Masterchef (2010) s08e13 Episode Script
Gordon's Game of Chicken
- Christina: All right.
- Gordon: Welcome back.
- Whoo! - Yes, yes.
- Line up, please.
- Top ten.
I'm part of the top ten.
I've had a target on my back since the beginning.
There's a lot of people that certainly don't believe that I should be here.
Maybe I've ruffled a few feathers along the way, but I'm here to win.
And I can become America's next MasterChef.
Let's be honest.
We all know that a team challenge can bring out the best or worst in people, right? - All: Yes, Chef.
- Well, tonight we are putting your fate in your own hands.
- Oh.
- Because you will be working in pairs of your own choosing.
( laughter ) - Knew it! - Oh, my God.
On the count of three, I want you to find that partner.
One, two, three.
I'm looking around the room and I'm looking at people and I'm like, "Okay, I'm gonna stand here.
Let's wait and see who chooses me.
" - I'm not moving.
- And then Cate chooses me.
She's like brushing my arm, tugging me over, and I'm like, I'm happy.
Cate's won a couple of times.
This is awesomesauce.
- Do you want to be my partner? Okay.
- Yes.
A lot of people were getting taken.
I'm seeing Jeff over there standing by himself.
- Right here.
- All right, let's do this.
Jeff was probably my last choice.
But us together, there's a huge opportunity to win.
- Dino and Jeff.
- ( laughter ) Opposites attract, I guess.
I don't know.
We're either going to be very successful or completely screwed.
Since you're working in teams of two, we thought it would be appropriate for you to work with two of the most versatile and popular ingredients in the entire world.
- Chicken.
- Ahh! And potatoes.
- Yes.
- I love chicken and potatoes.
But they are so common, you have to really think about how to elevate that.
I'm really looking to Gabriel's youthful ideas to help take this old lady's flavor palette up a little bit higher.
And in this challenge, there's even more a stake, guys.
Tonight's winning dish will be featured - in "Family Circle" magazine.
- Wow.
Aarón: "Family Circle" is America's best-selling food and family magazine, reaching more than 16 million readers each month.
Christina: The winning team's dish will be featured in "Family Circle's" October issue.
And both home cooks on tonight's winning team will receive a five year subscription to "Family Circle" magazine.
- Oh, wow.
- That's awesome.
There's one last thing.
Tonight, two world-renowned chefs are gonna cook as a team alongside you.
- Oh! - What? Two award-winning chefs that are so in demand, I personally phoned them and begged them to join us in the MasterChef kitchen tonight.
- Oh.
- Please turn around and welcome - Oh, my God.
- Who is it? I'm so nervous.
I'm so excited.
Gordon: Aarón Sánchez and Christina Tosi.
( laughter, applause ) ( cheering ) I'm so happy it's Chef Christina and Chef Aarón.
The fact that they will be cooking alongside us in the MasterChef kitchen is great motivation to get our game together and step it up to the next level.
- You're going down.
- ( laughter ) - Wow.
- Right, all of you, you'll have 60 minutes to make us one stunning restaurant-worthy chicken and potato dish.
Your 60 minutes starts now.
- ( screaming, laughter ) - There you go, Jason.
- Go, Gabe, go, go, go.
- All right, so what are we gonna do? So I'm thinking we make a beautiful filling.
- Definitely some chicken stock.
- Absolutely.
What are you thinking with the potatoes? French fries? - Puree? No, We can't dorench fries.
- Come on now.
- That's not elevated.
- Ooh, kimchee.
Caitlin and I have pretty different flavor palettes, and I'm worried about having both of our voices heard on that dish.
I really want to make that chicken karaage.
We just need to figure out how to combine the Japanese flavors that I want to do and Caitlin's Pittsburgh background.
- Well done.
- Let's go, let's go.
- 55 minutes remaining.
- Ugh.
Gordon: Now stop the clock.
One more small detail that you should all know.
Uh-oh.
When your 60 minutes are up, one losing team will go head-to-head in an extremely difficult pressure test.
Oh! Take a long, hard look at your teammate because that person who begins the night as your ally could quickly become your enemy tonight.
55 minutes remaining, guys.
Your time starts now.
- There you go.
- All right.
You get started on that stock.
And so you're not starting? - Nope, not at all.
- I think we have a solid plan.
And to be honest, we don't need 60 minutes.
30 minutes in, boom.
Press this down and get as much skin on there as possible.
I know how to cook chicken, baby.
Gordon: 60 minutes, chicken and potatoes.
Let's go look at the first team, Gabriel and Yachecia.
The youngest and the oldest home cook in this kitchen.
They both have a calm about them.
They're both relatively low-to-no drama.
I think they're both ideal teammates.
It's got, like, a nice pea essence to it.
- You like? - Yes.
Gordon: Now Caitlin and Adam.
I think they're gonna have two different ideas in the concept of the dish.
She's a great student, he's not necessarily a great student.
- He gets over-confident.
- Do you want to start clearing a spot for the deep fryer? - I'll do it in the wok.
- You're not gonna use the deep fryer? Yeah.
I do it in the wok.
Okay, and you do this all the time at home? - Yeah, all the time.
- Okay.
I mean, how about Jason and Daniel? Jason's culinary perspective, the way he thinks about food and shapes the dish, is gonna be pretty dominant compared to Daniel's, and I worry that Daniel's gonna take a little bit too much of a backseat.
- I'm putting just a little shaoxing, just a little bit.
- Yeah.
Cate and Eboni, Team Chicago is definitely in the house.
Two strong ladies, the both have particular perspectives with food.
I think they have the potential of butting heads big time.
Salt and a little bit of dill.
Cook that down.
I'm gonna pour the broth in there, get it going, and then I'm gonna-- - Take the dill out.
- Take it-- no, it's gonna taste good.
Now the most bizarre team pairing tonight, Jeff and Dino.
A disaster.
I can't think of an oil and water scenario more than these two.
- We need to garnish it with this.
- I don't think so.
I'm working on that pesto.
I need you to taste this so you can tell me if it's the best-o.
Gordon: 40 minutes remaining.
Today we're doing a roulade of the chicken thigh, a cold snap pea coulis, and then we're gonna do a little potato gratin.
Then we're gonna finish off with a little bit of microgreens, crispy chicken skin.
I think we're good together.
We both communicate very well.
We're both good voices in the kitchen, so I think this is a really good dynamic.
The old with the young, the old can teach the young, the young can teach the old.
Today we are making a pan-seared chicken thigh with some sautéed mushrooms, a little bit of cream, paired with a gratin of the potato.
I think we have delicious items on the plate.
We just need to make sure that everything comes together at the right time.
Cut a little bit off, but make sure you leave enough so it's crispy.
All right.
Team Chicago.
How is this dish coming together? We're doing a French chicken leg, an apple puree, fondant potatoes, and crispy pancetta as a garnish.
Now if the dish doesn't go well tonight? Cate knows she gotta go home.
I'm gonna have to kick her ass.
Sorry.
Really? I thought you guys were friends.
We are, but you know, we're competitive.
We're working well together, and we're gonna work our ass off so that we don't have to go up against each other.
- Exactly.
- I love it.
Good luck.
Right.
Dino, tell me about the dish, please.
What are we doing? We are doing a chicken leg pine-crusted lollipop with a cremini mushroom pesto.
It's sort of a Sicilian thing.
Well, that's not just it.
We're gonna do a nice potato cannelloni that's gonna be stuffed with a chicken, potato and cheese mousse.
Cremini mushroom pesto, cheese mousse.
There's a lot going on there, guys, yeah? Oh, but they're all connected.
They're all Italian, they're all Irish.
We got his mashed potatoes over here.
It sounds the most ambitious dish I've heard so far in this competition.
Let's hope you can pull it off.
Good luck.
Thank you, Chef.
We are halfway, guys.
30 minutes gone, 30 minutes remaining.
All right, get in there.
I'll head in here.
Adam, tell me about the dish.
The dish is Japanese fried chicken with a, um, miso, um, miso parsnip-- miso, um-- Yeah, so miso.
Me so ( bleep ) confused.
- ( laughing ) - Deep fried chicken elevated? Me so ready to go ( bleep ) home.
Seriously? Deep fried Japanese ( bleep ) chicken.
Deep fried chicken elevated? Me so confused.
Me so ready to go ( bleep ) home.
I knew in my gut that fried chicken was not the way to go.
And now that this isn't panning out, I am kicking myself.
I just don't see much going on.
There's only 15 minutes left.
If we can't elevate this dish, Adam and I are going head-to-head for elimination.
I said elevate it.
That is not elevated.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you, Chef.
We just don't have a lot of time here, so let's just go with what we've got.
