Masterchef (2010) s02e04 Episode Script
Top 18 Revealed
Previously on MasterChef We are excited.
Put it on the plate.
We searched America to find the nation's best amateur cooks.
I'm gonna win this competition.
moment of their lives.
I forgot my signature ingredient! Some tasted victory.
Yes! Fish is cooked perfectly.
I wish I had two mouths to eat this.
Others, defeat.
Come on! No, no, no, no, no.
Just 38 cooks won a coveted MasterChef apron and remain in the competition.
Tonight they will face two extraordinary culinary stress tests.
This is where it's gonna get painful.
Half will be cut from the competition.
I'm gonna need your apron.
Half will stay.
Great move.
And proceed to the MasterChef kitchen Let's go, guys.
To battle it out for the ultimate prize Stakes are even higher.
And the title I'm trying.
Of America's next Gator done.
MasterChef.
Today is the first really big head-to-head challenge.
I've got this core group, and now we're really gonna see who can respond under pressure to something without any time to think about it.
Gordon, Joe, Graham, I don't know what you got for me today, but bring it on.
Okay, welcome.
Today we're testing you on your basic skills in the kitchen.
We're stripping everything away and getting right to the core.
You're standing here today on the merits of your signature dishes.
From here on in, you have no idea what we're gonna throw at you.
What the is that? How do you guys like them apples? Where in the heck did they find this many apples? What in the world? If you think you have any future in this business, then you'd better start learning to love the hell out of this fruit.
To move on to the next stage of MasterChef, I want to see the next level of precision with your knife skills.
Knife skills.
First of all, top and tail the apple.
Give yourself a base.
I want to see that skin come off, and I want you to maintain the shape, taking as little of the flesh off as possible.
All I could think to myself is "isn't that why they invented peelers?" Let the knife do the work.
No thinner, no thicker.
Just like those apples, each and every one of you are on the chopping block.
Over half of you will be leaving this competition.
I do not want to be one of those people.
I made a commitment to this so I can change my life.
Precision, accuracy, and focus is what we're looking for.
Continue slicing till either Graham or I say stop.
Then you'll find out if you're staying or if you're going home.
Ready? Yes, chef.
Right.
Pick up your apples and jump on a station.
Let's go.
I'm not afraid of anything.
First time in my life an apple scare me.
Are you ready? Yes, chef! Off you go.
It's not a race.
It's about technique.
This challenge will test the home cooks' technical ability and knife skills.
Keep it going, guys.
Yes? The judges will be looking for precision, consistency of slicing, and minimum waste.
Please don't throw any apples away.
begin this challenge.
Not all will survive.
I have a lot at stake.
I left my son at home.
I didn't come out here to play games.
I came out here to win.
Let the knife do the work.
I might be a country boy from Mississippi, but I can cook.
I want this worse than anything in the whole world.
Know when to work fast, know when to take your time.
Come on.
I'd love to have a restaurant.
If I could win this, it--it would just change everything.
Remember, guys, thumb and index finger.
Hold the apple.
I want this.
I want this more than anybody else here, and I'm going to work my ass off in order to get it.
The knives are razor sharp.
Be safe, guys.
As we're cutting, all I hear is "medic, medic.
" Med.
Got another medic.
And I'm seeing just people passing behind me with their arms held up in the air, bleeding like crazy, and I'm like, "oh, my goodness.
"Okay, I have got to focus here.
I cannot cut myself.
" Ugh.
I cut myself.
The knife wounds keep on coming, and as the blood flows, the judges consider Speed, efficiency, technique.
Their first cut.
Let's go, guys.
It's not up to the quality that Gordon wants, he's gonna send me home, and I don't want to go home.
Master of that knife.
I'm extremely nervous, 'cause, you know, my parents are totally against me being a chef.
But I know I can do it.
Stop.
Seby.
These are perfect.
Congratulations.
First one through.
Stand behind.
Well done.
Good job.
Good job.
Absolutely.
Yep.
Perfect.
While Seby enjoys the safety of the winner's platform Precision and technique.
The judges are deciding the fate of another.
Seemed like my bowl was getting fuller than anyone else's around me.
I was just waiting for the tap on the shoulder to, you know, go in the winner's circle.
Keep it going.
I didn't want to fill up my bowl the fastest.
I wanted to just make sure that I had precision cuts.
Come on, guys.
Elin, stop please.
Now, there's lots of little bits here.
It looks like you're peeling them twice.
Are you doing it one nice swoop? You are.
There are just so many inconsistencies.
I'm sorry, Elin.
You're leaving MasterChef.
Thank you.
It was heartbreaking.
It's heartbreaking.
Over a stupid apple.
First person's gone.
Start focusing, please.
Knife down, please.
This is my life.
Christine.
Mm-hmm? They're perfect.
Congratulations.
You're through.
Good job.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you.
Over there.
I almost fainted.
I was like, "Oh, my God.
" I just made it through a challenge.
Don't stop, guys.
Keep it going.
Stop.
Oh, boy.
Here we go.
It was Albert's alligator dish that earned him a MasterChef apron.
Yeah! But now can he keep it? Core please, Graham.
Congratulations.
You're through.
Thank you.
Well done.
This is real.
Take a deep breath.
It's coming together.
Albert is the third contestant to advance.
You're through.
Thank you, chef.
Well done.
Followed by several more yeses.
Well done.
Good job.
You're through.
Well done.
Take yourself over there.
Well done.
But an hour into the apple chop challenge, on the chopping block as pressure and fatigue begin to take their toll.
I know how painful this is, guys.
My hand started cramping, and just--it started hurting real bad.
And just sweating.
It was hard to hold on to the knife.
This is where it's gonna really seriously kick in now.
I am getting more tired and more tired, and I'm just wondering how much longer do I have to keep doing this? Keep it going, guys.
Stop please, Joseph.
Joseph became passionate about cooking while caring for his sick wife.
You love her dearly? Oh, very much.
She's my best friend.
Ta-da! Yeah! But does he have the knife skills to keep his apron? Okay, Joseph.
I've gone from sort of wafer thin to sort of big, thick clumps.
I'm sorry, but you're leaving MasterChef.
I know I can cook, and I'm-- I'm gonna keep at it, and I'm gonna get better.
And Joseph isn't the only one pushed to the limit.
Several more home cooks fail the test You're leaving MasterChef.
And are forced to turn in their aprons.
I'm sorry, Pauline.
You're leaving MasterChef.
Please take your apron off.
Watching everybody sent home feels good, because it's one less person I need to worry about.
It's gonna start really seriously hurting now.
Alejandra, stop.
Knife down.
How many have you done? Well over 12.
For Alejandra, a MasterChef apron could mean the start of a whole new life.
It's been two years of a lot of financial struggle.
I have $150,000 worth of student loans.
The shrimp tastes delicious.
But will she have to hand it back? If I find one pip in here, it's game over.
Alejandra? Yes, chef? You slice apples like a pro.
Congratulations.
You're in.
Well done.
It was worth it! All this time and this crazy pain in my back, it's worth it.
Yeah! the chopping continues.
