Masterchef (2010) s05e17 Episode Script

Right now on MasterChef Girls versus the boys.
The final four go to war.
Don't worry about it.
No, I'm gonna worry about it 'cause it doesn't taste good.
That is vile.
It should come with a health warning.
In a battle of the sexes - Get them steaks on there.
- Easy, cowboy.
What do you think you've got on your team that the blue team doesn't have? Two winners.
But when bitter rivals clash The things you tell me are [bleep.]
that I already know.
four become three, and blood is spilt.
Damn it! This is the final four.
This is an opportunity for me to finally live my dream and open up this bistro casual restaurant in Malibu, and hopefully I'll be the last man standing.
Come on down, guys.
My dream is to become a food critic.
I want to write about the little dive bars or the hole in the wall.
This is the turning point in my life where I can make food my new lifestyle.
Welcome to the final four of MasterChef.
As you can see behind you, there are only two stations set up tonight.
You'll be cooking in this challenge in two teams of two.
Win this challenge, and the two members of your team will earn a spot in the top three of MasterChef.
Lose, and you'll go head-to-head with your teammate for elimination.
Courtney, you had the best dish in the last elimination challenge, so you're gonna be picking first and deciding who is on each team.
Everyone except Courtney, please step to the side.
I have a really hard decision to make.
I almost want to think long-term, like, who can I take down in a pressure test but I want to win this challenge, so I'm thinking, "Who could I work with to excel immediately?" All right, Courtney, select your teammate for tonight.
I'm going to choose Elizabeth.
And we're gonna kick ass.
Girls versus the boys.
I get Cutter and boom, there goes my dream.
Turned into a nightmare.
Put them on.
I hate the fact that Leslie is my teammate.
Hopefully, he can take his head out of his ass for two minutes so we can win this.
Leslie, how does it feel now with Cutter? It's fine.
We're going against them.
It's not him and me, 'cause that'll happen if we lose, and I don't think he wants to lose and I definitely don't want to lose.
In the equipment room there are four boxes, one from each of the four states that you come from.
Each team has two boxes to choose from.
Courtney and Elizabeth, your choices will be Pennsylvania and New York.
Leslie and Cutter, your choices will be California and Texas.
Each team has to go into the equipment room and choose one box from one of your home states.
Now, using the box that you choose tonight, each team will have one hour to make us each a restaurant quality appetizer and entree that highlight some of those regional ingredients.
Okay.
Off you go.
Come on.
Let's go, guys.
All right, so what do you think's in your box? It might be more towards the seafood line, and I'm thinking you're more definitely towards - the beef.
- Beef.
The New York box is gonna have stuff from the ocean, 'cause it borders the ocean, and pennsylvania's got a lot of, like, Amish country.
Yes, like lamb and meat.
The steak stuff is more forgiving than seafood.
- I agree.
I agree.
- If we screw up with seafood Probably, I'm more comfortable with the California box, but I don't think it could be that much different in the Texas box.
And at this point, I don't want to start any arguments with Cutter, because if we start fighting, we're not gonna get anything achieved.
Let's do this.
We got it.
It doesn't matter which box we choose, it matters if we can agree on what we're going to cook and stick to it.
Because if you start changing things around, that's when everything falls apart.
Good job.
Well done.
Okay.
Right, ladies, you've gone for the box from the state of Pennsylvania.
Why, Elizabeth? Pennsylvania has a lot of, like, really humble kind of farm fresh ingredients that we felt like we could really elevate.
Right.
Open it up and tell us what you've got in there.
- Let's do it.
- Okay.
Oh.
Wow.
I'm so excited.
There's some Amish cheese.
There's beautiful pears, potatoes, some Polish sausage, rainbow trout.
Venison, apple butter, cabbage.
Do you both feel you made the right choice? - Yes.
- Yes, chef.
Gentlemen.
The state of Texas.
Open your box.
Ready? Looking good.
Cutter, tell us what's in there.
Well, we got a little catfish.
We have a prime rib.
We have baby back ribs.
We have some ancho chili, some molasses, some grapefruit, some corn, and, of course, butter.