Sell it.
All right, so I've got your farce going now.
I've got the mushrooms ready.
I'll put those potatoes in the oven.
- Yep.
- And we'll meet in the middle.
- Right.
Christina, how's it going? - Great.
Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? All right, so, chicken roulade.
We've got this beautiful farce corn, roasted poblano peppers, onions, a little cotija cheese - so it's oozy and gooey and comforting.
- Nice.
What's that there? This is for garnish.
It's really thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes, a little bit of butter on these petals, some micro cilantro, some beautiful microgreens.
And how are you gonna cook this in under 30 minutes? You know what? With speed and grace and technique.
- Who's in charge, Christina? - I'm in charge.
You're in charge.
Who's in charge, Aarón? Christina's in charge, of course.
- Women rule the world.
- Eight minutes to go.
Good man.
Come on, Cate, check that chicken.
Gordon: Two minutes to go.
You've got to start plating, guys.
Remember, big advantage for the winning team.
For the losing team tonight, a head-to-head battle with the person you've just cooked with.
- Sugar just broke my sauce.
- ( bleep ) get it back together.
If it doesn't work, we have to nix it.
I don't like these blobs.
I think that's just very distasteful.
Gordon: 60 seconds remaining.
Come on, guys.
Speed up.
- It's almost like a gel now.
- It's too gelled? - Yeah.
- Wipe it off.
- Gordon: Ten, nine - Get the sauce, get the sauce.
- Fill it now, fill it now.
- Gordon: eight, seven, six, - five, four, three - Chicken, chicken, chicken.
- Come on, come on.
- Gordon: Three, two, one.
And stop.
Hands in the air.
Good job, Adam.
I really think it's good.
Our dish looks ( bleep ) horrible.
Calm down.
Great job.
Right, Christina and Aarón.
Cannot wait to taste your dish.
Let's go.
First of all, it looks incredible.
That is a showstopper.
- Describe your dish, please.
- Well, we have a mushroom and roasted corn-stuffed chicken thigh and leg with a pasilla reduction.
Christina: Roasted mushrooms and potato glassed chips.
Wow.
What's the heat inside the chicken? - It's a little roasted poblano.
- Mm, wow.
Only one thing to say.
Congratulations.
The winner is ( laughter ) That is how a MasterChef executes chicken and potatoes.
Great job, both of you.
Amazing.
- Beautiful.
- Good job.
Are you serious? They did all this in 30 minutes? This is why Chef Aarón and Chef Christina are at the top.
We now need to taste everything that you did.
First up, Eboni and Cate, please.
Let's go.
Eboni and I brought ourselves together on this plate, and then elevated it to a MasterChef level.
We're just hoping that the judges see and taste that.
I thought Aarón and Christina blew it out of the park, but that looks incredible.
Cate, describe the dish, please.
Cate: We have a French pan-seared chicken leg with some fondant potatoes cooked in duck fat.
a Granny Smith apple puree, crispy pancetta, and then a beautiful honey sauce.
Cooking potatoes in duck fat? Come on.
That's right in the chef's wheelhouse.
Let's get in there.
Chicken is cooked beautifully.
- It's moist and it's just glistening.
- Mm-hmm.
So why the sweetness as well with the chicken? My children aren't really big on meat.
If you give them something sweet, they kinda pair well together, and then we just had to elevate it.
Listen, here's the thing.
It's delicious.
- Let's get that right.
- Thank you.
And I love the idea of what you've done with the fondant.
It's just an extraordinary flavor 'cause it just melts in your mouth.
What would I change? Less color on the chicken.
- A little bit more delicate with that.
- Cate: Okay, yeah.
But you've taken this cheap drum and you've elevated it.
That is definitely MasterChef worthy.
Great job.
Well done.
Both: Thank you.
So I like the apple component.
I think that's really well thought of.
I like the little pieces of bacon studded through that 'cause it's a nice break from the sweetness of the sauce and also the puree.
And what I find most impressive about this dish is that there's something very barbecue about this.
You really did create that flavor and that feel in a very short period of time.
- Good stuff, ladies.
- Both: Thank you.
- Nice job.
- Nice job, ladies.
Both: Thank you.
Christina: All right, Daniel, Jason.
What did you make for us tonight? Daniel: We have a crispy chicken thigh.
finished in a butter base.
over a bed of sautéed spinach, leeks, and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms with a light Asian velouté, and creamy potato gratin.
Remind me how you guys ended up working together on a team.
Daniel has a great palette background.
We're from the same Boston area.
We could kinda talk ideas out, bring lots of different techniques and have a cohesive plate.
It's light.
I like the color of the dish.
I think that the seasoned breadcrumbs was super smart.
I don't love the plating.
- The chicken feels very small compared to the gratin.
- Okay.
I would have loved a little bit more seasoning.
When you go to make a gratin, you really gotta make sure you over-season that liquid.
'cause you'd be amazed how much seasoning the potatoes in a gratin need.
I think it's a pretty good effort.
Both: Thank you, Chef.
Next up, Gabriel, Yachecia, please, let's go.
Those aren't good faces.
Uh, did the chicken take off? - Both: No, Chef.
- Describe the morsel.
- It is a chicken roulade with Swiss chard-- - A chicken roulade? Where is that? Underneath? 'Cause I feel like it's been planted in my daughter's doll's house.
A chicken roulade it's not.
Where's the roulade, and where's the chicken? A chicken roulade it's not.
Where's the roulade, and where's the chicken? - Did you see Aarón's roulade? - Both: Yes, Chef.
That's what you call a roulade.
Describe the dish, Gabriel.
Gabriel: It's a stuffed chicken thigh with some greens, potatoes gratin, and a red wine sauce.
A red wine what? What is the red wine? It broke completely.
It was very, very acidic and we tried to fix it.
So, chicken roulade? Holy ( bleep ).
- Who cooked this little dollop of a potato? - I did, Chef.
I mean, that's the only visual impact on the plate that looks beautiful.
How long did you cook them for? I cooked them in the oven for about 35 minutes.
Wow.
The potato is delicious.
Roulade is a disaster.
The sauce is dreadful.
Crispy skin is just bizarre.
But the potatoes are to die for, so I'm pissed off.
You didn't listen to each other.
You weren't playing to your strengths.
I think equally, on your own, both of you could have done a better job.
I agree.
I am totally earrassed.
This is the worst thing that I have ever presented.
In my mind, I already have a black apron on and preparing for my third head-to-head challenge.
Dino and Jeff, please.
Jeff: I'm extremely proud right now.
I mean, Dino and I set aside our eg, our tension, maybe our animosity against each other, and focused in on winning.
I'm totally hoping that the judges see that and recognize it and more importantly, appreciate that.
Describe the dish, please.
So what we have here is a pine nut Italian herb-crusted chicken leg parmesan lollipop.
Underneath that, we have a lemon garlic pesto.
And then what we have here is a potato cannelloni that's stuffed with a chicken and potato mousse, with a nice little parm crisp for some height.
Oh, man.
Look at that.
That looks perfect.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Nice job.
Thank you.
- Nice.
- Ooh! That's glistening.
Did you guys work together well? - Yes, we did.
- Without a doubt.
Dino: I was very nervous about having to work with him, but then at the end of the day, we just stopped and said, "Okay, you know, it doesn't matter who has the bigger balls.
" We really want to win this thing.
- And it shows on the plate.
- Thank you.
'Cause that chicken is dynamite.
- Thank you.
- I love the texture and the herbaceous punch from the crust.
For me, this is a little strange.
- Okay.
- Puree and chicken, making a mousse out of it? That's asking a lot, but I can look at this dish and say chicken and potatoes were the star.
- Excellent job.
- Thank you very much.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Nice job.
Looks like me and Jeff ( chuckles ) can kick a lot more ass than anyone here expected.
I think people are really going to regret their underestimation of us.
Next up, please, Caitlin and Adam.
This was a hard challenge.
I thought being put in teams of two was gonna be simple.
It's only two voices to put forward on a plate.
But, man, it really proved challenging to marry Adam's Japanese inspiration with what I know.
What did you make for us tonight? Adam: We made a Japanese fried chicken with miso, a potato puree, and a sake slaw.
Did you guys taste all the elements together? - Not all of them together.
- Mm, wrong answer.
So you're gonna combine something that you haven't tasted together yet? How did you make it this far? I can see that you're clearly trying to raise the bar in terms of plating.
- Yes, Chef.
- Because you thought about the color of the plate.
- Caitlin: Absolutely.
- You thought about how you were gonna lay the food out.
But it's clear that you didn't taste the elements of the dish together because really the only thing you can taste ishis sort of miso glue that is the puree on the plate.
