Masterchef (2010) s02e15 Episode Script
Top 7 Compete
Previously on MasterChef The biggest showdown in MasterChef history I know I'm a better cook than her.
He's an arrogant son of a bitch, and I think he's a liar.
And a shocking twist.
Christian's outta here, and I'm just dumbfounded.
Christian.
Congratulations.
Upstairs.
Ohh! Ohh! He's still here.
Why? Tonight I want you to taste this.
Christian and Chef Ramsay face off.
I've had better.
You may want to be smart And stop acting like an arrogant.
Am I gonna stand up there and butter Jen's ass? Hell no.
throw me under the bus.
Eight cooks remain to battle it out in front of three culinary heavyweights.
At stake, a quarter of a million dollars, and the title of MasterChef.
There's only eight of us left.
The pressure is huge, it's mounting, and I've got some amazing, talented competitors with me.
Christian doesn't deserve to be here anymore.
He needs to go home.
I'm arrogant, I'm cocky, because I have a right to be.
Feels awesome to be in the top eight.
Top eight,.
Good morning.
Good morning.
All right, guys, you know what today is, right? You got a big, brown square in front of you.
What does that mean? Mystery box.
It's a mystery box challenge.
As with every mystery box challenge, The contestants have to prepare, cook, and present one incredible dish using all or some of the ingredients inside the box.
We'll taste the top three dishes, and the cook with the best dish will get a critical, critical advantage in the next challenge.
I started off in this competition on a huge high note.
I rocked out on, like, the first couple of challenges.
And, ever since then, I've really been going downhill.
Ready to lift those boxes? Yes.
On the count of three.
One Two Three.
All right.
Yes, today it's surf and turf day.
Aah! Ooh.
I don't do so well with squiggly, slimy things.
Now take a good look.
You've got the most amazing live, jumbo shrimp.
Phenomenal Alaskan King Crab.
Live crawfish.
Buffalo rib eye.
The most amazing dry aged porterhouse steak.
And then those stunning little cubes Short loin.
It's surf and turf time, and, uh, I'm thinking I'm gonna win this one.
You've got 45 minutes to take all or some of those ingredients under the box and turn it into something magical.
Today, for our mystery box, we have 45 minutes to complete our dish.
What happened to an hour? Now.
Off you go.
Good luck.
Today's mystery box will really put the cooks to the test.
With only 45 minutes to prepare a dish, it's all about making quick and intelligent choices.
Not only do they have the beautiful surf and turf items to choose from.
They may also use items from the pantry to really make the protein shine.
Whoa.
Only the top three dishes will be tasted by the judges.
Today I'm doing a cajun-inspired surf and turf with crawfish and Buffalo rib eye.
45 minutes.
Yeah.
Not a lot of time.
What would you do? What would I do? I'd use the bison.
Rib eye.
And I'd counteract that with something a little bit more sweet.
I'd use Alaskan King Crab.
I would do the New York strip.
I'd take it off the bone, actually, roast it off, and I would do a crawfish risotto with a little bit of corn relish.
We've given them the grounds to be successful before they even began cooking.
Absolutely.
So they have to take it to the next level to really impress us.
15 minutes gone.
What are you making for us today, Christine? Um He almost got me.
I think I'm gonna do the crab and crawfish and shrimp.
You okay? Me? Yeah.
Okay.
All right.
Good luck.
Thank you.
Bye-bye! All right, Jennifer.
What are you doing? I'm doing a risotto.
I'm making a little bit of shrimp stock.
I'm actually using the crab meat.
I'm gonna break that down.
I already have my short ribs in.
They're going.
I'm gonna break those down, mix it into my risotto, mix in some of the crab.
Okay.
Wow.
I mean, that's, uh, that's ambitious.
Yeah.
Who's gonna struggle across this mystery box? Um, you know, Christine's-- Christine's mind's not really here today.
Aah.
.
Shrimp? Shrimp.
Shrimp is jumping.
Who do you want to see struggle, more importantly? To see Christian go home, I wouldn't say I'd be sad.
Who's the one person that you'd spare every time you face a challenge? If I had to pick somebody in the kitchen, I'd say Adrien's very talented, very gifted, very thoughtful.
I'm worried mostly about Jennifer, just because she's also been a big winner in the mystery box challenges.
But I never had the judges spit on my food, and I haven't had the judges throw food at me, and I haven't had the judges throw my food in the trash, which has happened to her.
That's hot.
Adrien, a recipient and a winner of two mystery boxes.
Yes, Chef.
Third one in sight? Yes, Chef.
What are you doing? It's beer-braised short ribs, and, um, crab salad.
I'm trying to show off a little bit here.
I'm really trying to impress you guys.
Just make sure you show off on the plate.
Yes, Chef.
All right, Christian.
So what do you got for us today? Making a orange carrot ginger emulsion.
You're gonna rice these potatoes here? Gonna run the potatoes through the, uh, food mill.
You think that, uh, everyone's on equal footing with this challenge? Um, I think a lot of people cook steak and seafood, but, I mean, we only have 45 minutes.
There's only so much you can do.
Right.
So, some interesting things.
Lot of risk taking.
People braising short ribs in 45 minutes.
Wouldn't attempt to braise them even in a pressure cooker.
No, not at all.
When you have those other options.
I mean, some other great cuts.
Why would you go with the short rib? Love the idea of the risotto.
Love it.
It's a modern surf and turf.
That's exactly what we were talking about.
Taking the concept of surf and turf, interpreting it, making it your own, and blowing us away.
Yeah, absolutely.
Derrick seems a little bit confused.
He's doing, like, a crab salad with a simply seared steak.
And Christian's having some trouble back there.
His potatoes are under-seasoned.
Yeah, I hope it works.
Yeah.
35 minutes gone.
Ten minutes to go.
How we doing, Ben? Very, very good.
Good.
Tell me what you got.
I am searing my beautiful, bison rib eye right now.
This new, all-steel MasterChef pan Yeah.
They don't have any PTFEs on 'em.
They have thermolon.
Ah, it's gorgeous.
Smells amazing from here.
Thanks, Chef.
Okay, Suzy.
What are you doing? Uh, I'm doing a bisque.
Yes.
It's a shrimp bisque.
And then a steak.
Just letting it marinate.
I just put a little bit of garlic, salt, pepper.
The over-complicated stance you take on cooking sometimes Yeah.
Has come back to bite you on the ass.
It definitely has, Chef, yeah.
It'd be nice to see you win a mystery box challenge.
Just over five minutes to go.
After observing the home cooks throughout the challenge, the judges will select three dishes to taste, so these final seconds of plating could be the difference between success and failure.
Oh,.
That's hot.
One minute left.
No time to back up.
Beef better be cooked.
And I got to start plating.
Taste, taste, taste.
Here we go.
Ten, nine, eight Seven, six, five, four Three, two, one, and stop.
Here we go.
Ten seconds to go.
Ten, nine, eight, Seven, six, five, four, Three, two, one, and stop.
Whoo! Well done.
In this mystery box challenge, the judges will taste just three dishes.
The winner will be given a huge advantage in the next round.
We were looking for something highly creative and inventive.
We've chosen the top three.
This first dish Used short ribs.
That was a very ballsy move.
Congratulations Adrien.
Well done.
Adrien hasn't been very consistent throughout this competition.
