Masterchef (2010) s06e07 Episode Script
Bring Home the Bacon
Previously on MasterChef Vegas, baby.
Your entertainers are in the building.
In a high-stakes team challenge, the Blue Team's big gamble - Whoo! - Come on! Just bring it! You can't vote for something you don't taste.
Sent them to the dreaded pressure test.
You are about to face the fire.
You will be cooking steak.
- In the final hand - Well done.
Christopher won big, but Damn.
Ailsa's luck finally ran out.
Tonight It's a breakfast mystery box.
The most important meal of the day has the top 16 scrambling to impress the judges Whoa, whoa, whoa.
All of you are gonna get a chance to cook with one of the greatest chefs in America.
Wow.
Followed by A TV dinner endorsed by a pretty good-looking chef.
Their toughest challenge yet.
Only the home cooks who think outside the box will survive.
I'd rather take your apron off now if that's your best.
Battling against 16 of the best home chefs in America, it's humbling.
Come on down.
I've been in sales for ten years in San Diego, but my true happiness comes from the kitchen.
I've been raising my family for 42 years.
It's been my career to give my family the best food they can have, but this is my chance to accomplish my dreams.
Welcome back, everybody.
All of you, the top 16.
Tonight it's time for another mystery box challenge.
On the count of three, lift your boxes.
One.
Two.
Two and half Three.
Lift! Whoo! I see berries, and I see eggs, and I see bacon.
Yes, I know exactly what I'm doing with these ingredients.
I'm winning this.
There you have sausage, bacon, smoked salmon, eggs, tomato, asparagus, banana, fresh berries, and English muffins.
It's a breakfast mystery box.
We are clearly not looking for a breakfast that you'd eat at home.
We're looking for a refined, restaurant-quality breakfast dish.
You will have 30 minutes to make us one incredible breakfast.
- Your time starts - Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Sorry, sorry.
Not quite yet.
You may have all noticed that there's an extra mystery box station up here.
That's because you still have a lot to learn, so right now, all of you are gonna get a chance to cook with one of the greatest chefs in America.
Graham Elliot! Graham is a particular hero of mine.
Before coming to MasterChef, I would've paid money to cook with Graham Elliot.
Now I don't have to, he's cooking right in front of me.
Dude, this is like a dream come true.
- Please, Graham.
- Thank you, sir.
Head to your station.
Graham, are those ingredients inspiring a great breakfast dish? They're so inspiring that I'm thinking three dishes.
Seriously? - One for each of us.
- Three? - Yeah, why not? - Wow You'll each have 30 minutes to conceive, create, and plate one very refined, restaurant-quality breakfast dish.
The winner gets a huge advantage in the MasterChef pantry.
- Is everybody ready? - Yes, Chef.
- Graham, are you ready? - Yes, Chef.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Breakfast, we know it's the best and one of the most sought after meals of the day.
The most important meal of the day.
Yes.
What I love about this challenge is it's something everyone can relate to.
Mm-hmm.
It's savory, sometimes it's sweet, but the beauty of breakfast is in its simplicity.
We're throwing them something that should be very simple but going to find a way to elevate it.
We have Graham Elliot here cooking breakfast alongside these home cooks.
What can they learn from him being up here? You know, if there's one thing they can take away from this tonight, it's the organization.
You can already see just looking at his station against everyone else's station, he's taking his time to get set up before he starts cooking anything.
Sure.
Yeah.
So, Graham, three dishes.
Come on, what are you doing? Uh, I'm gonna do an English breakfast for you.
Thank you.
Yeah, I'm gonna do a stuffed French toast with banana and hazelnut chocolate spread Ooh.
- For you.
- Right.
And for me, I'm gonna do something a little healthy and go asparagus, a little soft scramble with some smoked salmon.
Show-off.
No, simple, simple, but tasty.
Wow.
I'm making a savory French toast.
Graham's cooking in front of us, and I'm really excited about it.
If he can get three breakfasts out, I'm thinking I need to learn something from him and, like, soak up all his knowledge.
We got Graham in the front.
He's making three dishes.
I'm just trying to focus and get one out, you know? I'm gonna do French toast with a banana Foster, bacon hash on top.
Back at home in New Orleans, you know, I do this all the time.
Breakfast is very important to me 'cause that's when me and my wife, we spend most of our time in the morning, you know? One of us cooks breakfast, and then we go from there.
I am making a banana stuffed French toast.
It's one of the things that I make at home for my husband, Roger, in Chicago.
And then I'm doing candied pecans with maple syrup.
Very simple.
I'm trying to pull back.
Just over 20 minutes to go.
- Katrina - Hi.
- So tell me what the dish is.
- Yeah.
I'm making a blood sausage, mushroom, asparagus, shallot frittata.
And then I'm gonna make making a stuffed tomato with brioche and parsley.
I really got excited when I saw the blood sausage.
I've cooked with blood sausage before.
I'm from Wisconsin.
I knew what it was right away.
Well, keep your game face on.
Your dish sounds like it's going to be really unique.
- Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
- Yeah, good luck.
- Right, Nick.
- Yes, Chef.
Come on, what's the dish? So I'm doing a play on a breakfast deviled egg.
Has a little maple syrup and bacon inside of it.
Great.
And then I'm doing a mushroom and asparagus kind of a hash.
- Uh-huh.
- And then sweet French toast.
Right, so what is it that you've got that we haven't seen yet? You know what? It's dedication, Chef.
Yeah.
I left everything behind to be here, so I'm tired of being in the middle.
- Sure.
- It's time for me to step up.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
- Derrick.
- Hi, Christina.
What do you got working? I'm gonna kinda do a breakfast trio, so I'm gonna recreate the first meal I cooked for my girlfriend in Florida.
Oh, okay.
I made her this beautiful challah French toast.
Ooh, okay.
And then eggs Benedict is my favorite, but I don't have ham, so I'm gonna use salmon.
- I fully believe in you.
- Thank you.
But you've gotta make sure that each one of them is super tight.
If I execute this properly, I have a good chance at winning.
- So that's my thought process.
- Good luck.
Thanks, Christina.
Wow, some exciting breakfasts dishes out there tonight.
- Amazing.
- Who do you have your eye on? Olivia's looking good.
She's doing this amazing, sort of, cream cheese tart with asparagus and smoked salmon in there.
Very smart.
Derrick's using all of the ingredients in the mystery box, even though I've said, "You sure you need all those?" "Yes.
" Uh, Nick's sounds amazing.
He's doing almost like a, sort of, modern play on a deviled egg but with French toast and berries and compote, so bittersweet and savory going on at the same time.
- Graham, all good? - Doing great, Chef.
- How's it going? - Going good.
- You sure? Three dishes? - Yeah.
Good luck.
Come on, guys.
Speed up! Come on, guys.
Finishing touches.
Come on.
Season everything.
Ten seconds to go! Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
And stop! Hands in the air! Good job.
Well done.
- Graham, all good? - All good, Chef.
Excellent.
Wow.
Amazing.
I am dying to taste these.
Three.
Come on, what a show-off.
- Seriously.
They look great.
- Thank you.
I tried to keep it simple.
For myself I made a soft scramble.
A smoked salmon with a dill salsa verde.
A little bit of grilled asparagus and shaved shallot.
Mmm.
Christina, I did a chocolate hazelnut spread and cream cheese stuffed French toast with bruléed banana and mint.
Thank you.
And, Chef Ramsay, I tried to do English breakfast.
- So - It looks amazing.
Dying to dig in.
And how did you know I love English breakfast? - Come on.
- I don't know.
I figured that with that accent, you might be a fan.
Oh, my God.
Graham is like a legend.
He did three interpretations of breakfast in 30 minutes.
His presentation skills are awesome.
He's technically great.