Incredible.
Now that you know what you have to cook with, please head to your stations.
A pressure test that is just comprised of me versus Courtney is basically my nightmare.
We need to win so that we don't have to face each other.
It's the final four now, so our standards are higher than ever.
Do those ingredients and those stakes justice.
Yes, chef.
Your one hour Starts Now.
Oh, these pears look amazing.
Yeah.
I want to incorporate them in our appetizer.
Catfish is a trash fish, I mean, it's good, but it's mostly fried, and it's just how do we elevate fried catfish, you know? So the blue team's box is Texas.
They have some well known protein.
What would you do? The catfish is something I would stay away from.
You got to focus on that beef.
It's incredible.
In the red box, I would do a beautiful waldorf salad with a poached trout.
Flavored trout over the waldorf salad, and then entree, that venison.
I mean, get that in a beautiful rub done with some caramelized mushrooms, and grazed with cabbage.
Right, blue team, describe the appetizers.
We're gonna do spare ribs with a grapefruit and molasses barbecue sauce topping and a corn salsa.
Lovely, so something lighter for the entree? I think we're gonna go rib eye.
Right.
Explain the rib eye, please.
Pretty much salt and pepper.
Get a nice sear on it.
Keep it medium rare.
It's a steak, it's nothing more.
What's the garnish? - I'm gonna do a potato, carrot, and turnip puree.
- Good.
Confident you can get through to the top three? Oh, yes.
We're sending those girls home.
I'd love to chitchat, but I got to go.
All right, guys.
What's the dish now? Tell me.
The appetizer is two slices of the trout over a poached pear with an apple butter ginger beer sauce.
You either have to nail that, or it's going to be kind of amateurish and terrible.
What about the entree? The entree is a venison medallion marinated in root beer.
And how you gonna cook them? We're going to pan sear them so they're basically, like, medium rare.
So these are super tiny.
You know how long it's gonna take to sear these in the pan? Not very long.
Good luck.
Red team, blue team, come on, speed up, guys.
Ah! [bleep.]
.
Medic.
Damn it! Cutter.
Come on, speed up, guys.
Ah! Medic.
Damn it! Cutter.
Ah.
I'm chopping my onion, and I just wasnt paying attention and the heel of the knife came down, and I thought I cut my damn finger off.
We're here.
We're here.
We're here.
We're here.
Don't look down.
Look, don't look down.
It's not as bad as you think.
You've taken a nail off, and you're good to go.
Right now, I'm carrying the team.
He's busy with the medics, and I just got to keep moving.
Do or die.
This is do or die.
Living up to your name.
Let's go.
You all right? Uh, yeah, it hurts.
I ain't gonna lie.
This is turning into more of, like, a pear sauce, which I like.
It's really smooth.
It needs a little bit of color.
Like a little bit of cinnamon coriander.
It's not that smooth.
- I don't think that's good at all.
- No? - No.
It tastes weird.
- Okay, what can I do? I mean, why don't we just make an earthy herb mash? Okay, we got to hurry.
I'm hurrying, Cour I mean I know, I'm sorry.
I'm just I'm talking to encourage.
Yeah, I know, but like, I'm [bleep.]
hurrying.
I get a little impatient with Courtney, because she has a very irritating habit of micromanaging me.
There's a lack of trust there.
You got to get a move on on that.
I really think biscuits would be a good idea.
Make a decision, Cutter.
I can't I'm in the middle of three steaks right now.
I'm not asking you.
I'm just trying to talk to you, man.
We're in the top four, Cutter.
Start acting like a chef.
Make decisions.
No more babysitting.
No more breastfeeding.
Done.
You got any other ideas? Let me take care of my steaks.
Okay.
This is a big deal to make sure it's enough for three people.
Courtney, sometimes things you tell me are [bleep.]
I already know, And I just need you to tell me things that I don't know.
The little reduction you made with the apple butter and stuff, what's that for, Courtney? The appetizer.
It's already done.
It's been sitting over there for, like, 30 minutes.
Oh, dear.
Right, red team, now, what in the hell's going on? We both made sauces that we didn't know the other one was making for the same thing.