The chicken is just kinda nothing for me.
And to be honest, I'm thinking, "Okay, so in 60 minutes, Adam made fried chicken nuggets, and in 60 minutes, Caitlin made a potato puree, fried some Brussels sprouts and made slaw.
" - That's embarrassing.
- Yeah.
( whispers ) I think we're okay.
( exhales sharply ) Uh, wow.
This Japanese? It's a chicken nugget.
Come on.
I'm more ( bleep ) Japanese than this.
And then the pomegranates.
It's like you guys couldn't stop yourselves.
I mean, I swear to God.
I've seen what you've both done in this competition, and you've had moments of brilliance, but tonight, you just accepted ( bleep ), and look at the result.
A soggy, disgusting nugget sat on a bed of unwanted slaw over a gummy ( bleep ) puree that I'd give my granddad to paste his ( bleep ) house, put up new wallpaper.
Not to eat.
Disgusting.
Taste your food.
I feel like I'm being lost in translation in this kitchen.
Best teams are the ones where it's not about friendship.
- It's about getting to the top.
- Absolutely.
Adam: This dish was really my brainchild.
And I'm having a really hard time trying to prove that I belong in this competition.
There was one team that really impressed us.
Both of their voices were on the dish.
The ideas were well executed.
And the flavors were spot on.
The team with the best chicken and potato dish, the two home cooks that will share their recipe with America on the pages of "Family Circle" magazine, that dish belonged to - Eboni and Cate.
- ( both cheering ) Congratulations.
( screaming ) Head up to the balcony.
Congratulations.
Eboni: My recipe is gonna be in "Family Circle" magazine.
This is huge.
My kids are gonna be so proud of me.
They can brag, "My mommy's in 'Family Circle' magazine.
" Yes, I am.
I deserve this one.
And I'm so glad I got it.
We killed it.
There are two other teams tonight that did just enough, created delicious flavors, to stay in this competition.
Dino and Jeff and Daniel and Jason.
- Please head up to the balcony.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Whoo! Good job.
- Good job, you guys.
Magazine writers.
Now it comes down to you two teams.
Both teams had the worst dishes.
The final team that will be safe from elimination tonight is The final team that will be safe from elimination tonight is Adam and Caitlin.
It's not you.
And you know it.
Gabriel and Yachecia, you did just enough.
The saving grace were those potatoes.
Now both of you, piss off.
Yes, Chef.
( weak applause ) I've worked so hard to improve, and to be back in this spot, it's like back at square one.
I want to show everyone on the balcony and I want to show the judges that I do deserve to be here.
My only choice is to send Adam home.
Earlier tonight, Christina and Aarón showed you what they can do with chicken and potatoes.
Now it's my way or the highway.
Tonight, you'll be making - ( gasps ) - Wow.
my signature chicken and potato dish.
Look at it.
A stunning poached and then seared chicken supreme, served with crispy truffle croquettes on a bed of delicious wilted spinach with caramelized, charred endive, glazed with an incredible, light chicken truffle jus.
And now, your fate in this competition depends on you both replicating this dish exactly to my standards, or for one of you, this journey ends.
Please, step up and try the dish.
I've never made anything this elevated in my life.
Christina: Take a look, have a taste.
Adam: There is so much going on on this plate.
All the truffles, all the coquettes, this rich and juicy chicken.
Christina: Look at that dish carefully.
Adam: As I'm keeping track of everything that I have to do, I'm starting to get ridiculously intimidated.
- Any questions? - Caitlin: For the mashed potatoes, - is it better to pipe them cold? - Good question.
Cool it down first, but before you cool it down, taste it.
It's so much better to perfect the seasoning when it's warm rather than trying to season something when it's cold.
Adam, Caitlin, please both of you, head to your stations.
Caitlin: Every element in this chicken supreme dish has been mastered by Chef Ramsay.
Not in a day, not in 60 minutes, over years of hard work.
This'll be the most important dish I've cooked in the MasterChef kitchen.
Aarón: At your stations, you have everything you need to replicate Gordon's chicken and potato dish.
You have 45 minutes to execute this dish flawlessly.
- Both: Yes, Chef.
- Gordon: Right.
Caitlin, Adam, both of you, good luck.
Your 45 minutes starts now.
- ( applause ) - Let's go.
I definitely don't think I'm going home tonight.
I've had to fight my way out of this position multiple times before, and I don't think Adam is as comfortable with some of the basics so if you can't poach chicken or mashed potato how can you make Gordon Ramsey's chicken supreme? Yeah, girl.
I'm feeling good right now.
You know, we failed as a team, but I'm gonna persevere as an individual.
Going up against the queen of second chances but, uh, even the mighty fall.
If I execute really well, I think I can do it.
Now guys, this dish is tricky.
Whoever makes it out alive will absolutely deserve - to be in the top nine.
- Gordon: Very tricky.
The A to Z, in a nutshell is get the potatoes on first.
The base of the croquettes, nice, light, airy, truffle mashed potatoes, rolled into a cylinder, lightly panko bread crumbed, and they get fried at the last minute.
But tonight, it's all about that chicken breast.
Poach it with the skin on, and keep it nice and moist.
With five minutes to go, take it out, remove the skin, and then lightly sear it by basting it with a little touch of truffle butter.
It's all about the timing.
Yes.
Good dry potatoes.
Christina: Just 30 minutes to go, and for one of you, your last 30 minutes in this kitchen.
Right, Caitlin, how you feeling? Doing well, Chef.
Got the potatoes boiling now.
Gonna be poaching my chicken here in a minute.
What do you think's the most technical element to nail on that dish? I think the cook of the chicken is gonna be the biggest challenge.
I want to make sure it's not overdone, especially the chicken breast, because there's no fat.
I don't want it to be dry and stringy.
No.
Now, you're a professional dancer.
So you've had hundreds of knockbacks.
So how do you bring that element in to this challenge now to stay on top of it? You know, I've been dancing since I was two, and my entire life I've fostered this really deep sense of confidence, so if I'm gonna survive in this competition, I need to bring that confidence to my cooking.
- Can you beat him tonight? - Yeah, absolutely, I can beat him tonight.
It's not a question.
Just under 30 minutes to nail it.
Good luck.
Thank you, Chef.
Cate: Good luck, you guys, keep it up.
Work smart, guys.
Work smart.
- All right, Adam.
- Yes, Chef.
Tonight is your night to prove that you are the best student in this kitchen, better than Caitlin.
My head is in the game right now.
I really know that I need to get this croquette really well seasoned with truffle butter.
I'm focusing completely on getting the replication exactly right.
Okay.
Talk to me about that chicken breast.
Uh, that chicken breast is now poaching in chicken stock, garlic and thyme.
Now are you just poaching it? Is there another element that you're cooking it-- I'm poaching it, and then I'm gonna pan fry it, - and baste it with butter.
- Okay.
- You're an Ivy League student.
- That's right.
- Show it to us on that plate tonight.
- Yes, Chef.
- Let's go.
- Thank you, Chef.
( cheering ) Eboni: Come on, y'all can do this.
Less than ten minutes to go, guys.
This is where it all starts to come together.
Wow, this is intense.
I mean, I've never seen them focused as much as they are right now.
Which home cook has it? I think Caitlin is running behind, but she handles pressure better than Adam, so right now, my money is on Caitlin.
For me, it has to be Adam.
He's well ahead of the game.
He's gonna make a quick little vinaigrette, it looks like.
He's on it.
Cate: If I was Adam, I would be wrapping that chicken in plastic wrap right now to not let it dry out.
Adam's chicken is out on top of his board.
- Aarón: Oh, God.
- Christina: That poached chicken breast is gonna cool down, even if he goes into searing it, we're gonna get raw chicken or dry chicken.
Three minutes to go.
( bleep ) - Ooh.
- No! Her chicken's still a little under.
I see pink fleshy chicken in the thickest part of my breast.
( bleep ) I think Caitlin's chicken's raw, guys.
- Ooh.
- She's putting chicken back in the pan after slicing.
( groans ) Two minutes to go! Come on, guys! I'm screwed.
There's no way I'm getting this chicken cooked with two minutes left.
She could be going home minutes from now.
Oh, my God.
Two minutes to go.
Come on, guys.
( bleep ) - I think Caitlin's chicken's raw, guys.
- Ooh.
She's put her chicken back in the pan after slicing.
Gordon: Wow.
Here's how you can bring Caitlin's chicken back.
Get it into a pan and start basting it with that truffle butter.
There she goes, she's doing it.
She's doing it.
I think she can pull it back.
She has her spinach, she has all the other components ready to go.
Gordon: Last minute, guys! Come on! Watch your endive! - ( gasps ) - Uh-oh.