Obviously, Graham has the technique and the time management down in a way that none of us can really wrap our heads around.
Mine was delicious.
Christina? Mine was so delicious, and that bruléed banana is just Amazing.
The best example of something really simple, really smart technique, really beautiful plating.
- Amazing.
- Thank you.
Thank you, Chefs.
- Great job.
Really good indeed.
- So delicious.
But now we are looking for three of the best home cooked breakfasts anywhere in the country.
- Let's go.
Please.
- All right.
Throughout the mystery box challenge, the judges taste elements of all the home cooks' dishes as they come together.
- What's on top? - It's a Gruyére cheese sauce.
They now take one final look to choose the top three standouts.
And the winner of this challenge will receive a major advantage in the next round.
Wow.
There are three incredible-looking dishes that we are dying to take a look at.
The first home cook had multiple facets across their plate.
It was done beautifully with a savory and a sweet component.
Please step forward There are three incredible-looking breakfast dishes that we are dying to take a look at.
Please step forward Nick.
- Yeah! - Yeah, Nick! Boom! Finally! Hell yes, dude.
It's time that I'm being recognized as a front-runner in this competition, and this is where I need to be.
Okay, Nick, first off, describe the dish, please.
What I made for you is breakfast three ways.
French toast with a berry, mint, and lemon compote.
And then I called this deviled egg the perfect bite.
It has maple syrup, bacon, and, of course, the egg.
And then a breakfast sausage and asparagus and mushroom medley.
Right.
What did you coat the brioche in? Basics: cinnamon, lemon zest, and egg and whipped cream.
And what else is in the sausage? - Asparagus, mushrooms? - Yes.
Asparagus tips, mushrooms, and breakfast sausage.
And then just a simple seasoning.
And inside the egg, what have you mixed it with? The deviled egg is a little bit of cream, maple syrup, and some rendered down bacon.
Mm-hmm.
I've never been a big fan with the sweet items.
We grew up in England, and a full English breakfast was a massive treat, so we're not used to eating that level of sweetness with our breakfast; however, it works.
Deviled eggs, not easy to pull off.
Sausage is delicious, but the French toast yeah, amazing.
I'm glad you're not playing safe.
Absolutely.
This one is definitely a standout.
- Good job.
- Thank you.
What berries did you use? - I just used the blackberries.
- Mm-hmm.
And then I also used a full lemon, lemon zest, and mint.
That's it.
Yeah, I really, really love how acidic those berries are.
The flavors are there.
The technique is there.
You know, what's the next step? I have one goal and one goal only.
That's to open a local bar with some really good food in San Diego.
So that's where I'm on my way to.
I mean, if this is an indication and I had this for breakfast at your restaurant, I'd want to come back and check out lunch and dinner.
- Thank you.
- Good, good job.
I really love the story that you tell with sweet and salty and savory.
The only thing is the egg is just a little sweet.
Sweetness and savory terms, it's always nice as, like, a tease rather than a mouthful.
Your, sort of, middle section of pencil asparagus and roasted mushrooms and breakfast sausage is so smart and so classic.
Your French toast is delicious.
Overall, great job.
- Yeah! - Good job, Nick.
- Nick! - Good job, Nick.
The next dish that we would like to examine further They packed a lot of flavor into their dish.
Very much a home-style dish.
Please step forward From Wisconsin, Katrina.
- Oh, oh.
- Ah, yeah! I can't believe it.
It's so nice to be recognized as, like, the top three.
I think my hard work and knowledge paid off.
All right.
What do you have here? I made a blood sausage, mushroom, and asparagus frittata with a stuffed tomato full of brioche, Gruyére, and parsley.
Very well conceived and put together.
- Your frittata's delicious.
- Thank you.
I would love, maybe, a little more punch, as far, like, some cracked black pepper.
- Okay.
- Maybe some chopped up sage.
The tomato is delicious.
I don't know if we need one that big.
Maybe you do just a couple nice slices instead of, like, this big doorjamb of a tomato.
- Sure.
Yes.
- You know what I mean? Flavor though, you can keep eating it.
It's delicious.
I think it's thoughtful.
It's very much you.
It's giving, and it's wholesome and Midwestern.
- And, yeah, good job.
- Thank you.
First of all, welcome back to the top three.
Thank you.
We're amazed by one thing in this competition with you so far.
You are fearless.
Not many of them used blood sausage tonight because, "Oh, God, not going anywhere near that.
" I was thinking, "Let's do a different way.
A frittata, a stuffed tomato.
Smart.
That is delicious.
- Well done.
Good job.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
The third and final dish that we want to take a closer look at This home cook showed a ton of technique.
This home cook's plating was stunning.
Please step forward - Derrick.
- Good job, Derrick.
Yes, it's about time.
I feel like this is this is well deserved because I've been listening and I've been learning and it showed in my dish.
Whoo! I feel like a rock star.
So, Derrick, what is the dish? It's a breakfast trio.
We have a salmon benedict over asparagus with hollandaise, a brioche French toast with a blueberry and raspberry sauce, and then finished with a créme anglaise with a bit of mint.
- It's amazing.
- Yeah? I like that the French toast is not too sweet.
- The berry sauce is delicious.
- Yeah? Just really nice balance of flavors, textures.
You are definitely a leader in this competition at this point.
Thank you.
Why did you come up with the idea of the smoked salmon? It's smoked salmon, and there's smoked paprika in the hollandaise.
I thought that paired well together.
Uh, listen, three different elements done beautifully.
Two of the most technical sauces anywhere in the world to nail.
It's like you're at home now but cooking with such confidence.
It's a great, great dish.
Well done.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chef.
Nick, Katrina, Derrick, tonight those were three incredible breakfast dishes.
The person who made the best breakfast I got a look at Nick's dish, and he's got some good components on the plate, but I don't really think of deviled eggs as breakfast.
The person who'll join us in the pantry Katrina has really great flavor, but I don't know if she'll ever understand the art of plating.
The best breakfast dish tonight This is the prettiest plate that I've put together.
I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone today, so I deserve this win.
Congratulations.
Unanimous decision.
The best breakfast dish tonight The person who will join us in the pantry Well done Derrick.
Winner of the advantage.
Finally.
I might be small, but I'm mighty.
Let's go.
And this is gonna be a great way to show everyone how big I really am.
Good job.
As the winner of the mystery box challenge, Derrick is now in control of the elimination test.
Where at least one home cook will leave the competition.
You did so well out there with the mystery box challenge.
You get rewarded.
Your first advantage is that you do not have to cook in tonight's elimination challenge.
Awesome.
For your second advantage, you will now get to choose what everyone else is going to cook.
Are you ready to find out your options? Yeah.
So not every family has the time to prepare three course dinners every night.
I don't care who you are or what you do, there are nights that everybody has to dig into the back of the freezer and pull out what I have under here.
- Oh, my God.
- A TV dinner.
This one, specifically, is endorsed by a pretty good-looking MasterChef.
This is one of my personal guilty pleasures, Salisbury steak with broccoli and mac and cheese.
This sucker takes me right back to my childhood.
Next up, we have my favorite old-school TV dinner.
Classic, comforting, and timeless.
- Oh, God.
- Oh, yeah.
Mom's meatloaf, with mixed veggies and red potatoes.
One of my favorites.
My mom was a military wife, and my dad was always gone on a ship.
This is something that was a staple in our house.
This was the very first frozen TV dinner ever produced.
Look at this beauty.
Turkey with gravy, green beans, and mashed potatoes.
Look at that.
Chef Boyar-Ramsay.
It took me three months to grow that mustache.
So, Derrick, which one of these three TV dinners are you gonna choose for everyone to cook tonight? Salisbury steak, meatloaf, or my turkey TV dinner? This is the best.