Is this, is this working? Courtney just keeps telling me things I already know, instead of - Well, stand up for yourself, then.
- I know! I told her I wasn't serving that puree, so we're remaking mash.
I mean, the puree sucks.
Um, I could give it to a baby.
I know, I don't like it, but it's That is vile.
We're gonna lose to Leslie and Cutter, and one ofs is gonna go home in a pressure test if we cannot just get past all of the B.
S.
and get the food on the plate.
Ah, this thing needs to reduce.
It's not reducing.
It's all fat.
Fat won't reduce.
Leslie, what did you put in here? There's some steak fat in there.
We're rendering down the bones in wine.
You're not gonna get any liquid out of it.
I'm gonna start over with the red sauce real quick.
Highest temp.
Just get it done.
Don't worry about it.
Just get it done.
Well, no, I'm gonna worry about it, 'cause it doesn't taste good.
Blue team, I'm worried because their sauce that they're "reducing" all fat.
Leslie made that sauce.
Cutter has stepped in to try to save it.
- Put some flour in it.
- I did.
It's just too much wine.
It ain't burned off yet.
Red team, blue team, last two minutes.
Speed up! Let's just get this together, 'cause we're plating together.
Courtney, Elizabeth, you've got to work and talk at the same time.
- Yes, chef.
Heard.
- Whether you like it or not.
'cause you're not gonna finish.
You got the sauce? Yeah, but let's just use very little, 'cause it's very strong.
Let's go, guys.
I think it's absolutely stunning.
Thank you.
- Get them steaks on there.
- Easy, cowboy.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
Hands in the air.
Well done.
Good job.
Right, it's time to find out how you did, starting with the red team.
Please bring up your appetizers.
Elizabeth and I made a rebound from our lack of communication and struggle to work together, and we at least have dishes that we will stand behind 100%.
One of you describe the dish, please.
It's pan seared pelvania rainbow trout with a savory poached pear, amish cheddar, black walnuts, and an apple butter vinaigrette.
First of all, it doesn't look like any appetizer I've seen in any restaurant I've ever been to.
Feels like something left over from a finger buffet gone wrong.
Where was the last time you ate Pennsylvania trout and pear together? - I haven't.
- You haven't.
Elizabeth, maybe? - Uh, I have not, chef.
- No.
It's just a weird combination.
Um, trout actually tastes quite nice.
Cooked briefly, crisp on the skin, but honestly, ladies, just the fact that you were butting heads, it tastes exactly like the performance, underwhelming.
I expect more.
We always say, really, that cheese and fish don't go hand in hand.
The pear looks like it's the star here, and then over here, I have two fish sticks.
Like, where did this come from? We were both just doing things alongside each other and not really coming together as a unit.
So whose dish is this? I'll take ownership for that.
The pear and the sauce and the cheese on its own, could be a nice cheese course.
The fish doesn't make any sense to me.
Really, really surprised.
I appreciate that Courtney fesses up to having thought of the appetizer, but I should've stood up and said, "This pear trout thing is a terrible idea.
I have a better one," but I didn't.
I trusted her and that was so dumb.
Okay.
Blue team.
Appetizer, please.
Walking up to the judges, I'm feeling good right now.
My appetizer plate, I think the ribs look great, cooked perfectly, sauce tastes great.
We might actually have a shot at winning this thing.
Uh, guys, what the [bleep.]
is that? Uh, guys, what the [bleep.]
is that? Please describe the dish.
Rack of ribs with a Texas rub with molases glaze and corn onion to go with it.
So visually, restaurant quality, it's not.
I think of some of the dishes you've plated so far on this competition as being really beautiful, but I've never seen such a depressing corn in all my life.
Any citrus in there? Is there any lemon, lime? Uh, salt, pepper.
Well, that's great.
- [bleep.]
me.
- Hold on a minute.
Thank you.
No, no, seriously.
Chef, there's salt and pepper in the corn.
It sounds delicious.
You know that's not good.
- Who cooked the ribs? - I did.
I pressure cooked them first and then added a little sear on the grill afterwards to give it a little char.
