Masterchef (2010) s08e05 Episode Script
Shell-Shocked & Scrambled
Announcer: Previously, it was sink or swim Our lifeguards are arriving.
when the Top 19 faced their first team challenge.
- Woo! - Brien's Red Team Gordon: Congratulations.
Well done.
navigated their way to victory, - leaving Paige - What do you think? I would not want to eat it.
to sink to the bottom of the pressure test.
Tonight, a mystery box challenge that's alive Eboni: Oh, God.
and kicking.
- And then - Watch and learn.
a Gordon Ramsay master class leads to an elimination What do I need? A ( bleep ) straw? that's hard to swallow.
- ( coughs ) - ( gasps ) Woohoo! - All right, let's do this.
- Let's go! Newton: I came to MasterChef to show these young kids that this old guy has some spunk in him, and it's been a great ride.
I rodeo'ed my way to the Top 18, sent some people packing like I promised.
You've already come a long, long way to get here, but, trust me, this competition is just getting started.
Because it's time to be tested yet again in your next big mystery box challenge.
Are you ready to find out what you have to work with? All: Yes, Chef.
All right, on the count of three, you will lift those boxes.
One, two, three.
Lift.
( squealing, laughing ) - We got a live one! - Shut up.
Oh! In your box, you have some of the finest shellfish the world has to offer, including Pacific sea urchin, soft-shell crabs, clams, green-lipped mussels, beautiful geoduck, and one of my favorites, Santa Barbara spot prawns.
I grew up in New England.
I love seafood.
These are things that speak to who I am and I just love all little clammies.
This challenge is totally made for me.
Oh, my gosh, this is amazing.
Win this challenge, and you will get a huge advantage moving forward.
You'll have 60 minutes to make us the absolute best shellfish dish of your entire lives.
Your 60 minutes starts - now! Let's go! - Woohoo! Let's go.
Right now, guys, look at this beautiful array of shellfish.
Now, I have a confession.
The sea urchin has to be my favorite.
And you have to open the sea urchin with such delicacy.
Man, gonna have to go with something a little more heavy duty.
I'll be so excited if anyone works with that.
What I'm very excited about is these Santa Barbara spot prawns.
But they're very tricky.
You've gotta remove the head, because if you don't do that, the flesh becomes mealy.
Now, one of the stranger shellfish out here tonight is the geoduck clam.
Just to get into this geoduck you need to blanch it for a few seconds.
Boiling water, then cold water, make sure it's rinsed out.
Slice it thin.
Doesn't need a lot.
Maybe some salt, some lemon juice, some olive oil.
My big question to you guys, anyone going to have the balls tonight to actually work with one of those things? God.
It can't be jumping around.
How do I kill it? Grab the head.
Rip it off.
Pretend it was cheatin' on you.
The dish that I'm making is called jeweled dumplings.
It's going to have geoduck and spotted prawn and mushrooms cooked in a Cantonese pepper sauce.
My dad's from Hong Kong, so I'm going to fry it in the Cantonese style.
This is a difficult dish.
I'm making my own dumpling skin, and so I'm really pulling out my A game.
I'm getting there.
I am doing fried soft-shell crab, uni butter, with a corn cake.
I grew up fishing-- a huge tomboy.
I'm a nutritionist, so I absolutely love seafood, and just really excited to work with something that's so fresh.
Oh, no, no.
Coming from an Italian household, I really know how to make pastas.
It's how I won this apron right here.
So, we are going to do a sea urchin pasta, some mussels with a little bit of our chard, and then we're going to be roasting up a couple of our shrimp here.
Guys, just under 30 minutes to go! - You okay, Jethro? - Oh, yeah.
This is up your alley, isn't it? This is mine to lose right now.
- All right, Jeff.
- Hello.
How are we today? Now, you look like you are setting yourself up for success.
I'm ready.
I'm prepping everything so that way-- - This is a beautiful board.
- Thank you so very much.
What do you got going on? I'm going to bring in a little bit of Spanish flavor.
We're going to do a sautéed mussel dish with a little bit of chorizo sausage, and we're also going to do a nice little bit of Shrimp al Ajillo, so it's going to be jam-packed with that flavor.
and a tribute to my hometown in Tampa.
Tell me a little bit about your family life.
Well, I've got an incredible fiancée, who sacrifices everything so that way I can be living out my dream right now, and raising our little boy, who is just three months old today.
And this is my tribute to my little boy, and I want to make him proud.
When you cook from that place, usually great things happen.
I love the passion.
Good luck.
Thank you so very much, you two.
Get a little bit of some fat.
- Jason.
- Hello, Chef Ramsay.
- How are you doing? - Doing very well, thank you.
The look on your face, when you unveiled that box was like Christmas Day.
It's beautiful.
All the shellfish is just really-- thank you so much for providing something so wonderful.
- You're very welcome.
- I appreciate it.
Right, what's the dish? What are you using? The clams, I've created a quick stock.
- There is ginger in here - Smart.
I have some of the shrimp shells in there.
I'm going to try tempura spot prawns and I'd like to use some of the richness of the uni.
Working from a musical palate, you know teaching orchestra, I'm working with different instruments, just orchestrating that and seeing how-- And you're the conductor.
- Yes, I am.
- And I'm the taster.
- I hope I can do you proud.
- Good luck.
- Okay, thank you, Chef.
- Let's go.
Guys, 15 minutes remaining.
- All right, Newton! - Yes, ma'am? As a Texan ranch owner, where do you have experience working with these ingredients? I love fresh seafood, but, unfortunately, up in north Texan ranch country, I have to go 100 miles to get fresh fish.
But just from things I've heard, we'll do a little Camarones de la Diablo, mussels as an appetizer.
We'll have po'boy sandwich with the soft-shell crabs.
So, your wife has been a huge supporter of you, right? She's allowing you to kinda be here doing your thing.
Well, you know, it's the beauty of my wife, my kids, friends allowing me this beautiful trip here.
And to be here and cook and be in this experience? - There's nothing better.
- Let's taste that dream.
- Thank you.
- Try to be that next MasterChef.
- Thank you, Chef.
- All right.
Thank you very much.
Can I get that salt back, please? - Thank you.
- Thank you.
Aarón: All right, everyone, 10 minutes left for this beautiful dish, utilizing these true jewels of the sea.
I'm so impressed.
Jason, okay, - he is using, minimum, four of the shellfish.
- What? He's opened the sea urchin beautifully.
He's steaming the clams.
He started a stock.
He's flavored it with bonito flakes.
This guy seriously knows what he's doing.
Aarón: We visited with Jeff, and he's going this kind of Spanish route.
He wants to do Camarones al Ajillo-- kind of this traditional kind of mussel dish, tons of garlic.
I'm going to go with a little more garlic.
He's got this deeper thing that he's fighting for.
He's got a three month old at home.
He's got a fiancée that's holding down the fort.
Aarón: And, even Newton, big cowboy, meat and potato guy, he got very emotional when he started speaking about his family, his children.
So, he's really playing for a lot here, and he's seizing that by using three different kinds of shellfish.
- Come on.
- And he says he's not familiar with it.
- Newton: How much time? - Last two minutes.
This is where you start to concentrate on your plating.
- It's there.
- There it is, baby.
- Come on, guys, let's go! - Saddle up, Newton.
Yee-haw! - Here we go! - Get it on the plate.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, - one.
- And stop.
- Well done.
- Hands in the air.
- Here we go! - Get it on a plate.
Five, four, three, two, one.
That's it.
- Hands up.
- Hands in the air.
- Woo! - Well done.
Man, nice job, y'all.
All right, we had a chance to watch you cook and taste elements from each of your dishes as you put them together.
Now, there are three dishes out there that we can't wait to take a closer look at.
The first home cook really took the idea of the variety of shellfish available to them and really took it to the next level.
Please step forward Jeff, come down, please.
Jeff: I'm the first name that's called up.
Everyone needs to pay attention to Jeff.
I'm in it to win it.
This is a tribute to Tampa.
Jeff, describe to me your dish.
I did sautéed mussels and chorizo with prawns and garlic.
Talk to me about the heads.
