Masterchef (2010) s08e07 Episode Script

- Announcer: Previously - On the menu tonight, lamb.
( gasping ) the top 17 had front row seats to a Gordon Ramsay master class.
Gordon: You've got to speed up.
- Yachecia - Textbook.
- and Cate - It's incredibly impressive.
- Thank you so much.
- were a cut above the rest, but Sam didn't have the chops I wouldn't even ( bleep ) swallow that.
I can't do that to my palate.
to stay in the competition.
- Tonight - Service! The home cooks run a five-star restaurant service.
- Two Benny, one pancake.
- But will this high-end breakfast challenge You're burning your eggs.
leave one team scrambled? Where's my two and two? If it's not up, it's done.
My pancakes are up there and they're dying.
We need to get this together.
A five-star hotel and we serve them that? Oh, my God.
Whoo! - All right, all right.
- Wow.
The Peninsula Hotel is like a dream.
This is very posh.
Eboni: It looks like it's been cut out of a movie.
You talking about smelling and feeling money? Everywhere you look, it's there.
- Good morning.
all of you.
- Good morning.
- Line up.
Wow.
- So fancy.
Welcome to Beverly Hills, specifically, The Belvedere Restaurant at the iconic Peninsula Hotel.
This legendary five-star hotel happens to be home to one of the finest restaurants in the country, a restaurant that today is being taken over by all of you home cooks.
- ( cheers and applause ) - All right.
Today you will be in charge of a dining room breakfast service for this hotel's extremely discerning guests.
Now, we need two teams.
Cate and Yachecia, you two performed the best during the previous lamb challenge, and today, you will each captain a team.
Come up and pick up your aprons.
Cate: I'm not a very aggressive person, I don't like telling people what to do.
It's not part of my nature.
I don't know how this is gonna go.
- So, Cate, quick question.
- Yes? Name one person that you wouldn't want on your team.
- Oh, I'm gonna go with Jeff.
- Interesting.
Jeff has a very loud voice, but he doesn't take direction.
He kinda just likes to be a little arrogant, and that's a quality I don't need on my team.
- Yachecia? - Yes, sir? One person that you wouldn't want on your team.
- Today it would be Jennifer.
- Wow.
Yachecia: I don't want Jennifer on my team because Jennifer cracks under pressure, and she's not refined enough for this type of challenge.
Today, the team captains are not in control of which teams you get.
That's gonna be in the hands of all of you remaining home cooks.
You want to work with Cate, stand single file right next to Cate.
If you want to be on Yachecia's team, stay where you are.
- Is everyone ready? - All: Yes, Chef.
Go.
Jennifer: Yachecia said she doesn't want me on her team, but I want to prove her wrong.
She has this pre-notion that I'm dumb or that I don't have enough talent as others.
But I'm in this game and I'm growing every day and I'm learning every day.
Captains, you'll need these.
Please hand them out to your teams.
Yachecia: Looking at my team, I think I have the underdog team.
I am 100% used to being the underdog.
So I know that we can work together and I can lead this team to victory.
Today you will be cooking five stunning breakfast dishes, and all made to order.
There's just one more piece of information that all of you need, and that is the menu.
Go change into your chef whites and we will meet you all in the kitchen.
- Yes, Chef! - ( applause ) - Whoo-hoo.
- Let's go! Red Team! Home cooks, allow me to introduce you to executive chef David Codney.
- Good morning, Chef.
- Welcome, welcome, welcome.
Now, we're gonna very quickly, concisely, go over the menu.
- Yes, Chef.
- All right.
First dish lemon ricotta pancakes.
We have a little bit of ricotta cheese on top that we've whipped.
We have a preserved lemon butter.
All right, next dish.
David: Classic eggs Benedict garnished with some house chives.
- They look incredible.
- Thank you.
- The next breakfast dish - Wow.
David: My personal favorite.
This is the potato waffle and lobster.
You want to under-poach the lobster just a hint, so when you heat it up, it doesn't become rubbery.
And the next dish.
David: Classic American breakfast.
Two fried eggs, bacon, house hash browns.
- Wow.
- The final one, David, is David: Three egg omelette folded in with a little bit of garnish and a hash brown.
- Cooked to order? - Cooked to order.
Love it.
This is serious business, guys.
- Is everyone ready? - Yes, Chef.
Your 60 minutes of prep time starts - now.
- Let's go, guys.
- Line up, team.
Let's go! - Come on, Red Team! - Let's go, let's go.
- All right, so, Jeff, I need you right on that hollandaise.
Beautiful, perfect every time.
- And, Reba, eggs.