Gordon Ramsay is breathing down my neck and looking for perfection.
Ben, stop.
Please, please.
Don't find any seeds.
Don't find any core.
Don't send me home, Gordon.
Ben.
Yes, chef? Take your apron over there.
Congratulations.
Well done.
I'm completely exhausted.
I was like Congratulations.
I've got blisters.
It's been two hours since the apple chop began.
Now just Dustin and Tracy remain.
Keep going, Dustin.
Keep going, Tracy.
Come on.
I am nervous.
I'm tired.
My hand is absolutely killing me.
But I know that I am not gonna give up.
Let's go.
I'm coming at this full force.
I mean, it's only a matter of time now.
I'm off into the winner's circle.
Okay, Dustin, stop.
Tracy, stop please.
Knife down.
That's just over two hours you've been slicing apples.
Tracy Keep going, Dustin.
Keep going, Tracy.
Come on.
After two hours of nonstop chopping, just Tracy and Dustin remain to be judged.
Okay, Dustin.
Stop.
Tracy, stop please.
Knife down.
That's just over two hours you've been slicing apples.
Tracy You're staying.
Congratulations.
Dustin, Tracy's are far more consistent than yours.
You're leaving MasterChef.
Thank you.
Gordon Ramsay's like, you know, a hero to me.
And just having him try my food and saying that it's delicious, that meant a lot to me.
Really, it did.
Come with me.
Let's go.
With 14 home cooks eliminated, just 24 remain in the competition.
And the next grueling test will see many more sent home.
Now, making it this far means you've got the knife skills to hold your own in the kitchen.
But your next challenge involves something with a few more moving parts.
My heart melts, because I love chickens.
I see the chicken, and I am ecstatic, because I was hoping that we would actually butcher a live animal.
This is America's most popular meat.
If you cannot cook the most amazing chicken dish, there is no way on earth you're ever gonna call yourself a MasterChef.
You've got one hour to do something absolutely stunning.
One chicken.
And you're not using this one.
The chicken should be the headline act, but make use of the supporting cast of ingredients back here.
We have everything you can think of.
from infused oils, spices, herbs, vegetables If we like your chicken dish, you'll stay.
If we don't, you're leaving the competition.
Are you ready? Off you go.
The contestants will have one hour to create one stunning chicken dish.
This challenge will test their ingenuity, creativity, and their ability to think on their feet.
Let's go, guys.
We're all running toward the pantry.
You want to get there first.
You want to make sure that you get what you need to make your dish right.
You should let these ingredients speak to you.
They should be calling out to you.
"Hey, use me.
Abuse me.
" Most importantly, don't forget to get the chicken on, yes? Two minutes gone.
Has anyone seen baking powder? There's no room for mistakes.
At this point, we've gone down from 100 to 38 to 24, and you know that they're just gonna keep cutting and cutting and cutting.
It's game time.
Start thinking how you're gonna cook that chicken.
If it's roasted, it needs to go in in the next five minutes, yes? Go, guys.
Get that chicken going, huh? My mind is racing.
Do I want to do chicken and noodles? Do I want to do a stuffed chicken breast? I have to come up with something quick.
The big issue is not over-complicating the chicken and not trying to be too clever.
What would you guys make? I think I'd roast the chicken thigh, bone it out, do a crispy skin, then baste it in honey, garlic, some thyme.
I'd do a wonderful chicken fricassee.
Take advantage of all those amazing mushrooms there.
Spinach, boulangere potato, and something that can really highlight the actual flavor of the chicken.
I am making mediterranean chicken salad, with tabouli and sauteed feta.
This is a version I haven't created for anyone other than myself.
Just under Keep it going, guys.
The pantry's absolutely stunning.
How could you not come up with the most amazing chicken dish? I think the competition was already won or lost in those five minutes of what they chose.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
I'm making a Western mushroom sauce with a Indian-inspired chicken sautee.
I never made this dish in my entire life.
Hopefully it'll turn out very well.
Ha ha.
Seby, can I suggest you get the chicken in the pan? I will.
I will.
You must be the only one that hasn't started cooking the chicken yet.
Wow.
Alejandra's doing a tagine.
And she's speeding up the process of cooking the breast, which can go dry, which is a bloody dangerous thing to do.
The time you cook your chicken is really what it's about.
It's delivering a dish that's juicy and flavorful and impressive.
How you doing? What have you got for us? I got a chicken gumbo I'm making.
Chicken gumbo? In an hour? Are you out of your mind? You think that you're gonna have the time to extract the kind of flavor and reduction you need out of that sauce? I--yes.
Yes? It's not the first time I've cooked a gumbo in an hour.
There's no problem.
I'm in my comfort zone.
Tracy, talk to me about your dish.
What are you doing? It's my version of a chicken pot pie.
In 60 minutes? Uh, well, I'm gonna kind of do it a little bit deconstructed.
For 60 minutes, that's a lot of work to do.
Yeah, I know.
It is.
.
What's the matter? My chicken skin's burning.
Is it burning? Yeah.
Yeah, put the pan down.
Don't blow it.
Don't blow it.
Just put the pan down.
Oh, my God.
I left my chicken skins in the oven, broiling.
I'm done.
I made a rookie mistake, and I'm going home.
The remaining 24 contestants have one hour to cook the chicken dish of a lifetime.
Keep it going, guys, yes? Some seem to have it under control, while others are feeling the heat.
.
My chicken skin got a little too crispy.
You only have one shot, so I'm nervous.
I mean, you never know what else can go wrong.
30 minutes to go.
Come on.
Keep it going, guys.
Make this the best chicken dish you've ever cooked.
Visualize that dish and really focus on that presentation.
Saw a lot of breasts being cooked out there in advance.
That's a very risky, risky game.
And I saw a lot of slow-cooking techniques and braising and stewing, which is very either risky or stupid in the one-hour format.
Unreal.
Oh, my God.
This is so good.
Wow.
For me just to be able to do this right now and show America how to make butter chicken from scratch, I mean, wow.
Suzy is so arrogant.
Thinks she's a professor of Culinary Arts.
I hope they like it.
'Cause I'm in love.
Wow.
I just hope that she'll slip up.
20 minutes to go.
I'm cooking, um, roasted chicken and arugula, spinach, pancetta, and mango, with a little orange drizzle on top.
I think the time is an issue for me.
It's just I want to get everything perfect, you know, and put it on the plate for them so that they like it.
You know what I mean? I'm gonna do everything I can to keep this apron.
Anything.
I got to throw elbows, I will.
Come on.
Keep it going.
All about techniques.
And please focus.
I'm making chicken cacciatore.
It's traditional from Italy.
I want to represent all Italians, you know? Here we have some celery, carrots, onion, thyme, rosemary, and some of the pork inside.
Uh, it's gonna be You know, but I know what I'm doing.
It's gonna be good.
Guys, just over ten minutes left.
Let's go, guys.
Let's go.
There are and everyone knows what they're doing.
So it's terrifying.
It's terrifying.
I can't screw this up.
That's just-- that's the bottom line.
I can't screw this up.
