks battling it out for one apron.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Two incredible-sounding dishes.
- Yeah.
- I'm excited for this one.
But cooking shrimp with the shells on? - That's a chef's dream - Whole, head-on shrimp.
Well, you have to know what you're doing - Big time.
- Because you can never really tell when that shrimp is properly cooked when it's in the shell, so that will be a real test.
Yeah.
Shrimp and grits, that's a big one, that one, to pull it off in 30 minutes.
- Those grits don't cook easily.
- Yeah, exactly.
No.
If they're not seasoned well, that is the kiss of death.
Whoo.
Ten minutes gone, to get your hands on that apron.
Claudia, now, the shrimp you're gonna be - sautéing in garlic butter? - Yes.
Tell me about this rice.
Why is it gonna be magical? It is a Mazatlán Mexican rice, which is the one that we usually serve with a lot of our seafood dishes.
Sounds delicious.
Andrew, great knife skills.
- You're so kind.
- Brilliant.
What have you done with the bacon there? - You've rendered the fat down? - I've rendered the fat down.
I've poured a little bit of the fat off before I threw the mushrooms in.
Interesting.
How are you cooking the shrimp? I'm actually gonna add them to the sauce at the very end.
I finished the sauce with the sweet white vermouth, so it won't be too, too soupy when the shrimp go in.
Wow.
Come on, speed up.
Get it sauced, get it wiped, get it garnished.
Come on, Claudia, you've got to plate.
Season everything.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
- Hands in the air.
- Good job.
Well done.
Please bring your dishes to the front.
Claudia, describe the dish, please.
This is a shrimp sautéed in garlic and butter served over a grape pico and a Mexican white rice.
How many times have you cooked this dish? A million times.
It's my daughter's favorite.
The actual salsa's nice.
I like the heat in there.
Delicious.
Shrimps are cooked nicely crispy, elegant, nice flavor.
There's something quite charming.
- I feel the love.
- Thank you.
Very interesting combination of flavors and textures.
I think the presentation leaves a little bit more to be desired.
Good flavor.
I like the garlic.
The grape pico, I think it could use a pinch of salt, just to bring that out and make it a little more savory.
- Yeah.
- But I think it's really, really tasty.
- Andrew.
- Hello, Chef.
Describe the dish, please.
This is a Lowcountry shrimp and grits with a tomato and bacon scallion sauce with dry white vermouth.
What happens to shrimp when they're overcooked? They become rubbery.
Damn.
Man, the sauce with that vermouth, really delicious.
Well, thank you.
The shrimp has a little too much give, little overcooked, but I like the flavor.
I really enjoy the layers of the bacon and the mushroom and the shrimp.
Thanks.
Really well done.
This is tough.
Two very good dishes, one white apron.
Christina, which home cook should get the apron? Claudia, I loved your shrimp, but the rice didn't really enhance or elevate the dish.
Andrew, the sauce was so delicious.
I love the addition of the vermouth.
You wowed me.
I got to say, I think the apron should go to Andrew.
- Wow.
- Thank you.
- Really? - Yeah.
I disagree.
I mean, I liked them both, but one had the edge.
Claudia nailed the shrimp.
Cooked to perfection.
I'm going with Claudia.
- Wow, so it's on me now.
- Yup.
Two totally different styles, one apron.
The person whose dish just has a slight edge Claudia and Andrew have had just 30 minutes to prepare their signature shrimp dishes in a head-to-head battle where only one will win a coveted MasterChef apron.
With the votes split I think the apron should go to Andrew.
I'm going with Claudia.
It's all in Graham's hands.
The person whose dish just has a slight edge Andrew, great effort.
Claudia, sorry.
But you got to stick around longer.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Thank you, thank you.
- Good job.
Andrew, great dish, really delicious.
- Thank you.
Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Ahh! You won! I did it, honey! It's never fun to be on the losing side of any battle, but you just move forward and live to fight another day.
Oh! Fairy tales don't usually come true for people like me.
For me to actually have gotten this today means so much.
I love you.
Battling for a white apron next is Stephen from Palm Springs, who hopes to use his passion for gardening to harvest a MasterChef apron.
Gardening is what has brought me in to cooking today.
Over here I got celery.
I'm an urban gardener, so I grow really good food, and then I cook it, so you can eat it and be happy and healthy and make babies, and I'm not being arrogant, but my food is great.
And that's that.
Like, there's no words to describe my food.
It's a feeling.
It saturates every cell in the body.
I don't know.
It's beautiful.
Stephen's competition is Tommy.
I am sure some of the other contestants will, you know, have to take me with a grain of salt.
Oh, my God.