He's been on super highs, and he's been on, like, major lows.
So I'm really, really surprised that Adrien's in the top three.
I don't think he deserves it.
Third time in the top three with a mystery box.
Beer braised short ribs and black garlic.
It's a contrast with the crab salad.
It's, like, really bright, acidic, slightly sweet.
Yep, you sat it on the bone.
Yeah.
Is that for decorative? For decorative, and when you braise it, that adds to the flavor of it.
Well, it's gonna be a big ask to not make those short ribs rubbery.
In 45 minutes.
Right.
Okay.
Delicious.
I mean, a very modern take, very dangerous, uh, surf and turf.
It's good, but it's not magical.
But, yeah, you've pulled it off.
Thank you, Chef.
Yeah.
You are back.
Uh, with a vengeance.
Great job.
Thanks, chef.
It's really zingy and bright.
Still a little bit one-dimensional, I think.
Right.
Flavors are nice, though.
Brave using short ribs.
45 minutes would be the limit.
It wasn't even, like, a real cook time, you know, so real jeopardy there.
Right.
You've been, uh, extremely hit or miss in this competition.
This one is, uh, out of the park.
Thank you.
Very, very God.
Thanks, guys.
All right, this next dish utilized a great restraint, but was able to let some heat really come through.
That dish belonged to Suzy.
Oh, my God.
Seriously.
I definitely do not think Suzy is still the frontrunner.
There's a lot of people that have consistently won in this competition, and they're gonna inch her out.
Oh, my God.
I did a prawn bisque, and a bison with a pan gravy sauce.
Um, I really wanted the essence of both ingredients to come out in themselves, so I really wanted to simplify this dish.
Suzy's going simple? Yeah.
I'm going simple.
Yeah.
Miss Smarty Knickers is going simple.
I feel like I've got something blocked in my ears.
Well, let's see.
Soup is begging for a touch of seasoning, in terms of that last little finishing touch.
However It is absolutely delicious.
It's got the right kind of creamy texture.
The tails are in there, and they just melt in your mouth.
Great sear on the steak.
It's a weird combination, but it works.
When you cook and let the ingredients shine, you're unstoppable.
That is delicious.
Thank you, Chef.
Well done.
Thank you.
You haven't been up here since the first mystery box, right? That's correct.
Weeks ago.
Weeks ago.
I think that if you keep on, uh, cooking like this, your stay with us here may continue to extend.
So congratulations.
Thank you so much.
Okay, so the third cook presented a dish that was a big wow for us, because it showed technique, insight, intellect.
All the things that we're expecting at this level of the competition.
Jennifer, why don't you come up here and bring us your risotto? I don't know what it is with Jennifer.
I can't imagine that she's making better food than me.
I, uh, got the short ribs in right away.
I combined both vegetable stock and chicken stock, and took the shrimp for the broth for the risotto, and I took the crab meat, broke it down, and I butter poached it.
See, I call those the goodies.
Yeah.
When I do a risotto, I like to have almost 50% rice, so that every bite you really get some of that stuff.
Flavor is incredible.
Thank you, Chef.
Really delicious.
wouldn't be able to hit a risotto that well.
Thank you.
Great job.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Okay.
You hit the perfect risotto, and it's phenomenal.
And if the rest of the contestants can taste the seasoning in that risotto, I tasted a bland, bland, dreadful mashed potato.
But there's the benchmark.
Christian, I want you to come down and taste this.
'Cause when you put mashed potatoes on a plate like that, you've got to understand what you're up against, and it is of a benefit.
And I hope you see the difference.
Very good.
I've had better.
Look at me.
You may want to be [bleep.]
smart, and start acting like an arrogant [bleep.]
, but let me tell you something.
It's cooked perfectly, and it's seasoned beautifully.
Your mashed potatoes are bland.
And so I want you to identify the difference, hoping that you've got the intelligence to take it to the next level and learn from it.
'Cause all of a sudden, over the last couple of weeks, you've shut down, because you can't learn anymore, and that's proved obvious in the results you're putting on the plate.
It tastes good.
I'm not gonna deny that it tastes good.
But I have had better risottos.
Am I gonna stand up there and butter Jen's ass? Hell no.
throw me under the bus.
Jennifer, well done.
Thank you, Chef.
Amazing.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Great job.
Thank you.
You know what, buddy? You keep saying I don't belong here.
Okay.
Bring it on.
Bring it on.
Okay.
We're only looking for one winner who will gain a huge advantage in the next stage of this competition.
Is it Adrien? He placed a sort of robust short rib in an elegant way.
Feeling really confident, and I'm hoping--and I feel that I won this for sure.
Suzy, the highlight was the bisque.
Which shouldn't have been the star.
It should have been the compliment.
But you managed to make one simple and delicious, and the bisque stunning.
I think I might actually have a shot to win a mystery box challenge.
Seriously.
This is awesome.
Or is it the risotto? I didn't come here to be second best.
I came here to win.
Came here to put everything on the plate.
And I've shown that I do belong here.
Okay.
Tough decision.
Really tough decision.
Congratulations The top three surf and turf dishes have been tasted, but only one can win this mystery box challenge.
This is a third mystery box win.
I've won two mystery box challenges.
It's mine.
I know that I nailed it.
It's me.
It's got to be me.
I'm just, like, excited for the third win.
Congratulations Jennifer.
Oh! You bought it! Ugh.
Jennifer.
Every time Jennifer wins something, I'm like, "! Damn it.
She won again.
" Lucky number three.
Congratulations.
Let's go.
In the elimination test, at least one person will leave MasterChef.
And now Jennifer will be given a huge advantage, as she gets to pick the ingredient or style of food that everyone must cook with.
Today is all about our childhood.
Joe, Graham, and I are about to show you three amazing dishes that hold huge memories of all our childhood.
You will pick one, and everyone will cook that dish.
Okay.
Okay.
Brace yourself for a shock.
Recognize this little booger? Oh, my.
Here's the scary news.
Even at the age of four, he really went for that scare.
He looks like someone out of The Omen.
Come on, I was a cute little guy.
Look at that.
He grew up eating around Greenwich Village and traveling throughout Italy, and do you know what his favorite food was? Pasta.
Wrong.
The most popular food in the world, Italy's gift to humanity.
Oh, God.
Yes, it's the all-mighty pizza.
My grandmother would cook the focaccia pizza with great Buffalo mozzarella and a fluffy tomato sauce every day after school.
And then there's this guy.
Already rubbing his belly at age five.
Now, my childhood favorite dish is Mac and cheese.
It's hot, it's cheesy.
I loved it back when I was a kid, and I love it today.
Okay, recognize this little punk? I am clearly the cutest.
Um, that photo was taken three months after I lost my virginity.
Now something that still holds a huge memory today.
Tomato soup with grilled cheese.
Even when you're feeling down, a bowl of tomato soup just gives you that lift, and the grilled cheese just sends you to heaven.
Yes.
But listen.
We're looking for something along the lines of a adult, gourmet version of our childhood memories.
Jennifer, what's it gonna be? Well, I grew up on all three of them, and The theme was Graham, Joe, and my childhood favorites.
I think it's gonna be great.
Christine's a mom, I'm a dad, and I make food for my kids all the time, so I think it shouldn't be too hard.
The choices were pizza, Mac and cheese Yeah! Awesome.