I don't care how everyone else is doing.
I just personally cannot screw this up.
All right, Ben.
Yes, sir? How's it going? Going well.
I have some, uh, biscuits in the oven right now, but there was absolutely no baking powder, so Why would you choose to be complex on a day like today? You have to stand out, chef, otherwise you're never gonna notice me.
Trust me, Ben, with a hat on like that, you're standing out today.
Let's hope the biscuits work.
I know I have now made a colossal error in front of Gordon, and he has placed a target right on my forehead.
Because you don't make biscuits without baking powder! Hi, Rhonda.
You're pan-searing these chickens-- how are you gonna stop them from becoming dry? Um, I need to find ice and cool it off.
You think we're gonna have a moist, tender piece of chicken, not something I'm trying.
I'm trying.
I don't want to choke on your chicken.
Derrick was doing the etouffee, and he was using some of the gizzard and things like that to make dirty rice, and he was also stewing down all of the nice dark meat cuts, so I'm hoping that that's gonna be delicious.
It was supposed to be a smoked andouille chicken etouffee with beer in it, but the pantry did not cooperate, so, uh, I'm using a spicy Italian sausage instead, which is not quite the flavor profile.
I think this may end up turning out a little more like almost a chicken chili.
Start putting those finishing touches to your dish.
Let these ingredients speak for themselves, guys.
Don't over-manipulate stuff.
Cooking chicken Oscar, 'cause it's delicious.
I think it takes skill to make a bearnaise and make it right.
Nothing's going wrong over here.
Just under four minutes left, guys, yes? About to make a miracle.
Thank you, Jesus.
That's all I can do.
Start thinking about plating up.
Visualize that dish.
Put those finishing touches on there.
Make sure you taste everything that goes on that plate.
Use every second you've got to perfect those dishes.
Keep it going, guys.
I'm looking at the clock.
I don't know if I'm gonna be done in time, and I'm freaking out.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
And stop! Make this the best chicken dish you've ever cooked, or this may be the last minute ever in MasterChef.
Keep it going, guys.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
And stop.
Stand back from your stations.
the competition, but aprons are about to be taken away.
Row one and row two, come forward please.
Max, let's go first.
What's it called? Duo of southwestern chicken with southwestern succotash.
The creaminess of the avocado goes well with the chicken.
I'm just not 100% certain on the sauce.
I like the hot sauce.
Gives a nice little balance to everything.
Okay, Angel, let's go, please.
Chicken and dumplings.
I used dark meat, 'cause I like the way dark meat tastes.
I love the idea of that homey, American dish.
Chicken's actually tender.
The problem are the dumplings.
Slightly undercooked.
Very weighty and somewhat doughy.
Okay.
Tony.
What is it, please? I've made a brick chicken, a garlic rosemary mashed potato.
Let's see.
That's a properly cooked chicken.
Thank you.
It's a good start.
I think potatoes need help.
Kyle, let's go.
I have chicken salad mixed with fresh hummus, sauteed feta and tabouli salad.
Pretty intense.
You can't really identify the true flavor of the chicken when it's shredded and mixed.
Alejandra.
Please.
So this is my interpretation of a Moroccan chicken tagine with apricots and dried fig.
Very, um, very nice and fresh.
Very good.
Right.
Alvin.
Got a version of beer can chicken that can be cooked inside any time of year.
Chicken tastes nice, but you can't just dust things with raw spice.
Yes, chef.
Six varied dishes.
Let me tell you that.
The judges are about to decide who will move on to cook in the MasterChef kitchen and whose dreams end right here tonight.
Okay.
Max, Alvin, one step forward please.
Congratulations.
You're both through.
I'm just relieved I'm going on to the next round.
Word's out that I can cook.
People should be worried.
Alejandra, Tony, one step forward, please.
You're both Through.
Thank you, chef.
Good job.
Okay, Angel, Kyle One of you will be coming into the MasterChef kitchen.
One of you will be leaving MasterChef.
Angel.
You are going through.
Congratulations.
Well done.
Good job.
Kyle, the dish didn't work.
It's the kind of dish that you would put with leftover chicken.
I gave you a prime piece of meat.
I just wanted to see that be the hero.
Unfortunately, it wasn't.
You're leaving MasterChef.
Thank you.
I'm disappointed.
It was a very short stay.
I would have liked to have learned a lot more before I left.
Can I have the back two rows come up, please? Suzy, let's go ahead.
Hi, chefs.
I prepared for you guys butter chicken.
This is a traditional Indian meal.
Rice is kind of bland.
I'm hoping that Suzy's dish is gonna fail.
She thinks she's way better than she actually is.
It's a little annoying.
However, the butter chicken is pretty dynamite.
Christian, please.
Did a chicken Oscar, which is, um, crab, bearnaise, and, um, I put it on a little bed of risotto.
Good bearnaise.
Nice looking asparagus too.
Risotto? Jennifer, come on up.
Walk me through this.
Absolutely.
Chicken and fruit.
Ben.
They are gonna hate this.
Uh Even if it tastes great, it looks like a pile of .
Here we have chicken breast and thigh meat that has been slowly poached in butter.
We have the very bottom of a crusty, butter biscuit that was baked with chive and crispy chicken skin.
It looks ghastly.
Um, it actually tastes better than it looks.
Ben, if you haven't got baking powder, don't attempt to make a frickin' biscuit.
Aaron, come on up.
What have you made for us? Uh, today I designed a chicken Belize.
Wait, wait.
Is there chicken on this? Yes, actually there's chicken on the inside of it.
To have an entire chicken, and to put forth something that's about a bite and a half, I don't really see the logic in it, you know? No matter how great the flavor is.
Okay, Christine.
All right, what do we have? Crazy chicken with a twist.
Twist? What's the twist? Um, there's a little lemon.
Is the dish too simple? Suzy, Christian, Jennie, can I have you guys come forward, please? You guys presented us with three really solid dishes.
You guys are going forward.
Congrats.
Thank you.
Christine and Aaron, please take a step forward.
You both put forward a good effort, but sadly one of you will be moving forward in the competition and one will be out.
Aaron, you were given an entire, two-pound chicken, and we used, like, an ounce of it.
It's really not MasterChef quality.
I'm gonna need your apron.
Sorry.
Christine, congratulations.
Thank you.
I gave it all that I could.
Cooking is not just a dream for me.
That's my reality.
Culinary arts and cooking.
I'm gonna live it till I can't do it anymore.
Ben, Ben, Ben.
It's all down to you.
What are you doing standing there by yourself? I'm waiting to hear my fate, chef.
I'm screwed.
They're gonna send me home just because my dish looks terrible.
What have I done? I hope you see the value in my chicken, chef.
There's so much I can do.
Well, I'm sorry.
Ben, Ben, Ben.
It's all down to you.
What are you doing standing there by yourself? I'm waiting to hear my fate, chef.
Well, I'm sorry.
But you're not gonna go home.
I'm gonna keep you in.
Congratulations, Ben.
It's not so much a sense of relief as it is of a complete draining of all of my body's energy.
