Masterchef (2010) s08e16 Episode Script

1 - Announcer: Previously - Welcome to Big Bear Lake.
in a fish-out-of-water team challenge - Just takes so long! - I understand, but we can't do a pinwheel that's got bones in it.
- the Blue Team - Mm.
- sank to the bottom.
- Every bite I had had bones in it.
sending them into a pressure test Chocolate truffles.
where Daniel's MasterChef dream What is this down here? Ugh.
That's not good.
- Love you guys! - came to an end.
- Tonight on a two-hour "MasterChef" - Ah! Chopsticks! it's a mystery box from across the globe.
- Whoo! - Your MasterChef dreams are truly on the line tonight.
- And then - Oh, my goodness.
Pasta.
- ( howls ) - the home cooks - Come on.
- face their toughest challenge yet.
Yachecia: Lord, I'm gonna need all the help I can get.
Pasta's the star of the dish, so if it's not perfect, I'm done.
The dish is a mess and I'm pissed.
leading to an elimination This is one of the toughest decisions we've ever had to make.
- ( exhales sharply ) - that shakes up the competition.
( sobs ) - Top seven! - Welcome back to the MasterChef kitchen! Whoo! I'm in the top seven! Whoa! Being a preacher, I know, seven is the Biblical number of completion, but my journey in the MasterChef kitchen, it is not complete.
I came here to win.
Gordon: You talented seven, it's time for your next big mystery box challenge.
On the count of three, everyone, lift those boxes.
One two three lift! - Ah! Chopsticks! - ( laughter ) Dino: It's a pair of chopsticks.
( giggles ) It's a pair of chopsticks.
There's no ingredients.
There is a utensil.
( exhales ) That's right, chopsticks! One of the most prominent utensils in all of culinary history.
A third of the world's population eats with chopsticks every single day.
- Mm.
- They're used to eat delicious dim sum, spectacular Japanese sushi, Thailand's incredible pad thai, all the dishes that have become favorites all across America.
And tonight, we want to see you create an Asian-inspired dish with your spin.
The pantry is fully stocked with all kinds of incredible Asian specialty items.
When it comes to conceptualizing your dish, the only thing holding you back is your imagination.
Gordon: Are you all ready to make us an incredible MasterChef-worthy dish? All: Yes, Chef.
Your 60 minutes starts - now! - Whoo! Careful, careful, careful, careful.
Christina: Get in there.
There you go! There you go! Cate: Peas, peas, peas.
Five Spice, Chinese Five Spice? Scallions! Jason: I'm honestly feeling a bit nervous.
On one hand, I think I have an advantage over my competitors.
- Right behind you! - I grew up in an Asian-American community.
Oh, my God.
Look at the stuff in here.
But on the other hand, I'm feeling like the judges will be expecting me to have a super high level of Asian inspiration for this dish.
I need to bring my A-game to even have a chance.
Christina: Here we go! Jason, you're goin' down, man.
- Bring it, Cate.
Bring it.
- ( Cate chuckles ) I'm making a pork dumpling with a seafood broth on it, shrimp fried rice, and I'm doing two spicy sauces.
As a military wife, I've traveled all over the world with my husband and my children.
I've been to Guam, I've been to Bangkok, all these wonderful places.
So now I just gotta show it to 'em on a plate.
- I'm going to you.
- I'm coming for your head today, young'un.
- You better.
- So, we're doing a barbecue pork potsticker, And then I'm gonna do pork fried rice over a nice Asian slaw with spicy edamame.
I'm really, really excited about this challenge.
My son and I love Asian food, so I really want to make my son proud.
All these seven could become America's next MasterChef.
- Christina: Absolutely.
- And they are all incredible.
Now, tonight, for their Mystery Box Challenge, chopsticks, Asian cuisine.
Whoo! Smellin' good already.
Christina: What we're looking for is not what you get out of a take-out box.
We're looking for something imaginative.
- Yeah.
And give it finesse.
- Aaron: Absolutely.
It's a great opportunity to demonstrate big flavor, but also a lot of subtleties.
You have to think about balancing with the wonderful soy, the fermented notes of miso, trying to get a very flavorful broth going if you're going to make broth.
Christina: But, guys, it's about standing out.
We want to see something elegant and impressive.