Or tomato soup and grilled cheese.
I really hope Jennifer chooses anything but tomato soup and grilled cheese.
The dish that Jennifer picked, and my childhood favorite, tomato soup and grilled cheese.
Here's the catch.
You have to present us with a stunning, delicious tomato soup and a grilled cheese in 45 minutes.
The longer you have for soup, the better, just for those flavors to intermingle with one another, and 45 minutes, it's not a lot of time.
You've got five minutes in the pantry to shop for the ingredients that could absolutely make or break your dish.
ReadySetGo.
Provolone.
Fontina.
The grilled cheese thing for me is tough, so I grab a bunch of different cheeses.
And then I see Foie gras.
It's an ingredient that you normally don't ever get to work with.
I've actually never used it before.
So I'm thinking I'm gonna get it and maybe use it.
It speaks to me.
Let's go, guys.
Let's go, let's go.
Oh, my God.
How embarrassing.
So we get back to our stations, and there's these giant friggin' pictures of us from when we were little kids.
This is why I am the way that I am.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my goodness.
Suzy.
You look like you're on Star Search in that picture.
Ben.
Did you make that pizza? Yes, and it won a blue ribbon.
Oh,.
Now, at the back of this elimination challenge, at least one of you will be leaving MasterChef.
Your 45 minutes starts from now.
Off you go.
On paper, this is an easy challenge.
You know, tomato soup, grilled cheese.
But you really have to elevate it, and what's gonna be difficult about this, you kind of got to think about "What am I gonna do with grilled cheese that works with what I've done with the soup?" They have to come together.
So big stumbling blocks in terms of issues, soup being too thin, lackness in flavor.
Too thick.
Right? Could be a little chunky.
Lack of imagination.
Too literal.
I think is the biggest risk.
It's not gonna impress, it's not gonna stand out, it's not what we're asking for.
Toughest part for me today is definitely the soup.
I am a little bit nervous about that.
All right, Suzy.
You have just popped out of this competition now, and you're sort of back in the game.
And it would be a great shame to see you go on the back of a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese.
Why's yours gonna be so different? My tomato soup is updated.
We've got bourbon in there.
And it's gonna be in an heirloom tomato that I'm roasting right now.
Sounds like you're getting complicated again, Suzy.
Not at all.
We're down to eight.
Yes, Chef.
At least one of you's leaving.
Yeah.
Who is it? Um Christine.
Christine's been a little loopy from the beginning.
I--I really think that she needs to leave the competition.
I'm working on a, um, I think a green tomato soup.
Um, it seems to me like I'm the only one that picked green tomatoes.
Adrien.
Doing a Foie gras grilled cheese sandwich, and creamy tomato soup.
Foie gras and tomato? Would you put that together? No.
It's a lot of rich flavors there.
Derrick's going for a traditional, rustic, sort of chunky, oven-roasted, vine tomato soup.
From what I see from the rest of the field, I think he might be out-classed.
I think he's going a little too simple.
That's what I'm worried about also with Christine.
It's, like, a chunky, roasted tomato soup, but we need to see it elevated.
We made that clear.
Just over 15 minutes left, everybody.
15 minutes.
I completely cut myself, and there's blood all over my board.
I can't use anything from my board.
I have to start from scratch, and I only have, like, I'm so screwed.
Just over 15 minutes left, everybody.
15 minutes.
I just cut myself, and I bled on, uh, the bread that I was using there, so I'm not using that board at all.
I have to start from scratch.
Season, readjust, and create one stunning portion.
Five minutes to go.
And, for at least one of you, your last minutes in the MasterChef kitchen.
Come on.
I get my grilled cheese done, and it tastes delicious.
I taste my soup And it's a disaster.
Something has gone horribly wrong with my soup.
Finishing touches in there.
Now.
Come on.
Finish, finish, finish.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
The judges will now taste all eight dishes.
The contestant with the worst dish will be leaving th MasterChef kitchen.
Suzy, let's do it.
I can't believe I finished my bowl.
It definitely came down to the wire.
I'm literally in my pants.
Honestly.
Today I've got a three "G" grilled cheese sandwich.
Three "G"? Yeah, I've got a little bit of goat cheese, smoked gouda, and a little bit of gruyere.
The tomato soup, it's chunky.
It's also got a little bit of bacon in there, and it also has roasted red pepper.
Very simple, but flavors that we all understand, you know? Really, really cohesive dish.
You should be psyched.
Thank you.
What's in the soup? Uh, shallots.
Teeny, tiny bit of mushrooms.
I deglazed with bourbon.
And You can totally taste the bourbon.
It's amazing.
And you taste not only the bourbon.
Yeah.
You taste, like, the sweet toast from the bourbon barrels.
It's amazing.
Wow.
It's almost like a vanilla Tastes vanilla or tropical, but it's the toast from the bourbon barrels.
Amazing.
Congratulations.
Good job, Suzy.
Okay.
One big question.
Where's the tomato? Uh, it's What do you mean? Yeah, it's over there.
Yeah, I want to see it.
You want to see it? Okay.
Of course I do.
You told me you're serving tomato soup in a frickin' roasted tomato, and I want to see that tomato.
Why did you change your mind? Um, I thought it was overly complicated.
But it was gonna explode.
well done.
Good choice.
Yeah.
It's delicious.
Thank you.
It is absolutely, freakily delicious.
Thank you, Chef.
Great job.
Well done.
Thank you so much.
The judges talk about Suzy's dish being great.
Fine.
Whatever.
The fact that it came out pretty perfect, I think it's more of an accident.
Okay, Adrien, come on up.
I didn't roast the tomatoes, so it's a little more acidic.
It's garnished with chives and a lemon honey creme fraiche.
The sandwich, I got layers of manchego, bleu cheese, honey, bacon, and the Foie gras that you saw earlier.
It's a cream-based tomato soup.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
That's where you got to be very careful in terms of the level of cream.
So you got the cream in the soup.
Then you gonna put bloody Foie gras in between two slices of fried bread.
So [bleep.]
rich.
I wanted it modern but bold.
You know, it's way over the top.
Christian, please come forward.
Today, for you, Chef, I made a creamy tomato soup with lobster, and for my grilled cheese, uh, I used a baguette, rubbed it with some Foie gras, melted the cheese, which is drunken goat, of prosciutto in there as well.
Soup could have used a little more seasoning.
The flavors are good, but it's a little dry for my liking.
Okay.
I think, at this point, the judges, uh, been a little bit harder on me than other competitors, 'cause they, you know, know that I'm gonna be a great chef someday.
Ben, let's go.
Blow us away.
I'm walking up to present this soup to the judges, and it's literally disgusting.
And I wonder if I should maybe just trip so that it falls on the ground.
This is an awful position to be in.
I really wanted to oven roast my tomatoes to concentrate that flavor, but 45 minutes just isn't enough time to do that.
But it actually works well with my sandwich.
My sandwich is incredibly rich, bold flavors.
The soup is thin, tomatoey, light, great for dipping.
You would make a great politician.
Thank you, Chef.
Absolute your way out of a paper bag.
My initials aren't "B.
S.
" for nothing.
No.
Okay, soup.
How did you cook the tomatoes? Quick blanched peel, and stewed the tomatoes with a Okay.
Gonna stop there.