I am so glad I'm safe from this one, because turning TV dinners into something that you would make on MasterChef? Whoo, it's gonna be a tough one.
Tonight I choose Whoo.
Right.
Back in the pantry, Derrick got some huge advantages.
You can probably guess the first one.
Derrick does not have to cook in tonight's elimination challenge.
For his second advantage, Derrick got to choose what everybody here has to make.
We asked Derrick to choose between three of the most popular TV dinners.
Are you serious? Whoo-hoo, I'm so excited! I've been eating TV dinners for 59 years, so I'm thinking, "I've got this.
" Is everybody ready to find out what frozen TV dinner Derrick chose for you all tonight? - Yes, Chef.
- Yes, Chef.
Tonight, Derrick chose my favorite Delicious Salisbury steak with a mushroom gravy, broccoli, and mac and cheese.
So this is a little embarrassing, but I don't even know what Salisbury steak is.
This is not within my wheelhouse.
Bottom line tonight, I could be going home.
We want to see a refined, MasterChef worthy version of this TV dinner.
Elevate that's what we're asking you to do.
So you have 60 minutes to make this dish, but you will have just 5 minutes in the pantry to get everything that you need to make your dish shine.
Is everyone ready to go into the pantry? - Yes.
- Yes, Chef.
Your five minutes in the pantry starts now.
Ah! Salisbury steak is one of my favorite dishes.
I have loved this since I was growing up and my mom was a single mom, and when she had to work, me and my little brother would just pop one in the microwave and eat away.
Oh, there's the broccoli.
I'm a vegetarian, so I am completely lost when it comes to Salisbury steak.
We have 60 minutes to elevate this plain TV dinner to something that's restaurant quality, and I don't even know what the hell I'm elevating.
Did everyone get what they needed? Yes, Chef.
Your 60 minutes starts Hold on! What what? Guess what.
Come on.
- Always a surprise.
- No.
Derrick, there is another advantage that we didn't tell you about back in the pantry.
This is your chance, Derrick, to target one home cook who may be enjoying a TV dinner in their own home tomorrow night.
Derrick, you will choose somebody who must stand and watch and do nothing for the first 15 minutes of this elimination challenge.
Derrick, you will choose one of these home cooks to stand and watch for the first 15 minutes of this elimination challenge.
Who will have to sit out the first 15 minutes? - Chris.
- Christopher.
[bleep.]
.
I can't really believe that Derrick would target me.
I'm so angry right now, I could sear a steak on my forehead.
I don't like the kid no more.
Christopher, for the first 15 minutes, you will leave everything in your basket.
Christopher is a strong cook, so choosing Christopher is purely strategic, but he's just gonna take it so personal, and it's gonna just brew in his head.
He's going home.
Your 60 minutes starts now.
TV dinners, love it.
Yeah, I was raised on TV dinners.
I think it was a very smart move by Derrick tonight, because it's not just about that Salisbury steak.
There's three major components the Salisbury steak and the sauce, but the big issue tonight is getting that mac and cheese right Right.
And then what you're gonna do with the broccoli - How are you gonna elevate it? - Lift it.
So much of elevating here is gonna be in that presentation.
Yeah.
Pressure's intense.
You can feel it.
It's intense because the dish is so relatable and our expectation is so high.
I am doing my grandma's meatballs.
I'm gonna turn them into Italian Salisbury steaks.
My grandmother taught me everything I know, so if her meatballs fail, she's gonna be slapping me in the face, wooden spoon and all.
I'm making Salisbury meatballs with a mushroom sauce and baked macaroni and cheese with bacon.
Salisbury steak is disgusting.
I have never made a Salisbury steak before, but I'm really hoping that I can make it look beautiful and that this will just magically work out.
I'm doing a Jamaican-style Salisbury steak.
I want to do my mom justice.
She does it with Scotch bonnet, scallions.
It's gonna have a little spice to it, so hopefully, the judges like a little heat.
'Cause that's how I cook.
All right, Christopher, until you enter the ring.
You have a minute.
I'm not talking to you, thanks.
Appreciate it.
Stand by, Christopher.
Now Derrick has gone for Christopher.
Mm-hmm.
- Tonight, he has to focus.
- Yeah.
he's got his work cut out.
Stand by.
Three, two, one.
Christopher, cook.
- Go, Chris.
- Go, Christopher! Thank you, everybody.
Right, Jesse.
TV dinner.
Big fan of them? No, sir.
Not at all.
Wow.
Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? I'm gonna do venison Salisbury steak with pickled broccoli and do a fried macaroni and cheese.
If there's one thing I've loved in this country, it's mac and cheese.
I've never had a fried mac and cheese.
I'm gonna try it.
I've had it before, and I've cooked it before, but I'll have to see if I can get that.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
- Hey, Veronica.
- Hi.
- How's it going? - I'm so excited.
Let's talk through plating this.
Every time we've had something that's delicious from you, our biggest critique always comes down to presentation, how you've elevated it visually.
What do you have planned? Well, the wonderful thing about it is it's already set for me.
It's a TV dinner, so it's gonna look like a TV dinner.
Okay, you you did hear the point Yeah.
That we said we want something elevated.
- Restaurant quality - Right.
Mm-hmm.
But inspired by a Salisbury steak.
My grandkids are waiting to hear you guys say "awesome.
" Please keep in mind presentation, elevation.
- I will.
- Okay.
I will.
You'll be proud.
Right, Hetal.
Yes? Salisbury vegetarian TV dinner.
Where are we going? I'm a Hindu vegetarian.
I don't even know what a Salisbury steak is supposed to taste like, but I'm making my own twist by adding a bunch of tandoori spices that I know typically go in meat.
- Oyster mushrooms.
- Yeah.
Oh, yeah, I'm allergic to mushrooms as well.
God.
So this is probably the worst challenge for me.
I don't want you to eat meat, okay, but you can ask somebody else to taste it.
But you've got the final decision.
- Good luck.
- Okay, thank you.
Oh! I'm nervous about Hetal.
Obviously, everyone has strengths and weaknesses in this competition.
Never cooking with beef and not having the ability to taste it is one, but I'm gonna look forward to, like, the mushroom sauce, the broccoli.
She knows how to deal with those flavors.
Yeah.
I'm worried for someone like Jesse.
Venison, when it goes dry, it almost turns against you.
Last minute! Has that 15-minute penalty affected Christopher's performance? Hugely.
Oh, snap.
He's all over the place.
- Speed up, come on.
- Let's go.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five Come on, come on, Christopher.
Please, you're killing me.
- Four, three - Let's go! - Come on, guys.
- Two, one.
And stop.
Hands in the air! I did it! I'm going home.
First up, let's start off with Christopher.
- Let's go, please.
- Whoo! Go, Chris.
I am very nervous to present this because I didn't have time to taste it, make sure it was seasoned well.
I also did not have the extra three seconds to pick that ring mold up.
If I could have just gotten that off, I would have been safe.
Christopher, describe that board, please.
So I have here a beef and lamb Salisbury slider, fusilli, and then a sherry-sautéed broccolini.
First of all, let's do something that you didn't get a chance to do.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Take that ring off.
Based on that performance, what I want to do now in this competition and in every challenge and in every pressure test, I want to take 15 minutes off your time, because I love it.
Patty, delicious.
Broccoli, delicious.
Presentation, beautiful.
That's it.
- Good job.
- Thank you very much.
- Very good job indeed.
- Appreciate it.
Broccoli tasty.
I think I saw your pan caught on fire.
Smell the flambé on the broccoli but your Mornay sauce spot-on.
Beautiful, silky, good, solid dish.
Way to show everyone what you can do in 45.
Thank you so much, Chef.
The mac and cheese is my favorite part.