But I'm a regular guy from the South Side of Chicago who's made good.
I've been a fashion designer for my entire life, and I think fashion and food is related.
It is a visual art form.
My food is really pretty to look at.
You have to eat with your eyes before you eat with your stomach.
I don't like to be overconfident, but I'm the next MasterChef.
Welcome.
You know, Tommy's a great guy, but I didn't come here to play tiddlywinks.
I came here to win, and I'm gonna do my best to do it.
I want that MasterChef apron more than I want a Chanel haute couture dress.
Great to see you both.
- Thank you.
- How old are you? I'm the magical age of 53.
- Stop it.
- No way.
I'm not cut.
It's all real.
Amazing.
I only have one wrinkle, and I sit on it.
So, gentlemen, you're both cooking your signature dish, which is pork, battling it out for one apron.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Tommy, tell me about your pork dish.
My dish is a sophisticated version of a pork ballotine, and then I want to decorate my plate.
Pork can go kind of, you know, dull and boring, so I want to make sure that I bring some color and some artistry to the plate.
Just under 20 minutes to go.
Stephen, tell us about your dish.
It's stuffed pork as well and wrap it in bacon on the outside, give it a little bit more flavor, and finish with some steamed vegetables.
- Sounds awesome.
- Yeah, you betcha.
Coming up to the last three minutes.
Oh.
Oh.
No.
Tommy's tenderloin is raw in the center.
Ahh! Ahh! I think he might be done.
You think? I mean, he can pull this back.
Get it onto the pan now and sear it, kiss it.
Yup.
Last 60 seconds, come on.
Oh, my God.
Let's go, guys, let's go.
Come on, guys.
Ten, nine, eight Oh, God, help.
Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
Hands in the air.
Good job, guys.
Both of you, well done.
Okay, bring your dishes down to the front, please.
Tommy, describe your dish, please.
It's pork ballotine that is stuffed with fennel, zucchini, and Granny Smith apple with fennel fronds.
I got really nervous when you sliced that tenderloin 'cause it was raw.
Are you confident that it's cooked in the middle? The tenderloin is cooked perfectly.
It's moist, you got that sear around the outside.
I'm amazed you got it cooked.
Good job.
It's really, really tasty.
Plating-wise, you've got stems of the fennel, you've got the fronds, you've got a sage leaf.
It's nice that you're showing some of that artistry, but you need to dial it back.
The fennel fronds actually bring a really great, unexpected freshness to the dish.
Really great effort.
Thank you.
- Stephen.
- Yes? Please describe your dish.
Basically, I took the pork loin and packed it with the farm.
I have apples, raisins, walnuts, and then steamed vegetables with couscous.
You've got walnut, raisins - Mm-hmm.
- Apple? Yeah.
I think those flavors are classic, - and they taste great.
- Right on.
- All right.
- I appreciate that.
Tenderloin's got a little bit too much stuffing in there, so you've lost that texture in slicing.
I just wish you'd roasted the vegetables rather than steaming them, because as you can see, it's raw, raw beetroot.
So I would have preferred to see less stuffing inside the pork and more roasting of the vegetables.
All right.
Your pork has a really great flavor to it.
Thank you.
But the vegetable, in the middle, they're almost so hard they could just be a crudité on the side.
The irony of those vegetables you being an urban gardener.
Yeah, it's sad.
It's the thing you love, but it also might be the thing that sends you home.
- Let's go, guys.
- Come on.
Oh, my God.
In this MasterChef battle for an apron, Chicago fashion designer Tommy Ahh! is going head-to-head with Stephen Come on.
an urban gardener from Palm Springs.
I just wish you'd roasted the vegetables rather than steaming them.
It's raw.
The irony of those vegetables you being an urban gardener.
Yeah, it's sad.
It's the thing you love, but it also might be the thing that sends you home.
Tough, two pork dishes, two very energetic, talented individuals.
- Stephen's filling.
- Filling's good.
Tommy's was a mess.
Four minutes to go, it was raw inside.
- Amazing he pulled it back.
- Right.
- Wow.
- I know.
I know.
You both did a really great job.
Which one of these pork dishes wins this apron? The apron goes to I'm disappointed that I didn't win, but Tommy, he's a great competitor.
He had a great dish, better than mine, and he ended winning that apron.
Congratulations to him.
Oh, my God.
You did it.
Get ready.
I'm not leaving.
Buckle up your seat belts.
It's going to be a bumpy ride.
Our next battle features lamb.
This time four talented home cooks will battle it out for two MasterChef aprons.
Go, Moniza! My name is Moniza.