I wanted that just to be for a little bit of presentation, and I really would like for you to get a little bit of that broth, that way there's a little bit more of that flavor to it.
I enjoy the lightness of the broth.
I think it really is accentuated by the shells from the actual spot prawns.
The green-lipped mussels are cooked perfectly.
I think for me, if I were to do something different, - some Israeli couscous, - Cool.
or something in there to soak up that broth.
But the flavor is definitely there.
Thank you very much, Chef.
Wow.
Yeah, that is delicious.
Mussels are sweet and the shrimp are mind-blowing.
Love what you did with the ingredients, because you let them speak for themselves.
You cooked them the last minute, but you utilized what else they delivered in terms of the stock, the flavor, and the sweetness.
Young man, there's no stopping you right now, is there? - Not at all.
- That is delicious.
- Thank you.
- Well done.
- Good job, Jeff.
- Way to go, Jeff.
All right, the second dish that we want to examine further showcases an incredibly impressive display of culinary technique.
This home cook used not one, not two, but three of the shellfish.
Please step forward Necco.
Necco: This is my first time in the top three, so the judges haven't really gotten to know me yet.
I've brought my Southern roots, my Italian roots, my French technique.
This mystery box is mine.
All right, Necco, what do you got? We have roasted spot prawns, a Southern version of Mussels Casino, and an uni pasta.
Awesome.
Let's start with the spot prawns.
How'd you season it? It was a quick poach and then a roast in the oven with garlic butter, parsley.
I was also fortunate enough to find myself a female with the roe still in it, and I figured that would be a nice texture component.
Pretty lovely with that spot prawn.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Now, mussel.
Looks like you kind of went Clams Casino on me.
A little bit.
It's a Southern version of it.
Instead of spinach, we went with Swiss chard.
Wow.
Very smart preparation.
Love that you went back to Southern roots there.
I think the Swiss chard is delicious.
It's well seasoned.
It pairs well with the sweetness of that mussel.
Listen, Necco, if this is what you've got under your belt, I'm excited to see what else you've got up your sleeve.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Very nice job.
Strong Italian roots, right? - You're proud of that? - Absolutely.
Yes, Chef.
You've made fresh tagliatelle before? No, Chef.
This is my first time making this style of pasta.
That tagliatelle, with the sea urchin, it's creamy, it's luscious, and the light coating of butter and seasoning is really something spectacular.
If this is what you've got, a desire to do three preparations? Everybody there should be taking notice.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.
Good job, Necco.
- Good job.
- Nice job.
The third and final dish, this plate, it's packed with elements all harmonizing beautifully.
We really feel that we can see this individual's passion on the plate.
Please step forward - Jason.
- Yes.
Jason: Growing up in New England, especially near the ocean, I know my seafood.
And the fact that these beautiful ingredients are here, it's like I've hit the jackpot.
This is my mystery box to win.
- Chefs.
- Right, young man, I've never seen a smile so wide ever.
This passion, where does it come from? My parents came from Taiwan and they really didn't have much.
And these ingredients, they're things saved for very special occasions, so I wanted to treat them with respect.
You certainly showed that, let's get that right.
Describe the dish.
So, the dish I have prepared today is a tempura spot prawn, tempura-ed bok choy leaves.
The sauce is mayonnaise with fresh uni and yuzu juice.
And for here, you have a delicious broth of clams and the shells from the spot prawns.
There's ginger, a little bit of scallion, and Thai basil.
There are bonito flakes that I strained through there and there is a little bit of white miso in there and there is some clams kind of swimming around in there.
I ( bleep ) love you.
That's what I call 60 minutes of effort.
And you've got this thin tempura batter.
You can still see the Santa Barbara spot prawn, but you've gone beyond that.
You've got mushroom-- what else is in there? They are Maitake mushrooms-- hen of the woods, and bok choy leaves rolled with uni, and a little bit of mirugai-- the giant clam.
Wow.
Wow, wow, wow.
I mean, it's a work of art.
Thank you, Chef.
You know, I've never said this before, but what would I change? Quite honestly? Nothing.
- Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- That broth is out of this world.
- Thank you.
The layers, the flavor, it makes you just want to keep going back.
The tempura reminds me of every trip I've ever taken to Japan.
It was delicious.
I love the zing of yuzu.
You live it and you breathe it, this love for food, and you've cared so much for every single one of these ingredients.
- Very nice job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Nice job.
- Good job, Jason.
- Nice job, buddy.
- You killed it, man.
That's beautiful.
You three, well done.
Jeff, Necco, Jason, you know there can only be one winner.
That winner will receive a game-changing advantage.
The winning dish tonight congratulations to Jason.
- Go Jason.
- Great job.
Congratulations, dude! Amazing.
Nice job.
That's awesome.
Young man, how do you feel? Is this even real? Am I here? Jason, you're now safe from elimination.
Please, take your well-earned position up there, safe on the balcony.
Off you go.
Well done.
- Great job, Jason.
- Go, Jason! Nice job.
And the rest of you, your elimination challenge starts now.
Now, in this elimination challenge, you're gonna make not just an American classic, but a Gordon Ramsay classic.
Aarón: His technique making this dish is so legendary, 30 million people have already seen him do this dish online.
Oh, wow.
Now, I have a lot of signature dishes.
Beef Wellington, of course, lobster ravioli, and, of course, that incredible sticky toffee pudding.
But the dish that you're going to be making tonight was one of the first things that I mastered.
It is, of course ( gasps ) The dish that you're going to be making tonight is incredible.
It took me months to perfect.
It is, of course - Ooh! - scrambled eggs.
But not just any scrambled egg-- an incredible light, delicious scrambled egg served with roasted vine tomatoes and grilled mushrooms.
Tonight, we all are going back to basics.
Yachecia: Scrambled eggs? Um, okay.
Lord knows I've made a ton of scrambled eggs.
However, I know there's gotta be a catch to this.
Scrambled eggs may sound simple, but we are looking for MasterChef worthy perfection.
My scrambled eggs requires extreme technical discipline and precise timing.
Tonight, you'll be making my scrambled eggs, my way.
Watch and learn.
Eboni: This may be a little shocking, but I have never scrambled an egg.
In my house, with my four kids and husband, we eat fried eggs, poached eggs, boiled eggs, not scrambled eggs.
Now, scrambled eggs, first of all, obviously, I don't need to show you how to grill a tomato and a mushroom.
That's pretty obvious.
But the secret behind any great scrambled egg is too make sure you do not overcook it.
Now, start off with cold eggs, straight into the pan.
Take your butter.
Three small knobs of butter.
From there, onto the stove.
Bring the gas up high, and then start cooking the eggs very gently.
Every time I stir, I'm cleaning the bottom of the pan.
If we were to season the eggs now, they would go gray.
So, 30 seconds on.
Back off.
That slows down the cooking process, stops the eggs from overcooking.
So, you need to be very careful.
Back on.
If you've ever cooked it, you'll see the scrambled eggs going really watery.
So, it's really important that you go on and off, on and off throughout the whole three minutes.
They're just starting to thicken up now.
I'll come back off the heat.
Now, we've cooled it down.
Back on to the heat again.
Now, take your toast, your tomatoes, and then your mushrooms.
Back off the heat.
I'm working with it all the time.
It's now starting to come together.
You can just see the texture now.
Goes back on.
Lightly season-- really important, right at the very end.
That keeps the eggs nice and fresh, but here's where it goes to a completely different level.
Take a teaspoon of crème fraîche.
That goes in.
That gives a really nice creamy texture.
More importantly, it stops them from overcooking.
Now, come to serve, I want to see nice, light, fluffy scrambled eggs.
A little bit creamy.
Scrambled eggs to die for.
And finally, finish with a little smidgeon of chopped chives on the top.
Let them sprinkle.
And that's how a MasterChef perfects scrambled eggs.
- Woo! - Beautiful, Chef.
That's awesome.
Gabriel: It's crazy to me.
I've been watching Gordon Ramsay since I was 10 years old, 11 years old.
His videos sparked that interest in me to cook.
Aarón: All right, guys, now it's your turn.
Everyone please head back to your stations.