The actual ribs are tender.
Delicious, melting in your mouth, but we're not a barbecue house.
This is the MasterChef kiten.
I don't think you've shown off any of the ingredients properly.
Man.
This is kind of caveman food.
You had, what, 50 different ingredients in that box? You guys used ribs and corn.
What are you thinking? You had rice, quinoa, peppers.
you had the staple pantry.
You could have made a biscuit.
I suggested that, but I never got any info back.
Did you say not to make the biscuit? I never heard a word about any biscuit.
This your recipe? Yummy.
Ribs are good, but we're at the final four.
We ask you to take the spirit of you home state, Texas, elevate that to a restaurant quality dish, I don't know what else to say.
Sorry.
I gave the big Texas man a shot to put down his best dish on the plate, and that was a disaster.
If I go to the pressure test because of Cutter, I'm definitely taking him down.
Red team, entrees, let's go.
Describe the dish, please.
It's seared venison tenderloin medallions over an herbed yukon gold potato mash with sauteed button mushrooms and an apple butter reduction.
Finally some beauty.
Love the idea of the medallions.
Give it a bit of finesse.
- Who cooked the venison? - I did, chef.
And we got a great sear.
Mmm.
Wow.
The cook on the venison, it's perfect.
Thank you.
But this mash, it's like a mouthful of grit.
Lumpy as anything.
Here's the thing, venison, nailed.
Sauce, delicious.
Mushrooms, delicious.
The great shame tonight is the mash.
You nailed the cooking on the venison.
It's very good, it's seasoned well, but the plate definitely wants some sort of veg component, and this is just steak and potatoes, basically, right? Yeah.
And then, what it's missing, for me, is your collaboration.
Yeah.
You're not hitting the stride I would expect for, perhaps, the two best cooks we've ever seen in the MasterChef kitchen, And it's just a little disappointing.
Thank you.
It's not a great review, and it's not our best performance.
We know we didn't cook our best today.
I'm just hoping that Cutter and Leslie screwed up more.
Blue team, entrees, please.
I'm looking at my entree, and I'm happy with it.
I'm hoping that my rib eye and my puree is gonna be a lot better than the ribs.
Tell me exactly what it is.
A rib eye steak with a potato, turnip, and carrot puree with a red wine reduction.
Now, I was watching you guys cook, and I noticed, first thing, you take the bone off.
I always think that's a mistake, 'cause it helps keep it moist.
That said, the fact that you put it in a pan and started using it and cooking with it, I was like, "awesome.
" Is that what ended up being used for the sauce that we saw over on your station? Yeah, I cooked the bones, and then did I glaze - Then you did glaze, okay.
- Yes.
So you've got to render that fat first.
We did all that and then threw it away.
I can't do everything.
I, you know I thought he had it on his corner, and that was that, so So you're guilty with that? - Apparently.
- Wow.
If you can't see the fat in the pan, - I mean, I can't - I did use it.
I had to restart a whole new sauce because there was too much fat.
I let you do your own thing, and this is what happens, so - Really? Okay.
- It is what it is.
Never your fault, is it? Take some responsibility for yourself.
And you told me you got it.
Steak is great.
Good flavor.
The mash, there's too much of it on the plate, and it just needs seasoning.
The hero on that dish is the steak, and luckily, the hero's rocking.
Thank you.
The sear on the rib eye's perfect.
What am I gonna get when I cut this open? Medium rare.
When you got white fat that is raw in the center, it hasn't been cooked long enough.
Rib eye tastes delicious.
Seasoning's delicious.
It's just such a shame that it's undercooked.
Vegetables underneath are embarrassing.
You two are smart, talented individuals.
As a couple, lacking harmony beyond belief.
Thank you.
I love how Leslie tries to throw me under the bus.
We're not meant to work together, and he's gonna do whatever he can to make himself look good and make me look bad.
Red team, blue team, please come round to the front.
Thank you.
Being beat by Cutter and Leslie seems like one of the worst things imaginable, but not as bad as having to face a pressure test against Courtney.