I grew up in a Pakistani household where lamb was as common as chicken or beef, so Pakistan knows how to cook lamb.
My mama taught me right.
Come on, Derrick.
My name's Derrick, and I'm a drummer.
It's a concert in the kitchen when I'm in there.
The other contestants, they're my opening act, and I'm gonna be the headliner of this lamb battle.
My name is Nate.
I live in Chicago, Illinois.
Chicago's the best food city in America.
It's a melting pot, and the way I cook is international, so I have no borders to what I'm gonna put on a plate, and I can't wait to show that.
Welcome.
Come on down, guys.
My name's Amanda.
I grew up in a strict Lebanese family.
I came to love cooking by seeing my grandmother cook for our entire family.
I cook Middle Eastern fusion food, so I am the expert when it comes to cooking lamb.
Four talented cooks, two aprons up for grabs.
Your time starts now.
Whoo.
- Wow, lamb.
- Yeah.
Now, seriously, one of my favorite proteins.
- Yeah.
- Right.
I think everybody's become much more of a foodie, so instead of, you know, just a chicken breast or something else, you're seeing people from completely different backgrounds parts of the world doing lamb.
It really shows the power of how food unites.
Exactly.
- Right, Nate.
- Yes, Chef? What are you making? I'm doing a porcini mushroom-crusted rack of lamb with a puree of cauliflower.
- Do you always cook this fancy? - I do.
I live in Chicago, and I'm lucky enough to have all of my best friends in the same neighborhood as me.
Right.
So instead of all 12 of us going out for fine dining, I bring the fine dining to my place.
Nice.
just under 20 minutes to go.
My drum solo.
- All right, Derrick.
- Yes, ma'am? What do we have here? It's a pistachio-crusted rack of lamb over a parsnip puree.
I want 'em juicy, flavorful.
Okay.
So what does this apron mean to you? I'm a mama's boy.
She raised me as a single mom, so I'm doing this for her.
Do you make this dish for your mom at home? My mom has never tasted this, and she has no idea I'm here.
Why not? There's been a thousand letdowns being a drummer, so this is going to be a phone call that I am the next MasterChef.
Good luck, Derrick.
It's just under 15 minutes to go.
Amanda, what's the dish? It's my grandmother's lamb kofta with a jalapeno-dusted potato and a sumac aioli.
If there's one thing I love, it's kofta.
No pressure then.
Seriously, I love it.
Good luck.
Thank you, Chef.
- Hi, Moniza.
- Hi, Chef.
- These smell delicious.
- Thank you.
I love the pine nuts in them.
What's the dish? It's a beef and lamb kabob with pine nuts and parsley.
And what are you preparing here? This is your So this is my tahini mixture with lemon and garlic.
Are you worried about anything? You have just over five minutes to go.
The only thing I'm worried about is the time right now.
Come on, let's go.
Undercook, overcook, underseason, overseason, those are the big issues here that will separate them from getting an apron or just going home empty-handed.
Four stunning dishes, two aprons up for grabs.
Make it count, guys.
Put everything on the plate for a reason.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
Hands in the air.
Four stunning dishes, two aprons up for grabs.
Five, four, three, two, one, stop.
Hands in the air.
Well done.
Wow, that was definitely the battle of the lamb.
Now, very carefully bring your dishes down to the front, please.
Four stunning lamb dishes stand in front of us, but only two of you are leaving with the MasterChef apron.
Right, Nate.
Yes, Chef.
Describe the dish, please.
So I have a porcini mushroom-crusted rack of lamb with a pureed cauliflower, tomato relish, and a herb vinaigrette.
Let's have a look.
Is that what you wanted? It's probably closer on the rare side, but it looks fairly good.
What's the seasoning in there? Shallot, salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar.
The flavoring's good, but it's a little bit too rare, so it's very tough.
You know, you've got the best cut of lamb, so it should be melting in my mouth.
It's not.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
- Hi, Amanda.
- Hello, Chef.
What's the dish? My grandmother's lamb kofta combined with a jalapeno-dusted potato and a sumac aioli.
Nice depth of flavor.
Really nice decision, that sumac, on seasoning, really brings out both the potatoes and the lamb.
I could see that the potatoes, if they were crisp, would really be a great statement in texture, but they're a little soft, so you can sort of see where you lost track of time.
Definitely.
- Derrick, how are we doing? - Doing well.
Go ahead and tell me what you've made.
It's a pistachio-crusted rack of lamb over parsnip puree and quinoa with a coconut curry sauce.
I'm gonna be honest the preparation, the flavor, the technique, and the plating, you've nailed them all.
I think you've got a long, long road ahead of you with cooking.
This is one of the best things that we've had so far.