Gabriel: Being the main cook in my family, I've made these scrambled eggs before for breakfast.
If you don't pay attention to all the details, it's very easy to mess up.
Each one of you will have just 15 minutes to make a perfect plate of scrambled eggs with roasted vine tomatoes and grilled mushrooms, just like Gordon's.
- Is everybody ready? - All: Yes, Chef.
Your 15 minutes starts now! Let's go.
I make scrambled eggs with a little milk ordinarily.
Usually, have a lot of people come over at my place for brunch, but I'm challenging myself by doing it the Ramsay way.
So, I'm feeling really good about this challenge.
Go, Heather.
I got fresh chickens back on the ranch.
I have fresh eggs every day to cook with, so this is a little bit different than we do them at home, but we're gonna get it going, though.
I would absolutely consider myself the Queen of Breakfast.
I know I wouldn't be able to perform as a dancer if I didn't have the energy that came from a good batch of scrambled eggs.
There's no way I'm getting this wrong today.
Christine: Guys, what I love about this elimination challenge is it's the ultimate leveling field.
Everyone has cooked eggs.
Gordon: If you're smart tonight, across those 15 minutes, get everything organized, and then with six or seven minutes to go, make your scrambled eggs.
It's all in the timing.
They take between four to five minutes to cook, so the big question is who has got the balls to wait ten minutes before they start those eggs? Whoever does that, I guarantee you, is gonna be safe up on the balcony.
I feel pretty good.
I like to make a soft scrambled egg similar to the way that Chef Ramsay gave us.
So, I'm just trying to take what he heard to perfect what I think I all ready know.
Back in Tampa, we cook eggs all the time.
My fiancée and I, brunch is everything for us.
I mean, if you can't make scrambled eggs in the kitchen, I mean, seriously, what are you doing here? Five minutes gone.
10 minutes remaining.
It's all about the timing tonight.
Last 10 minutes, let's go.
Christine: We've got that toasted brioche, those roasted vine tomatoes, those beautiful mushrooms on a plate, Come on, let's get real.
It's all about the eggs.
Everybody underestimates the power of techniques across making the perfect scrambled egg.
You regulate that temperature in your pan, you go up, you go down.
Take it off the heat, stop them from overcooking.
Go back on the heat.
And seasoning right at the very end is paramount.
Fascinating.
Gabriel hasn't even started the eggs.
It's a good sign for me, because that's the way to perfect this challenge.
Eggs go on last.
They wait for nobody.
Just over five minutes remaining.
Christine: Remember, this is an elimination challenge.
Make us a beautiful dish of scrambled eggs, you're safe on the balcony.
Let's go.
My fiancée, is actually pregnant at home with our son on the way, so I make eggs for her as often as I can.
Just gonna take what I saw from Chef Ramsay there and execute it.
Daniel's burning the toast.
I mean, come on.
Christine: What is he doing? Gordon: Guys, if you're burning the toast, what chance has he got for the scrambled eggs? Jeff's starting his eggs.
Gordon: I don't think he'll be done in time.
His eggs look really runny.
Just over two minutes remaining.
Come on, let's go.
Christine: Come on, now.
Dino looks like he just has them on high heat.
- You've got to work back and forth, right? - Aarón: Absolutely.
60 seconds remaining.
Come on! Aarón: Check that seasoning, guys, come on.
Gordon: Taste everything.
It's all about the precision.
Guys, Heather does not have any mushrooms on the plate.
Come on, seriously? It's on fire again? It's on fire.
- 30 seconds remaining.
Come on, Daniel.
- Aarón: Let's go, guys.
Check that texture of those eggs, guys.
Gordon: It needs to be on your plate.
If it's in your pan, you are not safe.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop! Hands in the air.
Good job, guys.
Aarón: Check that texture of those eggs, guys.
Gordon: It needs to be on your plate.
If it's in your pan, you are not safe.
Five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
Hands in the air.
Gordon: Wow.
Well done, everybody.
( groans ) It's time to find out how you all did.
Gabriel: Being the youngest one here, I feel like I have an advantage in this challenge because I'm always willing to try new things.
I'm not too set in my ways.
I'm really hoping the judges send me up to the balcony, because I feel like this will definitely prove to my competitors and to myself that I know what I'm doing.
Gabriel, have you seen Chef Gordon make these eggs before? Yes, Chef.
What time did you put those eggs on? About maybe seven, six minutes out.
Seven, six minutes, huh? Well, I'm happy you chose to, because these are delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.
- You are definitely a good student.
- Get up there.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.
- Yeah.
Whew! Gabriel: Thank God I watched that video and I studied and prepared for what Chef Ramsay had in store.
- Seasoning was very good.
- Yep.
I wanna be able to show that age doesn't matter.
I might be the youngest, but I've got some aces up my sleeve.
Take a deep breath.
- Welcome.
- Jeff, how'd you do? Not well.
It's a scrambled ( bleep ) on a plate, and I apologize that you guys have to eat this.
The proof is in the pudding, because that's just what it looks like.
I am not happy with this one bit.
It's terrible, completely.
- Severely under-seasoned.
- Without a doubt.
- Severely undercooked.
- Without a doubt.
Jeff, you're not safe.
Stay here.
I'm definitely here.
I deserve to be.
- Newton, you happy with it? - Yes, sir.
So am I.
Delicious.
- Head on up.
- Thank you.
- Incredible.
- Yep.
Sam, eggs are under-seasoned, and that crème fraîche isn't incorporated.
Sorry, you're not safe.
Stay right here.
- Hello, Jenny.
- Hi, Chef.
How much crème fraîche did you put in there? About a teaspoon.
- Right at the end? - Right at the end.
I think it's pretty spot on.
- Please go up to the balcony.
- Oh, thank you.
- Fluffy.
- Fluffy, airy.
- Brien, that is delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.
Head on up to the balcony.
Beautiful, right? Creamy.
Heather, did you have some timing issues? I did.
I wanted to get those mushrooms on the plate and I didn't have a chance.
Well, Heather, it's not seasoned well enough.
These scrambled eggs, frankly, are not good enough and you're not safe.
- Not good enough.
You're staying down.
- Yes, Chef.
When did you start cooking your eggs here? About when it was seven minutes left.
Whether you put those eggs on seven minutes to go or not, they're severely overcooked.
Rubbery, bouncy-- Dino, you're not safe.
- Stay right here, please.
- Okay, Chef.
Caitlin, the eggs are under-seasoned.
It's not a beautiful fluffy serving of scrambled eggs.
You're not safe.
- Necco, did you taste your scrambled eggs? - Yes, Chef.
I thought they were tasty.
We also thought they were tasty.
Congratulations.
Delicious.
Head on up.
Thank you, Chefs.
Eboni: My heart is beating out my chest.
This is my first time ever making this, legit, but hopefully the flavors are there.
I hope they're creamy and fluffy like they're supposed to be.
I hope I don't pass out.
I think for someone who's never made scrambled eggs before - I think you nailed it.
- Thank you, Chef.
The texture's right.
The seasoning is there.
- Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
Up to the balcony, please.
You're safe.
- Thank you.
- Wow, textbook.
- Soft, tender, silky.
- Delicious.
Hello, Chefs.
Oh, dear.
Look at this.
Agreed.
How would you rate your scrambled egg? I think they came out nice.
I think I got that silky texture.
I got the seasoning there.
I think I did a good job.
Let's get one thing right, you struggled toasting the brioche.
I did.
I was having a hard time getting an even toast across the bread.
Well, Daniel thank goodness you can make a scrambled egg.
- Delicious.
Head on up.
- Thank you very much, Chef.
Get yourself a toaster.
All of you up there on the balcony, congratulations, you are all safe.
Those were delicious, masterful scrambled eggs.
Aarón: So, now six of you remain out there.
Please come down here to the front.
Dino: I'm not safe right now, I'm stuck down here.
They weren't too with my eggs.
I don't know what's coming up next, but I'm crapping bricks at this point.
Now, because your scrambled eggs were not cooked to my standards tonight, your place in this competition is now on the line.
Christina: Now, in the MasterChef kitchen, you are all students.
And the best quality in a student is their ability to take criticism and to learn from their mistakes.