There was a moment where I thought Derrick had made a very smart choice and that there was no way you were gonna get food on a plate.
Tonight, write Derrick a little thank-you note because I do think that this was a great learning experience for you.
- Good job.
- Thanks, guys.
Just like Jesus, I've just been chosen to suffer, but yet again, I rise from the dead.
Here I am.
I feel bad for everyone else.
I pity them, 'cause I'm a huge threat.
I'm really scary.
You know, I'm like Godzilla.
Run, Tokyo, run.
Next up, Hetal.
My dish looks like ass.
I'm ashamed.
I don't want to serve this to anyone.
Maybe I'll trip and fall, and they won't be able to eat it.
Anything any type of divine intervention would be amazing.
Right, now, Hetal, describe your dish.
So it's a tandoori-spiced Salisbury steak with broccoli and mac and cheese.
It's not my best.
It's, uh The moment I put everything down, I knew I screwed up everything.
Don't eat it.
It's so bad.
I'm gonna cut straight to the chase.
It's depressing.
Mac and cheese tastes watery.
Forget the meat, the protein.
I expect you to have the perfect mac and cheese tonight, and I expect you to have the most perfect broccoli tonight, and you haven't done that.
- Yeah.
- Are you giving up? Tell me the truth, because I'd rather take your apron off now and you go home if that's what you're gonna tell me is your best.
Are you giving up? Truthfully, I'd respect you more if you tell me the truth, because that is the sign of someone that's given up.
No, I want to show you that I can make pretty plates and I can do flavorful dishes and bake gorgeous cakes.
I don't want to leave, but I was so freaked out about doing the beef that I just completely lost sight on the mac and cheese and the broccoli.
We've had vegetarians in this competition gone on to the top ten, top five, and done bloody well, so I watched you tonight and I was just You know, I'm looking at a different Hetal.
You're gonna have to get used to overcoming those hurdles.
Quite frankly, I think that's your worst performance.
And quite honestly, maybe your last.
I knew this was gonna be hard, but I really wanted to showcase the ability to cook meat as a vegetarian, and I completely failed.
Next up, Olivia.
Describe your dish.
So it's mini Salisbury steak meatballs with sage and mushroom gravy, bacon and herb macaroni and cheese, and a lemon, chili, and garlic roasted broccoli.
Listen, I really like it.
It's just like a punch of flavor with every element.
They're gonna have to bring some really great plates up here to top this one.
- Yay, thank you.
- Congratulations.
Next up, Shelly.
All right, Shelly.
Tell me what you've made.
I did a Jamaican-touched Salisbury steak with a chili oil broccolini, and I did a creamy, crunchy, three-cheese mac.
Gosh.
So the seasoning in that Salisbury steak is Jamaican me crazy.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Really, really good.
Next up, Veronica, please.
Let's go.
Describe your dish.
I made Salisbury steak with a delicious wine and mushroom sauce, ten-cheese macaroni and cheese, and yummy broccoli.
It's a Hungry-Man dinner.
Right.
First of all, you completely missed the objective.
I asked you to cook one portion of a TV dinner.
Elegant, upscale, and this thing looks like it's fit for King Kong's kitchen.
How many times over the last three or four weeks have I ask you to refine things down to a plate? I think it's a refined dish.
It's awesome.
What's this in here? What's the water in there? What is that? Nah.
The water has wilted out of the broccoli.
I'm done.
Um, it's a mess.
Broccoli is doused in water.
I'm concerned that you're not getting the point.
You're still cooking like we're at a Vegas buffet.
And three compartments of it has been filled up with puke.
After what Gordon said, I am completely devastated.
I just have to hope that someone else does much worse.
- Next up, Nick.
- Yo.
Nick, what do we have? Italian-style Salisbury meatballs with a white wine mushroom sauce, roasted broccolini with pancetta, and baked ziti macaroni and cheese.
All right, let's take a look at those meatballs.
What did you toss the ground beef and pork with? Oregano, basil.
Uh, my grandmother's trick she's gonna kill me for saying this but a little bit of parmesan cheese inside as well.
I gotta say, I think the meatballs are really delicious.
I love the mac and cheese.
I like the texture of it, I like that you baked it, so you get the sort of creamy notes and the crunchy notes.
It's clear that you know what you're doing.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, good job.
Last up, Jesse, let's go.
I'm feeling fine, feeling confident.
I could plate a little better, but I think it's, you know All the flavors are there, I showed a lot of techniques, and hopefully I'll get in the top three.
- Jesse.
- Yes, sir.
I have to say, it's one of the most bizarre-looking dishes of the night.
Describe the dish, please.
Venison Salisbury steak with mushrooms cooked in bacon and duck fat with pickled broccoli wrapped in prosciutto and fried mac and cheese.
Love what you've done with the mushrooms.
However How dry is that? Yeah, it's venison.
Jesse, it's like swallowing a mouthful of sand.
- It's seriously dry.
- It's not that dry.
It's not that dry? It's dry, but it's not that dry.
I mean, how do you like venison? I-I know what venison is.
It doesn't work.
I've cooked it 1,000 times, and when venison turns from red to bright white, it's dry.
Yes, sir.
As you guys know, this is an elimination challenge.
At least one of you will be going home tonight.
But first, Christina, Graham, and I believe that there were two standout dishes tonight that really elevated that TV dinner and took it to a completely new level.
Congrats, Nick and Olivia.
You guys are both safe from elimination.
You will be team captains in the next challenge.
Oh, no.
All right, guys, unfortunately, it's time to face the bad news.
At least one of these three home cooks will be making their next meal at home.
The first home cook really disappointed us, and this Salisbury steak challenge proved a little too much for you, Hetal.
The next home cook, once again, didn't really listen to our advice, and it's just not working as far as absorbing what we're trying to give.
Veronica.
I'm not even gonna ask the next person to step down, 'cause he knows exactly who he is.
Jesse, get your ass down here.
Step forward, Veronica.
Veronica, time and time again, you are consistently falling into the bottom of the pack.
Sorry.
Your time is now up.
Please take off your apron and go ahead and leave it on your bench.
You did good.
I'm very proud of the fact that I'm the oldest person to ever compete in the MasterChef competition.
My family loves for me to cook for them, and they're gonna love me cooking for them even more now.
My little grandkids wrote me letters, and they wrote, "No matter what the judges say, you are our MasterChef.
" I'll never forget that as long as I live.
The good news is that we are now down to the top 15 talented home cooks.
Give yourselves a round of applause, come on.
Great job.
Well done.
The bad news is we're about to go down to 14.
One more of you will be leaving this competition shortly.
Hetal, tonight's performance showed that you have hit a huge stumbling block, a wall that we thought you could go over.
It's my last day in this kitchen.
It's gotta be.
Jesse, at times, looking at you, you look like a petulant teenager.
I don't want to lose this competition.
I left my job to come do this.
I don't care about anything but winning this competition.
The person leaving MasterChef tonight is Jesse.
Jesse, when we put that level of disappointment into food, it just tastes awful.
Please take off your apron and place it on your bench.
I'm sad to be leaving, but I've made really close friends.
I got you, man.
I've gotten to know how to cook a lot of things.
I got to cook in front of three wonderful chefs.
I'll just keep working, you know, keep working on becoming a better chef, and hopefully I'll open up a restaurant and fulfill my dreams, and I hope I made my family proud.
Most of all, I just want to wish everybody that's still cooking, like, good luck, guys.
Don't overcook your venison.
Next time on MasterChef We are all here to celebrate the 100th episode.
Can the top 14 rise to the occasion? The oysters are beautifully poached.
Or will the celebration I got something burning back here.
Go up in smoke? Anybody? Happy [bleep.]
birthday.
Then, back in the kitchen Birthday cake.