So highs, some lows across that challenge, let me tell you, but one thing that became clearly evident The four of you are incredibly talented home cooks Individually.
We don't get the same standard when paired as a team.
One team was marginally better.
The winning team Is Congratulations The winning team The team that will be safe from elimination tonight and will catapult themselves into the top three Congratulations Red team.
Elizabeth and Courtney.
Well done.
You are through to the top three.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Please.
Congratulations.
Head over to the gallery.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Sorry, guys.
I know I made it into the top three, and I'm really proud of myself, but I'm disappointed in how I got here.
Elizabeth and I could have won by a landslide, and instead, we won by the skin of our teeth.
Leslie and Cutter, you know what this means.
I'm heading into my sixth pressure test and there is no way in hell that I'm going down without a fight.
I work best under pressure.
I have seven children, five grandchildren.
You want pressure? Put those all in one house.
Every pressure test has been important, but this is personal.
I'm just tired of Leslie's Malibu [bleep.]
.
Old man, it's time to go home.
You're gonna battle head-to-head in a dreaded pressure test, where one will leave at the end of it, and one will join Courtney and Elizabeth in the top three.
Leslie, you survived five pressure tests.
Yes.
Hopefully, I'll survive my number six.
Well, no one's ever gotten to number six, so Do you want to know what? Six is my lucky number.
Today's my sixth test.
I'll survive, and I'll be up there with the girls.
It all comes down to this.
Cutter versus Leslie.
Texas versus California.
The oil man versus the stay-at-home dad.
It's all right.
You can laugh.
I can afford to stay home.
Oh, you're such a joke.
You know what, Cutter? Put it on the plate, mister.
- Let's go.
- Okay? I'm ready to rock and roll.
Texas versus California, I'm loving this.
You know what? It's time to shut up or put up.
In the previous challenge, you chose to cook dishes using ingredients from Cutter's state box, which was from Texas.
For this upcoming pressure test, you'll be using ingredients from the home state box that you rejected.
That's right.
Fine with me.
Let's go.
Please, both of you, go into the equipment room and bring out the California state box.
Yes, sir.
I think that Leslie probably has the upper hand in this challenge.
He has this crazy will and determination, and he clearly has skills, because he's, like, all-time MasterChef global pressure test champion.
I am absolutely betting on Cutter to win this.
He's going to be cooking from his soul and using his brain, and I believe that Cutter can do it.
Carefully, open up the box and see what you missed out on.
I'm happier than a pig in Texas.
I should be familiar with everything that's in this box.
Bring it on.
There you have some amazing ingredients from California.
Exquisite, fresh sea urchin plucked straight from the pacific ocean, jidori chicken, bred and raised in California and sought after by chefs around the world.
Lastly, beautiful, fresh, yellowfin tuna caught right off the coast.
Joe, what are you drawn to in that box? Without a doubt, the sea urchin.
I would take that sea urchin and make a dish that's very close to my culinary heritage Sea urchin risotto.
I love risotto.
I love uni.
Together, they create one of the perfect marriages of land and sea.
I could never pass up a californian sea urchin.
Now, Graham, what are you drawn to? The star of that box, to me, is that jidori chicken.
I'd do a simple preparation honoring the influence Of that Asian culture here in California.
Jidori chicken teriyaki with bok choy and forbidden rice.
It's accented by that sweet, salty combo with soy and honey.
Very, very delicious.
Now, I would fight to get my hands on that delicious, stunning yellowfin tuna.
I would make tuna nicoise.
That's beautiful.
A perfectly seared piece of tuna on a delicious fragrant salad with potatoes, green beans, and a beautiful garnish Soft-boiled quail's eggs, bound together with a light vinaigrette that ties it all together.
Three stunning, beautiful dishes, all inspired from that amazing California box.
Now, this won't be a simple challenge.
Gentlemen, tonight, to get into the top three, you won't simply just replicate one of these dishes.
Cutter and Leslie, you will be replicating all three of these highly sophisticated dishes.
And we are looking for exact replicas.
Wow.
Take my apron now.
I mean, it just You want me to do what? You will have just 90 minutes To make us all three incredibly challenging dishes.