Jennifer, sunny-side.
- Okay.
- Caitlin, pancakes.
- You got it.
- Jason, lobster.
Make it beautiful.
- Lobster.
Dino, I need that bacon perfect.
- Jenny, poached eggs.
- I can do the poached eggs.
Bring that in.
One, two, three, Blue Team.
- Blue Team! - Whoo! Okay, eggs Benedict.
I want Necco and Gabe on the hollandaise.
Eboni, you're going to be doing the poaching of the eggs.
I want Newton on the Canadian bacon and the bacon.
Boston boys, Adam and Daniel, on the potato waffle with the lobster.
We have lemon ricotta pancakes.
We'll get those done at the end.
Eboni: I don't agree with the direction the captain is taking our team.
She's got me poaching eggs.
I could probably do two of these dishes by myself, and she's not utilizing anybody to the best of their ability.
- All right.
- Let's go, let's go! Go, Red Team! Find your station.
Get your knives.
Now, come on, guys, this is a tall order.
I mean, it takes weeks of training, shadowing other cooks before I even put any one of my cooks on the line.
Now, Red Team captained by Cate.
Aarón: Cate has very strong personalities on her team.
She has Daniel and she has Eboni.
Both have a lot of gravitas, but my concern with the Red is gonna be not enough soldiers, - Yeah? - too many leaders.
- Here's-- I got my-- - Lemons out of the way.
If we don't need the freaking lemons, get them out of the way.
Who's using this water? You using this? - Yes, I'm using that.
- Okay.
I think the Blue has got a big advantage.
They have age on their side and experience.
Get it prepped, that way we have it ready.
Gordon: They may not look the most dynamic, but I think you've got the stronger cooks in the blue this morning.
- Don't let me down.
Y'all got this.
- Less talk, Jeff.
When you think about a place like The Belvedere at the Peninsula, you expect top-notch service, an amazing dining experience, and I have the same expectations today.
The Peninsula Hotel is really one of my most favorite hotels.
Although I live in Los Angeles, we love to come here.
The food is so outstanding.
And I'm really looking forward to seeing what these chefs are gonna do today.
Chef, the first two blue tickets are in.
Thank you.
Okay, Blue Team, order on.
First table, one omelette, one pancake, followed by two Benedict, one American breakfast, one pancake.
- Yes, Chef.
- How long, please, Yachecia? - Four minutes, Chef.
- Thank you.
Good girl.
All right, guys, we got this.
Red Team, we are live.
Let's go.
Four covers, table 52.
One lobster, one American, two omelettes.
Give me a time, please.
- Six minutes, Chef.
- Drive your team.
Let's go! Cate: I'm kind of freaking out right now.
There's so many things going through my head, and it's very frustrating to try to organize chaos.
I need, um, we need, uh, for here, we need the tomato-- no, I'm sorry.
- One-- one Benedict.
I have one Benedict.
- All together? Cate: The pressure is just so unreal.
I'm just like, "Can I do this?" I don't know.
Let's go, guys.
Waffles in, pancakes on.
Cate! Turn the gas on! You're standing there cooking and there's not even gas on! Take a deep breath.
You got this.
Oh, dear.
One omelette, one pancake.
Good.
Lovely pancakes.
Nice and crisp.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Service, please.
Pick up.
- Blue Team, all day.
Two Benny, heard? - Heard.
Three American breakfasts.
Heard? - Yes! - Let's go.
This Blue Team is stellar.
- We good over here? - We're good over here.
Yachecia: I need two beautiful pieces of bacon.
We are on point, we are focused, we are sending tables out one after one after one.
Two Benny, one pancake.
Two beautiful eggs Benedict.
If the Blue Team keeps putting out plates like this, we are gonna demolish the Red Team.
Lobster, eggs Benny, up! - Red Team? - Yes, Chef? In 25 minutes, we've served one table of two, and I'm waiting on one lobster, one breakfast, two omelettes.
- I have one omelette here.
- Oh, my God.
Eboni: Everybody's timing is off.
There's no communication.
There's no leadership.
Where's the teamwork? I got a lobster waffle.
Let's go! Cate's just barking out these orders, but nobody knows where they're going.
- Adam? - Yes, Chef? The lobster, it's raw.
Adam's sending out raw lobster.
Some food is getting cold.
My pancakes are up there and they're dying.
Eboni: Come on, Necco, let's go! This is a disaster.
- All right, young lady? - Yes, Chef? - Look at the omelette.
- Eboni: Oh, my God.
I've seen a diaper look more appetizing than that ( bleep ).
I'm sorry.
It's ridiculous.