You six have one more chance, and you'll be needing these.
- That's right, - Thank you.
you'll be doing this challenge all over again.
Let's go.
Each of you step up and grab a box of eggs.
Jeff: This journey's not over for me, and eggs are not going to hold me back.
If I can focus in on the clock and make sure time management doesn't get the best of me, I've got a chance of still surviving.
All six of you need to do it much, much better than you just did.
Oh, and there's an extra bit of pressure.
This time, you'll have just 10 minutes.
- ( gasps ) - Oh, my God.
You six have one more chance.
That's right, you'll be doing this challenge all over again.
And there's an extra bit of pressure.
This time, you'll have just ten minutes.
- ( gasps ) - Oh, my God.
Aarón: Everyone, please take your eggs and head back to your stations.
Ten minutes? Aye yai yai.
I'm someone that likes to take my time in the kitchen.
This does not play to my strengths.
Gordon: Elimination is on the line.
At least one of you is about to make their last dish in this kitchen.
Do not go out on scrambled eggs.
Your ten minutes starts now.
- Come on, guys.
- I've got this.
All right, guys.
So, guys, this is the last chance for these six home cooks' redemption.
Aarón: You guys gotta nail this.
Ten minutes, Jesus.
Gordon: It's all about the timing.
They have to work quicker now with ten minutes to go.
Personally, I'm really surprised that Jeff is down here, Dino is down here, and I'm really surprised that Yachecia is down here, because the scrambled eggs she gave us weeks ago coming into this competition were incredible.
Yep.
Gordon: Three minutes gone.
Seven minutes remaining.
- Come on.
- Eggs, eggs, eggs.
Get those eggs up.
Oh, my God, that's so much butter, Sam.
Sam just put two thirds of a stick of butter in there? - Uh, yeah.
- That's like six tablespoons.
Christina: Do not repeat your mistakes you made earlier.
Show us you are the student that deserves to be in this kitchen.
Get those scrambled eggs as perfect as possible.
Come on, Sam.
Just over four minutes remaining.
Come on, baby.
Come on, baby.
You guys, Heather is all over the place.
Aarón: Check that seasoning, guys, come on.
( Christina gasps ) - Oh, my God.
- No, Heather! Look at how much black pepper just went in Heather's pan? Oh, my God.
She used almost a tablespoon of pepper.
I'm really concerned about that.
Gordon: Taste everything.
Christine: Come on, now.
Gordon: Last minute, guys.
Come on, let's go.
Come on, now.
Gordon: You want to be plating now.
- Jesus - Please, God, please, God.
Aarón: Make those final tastes.
Let's go.
Christine: Come on, guys.
- Oh, baby doll.
- Look at Dino's.
From here it looks delicious-- light and fluffy.
30 seconds remaining.
Come on, Jeff.
You got to get it on that plate.
Taste, Sam.
Come on, Sam.
Oh, my God, his eggs are watery.
His eggs are watery.
Crank the heat up.
15 seconds to go.
Christine: Come on, guys.
Make it pretty.
Make it pretty.
Ten, nine, eight, - seven, six, five, - Heather, get it on the plate.
four, three, two, - one, and stop.
- Hands are in the air.
- Good job, guys.
- Good job, guys.
Adam: Sam's are not cooked.
Look at that.
All right, home cooks, bring those scrambled egg dishes to the front.
So, visually, it's a nice shiny, silky texture.
Thank you.
Wow, it's rich.
It's creamy.
Seasoned beautifully.
- You've nailed it.
- Thank you.
- Miss Yachecia.
- Yes, Chef? I have to say right off the bat, I love the color.
It's even, it's uniform.
It has that beautiful gloss and sheen to the outside.
Thank you, Chef.
It's well seasoned.
It's fluffy, it's airy.
It has the right amount of fat by way of the crème fraîche and the butter.
- Excellent job.
- Thank you, Chef.
All right, Miss Caitlin, visually an improvement from a volume standpoint.
Let's see how it tastes.
Nice cook there.
I can still see the moisture in the center.
Thank you.
I think you definitely remedied the seasoning.
I like the richness.
Definitely an improvement - from your last scrambled eggs dish.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Sam.
- Yes, Chef? Okay, visually, just look left and look right - and then come back to your liquid scrambled egg.
- Yes.
It looks like a grild cheese from here.
What do I need? A ( bleep ) straw? What is it with you and the timing? I have a hard time focusing and the time is hard for me.
We're talking about scrambled eggs.
I'm aware.
Sam, what would you give yourself in class? Out of ten? I don't know.
About a five.
A five? Generous.
So, Dino, looking at it, it has that beautiful golden sheen on the outside.
It almost looks like the sun.
It doesn't have tons of specks of black pepper, which is a good thing.
A lot of people underestimate how powerful black pepper is.
It can really kill a dish.
- I love the way it's proportionate.
- Thank you, Chef.
It's creamy, it's well seasoned.
It's consistent in flavor and consistent in the way it's cooked.
- Excellent.
- Thank you, Chef.
All right, Miss Heather, first round of scrambled eggs didn't go so well.
- Not so well.
- What did you learn from that first cook? My eggs were overcooked.
I also was under-seasoned.
So, I added salt and I also put some pepper in there as well to get a little kick.
That's a lot of pepper.
I was a little heavy-handed with the pepper, probably.
( coughs ) What did you learn from that first cook? My eggs were overcooked.
I also was under-seasoned.
So, I added salt and some pepper in there as well to get a little kick.
That's a lot of pepper.
I was a little heavy-handed with the pepper, probably.
( coughs ) ( coughing ) Let's just a look at this color-wise.
Wow.
The color is dark and gray.
I may have put a little too much pepper to make it that brown color.
And they're almost gray from black pepper, Heather.
Okay.
All right, home cooks, please come around to the front.
Gordon: So, some made some vast improvements.
Heather's-- ( coughs ) Aarón: You can't get past one bite of that egg.
Too much black pepper.
Sam's? Severely undercooked.
Has he shown he's good enough of a student? - Are we straight? Okay.
- I think so.
Aarón: All six of you found yourselves here cooking for a second time.
And this was all about who could adapt, who could learn, and some of you did better than others tonight.
There were two home cooks that went from zero to hero.
Please step forward, Yachecia.
And, Dino, step forward.
- Dino, baby.
- Nice job, you two.
Both of you displayed grit, you took direction well, and that is what makes a great MasterChef.
- Go upstairs, please.
- Thank you, Chef.
Thank you, Chef.
Good job, you guys.
So, then there were four.
Will the following two home cooks please step forward? Caitlin and Jeff - go head on up.
- Thank you, Chef.
Sam, Heather, this has been a very tough decision.
Unfortunately, we have to say good-bye to at least one of you this evening.
Sam, you had all the makings of a great scrambled egg, but unfinished.
Heather, your eggs are way to peppery.
I'm surprised, because you're both smart individuals.
I didn't expect it to come down to this.
Sam, please step forward and say good night to Heather and make your way up those stairs.
Whoa.
Heather, this challenge was about technique, about being a great student, and though you didn't make the same mistakes that you made the first time, you made different mistakes.
You've got a lot of gusto.
I think you've got a lot of drive.
- Tonight just wasn't your night.
- Yeah.
Please leave your apron on your station.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Love you, Heather! - Heather, we love you.
Bye, Heather.
Heather: Leaving the MasterChef kitchen, I'm proud of myself.
Getting to the Top 18 is not easy, so this is definitely a step forward.
Being a nurse, it's really important for me to show people that I care for them, and I was able to do that with my cooking.
And I've learned a lot more skill from being here to be able to do that even more.
Bye, Heather.
Announcer: Next week Gordon: On the menu tonight, lamb.
the Top 17 have front row seats to a Gordon Ramsay master class.
Jason: Chef Ramsay looks so precision-like.
Can we do this today? This is crazy.
Gordon: You've got to speed up.
Announcer: And when the competition heats up, who has the chops It's beautifully done.
You just cooked like a chef's dream.
to make the cut? Ugh.
I wouldn't even ( bleep ) swallow that.
I can't do that to my palate.
Eboni: I cannot believe my eyes right now.