Christina: Caitlin's burnt all of her endives.
She's gotta start them over.
She's falling apart.
Jeff: Come on, Adam.
Don't give up now.
- Eboni: Nice, Adam.
- Yachecia: Beautiful.
Watch those pans.
Yachecia: Baste the chicken! Make sure you got all the elements on the plate.
- Do not panic.
- Focus, focus! - Aarón: Come on, guys.
- 15 seconds to go! Get everything on the plate, let's go.
- You gotta move! - Do it! - Don't forget the truffles.
- Come on, guys.
Ten All: Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
- Gordon: And stop! - ( cheering ) Yeah! Christina: Time to see which one of you was best able to replicate Gordon's dish.
Please bring your dishes to the front.
- Jeff: Caitlin, beautiful.
- Mm-hmm.
Jeff: Nice job, Adam.
Daniel: Both of you guys, nice job.
Yachecia: Adam's plate is beautiful.
This is the Adam I have been looking for in this competition, and I expected no less from Caitlin.
Caitlin is a rock star in these challenges.
I think this is gonna be a very tough call.
Right.
Caitlin, let's start with you.
So, you did something earlier.
You sliced your chicken, and it was undercooked.
- Yes, Chef.
- And with less than two minutes to go, you did the smartest thing.
You put it back in the pan.
Caitlin: I think where I fell short is just that my chicken breast is very thick at its dpest part.
I needed to baste it in the pan longer, but with time ticking, I also wanted the meat to have plenty of time to rest.
Hopefully I made up for it later by basting in that truffle butter.
Right, let's get in there.
Croquettes, they look slightly too big, but just by putting my knife and my fork through, - it's fluffy in the center, which is good.
- Awesome.
How long did you cook them for? I think a couple of minutes.
I was really just judging by color.
It's delicious, and just the right amount of balance with truffle oil.
Thank you, Chef.
Chicken, how long did you poach the breast for? Just short of 12 minutes.
- Chicken's cooked beautifully.
- Caitlin: Oh.
Nice job, Caitlin.
Whew! Gordon: Every slice is glistening.
With a layer of truffle on there.
It's moist.
It's incredibly soft and tender.
Thank you, Chef.
Endive has gone past that caramelization and is just on the verge of burning, but, flavors are there.
Here's the thing: it took me years to perfect this dish.
- Yes, Chef.
- You've just pulled it off in 45 minutes.
- Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
Aarón: Are you happy with the caramelization on the actual chicken breast? I'm very happy with the caramelization.
I think actually the chicken took on the most flavor and color in those last few minutes, so it was a happy accident, I guess.
Good cooking shouldn't be an accident.
- Right? - I agree.
You know, for me, the spinach kind of got lost.
I don't think you had enough of it.
I love the flavor of the croquette, but it's a little bit clunky.
The sauce is really lovely.
I wish you would have reduced it down with a couple of nice slices of that truffle and really kind of permeate inside that sauce, but the sauce is proper consistency.
I dig the endive and the chicken is moist.
- Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
( cheers, applause ) Adam, okay.
Tonight you cooked with emotion.
Watching you, something really clicked that is like, "He really wants this.
" Why now after weeks and weeks in this competition? Um, this is the first time that I've let go and just cooked because I love cooking.
You know, my parents, they're both doctors, but for me, my dream is cooking, and as long as I reach my potential, no matter what it is, it will be worth it, and I think this is the most beautiful thing I've ever made.
Cooking's a passion, and I think these last 45 minutes has just confirmed that.
There's not many young, 21-year-old cooks professionally tonight in this country, that can cook at the speed that you just did and produce what you've just done.
Whatever the result, that's been your best performance.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.
( applause ) Now, the croquettes look incredible.
- Adam: Thank you.
- Gordon: As good as mine.
Beautifully colored, cylinder perfectly done.
Can you guys see that up in the balcony? - Yes.
- Yes, we can.
Incredible.
What did you season the potatoes with? The potatoes seasoned with a little white pepper, salt, and truffle butter.
Delicious.
Delicious.
Chicken looks beautiful.
How long did you poach it for? Uh, 17 minutes, about.
Adam, chicken looks beautiful.
How long did you poach it for? Uh, 17 minutes, about.
You tell me.
What's wrong with it? It's raw in the middle, Chef.
( all groaning quietly ) Oh, Adam.
Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.
Oh, dear.
Let's go to the end here.
How ironic for me to see you perform the best you've ever cooked in this competition, nail a dish, and then we get into the chicken and it's under.
The dish is absolutely incredible.
The croquettes are light, fluffy, crisp on the outside.
The actual flavors are mind-blowing.
But what pains me you're 90 seconds short of having that chicken cooked to perfection.
I know how talented you are, you just proved that.
But brilliant effort, young man.
Remember that.
Cate: It's okay, Adam.
You still did a great job.
Jeff: Take a deep breath, Adam.
Take a deep breath.
- ( Adam sniffling ) - Eboni: It's okay, Adam.
( whispering ) You did a great job, Adam.
Damn.
It's raw.
It's not over.
You made a beautiful dish.
You took the feedback that we've been giving you, and I saw you apply it into every single thing that you did, and I could not have been more proud.
Let's have a bite.
Potato croquettes, gorgeous.
Picture perfect.
One thing I saw you do that I didn't see Caitlin do you made that little lemon vinaigrette at the end, and then you just draped it over the chicken.
- Why? - I know lemon and chicken goes really, really well together, and lemon also tenderizes chicken.
And so I wanted the chicken to be-- to be perfect, and so I did everything I could.
Christina: Okay.
You had so many successful things on your dish.
The chicken is undercooked.
The sauce, too thick.
Yes.
But the things that you nailed, you nailed.
The way that you worked tonight, nailed.
Great deal of respect.
Nice job.
Thanks so much, Chef.
( applause ) So many things right.
Guys, he was moving like a MasterChef tonight.
- but that chicken - Adam: My dish looks beautiful, but it has the greatest error that any cook can make.
Can we forgive the cook on the chicken? I mean, he put brilliance on the plate.
Adam: The rest of the dish was executed perfectly.
The heroes were chicken and potatoes, - and potatoes he nailed.
- Yeah.
Adam: I gave this my all, and I just hope that my all is enough to keep me in.
Home cooks, we are so proud of both of you.
Tonight, one of you makes the top nine, and one of you, sadly, is going home.
We probably don't need to make it any more painful for the individual that made one unacceptable error.
I'm just gonna ask that individual to do the respectful thing and to say goodbye and untie their apron.
No.
( sighs ) Caitlin, say goodbye to Adam, head on upstairs.
- Thank you, Adam.
- Thank you.
Adam: You brought it out of me.
Good job, Adam! - ( cheering ) - Chin up! Chin up, brother.
What a battle.
Honestly, it feels amazing to come out on top, but Adam did not go down without a fight, and I'm bringing that fight and that fire to everything I do going forward.
Good job.
Gordon: Right, young man, that was the most incredible 45-minute cook-off we've ever seen.
What's happened is that it's confirmed that you are a very passionate, determined, amazing cook.
You do have a future in this industry.
How are you feeling? My experience in the MasterChef kitchen has unleashed and awakened me.
Cooking here, in front of you, with all my competitors has changed my life.
My life is on a radically different path now than it was months ago.
And I'm gonna be holding this with me forever.
( sighs ) Don't you dare walk out of this kitchen and be anything less than what you just were in those last 45 minutes.
Come and say goodbye.
- Come on.
- ( applause ) - Thank you so much.
- Well done.
Well done.
- Adam: I'm sad to go - Be proud of yourself, huh? - Thank you so much.
- but the fact that I made it to top ten in the MasterChef kitchen is so life-affirming.
Tell your parents that you're gonna be cooking for the rest of your life.
- Yes, Chef.
- Take care, buddy.
- We love you, Adam.
- Love you, Adam.
Adam: As hard as it was to leave Harvard, coming here to the MasterChef kitchen, totally worth it.
- Take care.
- Adam: I don't have to worry about pursuing investment banking, or pursuing a law degree.
I know what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life.
- Bye, Adam.
- Bye, Adam.
Announcer: Next week - Switch! - Oh, God! - Go, go! - Boom.
it's a tag team challenge Speed up, let's go.
- Get those taquitos going.
- Shred, shred, shred! from south of the border.
Get 'em in the fryer.
Let's go! - Come on! - And the top nine Does it need a flip? Does it need a flip? - feel the heat - Whoo! - Damn it! - like never before.
- Oh! - Use a fork, use a fork.
Let me do this ( bleep ), all right? Get it in the pan.
You don't have time for that.
Stop sounding stupid! - Oh, my God! - Wake up! This is horrible.