Guys, we need to get this together! Gordon: Cate, I've got one omelette.
Where's the other one? I'm getting it.
I'm getting it.
Red Team, stop.
All of you.
Come here! Fifth time.
One lobster, one American breakfast, two omelette.
Here's what I get-- one omelette, cooked by Cate.
On the same freaking ticket, we got two omelettes.
And now she goes back to start this omelette.
If you can't cook two omelettes side by side, untie your apron and give it to me now because this is a joke.
Now, I'm not asking, I'm telling you.
Change your captain, get a meeting, get a strategy, and come back to me with a pair of bollocks, one of you.
Eboni: We're going down if we stay under Cate's direction.
She can't handle the pressure.
She can't lead.
It's time for me to get in mommy mode and train this team like I would my kids.
Watch this.
Necco, stay over there on waffles.
Adam, we could use you on the grill.
You could produce a better pancake.
Y'all go back on eggs Benedict and we gonna clean up and substitute everywhere.
I'm staying on omelettes.
- Who is in charge, please? - Chefs: Eboni, Chef! - Thank you.
- Eboni: We focused! Come on, come on, come on.
We got this.
Pancake, Benedict, beautifully done, going stone cold.
Jennifer, where are my eggs? - Reba: You're burning your eggs.
- I'm sorry, Chef.
I'm getting it together.
I got three tables waiting on you, Jennifer.
I need you on point, girl.
I knew this was gonna happen.
I knew Jennifer was going to crack under pressure.
Jennifer, are you putting any butter in this pan? - Yes, I put oil at the bottom.
- This egg ain't moving.
- I got these then.
- All right.
- They're not perfect.
- Wow.
These eggs are not done.
I need the American breakfast.
- Two minutes.
- Two minutes? Take that back.
- You killed the whole table.
- Take that back.
I'm sorry, guys.
Yachecia: This is a total disaster.
Jennifer keeps saying she can do this, and she keeps sending out bad eggs.
I don't have time to babysit in the kitchen.
Okay, stop.
Blue Team, switch.
- Jennifer, back up Jenny.
- Okay, whatever.
Jeff, I need you here with Chef.
I'm on eggs.
If I don't jump on this line, we're going down.
I got it, I got it.
How long on the lobster waffles? - 20 seconds.
- How long on pancakes? - 45 seconds on pancakes.
- Good job.
Service! - Two of you, table 54, one lobster waffle.
- Come on! The little girl from Chicago with lungs big as Texas.
- I need six pancakes - Got pancakes coming up, Eboni.
- Good job! Y'all doing a good job.
- Yes, Chef.
That's a team leader right there.
When you two minutes out, let him know - so his pancakes can stay hot.
- Yes, Chef.
- Let's get it.
- Got it, Chef.
You guys, your food's looking great.
- Keep it up.
- All: Thanks, Chef! Newton: We got timing, we got communication, we got teamwork, and we're kicking ass and taking names.
You just got four tickets out in the last two minutes.
Nice job.
Good, let's go.
I need them eggs.
Let's keep it flowing.
Let's keep the flow going.
- Here we go.
- Hey, stop.
- Blue Team.
- Oh, my God.
- Come on.
- Okay.
No, stop.
It's not okay.
- You don't care.
- ( bleep ).
So you think that's good enough to send? Just so I know where you are standard-wise.
I don't, actually, and we're gonna get two more orders to complete this order.
Don't dare send me your ( bleep ) again, 'cause I look a bigger dick than you.
- I'm not a dick, for one.
- Three breakfasts? When you send me that and then tell me that that's your best-- That's not my best.
I never said it was my best.
Did you hear what I said? I look a bigger dick than you.
And I'm not gonna send that.
Heard? - Heard.
- We can debate about the dick bit later.
Dino: Are you kidding me? You need to shut your mouth.
You can't be yelling at Chef Ramsay like that.
You need to show him some respect.
Gordon: How long for the breakfasts? Or I'm starting this table again.
- Two minutes.
- This is madness.
We better wake up, get in the game, or it's curtains for us.
Get it right, Yachecia.
Yachecia, where's the breakfast? - I need it now.
- Walking with American.
- Finally.
- Here we go.
Why are you doing this to me? A five-star hotel and we're serving that? For the fourth time, one breakfast, one omelette, followed by two breakfasts, two omelettes.
All: Yes, Chef.
Jennifer: I'm pissed right now.
Yachecia took me off eggs, but now she goes to eggs, she's not even able to make an egg.
Two American breakfasts, two omelettes.
I'm dragging hard! Customers are waiting.
If we don't get it together, were not going to feed these people.