This sucks.
What in the ( bleep ) happened?
when the Top 19 faced their first team challenge.
- Woo! - Brien's Red Team Gordon: Congratulations.
Well done.
navigated their way to victory, - leaving Paige - What do you think? I would not want to eat it.
to sink to the bottom of the pressure test.
Tonight, a mystery box challenge that's alive Eboni: Oh, God.
and kicking.
- And then - Watch and learn.
a Gordon Ramsay master class leads to an elimination What do I need? A ( bleep ) straw? that's hard to swallow.
- ( coughs ) - ( gasps ) Woohoo! - All right, let's do this.
- Let's go! Newton: I came to MasterChef to show these young kids that this old guy has some spunk in him, and it's been a great ride.
I rodeo'ed my way to the Top 18, sent some people packing like I promised.
You've already come a long, long way to get here, but, trust me, this competition is just getting started.
Because it's time to be tested yet again in your next big mystery box challenge.
Are you ready to find out what you have to work with? All: Yes, Chef.
All right, on the count of three, you will lift those boxes.
One, two, three.
Lift.
( squealing, laughing ) - We got a live one! - Shut up.
Oh! In your box, you have some of the finest shellfish the world has to offer, including Pacific sea urchin, soft-shell crabs, clams, green-lipped mussels, beautiful geoduck, and one of my favorites, Santa Barbara spot prawns.
I grew up in New England.
I love seafood.
These are things that speak to who I am and I just love all little clammies.
This challenge is totally made for me.
Oh, my gosh, this is amazing.
Win this challenge, and you will get a huge advantage moving forward.
You'll have 60 minutes to make us the absolute best shellfish dish of your entire lives.
Your 60 minutes starts - now! Let's go! - Woohoo! Let's go.
Right now, guys, look at this beautiful array of shellfish.
Now, I have a confession.
The sea urchin has to be my favorite.
And you have to open the sea urchin with such delicacy.
Man, gonna have to go with something a little more heavy duty.
I'll be so excited if anyone works with that.
What I'm very excited about is these Santa Barbara spot prawns.
But they're very tricky.
You've gotta remove the head, because if you don't do that, the flesh becomes mealy.
Now, one of the stranger shellfish out here tonight is the geoduck clam.
Just to get into this geoduck you need to blanch it for a few seconds.
Boiling water, then cold water, make sure it's rinsed out.
Slice it thin.
Doesn't need a lot.
Maybe some salt, some lemon juice, some olive oil.
My big question to you guys, anyone going to have the balls tonight to actually work with one of those things? God.
It can't be jumping around.
How do I kill it? Grab the head.
Rip it off.
Pretend it was cheatin' on you.
The dish that I'm making is called jeweled dumplings.
It's going to have geoduck and spotted prawn and mushrooms cooked in a Cantonese pepper sauce.
My dad's from Hong Kong, so I'm going to fry it in the Cantonese style.
This is a difficult dish.
I'm making my own dumpling skin, and so I'm really pulling out my A game.
I'm getting there.
I am doing fried soft-shell crab, uni butter, with a corn cake.
I grew up fishing-- a huge tomboy.
I'm a nutritionist, so I absolutely love seafood, and just really excited to work with something that's so fresh.
Oh, no, no.
Coming from an Italian household, I really know how to make pastas.
It's how I won this apron right here.
So, we are going to do a sea urchin pasta, some mussels with a little bit of our chard, and then we're going to be roasting up a couple of our shrimp here.
Guys, just under 30 minutes to go! - You okay, Jethro? - Oh, yeah.
This is up your alley, isn't it? This is mine to lose right now.
- All right, Jeff.
- Hello.
How are we today? Now, you look like you are setting yourself up for success.
I'm ready.
I'm prepping everything so that way-- - This is a beautiful board.
- Thank you so very much.
What do you got going on? I'm going to bring in a little bit of Spanish flavor.
We're going to do a sautéed mussel dish with a little bit of chorizo sausage, and we're also going to do a nice little bit of Shrimp al Ajillo, so it's going to be jam-packed with that flavor.
and a tribute to my hometown in Tampa.
Tell me a little bit about your family life.
Well, I've got an incredible fiancée, who sacrifices everything so that way I can be living out my dream right now, and raising our little boy, who is just three months old today.
And this is my tribute to my little boy, and I want to make him proud.
When you cook from that place, usually great things happen.
I love the passion.
Good luck.
Thank you so very much, you two.
Get a little bit of some fat.
- Jason.
- Hello, Chef Ramsay.
- How are you doing? - Doing very well, thank you.
The look on your face, when you unveiled that box was like Christmas Day.
It's beautiful.
All the shellfish is just really-- thank you so much for providing something so wonderful.
- You're very welcome.
- I appreciate it.
Right, what's the dish? What are you using? The clams, I've created a quick stock.
- There is ginger in here - Smart.
I have some of the shrimp shells in there.
I'm going to try tempura spot prawns and I'd like to use some of the richness of the uni.
Working from a musical palate, you know teaching orchestra, I'm working with different instruments, just orchestrating that and seeing how-- And you're the conductor.
- Yes, I am.
- And I'm the taster.
- I hope I can do you proud.
- Good luck.
- Okay, thank you, Chef.
- Let's go.
Guys, 15 minutes remaining.
- All right, Newton! - Yes, ma'am? As a Texan ranch owner, where do you have experience working with these ingredients? I love fresh seafood, but, unfortunately, up in north Texan ranch country, I have to go 100 miles to get fresh fish.
But just from things I've heard, we'll do a little Camarones de la Diablo, mussels as an appetizer.
We'll have po'boy sandwich with the soft-shell crabs.
So, your wife has been a huge supporter of you, right? She's allowing you to kinda be here doing your thing.
Well, you know, it's the beauty of my wife, my kids, friends allowing me this beautiful trip here.
And to be here and cook and be in this experience? - There's nothing better.
- Let's taste that dream.
- Thank you.
- Try to be that next MasterChef.
- Thank you, Chef.
- All right.
Thank you very much.
Can I get that salt back, please? - Thank you.
- Thank you.
Aarón: All right, everyone, 10 minutes left for this beautiful dish, utilizing these true jewels of the sea.
I'm so impressed.
Jason, okay, - he is using, minimum, four of the shellfish.
- What? He's opened the sea urchin beautifully.
He's steaming the clams.
He started a stock.
He's flavored it with bonito flakes.
This guy seriously knows what he's doing.
Aarón: We visited with Jeff, and he's going this kind of Spanish route.
He wants to do Camarones al Ajillo-- kind of this traditional kind of mussel dish, tons of garlic.
I'm going to go with a little more garlic.
He's got this deeper thing that he's fighting for.
He's got a three month old at home.
He's got a fiancée that's holding down the fort.
Aarón: And, even Newton, big cowboy, meat and potato guy, he got very emotional when he started speaking about his family, his children.
So, he's really playing for a lot here, and he's seizing that by using three different kinds of shellfish.
- Come on.
- And he says he's not familiar with it.
- Newton: How much time? - Last two minutes.
This is where you start to concentrate on your plating.
- It's there.
- There it is, baby.
- Come on, guys, let's go! - Saddle up, Newton.
Yee-haw! - Here we go! - Get it on the plate.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, - one.
- And stop.
- Well done.
- Hands in the air.
- Here we go! - Get it on a plate.
Five, four, three, two, one.
That's it.
- Hands up.
- Hands in the air.
- Woo! - Well done.
Man, nice job, y'all.
All right, we had a chance to watch you cook and taste elements from each of your dishes as you put them together.
Now, there are three dishes out there that we can't wait to take a closer look at.
The first home cook really took the idea of the variety of shellfish available to them and really took it to the next level.
Please step forward Jeff, come down, please.
Jeff: I'm the first name that's called up.
Everyone needs to pay attention to Jeff.
I'm in it to win it.
This is a tribute to Tampa.
Jeff, describe to me your dish.
I did sautéed mussels and chorizo with prawns and garlic.
Talk to me about the heads.
I wanted that just to be for a little bit of presentation, and I really would like for you to get a little bit of that broth, that way there's a little bit more of that flavor to it.