And I literally collapse into Alejandra's arms.
Next two rows, please step down in front.
Bring your dish with you.
Mark, present your dish.
Chicken rollatini.
Stuffed with arugula, shallots, uh, prosciutto.
Topped with marsala cream.
The chicken's delicious.
Thank you.
However, pasta is like baby vomit.
Erryn.
This is a baked chicken with a barbecue dry rub, and, um, a roasted corn salad.
Chicken's nice.
Uh, the salad, little heavy, just, uh, with the mustard and everything else, I think.
Corn's one of those things you want to let kind of speak for themselves.
Okay, Rhonda.
I have a rosemary chicken done two ways.
The first one is a pan-seared rosemary chicken on a bed of mixed greens.
And then the second one is a chunky chicken salad.
So you thought that chicken salad two ways can advance you in this competition? It seems like a poor card to play right now.
Okay, Albert.
I have a, uh, chicken gumbo.
I made my stock from chicken bones.
Everything was from scratch.
From the stock all the way to the finished product.
Gumbo, traditionally anything from three to five hours.
Why would you try to do it in 60 minutes? Just being innovative.
Trying to make sure Sure.
But there's things that can't be done in 60 minutes.
Gumbo needs time.
Let's go, Joey.
What have you got? Uh, chicken piccata over penne with a side of roasted garlic.
Okay, Adrien.
What do you got? This is a chicken chili verde.
I made a quick stock and simmered it with tomatillo, little squash.
Uh, did a Spanish tortilla.
Flavor on the dish is pretty-- pretty bad ass.
It's really delicious.
Thank you, chef.
Man.
Man, man, man, man, man.
Rhonda, please take a step forward.
You gave us two salads.
It wasn't up to MasterChef standard.
I'm sorry.
Please step forward and give us your apron.
Thank you very much.
I'm disappointed.
You know, I wanted this.
But I'm still optimistic, and I know that this is just another leg of my journey.
Um, I know it's not over for me.
Mark, Erryn, and Adrien, please take a step forward.
My hands are sweaty, and I'm nervous as hell.
It is ridiculously important for me to get through this challenge.
Guys, I'd like you to take what you've learned here at MasterChef And use it in the next round, because you've all gone through.
So that leaves Albert and Joey.
Okay, Joey.
I didn't know what was going on.
I'll take it like a man.
Let's-- let's get this over with.
The pasta and chicken just didn't really come together.
We're gonna have to ask you to come forward and give us your apron.
Thanks, Joey.
Keep cooking.
Albert.
You, uh, served me my first alligator.
In this round, um Albert.
You, uh, served me my first alligator.
In this round The chicken gumbo just didn't work.
It wasn't up to MasterChef standard.
I'm sorry.
Can you please give us your apron.
I'm walking away from here proud.
I did something that I never thought I'd be able to do.
Nothing to be ashamed of.
Do not stop cooking.
And watch out for those alligators.
They're big .
It's over.
The gator's done.
Okay, six of you left.
Some of you will be going home.
Dishes up, please.
This is the longest walk of my life.
Not many more of us are going to be going forward.
Esther, let's go.
So this is It's a pan-roasted mustard chicken topped with herb bread crumbs.
Mm-hmm.
Drumstick and thigh? Yes.
Bone in? Yes.
Think the flavors are there.
But remember everything is of equal importance.
Taste, texture, creativity, and the overall appearance.
All right, Derrick.
Let's go.
What is it? Um, you have a chicken etouffee.
Mm-hmm.
With some spicy sausage-- what's an etouffee supposed to taste like? Uh, a creamy sauce with, uh, with some chicken in it, and, uh, little bit of spice to it, and generally served with a little rice.
The rice is pretty pedestrian.
I know this dish is flawed.
I'm going home.
Like, this is the end for me.
Back in line.
Thank you.
Okay, Jennie, let's go.
It is burrata-stuffed, prosciutto-wrapped chicken.
On a bed of, uh, mediterranean couscous.
Great move, burrata inside a chicken breast.
Actually tastes quite nice.
Is it the first time you've ever made couscous? Yes, it is.
Yeah.
It shows.
Right, Seby.
Let's go.
This is a Indian-inspired dish.
It's got a morel mushroom sauce with chickpeas.
The chicken is marinated with raw pineapple.
Just tenderized a little bit.
Has a nice spice to it, which kind of contrasts the sweetness.
Extreme sweetness.
Love the rub on the chicken.
But that sauce doesn't work.
Way, way too rich.
Okay.
Giuseppe, let's go, big boy.
Chicken cacciatore.
In the sauce, there is capers, carrots, there is wine.
Not a lot of color on the sear, huh? The chicken's cooked well, but I don't know.
Let's go, Tracy.
I have a chicken pot minus the pie.
Minus the burned chicken Skin.
Skin.
So here's the thing.
Your dish is called a "chicken not pie," because there's no pastry.
It's not cooked in a pie dish.
Esther, Jennie, one step forward please.
Those dishes were not perfect.
But the hero of the dish was the chicken.
Congratulations.
You're both through.
Well done.
Giuseppe, Seby, one foot forward.
One of you is staying in the competition, and one of you is returning to your loved ones.
Giuseppe.
You Are in.
Congratulations.
Seby, come on.
Think you got confused, trying to make a fusion of a French cuisine overlapping an Indian style.
Unfortunately, the dish didn't work.
But what all three of us want you to do is continue your dream.
You're 18 years of age, and the knowledge you have, it's quite remarkable.
Keep all that and improve it.
And tell mom and dad that you have a future in food.
I guarantee it.
Thank you.
If Chef Ramsay has faith in me, I definitely have faith in myself.
I got to go home and tell my parents, whether they like it or not, I'm gonna be a chef and I'm gonna be a bloody good one.
Okay, here's what's going through my mind.
You both know you both could have done a better job.
Congratulations.
You're both through.
Thank God.
It feels incredible to be here.
I have to prove to them that they didn't make a mistake, and I'm gonna be here.
I'm gonna be here for a while.
On the back of a nationwide search, we're down to just 18 of you.
And look amongst each other.
Somewhere in that mix there's a MasterChef winner.
Competition is on.
Good luck.
Next time, the final 18 will take their place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Yes, yes, yes.
I'm a property manager.
I am a style consultant.
I am a 51-year-old truck driver.
I'm a realtor.
I'm a freshman at Trinity College.
I just quit my job.
I'm a manager for a stone company.
I'm an attorney.
A real estate agent.
I'm a single mom.
I build websites.
I'm a stay at home dad.
I am a travel writer.
I'm an architect.
I am a server.
I work for a electronics manufacturer.
Actually own my own P.
R.
firm.
I am a publicist.
I'm a neural engineer.
Now the real competition begins.
Bring it.
Their skill The technique Creativity Is an art.
And culinary I.
Q I have no idea what this is.
Are put to the test.
The home cooks will be led into foreign territory.
French is not my strongpoint, so got to get it perfect.
Some make their mark.
It's like fireworks on your palate.
Others will lose their way.
That is the worst dish that's ever left my kitchen.