- We're gonna lose.
- We need to get 21 out now.
Three eggs Benedict, one pancake.
Service! Two servers.
Eboni: As we're approaching the end of service, I'm kind of like in mommy chef mode.
It's like these are all my kids, watch 'em like a hawk, make sure they do it right.
At the same time, motivate and create.
- I need one more omelette.
- Got it coming.
So you guys have the Blue Team's breakfast.
- Yes.
- Okay, tell me what do you think about your eggs Benedict there? The hollandaise sauce is fantastic.
It's zesty.
The egg is poached exactly correctly.
- It's wonderful.
- That's awesome.
How am I doing on that eggs Benny? We're good.
We're almost there.
I had the Red Team's waffles with lobster.
Very nice and buttery and delicious.
Melts in my mouth.
- Lobster up.
- Thank you, Adam.
I had the Blue all American breakfast.
I am disappointed.
My eggs are really runny.
They look a little mucousy.
I've been coming to The Belvedere for years and I was hoping for better.
Come on, guys.
I got about five minutes left, but I still am dragging on those eggs, please.
The Red Team's omelette was cooked awesome.
I mean, like, it's beautiful and fluffy, but the seasoning was inconsistent.
Whoo! My ricotta pancakes are delicious.
They're so light.
They're wonderful.
Guys, this is the very last ticket.
Wrap it up as a team.
We coming right now.
Table 13, please.
- That's it, no tickets.
- Red Team! Red Team, where we at? Stand up.
Nice job.
Be proud of your work today.
We did it.
What you know? What you know? - Yeah! - What you know? Eboni: I'm proud of our team.
We did have a strong comeback, but the fact that it took us 25 minutes to get out one correct plate almost, it could be anybody's game right now.
Blue Team, yet again, I've got a plate full of snot.
Now for the fifth and final time, I need two breakfasts with two omelettes cooked with some respect.
Heard? Yes, Chef! Two minutes left of service.
If it's not up, it's done.
Get it right.
Jenny: We have had the same two orders for the last 45 minutes it feels like.
- 60 seconds remaining.
- Come on, guys.
Yachecia, I'm dragging on those two American breakfasts.
It's hitting the fan at this point.
Everybody's running around like a chicken with their head cut off.
45 seconds to go.
Come on, guys, please.
Where's my two and two? Where's my two and two? - 20 seconds.
- And now Yachecia needs to be perfect, or else we are going down with these eggs.
- Come on! - Where's my eggs? Come on, guys, we got this.
Come on, that's all we need.
- Come on, Yachecia.
- Ten, nine, - Yachecia, give me them.
- eight, seven, - six, five, four, - We got it, guys.
Come on.
- three, two, one.
- Oh, God.
And stop! Service is over, and I'm not serving that ( bleep ).
Blue Team, clear down.
I feel horrible.
As a team captain, I let my team down because I couldn't cook eggs.
How embarrassing.
Red Team, Blue Team, you ran a world-class restaurant's breakfast service.
There's not many home cooks that can say they've done that.
- Well done.
- Thank you, Chef.
Aarón was out there fronting your service.
Christina, myself, and Aarón have dissected the comment cards.
We tasted your dishes, we saw how you worked together in the kitchen.
So, without further ado, today's best performing team the team that will not face the dreaded pressure test is - the Red Team.
- ( cheering ) - Good job, guys.
- Eboni: I'm so happy my team won.
And I think this is intimidating a few of my competitors.
Now they know how strong I am, and I'm probably gonna be a target now, which I was trying to be sneaky with it.
But I did not want to lose today, so I had to step up and show my abilities.
Eboni, we were impressed.
Vocal, assertive, disciplined.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Congratulations.
All of you, head out to the patio and get yourselves a drink.
- Well done.
- Thank you, Chef.
Blue Team, I want you guys to start clearing down both kitchens, and I'll see you back inside the MasterChef kitchen.
Let's go.
- Nice job, guys.
Nice job.
- Well done.
Jeff: All of our asses are on the line over eggs.
Jennifer: I'm filled with anger.
This is my life.
I want this.
Now I gotta go on a pressure test? I don't think that this is fair to any of us.
Jennifer: Yachecia, I am upset with you.
You should have kept me on those eggs! You know how many eggs we got sent back? Your eggs were sent back the whole time! - Your eggs had more sent back.
- The whole time! What you gonna do is calm down.
That's what you gonna do.
I think certain people just don't know how to cook, and I think we're gonna find out tomorrow who can cook and who can't.
Come on down, please, guys.
Thank you.
Yachecia: All eight of us are facing elimination today, and I feel like it's all my fault.