The party comes to an end in the pressure test where two more MasterChef dreams are blown out.
Your entertainers are in the building.
In a high-stakes team challenge, the Blue Team's big gamble - Whoo! - Come on! Just bring it! You can't vote for something you don't taste.
Sent them to the dreaded pressure test.
You are about to face the fire.
You will be cooking steak.
- In the final hand - Well done.
Christopher won big, but Damn.
Ailsa's luck finally ran out.
Tonight It's a breakfast mystery box.
The most important meal of the day has the top 16 scrambling to impress the judges Whoa, whoa, whoa.
All of you are gonna get a chance to cook with one of the greatest chefs in America.
Wow.
Followed by A TV dinner endorsed by a pretty good-looking chef.
Their toughest challenge yet.
Only the home cooks who think outside the box will survive.
I'd rather take your apron off now if that's your best.
Battling against 16 of the best home chefs in America, it's humbling.
Come on down.
I've been in sales for ten years in San Diego, but my true happiness comes from the kitchen.
I've been raising my family for 42 years.
It's been my career to give my family the best food they can have, but this is my chance to accomplish my dreams.
Welcome back, everybody.
All of you, the top 16.
Tonight it's time for another mystery box challenge.
On the count of three, lift your boxes.
One.
Two.
Two and half Three.
Lift! Whoo! I see berries, and I see eggs, and I see bacon.
Yes, I know exactly what I'm doing with these ingredients.
I'm winning this.
There you have sausage, bacon, smoked salmon, eggs, tomato, asparagus, banana, fresh berries, and English muffins.
It's a breakfast mystery box.
We are clearly not looking for a breakfast that you'd eat at home.
We're looking for a refined, restaurant-quality breakfast dish.
You will have 30 minutes to make us one incredible breakfast.
- Your time starts - Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Sorry, sorry.
Not quite yet.
You may have all noticed that there's an extra mystery box station up here.
That's because you still have a lot to learn, so right now, all of you are gonna get a chance to cook with one of the greatest chefs in America.
Graham Elliot! Graham is a particular hero of mine.
Before coming to MasterChef, I would've paid money to cook with Graham Elliot.
Now I don't have to, he's cooking right in front of me.
Dude, this is like a dream come true.
- Please, Graham.
- Thank you, sir.
Head to your station.
Graham, are those ingredients inspiring a great breakfast dish? They're so inspiring that I'm thinking three dishes.
Seriously? - One for each of us.
- Three? - Yeah, why not? - Wow You'll each have 30 minutes to conceive, create, and plate one very refined, restaurant-quality breakfast dish.
The winner gets a huge advantage in the MasterChef pantry.
- Is everybody ready? - Yes, Chef.
- Graham, are you ready? - Yes, Chef.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Breakfast, we know it's the best and one of the most sought after meals of the day.
The most important meal of the day.
Yes.
What I love about this challenge is it's something everyone can relate to.
Mm-hmm.
It's savory, sometimes it's sweet, but the beauty of breakfast is in its simplicity.
We're throwing them something that should be very simple but going to find a way to elevate it.
We have Graham Elliot here cooking breakfast alongside these home cooks.
What can they learn from him being up here? You know, if there's one thing they can take away from this tonight, it's the organization.
You can already see just looking at his station against everyone else's station, he's taking his time to get set up before he starts cooking anything.
Sure.
Yeah.
So, Graham, three dishes.
Come on, what are you doing? Uh, I'm gonna do an English breakfast for you.
Thank you.
Yeah, I'm gonna do a stuffed French toast with banana and hazelnut chocolate spread Ooh.
- For you.
- Right.
And for me, I'm gonna do something a little healthy and go asparagus, a little soft scramble with some smoked salmon.
Show-off.
No, simple, simple, but tasty.
Wow.
I'm making a savory French toast.
Graham's cooking in front of us, and I'm really excited about it.
If he can get three breakfasts out, I'm thinking I need to learn something from him and, like, soak up all his knowledge.
We got Graham in the front.
He's making three dishes.
I'm just trying to focus and get one out, you know? I'm gonna do French toast with a banana Foster, bacon hash on top.
Back at home in New Orleans, you know, I do this all the time.
Breakfast is very important to me 'cause that's when me and my wife, we spend most of our time in the morning, you know? One of us cooks breakfast, and then we go from there.
I am making a banana stuffed French toast.
It's one of the things that I make at home for my husband, Roger, in Chicago.
And then I'm doing candied pecans with maple syrup.
Very simple.
I'm trying to pull back.
Just over 20 minutes to go.
- Katrina - Hi.
- So tell me what the dish is.
- Yeah.
I'm making a blood sausage, mushroom, asparagus, shallot frittata.
And then I'm gonna make making a stuffed tomato with brioche and parsley.
I really got excited when I saw the blood sausage.
I've cooked with blood sausage before.
I'm from Wisconsin.
I knew what it was right away.
Well, keep your game face on.
Your dish sounds like it's going to be really unique.
- Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
- Yeah, good luck.
- Right, Nick.
- Yes, Chef.
Come on, what's the dish? So I'm doing a play on a breakfast deviled egg.
Has a little maple syrup and bacon inside of it.
Great.
And then I'm doing a mushroom and asparagus kind of a hash.
- Uh-huh.
- And then sweet French toast.
Right, so what is it that you've got that we haven't seen yet? You know what? It's dedication, Chef.
Yeah.
I left everything behind to be here, so I'm tired of being in the middle.
- Sure.
- It's time for me to step up.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
- Derrick.
- Hi, Christina.
What do you got working? I'm gonna kinda do a breakfast trio, so I'm gonna recreate the first meal I cooked for my girlfriend in Florida.
Oh, okay.
I made her this beautiful challah French toast.
Ooh, okay.
And then eggs Benedict is my favorite, but I don't have ham, so I'm gonna use salmon.
- I fully believe in you.
- Thank you.
But you've gotta make sure that each one of them is super tight.
If I execute this properly, I have a good chance at winning.
- So that's my thought process.
- Good luck.
Thanks, Christina.
Wow, some exciting breakfasts dishes out there tonight.
- Amazing.
- Who do you have your eye on? Olivia's looking good.
She's doing this amazing, sort of, cream cheese tart with asparagus and smoked salmon in there.
Very smart.
Derrick's using all of the ingredients in the mystery box, even though I've said, "You sure you need all those?" "Yes.
" Uh, Nick's sounds amazing.
He's doing almost like a, sort of, modern play on a deviled egg but with French toast and berries and compote, so bittersweet and savory going on at the same time.
- Graham, all good? - Doing great, Chef.
- How's it going? - Going good.
- You sure? Three dishes? - Yeah.
Good luck.
Come on, guys.
Speed up! Come on, guys.
Finishing touches.
Come on.
Season everything.
Ten seconds to go! Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
And stop! Hands in the air! Good job.
Well done.
- Graham, all good? - All good, Chef.
Excellent.
Wow.
Amazing.
I am dying to taste these.
Three.
Come on, what a show-off.
- Seriously.
They look great.
- Thank you.
I tried to keep it simple.
For myself I made a soft scramble.
A smoked salmon with a dill salsa verde.
A little bit of grilled asparagus and shaved shallot.
Mmm.
Christina, I did a chocolate hazelnut spread and cream cheese stuffed French toast with bruléed banana and mint.
Thank you.
And, Chef Ramsay, I tried to do English breakfast.
- So - It looks amazing.
Dying to dig in.
And how did you know I love English breakfast? - Come on.
- I don't know.
I figured that with that accent, you might be a fan.
Oh, my God.
Graham is like a legend.
He did three interpretations of breakfast in 30 minutes.
His presentation skills are awesome.
He's technically great.
Obviously, Graham has the technique and the time management down in a way that none of us can really wrap our heads around.