Yachecia: Show off! I am making some barbecue pork fried rice with some salt and pepper shrimp.
And then I'm gonna do a warm pineapple salad.
And I'm gonna smoke some plums.
I think this is gonna be a winning dish.
When I was three months old, we moved next door to a family that was from Hong Kong and I'm excited to show off my skills that my next door neighbor taught me.
Gordon: 30 minutes remaining, guys.
- Right, Dino.
- How ya doin', Chef? Now, describe your dish.
What are you doing? I'm doing a Thai massaman curry on a bed of basmati rice with a tiger shrimp wonton with cream cheese and mint.
- Cream cheese? - Cream cheese.
Cream cheese in the Thai curry? - It's a very, very small amount.
- Right.
Because I make it every day for myself to stay in shape to dance.
Just like you, it takes a lot of work to be what we are, ya know? - ( chuckles ) - I know you're hittin' that gym.
I can tell.
( laughing ) What do you mean, I'm hittin' the gym? I know you go to the gym.
When we first all saw you we were like, "Damn.
" Chef Ramsay's been workin' out.
" ( laughing ) - Good luck.
- ( howls ) That's hot.
- Jason.
- Hello, Chef Christina.
- What are you making tonight? - Two preparations of dumplings.
One filling has pork and cilantro with Chinese chives and the other one is gonna be shrimp with pea shoots.
This is a bit of an homage to my grandmother.
I've seen her do it a million times 'cause she comes from the northern part of China, Beijing, - and their wheelhouse is steamed buns and dumplings - Yes, of course.
and ravioli, so I really wanted to go back to my roots a little bit, - take it to the next level.
- Right.
Good luck.
- Thank you very much.
- Whoo-hoo! Jeff, what's goin' on, young lad? I'm having fun over here.
Well, that's a good thing.
What do you got goin' on? I'm doin' a Vietnamese pho inspired by my brother-in-law right here.
- Okay.
- This is an incredible broth that has peppers, I got onions, got some garlic, some shallots to give a little more depth to it there.
And I'm going to be doing the noodles in just a little bit.
Okay, what is gonna be the protein in your pho? So I've actually got filet mignon that's gonna give a nice little lightness to it there.
We've got a skirt steak that's gonna give it a little bit of fattiness, - and we've got pork meatballs.
- Wow! - So this is gonna be nice.
- All right, Jeff, - stick with it.
- Sounds like a plan.
- Good luck.
- Thank you so much, Chef.
Christina: Just under 16 minutes to go.
Hallelujah, it's smelling good! Gabriel, young man, where are we going? So, Chef, today I want to do my take on a Vietnamese pho, that's gonna have prawns in a beef base, and then it's gonna be topped with a lot of fresh herbs, It's one of my favorite dishes.
Something fascinating.
You no longer look the youngest of this competition.
You're starting to rise.
Say you win this thing, America's next MasterChef.
At 19, you're not gonna open a restaurant.
You need experience.
- Yes, Chef.
- So what would you do with a quarter of a million dollars? First and foremost, I'd take care of my parents, you know, get 'em into a decent house.
put some in the bank and, you know, get myself in a culinary school.
- Culinary school.
- That's where my passion lies.
That's what I want to do.
Well, your head's in it to win it.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Good luck.
Get your hands on that advantage, let's go.
You got it, Chef.
Christina: Just under seven minutes, guys.
- Wow, I mean, it smells incredible, right? - It sure does.
Gordon: Dino, Dino's doing massaman curry, so it's a Thai take on a Persian style curry, but with deep-fried cream cheese in a wonton with a shrimp.
This is either gonna be incredibly disastrous or something quite mind-blowing.
Absolutely, then guys, we can't forget about Jason.
He's really focusing on elevating a classic.
He's making two different types of pork dumplings.
He's got a beautiful broth he's working on on the side.
Come on, Jason, you can do this.
Christina: I'm hoping for a lot of elegant flavors.
Gordon: 90 seconds remaining.
Finishing touch, finishing touch.
- Christina: Whoo! Come on, guys.
- Aarón: Let's go.
Remember, a huge advantage for one of you.
- Gordon: Come on, guys.
- Christina: Presentation, presentation, presentation.
- Gordon: Ten - Judges: Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! - Aarón: That's it! Hands in the air.