Line up, please.
Thank you very much.
We failed as a team, however, I was the team captain.
So I just have to be ready to take my punishment and face this pressure test.
Unfortunately, Blue Team, yesterday you struggled.
So now it's back to every home cook for themselves.
Okay, what happened, Jeff? Talk me through what you saw.
- What went wrong? - It all starts from the top down.
It was a terrible show of leadership.
A great leader really needs to make sure that you can manage tasks and motivate others.
- ( chuckles ) - Yachecia, what's funny? I'm just amazed that someone who does not have the ability to be led and is disrespectful to any leader, even yourself-- Hey, where's your integrity? You're the leader of this ship.
We all go down with you, but instead of being able to pull us, you need to push us.
That's what leaders do.
No, you need to speak to me with respect.
You don't deserve my respect at this moment.
Enough! Come on, guys.
Come on! - Quiet.
- And this is our team.
Okay, Jennifer, what happened? When I was on eggs, we were ahead.
She decided to take me off eggs.
She put me in the corner with the waffles like a kid.
And because she didn't believe in me-- It wasn't about not believing in you.
If you believed in me, you would have let me take over the eggs.
No, I wanted you to go to waffles to calm down.
Both teams had bumps.
It's just that the Red was smart enough, quick enough to reposition and play each and every member to their strengths.
Christina: Now, a team of eight stands in front of us, but not all of you will compete in this pressure test.
What happens next is entirely in your captain's hands.
Yachecia, you can choose to save yourself, or six members of your team.
Mm, mm, mm, mm.
I would save myself 'cause I ain't none of they friend.
This is "MasterChef.
" There can only be one.
So she needs to take her ass up to the balcony.
Now, yourself, or six individuals standing alongside you? Be selfish.
- Six.
- ( gasps ) We failed.
The captain goes down with the ship.
I agree with that.
I agree with that.
So the first name is who? Jason, Chef.
Good job.
- Good job.
- Good job, Jason.
Gordon: Upstairs quickly, Jason.
Man: Get on up here.
Yachecia, the second person you're saving? - Caitlin, Chef.
- Jenny: Good job.
Jeff: Yeah.
That was the right answer.
Apron off please, Caitlin.
Third name? - Jenny, Chef.
- Gordon: Jenny.
The fourth person you're saving.
- Reba, Chef.
- Thank you, Yachecia.
The fifth person you're saving is? - Dino, Chef.
- Good job.
One person left to put up on the balcony, and the remaining person you'll go head to head with.
Jeff: I know Yachecia's coming for me.
We've already gone at it with our challenge.
We've already gone at it in front of everyone.
You want to tangle, let's tangle.
I dare you.
The sixth and final name that you're sending to the safety of the balcony - is who? - Jeff, Chef.
- Ooh.
- Wow.
Thank you.
Jeff definitely deserves to be fighting for his life today.
However, Jennifer will fall apart under pressure, just as she did in the kitchen.
Jennifer, are you surprised you're down here? That's all right.
I want to know what were cooking and I want to do it now.
I'm ready to go.
- Whoo.
- I helped your team when we needed it.
We were ahead.
I was one of the people that made us ahead.
And I helped all your team, which you should have been doing.
And now you still have me down here.
- Nothing personal.
- Nothing personal, either.
- Let's go.
- It's hot in here.
Are you both ready to find out what you're gonna have to make - for this pressure test? - Yes, Chef.
Please turn around.
Eboni: Shucks.
I'm shaking for 'em.
Okay, tonight for your tough pressure test, you'll be cooking a dish that I grew up eating at least once a week.
To keep your place in this competition, you'll be cooking an incredible British classic-- fish and chips.
- Ooh! - Ow! Look at it.
Crispy beer-battered white fish with delicious thick cut chips with smashed fresh peas and finished off with that incredible homemade tartar sauce.
And because I do not want to hear any excuses tonight, I'm gonna show you how it's done.
- Please, watch carefully.
- Pay attention.
Now, behind a perfect fish and chips lies the batter.
This is an incredible beer batter.
Mix in the dry ingredients first.
AP flour followed by corn starch.
Salt, baking soda.
From there, mix that in gently.
Form a little well in the middle and very carefully add your beer.
Don't add all the beer at the same time, otherwise it's gonna cause lumps.
We want the batter to be thick enough to coat the fish beautifully.
And not too thin so as it runs off the fish.
Make it really nice and silky.
- You can smell that batter from there, right? - Mm-hmm.
It's got a nice, delicious richness to it.
Now, the secret is to let it rest.
- Got me? - Yes, Chef.