- Gordon: Welcome back.
- Whoo! - Yes, yes.
- Line up, please.
- Top ten.
I'm part of the top ten.
I've had a target on my back since the beginning.
There's a lot of people that certainly don't believe that I should be here.
Maybe I've ruffled a few feathers along the way, but I'm here to win.
And I can become America's next MasterChef.
Let's be honest.
We all know that a team challenge can bring out the best or worst in people, right? - All: Yes, Chef.
- Well, tonight we are putting your fate in your own hands.
- Oh.
- Because you will be working in pairs of your own choosing.
( laughter ) - Knew it! - Oh, my God.
On the count of three, I want you to find that partner.
One, two, three.
I'm looking around the room and I'm looking at people and I'm like, "Okay, I'm gonna stand here.
Let's wait and see who chooses me.
" - I'm not moving.
- And then Cate chooses me.
She's like brushing my arm, tugging me over, and I'm like, I'm happy.
Cate's won a couple of times.
This is awesomesauce.
- Do you want to be my partner? Okay.
- Yes.
A lot of people were getting taken.
I'm seeing Jeff over there standing by himself.
- Right here.
- All right, let's do this.
Jeff was probably my last choice.
But us together, there's a huge opportunity to win.
- Dino and Jeff.
- ( laughter ) Opposites attract, I guess.
I don't know.
We're either going to be very successful or completely screwed.
Since you're working in teams of two, we thought it would be appropriate for you to work with two of the most versatile and popular ingredients in the entire world.
- Chicken.
- Ahh! And potatoes.
- Yes.
- I love chicken and potatoes.
But they are so common, you have to really think about how to elevate that.
I'm really looking to Gabriel's youthful ideas to help take this old lady's flavor palette up a little bit higher.
And in this challenge, there's even more a stake, guys.
Tonight's winning dish will be featured - in "Family Circle" magazine.
- Wow.
Aarón: "Family Circle" is America's best-selling food and family magazine, reaching more than 16 million readers each month.
Christina: The winning team's dish will be featured in "Family Circle's" October issue.
And both home cooks on tonight's winning team will receive a five year subscription to "Family Circle" magazine.
- Oh, wow.
- That's awesome.
There's one last thing.
Tonight, two world-renowned chefs are gonna cook as a team alongside you.
- Oh! - What? Two award-winning chefs that are so in demand, I personally phoned them and begged them to join us in the MasterChef kitchen tonight.
- Oh.
- Please turn around and welcome - Oh, my God.
- Who is it? I'm so nervous.
I'm so excited.
Gordon: Aarón Sánchez and Christina Tosi.
( laughter, applause ) ( cheering ) I'm so happy it's Chef Christina and Chef Aarón.
The fact that they will be cooking alongside us in the MasterChef kitchen is great motivation to get our game together and step it up to the next level.
- You're going down.
- ( laughter ) - Wow.
- Right, all of you, you'll have 60 minutes to make us one stunning restaurant-worthy chicken and potato dish.
Your 60 minutes starts now.
- ( screaming, laughter ) - There you go, Jason.
- Go, Gabe, go, go, go.
- All right, so what are we gonna do? So I'm thinking we make a beautiful filling.
- Definitely some chicken stock.
- Absolutely.
What are you thinking with the potatoes? French fries? - Puree? No, We can't dorench fries.
- Come on now.
- That's not elevated.
- Ooh, kimchee.
Caitlin and I have pretty different flavor palettes, and I'm worried about having both of our voices heard on that dish.
I really want to make that chicken karaage.
We just need to figure out how to combine the Japanese flavors that I want to do and Caitlin's Pittsburgh background.
- Well done.
- Let's go, let's go.
- 55 minutes remaining.
- Ugh.
Gordon: Now stop the clock.
One more small detail that you should all know.
Uh-oh.
When your 60 minutes are up, one losing team will go head-to-head in an extremely difficult pressure test.
Oh! Take a long, hard look at your teammate because that person who begins the night as your ally could quickly become your enemy tonight.
55 minutes remaining, guys.
Your time starts now.
- There you go.
- All right.
You get started on that stock.
And so you're not starting? - Nope, not at all.
- I think we have a solid plan.
And to be honest, we don't need 60 minutes.
30 minutes in, boom.
Press this down and get as much skin on there as possible.
I know how to cook chicken, baby.
Gordon: 60 minutes, chicken and potatoes.
Let's go look at the first team, Gabriel and Yachecia.
The youngest and the oldest home cook in this kitchen.
They both have a calm about them.
They're both relatively low-to-no drama.
I think they're both ideal teammates.
It's got, like, a nice pea essence to it.
- You like? - Yes.
Gordon: Now Caitlin and Adam.
I think they're gonna have two different ideas in the concept of the dish.
She's a great student, he's not necessarily a great student.
- He gets over-confident.
- Do you want to start clearing a spot for the deep fryer? - I'll do it in the wok.
- You're not gonna use the deep fryer? Yeah.
I do it in the wok.
Okay, and you do this all the time at home? - Yeah, all the time.
- Okay.
I mean, how about Jason and Daniel? Jason's culinary perspective, the way he thinks about food and shapes the dish, is gonna be pretty dominant compared to Daniel's, and I worry that Daniel's gonna take a little bit too much of a backseat.
- I'm putting just a little shaoxing, just a little bit.
- Yeah.
Cate and Eboni, Team Chicago is definitely in the house.
Two strong ladies, the both have particular perspectives with food.
I think they have the potential of butting heads big time.
Salt and a little bit of dill.
Cook that down.
I'm gonna pour the broth in there, get it going, and then I'm gonna-- - Take the dill out.
- Take it-- no, it's gonna taste good.
Now the most bizarre team pairing tonight, Jeff and Dino.
A disaster.
I can't think of an oil and water scenario more than these two.
- We need to garnish it with this.
- I don't think so.
I'm working on that pesto.
I need you to taste this so you can tell me if it's the best-o.
Gordon: 40 minutes remaining.
Today we're doing a roulade of the chicken thigh, a cold snap pea coulis, and then we're gonna do a little potato gratin.
Then we're gonna finish off with a little bit of microgreens, crispy chicken skin.
I think we're good together.
We both communicate very well.
We're both good voices in the kitchen, so I think this is a really good dynamic.
The old with the young, the old can teach the young, the young can teach the old.
Today we are making a pan-seared chicken thigh with some sautéed mushrooms, a little bit of cream, paired with a gratin of the potato.
I think we have delicious items on the plate.
We just need to make sure that everything comes together at the right time.
Cut a little bit off, but make sure you leave enough so it's crispy.
All right.
Team Chicago.
How is this dish coming together? We're doing a French chicken leg, an apple puree, fondant potatoes, and crispy pancetta as a garnish.
Now if the dish doesn't go well tonight? Cate knows she gotta go home.
I'm gonna have to kick her ass.
Sorry.
Really? I thought you guys were friends.
We are, but you know, we're competitive.
We're working well together, and we're gonna work our ass off so that we don't have to go up against each other.
- Exactly.
- I love it.
Good luck.
Right.
Dino, tell me about the dish, please.
What are we doing? We are doing a chicken leg pine-crusted lollipop with a cremini mushroom pesto.
It's sort of a Sicilian thing.
Well, that's not just it.
We're gonna do a nice potato cannelloni that's gonna be stuffed with a chicken, potato and cheese mousse.
Cremini mushroom pesto, cheese mousse.
There's a lot going on there, guys, yeah? Oh, but they're all connected.
They're all Italian, they're all Irish.
We got his mashed potatoes over here.
It sounds the most ambitious dish I've heard so far in this competition.
Let's hope you can pull it off.
Good luck.
Thank you, Chef.
We are halfway, guys.
30 minutes gone, 30 minutes remaining.
All right, get in there.
I'll head in here.
Adam, tell me about the dish.
The dish is Japanese fried chicken with a, um, miso, um, miso parsnip-- miso, um-- Yeah, so miso.
Me so ( bleep ) confused.
- ( laughing ) - Deep fried chicken elevated? Me so ready to go ( bleep ) home.
Seriously? Deep fried Japanese ( bleep ) chicken.
Deep fried chicken elevated? Me so confused.
Me so ready to go ( bleep ) home.
I knew in my gut that fried chicken was not the way to go.
And now that this isn't panning out, I am kicking myself.
I just don't see much going on.
There's only 15 minutes left.
If we can't elevate this dish, Adam and I are going head-to-head for elimination.
I said elevate it.
That is not elevated.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you, Chef.
We just don't have a lot of time here, so let's just go with what we've got.
Sell it.
All right, so I've got your farce going now.