For at one, their first day in the kitchen Take your apron off and leave.
Will be their last.
Put it on the plate.
We searched America to find the nation's best amateur cooks.
I'm gonna win this competition.
moment of their lives.
I forgot my signature ingredient! Some tasted victory.
Yes! Fish is cooked perfectly.
I wish I had two mouths to eat this.
Others, defeat.
Come on! No, no, no, no, no.
Just 38 cooks won a coveted MasterChef apron and remain in the competition.
Tonight they will face two extraordinary culinary stress tests.
This is where it's gonna get painful.
Half will be cut from the competition.
I'm gonna need your apron.
Half will stay.
Great move.
And proceed to the MasterChef kitchen Let's go, guys.
To battle it out for the ultimate prize Stakes are even higher.
And the title I'm trying.
Of America's next Gator done.
MasterChef.
Today is the first really big head-to-head challenge.
I've got this core group, and now we're really gonna see who can respond under pressure to something without any time to think about it.
Gordon, Joe, Graham, I don't know what you got for me today, but bring it on.
Okay, welcome.
Today we're testing you on your basic skills in the kitchen.
We're stripping everything away and getting right to the core.
You're standing here today on the merits of your signature dishes.
From here on in, you have no idea what we're gonna throw at you.
What the is that? How do you guys like them apples? Where in the heck did they find this many apples? What in the world? If you think you have any future in this business, then you'd better start learning to love the hell out of this fruit.
To move on to the next stage of MasterChef, I want to see the next level of precision with your knife skills.
Knife skills.
First of all, top and tail the apple.
Give yourself a base.
I want to see that skin come off, and I want you to maintain the shape, taking as little of the flesh off as possible.
All I could think to myself is "isn't that why they invented peelers?" Let the knife do the work.
No thinner, no thicker.
Just like those apples, each and every one of you are on the chopping block.
Over half of you will be leaving this competition.
I do not want to be one of those people.
I made a commitment to this so I can change my life.
Precision, accuracy, and focus is what we're looking for.
Continue slicing till either Graham or I say stop.
Then you'll find out if you're staying or if you're going home.
Ready? Yes, chef.
Right.
Pick up your apples and jump on a station.
Let's go.
I'm not afraid of anything.
First time in my life an apple scare me.
Are you ready? Yes, chef! Off you go.
It's not a race.
It's about technique.
This challenge will test the home cooks' technical ability and knife skills.
Keep it going, guys.
Yes? The judges will be looking for precision, consistency of slicing, and minimum waste.
Please don't throw any apples away.
begin this challenge.
Not all will survive.
I have a lot at stake.
I left my son at home.
I didn't come out here to play games.
I came out here to win.
Let the knife do the work.
I might be a country boy from Mississippi, but I can cook.
I want this worse than anything in the whole world.
Know when to work fast, know when to take your time.
Come on.
I'd love to have a restaurant.
If I could win this, it--it would just change everything.
Remember, guys, thumb and index finger.
Hold the apple.
I want this.
I want this more than anybody else here, and I'm going to work my ass off in order to get it.
The knives are razor sharp.
Be safe, guys.
As we're cutting, all I hear is "medic, medic.
" Med.
Got another medic.
And I'm seeing just people passing behind me with their arms held up in the air, bleeding like crazy, and I'm like, "oh, my goodness.
"Okay, I have got to focus here.
I cannot cut myself.
" Ugh.
I cut myself.
The knife wounds keep on coming, and as the blood flows, the judges consider Speed, efficiency, technique.
Their first cut.
Let's go, guys.
It's not up to the quality that Gordon wants, he's gonna send me home, and I don't want to go home.
Master of that knife.
I'm extremely nervous, 'cause, you know, my parents are totally against me being a chef.
But I know I can do it.
Stop.
Seby.
These are perfect.
Congratulations.
First one through.
Stand behind.
Well done.
Good job.
Good job.
Absolutely.
Yep.
Perfect.
While Seby enjoys the safety of the winner's platform Precision and technique.
The judges are deciding the fate of another.
Seemed like my bowl was getting fuller than anyone else's around me.
I was just waiting for the tap on the shoulder to, you know, go in the winner's circle.
Keep it going.
I didn't want to fill up my bowl the fastest.
I wanted to just make sure that I had precision cuts.
Come on, guys.
Elin, stop please.
Now, there's lots of little bits here.
It looks like you're peeling them twice.
Are you doing it one nice swoop? You are.
There are just so many inconsistencies.
I'm sorry, Elin.
You're leaving MasterChef.
Thank you.
It was heartbreaking.
It's heartbreaking.
Over a stupid apple.
First person's gone.
Start focusing, please.
Knife down, please.
This is my life.
Christine.
Mm-hmm? They're perfect.
Congratulations.
You're through.
Good job.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you.
Over there.
I almost fainted.
I was like, "Oh, my God.
" I just made it through a challenge.
Don't stop, guys.
Keep it going.
Stop.
Oh, boy.
Here we go.
It was Albert's alligator dish that earned him a MasterChef apron.
Yeah! But now can he keep it? Core please, Graham.
Congratulations.
You're through.
Thank you.
Well done.
This is real.
Take a deep breath.
It's coming together.
Albert is the third contestant to advance.
You're through.
Thank you, chef.
Well done.
Followed by several more yeses.
Well done.
Good job.
You're through.
Well done.
Take yourself over there.
Well done.
But an hour into the apple chop challenge, on the chopping block as pressure and fatigue begin to take their toll.
I know how painful this is, guys.
My hand started cramping, and just--it started hurting real bad.
And just sweating.
It was hard to hold on to the knife.
This is where it's gonna really seriously kick in now.
I am getting more tired and more tired, and I'm just wondering how much longer do I have to keep doing this? Keep it going, guys.
Stop please, Joseph.
Joseph became passionate about cooking while caring for his sick wife.
You love her dearly? Oh, very much.
She's my best friend.
Ta-da! Yeah! But does he have the knife skills to keep his apron? Okay, Joseph.
I've gone from sort of wafer thin to sort of big, thick clumps.
I'm sorry, but you're leaving MasterChef.
I know I can cook, and I'm-- I'm gonna keep at it, and I'm gonna get better.
And Joseph isn't the only one pushed to the limit.
Several more home cooks fail the test You're leaving MasterChef.
And are forced to turn in their aprons.
I'm sorry, Pauline.
You're leaving MasterChef.
Please take your apron off.
Watching everybody sent home feels good, because it's one less person I need to worry about.
It's gonna start really seriously hurting now.
Alejandra, stop.
Knife down.
How many have you done? Well over 12.
For Alejandra, a MasterChef apron could mean the start of a whole new life.
It's been two years of a lot of financial struggle.
I have $150,000 worth of student loans.
The shrimp tastes delicious.
But will she have to hand it back? If I find one pip in here, it's game over.
Alejandra? Yes, chef? You slice apples like a pro.
Congratulations.
You're in.
Well done.
It was worth it! All this time and this crazy pain in my back, it's worth it.
Yeah! the chopping continues.
Gordon Ramsay is breathing down my neck and looking for perfection.