When Gordon tastes my soup, he does one of these, and I know I've-- I've lost it.
That is one of your worst performances in MasterChef.
Damn.
Tastes like, um, the kind of acidity you have in unripe grapes.
Tomatoes are inherently very acidic, and, unfortunately, that's all you taste in that soup, and it's to a point where it's almost unpalatable.
After that soup, I mean, any redeeming quality that sandwich might have doesn't even play.
Big mistake.
This is the worst thing that I've produced on the show.
I'm going home.
Any redeeming quality that sandwich might have doesn't even play.
Big mistake.
Sorry.
I expected it, But it's frustrating and upsetting, and I really feel like in the back of my brain they're gonna nail me to the wall and send me home.
Tracy, let's go.
What have we got here? We have a mediterranean style tomato soup.
I used fresh tomatoes, little tomato paste, grilled cheese.
It's delicious.
It's dark, rich, spicy.
But just explodes.
You got it right.
It's very gourmet, and it's delicious.
Thank you, Chef.
Thank you so much.
Jennifer, please come up.
She wants to pretend like She knows about that she doesn't, And I can't wait till Jennifer goes home.
It's roasted, um, heirloom tomatoes, and plum tomatoes.
I think the lobster plays off well with the heat.
Where does the heat come from? The heat comes from the chipotle ancho chilies that I, um, put in, stewed through it, and then the chili-- just a little bit of chili powder.
It's very good.
It's, like, a very nice exercise in richness versus base and heat.
I don't know if they're perfectly symbiotic together, but they're both kind of individually good in their own respective light.
Thanks, Joe.
Okay, Derrick, come on up and join us.
I'm excited about this dish.
It looks simple, but it's got these big, bold favors behind it.
Uh, you've got a creamy tomato and bacon gorgonzola soup.
The grilled cheese is a very thinly sliced tomato, some bacon, some brie, and some gouda.
What other ingredients are in here? Cheeses? There's no other cheese but the gorgonzola.
It's, like, tomato and cream And bacon all hanging out at the school yard, and then this big, gorgonzola bully comes along and just beats the crap out of 'em.
It wasn't coming up with a cheese soup flavored with tomatoes.
I wanted tomato soup.
Right.
Sandwich, um, looks like it's come out of a diner.
Today, you know, you've missed the boat.
You lost the dish.
All I taste is gorgonzola.
It shuts everything else down.
Last up, Christine.
Let's go, please.
I have a roasted green heirloom tomato soup, with a provolone and goat cheese with bacon It's very acidic.
It's got that big kick.
Is that what you wanted? Maybe I should have left the vinegar off.
Talk to me about your grilled cheese.
You've got Provolone.
Mm-hmm.
Goat cheese.
Mm-hmm.
Why the two together? 'Cause I love goat cheese, and I love provolone.
Here's the issue.
The combination doesn't work together, and it's sort of marred by the vinegar outburst.
It's just blowing acidic.
Let's just hope this isn't your last cooking experience inside this competition.
Yeah, it's got a really strange texture.
It's almost baby-food-esque.
It's almost got, like, this oily thing happening.
Where it's seeping out of it, and it's Okay.
Um All right.
Thanks.
Ugh.
It--it smells volatile.
Cream and vinegar, very difficult together.
Okay.
Kind of a pretty big technical error.
Well, hopefully it doesn't send me home.
Provolone is a cow milk cheese.
The other one is goat.
It's kind of, like, completely out of context.
Very contrasting, not complimenting, and it's very greasy.
Okay.
That's okay? No, it's not okay.
I'm just listening to you.
Saying yes.
Thanks.
I don't know what she was, like, thinking.
The grilled cheese looks pretty disgusting.
After tasting all eight dishes, the judges must choose between the ones that brought back fond childhood memories, and the ones that inspire nightmares.
Let's start off with the two best dishes.
The first one belongs to Tracy.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Your dish was fantastic.
Thank you.
But there was one dish out there that was a millimeter above its competition.
Congratulations, Suzy.
Great job.
Are ya joking? Out of everybody you pick Suzy.
Thank you.
I don't think she's the one to beat.
She's the one that I want to beat up.
Okay.
There were three dishes at the bottom, and for at least one of you, it'll be the end of your dream in MasterChef.
The first dish belongs to Christine.
Come down here, please.
I'm not surprised that Christine is in the bottom three.
There's a lot of people here that shouldn't be here, so I'm hoping we're gonna cut out the fat.
The second dish Derrick.
Please come forward.
Oh, I'm not surprised.
Not a one of them liked it.
I'm hoping they'll take a little bit of pity on me and kind of just say, "you know what? He's got some fight left in him.
" I'm hoping that I'm gonna make it through this and survive somehow.
The third dish belonged to Ben Starr.
Come up here and join us.
If this soup is the thing to send me home from MasterChef, I'm gonna go completely stark raving crazy.
All of you, Christine, Derrick, and Ben, you've brought joy to all three of us, and really blown us away with some magical moments.
This is where it gets really difficult for us.
This where it gets really difficult for us.
Ben, step forward, please.
Your soup was way below par.
Yes, Chef.
But you're staying.
Back to your station, please.
They've given me one last chance.
I am gonna take it and use it.
Next is gonna be brilliance.
Christine and Derrick.
You've both had highs and lows across this competition.
And the journey has been immense.
I mean, really immense.
But this Is where it ends.
The person leaving MasterChef Is Christine.
I'm sorry.
You, madam, have been a breath of fresh air.
You do not stop cooking from now on in, and you got to walk out that door with your head up high, okay? 'Cause you surprised yourself.
And remember what you've done inside this competition.
You've done bloody well.
But don't stop.
Keep cooking.
I'm so proud of myself.
That I made it this far.
Sucks, but I'm so happy.
I can't wait to go home and see my son and give him a big hug.
And I know that this is not the end of my journey.
There's so much more out there for me, and I'm gonna kick everyone's ass one day.
Derrick It's not over yet.
I'm really sorry.
You are leaving MasterChef tonight.
Derrick, your passion is extraordinary, and you have a very strong connect to food.
You stay on that journey.
Next time you're in New York, stop by one of my restaurants.
You know where to find me.
We could have an espresso together and talk about your, I think, very optimistic career in the culinary arts.
Oh, that'd be-- that would be sick.
Thank you, Derrick.
Come on up here.
Say good-bye.
Thanks, Joe.
Congratulations.
Being eliminated is no fun.
Going home now, you know, it's depressing.
You know, I really would have loved to be around more, to--to learn more, and, you know, to cook more.
But I'm definitely going to pursue cooking much more seriously than I ever even thought about before.
You may be someplace in Manhattan or L.
A.
or somewhere-- wherever I end up, you may be eating my food.
You may not know it's me, but I might be behind there making it.
There's only six of you left, and tomorrow you're facing a huge challenge.
Get some rest, 'cause you're gonna need it.
Well done and good night.
Thank you, Chef.
Good night.
Thank you, Chef.
Thank you.
Next time on MasterChef The opportunity of a lifetime.
Tonight, you'll be taking over this restaurant.
Quickly turns into a disaster.
Two risotto, two hamachi, two beet, two scallops.
TwoTwo risottos, two hamachi-- can I have an answer? Can-I have-a-answer? Do you think that I am serving that [bleep.]
out there? At the end of the night, one more home cook will be leaving the MasterChef kitchen.