I've got the mushrooms ready.
I'll put those potatoes in the oven.
- Yep.
- And we'll meet in the middle.
- Right.
Christina, how's it going? - Great.
Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing? All right, so, chicken roulade.
We've got this beautiful farce corn, roasted poblano peppers, onions, a little cotija cheese - so it's oozy and gooey and comforting.
- Nice.
What's that there? This is for garnish.
It's really thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes, a little bit of butter on these petals, some micro cilantro, some beautiful microgreens.
And how are you gonna cook this in under 30 minutes? You know what? With speed and grace and technique.
- Who's in charge, Christina? - I'm in charge.
You're in charge.
Who's in charge, Aarón? Christina's in charge, of course.
- Women rule the world.
- Eight minutes to go.
Good man.
Come on, Cate, check that chicken.
Gordon: Two minutes to go.
You've got to start plating, guys.
Remember, big advantage for the winning team.
For the losing team tonight, a head-to-head battle with the person you've just cooked with.
- Sugar just broke my sauce.
- ( bleep ) get it back together.
If it doesn't work, we have to nix it.
I don't like these blobs.
I think that's just very distasteful.
Gordon: 60 seconds remaining.
Come on, guys.
Speed up.
- It's almost like a gel now.
- It's too gelled? - Yeah.
- Wipe it off.
- Gordon: Ten, nine - Get the sauce, get the sauce.
- Fill it now, fill it now.
- Gordon: eight, seven, six, - five, four, three - Chicken, chicken, chicken.
- Come on, come on.
- Gordon: Three, two, one.
And stop.
Hands in the air.
Good job, Adam.
I really think it's good.
Our dish looks ( bleep ) horrible.
Calm down.
Great job.
Right, Christina and Aarón.
Cannot wait to taste your dish.
Let's go.
First of all, it looks incredible.
That is a showstopper.
- Describe your dish, please.
- Well, we have a mushroom and roasted corn-stuffed chicken thigh and leg with a pasilla reduction.
Christina: Roasted mushrooms and potato glassed chips.
Wow.
What's the heat inside the chicken? - It's a little roasted poblano.
- Mm, wow.
Only one thing to say.
Congratulations.
The winner is ( laughter ) That is how a MasterChef executes chicken and potatoes.
Great job, both of you.
Amazing.
- Beautiful.
- Good job.
Are you serious? They did all this in 30 minutes? This is why Chef Aarón and Chef Christina are at the top.
We now need to taste everything that you did.
First up, Eboni and Cate, please.
Let's go.
Eboni and I brought ourselves together on this plate, and then elevated it to a MasterChef level.
We're just hoping that the judges see and taste that.
I thought Aarón and Christina blew it out of the park, but that looks incredible.
Cate, describe the dish, please.
Cate: We have a French pan-seared chicken leg with some fondant potatoes cooked in duck fat.
a Granny Smith apple puree, crispy pancetta, and then a beautiful honey sauce.
Cooking potatoes in duck fat? Come on.
That's right in the chef's wheelhouse.
Let's get in there.
Chicken is cooked beautifully.
- It's moist and it's just glistening.
- Mm-hmm.
So why the sweetness as well with the chicken? My children aren't really big on meat.
If you give them something sweet, they kinda pair well together, and then we just had to elevate it.
Listen, here's the thing.
It's delicious.
- Let's get that right.
- Thank you.
And I love the idea of what you've done with the fondant.
It's just an extraordinary flavor 'cause it just melts in your mouth.
What would I change? Less color on the chicken.
- A little bit more delicate with that.
- Cate: Okay, yeah.
But you've taken this cheap drum and you've elevated it.
That is definitely MasterChef worthy.
Great job.
Well done.
Both: Thank you.
So I like the apple component.
I think that's really well thought of.
I like the little pieces of bacon studded through that 'cause it's a nice break from the sweetness of the sauce and also the puree.
And what I find most impressive about this dish is that there's something very barbecue about this.
You really did create that flavor and that feel in a very short period of time.
- Good stuff, ladies.
- Both: Thank you.
- Nice job.
- Nice job, ladies.
Both: Thank you.
Christina: All right, Daniel, Jason.
What did you make for us tonight? Daniel: We have a crispy chicken thigh.
finished in a butter base.
over a bed of sautéed spinach, leeks, and hen-of-the-wood mushrooms with a light Asian velouté, and creamy potato gratin.
Remind me how you guys ended up working together on a team.
Daniel has a great palette background.
We're from the same Boston area.
We could kinda talk ideas out, bring lots of different techniques and have a cohesive plate.
It's light.
I like the color of the dish.
I think that the seasoned breadcrumbs was super smart.
I don't love the plating.
- The chicken feels very small compared to the gratin.
- Okay.
I would have loved a little bit more seasoning.
When you go to make a gratin, you really gotta make sure you over-season that liquid.
'cause you'd be amazed how much seasoning the potatoes in a gratin need.
I think it's a pretty good effort.
Both: Thank you, Chef.
Next up, Gabriel, Yachecia, please, let's go.
Those aren't good faces.
Uh, did the chicken take off? - Both: No, Chef.
- Describe the morsel.
- It is a chicken roulade with Swiss chard-- - A chicken roulade? Where is that? Underneath? 'Cause I feel like it's been planted in my daughter's doll's house.
A chicken roulade it's not.
Where's the roulade, and where's the chicken? A chicken roulade it's not.
Where's the roulade, and where's the chicken? - Did you see Aarón's roulade? - Both: Yes, Chef.
That's what you call a roulade.
Describe the dish, Gabriel.
Gabriel: It's a stuffed chicken thigh with some greens, potatoes gratin, and a red wine sauce.
A red wine what? What is the red wine? It broke completely.
It was very, very acidic and we tried to fix it.
So, chicken roulade? Holy ( bleep ).
- Who cooked this little dollop of a potato? - I did, Chef.
I mean, that's the only visual impact on the plate that looks beautiful.
How long did you cook them for? I cooked them in the oven for about 35 minutes.
Wow.
The potato is delicious.
Roulade is a disaster.
The sauce is dreadful.
Crispy skin is just bizarre.
But the potatoes are to die for, so I'm pissed off.
You didn't listen to each other.
You weren't playing to your strengths.
I think equally, on your own, both of you could have done a better job.
I agree.
I am totally earrassed.
This is the worst thing that I have ever presented.
In my mind, I already have a black apron on and preparing for my third head-to-head challenge.
Dino and Jeff, please.
Jeff: I'm extremely proud right now.
I mean, Dino and I set aside our eg, our tension, maybe our animosity against each other, and focused in on winning.
I'm totally hoping that the judges see that and recognize it and more importantly, appreciate that.
Describe the dish, please.
So what we have here is a pine nut Italian herb-crusted chicken leg parmesan lollipop.
Underneath that, we have a lemon garlic pesto.
And then what we have here is a potato cannelloni that's stuffed with a chicken and potato mousse, with a nice little parm crisp for some height.
Oh, man.
Look at that.
That looks perfect.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Nice job.
Thank you.
- Nice.
- Ooh! That's glistening.
Did you guys work together well? - Yes, we did.
- Without a doubt.
Dino: I was very nervous about having to work with him, but then at the end of the day, we just stopped and said, "Okay, you know, it doesn't matter who has the bigger balls.
" We really want to win this thing.
- And it shows on the plate.
- Thank you.
'Cause that chicken is dynamite.
- Thank you.
- I love the texture and the herbaceous punch from the crust.
For me, this is a little strange.
- Okay.
- Puree and chicken, making a mousse out of it? That's asking a lot, but I can look at this dish and say chicken and potatoes were the star.
- Excellent job.
- Thank you very much.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Nice job.
Looks like me and Jeff ( chuckles ) can kick a lot more ass than anyone here expected.
I think people are really going to regret their underestimation of us.
Next up, please, Caitlin and Adam.
This was a hard challenge.
I thought being put in teams of two was gonna be simple.
It's only two voices to put forward on a plate.
But, man, it really proved challenging to marry Adam's Japanese inspiration with what I know.
What did you make for us tonight? Adam: We made a Japanese fried chicken with miso, a potato puree, and a sake slaw.
Did you guys taste all the elements together? - Not all of them together.
- Mm, wrong answer.
So you're gonna combine something that you haven't tasted together yet? How did you make it this far? I can see that you're clearly trying to raise the bar in terms of plating.
- Yes, Chef.
- Because you thought about the color of the plate.
- Caitlin: Absolutely.
- You thought about how you were gonna lay the food out.
But it's clear that you didn't taste the elements of the dish together because really the only thing you can taste ishis sort of miso glue that is the puree on the plate.
The chicken is just kinda nothing for me.