Now, the fish.
So how do we get the moisture out of there? We season the fish lightly.
It takes out any excess water.
To make sure the fish sticks to the batter, you run it through seasoned flour and then shake off any excess.
And you lay that inside your batter.
Let it sink and just coat the fish, and then very quickly get rid of the excess batter.
Let it coat and lay away.
Those filets of fish take 3 1/2 to 4 minutes.
The secret now is to get that batter nice and crispy - and beautifully seasoned.
- Mmm.
Now, the chips.
Potatoes peeled.
If they are cut evenly, they'll cook evenly, and all at the same time.
Get your fries straight into the fryer.
Crank the heat up.
You want those nice and crispy.
Now the way to identify when your fish is cooked, once that batter is coated, the fish starts to rise inside the fryer.
And if it starts to float, it's a strong indication the fish is cooked beautifully.
Let it rest.
Fries out of the basket into the bowl.
Smoked paprika salt.
Fresh chopped parsley into a bowl, and coat your fries.
And then take your cone.
Big tall ones at the bottom and fill up that cone with fries, making sure the fries are nice and crisp.
And then lightly season your fish.
And then up and over.
That is how you make a perfect MasterChef-quality fish and chips.
- Good luck.
- Thank you, Chef.
All right, guys.
We do fish fries all the time in church, but we don't batter fry.
We don't make fish and chips.
This challenge is all about timing.
The same reason I got here is timing, and so I gotta bring my A-game in order for me to get outta here and be safe.
You two home cooks will have just 45 minutes to get as close as you can to Gordon's fish and chips.
Your 45 minutes starts now.
- Come on, Yachecia.
- You got this, girl.
You got this.
Run, run, run, run, fast! Jennifer: I'm so mad right now.
I don't deserve to be in a pressure test.
I'm trying my best to hold it together, - but my insides are screaming.
- Corn starch.
Yachecia has this preconceived notion that I'm a weak chef, and that just lights a fire in me.
I'm ready to go.
Let's rumble.
Let's do it.
Showdown.
It's a showdown.
All right, y'all.
All right, girls.
- Please tell me you've got everything.
- Come on, you two.
Guys, head to head battle.
pressure test.
Yachecia versus Jennifer.
This is going to be intense.
Gordon: Let's go! Stay focused, you guys.
Game time.
Newton: Jennifer's got that look of determination.
I haven't seen this in Jennifer yet.
That old "hell hath no fury than a woman scorned.
" Holy shnikes, the catfight's about to begin.
And we're getting ready to see one heck of a shootout.
- All right, guys.
- Come on, guys.
Guys, cook like it's your last time.
Gordon: Ladies, remember, mushy peas, tartar sauce, fries, and fish.
45 minutes to recreate and perfect my fish and chips, come on.
Stay focused, you guys.
Game time.
Dino: Culinary battle of the ages.
Jennifer, for the first time, has that fire, the fire that she should've brought from the beginning.
Redemption, Yachecia.
Redemption, both of you.
Keep it up.
Caitlin: I think Yachecia's gonna win.
It shows confidence in herself as a cook that she decided to go head to head with Jennifer.
All right, so, fish and chips.
Something you grew up eating.
- Yes.
- What are the pitfalls, Gordon? 'Cause this is not something that I grew up eating.
The key of a perfect fish and chips is in the batter.
- Yeah? - Lightly salting that fish to make sure you got rid of all that excess moisture and keeping that batter nice and crisp.
The secret, though, is to make sure that we get all those lumps out of that batter, blend it beautifully, and then let it rest.
That is really, really important.
10 minutes gone, 35 minutes remaining.
Okay, how are you feeling? I'm feeling okay, Chef.
I'm a little nervous.
You had the option to walk up those frickin' stairs.
True, but at the end of the day, I teach integrity.
I teach love.
When you make a mistake, you own it.
- So, you're up against tough competition.
- I am.
I've never seen Jennifer so feisty, determined, and focused.
- That's true.
- Tell me, the fish and chips.
What are you worried about? What's the one thing that you're nervous about? Just making sure that the fish is cooked thoroughly, properly all the way through, and that my fries are nice and crispy.
Mm-hmm.
Highly commendable, what you did.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Don't underestimate that.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Eye of the tiger, Yachecia.
Man: Keep it going.
- Jennifer.
- How's it going? Why do you think Yachecia chose to stay down here and battle you head to head? I mean, hey, she thinks I'm weak.
I get it.
The thing is, though, it's time for me to prove myself, and this is maybe my starting point.
So you're gonna prove it through fish and chips.
You're from Louisiana, 25-year-old debt collector.