- Christina: Hands in the air! - Whoo-hoo! - ( applause ) - ( howls ) - Gordon: Well done.
Now, while you worked at your stations, we watched you cook, and we tasted elements of every single dish along the way.
There are three dishes out there that we are really intrigued by.
The first home cook was able to create a plate that is the epitome of fusion.
Please step forward There are three Asian dishes out there that we are really intrigued by.
The first home cook has never won a mystery box challenge before.
Please step forward Dino.
Cate: Go Dino! ( howls ) Yes! Baby! They called my name, first time in the top three of a mystery box.
I feel like I won at life right now.
All right, Dino.
What's the dish? The dish is a cream cheese, mint, and tiger shrimp wonton, on a bed of Thai massaman peanut curry.
I got your classic massaman veggies in there, potato and roasted peanuts on top of basmati rice.
What inspired this dish? Every single day, this is exactly what I eat.
- Okay.
- Whenever I get my paycheck, it all usually goes to the local Thai joint down the street.
Presentation-wise, it's impressive.
Flavor-wise, you've taken some really big risks.
Shrimp, cream cheese, mint wonton, curry.
None of those things are really supposed to go together.
Mm.
All right.
It shouldn't work but it's pretty brilliant.
- Oh, my God.
- Please.
That mint plays off of the sweetness of the cream cheese.
Frying it adds texture, it keeps the moisture inside that shrimp.
And to be honest, that cream cheese, it has a nice cooling effect to that beautiful curry.
- Very nicely done.
- Thank you.
Good job.
- Curry's delicious.
- Thank you.
And this Honestly, Dino, it's exactly like you.
It's so ( bleep ) wrong, it's right.
You know what I mean? That's the weird thing about it.
Because the flavor combination is quite on point.
I love the curry.
The curry's the essence for me.
Seasoned beautifully.
Not too rich, not too hot.
That is delicious.
Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you.
- Eboni: Good job, Dino.
- ( applause ) Good job, baby.
The second dish that we'd like to examine further.
This dish has an amazing balance of flavors.
It's time to see if this home cook could win their third mystery box challenge.
Please step forward Jason.
- ( cheers, applause ) - Cate: Go, Jason! I'm so excited! I'm in the top three, yet again in the MasterChef kitchen.
And this one means the world to me.
I've represented my Asian-American heritage in a strong way.
Jason, talk to me about the dish.
What's in it? I have for you today a preparation of two different dumplings.
The first one is pork with cilantro and Chinese chives.
The second one is a gyoza-style crispy preparation with prawn and pea tendrils, and then a roasted shrimp broth.
So, why dumplings? For me, dumplings are a reminder of my grandmother.
I really wanted to honor her.
You know, growing up they fled from China to Taiwan because of the Communist revolution.
She didn't have a lot of money, so dumplings was a way to, um-- sorry, dumplings was a way to just feed a family.
So I wanted to take that humble beginning and elevate it for you today.
Well, you know, Jason, food is very intimate, especially when you share with others - Thank you.
- so thank you for that, okay? All right, pork.
Your pork is extremely flavorful.
- Thank you.
- It's herbaceous.
It's moist, it's flavorful.
Now this one, with the prawns.
Beautiful crust on the outside.
- What did you cook it with? - Um, it was browned in oil a little bit, and then I put some water in to steam it, and then crisped it back up.
- That is delicious.
- Thank you.
The overall flavor of each dumpling is there.
I like the fact that you went with something that's very personal to you.
If I were to do something different, the broth is good, it just-- it needs some more punch.
- Sure.
- It needs lime.
It needs something.
- But great dumplings.
Well done, Jason.
- Thank you.
Hmm.
This pan-seared dumpling is just stuffed full of that delicious prawn.
Love the pea shoots in there.
Think it gives a really nice freshness and earthiness.
There's very little, I think, to critique on this dish.
Everything is great.
The broth tastes delicious, and I think it was pretty successful.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Thank you very much.
( applause ) Right, the third and final dish we'd like to take a much closer look at.
Interesting, this one.
This individual made us a dish that played to a family connection.
Please step up Jeff.
Let's go.
( applause ) My brother-in-law would be so proud of me right now.
This dish right here, full of flavor and full of family pride.
Jeff.