- Thank you.
- Good job.
- Right, Moniza.
- Yes? Describe the dish, please.
My dish is a beef and lamb kabob with pine nuts and parsley upon a sauce with ghee.
That's where I get my Pakistani, Indian flair with.
That is raw.
That's disappointing to me.
Oh, dear.
Let me take an end of one.
Mmm.
That bit tastes good.
There's something quite charming, but the lamb is raw.
It's a comfort food.
- Yeah.
- That's not giving me comfort.
Of course.
That's giving me the heebie-jeebies.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Damn.
Four lamb dishes, two aprons up for grabs, but let's be honest, the first apron goes to the one individual that we strongly believe stood head and shoulders above their competition.
We would like that person to very confidently pick up their apron.
Congratulations.
Thanks, Chef.
Well done.
Perfectly executed.
Thank you, Chef.
Put that apron on, and walk through those doors with your head up high, and make that important call to your mother.
Well done.
Good job.
- Thank you.
- Well done.
Good job.
I did it.
I went into that kitchen, and I rocked the house.
My dish was a hit.
It was the best show I've ever put on in my life.
- Mom? - Hey.
I got some news for you.
I'm gonna be on MasterChef.
What? - Oh, my God.
- Yeah.
I am so proud of you, honey.
Thank you.
I love you.
- I love you very much.
- I can't believe it.
I'm gonna be the first ever rock and roll MasterChef.
She's so proud of you.
You know she is.
Three of you left, one apron up for grabs.
This is tough.
All three of you cooked your heart out.
All three of you made mistakes, but all three of you, we see something in you.
So right now, this is a very tough decision.
The apron goes to Congratulations.
This is to make my family proud.
This is to make all minorities in America proud, let them know that they can do anything they put their mind to.
I won an apron in the lamb battle, and I'm going to be the next MasterChef.
Coming up, when hometown rivals face off over fish Whoo! Will the pressure of the MasterChef kitchen prove too much? Earth to Katrina.
MasterChef home cooks come from all walks of life.
I work for the railroad.
I am a mechanical engineer, and I'm also a model.
I'm a human resources professional at a health food store.
I am a high school teacher of Spanish and science.
I've been a stay-at-home mom for almost 42 years.
I was a restaurant supply sales rep, but I left my job for this.
But creating extraordinary dishes That's really good.
- Young man, you can cook.
- Thank you, Chef.
delicious.
It's earthy with that punchy flavor.
That pastry cream filling is really delicious.
Elegant.
Protein you've nailed.
Great job.
Has turned these extraordinary home cooks This apron's going to Into potential MasterChefs.
- Ailsa.
- Yes! - Dan.
- Yes! - Kerry.
- Thanks, Chef.
- Mateo.
- Thank you.
- Veronica.
- Oh, my God.
- Nick.
- Thank you.
And proud winners of six more MasterChef aprons.
Ah! Next up to battle for an apron are Katrina and Taylor, hometown rivals going head-to-head over salmon.
Katrina is an admin assistant who's come in search of her true calling.
University housing, this is Katrina, how many I help you? The job that I do pays the bills, but it's not what pushes me every day.
Cooking makes me love life.
I grew up in a food family.
My dad's a hobby fisherman, so we would have fish every Friday.
I'm nervous.
You're gonna do such great things.
I know I can do this.
I just I really need to have some confidence in my head, in my heart.
I'm battling another person from Wisconsin, making salmon, and I'm gonna kick some ass.
Katrina's only obstacle is Taylor, a 23-year-old server who's no stranger to the taste of competition.
I play divisional football for about four years in college, and it's made me a much tougher individual.
I thought I wanted to be a football player, but for me, my actual dream is to be an executive chef.
Growing up in a single-parent household, my mother taught me how to be a man, you know, taught me how to take care of myself, and one of the things that went along with that was cooking.
She sacrificed so much so that I could get closer to my dreams, so doing this, I want to make sure that I can give something back to her, 'cause I always promised her that I was gonna give her something back for everything that she's done for me, so part of this is for her.
Welcome.
Come on down, please.
One person is going back to Milwaukee, and it's not gonna be me.
What's gonna happen in this battle today is that I'm gonna walk out with an apron.
This battle was tailor-made for Taylor.
Two salmon signature dishes, one apron, and 30 minutes to nail it.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Let's go.
- Taylor? - Yes, sir? What are you making to battle for that apron? My signature dish, it's a blackened salmon plated with a pineapple salsa.
How are you cooking the salmon? I'm gonna cook it in a cast iron skillet, gonna throw some canola oil on there as well.
I'm a big guy.