Mine was delicious.
Christina? Mine was so delicious, and that bruléed banana is just Amazing.
The best example of something really simple, really smart technique, really beautiful plating.
- Amazing.
- Thank you.
Thank you, Chefs.
- Great job.
Really good indeed.
- So delicious.
But now we are looking for three of the best home cooked breakfasts anywhere in the country.
- Let's go.
Please.
- All right.
Throughout the mystery box challenge, the judges taste elements of all the home cooks' dishes as they come together.
- What's on top? - It's a Gruyére cheese sauce.
They now take one final look to choose the top three standouts.
And the winner of this challenge will receive a major advantage in the next round.
Wow.
There are three incredible-looking dishes that we are dying to take a look at.
The first home cook had multiple facets across their plate.
It was done beautifully with a savory and a sweet component.
Please step forward There are three incredible-looking breakfast dishes that we are dying to take a look at.
Please step forward Nick.
- Yeah! - Yeah, Nick! Boom! Finally! Hell yes, dude.
It's time that I'm being recognized as a front-runner in this competition, and this is where I need to be.
Okay, Nick, first off, describe the dish, please.
What I made for you is breakfast three ways.
French toast with a berry, mint, and lemon compote.
And then I called this deviled egg the perfect bite.
It has maple syrup, bacon, and, of course, the egg.
And then a breakfast sausage and asparagus and mushroom medley.
Right.
What did you coat the brioche in? Basics: cinnamon, lemon zest, and egg and whipped cream.
And what else is in the sausage? - Asparagus, mushrooms? - Yes.
Asparagus tips, mushrooms, and breakfast sausage.
And then just a simple seasoning.
And inside the egg, what have you mixed it with? The deviled egg is a little bit of cream, maple syrup, and some rendered down bacon.
Mm-hmm.
I've never been a big fan with the sweet items.
We grew up in England, and a full English breakfast was a massive treat, so we're not used to eating that level of sweetness with our breakfast; however, it works.
Deviled eggs, not easy to pull off.
Sausage is delicious, but the French toast yeah, amazing.
I'm glad you're not playing safe.
Absolutely.
This one is definitely a standout.
- Good job.
- Thank you.
What berries did you use? - I just used the blackberries.
- Mm-hmm.
And then I also used a full lemon, lemon zest, and mint.
That's it.
Yeah, I really, really love how acidic those berries are.
The flavors are there.
The technique is there.
You know, what's the next step? I have one goal and one goal only.
That's to open a local bar with some really good food in San Diego.
So that's where I'm on my way to.
I mean, if this is an indication and I had this for breakfast at your restaurant, I'd want to come back and check out lunch and dinner.
- Thank you.
- Good, good job.
I really love the story that you tell with sweet and salty and savory.
The only thing is the egg is just a little sweet.
Sweetness and savory terms, it's always nice as, like, a tease rather than a mouthful.
Your, sort of, middle section of pencil asparagus and roasted mushrooms and breakfast sausage is so smart and so classic.
Your French toast is delicious.
Overall, great job.
- Yeah! - Good job, Nick.
- Nick! - Good job, Nick.
The next dish that we would like to examine further They packed a lot of flavor into their dish.
Very much a home-style dish.
Please step forward From Wisconsin, Katrina.
- Oh, oh.
- Ah, yeah! I can't believe it.
It's so nice to be recognized as, like, the top three.
I think my hard work and knowledge paid off.
All right.
What do you have here? I made a blood sausage, mushroom, and asparagus frittata with a stuffed tomato full of brioche, Gruyére, and parsley.
Very well conceived and put together.
- Your frittata's delicious.
- Thank you.
I would love, maybe, a little more punch, as far, like, some cracked black pepper.
- Okay.
- Maybe some chopped up sage.
The tomato is delicious.
I don't know if we need one that big.
Maybe you do just a couple nice slices instead of, like, this big doorjamb of a tomato.
- Sure.
Yes.
- You know what I mean? Flavor though, you can keep eating it.
It's delicious.
I think it's thoughtful.
It's very much you.
It's giving, and it's wholesome and Midwestern.
- And, yeah, good job.
- Thank you.
First of all, welcome back to the top three.
Thank you.
We're amazed by one thing in this competition with you so far.
You are fearless.
Not many of them used blood sausage tonight because, "Oh, God, not going anywhere near that.
" I was thinking, "Let's do a different way.
A frittata, a stuffed tomato.
Smart.
That is delicious.
- Well done.
Good job.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
The third and final dish that we want to take a closer look at This home cook showed a ton of technique.
This home cook's plating was stunning.
Please step forward - Derrick.
- Good job, Derrick.
Yes, it's about time.
I feel like this is this is well deserved because I've been listening and I've been learning and it showed in my dish.
Whoo! I feel like a rock star.
So, Derrick, what is the dish? It's a breakfast trio.
We have a salmon benedict over asparagus with hollandaise, a brioche French toast with a blueberry and raspberry sauce, and then finished with a créme anglaise with a bit of mint.
- It's amazing.
- Yeah? I like that the French toast is not too sweet.
- The berry sauce is delicious.
- Yeah? Just really nice balance of flavors, textures.
You are definitely a leader in this competition at this point.
Thank you.
Why did you come up with the idea of the smoked salmon? It's smoked salmon, and there's smoked paprika in the hollandaise.
I thought that paired well together.
Uh, listen, three different elements done beautifully.
Two of the most technical sauces anywhere in the world to nail.
It's like you're at home now but cooking with such confidence.
It's a great, great dish.
Well done.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chef.
Nick, Katrina, Derrick, tonight those were three incredible breakfast dishes.
The person who made the best breakfast I got a look at Nick's dish, and he's got some good components on the plate, but I don't really think of deviled eggs as breakfast.
The person who'll join us in the pantry Katrina has really great flavor, but I don't know if she'll ever understand the art of plating.
The best breakfast dish tonight This is the prettiest plate that I've put together.
I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone today, so I deserve this win.
Congratulations.
Unanimous decision.
The best breakfast dish tonight The person who will join us in the pantry Well done Derrick.
Winner of the advantage.
Finally.
I might be small, but I'm mighty.
Let's go.
And this is gonna be a great way to show everyone how big I really am.
Good job.
As the winner of the mystery box challenge, Derrick is now in control of the elimination test.
Where at least one home cook will leave the competition.
You did so well out there with the mystery box challenge.
You get rewarded.
Your first advantage is that you do not have to cook in tonight's elimination challenge.
Awesome.
For your second advantage, you will now get to choose what everyone else is going to cook.
Are you ready to find out your options? Yeah.
So not every family has the time to prepare three course dinners every night.
I don't care who you are or what you do, there are nights that everybody has to dig into the back of the freezer and pull out what I have under here.
- Oh, my God.
- A TV dinner.
This one, specifically, is endorsed by a pretty good-looking MasterChef.
This is one of my personal guilty pleasures, Salisbury steak with broccoli and mac and cheese.
This sucker takes me right back to my childhood.
Next up, we have my favorite old-school TV dinner.
Classic, comforting, and timeless.
- Oh, God.
- Oh, yeah.
Mom's meatloaf, with mixed veggies and red potatoes.
One of my favorites.
My mom was a military wife, and my dad was always gone on a ship.
This is something that was a staple in our house.
This was the very first frozen TV dinner ever produced.
Look at this beauty.
Turkey with gravy, green beans, and mashed potatoes.
Look at that.
Chef Boyar-Ramsay.
It took me three months to grow that mustache.
So, Derrick, which one of these three TV dinners are you gonna choose for everyone to cook tonight? Salisbury steak, meatloaf, or my turkey TV dinner? This is the best.