I enjoy the lightness of the broth.
I think it really is accentuated by the shells from the actual spot prawns.
The green-lipped mussels are cooked perfectly.
I think for me, if I were to do something different, - some Israeli couscous, - Cool.
or something in there to soak up that broth.
But the flavor is definitely there.
Thank you very much, Chef.
Wow.
Yeah, that is delicious.
Mussels are sweet and the shrimp are mind-blowing.
Love what you did with the ingredients, because you let them speak for themselves.
You cooked them the last minute, but you utilized what else they delivered in terms of the stock, the flavor, and the sweetness.
Young man, there's no stopping you right now, is there? - Not at all.
- That is delicious.
- Thank you.
- Well done.
- Good job, Jeff.
- Way to go, Jeff.
All right, the second dish that we want to examine further showcases an incredibly impressive display of culinary technique.
This home cook used not one, not two, but three of the shellfish.
Please step forward Necco.
Necco: This is my first time in the top three, so the judges haven't really gotten to know me yet.
I've brought my Southern roots, my Italian roots, my French technique.
This mystery box is mine.
All right, Necco, what do you got? We have roasted spot prawns, a Southern version of Mussels Casino, and an uni pasta.
Awesome.
Let's start with the spot prawns.
How'd you season it? It was a quick poach and then a roast in the oven with garlic butter, parsley.
I was also fortunate enough to find myself a female with the roe still in it, and I figured that would be a nice texture component.
Pretty lovely with that spot prawn.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Now, mussel.
Looks like you kind of went Clams Casino on me.
A little bit.
It's a Southern version of it.
Instead of spinach, we went with Swiss chard.
Wow.
Very smart preparation.
Love that you went back to Southern roots there.
I think the Swiss chard is delicious.
It's well seasoned.
It pairs well with the sweetness of that mussel.
Listen, Necco, if this is what you've got under your belt, I'm excited to see what else you've got up your sleeve.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Very nice job.
Strong Italian roots, right? - You're proud of that? - Absolutely.
Yes, Chef.
You've made fresh tagliatelle before? No, Chef.
This is my first time making this style of pasta.
That tagliatelle, with the sea urchin, it's creamy, it's luscious, and the light coating of butter and seasoning is really something spectacular.
If this is what you've got, a desire to do three preparations? Everybody there should be taking notice.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.
Good job, Necco.
- Good job.
- Nice job.
The third and final dish, this plate, it's packed with elements all harmonizing beautifully.
We really feel that we can see this individual's passion on the plate.
Please step forward - Jason.
- Yes.
Jason: Growing up in New England, especially near the ocean, I know my seafood.
And the fact that these beautiful ingredients are here, it's like I've hit the jackpot.
This is my mystery box to win.
- Chefs.
- Right, young man, I've never seen a smile so wide ever.
This passion, where does it come from? My parents came from Taiwan and they really didn't have much.
And these ingredients, they're things saved for very special occasions, so I wanted to treat them with respect.
You certainly showed that, let's get that right.
Describe the dish.
So, the dish I have prepared today is a tempura spot prawn, tempura-ed bok choy leaves.
The sauce is mayonnaise with fresh uni and yuzu juice.
And for here, you have a delicious broth of clams and the shells from the spot prawns.
There's ginger, a little bit of scallion, and Thai basil.
There are bonito flakes that I strained through there and there is a little bit of white miso in there and there is some clams kind of swimming around in there.
I ( bleep ) love you.
That's what I call 60 minutes of effort.
And you've got this thin tempura batter.
You can still see the Santa Barbara spot prawn, but you've gone beyond that.
You've got mushroom-- what else is in there? They are Maitake mushrooms-- hen of the woods, and bok choy leaves rolled with uni, and a little bit of mirugai-- the giant clam.
Wow.
Wow, wow, wow.
I mean, it's a work of art.
Thank you, Chef.
You know, I've never said this before, but what would I change? Quite honestly? Nothing.
- Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- That broth is out of this world.
- Thank you.
The layers, the flavor, it makes you just want to keep going back.
The tempura reminds me of every trip I've ever taken to Japan.
It was delicious.
I love the zing of yuzu.
You live it and you breathe it, this love for food, and you've cared so much for every single one of these ingredients.
- Very nice job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Nice job.
- Good job, Jason.
- Nice job, buddy.
- You killed it, man.
That's beautiful.
You three, well done.
Jeff, Necco, Jason, you know there can only be one winner.
That winner will receive a game-changing advantage.
The winning dish tonight congratulations to Jason.
- Go Jason.
- Great job.
Congratulations, dude! Amazing.
Nice job.
That's awesome.
Young man, how do you feel? Is this even real? Am I here? Jason, you're now safe from elimination.
Please, take your well-earned position up there, safe on the balcony.
Off you go.
Well done.
- Great job, Jason.
- Go, Jason! Nice job.
And the rest of you, your elimination challenge starts now.
Now, in this elimination challenge, you're gonna make not just an American classic, but a Gordon Ramsay classic.
Aarón: His technique making this dish is so legendary, 30 million people have already seen him do this dish online.
Oh, wow.
Now, I have a lot of signature dishes.
Beef Wellington, of course, lobster ravioli, and, of course, that incredible sticky toffee pudding.
But the dish that you're going to be making tonight was one of the first things that I mastered.
It is, of course ( gasps ) The dish that you're going to be making tonight is incredible.
It took me months to perfect.
It is, of course - Ooh! - scrambled eggs.
But not just any scrambled egg-- an incredible light, delicious scrambled egg served with roasted vine tomatoes and grilled mushrooms.
Tonight, we all are going back to basics.
Yachecia: Scrambled eggs? Um, okay.
Lord knows I've made a ton of scrambled eggs.
However, I know there's gotta be a catch to this.
Scrambled eggs may sound simple, but we are looking for MasterChef worthy perfection.
My scrambled eggs requires extreme technical discipline and precise timing.
Tonight, you'll be making my scrambled eggs, my way.
Watch and learn.
Eboni: This may be a little shocking, but I have never scrambled an egg.
In my house, with my four kids and husband, we eat fried eggs, poached eggs, boiled eggs, not scrambled eggs.
Now, scrambled eggs, first of all, obviously, I don't need to show you how to grill a tomato and a mushroom.
That's pretty obvious.
But the secret behind any great scrambled egg is too make sure you do not overcook it.
Now, start off with cold eggs, straight into the pan.
Take your butter.
Three small knobs of butter.
From there, onto the stove.
Bring the gas up high, and then start cooking the eggs very gently.
Every time I stir, I'm cleaning the bottom of the pan.
If we were to season the eggs now, they would go gray.
So, 30 seconds on.
Back off.
That slows down the cooking process, stops the eggs from overcooking.
So, you need to be very careful.
Back on.
If you've ever cooked it, you'll see the scrambled eggs going really watery.
So, it's really important that you go on and off, on and off throughout the whole three minutes.
They're just starting to thicken up now.
I'll come back off the heat.
Now, we've cooled it down.
Back on to the heat again.
Now, take your toast, your tomatoes, and then your mushrooms.
Back off the heat.
I'm working with it all the time.
It's now starting to come together.
You can just see the texture now.
Goes back on.
Lightly season-- really important, right at the very end.
That keeps the eggs nice and fresh, but here's where it goes to a completely different level.
Take a teaspoon of crème fraîche.
That goes in.
That gives a really nice creamy texture.
More importantly, it stops them from overcooking.
Now, come to serve, I want to see nice, light, fluffy scrambled eggs.
A little bit creamy.
Scrambled eggs to die for.
And finally, finish with a little smidgeon of chopped chives on the top.
Let them sprinkle.
And that's how a MasterChef perfects scrambled eggs.
- Woo! - Beautiful, Chef.
That's awesome.
Gabriel: It's crazy to me.
I've been watching Gordon Ramsay since I was 10 years old, 11 years old.
His videos sparked that interest in me to cook.
Aarón: All right, guys, now it's your turn.
Everyone please head back to your stations.
Gabriel: Being the main cook in my family, I've made these scrambled eggs before for breakfast.
If you don't pay attention to all the details, it's very easy to mess up.