Ben, stop.
Please, please.
Don't find any seeds.
Don't find any core.
Don't send me home, Gordon.
Ben.
Yes, chef? Take your apron over there.
Congratulations.
Well done.
I'm completely exhausted.
I was like Congratulations.
I've got blisters.
It's been two hours since the apple chop began.
Now just Dustin and Tracy remain.
Keep going, Dustin.
Keep going, Tracy.
Come on.
I am nervous.
I'm tired.
My hand is absolutely killing me.
But I know that I am not gonna give up.
Let's go.
I'm coming at this full force.
I mean, it's only a matter of time now.
I'm off into the winner's circle.
Okay, Dustin, stop.
Tracy, stop please.
Knife down.
That's just over two hours you've been slicing apples.
Tracy Keep going, Dustin.
Keep going, Tracy.
Come on.
After two hours of nonstop chopping, just Tracy and Dustin remain to be judged.
Okay, Dustin.
Stop.
Tracy, stop please.
Knife down.
That's just over two hours you've been slicing apples.
Tracy You're staying.
Congratulations.
Dustin, Tracy's are far more consistent than yours.
You're leaving MasterChef.
Thank you.
Gordon Ramsay's like, you know, a hero to me.
And just having him try my food and saying that it's delicious, that meant a lot to me.
Really, it did.
Come with me.
Let's go.
With 14 home cooks eliminated, just 24 remain in the competition.
And the next grueling test will see many more sent home.
Now, making it this far means you've got the knife skills to hold your own in the kitchen.
But your next challenge involves something with a few more moving parts.
My heart melts, because I love chickens.
I see the chicken, and I am ecstatic, because I was hoping that we would actually butcher a live animal.
This is America's most popular meat.
If you cannot cook the most amazing chicken dish, there is no way on earth you're ever gonna call yourself a MasterChef.
You've got one hour to do something absolutely stunning.
One chicken.
And you're not using this one.
The chicken should be the headline act, but make use of the supporting cast of ingredients back here.
We have everything you can think of.
from infused oils, spices, herbs, vegetables If we like your chicken dish, you'll stay.
If we don't, you're leaving the competition.
Are you ready? Off you go.
The contestants will have one hour to create one stunning chicken dish.
This challenge will test their ingenuity, creativity, and their ability to think on their feet.
Let's go, guys.
We're all running toward the pantry.
You want to get there first.
You want to make sure that you get what you need to make your dish right.
You should let these ingredients speak to you.
They should be calling out to you.
"Hey, use me.
Abuse me.
" Most importantly, don't forget to get the chicken on, yes? Two minutes gone.
Has anyone seen baking powder? There's no room for mistakes.
At this point, we've gone down from 100 to 38 to 24, and you know that they're just gonna keep cutting and cutting and cutting.
It's game time.
Start thinking how you're gonna cook that chicken.
If it's roasted, it needs to go in in the next five minutes, yes? Go, guys.
Get that chicken going, huh? My mind is racing.
Do I want to do chicken and noodles? Do I want to do a stuffed chicken breast? I have to come up with something quick.
The big issue is not over-complicating the chicken and not trying to be too clever.
What would you guys make? I think I'd roast the chicken thigh, bone it out, do a crispy skin, then baste it in honey, garlic, some thyme.
I'd do a wonderful chicken fricassee.
Take advantage of all those amazing mushrooms there.
Spinach, boulangere potato, and something that can really highlight the actual flavor of the chicken.
I am making mediterranean chicken salad, with tabouli and sauteed feta.
This is a version I haven't created for anyone other than myself.
Just under Keep it going, guys.
The pantry's absolutely stunning.
How could you not come up with the most amazing chicken dish? I think the competition was already won or lost in those five minutes of what they chose.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
I'm making a Western mushroom sauce with a Indian-inspired chicken sautee.
I never made this dish in my entire life.
Hopefully it'll turn out very well.
Ha ha.
Seby, can I suggest you get the chicken in the pan? I will.
I will.
You must be the only one that hasn't started cooking the chicken yet.
Wow.
Alejandra's doing a tagine.
And she's speeding up the process of cooking the breast, which can go dry, which is a bloody dangerous thing to do.
The time you cook your chicken is really what it's about.
It's delivering a dish that's juicy and flavorful and impressive.
How you doing? What have you got for us? I got a chicken gumbo I'm making.
Chicken gumbo? In an hour? Are you out of your mind? You think that you're gonna have the time to extract the kind of flavor and reduction you need out of that sauce? I--yes.
Yes? It's not the first time I've cooked a gumbo in an hour.
There's no problem.
I'm in my comfort zone.
Tracy, talk to me about your dish.
What are you doing? It's my version of a chicken pot pie.
In 60 minutes? Uh, well, I'm gonna kind of do it a little bit deconstructed.
For 60 minutes, that's a lot of work to do.
Yeah, I know.
It is.
.
What's the matter? My chicken skin's burning.
Is it burning? Yeah.
Yeah, put the pan down.
Don't blow it.
Don't blow it.
Just put the pan down.
Oh, my God.
I left my chicken skins in the oven, broiling.
I'm done.
I made a rookie mistake, and I'm going home.
The remaining 24 contestants have one hour to cook the chicken dish of a lifetime.
Keep it going, guys, yes? Some seem to have it under control, while others are feeling the heat.
.
My chicken skin got a little too crispy.
You only have one shot, so I'm nervous.
I mean, you never know what else can go wrong.
30 minutes to go.
Come on.
Keep it going, guys.
Make this the best chicken dish you've ever cooked.
Visualize that dish and really focus on that presentation.
Saw a lot of breasts being cooked out there in advance.
That's a very risky, risky game.
And I saw a lot of slow-cooking techniques and braising and stewing, which is very either risky or stupid in the one-hour format.
Unreal.
Oh, my God.
This is so good.
Wow.
For me just to be able to do this right now and show America how to make butter chicken from scratch, I mean, wow.
Suzy is so arrogant.
Thinks she's a professor of Culinary Arts.
I hope they like it.
'Cause I'm in love.
Wow.
I just hope that she'll slip up.
20 minutes to go.
I'm cooking, um, roasted chicken and arugula, spinach, pancetta, and mango, with a little orange drizzle on top.
I think the time is an issue for me.
It's just I want to get everything perfect, you know, and put it on the plate for them so that they like it.
You know what I mean? I'm gonna do everything I can to keep this apron.
Anything.
I got to throw elbows, I will.
Come on.
Keep it going.
All about techniques.
And please focus.
I'm making chicken cacciatore.
It's traditional from Italy.
I want to represent all Italians, you know? Here we have some celery, carrots, onion, thyme, rosemary, and some of the pork inside.
Uh, it's gonna be You know, but I know what I'm doing.
It's gonna be good.
Guys, just over ten minutes left.
Let's go, guys.
Let's go.
There are and everyone knows what they're doing.
So it's terrifying.
It's terrifying.
I can't screw this up.
That's just-- that's the bottom line.
I can't screw this up.
I don't care how everyone else is doing.
I just personally cannot screw this up.