You get a lot of fish and chips down there? I've made fish and chips before.
I don't use the exact batter.
It's very much about ratios.
It's about timing.
That's the main thing.
I finished my batter.
It's sitting over there.
I'm working on my potatoes.
Working all the sides in a second, and I'll be good in the hood.
Keep cool, keep focused.
- You can do this.
- Yes.
You got this, Jennifer.
Gordon: Ladies, we're down to ten minutes.
Chips should be blanched.
Fish should be salting.
Peas must be blanching.
And tartar sauce must be en route.
Stay focused, guys.
You got this.
Aarón: Speed up.
Come on, speed up.
All right, now, Jennifer, she was much more calm than the last pressure test we saw her in.
- No tears, more focused.
- Okay.
But her batter looks a little thick to me.
Gordon: But the secret is to make sure you whisk it two or three times - before you start putting your fish in there.
- Yep.
It starts to incorporate and it will run thinner.
You got it, Jen.
Yachecia seems to have a good handle on everything.
She's not gonna get fazed by all the drama.
She just wants to come here, redeem herself.
I think both of them are doing the same thing.
They kind of seem to be in parallel worlds as far as where they are in the process.
Jenny: Nice job, ladies.
So Yachecia's dredging her fish.
Jennifer's now dredging the fish.
- They're big pieces of fish.
- Oh, God, they're monsters.
With fish that big and that cold, what's gonna happen to the temperature of the oil when they go in? - It's gonna drop.
- It's gonna drop.
That oil's not gonna heat up.
Look, Yachecia's in.
Yachecia's in.
Look at the size of her fish.
That's the perfect size of fish.
- Wow.
- Beautiful.
Yeah.
42 minutes gone.
3 minutes remaining.
Everything needs to be finished and on that board within three minutes.
Let's go, Jennifer.
Put it in second gear.
I don't have lemon.
( bleep ) - Jennifer, what have you forgotten? - I forgot lemon, Chef.
What's the one thing you serve with fish? - Lemon, I know.
- Hey, Jennifer, ask her for lemon.
Maybe she'll give you one.
Hey, Yachecia, can I have part of your lemon? - Oh, thank you.
Yes.
That's awesome.
- Wow.
That's good sportsmanship.
That's good sportsmanship.
- Very admirable of you.
- Yep, thank you.
- Gordon: 90 seconds to go.
- Come on.
Let's go, let's go! You know what you're doing, baby.
Chips are out.
They look great.
Look at them.
- Whoo.
- There you go, baby.
Look at Yachecia's fish.
Just straight out of the oil.
I'm hoping they're going to season it now.
- Christina: Looks beautiful, Yachecia.
- Looking good, ladies.
- 30 seconds remaining.
- Come on! Yes! Gordon: Come on, Jennifer.
It's gotta be done.
Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on.
Christina: Check your fish.
Check your chips.
Season everything.
Ten.
All: Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
- Stop.
Well done.
- ( cheers and applause ) - Whoo! - Baby doll! Beautiful, you two.
Good job, ladies, good job.
- Well done.
- Thank you, Chef.
Very carefully bring your fish and chip platters down to the front, please.
Jennifer: I look at Yachecia's plate and my first thought is that her batter's definitely darker than how I would make it.
Her chips don't look as good.
She didn't cut them correctly, and they look a little limp.
So it's time for Yachecia to go home.
Yachecia: Jennifer's dish looks like it came from a fast food restaurant.
Mine looks like it came from Chef Ramsay's restaurant.
Amazing, both of you.
I think I did his dish justice today.
Right, Yachecia, let's start with you.
Okay, visually, that looks beautiful.
Great color on the fries.
Great color on the fish.
- Thank you, Chef.
- But we know the flavor is something else.
Correct.
Can you hear that from over there? - Crispy.
- Crispy! When I cut through there, I want to see glistening flakes of cod encrusted with this incredible batter.
Yachecia, that is beautiful.
Thank you, Chef.
How long did you salt the fish for? I salted the fish for about 20 minutes and let it sit.
- Fries.
- Fries, I blanched them.
No color, finished frying them off, and seasoned them with smoked paprika sea salt.
You know, the fish is beautiful.
Let's get that right.
Salted beautifully, nice and firm.
Tartar sauce, delicious.
However, your fries are so thick.
When they're that thick, they get sort of soft and soggy.
But you're 85% of the way there.
What has been confirmed over the last 45 minutes, - you can handle pressure.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.
- Thank you.
- Miss Yachecia.
- Yes, Chef? How long did you fry that fish? - Six minutes.
- It's like riding the line.