Please take off your apron.
He's an arrogant son of a bitch, and I think he's a liar.
And a shocking twist.
Christian's outta here, and I'm just dumbfounded.
Christian.
Congratulations.
Upstairs.
Ohh! Ohh! He's still here.
Why? Tonight I want you to taste this.
Christian and Chef Ramsay face off.
I've had better.
You may want to be smart And stop acting like an arrogant.
Am I gonna stand up there and butter Jen's ass? Hell no.
throw me under the bus.
Eight cooks remain to battle it out in front of three culinary heavyweights.
At stake, a quarter of a million dollars, and the title of MasterChef.
There's only eight of us left.
The pressure is huge, it's mounting, and I've got some amazing, talented competitors with me.
Christian doesn't deserve to be here anymore.
He needs to go home.
I'm arrogant, I'm cocky, because I have a right to be.
Feels awesome to be in the top eight.
Top eight,.
Good morning.
Good morning.
All right, guys, you know what today is, right? You got a big, brown square in front of you.
What does that mean? Mystery box.
It's a mystery box challenge.
As with every mystery box challenge, The contestants have to prepare, cook, and present one incredible dish using all or some of the ingredients inside the box.
We'll taste the top three dishes, and the cook with the best dish will get a critical, critical advantage in the next challenge.
I started off in this competition on a huge high note.
I rocked out on, like, the first couple of challenges.
And, ever since then, I've really been going downhill.
Ready to lift those boxes? Yes.
On the count of three.
One Two Three.
All right.
Yes, today it's surf and turf day.
Aah! Ooh.
I don't do so well with squiggly, slimy things.
Now take a good look.
You've got the most amazing live, jumbo shrimp.
Phenomenal Alaskan King Crab.
Live crawfish.
Buffalo rib eye.
The most amazing dry aged porterhouse steak.
And then those stunning little cubes Short loin.
It's surf and turf time, and, uh, I'm thinking I'm gonna win this one.
You've got 45 minutes to take all or some of those ingredients under the box and turn it into something magical.
Today, for our mystery box, we have 45 minutes to complete our dish.
What happened to an hour? Now.
Off you go.
Good luck.
Today's mystery box will really put the cooks to the test.
With only 45 minutes to prepare a dish, it's all about making quick and intelligent choices.
Not only do they have the beautiful surf and turf items to choose from.
They may also use items from the pantry to really make the protein shine.
Whoa.
Only the top three dishes will be tasted by the judges.
Today I'm doing a cajun-inspired surf and turf with crawfish and Buffalo rib eye.
45 minutes.
Yeah.
Not a lot of time.
What would you do? What would I do? I'd use the bison.
Rib eye.
And I'd counteract that with something a little bit more sweet.
I'd use Alaskan King Crab.
I would do the New York strip.
I'd take it off the bone, actually, roast it off, and I would do a crawfish risotto with a little bit of corn relish.
We've given them the grounds to be successful before they even began cooking.
Absolutely.
So they have to take it to the next level to really impress us.
15 minutes gone.
What are you making for us today, Christine? Um He almost got me.
I think I'm gonna do the crab and crawfish and shrimp.
You okay? Me? Yeah.
Okay.
All right.
Good luck.
Thank you.
Bye-bye! All right, Jennifer.
What are you doing? I'm doing a risotto.
I'm making a little bit of shrimp stock.
I'm actually using the crab meat.
I'm gonna break that down.
I already have my short ribs in.
They're going.
I'm gonna break those down, mix it into my risotto, mix in some of the crab.
Okay.
Wow.
I mean, that's, uh, that's ambitious.
Yeah.
Who's gonna struggle across this mystery box? Um, you know, Christine's-- Christine's mind's not really here today.
Aah.
.
Shrimp? Shrimp.
Shrimp is jumping.
Who do you want to see struggle, more importantly? To see Christian go home, I wouldn't say I'd be sad.
Who's the one person that you'd spare every time you face a challenge? If I had to pick somebody in the kitchen, I'd say Adrien's very talented, very gifted, very thoughtful.
I'm worried mostly about Jennifer, just because she's also been a big winner in the mystery box challenges.
But I never had the judges spit on my food, and I haven't had the judges throw food at me, and I haven't had the judges throw my food in the trash, which has happened to her.
That's hot.
Adrien, a recipient and a winner of two mystery boxes.
Yes, Chef.
Third one in sight? Yes, Chef.
What are you doing? It's beer-braised short ribs, and, um, crab salad.
I'm trying to show off a little bit here.
I'm really trying to impress you guys.
Just make sure you show off on the plate.
Yes, Chef.
All right, Christian.
So what do you got for us today? Making a orange carrot ginger emulsion.
You're gonna rice these potatoes here? Gonna run the potatoes through the, uh, food mill.
You think that, uh, everyone's on equal footing with this challenge? Um, I think a lot of people cook steak and seafood, but, I mean, we only have 45 minutes.
There's only so much you can do.
Right.
So, some interesting things.
Lot of risk taking.
People braising short ribs in 45 minutes.
Wouldn't attempt to braise them even in a pressure cooker.
No, not at all.
When you have those other options.
I mean, some other great cuts.
Why would you go with the short rib? Love the idea of the risotto.
Love it.
It's a modern surf and turf.
That's exactly what we were talking about.
Taking the concept of surf and turf, interpreting it, making it your own, and blowing us away.
Yeah, absolutely.
Derrick seems a little bit confused.
He's doing, like, a crab salad with a simply seared steak.
And Christian's having some trouble back there.
His potatoes are under-seasoned.
Yeah, I hope it works.
Yeah.
35 minutes gone.
Ten minutes to go.
How we doing, Ben? Very, very good.
Good.
Tell me what you got.
I am searing my beautiful, bison rib eye right now.
This new, all-steel MasterChef pan Yeah.
They don't have any PTFEs on 'em.
They have thermolon.
Ah, it's gorgeous.
Smells amazing from here.
Thanks, Chef.
Okay, Suzy.
What are you doing? Uh, I'm doing a bisque.
Yes.
It's a shrimp bisque.
And then a steak.
Just letting it marinate.
I just put a little bit of garlic, salt, pepper.
The over-complicated stance you take on cooking sometimes Yeah.
Has come back to bite you on the ass.
It definitely has, Chef, yeah.
It'd be nice to see you win a mystery box challenge.
Just over five minutes to go.
After observing the home cooks throughout the challenge, the judges will select three dishes to taste, so these final seconds of plating could be the difference between success and failure.
Oh,.
That's hot.
One minute left.
No time to back up.
Beef better be cooked.
And I got to start plating.
Taste, taste, taste.
Here we go.
Ten, nine, eight Seven, six, five, four Three, two, one, and stop.
Here we go.
Ten seconds to go.
Ten, nine, eight, Seven, six, five, four, Three, two, one, and stop.
Whoo! Well done.
In this mystery box challenge, the judges will taste just three dishes.
The winner will be given a huge advantage in the next round.
We were looking for something highly creative and inventive.
We've chosen the top three.
This first dish Used short ribs.
That was a very ballsy move.
Congratulations Adrien.
Well done.
Adrien hasn't been very consistent throughout this competition.
He's been on super highs, and he's been on, like, major lows.