Each one of you will have just 15 minutes to make a perfect plate of scrambled eggs with roasted vine tomatoes and grilled mushrooms, just like Gordon's.
- Is everybody ready? - All: Yes, Chef.
Your 15 minutes starts now! Let's go.
I make scrambled eggs with a little milk ordinarily.
Usually, have a lot of people come over at my place for brunch, but I'm challenging myself by doing it the Ramsay way.
So, I'm feeling really good about this challenge.
Go, Heather.
I got fresh chickens back on the ranch.
I have fresh eggs every day to cook with, so this is a little bit different than we do them at home, but we're gonna get it going, though.
I would absolutely consider myself the Queen of Breakfast.
I know I wouldn't be able to perform as a dancer if I didn't have the energy that came from a good batch of scrambled eggs.
There's no way I'm getting this wrong today.
Christine: Guys, what I love about this elimination challenge is it's the ultimate leveling field.
Everyone has cooked eggs.
Gordon: If you're smart tonight, across those 15 minutes, get everything organized, and then with six or seven minutes to go, make your scrambled eggs.
It's all in the timing.
They take between four to five minutes to cook, so the big question is who has got the balls to wait ten minutes before they start those eggs? Whoever does that, I guarantee you, is gonna be safe up on the balcony.
I feel pretty good.
I like to make a soft scrambled egg similar to the way that Chef Ramsay gave us.
So, I'm just trying to take what he heard to perfect what I think I all ready know.
Back in Tampa, we cook eggs all the time.
My fiancée and I, brunch is everything for us.
I mean, if you can't make scrambled eggs in the kitchen, I mean, seriously, what are you doing here? Five minutes gone.
10 minutes remaining.
It's all about the timing tonight.
Last 10 minutes, let's go.
Christine: We've got that toasted brioche, those roasted vine tomatoes, those beautiful mushrooms on a plate, Come on, let's get real.
It's all about the eggs.
Everybody underestimates the power of techniques across making the perfect scrambled egg.
You regulate that temperature in your pan, you go up, you go down.
Take it off the heat, stop them from overcooking.
Go back on the heat.
And seasoning right at the very end is paramount.
Fascinating.
Gabriel hasn't even started the eggs.
It's a good sign for me, because that's the way to perfect this challenge.
Eggs go on last.
They wait for nobody.
Just over five minutes remaining.
Christine: Remember, this is an elimination challenge.
Make us a beautiful dish of scrambled eggs, you're safe on the balcony.
Let's go.
My fiancée, is actually pregnant at home with our son on the way, so I make eggs for her as often as I can.
Just gonna take what I saw from Chef Ramsay there and execute it.
Daniel's burning the toast.
I mean, come on.
Christine: What is he doing? Gordon: Guys, if you're burning the toast, what chance has he got for the scrambled eggs? Jeff's starting his eggs.
Gordon: I don't think he'll be done in time.
His eggs look really runny.
Just over two minutes remaining.
Come on, let's go.
Christine: Come on, now.
Dino looks like he just has them on high heat.
- You've got to work back and forth, right? - Aarón: Absolutely.
60 seconds remaining.
Come on! Aarón: Check that seasoning, guys, come on.
Gordon: Taste everything.
It's all about the precision.
Guys, Heather does not have any mushrooms on the plate.
Come on, seriously? It's on fire again? It's on fire.
- 30 seconds remaining.
Come on, Daniel.
- Aarón: Let's go, guys.
Check that texture of those eggs, guys.
Gordon: It needs to be on your plate.
If it's in your pan, you are not safe.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, and stop! Hands in the air.
Good job, guys.
Aarón: Check that texture of those eggs, guys.
Gordon: It needs to be on your plate.
If it's in your pan, you are not safe.
Five, four, three, two, one, and stop.
Hands in the air.
Gordon: Wow.
Well done, everybody.
( groans ) It's time to find out how you all did.
Gabriel: Being the youngest one here, I feel like I have an advantage in this challenge because I'm always willing to try new things.
I'm not too set in my ways.
I'm really hoping the judges send me up to the balcony, because I feel like this will definitely prove to my competitors and to myself that I know what I'm doing.
Gabriel, have you seen Chef Gordon make these eggs before? Yes, Chef.
What time did you put those eggs on? About maybe seven, six minutes out.
Seven, six minutes, huh? Well, I'm happy you chose to, because these are delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.
- You are definitely a good student.
- Get up there.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.
- Yeah.
Whew! Gabriel: Thank God I watched that video and I studied and prepared for what Chef Ramsay had in store.
- Seasoning was very good.
- Yep.
I wanna be able to show that age doesn't matter.
I might be the youngest, but I've got some aces up my sleeve.
Take a deep breath.
- Welcome.
- Jeff, how'd you do? Not well.
It's a scrambled ( bleep ) on a plate, and I apologize that you guys have to eat this.
The proof is in the pudding, because that's just what it looks like.
I am not happy with this one bit.
It's terrible, completely.
- Severely under-seasoned.
- Without a doubt.
- Severely undercooked.
- Without a doubt.
Jeff, you're not safe.
Stay here.
I'm definitely here.
I deserve to be.
- Newton, you happy with it? - Yes, sir.
So am I.
Delicious.
- Head on up.
- Thank you.
- Incredible.
- Yep.
Sam, eggs are under-seasoned, and that crème fraîche isn't incorporated.
Sorry, you're not safe.
Stay right here.
- Hello, Jenny.
- Hi, Chef.
How much crème fraîche did you put in there? About a teaspoon.
- Right at the end? - Right at the end.
I think it's pretty spot on.
- Please go up to the balcony.
- Oh, thank you.
- Fluffy.
- Fluffy, airy.
- Brien, that is delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.
Head on up to the balcony.
Beautiful, right? Creamy.
Heather, did you have some timing issues? I did.
I wanted to get those mushrooms on the plate and I didn't have a chance.
Well, Heather, it's not seasoned well enough.
These scrambled eggs, frankly, are not good enough and you're not safe.
- Not good enough.
You're staying down.
- Yes, Chef.
When did you start cooking your eggs here? About when it was seven minutes left.
Whether you put those eggs on seven minutes to go or not, they're severely overcooked.
Rubbery, bouncy-- Dino, you're not safe.
- Stay right here, please.
- Okay, Chef.
Caitlin, the eggs are under-seasoned.
It's not a beautiful fluffy serving of scrambled eggs.
You're not safe.
- Necco, did you taste your scrambled eggs? - Yes, Chef.
I thought they were tasty.
We also thought they were tasty.
Congratulations.
Delicious.
Head on up.
Thank you, Chefs.
Eboni: My heart is beating out my chest.
This is my first time ever making this, legit, but hopefully the flavors are there.
I hope they're creamy and fluffy like they're supposed to be.
I hope I don't pass out.
I think for someone who's never made scrambled eggs before - I think you nailed it.
- Thank you, Chef.
The texture's right.
The seasoning is there.
- Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
Up to the balcony, please.
You're safe.
- Thank you.
- Wow, textbook.
- Soft, tender, silky.
- Delicious.
Hello, Chefs.
Oh, dear.
Look at this.
Agreed.
How would you rate your scrambled egg? I think they came out nice.
I think I got that silky texture.
I got the seasoning there.
I think I did a good job.
Let's get one thing right, you struggled toasting the brioche.
I did.
I was having a hard time getting an even toast across the bread.
Well, Daniel thank goodness you can make a scrambled egg.
- Delicious.
Head on up.
- Thank you very much, Chef.
Get yourself a toaster.
All of you up there on the balcony, congratulations, you are all safe.
Those were delicious, masterful scrambled eggs.
Aarón: So, now six of you remain out there.
Please come down here to the front.
Dino: I'm not safe right now, I'm stuck down here.
They weren't too with my eggs.
I don't know what's coming up next, but I'm crapping bricks at this point.
Now, because your scrambled eggs were not cooked to my standards tonight, your place in this competition is now on the line.
Christina: Now, in the MasterChef kitchen, you are all students.
And the best quality in a student is their ability to take criticism and to learn from their mistakes.
You six have one more chance, and you'll be needing these.