Okay.
Both you, head to your station.
This is gonna be the brawl of the century.
I'm done with the talk.
Talk is cheap.
I can't wait to cut Cutter out of this competition.
Do I want to beat him? Hell yeah, I want to beat him.
Am I good enough to beat him? Of course I am.
My life in the MasterChef kitchen is at stake.
I'm ready.
Let's do it.
Cutter, any last words for Leslie? Nothing at all.
Leslie, any last advice for Cutter? Yeah, I hope he likes Texas.
This is one pressure test that I am dying to witness.
May the best man win.
- Are we ready? - Yes, chef.
Yes, chef.
Your 90 minutes Starts Now.
Let's go, Cutter.
We've never seen a battle as intense as this one.
I mean, get rid of the cooking, it's Ali versus Frazier.
This is their finale tonight.
I really don't care about Leslie right now.
I think everybody knows that I'm a better cook and a better person.
You got it, Cutter.
Come on.
Let's go.
Why don't you come down and help him? Everybody can talk all they want, at the end of the day, you got to walk the walk.
Okay? He's a better cook.
What goes through your head, as a chef, when you have to put up those three dishes in 90 minutes? The big issue tonight is the timing.
The first thing you do is nail the chicken.
Got to get that preparation of the chicken done, 'cause that takes the longest to cook.
Then, number two is the preparation on the yellowfin tuna, the potatoes, and getting the green beans ready.
The last one, the big one, is the risotto.
You start the risotto with literally 25 minutes to go.
The difficulty tonight is plating all those three dishes at the same time.
Just over 25 minutes gone.
Just wait.
Not yet.
Not yet.
Not yet.
Not yet.
Why's Cutter started the risotto? Doesn't make any sense.
It's the last thing that you would do here.
Yeah, over an hour to go.
He's, literally, working backwards.
Oh, this is the worst dish ever.
Cutter.
- What's going on, chef? How you doing? - Good.
So risotto, Please tell me this is a practice one.
Yeah, 'cause I don't ha alue what I'm doing.
Okay.
No.
I mean, I'll be honest, I don't have a clue what I'm doing here.
All right.
Settle down.
Listen.
This is the last thing you want to do.
Right? And it can't hold.
Are you kidding me? We just started, d he's screwing up already? The I'm not That's gonna stir the [bleep.]
out of me.
This is only the beginning of what's gonna be your end.
Cutter, please tell me this is a practice one.
I don't have a clue what I'm doing.
- Okay.
No.
- I mean, I'll be honest.
I don't have a clue what I'm doing here.
All right.
Settle down.
Listen.
This is something that takes start to finish.
This is the last thing you want to do.
[bleep.]
and it can't hold.
Don't get stressed out.
Take two minutes out of your 90 to kind of get recentered.
- Yes, sir.
- You can do this.
Halfway, guys.
This is intense.
Each dish, one at a time, no problem at all, but three dishes in 90 minutes, that's scary.
Cutter has got his green beans already cooked for the tuna nicoise.
He's got the rice on, so he's moving.
What about you and your chicken? That is a tough one.
So the big thing is making sure that you don't leave it in the oven and dry it out.
But the difficulty tonight, surely, has to be that teriyaki.
That's the big elephant in the room tonight, 'cause they think it's a glaze, and how that glaze is really important, it's not.
- It's the delicacy of that glaze.
- Exactly.
There you go.
Get an ice bath ready.
Come on.
He's gonna lose, let him lose on his own, not with his mother up there.
- Right, Leslie.
- Yep.
- How are you feeling? - I'm feeling good.
- How's the chicken? - Pretty much done.
I just got to put the teriyaki sauce on it, and we're in the money.
Why do the girls want Cutter in the top three? Because they know they can beat him.
Me? I beat them all.
I beat them already.
So they're nervous.
Yeah, do you think that's what it is? What? Are you kidding me? He's a shoo-in for them.
Get over yourself.
Who's your cheerleaders? Who's my cheerleaders? Me, myself, and I.
- All three of them.
- Right.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
- There you go.
- That looks good.