Yes, Chef.
It's a big piece of fish.
I didn't want it to be underdone in any way.
Did you get a bite of this fish? Not the finished product, no, ma'am.
What about these mushy peas? They're not too mushed up there.
Did you just run out of time? Yeah, and then I realized that I had to make certain that the star was the star and that the accompaniments accompanied the star.
And then I think the color on these chips are great, but when I look at the size of them, I would love to see better uniformity, because when you go to fry them, they're all gonna fry differently if they're different sizes, right? Yes, ma'am.
I think that your fish is absolutely the star.
I think your chips leave a little bit to be desired.
And peas fall just a little bit short for me.
Thank you, Chef.
Jennifer.
Right.
So, I'm gonna be honest and I'm gonna call it straight here from the naked eye.
Look at the size of your fish.
What happened? I know they're huge, but I think that my batter's good.
And I'm hoping that it's done and it's crispy.
Visually it looks inproportionate.
However, we know it's all about what? - The fish.
- The flavor.
- Yes.
- It's exactly that.
Now, let's cut through into the center.
Did you use all the beer? - Yes.
- You did.
Wow.
Wow.
Now, let's cut through into the center.
- Ooh.
- The batter is way too thick.
Yes, Chef, I see that.
Okay, um, the fish actually tastes better than it looks.
Got the chips nailed.
I think your peas, they're tasty.
- But the hero tonight is what? - The fish, Chef.
That is not your best performance.
- Yes, Chef.
- Damn.
The chips are dynamite.
They're beyond reproach.
They're amazing.
The tartar sauce, it's filled with lots of yummy bits of the cornichon.
That should be in a bottle with "Jennifer" on it.
That's how good it is.
But the fish, I mean, it just doesn't look right.
I understand that.
Yes, Chef.
Ladies, come around to the front.
Hold y'all heads high.
Please just give us one moment.
Gordon: So, Yachecia, fish cooked beautifully.
The one issue I have is the fries.
- Clumsy with the chips.
- The chips, I think, yeah, they need a lot of work.
Gordon: Jennifer, the actual batter is so thick.
But you've got perfect fries.
Tartar sauce, done beautifully.
- Aarón: Unbelievable.
- Peas, delicious.
Christina: Technique is where she fell short.
Ladies, based purely on these dishes you cooked this evening, one of you is leaving the MasterChef kitchen, and one is still in with a chance of becoming America's next MasterChef.
The person staying is Yachecia.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Job well done.
Great job, Yachecia.
( muttering ) - Well done, young lady.
- Thank you, Chef.
Good job.
Gordon: Oh, Jennifer, honestly, you're going home way too early in our eyes.
How do you feel? I know that I've been a crybaby, but thank y'all so much for this opportunity, for everything that you have shown me, to push me to be the best person I can be and the best cook that I can be.
I have grown so much in this past couple of weeks than I could ever grow in two years.
Thank you so much for everything.
Aarón: Well, let me tell you, Jennifer, I know it didn't kinda work out for you tonight, but you have such a great foundation just by virtue of where you live.
The food culture in Louisiana is so bright.
That's why I chose to move there, to have my restaurants there.
So if you ever need some time to get better at your skills, my doors are always open, all right? - Thank you.
- Gordon: You've been great.
Please, Jennifer, take your apron off, place it on your bench, and head home.
- Thank y'all so much.
Okay.
- Thank you.
- Thank y'all.
- That was awesome! This Louisiana girl who made it to the top 16 of "MasterChef"-- if I can do it, anybody can do it.
So if you ever have any question in your mind that you're not good enough or you're not doing something and you're unhappy, change your life.
- We love you, Jen.
- We love you, Jennifer! We love you.
No more debt collecting.
I'm not gonna be knocking on doors.
I'm gonna go back to New Orleans and I'm gonna go to Aarón's restaurant.
I'm gonna take him up on that offer.
And hopefully one day I'll have a restaurant and I'll be right down the street from him.
- Bye, Jennifer.
- Bye, guys.
Love y'all.
- Love you.
- Bye, Jennifer.
- Announcer: Next week - Christina: Please welcome - ( lowing ) - Daisy the cow! Daisy looks like she needs milking really bad.
It's a mystery box challenge - ( chuckles ) - that requires "udder" perfection.
- Very nice job.
- Gordon: It's delicious.
It's one of the best things you've cooked.
- And then - I'm good.
Announcer: the "steaks" are higher than ever before, as an elimination test Gordon: Speed up, guys.
Let's go.
leads to a performance so shocking I'm confused.
I don't understand what's going on.
it leaves thejudges speechless.