That looks beautiful.
Describe the dish, please.
I actually cooked my take on a Vietnamese pho.
You have beef broth, traditional pho noodles, a pork meatball that I had made up, sliced filet mignon, and then the traditional toppings, the bean sprouts, the jalapeño, and the peppers to give it a little bit of color.
It's my homage to my brother-in-law.
Your brother-in-law's from Vietnam? His family is.
He was born stateside.
All right, visually, it looks beautiful.
It smells incredible.
And the cook on the protein? You kept it quite rare? Yes, quite rare, so that way then the broth would really take some of that flavor to it there.
Pork, delicious.
Beef, seasoned beautifully.
The spice in that broth, you've nailed it.
You're shining, that's pretty obvious.
The only issue I've got, could've done with more protein, less noodles.
- Okay.
- But here's the thing, it's cooked beautifully.
- It's a bloody good effort.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
Look, man, the broth? Flavorful.
Deep, rich, and then the filet mignon.
- What's not to like about that, right? - Mm-hmm.
Needs a little ratio adjustment.
Gordon's absolutely right.
Too much noodles.
But other than that, I think you did a great job.
and I think your brother-in-law would be very proud of you.
Thank you very much.
( applause ) - Nice job.
- Thank you.
( all murmuring ) Gordon: Dino, Jason and Jeff.
Tonight, the three of you presented truly stunning, elevated, MasterChef-worthy dishes.
But unfortunately, there can only be one winner.
The recipient of this game-changing advantage That person is Congratulations Dino, Jason, and Jeff, you know there can only be one winner.
The recipient of this incredible, game-changing advantage That person is Dino.
Cate: Good job, Dino! I won it! Baby doll, I won! Ah, young man, please, come and join us up here, right now.
Not only did a finally make it to the top three of a mystery box challenge, I won the challenge.
This is a big deal.
All of you, please make your way down, thank you.
Let's go.
Thank you.
Right, Dino.
First the good news.
You do not have to compete in the elimination challenge tonight.
So you are officially in the top six.
- Congratulations, Dino.
- ( cheers, applause ) There's one more big advantage, and that advantage involves a series of choices.
And the choices you're about to make will directly influence who'll be going home tonight.
The competition is about to be put in your hands.
- Give me two seconds.
- Okay.
Eboni: Oh, my goodness.
What in the world are they gonna let Dino do to us? It's coming.
All: Oh Oh, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy.
Pasta.
Now, pasta is the staple of Italian cuisine.
These six are just a few of the hundreds of varieties of pasta.
Here we have, in order of difficulty and of course Gordon: Now, young man, as you probably guessed, these six amazing pastas are for the six talented home cooks standing right in front of us.
And tonight, they are all gonna need to make one of those incredible fresh pastas from scratch, and turn it into an incredible MasterChef-worthy dish.
Tonight, you decide who will be making which pasta, understood? Yes, Chef.
Dino has the fate of "MasterChef" in his hands, and we are not the best of friends.
I'm so scared right now.
I'm so scared right now.
Now, let's start off with the simplest.
Dino, who would you like to assign pappardelle? I've seen this person fail on a meat challenge before.
If the stress of making perfect pasta wasn't hard enough, I think finding the sauce for this is a lot harder than it seems.
So I'm gonna go with Jason.
- Gordon: Wow.
- Thank you.
I know that I have the easiest pasta to make today, so I have to elevate it by making it more high-end, maybe adding flavoring to the pasta.
This is gonna be a challenge for me.
Up next, who do you want to assign the farfalle to? So this is a sort of a different type of strategy.
I'm not really trying to get rid of this person.
I'd like to see this person get a little farther, 'cause I'd like to take this person out in the finale.
Eboni.
Eboni: Have you lost your mind, Dino? If I had the opportunity to take me out, I would take me out.
Boy, I hope you don't think that you can beat me in a head-to-head, because I would slaughter you and put it all on a plate.
Christina: Dino, cannelloni.
It's a little harder than it looks to make, so gonna try to throw them off.
- Gabriel.
- Christina: Interesting.
Aarón: The difficulty level of these pastas is getting serious now, guys.
Dino, please pick up that cavatelli.
I see this pson struggling on not only making this, but what to do with it.
Cate, babe.