So I'm really, really surprised that Adrien's in the top three.
I don't think he deserves it.
Third time in the top three with a mystery box.
Beer braised short ribs and black garlic.
It's a contrast with the crab salad.
It's, like, really bright, acidic, slightly sweet.
Yep, you sat it on the bone.
Yeah.
Is that for decorative? For decorative, and when you braise it, that adds to the flavor of it.
Well, it's gonna be a big ask to not make those short ribs rubbery.
In 45 minutes.
Right.
Okay.
Delicious.
I mean, a very modern take, very dangerous, uh, surf and turf.
It's good, but it's not magical.
But, yeah, you've pulled it off.
Thank you, Chef.
Yeah.
You are back.
Uh, with a vengeance.
Great job.
Thanks, chef.
It's really zingy and bright.
Still a little bit one-dimensional, I think.
Right.
Flavors are nice, though.
Brave using short ribs.
45 minutes would be the limit.
It wasn't even, like, a real cook time, you know, so real jeopardy there.
Right.
You've been, uh, extremely hit or miss in this competition.
This one is, uh, out of the park.
Thank you.
Very, very God.
Thanks, guys.
All right, this next dish utilized a great restraint, but was able to let some heat really come through.
That dish belonged to Suzy.
Oh, my God.
Seriously.
I definitely do not think Suzy is still the frontrunner.
There's a lot of people that have consistently won in this competition, and they're gonna inch her out.
Oh, my God.
I did a prawn bisque, and a bison with a pan gravy sauce.
Um, I really wanted the essence of both ingredients to come out in themselves, so I really wanted to simplify this dish.
Suzy's going simple? Yeah.
I'm going simple.
Yeah.
Miss Smarty Knickers is going simple.
I feel like I've got something blocked in my ears.
Well, let's see.
Soup is begging for a touch of seasoning, in terms of that last little finishing touch.
However It is absolutely delicious.
It's got the right kind of creamy texture.
The tails are in there, and they just melt in your mouth.
Great sear on the steak.
It's a weird combination, but it works.
When you cook and let the ingredients shine, you're unstoppable.
That is delicious.
Thank you, Chef.
Well done.
Thank you.
You haven't been up here since the first mystery box, right? That's correct.
Weeks ago.
Weeks ago.
I think that if you keep on, uh, cooking like this, your stay with us here may continue to extend.
So congratulations.
Thank you so much.
Okay, so the third cook presented a dish that was a big wow for us, because it showed technique, insight, intellect.
All the things that we're expecting at this level of the competition.
Jennifer, why don't you come up here and bring us your risotto? I don't know what it is with Jennifer.
I can't imagine that she's making better food than me.
I, uh, got the short ribs in right away.
I combined both vegetable stock and chicken stock, and took the shrimp for the broth for the risotto, and I took the crab meat, broke it down, and I butter poached it.
See, I call those the goodies.
Yeah.
When I do a risotto, I like to have almost 50% rice, so that every bite you really get some of that stuff.
Flavor is incredible.
Thank you, Chef.
Really delicious.
wouldn't be able to hit a risotto that well.
Thank you.
Great job.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Okay.
You hit the perfect risotto, and it's phenomenal.
And if the rest of the contestants can taste the seasoning in that risotto, I tasted a bland, bland, dreadful mashed potato.
But there's the benchmark.
Christian, I want you to come down and taste this.
'Cause when you put mashed potatoes on a plate like that, you've got to understand what you're up against, and it is of a benefit.
And I hope you see the difference.
Very good.
I've had better.
Look at me.
You may want to be [bleep.]
smart, and start acting like an arrogant [bleep.]
, but let me tell you something.
It's cooked perfectly, and it's seasoned beautifully.
Your mashed potatoes are bland.
And so I want you to identify the difference, hoping that you've got the intelligence to take it to the next level and learn from it.
'Cause all of a sudden, over the last couple of weeks, you've shut down, because you can't learn anymore, and that's proved obvious in the results you're putting on the plate.
It tastes good.
I'm not gonna deny that it tastes good.
But I have had better risottos.
Am I gonna stand up there and butter Jen's ass? Hell no.
throw me under the bus.
Jennifer, well done.
Thank you, Chef.
Amazing.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Great job.
Thank you.
You know what, buddy? You keep saying I don't belong here.
Okay.
Bring it on.
Bring it on.
Okay.
We're only looking for one winner who will gain a huge advantage in the next stage of this competition.
Is it Adrien? He placed a sort of robust short rib in an elegant way.
Feeling really confident, and I'm hoping--and I feel that I won this for sure.
Suzy, the highlight was the bisque.
Which shouldn't have been the star.
It should have been the compliment.
But you managed to make one simple and delicious, and the bisque stunning.
I think I might actually have a shot to win a mystery box challenge.
Seriously.
This is awesome.
Or is it the risotto? I didn't come here to be second best.
I came here to win.
Came here to put everything on the plate.
And I've shown that I do belong here.
Okay.
Tough decision.
Really tough decision.
Congratulations The top three surf and turf dishes have been tasted, but only one can win this mystery box challenge.
This is a third mystery box win.
I've won two mystery box challenges.
It's mine.
I know that I nailed it.
It's me.
It's got to be me.
I'm just, like, excited for the third win.
Congratulations Jennifer.
Oh! You bought it! Ugh.
Jennifer.
Every time Jennifer wins something, I'm like, "! Damn it.
She won again.
" Lucky number three.
Congratulations.
Let's go.
In the elimination test, at least one person will leave MasterChef.
And now Jennifer will be given a huge advantage, as she gets to pick the ingredient or style of food that everyone must cook with.
Today is all about our childhood.
Joe, Graham, and I are about to show you three amazing dishes that hold huge memories of all our childhood.
You will pick one, and everyone will cook that dish.
Okay.
Okay.
Brace yourself for a shock.
Recognize this little booger? Oh, my.
Here's the scary news.
Even at the age of four, he really went for that scare.
He looks like someone out of The Omen.
Come on, I was a cute little guy.
Look at that.
He grew up eating around Greenwich Village and traveling throughout Italy, and do you know what his favorite food was? Pasta.
Wrong.
The most popular food in the world, Italy's gift to humanity.
Oh, God.
Yes, it's the all-mighty pizza.
My grandmother would cook the focaccia pizza with great Buffalo mozzarella and a fluffy tomato sauce every day after school.
And then there's this guy.
Already rubbing his belly at age five.
Now, my childhood favorite dish is Mac and cheese.
It's hot, it's cheesy.
I loved it back when I was a kid, and I love it today.
Okay, recognize this little punk? I am clearly the cutest.
Um, that photo was taken three months after I lost my virginity.
Now something that still holds a huge memory today.
Tomato soup with grilled cheese.
Even when you're feeling down, a bowl of tomato soup just gives you that lift, and the grilled cheese just sends you to heaven.
Yes.
But listen.
We're looking for something along the lines of a adult, gourmet version of our childhood memories.
Jennifer, what's it gonna be? Well, I grew up on all three of them, and The theme was Graham, Joe, and my childhood favorites.
I think it's gonna be great.
Christine's a mom, I'm a dad, and I make food for my kids all the time, so I think it shouldn't be too hard.
The choices were pizza, Mac and cheese Yeah! Awesome.
Or tomato soup and grilled cheese.