- That's right, - Thank you.
you'll be doing this challenge all over again.
Let's go.
Each of you step up and grab a box of eggs.
Jeff: This journey's not over for me, and eggs are not going to hold me back.
If I can focus in on the clock and make sure time management doesn't get the best of me, I've got a chance of still surviving.
All six of you need to do it much, much better than you just did.
Oh, and there's an extra bit of pressure.
This time, you'll have just 10 minutes.
- ( gasps ) - Oh, my God.
You six have one more chance.
That's right, you'll be doing this challenge all over again.
And there's an extra bit of pressure.
This time, you'll have just ten minutes.
- ( gasps ) - Oh, my God.
Aarón: Everyone, please take your eggs and head back to your stations.
Ten minutes? Aye yai yai.
I'm someone that likes to take my time in the kitchen.
This does not play to my strengths.
Gordon: Elimination is on the line.
At least one of you is about to make their last dish in this kitchen.
Do not go out on scrambled eggs.
Your ten minutes starts now.
- Come on, guys.
- I've got this.
All right, guys.
So, guys, this is the last chance for these six home cooks' redemption.
Aarón: You guys gotta nail this.
Ten minutes, Jesus.
Gordon: It's all about the timing.
They have to work quicker now with ten minutes to go.
Personally, I'm really surprised that Jeff is down here, Dino is down here, and I'm really surprised that Yachecia is down here, because the scrambled eggs she gave us weeks ago coming into this competition were incredible.
Yep.
Gordon: Three minutes gone.
Seven minutes remaining.
- Come on.
- Eggs, eggs, eggs.
Get those eggs up.
Oh, my God, that's so much butter, Sam.
Sam just put two thirds of a stick of butter in there? - Uh, yeah.
- That's like six tablespoons.
Christina: Do not repeat your mistakes you made earlier.
Show us you are the student that deserves to be in this kitchen.
Get those scrambled eggs as perfect as possible.
Come on, Sam.
Just over four minutes remaining.
Come on, baby.
Come on, baby.
You guys, Heather is all over the place.
Aarón: Check that seasoning, guys, come on.
( Christina gasps ) - Oh, my God.
- No, Heather! Look at how much black pepper just went in Heather's pan? Oh, my God.
She used almost a tablespoon of pepper.
I'm really concerned about that.
Gordon: Taste everything.
Christine: Come on, now.
Gordon: Last minute, guys.
Come on, let's go.
Come on, now.
Gordon: You want to be plating now.
- Jesus - Please, God, please, God.
Aarón: Make those final tastes.
Let's go.
Christine: Come on, guys.
- Oh, baby doll.
- Look at Dino's.
From here it looks delicious-- light and fluffy.
30 seconds remaining.
Come on, Jeff.
You got to get it on that plate.
Taste, Sam.
Come on, Sam.
Oh, my God, his eggs are watery.
His eggs are watery.
Crank the heat up.
15 seconds to go.
Christine: Come on, guys.
Make it pretty.
Make it pretty.
Ten, nine, eight, - seven, six, five, - Heather, get it on the plate.
four, three, two, - one, and stop.
- Hands are in the air.
- Good job, guys.
- Good job, guys.
Adam: Sam's are not cooked.
Look at that.
All right, home cooks, bring those scrambled egg dishes to the front.
So, visually, it's a nice shiny, silky texture.
Thank you.
Wow, it's rich.
It's creamy.
Seasoned beautifully.
- You've nailed it.
- Thank you.
- Miss Yachecia.
- Yes, Chef? I have to say right off the bat, I love the color.
It's even, it's uniform.
It has that beautiful gloss and sheen to the outside.
Thank you, Chef.
It's well seasoned.
It's fluffy, it's airy.
It has the right amount of fat by way of the crème fraîche and the butter.
- Excellent job.
- Thank you, Chef.
All right, Miss Caitlin, visually an improvement from a volume standpoint.
Let's see how it tastes.
Nice cook there.
I can still see the moisture in the center.
Thank you.
I think you definitely remedied the seasoning.
I like the richness.
Definitely an improvement - from your last scrambled eggs dish.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Sam.
- Yes, Chef? Okay, visually, just look left and look right - and then come back to your liquid scrambled egg.
- Yes.
It looks like a grild cheese from here.
What do I need? A ( bleep ) straw? What is it with you and the timing? I have a hard time focusing and the time is hard for me.
We're talking about scrambled eggs.
I'm aware.
Sam, what would you give yourself in class? Out of ten? I don't know.
About a five.
A five? Generous.
So, Dino, looking at it, it has that beautiful golden sheen on the outside.
It almost looks like the sun.
It doesn't have tons of specks of black pepper, which is a good thing.
A lot of people underestimate how powerful black pepper is.
It can really kill a dish.
- I love the way it's proportionate.
- Thank you, Chef.
It's creamy, it's well seasoned.
It's consistent in flavor and consistent in the way it's cooked.
- Excellent.
- Thank you, Chef.
All right, Miss Heather, first round of scrambled eggs didn't go so well.
- Not so well.
- What did you learn from that first cook? My eggs were overcooked.
I also was under-seasoned.
So, I added salt and I also put some pepper in there as well to get a little kick.
That's a lot of pepper.
I was a little heavy-handed with the pepper, probably.
( coughs ) What did you learn from that first cook? My eggs were overcooked.
I also was under-seasoned.
So, I added salt and some pepper in there as well to get a little kick.
That's a lot of pepper.
I was a little heavy-handed with the pepper, probably.
( coughs ) ( coughing ) Let's just a look at this color-wise.
Wow.
The color is dark and gray.
I may have put a little too much pepper to make it that brown color.
And they're almost gray from black pepper, Heather.
Okay.
All right, home cooks, please come around to the front.
Gordon: So, some made some vast improvements.
Heather's-- ( coughs ) Aarón: You can't get past one bite of that egg.
Too much black pepper.
Sam's? Severely undercooked.
Has he shown he's good enough of a student? - Are we straight? Okay.
- I think so.
Aarón: All six of you found yourselves here cooking for a second time.
And this was all about who could adapt, who could learn, and some of you did better than others tonight.
There were two home cooks that went from zero to hero.
Please step forward, Yachecia.
And, Dino, step forward.
- Dino, baby.
- Nice job, you two.
Both of you displayed grit, you took direction well, and that is what makes a great MasterChef.
- Go upstairs, please.
- Thank you, Chef.
Thank you, Chef.
Good job, you guys.
So, then there were four.
Will the following two home cooks please step forward? Caitlin and Jeff - go head on up.
- Thank you, Chef.
Sam, Heather, this has been a very tough decision.
Unfortunately, we have to say good-bye to at least one of you this evening.
Sam, you had all the makings of a great scrambled egg, but unfinished.
Heather, your eggs are way to peppery.
I'm surprised, because you're both smart individuals.
I didn't expect it to come down to this.
Sam, please step forward and say good night to Heather and make your way up those stairs.
Whoa.
Heather, this challenge was about technique, about being a great student, and though you didn't make the same mistakes that you made the first time, you made different mistakes.
You've got a lot of gusto.
I think you've got a lot of drive.
- Tonight just wasn't your night.
- Yeah.
Please leave your apron on your station.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Love you, Heather! - Heather, we love you.
Bye, Heather.
Heather: Leaving the MasterChef kitchen, I'm proud of myself.
Getting to the Top 18 is not easy, so this is definitely a step forward.
Being a nurse, it's really important for me to show people that I care for them, and I was able to do that with my cooking.
And I've learned a lot more skill from being here to be able to do that even more.
Bye, Heather.
Announcer: Next week Gordon: On the menu tonight, lamb.
the Top 17 have front row seats to a Gordon Ramsay master class.
Jason: Chef Ramsay looks so precision-like.
Can we do this today? This is crazy.
Gordon: You've got to speed up.
Announcer: And when the competition heats up, who has the chops It's beautifully done.
You just cooked like a chef's dream.
to make the cut? Ugh.
I wouldn't even ( bleep ) swallow that.
I can't do that to my palate.
Eboni: I cannot believe my eyes right now.
This sucks.
What in the ( bleep ) happened?