The only two home cooks who still have to be allocated their pastas are Jeff and Yachecia, The tortellini is just a nightmare.
Get that too thick then it's too chewy and you can't cook it.
The egg yolk ravioli.
We have seen the most talented, the most determined individuals leave this competition through that.
Dino, tell me, which of these two home cooks you're to assign the tortellini.
- Yachecia.
- ( laughs ) Gordon: So let's confirm this.
The egg yolk ravioli is going to your beloved Jeff.
Why? Not only do you gotta make this thin, but when they cut into it, that yolk better ( bleep ) run.
- For days.
- Yeah, for days.
Mr.
Cocky over here.
We'll see.
- Don't you worry.
- Yeah, baby.
I don't think you can do it.
( laughter ) Wait and see, baby.
Wait and see.
All right.
Come here, baby.
- Got it.
- Come here.
Here.
Here.
- You're gonna break it, buddy.
- Here.
- Grab the thing! - You're gonna break it.
I'm gonna break it.
Our MasterChef love fest continues.
So Dino, truthfully, - are you sending Jeff home? - I'd like to.
I think out of all the people here I'd miss you the least.
Jeff, how do you feel? I'm stoked! Are you kidding me? I got the prime one out here to work with.
- You're not nervous about it, a little bit? - No.
If I show any weakness and nervousness, it's gonna show in the dish, and at the end of the day, I got a hard one to work with, so I gotta bring my best for it.
I've always loved a good challenge.
If I'm gonna be the next MasterChef, I have to push myself.
Dino, please, head up to the balcony.
Hey, don't overcook that rav, all right? Don't you worry.
I'll let you have the first slice into it.
No, I don't eat crap.
Jeff: This egg yolk ravioli is going to be cooked to perfection, just to shut him up.
Pasta? This Irish boy's gonna show an Italian what it's all about.
Gordon: You six, you'll have 45 minutes to cook us a dish with the pasta that Dino assigned you all.
Your 45 minutes starts now.
Whoo! Whoop! Sorry.
Lord, I'm gonna need all the help I can get.
The celery's already in there.
In the Vegas pressure test, I had to make pasta on the fly, and it was a complete hot mess.
Pasta's the star of the dish, so if it's not perfect, I'm done.
Ah, there it is.
Whoo! Cate, baby, what are you making? I'm making cavatelli with ricotta blanched peas, crisp up some prosciutto and then finish it with some Parmigiano Reggiano.
I've made pasta before, and I'm gonna really impress the judges, and impress Dino with his Italian roots.
That's right, baby.
Dino had six very important decisions to make tonight.
It's very clear who he's going for.
The tortellini and the egg yolk ravioli were going straight out to Yachecia and Jeff, respectively.
I think, more importantly, he wants Jeff out.
Come on, these two have been at each other since day one.
Are you mad at me, Jeff? I got a contest I gotta win here, buddy.
Pasta dough is incredibly tricky when it comes to how much you touch it.
You mix it just until it has enough moisture, and then you must let it rest.
bad boy in the fridge.
Gordon: It's a tough one.
All six are intricate and demanding.
Guys, 15 minutes gone.
Just under 30 minutes remaining.
- Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff.
- Yes.
Egg yolk ravioli.
The most difficult one.
You got a target on the front and the back of you.
Dino sees me as a threat.
He's seen me as at threat since the beginning.
What kind of message do you want to send to Dino tonight? That he's gotta stop his yapping because this is a winner right here, baby.
- Good luck.
- Thank you so very much.
- Yachecia, what's going on? - Yes, Chef.
Man, did you get screwed with the tortellini or what? I mean, I'm not 100% comfortable.
I've never made 'em before, but, you know, there's a first time for everything, right? What are you making the tortellini with? Chicken and pork on the inside, and I'm gonna dress the plate with some blistered tomatoes, and then I'm gonna top that with a pesto sauce.
Why chicken and pork together? I want to have the chicken in there for a little different flavor.
- All right, good luck to you, okay? - Thank you.
Mmm! That's good.
Looking good, Gabe.
- Gabriel.
- Yes, Chef.
Dino assigned you cannelloni tonight.
- He sure did.
- How familiar are you with Italian food? A little bit familiar.
It's one of my favorite things to eat, but not something that I make quite often.
- Okay.