It's getting to crunch time.
You got to think tuna, in the nicoise, it's very difficult to pull off.
I mean, from potatoes and green beans, the textures, and then that creaminess of the soft-boiled quail's eggs.
Oh, come on.
Come on.
But for me, the secret is in the tuna.
Searing it long enough on each side, couple of tablespoons of vinegar on top as it cools down It will marinate that tuna.
Who has the edge on the tuna today? Leslie is so organized.
Everything is done a, b, c, d, and it's about assembling it.
My problem with Cutter is the fact that he's slightly manhandling ingredients.
A little bit too clumsy.
Gently.
Oh, come on.
Damn it, Cutter.
Ah, damn it.
Fascinating now, both now starting the risotto.
The trick here is certainly getting the best of luxurious, creamy risotto on your palate.
Each grain of rice perfectly swollen.
Got to stir.
Got to stir.
With the creamiest protein of the sea, which is sea urchin, and it's really just about cream and cream and cream and cream.
His risotto's starting to look good.
That's pretty damn good texas risotto right there.
Cutter is looking like he's really in control right now.
Oh, yeah.
Two minutes remaining.
Got to start plating.
Come on.
Speed up.
We want three dishes replicated.
Focus now.
Finesse.
This is a pressure test times three.
Yeah.
I need all three plates down to the front within the next 75 seconds.
It really is neck and neck now.
Anyone's game.
Let's go.
Get it on.
Get it on.
We can't add any time.
Ten Run, Cutter, run! Move, Cutter.
eight, seven Run.
You got it! six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
Hands in the air.
Good job.
Wow.
Oh, I forgot my [bleep.]
eggs.
Leslie, how you feeling? A little concerned.
I forgot my eggs.
For the nicoise salad.
Could have been plated better.
- Cutter, how are you feeling? - Awesome.
Out of the three dishes, which ones do you think you've nailed? One, two, and three! You're pumped, aren't you? Who's going through to the top three? Me.
For sure.
Let's find out.
I'm feeling great.
I mean, my plates are looking exactly like what the judges put up there.
These big old bear paws did a lot of finesse today.
Okay.
So risotto, one of them definitely has a superior aesthetic.
Leslie, what do you think about his risotto? It looks pretty bad.
All right, let's deal with Cutter's first.
The flavor is very good.
Leslie.
How much wine did you put in here? Uh, I would say about a cup, maybe.
Thanks, guys.
Joe, who had the best risotto? Well One had a better cook on the rice, but was over seasoned.
One was undercooked, but the seasoning was spot on.
The winning risotto Was Leslie's.
Thank you, chef.
I won that hands down.
My risotto looked exactly the way they put it on the plate.
All right, now onto the jidori chicken teriyaki.
It always hinges on taste, But you have to take into consideration the presentation.
Cutter, what's your assessment of the two plates? Visually, I feel like I copied yours probably 90% correct.
And what about Leslie's? Wrong plate.
No sauce.
Bok choy's cut very long, and not a good crust on his chicken.
Cutter, we'll begin with you.
Well, what do you think? I think it looks pretty good.
Leslie, what do you think? Looks dry to me.
Okay.
Well, let's taste.
How long was this in the oven? Maybe 12, 15 minutes.
Leslie.
Yes.
Doesn't seem to have as much of a glaze on it.
- You didn't get that in? - Didn't get it in.
Good job, the both of you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
It's really, really close.
Graham, the teriyaki chicken, who nailed it? Both were overcooked.
One, more than the other.
One person's sauce was the right consistency, the other was missing off the plate.
The best jidori chicken teriyaki Belonged to Graham, the teriyaki chicken, who nailed it? Both were overcooked.
One, more than the other.
The best jidori chicken teriyaki Belonged to Cutter.
- Good job.
Congrats.
- Thank you.
Now it all comes down to the nicoise salad.
I'm sweating a little.
This is it.
Top three or go home.
Uh, Cutter, how did you cook the tuna? I put salt and pepper on it first, let it rest, seared it on both sides and then sliced it.
The tuna, I have a big problem with that.