All right, Ben.
Yes, sir? How's it going? Going well.
I have some, uh, biscuits in the oven right now, but there was absolutely no baking powder, so Why would you choose to be complex on a day like today? You have to stand out, chef, otherwise you're never gonna notice me.
Trust me, Ben, with a hat on like that, you're standing out today.
Let's hope the biscuits work.
I know I have now made a colossal error in front of Gordon, and he has placed a target right on my forehead.
Because you don't make biscuits without baking powder! Hi, Rhonda.
You're pan-searing these chickens-- how are you gonna stop them from becoming dry? Um, I need to find ice and cool it off.
You think we're gonna have a moist, tender piece of chicken, not something I'm trying.
I'm trying.
I don't want to choke on your chicken.
Derrick was doing the etouffee, and he was using some of the gizzard and things like that to make dirty rice, and he was also stewing down all of the nice dark meat cuts, so I'm hoping that that's gonna be delicious.
It was supposed to be a smoked andouille chicken etouffee with beer in it, but the pantry did not cooperate, so, uh, I'm using a spicy Italian sausage instead, which is not quite the flavor profile.
I think this may end up turning out a little more like almost a chicken chili.
Start putting those finishing touches to your dish.
Let these ingredients speak for themselves, guys.
Don't over-manipulate stuff.
Cooking chicken Oscar, 'cause it's delicious.
I think it takes skill to make a bearnaise and make it right.
Nothing's going wrong over here.
Just under four minutes left, guys, yes? About to make a miracle.
Thank you, Jesus.
That's all I can do.
Start thinking about plating up.
Visualize that dish.
Put those finishing touches on there.
Make sure you taste everything that goes on that plate.
Use every second you've got to perfect those dishes.
Keep it going, guys.
I'm looking at the clock.
I don't know if I'm gonna be done in time, and I'm freaking out.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
And stop! Make this the best chicken dish you've ever cooked, or this may be the last minute ever in MasterChef.
Keep it going, guys.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
And stop.
Stand back from your stations.
the competition, but aprons are about to be taken away.
Row one and row two, come forward please.
Max, let's go first.
What's it called? Duo of southwestern chicken with southwestern succotash.
The creaminess of the avocado goes well with the chicken.
I'm just not 100% certain on the sauce.
I like the hot sauce.
Gives a nice little balance to everything.
Okay, Angel, let's go, please.
Chicken and dumplings.
I used dark meat, 'cause I like the way dark meat tastes.
I love the idea of that homey, American dish.
Chicken's actually tender.
The problem are the dumplings.
Slightly undercooked.
Very weighty and somewhat doughy.
Okay.
Tony.
What is it, please? I've made a brick chicken, a garlic rosemary mashed potato.
Let's see.
That's a properly cooked chicken.
Thank you.
It's a good start.
I think potatoes need help.
Kyle, let's go.
I have chicken salad mixed with fresh hummus, sauteed feta and tabouli salad.
Pretty intense.
You can't really identify the true flavor of the chicken when it's shredded and mixed.
Alejandra.
Please.
So this is my interpretation of a Moroccan chicken tagine with apricots and dried fig.
Very, um, very nice and fresh.
Very good.
Right.
Alvin.
Got a version of beer can chicken that can be cooked inside any time of year.
Chicken tastes nice, but you can't just dust things with raw spice.
Yes, chef.
Six varied dishes.
Let me tell you that.
The judges are about to decide who will move on to cook in the MasterChef kitchen and whose dreams end right here tonight.
Okay.
Max, Alvin, one step forward please.
Congratulations.
You're both through.
I'm just relieved I'm going on to the next round.
Word's out that I can cook.
People should be worried.
Alejandra, Tony, one step forward, please.
You're both Through.
Thank you, chef.
Good job.
Okay, Angel, Kyle One of you will be coming into the MasterChef kitchen.
One of you will be leaving MasterChef.
Angel.
You are going through.
Congratulations.
Well done.
Good job.
Kyle, the dish didn't work.
It's the kind of dish that you would put with leftover chicken.
I gave you a prime piece of meat.
I just wanted to see that be the hero.
Unfortunately, it wasn't.
You're leaving MasterChef.
Thank you.
I'm disappointed.
It was a very short stay.
I would have liked to have learned a lot more before I left.
Can I have the back two rows come up, please? Suzy, let's go ahead.
Hi, chefs.
I prepared for you guys butter chicken.
This is a traditional Indian meal.
Rice is kind of bland.
I'm hoping that Suzy's dish is gonna fail.
She thinks she's way better than she actually is.
It's a little annoying.
However, the butter chicken is pretty dynamite.
Christian, please.
Did a chicken Oscar, which is, um, crab, bearnaise, and, um, I put it on a little bed of risotto.
Good bearnaise.
Nice looking asparagus too.
Risotto? Jennifer, come on up.
Walk me through this.
Absolutely.
Chicken and fruit.
Ben.
They are gonna hate this.
Uh Even if it tastes great, it looks like a pile of .
Here we have chicken breast and thigh meat that has been slowly poached in butter.
We have the very bottom of a crusty, butter biscuit that was baked with chive and crispy chicken skin.
It looks ghastly.
Um, it actually tastes better than it looks.
Ben, if you haven't got baking powder, don't attempt to make a frickin' biscuit.
Aaron, come on up.
What have you made for us? Uh, today I designed a chicken Belize.
Wait, wait.
Is there chicken on this? Yes, actually there's chicken on the inside of it.
To have an entire chicken, and to put forth something that's about a bite and a half, I don't really see the logic in it, you know? No matter how great the flavor is.
Okay, Christine.
All right, what do we have? Crazy chicken with a twist.
Twist? What's the twist? Um, there's a little lemon.
Is the dish too simple? Suzy, Christian, Jennie, can I have you guys come forward, please? You guys presented us with three really solid dishes.
You guys are going forward.
Congrats.
Thank you.
Christine and Aaron, please take a step forward.
You both put forward a good effort, but sadly one of you will be moving forward in the competition and one will be out.
Aaron, you were given an entire, two-pound chicken, and we used, like, an ounce of it.
It's really not MasterChef quality.
I'm gonna need your apron.
Sorry.
Christine, congratulations.
Thank you.
I gave it all that I could.
Cooking is not just a dream for me.
That's my reality.
Culinary arts and cooking.
I'm gonna live it till I can't do it anymore.
Ben, Ben, Ben.
It's all down to you.
What are you doing standing there by yourself? I'm waiting to hear my fate, chef.
I'm screwed.
They're gonna send me home just because my dish looks terrible.
What have I done? I hope you see the value in my chicken, chef.
There's so much I can do.
Well, I'm sorry.
Ben, Ben, Ben.
It's all down to you.
What are you doing standing there by yourself? I'm waiting to hear my fate, chef.
Well, I'm sorry.
But you're not gonna go home.
I'm gonna keep you in.
Congratulations, Ben.
It's not so much a sense of relief as it is of a complete draining of all of my body's energy.
And I literally collapse into Alejandra's arms.
Next two rows, please step down in front.