- I kinda get the flavors, 'cause it's one of my dad's favorites as well, and my mom used to make it for him all the time, but I'm not afraid to try my hand at it.
Okay, now talk me through what you're working on.
I got an heirloom tomato sauce working right here.
- Okay.
- And a puree to make it a little bit smoother.
- Okay.
- And then I'm just going to blanch those shells and roll them, and then stuff them with a ricotta-spinach filling.
- Prove to me you deserve to be in this kitchen.
- You got it, Chef.
- Let's go.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Eboni.
- Yes, Chef.
Come on, farfalle.
- That means the butterfly pasta.
- Right.
But let's be honest, you sting like a bee, don't you? - I do.
- What's the dish? What are you doing? I'm doing the bow tie pasta with some pork Italian sausage and I'm putting a little bit of mushroom and spinach in there.
- And I'm gonna do like a butter sauce to top it.
- Okay, great.
Now, busy household, mum of four.
Tell me about some of the pasta dishes you've got at home.
I make them mac and cheese or chicken alfredo, something simple that's quick 'cause usually during the week I'm working, so I don't have a lot of time.
- Good luck, you can do this.
- All right, thank you.
- Good luck.
- Just under seven minutes, guys.
- Jason.
- Chef Aarón.
Talk to me about what you're making.
Today I'm making pappardelle, I'm gonna gussy it up with chanterelles, and then a meat ragu, like a Bolognese.
I love mushrooms, so coming from New England, I go forage for mushrooms in the fall, so this is a bit of Italian meets New England.
- Jason, we're counting on you.
- Yes, Chef.
- All right, talk to you soon.
- Thank you so much.
- Gordon: That was intense.
- Christina: It's getting tough out there, guys.
Right now Jeff and Yachecia are running way behind, okay? Yachecia has not perfected the art of tortellini.
And Jeff is now rolling fresh pasta again.
Nothing would make Dino happier if either one of them went home.
I can do this.
I believe in myself.
Christina: I'm also equally as worried about Gabriel.
He is struggling with the shape of that cannelloni.
Ahh! How much time I got? 60 seconds to go.
- Aah! - Christina: Come on, guys.
Yachecia, you gotta push, mama, let's go.
Gordon: Remember, when we get to zero, that is the end.
Your pasta must be out of your water.
Christina: Gotta have it on a plate.
Gordon: This is it.
The hero is the pasta.
You gotta move, guys.
- Gordon: Ten - Judges: Nine eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! - Gordon: And stop.
- Christina: Hands in the air.
( howls ) Gordon: Unbelievable.
You six, well done.
It's time to see whose dishes will take us to Italy, and whose dish will transport them home.
First up, the man with the biggest target on his back, Jeff.
- Yachecia: All right, Jeff.
- ( applause ) Jeff: Dino thinks he's gonna be sending me home.
but that yolk is no joke right here, people.
It's gonna glisten, it's gonna run.
I know I nailed it.
Describe the dish, Jeff, please.
What we have here is an egg yolk ravioli, that I've done up with a little bit of truffle oil, sage brown butter, and Pecorino Romano.
Okay, so, truthfully it looks a mess.
Two big no-nos.
Raw sage, shocking.
Burnt onion.
Why would you put that on there? When I was trying to strain it all out, it just kind of came through at the end there.
Visual on the actual pasta, you can see that it's sort of crimped.
That one, the dough started to dry out a little bit for me.
When you got one perfect one, serve it.
Don't put three on there that detract from the stunner.
Now, I want to slice in there, and I want to see that oozing out.
- Dino.
- Yes, Chef.
- Think he nailed it? - I'm not sure.
Now, I want to slice in there, and I want to see that oozing out.
- Dino.
- Yes, Chef.
- Think he nailed it? - I'm not sure.
Wow.
You've nailed it.
- Delicious.
- Thank you.
It's rich.
Seasoned beautifully, but the pasta could've done with a touch thinner, - Okay.
- The plate is badly dressed.
- Tough one.
You got given the most awkward to nail - Sure.
because the man on the balcony wants you out, and you've nailed it.
Thank you, Jeff.
Thank you.
There's something beautiful about the simplicity of just straightforward pasta with a simple egg yolk that's salted.
- It just needs more finesse.
- True.