I am so glad I'm safe from this one, because turning TV dinners into something that you would make on MasterChef? Whoo, it's gonna be a tough one.
Tonight I choose Whoo.
Right.
Back in the pantry, Derrick got some huge advantages.
You can probably guess the first one.
Derrick does not have to cook in tonight's elimination challenge.
For his second advantage, Derrick got to choose what everybody here has to make.
We asked Derrick to choose between three of the most popular TV dinners.
Are you serious? Whoo-hoo, I'm so excited! I've been eating TV dinners for 59 years, so I'm thinking, "I've got this.
" Is everybody ready to find out what frozen TV dinner Derrick chose for you all tonight? - Yes, Chef.
- Yes, Chef.
Tonight, Derrick chose my favorite Delicious Salisbury steak with a mushroom gravy, broccoli, and mac and cheese.
So this is a little embarrassing, but I don't even know what Salisbury steak is.
This is not within my wheelhouse.
Bottom line tonight, I could be going home.
We want to see a refined, MasterChef worthy version of this TV dinner.
Elevate that's what we're asking you to do.
So you have 60 minutes to make this dish, but you will have just 5 minutes in the pantry to get everything that you need to make your dish shine.
Is everyone ready to go into the pantry? - Yes.
- Yes, Chef.
Your five minutes in the pantry starts now.
Ah! Salisbury steak is one of my favorite dishes.
I have loved this since I was growing up and my mom was a single mom, and when she had to work, me and my little brother would just pop one in the microwave and eat away.
Oh, there's the broccoli.
I'm a vegetarian, so I am completely lost when it comes to Salisbury steak.
We have 60 minutes to elevate this plain TV dinner to something that's restaurant quality, and I don't even know what the hell I'm elevating.
Did everyone get what they needed? Yes, Chef.
Your 60 minutes starts Hold on! What what? Guess what.
Come on.
- Always a surprise.
- No.
Derrick, there is another advantage that we didn't tell you about back in the pantry.
This is your chance, Derrick, to target one home cook who may be enjoying a TV dinner in their own home tomorrow night.
Derrick, you will choose somebody who must stand and watch and do nothing for the first 15 minutes of this elimination challenge.
Derrick, you will choose one of these home cooks to stand and watch for the first 15 minutes of this elimination challenge.
Who will have to sit out the first 15 minutes? - Chris.
- Christopher.
[bleep.]
.
I can't really believe that Derrick would target me.
I'm so angry right now, I could sear a steak on my forehead.
I don't like the kid no more.
Christopher, for the first 15 minutes, you will leave everything in your basket.
Christopher is a strong cook, so choosing Christopher is purely strategic, but he's just gonna take it so personal, and it's gonna just brew in his head.
He's going home.
Your 60 minutes starts now.
TV dinners, love it.
Yeah, I was raised on TV dinners.
I think it was a very smart move by Derrick tonight, because it's not just about that Salisbury steak.
There's three major components the Salisbury steak and the sauce, but the big issue tonight is getting that mac and cheese right Right.
And then what you're gonna do with the broccoli - How are you gonna elevate it? - Lift it.
So much of elevating here is gonna be in that presentation.
Yeah.
Pressure's intense.
You can feel it.
It's intense because the dish is so relatable and our expectation is so high.
I am doing my grandma's meatballs.
I'm gonna turn them into Italian Salisbury steaks.
My grandmother taught me everything I know, so if her meatballs fail, she's gonna be slapping me in the face, wooden spoon and all.
I'm making Salisbury meatballs with a mushroom sauce and baked macaroni and cheese with bacon.
Salisbury steak is disgusting.
I have never made a Salisbury steak before, but I'm really hoping that I can make it look beautiful and that this will just magically work out.
I'm doing a Jamaican-style Salisbury steak.
I want to do my mom justice.
She does it with Scotch bonnet, scallions.
It's gonna have a little spice to it, so hopefully, the judges like a little heat.
'Cause that's how I cook.
All right, Christopher, until you enter the ring.
You have a minute.
I'm not talking to you, thanks.
Appreciate it.
Stand by, Christopher.
Now Derrick has gone for Christopher.
Mm-hmm.
- Tonight, he has to focus.
- Yeah.
he's got his work cut out.
Stand by.
Three, two, one.
Christopher, cook.
- Go, Chris.
- Go, Christopher! Thank you, everybody.
Right, Jesse.
TV dinner.
Big fan of them? No, sir.
Not at all.
Wow.
Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? I'm gonna do venison Salisbury steak with pickled broccoli and do a fried macaroni and cheese.
If there's one thing I've loved in this country, it's mac and cheese.
I've never had a fried mac and cheese.
I'm gonna try it.
I've had it before, and I've cooked it before, but I'll have to see if I can get that.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
- Hey, Veronica.
- Hi.
- How's it going? - I'm so excited.
Let's talk through plating this.
Every time we've had something that's delicious from you, our biggest critique always comes down to presentation, how you've elevated it visually.
What do you have planned? Well, the wonderful thing about it is it's already set for me.
It's a TV dinner, so it's gonna look like a TV dinner.
Okay, you you did hear the point Yeah.
That we said we want something elevated.
- Restaurant quality - Right.
Mm-hmm.
But inspired by a Salisbury steak.
My grandkids are waiting to hear you guys say "awesome.
" Please keep in mind presentation, elevation.
- I will.
- Okay.
I will.
You'll be proud.
Right, Hetal.
Yes? Salisbury vegetarian TV dinner.
Where are we going? I'm a Hindu vegetarian.
I don't even know what a Salisbury steak is supposed to taste like, but I'm making my own twist by adding a bunch of tandoori spices that I know typically go in meat.
- Oyster mushrooms.
- Yeah.
Oh, yeah, I'm allergic to mushrooms as well.
God.
So this is probably the worst challenge for me.
I don't want you to eat meat, okay, but you can ask somebody else to taste it.
But you've got the final decision.
- Good luck.
- Okay, thank you.
Oh! I'm nervous about Hetal.
Obviously, everyone has strengths and weaknesses in this competition.
Never cooking with beef and not having the ability to taste it is one, but I'm gonna look forward to, like, the mushroom sauce, the broccoli.
She knows how to deal with those flavors.
Yeah.
I'm worried for someone like Jesse.
Venison, when it goes dry, it almost turns against you.
Last minute! Has that 15-minute penalty affected Christopher's performance? Hugely.
Oh, snap.
He's all over the place.
- Speed up, come on.
- Let's go.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five Come on, come on, Christopher.
Please, you're killing me.
- Four, three - Let's go! - Come on, guys.
- Two, one.
And stop.
Hands in the air! I did it! I'm going home.
First up, let's start off with Christopher.
- Let's go, please.
- Whoo! Go, Chris.
I am very nervous to present this because I didn't have time to taste it, make sure it was seasoned well.
I also did not have the extra three seconds to pick that ring mold up.
If I could have just gotten that off, I would have been safe.
Christopher, describe that board, please.
So I have here a beef and lamb Salisbury slider, fusilli, and then a sherry-sautéed broccolini.
First of all, let's do something that you didn't get a chance to do.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Take that ring off.
Based on that performance, what I want to do now in this competition and in every challenge and in every pressure test, I want to take 15 minutes off your time, because I love it.
Patty, delicious.
Broccoli, delicious.
Presentation, beautiful.
That's it.
- Good job.
- Thank you very much.
- Very good job indeed.
- Appreciate it.
Broccoli tasty.
I think I saw your pan caught on fire.
Smell the flambé on the broccoli but your Mornay sauce spot-on.
Beautiful, silky, good, solid dish.
Way to show everyone what you can do in 45.
Thank you so much, Chef.
The mac and cheese is my favorite part.
There was a moment where I thought Derrick had made a very smart choice and that there was no way you were gonna get food on a plate.