You know, I need the calories.
You know, I probably should be burning 'em off, but obviously, I mean, that hasn't been happening for a while.
- Katrina? - Yes, Chef.
How are you cooking the salmon? I'm making a pan-seared salmon with panang curry sauce, rice and peas, and a slaw.
Why curry with salmon? I really love spicy, sour, sweet, salty.
Good.
It's a little confusing to me, those salmon, curry flavors, but I also feel like it's ballsy.
Yeah.
Whoo! The level of the action that Taylor's bringing here, you know, like it's game day.
- Yeah.
- Ready.
If you guys came to change your lives, you have five minutes to do so.
Oh.
You can smell those blackening spices.
Mmm.
Taking off the rice from the direct heat like that, that damp cloth draws the moisture out, so it steams and stays fluffy.
How many home cooks do we see do that? Love it.
Yeah, but she has a lot to get done at this point.
Here we go, last minute.
Oh, my God.
Taste everything.
Let's go.
If it's not on the plate, we don't have anything to taste.
Ten, nine Taylor, keep going, keep going.
Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am.
Six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
- Hands in the air.
- Nice job, guys.
- Well done.
- Whew.
Both of you, very carefully bring your dishes down to the front, please.
Taylor, describe the dish, please.
So what I have for you today is a blackened salmon plated with a wonderful pineapple salsa as well as a little bit of a tangy lemon vinaigrette.
For me, salmon's cooked beautifully.
It's got that nice crust on the outside but pink in the middle.
Yes, Chef.
However, spices, slightly bland.
When you have that blackened seasoning, it needs a backup of salt as well, but there's a sort of rustic charm to the dish.
- Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
Thank you.
All right, let's see.
So salsa is one of those things that can show off some knife skill.
So I'm looking at the pineapple.
What's wrong with that? It's a little bit of the skin from the pineapple.
Little bit of the skin.
The good thing, salmon's awesome.
- Perfectly done.
- Thank you, Chef.
I think that the blackened rub on the salmon, for me, is what just seals the deal and the flavor.
I feel like I really understand your flavor palate.
Mm-hmm.
For me, it's very clear, the potential that you have.
- Thank you, ma'am.
- Very exciting, yes.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Right, young lady, describe the dish.
It is a pan-seared salmon with a panang curry sauce, and the slaw is just regular green cabbage.
It's supposed to have mint leaves and Thai basil leaves and a little bit of jalapeno.
Supposed to have? Doesn't have? Maybe have? Lost it? Someone stole it? What's going on? I hope it's in there.
Um Listen, if you don't know it's in there, we're screwed.
So is it in there or not? Earth to Katrina.
So is it in there or not? Earth to Katrina.
I had 'em in the bowl.
I don't know if they made it on the plate.
Phew, man, you've just given me a headache.
I'm sorry.
Right, what am I looking for inside the salmon? It should be pink.
Oh, no.
Should be, may be, will be, may not be? It'll be pink.
Good.
Let's taste it.
Pink throughout, a strong pink.
Katrina, salmon's cooked beautifully.
Flavor of the curry is delicious, sour, sweet, salty, so it's a traditional Thai-infused curry.
However, you don't know what's on the plate.
Salmon's great.
The cook, I think Taylor's was a little more in that mid-rare/medium phase.
I think this is just a little over.
I love that color.
I personally have never had a salmon curry before, but, man, this sauce, really delicious.
Thank you.
Right, one apron, two stunning dishes.
Graham? I'm going with Taylor.
Whew.
Thank you.
Christina? I got to go with Katrina.
This is so tough.
This is hard.
Yeah, but, I mean, the cook on Taylor's was perfect.
You can teach him some stuff.
Yeah, but Katrina's personality on her plate, you can really gauge what her potential is.
I'm gonna go with my heart and go with the individual that I think that can climb in this competition.
Come on, Katrina.
Katrina is a wonderful competitor.
She's from my hometown, so the fact that she's in the competition still, I'm proud of that, and I'm proud of her.
Aw, Taylor.
- I'm so proud of you.
- I'm sorry.
I didn't expect I'd get this far.
You know, I'm always the underdog.
I'm the girl who who doesn't win much.
Ahh! Next time on MasterChef The search for America's next MasterChef continues with the most spectacular dishes yet.
Ladies, 30 minutes to change your life.
And a single mom Come on.
Turns her cooking battle I'm making $10 an hour.
This is gonna change everything.
Into a showdown for the judges.
Give it to her, Graham.
I don't know which way to go.
And later The last two MasterChef aprons.
Some home cooks get a second chance Just get it on the plate! In an all-or-nothing final battle.
This apron belongs to