But look, man, the difficulty of this, if I were to give a number on it, it's a ten.
So, good job.
Next up, please, Eboni.
- Cate: Come on, girlfriend.
- ( applause ) Eboni: Dino gave me farfalle pasta.
I thought this pasta was gonna be easy.
You cut it, you fold it.
It's little bow ties.
It'll be easy, right? Hold your breath, 'cause it ain't.
Miss Eboni.
Give me a description of the dish real quick.
I did farfalle with pork sausage, mushrooms and spinach, butter, and fried basil.
And I kind of cooked that down with garlic, a little bit of thyme, peppercorn, salt and pepper.
- It's delicious.
- ( chuckles ) Thank you, Chef.
It's simple.
Your pasta's cooked beautifully.
There's texture to that pork sausage, there's a little heat, there's the salt, there's a sweetness to it.
I don't think you need the mushrooms.
Maybe just some beautiful red chili flakes on top just to bring a little color to the top there.
- Yes, Chef.
- That's a delicious bowl of pasta.
- Nice job.
- Thank you.
Why the sausage? I just was trying to go with something that I knew I could pack a lot of flavor into it.
Mmm.
That is delicious.
The sheen on there, it's got all the little dregs of sauce, ground sausage, and that spicy sauce, you've nailed it.
All my pasta is beautifully glazed, and nothing's dry.
It's so good.
Here's the thing, flavor's there.
Presentation needs work, but for me, one of the best-tasting dishes so far in this competition.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Cate: Nice job, Eboni.
( applause ) Next up, please, Gabriel.
- Yachecia: All right, Gabe.
- Cate: Come on, Gabe.
Gabriel: Working fast food, I don't make a lot of money, so I'm not gonna spend money on upscale Italian cuisine.
My inexperience with cannelloni really worked against me.
I'm not happy with the shape, I'm not happy with the structure of the pasta.
I'm just hoping that the flavors are there.
- Gabriel.
- Yes, Chef.
What do we have? We have a cannelloni that was stuffed with a ricotta-spinach filling, topped with a rustic tomato sauce and some fresh grated cheese.
Have you ever cooked cannelloni before? Never before, Chef.
This is not what it's supposed to look like.
I'm not happy with it.
They should be round tubes, where your cannelloni look like they've been deflated.
Yes, Chef.
Whatever you choose to stuff that cannelloni with needs to be firm.
It needs to be able to hold its shape.
How did you season that filling? Gabriel: I seasoned it with a little bit of spinach and then some salt, some pepper, and a slight amount of the ground nutmeg.
Filling's not great.
I wish it had more seasoning.
That sauce, it's a tad sweet, but the real disappointment, as you already know, is the technique of that pasta.
- That's really what we're after tonight.
- Yes, Chef.
It looks dreadful.
I mean, hand on heart, that looks like a lasagna, as opposed to a cannelloni.
The sauce is so sweet, it's extraordinary.
Gabriel: While it was cooking down, it didn't seem as though it was really being as pungent, so I just added a little bit of sugar to try and bring it up a little bit more.
What happens to tomatoes the more you caramelize them? - They get sweeter, Chef.
- They get sweeter.
So you started them off with sugar, and then got them even sweeter in the cooking process.
The filling, bland.
Pasta is a disaster.
It's your worst performing dish, Gabriel.
Thank you.
Miss Cate, please bring your dish down.
- ( applause ) - Yachecia: Good luck, Cate.
Cate: This was definitely the hardest challenge I have had in this kitchen.
I've never made cavatelli before, but I've had a similar dish like this at a restaurant in Chicago, and the flavors just worked so well together.
Cate, talk to me about your dish.
What's in it? I made cavatelli, with peas and mint and a homemade herb ricotta.
Peas and mint, I love that.
It's a very traditional pairing.
I really like the garnish.
Having two cheeses, the parmesan, and the ricotta playing together make a lot of sense, and you were very heavy-handed with the amount of peas, which is a good thing.
The cook, al dente.
I wish the pasta was done a little bit better.
It's a little gummy.
It's a little thick.
- Yeah.
- But, overall, - it's a very good dish.
- Thank you, Chef.
Visually, the dish is beautiful.
- There's rustic elegance to it.
- Yeah.
Peas taste delicious.