It's sort of badly seared, dense, raw in the center.
Quail eggs are cooked beautifully.
Potatoes cooked nicely.
You've got so much going for you, but the hero, um, cut badly and delivered in an unfortunate way.
Thank you.
Leslie.
Visually, does that excite you? No, it's kind of thrown on the plate.
And qua's eggs.
- Um, they're in my pot.
- Behind you.
Yes, behind me.
- It looks clumsy.
- Yes.
I agree.
- It doesn't look the most appetizing.
- No, it's not.
Talk to me about the vinaigrette.
It's olive oil, shallots, lemon, and dijon mustard.
Tuna, cooked beautifully.
Vinaigrette, delicious.
Potatoes, slightly overcooked.
Quail's eggs, awol.
Really have two very strong efforts.
This, right now, is neck and neck.
I want to make it to the top three so bad.
I mean, I've came this far.
I know I'm a better cook than Leslie is.
Neck and neck.
One nailed the risotto, one nailed the chicken, and the tuna's even.
If it really comes down to the tuna, Which one do you like better? Cutter's tuna, way undercooked.
- Under? - Way undercooked.
I was a little bit more raw on my tuna, but I thought I nailed chef Ramsey's as far as the look.
Leslie's plate looks like crap.
He didn't even complete the dish.
- Leslie forgot the eggs, though.
- I know.
There's no yolk to add the richness.
Now, visually, it was a mess.
It was all over the place.
Does he have a better looking plate than me? Sure, he's got s little olives over here.
He's got his tomatoes over here.
His tuna looks like [bleep.]
in the middle here.
So overall, it's about the flavor.
Very, very close.
Okay, ready? This is a very difficult moment for both of you and equally, for us.
The person with the winning nicoise salad The person who is now in the top three of MasterChef Congratulations Leslie.
Thank you, chef.
- Well done.
- Thank you.
You nailed it.
Great seasoning on the vinaigrette.
No quail's eggs.
Big deal.
I can live with that, 'cause the hero of the dish was the tuna.
Congratulations.
Go and join - Congratulations.
the girls on the balcony.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Cutter You have true grit.
You have true determination, and you've done an amazing job.
Thank you.
Cutter, how's the journey been for you? Tell you what, man, it's been a roller coaster.
Uh, I came in here just knowing how to cook a few things really good, but I learned so much from you guys.
You've been brilliant.
I put my heart on the plate every time is all I can tell you.
Every time.
I appreciate everything, man.
Damn, I appreciated Leslie.
That was good competition.
That's all I wanted.
You showed every home cook out there that anything is possible.
Thank you.
Come here, big boy.
Say good-bye.
All right, man.
- Back to Texas.
- Thank you, sir.
Appreciate everything, man.
Appreciate it.
Really, I do.
Chef.
Come here, you.
- I thank you.
- Well, done.
Seriously, well done.
Honestly.
Hey, good luck to you, sir.
My hat's off to you.
You are the better chef.
Well, thank you very much.
I appreciate that.
Thank you.
Take it easy, guys.
Take care, man.
I've represented my family and my friends and my state very well, and I can walk out with my head held high.
I came into MasterChef as a small fish in a big pond Cutter.
Cutter brewer, baby! Yes! and I grew.
Let's go.
Hurry up.
They're waiting.
They're waiting.
Yeah! Thank you! And I got to just work with the three best guys in the industry.
The most beautiful thing that you have put on a plate.
Wow.
Thank you.
You cooked this heart about as good as it could be cooked.
Very, very impressive.
The love and teaching that chef Ramsey gave to me, he never quit believing in me.
You may have a face like a british bulldog chewed a wasp, but you do cook like an angel.
You learn from the past, you live for today, and you dream about tomorrow, and here on MasterChef, I lived the dream.
Cutter brewer, baby! Next week, it's the two-hour MasterChef finale.
as the three best home cooks in America take on the season's most intimidating challenge.
It's a fight for a place in the final two The pressure is on.
I loved it.
I'd put that on my menu.
as the world's biggest cooking competition comes to an end, and a champion is crowned The winner of this year's MasterChef is