And to be honest, I'm thinking, "Okay, so in 60 minutes, Adam made fried chicken nuggets, and in 60 minutes, Caitlin made a potato puree, fried some Brussels sprouts and made slaw.
" - That's embarrassing.
- Yeah.
( whispers ) I think we're okay.
( exhales sharply ) Uh, wow.
This Japanese? It's a chicken nugget.
Come on.
I'm more ( bleep ) Japanese than this.
And then the pomegranates.
It's like you guys couldn't stop yourselves.
I mean, I swear to God.
I've seen what you've both done in this competition, and you've had moments of brilliance, but tonight, you just accepted ( bleep ), and look at the result.
A soggy, disgusting nugget sat on a bed of unwanted slaw over a gummy ( bleep ) puree that I'd give my granddad to paste his ( bleep ) house, put up new wallpaper.
Not to eat.
Disgusting.
Taste your food.
I feel like I'm being lost in translation in this kitchen.
Best teams are the ones where it's not about friendship.
- It's about getting to the top.
- Absolutely.
Adam: This dish was really my brainchild.
And I'm having a really hard time trying to prove that I belong in this competition.
There was one team that really impressed us.
Both of their voices were on the dish.
The ideas were well executed.
And the flavors were spot on.
The team with the best chicken and potato dish, the two home cooks that will share their recipe with America on the pages of "Family Circle" magazine, that dish belonged to - Eboni and Cate.
- ( both cheering ) Congratulations.
( screaming ) Head up to the balcony.
Congratulations.
Eboni: My recipe is gonna be in "Family Circle" magazine.
This is huge.
My kids are gonna be so proud of me.
They can brag, "My mommy's in 'Family Circle' magazine.
" Yes, I am.
I deserve this one.
And I'm so glad I got it.
We killed it.
There are two other teams tonight that did just enough, created delicious flavors, to stay in this competition.
Dino and Jeff and Daniel and Jason.
- Please head up to the balcony.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Whoo! Good job.
- Good job, you guys.
Magazine writers.
Now it comes down to you two teams.
Both teams had the worst dishes.
The final team that will be safe from elimination tonight is The final team that will be safe from elimination tonight is Adam and Caitlin.
It's not you.
And you know it.
Gabriel and Yachecia, you did just enough.
The saving grace were those potatoes.
Now both of you, piss off.
Yes, Chef.
( weak applause ) I've worked so hard to improve, and to be back in this spot, it's like back at square one.
I want to show everyone on the balcony and I want to show the judges that I do deserve to be here.
My only choice is to send Adam home.
Earlier tonight, Christina and Aarón showed you what they can do with chicken and potatoes.
Now it's my way or the highway.
Tonight, you'll be making - ( gasps ) - Wow.
my signature chicken and potato dish.
Look at it.
A stunning poached and then seared chicken supreme, served with crispy truffle croquettes on a bed of delicious wilted spinach with caramelized, charred endive, glazed with an incredible, light chicken truffle jus.
And now, your fate in this competition depends on you both replicating this dish exactly to my standards, or for one of you, this journey ends.
Please, step up and try the dish.
I've never made anything this elevated in my life.
Christina: Take a look, have a taste.
Adam: There is so much going on on this plate.
All the truffles, all the coquettes, this rich and juicy chicken.
Christina: Look at that dish carefully.
Adam: As I'm keeping track of everything that I have to do, I'm starting to get ridiculously intimidated.
- Any questions? - Caitlin: For the mashed potatoes, - is it better to pipe them cold? - Good question.
Cool it down first, but before you cool it down, taste it.
It's so much better to perfect the seasoning when it's warm rather than trying to season something when it's cold.
Adam, Caitlin, please both of you, head to your stations.
Caitlin: Every element in this chicken supreme dish has been mastered by Chef Ramsay.
Not in a day, not in 60 minutes, over years of hard work.
This'll be the most important dish I've cooked in the MasterChef kitchen.
Aarón: At your stations, you have everything you need to replicate Gordon's chicken and potato dish.
You have 45 minutes to execute this dish flawlessly.
- Both: Yes, Chef.
- Gordon: Right.
Caitlin, Adam, both of you, good luck.
Your 45 minutes starts now.
- ( applause ) - Let's go.
I definitely don't think I'm going home tonight.
I've had to fight my way out of this position multiple times before, and I don't think Adam is as comfortable with some of the basics so if you can't poach chicken or mashed potato how can you make Gordon Ramsey's chicken supreme? Yeah, girl.
I'm feeling good right now.
You know, we failed as a team, but I'm gonna persevere as an individual.
Going up against the queen of second chances but, uh, even the mighty fall.
If I execute really well, I think I can do it.
Now guys, this dish is tricky.
Whoever makes it out alive will absolutely deserve - to be in the top nine.
- Gordon: Very tricky.
The A to Z, in a nutshell is get the potatoes on first.
The base of the croquettes, nice, light, airy, truffle mashed potatoes, rolled into a cylinder, lightly panko bread crumbed, and they get fried at the last minute.
But tonight, it's all about that chicken breast.
Poach it with the skin on, and keep it nice and moist.
With five minutes to go, take it out, remove the skin, and then lightly sear it by basting it with a little touch of truffle butter.
It's all about the timing.
Yes.
Good dry potatoes.
Christina: Just 30 minutes to go, and for one of you, your last 30 minutes in this kitchen.
Right, Caitlin, how you feeling? Doing well, Chef.
Got the potatoes boiling now.
Gonna be poaching my chicken here in a minute.
What do you think's the most technical element to nail on that dish? I think the cook of the chicken is gonna be the biggest challenge.
I want to make sure it's not overdone, especially the chicken breast, because there's no fat.
I don't want it to be dry and stringy.
No.
Now, you're a professional dancer.
So you've had hundreds of knockbacks.
So how do you bring that element in to this challenge now to stay on top of it? You know, I've been dancing since I was two, and my entire life I've fostered this really deep sense of confidence, so if I'm gonna survive in this competition, I need to bring that confidence to my cooking.
- Can you beat him tonight? - Yeah, absolutely, I can beat him tonight.
It's not a question.
Just under 30 minutes to nail it.
Good luck.
Thank you, Chef.
Cate: Good luck, you guys, keep it up.
Work smart, guys.
Work smart.
- All right, Adam.
- Yes, Chef.
Tonight is your night to prove that you are the best student in this kitchen, better than Caitlin.
My head is in the game right now.
I really know that I need to get this croquette really well seasoned with truffle butter.
I'm focusing completely on getting the replication exactly right.
Okay.
Talk to me about that chicken breast.
Uh, that chicken breast is now poaching in chicken stock, garlic and thyme.
Now are you just poaching it? Is there another element that you're cooking it-- I'm poaching it, and then I'm gonna pan fry it, - and baste it with butter.
- Okay.
- You're an Ivy League student.
- That's right.
- Show it to us on that plate tonight.
- Yes, Chef.
- Let's go.
- Thank you, Chef.
( cheering ) Eboni: Come on, y'all can do this.
Less than ten minutes to go, guys.
This is where it all starts to come together.
Wow, this is intense.
I mean, I've never seen them focused as much as they are right now.
Which home cook has it? I think Caitlin is running behind, but she handles pressure better than Adam, so right now, my money is on Caitlin.
For me, it has to be Adam.
He's well ahead of the game.
He's gonna make a quick little vinaigrette, it looks like.
He's on it.
Cate: If I was Adam, I would be wrapping that chicken in plastic wrap right now to not let it dry out.
Adam's chicken is out on top of his board.
- Aarón: Oh, God.
- Christina: That poached chicken breast is gonna cool down, even if he goes into searing it, we're gonna get raw chicken or dry chicken.
Three minutes to go.
( bleep ) - Ooh.
- No! Her chicken's still a little under.
I see pink fleshy chicken in the thickest part of my breast.
( bleep ) I think Caitlin's chicken's raw, guys.
- Ooh.
- She's putting chicken back in the pan after slicing.
( groans ) Two minutes to go! Come on, guys! I'm screwed.
There's no way I'm getting this chicken cooked with two minutes left.
She could be going home minutes from now.
Oh, my God.
Two minutes to go.
Come on, guys.
( bleep ) - I think Caitlin's chicken's raw, guys.
- Ooh.
She's put her chicken back in the pan after slicing.
Gordon: Wow.
Here's how you can bring Caitlin's chicken back.
Get it into a pan and start basting it with that truffle butter.
There she goes, she's doing it.
She's doing it.
I think she can pull it back.
She has her spinach, she has all the other components ready to go.
Gordon: Last minute, guys! Come on! Watch your endive! - ( gasps ) - Uh-oh.