I really hope Jennifer chooses anything but tomato soup and grilled cheese.
The dish that Jennifer picked, and my childhood favorite, tomato soup and grilled cheese.
Here's the catch.
You have to present us with a stunning, delicious tomato soup and a grilled cheese in 45 minutes.
The longer you have for soup, the better, just for those flavors to intermingle with one another, and 45 minutes, it's not a lot of time.
You've got five minutes in the pantry to shop for the ingredients that could absolutely make or break your dish.
ReadySetGo.
Provolone.
Fontina.
The grilled cheese thing for me is tough, so I grab a bunch of different cheeses.
And then I see Foie gras.
It's an ingredient that you normally don't ever get to work with.
I've actually never used it before.
So I'm thinking I'm gonna get it and maybe use it.
It speaks to me.
Let's go, guys.
Let's go, let's go.
Oh, my God.
How embarrassing.
So we get back to our stations, and there's these giant friggin' pictures of us from when we were little kids.
This is why I am the way that I am.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my goodness.
Suzy.
You look like you're on Star Search in that picture.
Ben.
Did you make that pizza? Yes, and it won a blue ribbon.
Oh,.
Now, at the back of this elimination challenge, at least one of you will be leaving MasterChef.
Your 45 minutes starts from now.
Off you go.
On paper, this is an easy challenge.
You know, tomato soup, grilled cheese.
But you really have to elevate it, and what's gonna be difficult about this, you kind of got to think about "What am I gonna do with grilled cheese that works with what I've done with the soup?" They have to come together.
So big stumbling blocks in terms of issues, soup being too thin, lackness in flavor.
Too thick.
Right? Could be a little chunky.
Lack of imagination.
Too literal.
I think is the biggest risk.
It's not gonna impress, it's not gonna stand out, it's not what we're asking for.
Toughest part for me today is definitely the soup.
I am a little bit nervous about that.
All right, Suzy.
You have just popped out of this competition now, and you're sort of back in the game.
And it would be a great shame to see you go on the back of a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese.
Why's yours gonna be so different? My tomato soup is updated.
We've got bourbon in there.
And it's gonna be in an heirloom tomato that I'm roasting right now.
Sounds like you're getting complicated again, Suzy.
Not at all.
We're down to eight.
Yes, Chef.
At least one of you's leaving.
Yeah.
Who is it? Um Christine.
Christine's been a little loopy from the beginning.
I--I really think that she needs to leave the competition.
I'm working on a, um, I think a green tomato soup.
Um, it seems to me like I'm the only one that picked green tomatoes.
Adrien.
Doing a Foie gras grilled cheese sandwich, and creamy tomato soup.
Foie gras and tomato? Would you put that together? No.
It's a lot of rich flavors there.
Derrick's going for a traditional, rustic, sort of chunky, oven-roasted, vine tomato soup.
From what I see from the rest of the field, I think he might be out-classed.
I think he's going a little too simple.
That's what I'm worried about also with Christine.
It's, like, a chunky, roasted tomato soup, but we need to see it elevated.
We made that clear.
Just over 15 minutes left, everybody.
15 minutes.
I completely cut myself, and there's blood all over my board.
I can't use anything from my board.
I have to start from scratch, and I only have, like, I'm so screwed.
Just over 15 minutes left, everybody.
15 minutes.
I just cut myself, and I bled on, uh, the bread that I was using there, so I'm not using that board at all.
I have to start from scratch.
Season, readjust, and create one stunning portion.
Five minutes to go.
And, for at least one of you, your last minutes in the MasterChef kitchen.
Come on.
I get my grilled cheese done, and it tastes delicious.
I taste my soup And it's a disaster.
Something has gone horribly wrong with my soup.
Finishing touches in there.
Now.
Come on.
Finish, finish, finish.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
The judges will now taste all eight dishes.
The contestant with the worst dish will be leaving th MasterChef kitchen.
Suzy, let's do it.
I can't believe I finished my bowl.
It definitely came down to the wire.
I'm literally in my pants.
Honestly.
Today I've got a three "G" grilled cheese sandwich.
Three "G"? Yeah, I've got a little bit of goat cheese, smoked gouda, and a little bit of gruyere.
The tomato soup, it's chunky.
It's also got a little bit of bacon in there, and it also has roasted red pepper.
Very simple, but flavors that we all understand, you know? Really, really cohesive dish.
You should be psyched.
Thank you.
What's in the soup? Uh, shallots.
Teeny, tiny bit of mushrooms.
I deglazed with bourbon.
And You can totally taste the bourbon.
It's amazing.
And you taste not only the bourbon.
Yeah.
You taste, like, the sweet toast from the bourbon barrels.
It's amazing.
Wow.
It's almost like a vanilla Tastes vanilla or tropical, but it's the toast from the bourbon barrels.
Amazing.
Congratulations.
Good job, Suzy.
Okay.
One big question.
Where's the tomato? Uh, it's What do you mean? Yeah, it's over there.
Yeah, I want to see it.
You want to see it? Okay.
Of course I do.
You told me you're serving tomato soup in a frickin' roasted tomato, and I want to see that tomato.
Why did you change your mind? Um, I thought it was overly complicated.
But it was gonna explode.
well done.
Good choice.
Yeah.
It's delicious.
Thank you.
It is absolutely, freakily delicious.
Thank you, Chef.
Great job.
Well done.
Thank you so much.
The judges talk about Suzy's dish being great.
Fine.
Whatever.
The fact that it came out pretty perfect, I think it's more of an accident.
Okay, Adrien, come on up.
I didn't roast the tomatoes, so it's a little more acidic.
It's garnished with chives and a lemon honey creme fraiche.
The sandwich, I got layers of manchego, bleu cheese, honey, bacon, and the Foie gras that you saw earlier.
It's a cream-based tomato soup.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
That's where you got to be very careful in terms of the level of cream.
So you got the cream in the soup.
Then you gonna put bloody Foie gras in between two slices of fried bread.
So [bleep.]
rich.
I wanted it modern but bold.
You know, it's way over the top.
Christian, please come forward.
Today, for you, Chef, I made a creamy tomato soup with lobster, and for my grilled cheese, uh, I used a baguette, rubbed it with some Foie gras, melted the cheese, which is drunken goat, of prosciutto in there as well.
Soup could have used a little more seasoning.
The flavors are good, but it's a little dry for my liking.
Okay.
I think, at this point, the judges, uh, been a little bit harder on me than other competitors, 'cause they, you know, know that I'm gonna be a great chef someday.
Ben, let's go.
Blow us away.
I'm walking up to present this soup to the judges, and it's literally disgusting.
And I wonder if I should maybe just trip so that it falls on the ground.
This is an awful position to be in.
I really wanted to oven roast my tomatoes to concentrate that flavor, but 45 minutes just isn't enough time to do that.
But it actually works well with my sandwich.
My sandwich is incredibly rich, bold flavors.
The soup is thin, tomatoey, light, great for dipping.
You would make a great politician.
Thank you, Chef.
Absolute your way out of a paper bag.
My initials aren't "B.
S.
" for nothing.
No.
Okay, soup.
How did you cook the tomatoes? Quick blanched peel, and stewed the tomatoes with a Okay.
Gonna stop there.
When Gordon tastes my soup, he does one of these, and I know I've-- I've lost it.