Bring your dish with you.
Mark, present your dish.
Chicken rollatini.
Stuffed with arugula, shallots, uh, prosciutto.
Topped with marsala cream.
The chicken's delicious.
Thank you.
However, pasta is like baby vomit.
Erryn.
This is a baked chicken with a barbecue dry rub, and, um, a roasted corn salad.
Chicken's nice.
Uh, the salad, little heavy, just, uh, with the mustard and everything else, I think.
Corn's one of those things you want to let kind of speak for themselves.
Okay, Rhonda.
I have a rosemary chicken done two ways.
The first one is a pan-seared rosemary chicken on a bed of mixed greens.
And then the second one is a chunky chicken salad.
So you thought that chicken salad two ways can advance you in this competition? It seems like a poor card to play right now.
Okay, Albert.
I have a, uh, chicken gumbo.
I made my stock from chicken bones.
Everything was from scratch.
From the stock all the way to the finished product.
Gumbo, traditionally anything from three to five hours.
Why would you try to do it in 60 minutes? Just being innovative.
Trying to make sure Sure.
But there's things that can't be done in 60 minutes.
Gumbo needs time.
Let's go, Joey.
What have you got? Uh, chicken piccata over penne with a side of roasted garlic.
Okay, Adrien.
What do you got? This is a chicken chili verde.
I made a quick stock and simmered it with tomatillo, little squash.
Uh, did a Spanish tortilla.
Flavor on the dish is pretty-- pretty bad ass.
It's really delicious.
Thank you, chef.
Man.
Man, man, man, man, man.
Rhonda, please take a step forward.
You gave us two salads.
It wasn't up to MasterChef standard.
I'm sorry.
Please step forward and give us your apron.
Thank you very much.
I'm disappointed.
You know, I wanted this.
But I'm still optimistic, and I know that this is just another leg of my journey.
Um, I know it's not over for me.
Mark, Erryn, and Adrien, please take a step forward.
My hands are sweaty, and I'm nervous as hell.
It is ridiculously important for me to get through this challenge.
Guys, I'd like you to take what you've learned here at MasterChef And use it in the next round, because you've all gone through.
So that leaves Albert and Joey.
Okay, Joey.
I didn't know what was going on.
I'll take it like a man.
Let's-- let's get this over with.
The pasta and chicken just didn't really come together.
We're gonna have to ask you to come forward and give us your apron.
Thanks, Joey.
Keep cooking.
Albert.
You, uh, served me my first alligator.
In this round, um Albert.
You, uh, served me my first alligator.
In this round The chicken gumbo just didn't work.
It wasn't up to MasterChef standard.
I'm sorry.
Can you please give us your apron.
I'm walking away from here proud.
I did something that I never thought I'd be able to do.
Nothing to be ashamed of.
Do not stop cooking.
And watch out for those alligators.
They're big .
It's over.
The gator's done.
Okay, six of you left.
Some of you will be going home.
Dishes up, please.
This is the longest walk of my life.
Not many more of us are going to be going forward.
Esther, let's go.
So this is It's a pan-roasted mustard chicken topped with herb bread crumbs.
Mm-hmm.
Drumstick and thigh? Yes.
Bone in? Yes.
Think the flavors are there.
But remember everything is of equal importance.
Taste, texture, creativity, and the overall appearance.
All right, Derrick.
Let's go.
What is it? Um, you have a chicken etouffee.
Mm-hmm.
With some spicy sausage-- what's an etouffee supposed to taste like? Uh, a creamy sauce with, uh, with some chicken in it, and, uh, little bit of spice to it, and generally served with a little rice.
The rice is pretty pedestrian.
I know this dish is flawed.
I'm going home.
Like, this is the end for me.
Back in line.
Thank you.
Okay, Jennie, let's go.
It is burrata-stuffed, prosciutto-wrapped chicken.
On a bed of, uh, mediterranean couscous.
Great move, burrata inside a chicken breast.
Actually tastes quite nice.
Is it the first time you've ever made couscous? Yes, it is.
Yeah.
It shows.
Right, Seby.
Let's go.
This is a Indian-inspired dish.
It's got a morel mushroom sauce with chickpeas.
The chicken is marinated with raw pineapple.
Just tenderized a little bit.
Has a nice spice to it, which kind of contrasts the sweetness.
Extreme sweetness.
Love the rub on the chicken.
But that sauce doesn't work.
Way, way too rich.
Okay.
Giuseppe, let's go, big boy.
Chicken cacciatore.
In the sauce, there is capers, carrots, there is wine.
Not a lot of color on the sear, huh? The chicken's cooked well, but I don't know.
Let's go, Tracy.
I have a chicken pot minus the pie.
Minus the burned chicken Skin.
Skin.
So here's the thing.
Your dish is called a "chicken not pie," because there's no pastry.
It's not cooked in a pie dish.
Esther, Jennie, one step forward please.
Those dishes were not perfect.
But the hero of the dish was the chicken.
Congratulations.
You're both through.
Well done.
Giuseppe, Seby, one foot forward.
One of you is staying in the competition, and one of you is returning to your loved ones.
Giuseppe.
You Are in.
Congratulations.
Seby, come on.
Think you got confused, trying to make a fusion of a French cuisine overlapping an Indian style.
Unfortunately, the dish didn't work.
But what all three of us want you to do is continue your dream.
You're 18 years of age, and the knowledge you have, it's quite remarkable.
Keep all that and improve it.
And tell mom and dad that you have a future in food.
I guarantee it.
Thank you.
If Chef Ramsay has faith in me, I definitely have faith in myself.
I got to go home and tell my parents, whether they like it or not, I'm gonna be a chef and I'm gonna be a bloody good one.
Okay, here's what's going through my mind.
You both know you both could have done a better job.
Congratulations.
You're both through.
Thank God.
It feels incredible to be here.
I have to prove to them that they didn't make a mistake, and I'm gonna be here.
I'm gonna be here for a while.
On the back of a nationwide search, we're down to just 18 of you.
And look amongst each other.
Somewhere in that mix there's a MasterChef winner.
Competition is on.
Good luck.
Next time, the final 18 will take their place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Yes, yes, yes.
I'm a property manager.
I am a style consultant.
I am a 51-year-old truck driver.
I'm a realtor.
I'm a freshman at Trinity College.
I just quit my job.
I'm a manager for a stone company.
I'm an attorney.
A real estate agent.
I'm a single mom.
I build websites.
I'm a stay at home dad.
I am a travel writer.
I'm an architect.
I am a server.
I work for a electronics manufacturer.
Actually own my own P.
R.
firm.
I am a publicist.
I'm a neural engineer.
Now the real competition begins.
Bring it.
Their skill The technique Creativity Is an art.
And culinary I.
Q I have no idea what this is.
Are put to the test.
The home cooks will be led into foreign territory.
French is not my strongpoint, so got to get it perfect.
Some make their mark.
It's like fireworks on your palate.
Others will lose their way.
That is the worst dish that's ever left my kitchen.
For at one, their first day in the kitchen Take your apron off and leave.
Will be their last.