Christina: Caitlin's burnt all of her endives.
She's gotta start them over.
She's falling apart.
Jeff: Come on, Adam.
Don't give up now.
- Eboni: Nice, Adam.
- Yachecia: Beautiful.
Watch those pans.
Yachecia: Baste the chicken! Make sure you got all the elements on the plate.
- Do not panic.
- Focus, focus! - Aarón: Come on, guys.
- 15 seconds to go! Get everything on the plate, let's go.
- You gotta move! - Do it! - Don't forget the truffles.
- Come on, guys.
Ten All: Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
- Gordon: And stop! - ( cheering ) Yeah! Christina: Time to see which one of you was best able to replicate Gordon's dish.
Please bring your dishes to the front.
- Jeff: Caitlin, beautiful.
- Mm-hmm.
Jeff: Nice job, Adam.
Daniel: Both of you guys, nice job.
Yachecia: Adam's plate is beautiful.
This is the Adam I have been looking for in this competition, and I expected no less from Caitlin.
Caitlin is a rock star in these challenges.
I think this is gonna be a very tough call.
Right.
Caitlin, let's start with you.
So, you did something earlier.
You sliced your chicken, and it was undercooked.
- Yes, Chef.
- And with less than two minutes to go, you did the smartest thing.
You put it back in the pan.
Caitlin: I think where I fell short is just that my chicken breast is very thick at its dpest part.
I needed to baste it in the pan longer, but with time ticking, I also wanted the meat to have plenty of time to rest.
Hopefully I made up for it later by basting in that truffle butter.
Right, let's get in there.
Croquettes, they look slightly too big, but just by putting my knife and my fork through, - it's fluffy in the center, which is good.
- Awesome.
How long did you cook them for? I think a couple of minutes.
I was really just judging by color.
It's delicious, and just the right amount of balance with truffle oil.
Thank you, Chef.
Chicken, how long did you poach the breast for? Just short of 12 minutes.
- Chicken's cooked beautifully.
- Caitlin: Oh.
Nice job, Caitlin.
Whew! Gordon: Every slice is glistening.
With a layer of truffle on there.
It's moist.
It's incredibly soft and tender.
Thank you, Chef.
Endive has gone past that caramelization and is just on the verge of burning, but, flavors are there.
Here's the thing: it took me years to perfect this dish.
- Yes, Chef.
- You've just pulled it off in 45 minutes.
- Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
Aarón: Are you happy with the caramelization on the actual chicken breast? I'm very happy with the caramelization.
I think actually the chicken took on the most flavor and color in those last few minutes, so it was a happy accident, I guess.
Good cooking shouldn't be an accident.
- Right? - I agree.
You know, for me, the spinach kind of got lost.
I don't think you had enough of it.
I love the flavor of the croquette, but it's a little bit clunky.
The sauce is really lovely.
I wish you would have reduced it down with a couple of nice slices of that truffle and really kind of permeate inside that sauce, but the sauce is proper consistency.
I dig the endive and the chicken is moist.
- Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
( cheers, applause ) Adam, okay.
Tonight you cooked with emotion.
Watching you, something really clicked that is like, "He really wants this.
" Why now after weeks and weeks in this competition? Um, this is the first time that I've let go and just cooked because I love cooking.
You know, my parents, they're both doctors, but for me, my dream is cooking, and as long as I reach my potential, no matter what it is, it will be worth it, and I think this is the most beautiful thing I've ever made.
Cooking's a passion, and I think these last 45 minutes has just confirmed that.
There's not many young, 21-year-old cooks professionally tonight in this country, that can cook at the speed that you just did and produce what you've just done.
Whatever the result, that's been your best performance.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.
( applause ) Now, the croquettes look incredible.
- Adam: Thank you.
- Gordon: As good as mine.
Beautifully colored, cylinder perfectly done.
Can you guys see that up in the balcony? - Yes.
- Yes, we can.
Incredible.
What did you season the potatoes with? The potatoes seasoned with a little white pepper, salt, and truffle butter.
Delicious.
Delicious.
Chicken looks beautiful.
How long did you poach it for? Uh, 17 minutes, about.
Adam, chicken looks beautiful.
How long did you poach it for? Uh, 17 minutes, about.
You tell me.
What's wrong with it? It's raw in the middle, Chef.
( all groaning quietly ) Oh, Adam.
Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.
Oh, dear.
Let's go to the end here.
How ironic for me to see you perform the best you've ever cooked in this competition, nail a dish, and then we get into the chicken and it's under.
The dish is absolutely incredible.
The croquettes are light, fluffy, crisp on the outside.
The actual flavors are mind-blowing.
But what pains me you're 90 seconds short of having that chicken cooked to perfection.
I know how talented you are, you just proved that.
But brilliant effort, young man.
Remember that.
Cate: It's okay, Adam.
You still did a great job.
Jeff: Take a deep breath, Adam.
Take a deep breath.
- ( Adam sniffling ) - Eboni: It's okay, Adam.
( whispering ) You did a great job, Adam.
Damn.
It's raw.
It's not over.
You made a beautiful dish.
You took the feedback that we've been giving you, and I saw you apply it into every single thing that you did, and I could not have been more proud.
Let's have a bite.
Potato croquettes, gorgeous.
Picture perfect.
One thing I saw you do that I didn't see Caitlin do you made that little lemon vinaigrette at the end, and then you just draped it over the chicken.
- Why? - I know lemon and chicken goes really, really well together, and lemon also tenderizes chicken.
And so I wanted the chicken to be-- to be perfect, and so I did everything I could.
Christina: Okay.
You had so many successful things on your dish.
The chicken is undercooked.
The sauce, too thick.
Yes.
But the things that you nailed, you nailed.
The way that you worked tonight, nailed.
Great deal of respect.
Nice job.
Thanks so much, Chef.
( applause ) So many things right.
Guys, he was moving like a MasterChef tonight.
- but that chicken - Adam: My dish looks beautiful, but it has the greatest error that any cook can make.
Can we forgive the cook on the chicken? I mean, he put brilliance on the plate.
Adam: The rest of the dish was executed perfectly.
The heroes were chicken and potatoes, - and potatoes he nailed.
- Yeah.
Adam: I gave this my all, and I just hope that my all is enough to keep me in.
Home cooks, we are so proud of both of you.
Tonight, one of you makes the top nine, and one of you, sadly, is going home.
We probably don't need to make it any more painful for the individual that made one unacceptable error.
I'm just gonna ask that individual to do the respectful thing and to say goodbye and untie their apron.
No.
( sighs ) Caitlin, say goodbye to Adam, head on upstairs.
- Thank you, Adam.
- Thank you.
Adam: You brought it out of me.
Good job, Adam! - ( cheering ) - Chin up! Chin up, brother.
What a battle.
Honestly, it feels amazing to come out on top, but Adam did not go down without a fight, and I'm bringing that fight and that fire to everything I do going forward.
Good job.
Gordon: Right, young man, that was the most incredible 45-minute cook-off we've ever seen.
What's happened is that it's confirmed that you are a very passionate, determined, amazing cook.
You do have a future in this industry.
How are you feeling? My experience in the MasterChef kitchen has unleashed and awakened me.
Cooking here, in front of you, with all my competitors has changed my life.
My life is on a radically different path now than it was months ago.
And I'm gonna be holding this with me forever.
( sighs ) Don't you dare walk out of this kitchen and be anything less than what you just were in those last 45 minutes.
Come and say goodbye.
- Come on.
- ( applause ) - Thank you so much.
- Well done.
Well done.
- Adam: I'm sad to go - Be proud of yourself, huh? - Thank you so much.
- but the fact that I made it to top ten in the MasterChef kitchen is so life-affirming.
Tell your parents that you're gonna be cooking for the rest of your life.
- Yes, Chef.
- Take care, buddy.
- We love you, Adam.
- Love you, Adam.
Adam: As hard as it was to leave Harvard, coming here to the MasterChef kitchen, totally worth it.
- Take care.
- Adam: I don't have to worry about pursuing investment banking, or pursuing a law degree.
I know what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life.
- Bye, Adam.
- Bye, Adam.
Announcer: Next week - Switch! - Oh, God! - Go, go! - Boom.
it's a tag team challenge Speed up, let's go.
- Get those taquitos going.
- Shred, shred, shred! from south of the border.
Get 'em in the fryer.
Let's go! - Come on! - And the top nine Does it need a flip? Does it need a flip? - feel the heat - Whoo! - Damn it! - like never before.
- Oh! - Use a fork, use a fork.
Let me do this ( bleep ), all right? Get it in the pan.
You don't have time for that.
Stop sounding stupid! - Oh, my God! - Wake up! This is horrible.