That is one of your worst performances in MasterChef.
Damn.
Tastes like, um, the kind of acidity you have in unripe grapes.
Tomatoes are inherently very acidic, and, unfortunately, that's all you taste in that soup, and it's to a point where it's almost unpalatable.
After that soup, I mean, any redeeming quality that sandwich might have doesn't even play.
Big mistake.
This is the worst thing that I've produced on the show.
I'm going home.
Any redeeming quality that sandwich might have doesn't even play.
Big mistake.
Sorry.
I expected it, But it's frustrating and upsetting, and I really feel like in the back of my brain they're gonna nail me to the wall and send me home.
Tracy, let's go.
What have we got here? We have a mediterranean style tomato soup.
I used fresh tomatoes, little tomato paste, grilled cheese.
It's delicious.
It's dark, rich, spicy.
But just explodes.
You got it right.
It's very gourmet, and it's delicious.
Thank you, Chef.
Thank you so much.
Jennifer, please come up.
She wants to pretend like She knows about that she doesn't, And I can't wait till Jennifer goes home.
It's roasted, um, heirloom tomatoes, and plum tomatoes.
I think the lobster plays off well with the heat.
Where does the heat come from? The heat comes from the chipotle ancho chilies that I, um, put in, stewed through it, and then the chili-- just a little bit of chili powder.
It's very good.
It's, like, a very nice exercise in richness versus base and heat.
I don't know if they're perfectly symbiotic together, but they're both kind of individually good in their own respective light.
Thanks, Joe.
Okay, Derrick, come on up and join us.
I'm excited about this dish.
It looks simple, but it's got these big, bold favors behind it.
Uh, you've got a creamy tomato and bacon gorgonzola soup.
The grilled cheese is a very thinly sliced tomato, some bacon, some brie, and some gouda.
What other ingredients are in here? Cheeses? There's no other cheese but the gorgonzola.
It's, like, tomato and cream And bacon all hanging out at the school yard, and then this big, gorgonzola bully comes along and just beats the crap out of 'em.
It wasn't coming up with a cheese soup flavored with tomatoes.
I wanted tomato soup.
Right.
Sandwich, um, looks like it's come out of a diner.
Today, you know, you've missed the boat.
You lost the dish.
All I taste is gorgonzola.
It shuts everything else down.
Last up, Christine.
Let's go, please.
I have a roasted green heirloom tomato soup, with a provolone and goat cheese with bacon It's very acidic.
It's got that big kick.
Is that what you wanted? Maybe I should have left the vinegar off.
Talk to me about your grilled cheese.
You've got Provolone.
Mm-hmm.
Goat cheese.
Mm-hmm.
Why the two together? 'Cause I love goat cheese, and I love provolone.
Here's the issue.
The combination doesn't work together, and it's sort of marred by the vinegar outburst.
It's just blowing acidic.
Let's just hope this isn't your last cooking experience inside this competition.
Yeah, it's got a really strange texture.
It's almost baby-food-esque.
It's almost got, like, this oily thing happening.
Where it's seeping out of it, and it's Okay.
Um All right.
Thanks.
Ugh.
It--it smells volatile.
Cream and vinegar, very difficult together.
Okay.
Kind of a pretty big technical error.
Well, hopefully it doesn't send me home.
Provolone is a cow milk cheese.
The other one is goat.
It's kind of, like, completely out of context.
Very contrasting, not complimenting, and it's very greasy.
Okay.
That's okay? No, it's not okay.
I'm just listening to you.
Saying yes.
Thanks.
I don't know what she was, like, thinking.
The grilled cheese looks pretty disgusting.
After tasting all eight dishes, the judges must choose between the ones that brought back fond childhood memories, and the ones that inspire nightmares.
Let's start off with the two best dishes.
The first one belongs to Tracy.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Your dish was fantastic.
Thank you.
But there was one dish out there that was a millimeter above its competition.
Congratulations, Suzy.
Great job.
Are ya joking? Out of everybody you pick Suzy.
Thank you.
I don't think she's the one to beat.
She's the one that I want to beat up.
Okay.
There were three dishes at the bottom, and for at least one of you, it'll be the end of your dream in MasterChef.
The first dish belongs to Christine.
Come down here, please.
I'm not surprised that Christine is in the bottom three.
There's a lot of people here that shouldn't be here, so I'm hoping we're gonna cut out the fat.
The second dish Derrick.
Please come forward.
Oh, I'm not surprised.
Not a one of them liked it.
I'm hoping they'll take a little bit of pity on me and kind of just say, "you know what? He's got some fight left in him.
" I'm hoping that I'm gonna make it through this and survive somehow.
The third dish belonged to Ben Starr.
Come up here and join us.
If this soup is the thing to send me home from MasterChef, I'm gonna go completely stark raving crazy.
All of you, Christine, Derrick, and Ben, you've brought joy to all three of us, and really blown us away with some magical moments.
This is where it gets really difficult for us.
This where it gets really difficult for us.
Ben, step forward, please.
Your soup was way below par.
Yes, Chef.
But you're staying.
Back to your station, please.
They've given me one last chance.
I am gonna take it and use it.
Next is gonna be brilliance.
Christine and Derrick.
You've both had highs and lows across this competition.
And the journey has been immense.
I mean, really immense.
But this Is where it ends.
The person leaving MasterChef Is Christine.
I'm sorry.
You, madam, have been a breath of fresh air.
You do not stop cooking from now on in, and you got to walk out that door with your head up high, okay? 'Cause you surprised yourself.
And remember what you've done inside this competition.
You've done bloody well.
But don't stop.
Keep cooking.
I'm so proud of myself.
That I made it this far.
Sucks, but I'm so happy.
I can't wait to go home and see my son and give him a big hug.
And I know that this is not the end of my journey.
There's so much more out there for me, and I'm gonna kick everyone's ass one day.
Derrick It's not over yet.
I'm really sorry.
You are leaving MasterChef tonight.
Derrick, your passion is extraordinary, and you have a very strong connect to food.
You stay on that journey.
Next time you're in New York, stop by one of my restaurants.
You know where to find me.
We could have an espresso together and talk about your, I think, very optimistic career in the culinary arts.
Oh, that'd be-- that would be sick.
Thank you, Derrick.
Come on up here.
Say good-bye.
Thanks, Joe.
Congratulations.
Being eliminated is no fun.
Going home now, you know, it's depressing.
You know, I really would have loved to be around more, to--to learn more, and, you know, to cook more.
But I'm definitely going to pursue cooking much more seriously than I ever even thought about before.
You may be someplace in Manhattan or L.
A.
or somewhere-- wherever I end up, you may be eating my food.
You may not know it's me, but I might be behind there making it.
There's only six of you left, and tomorrow you're facing a huge challenge.
Get some rest, 'cause you're gonna need it.
Well done and good night.
Thank you, Chef.
Good night.
Thank you, Chef.
Thank you.
Next time on MasterChef The opportunity of a lifetime.
Tonight, you'll be taking over this restaurant.
Quickly turns into a disaster.
Two risotto, two hamachi, two beet, two scallops.
TwoTwo risottos, two hamachi-- can I have an answer? Can-I have-a-answer? Do you think that I am serving that [bleep.]
out there? At the end of the night, one more home cook will be leaving the MasterChef kitchen.
Please take off your apron.