Tonight, write Derrick a little thank-you note because I do think that this was a great learning experience for you.
- Good job.
- Thanks, guys.
Just like Jesus, I've just been chosen to suffer, but yet again, I rise from the dead.
Here I am.
I feel bad for everyone else.
I pity them, 'cause I'm a huge threat.
I'm really scary.
You know, I'm like Godzilla.
Run, Tokyo, run.
Next up, Hetal.
My dish looks like ass.
I'm ashamed.
I don't want to serve this to anyone.
Maybe I'll trip and fall, and they won't be able to eat it.
Anything any type of divine intervention would be amazing.
Right, now, Hetal, describe your dish.
So it's a tandoori-spiced Salisbury steak with broccoli and mac and cheese.
It's not my best.
It's, uh The moment I put everything down, I knew I screwed up everything.
Don't eat it.
It's so bad.
I'm gonna cut straight to the chase.
It's depressing.
Mac and cheese tastes watery.
Forget the meat, the protein.
I expect you to have the perfect mac and cheese tonight, and I expect you to have the most perfect broccoli tonight, and you haven't done that.
- Yeah.
- Are you giving up? Tell me the truth, because I'd rather take your apron off now and you go home if that's what you're gonna tell me is your best.
Are you giving up? Truthfully, I'd respect you more if you tell me the truth, because that is the sign of someone that's given up.
No, I want to show you that I can make pretty plates and I can do flavorful dishes and bake gorgeous cakes.
I don't want to leave, but I was so freaked out about doing the beef that I just completely lost sight on the mac and cheese and the broccoli.
We've had vegetarians in this competition gone on to the top ten, top five, and done bloody well, so I watched you tonight and I was just You know, I'm looking at a different Hetal.
You're gonna have to get used to overcoming those hurdles.
Quite frankly, I think that's your worst performance.
And quite honestly, maybe your last.
I knew this was gonna be hard, but I really wanted to showcase the ability to cook meat as a vegetarian, and I completely failed.
Next up, Olivia.
Describe your dish.
So it's mini Salisbury steak meatballs with sage and mushroom gravy, bacon and herb macaroni and cheese, and a lemon, chili, and garlic roasted broccoli.
Listen, I really like it.
It's just like a punch of flavor with every element.
They're gonna have to bring some really great plates up here to top this one.
- Yay, thank you.
- Congratulations.
Next up, Shelly.
All right, Shelly.
Tell me what you've made.
I did a Jamaican-touched Salisbury steak with a chili oil broccolini, and I did a creamy, crunchy, three-cheese mac.
Gosh.
So the seasoning in that Salisbury steak is Jamaican me crazy.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Really, really good.
Next up, Veronica, please.
Let's go.
Describe your dish.
I made Salisbury steak with a delicious wine and mushroom sauce, ten-cheese macaroni and cheese, and yummy broccoli.
It's a Hungry-Man dinner.
Right.
First of all, you completely missed the objective.
I asked you to cook one portion of a TV dinner.
Elegant, upscale, and this thing looks like it's fit for King Kong's kitchen.
How many times over the last three or four weeks have I ask you to refine things down to a plate? I think it's a refined dish.
It's awesome.
What's this in here? What's the water in there? What is that? Nah.
The water has wilted out of the broccoli.
I'm done.
Um, it's a mess.
Broccoli is doused in water.
I'm concerned that you're not getting the point.
You're still cooking like we're at a Vegas buffet.
And three compartments of it has been filled up with puke.
After what Gordon said, I am completely devastated.
I just have to hope that someone else does much worse.
- Next up, Nick.
- Yo.
Nick, what do we have? Italian-style Salisbury meatballs with a white wine mushroom sauce, roasted broccolini with pancetta, and baked ziti macaroni and cheese.
All right, let's take a look at those meatballs.
What did you toss the ground beef and pork with? Oregano, basil.
Uh, my grandmother's trick she's gonna kill me for saying this but a little bit of parmesan cheese inside as well.
I gotta say, I think the meatballs are really delicious.
I love the mac and cheese.
I like the texture of it, I like that you baked it, so you get the sort of creamy notes and the crunchy notes.
It's clear that you know what you're doing.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, good job.
Last up, Jesse, let's go.
I'm feeling fine, feeling confident.
I could plate a little better, but I think it's, you know All the flavors are there, I showed a lot of techniques, and hopefully I'll get in the top three.
- Jesse.
- Yes, sir.
I have to say, it's one of the most bizarre-looking dishes of the night.
Describe the dish, please.
Venison Salisbury steak with mushrooms cooked in bacon and duck fat with pickled broccoli wrapped in prosciutto and fried mac and cheese.
Love what you've done with the mushrooms.
However How dry is that? Yeah, it's venison.
Jesse, it's like swallowing a mouthful of sand.
- It's seriously dry.
- It's not that dry.
It's not that dry? It's dry, but it's not that dry.
I mean, how do you like venison? I-I know what venison is.
It doesn't work.
I've cooked it 1,000 times, and when venison turns from red to bright white, it's dry.
Yes, sir.
As you guys know, this is an elimination challenge.
At least one of you will be going home tonight.
But first, Christina, Graham, and I believe that there were two standout dishes tonight that really elevated that TV dinner and took it to a completely new level.
Congrats, Nick and Olivia.
You guys are both safe from elimination.
You will be team captains in the next challenge.
Oh, no.
All right, guys, unfortunately, it's time to face the bad news.
At least one of these three home cooks will be making their next meal at home.
The first home cook really disappointed us, and this Salisbury steak challenge proved a little too much for you, Hetal.
The next home cook, once again, didn't really listen to our advice, and it's just not working as far as absorbing what we're trying to give.
Veronica.
I'm not even gonna ask the next person to step down, 'cause he knows exactly who he is.
Jesse, get your ass down here.
Step forward, Veronica.
Veronica, time and time again, you are consistently falling into the bottom of the pack.
Sorry.
Your time is now up.
Please take off your apron and go ahead and leave it on your bench.
You did good.
I'm very proud of the fact that I'm the oldest person to ever compete in the MasterChef competition.
My family loves for me to cook for them, and they're gonna love me cooking for them even more now.
My little grandkids wrote me letters, and they wrote, "No matter what the judges say, you are our MasterChef.
" I'll never forget that as long as I live.
The good news is that we are now down to the top 15 talented home cooks.
Give yourselves a round of applause, come on.
Great job.
Well done.
The bad news is we're about to go down to 14.
One more of you will be leaving this competition shortly.
Hetal, tonight's performance showed that you have hit a huge stumbling block, a wall that we thought you could go over.
It's my last day in this kitchen.
It's gotta be.
Jesse, at times, looking at you, you look like a petulant teenager.
I don't want to lose this competition.
I left my job to come do this.
I don't care about anything but winning this competition.
The person leaving MasterChef tonight is Jesse.
Jesse, when we put that level of disappointment into food, it just tastes awful.
Please take off your apron and place it on your bench.
I'm sad to be leaving, but I've made really close friends.
I got you, man.
I've gotten to know how to cook a lot of things.
I got to cook in front of three wonderful chefs.
I'll just keep working, you know, keep working on becoming a better chef, and hopefully I'll open up a restaurant and fulfill my dreams, and I hope I made my family proud.
Most of all, I just want to wish everybody that's still cooking, like, good luck, guys.
Don't overcook your venison.
Next time on MasterChef We are all here to celebrate the 100th episode.
Can the top 14 rise to the occasion? The oysters are beautifully poached.
Or will the celebration I got something burning back here.
Go up in smoke? Anybody? Happy [bleep.]
birthday.
Then, back in the kitchen Birthday cake.
The party comes to an end in the pressure test where two more MasterChef dreams are blown out.