Ricotta, nice flavor, but this is a light dish, right? It's meant to be celebratory of spring.
I would've just loved to see that sauce brighter and lighter and celebratory of that cavatelli pasta.
- Thank you, Chef.
- ( applause ) Jeff: Nice job, Cate.
Please, Jason, bring your dish down.
( applause ) I've never made pappardelle from scratch before, but I have a lot of food knowledge.
I've been to Rome with my brother, tasted lots of local things, so I know which flavors go well together.
My pappardelle is gonna be a ticket to the balcony.
- Jason.
- Yes, Chef.
Talk to me about your dish.
What's in it? This is pappardelle with my version of a Bolognese.
I used half beef and half pork.
The pasta has a little bit of porcini powder in there.
And this over here? This is a little bit more of the Bolognese sauce.
The pappardelle, visually, it looks spot-on.
- Thank you.
- Let's get in here, buddy.
The flavor's dynamite.
There's no way around it.
I feel that it has that depth of flavor that a Bolognese should have.
It tastes like it's been cooking for hours - Thank you.
- which is a great thing.
The pasta, spot-on.
- I think you went overboard with the aromatic spices.
- Okay.
- Overall, good job, Jason.
- Thank you.
- ( applause ) - Good job, Jason.
Jeff: Nice job, Jason.
Next up, Yachecia, please, let's go.
Come on, Yachecia.
Yachecia: Dino gave me the second hardest pasta, and it can be so, so tricky to get this type of pasta right.
But I know that my tortellini is beautiful.
The shape is perfect.
Describe the dish, please.
It is a tortellini with chicken and pork, and a little bit of ricotta mixture inside, served with a chicken broth, roasted tomatoes, and garnished with just a tad bit of pesto.
Traditionally, I know it's generally served with pork, and I just wanted to add a little chicken to go with the broth that I was serving with it.
Yachecia, that's terrible.
Well, I tasted it.
I thought it was pretty tasty to me.
What bit did you think was "pretty tasty"? I thought the filling tasted well, and the broth was nice and rich and deep.
Where's she gone? Gordon: Chicken and pork, the most ridiculous ideas to put together.
The thickness of the tortellini is terrible.
It looks like the filling of a canned food.
And it's got no texture, it's got no flavor.
And you serve it in a stock, that looks like it's come out of the bottom of a dishwasher.
I think the only saving grace tonight is the actual shape of the tortellini.
You've sort of done a pretty decent job, Yachecia.
- Yes.
- Dino wanted you out.
I don't want you to leave this competition.
But I'm gonna be honest with you.
I think it's your worst performing dish that you've cooked for us so far.
Well done, all of you.
Tough, tough, tough challenge, let's get that right.
Dino, please, make your way down.
Thank you.
At this point in the competition, there are definitely people I really want to see go home right now, based on, you know, skills.
And I think my strategy paid off.
Let's get straight to the good news.
There were two extraordinary dishes out there tonight.
The first dish, congratulations - Jason.
- Thank you.
- Gordon: Good job.
- Cate: Nice job, Jason.
The winning dish of the night congratulations Eboni.
( laughs ) Way to go, Eboni.
- Thank you.
- Gordon: Well done.
Good job.
Unfortunately, home cooks, this is an elimination challenge.
and at least one home cook has to leave the kitchen tonight.
If I say your name, please come down to the front.
Yachecia and Gabriel.
You two, this is one of the toughest decisions we've ever had to make.
We felt that, both of you, not only were you so strong, but were going further.
But unfortunately both of you fell short with too many technical errors across both dishes.
The home cook that is leaving tonight, that person is Gabriel, I'm sorry, bud.
- ( gasps ) - Oh, no! Yachecia, say goodbye to Gabriel and head back to your station, please.
Gabriel, unfortunately, young man, you were beaten by the technical ability of your cannelloni tonight.
You know, I've got news for you.
You may be going back to Oklahoma tonight, but you're not going back to be a fast food server.
Young man, it's very rare that we see such raw talent that's got amazing potential come through this competition.
You've got the potential to be huge in this industry.
You just need the right training.
So I am personally gonna send you to culinary school.
( gasps, applause ) - Thank you, Lord.
- I'll pay the tuition full-time.
Oh, my goodness.
And I don't want you worrying about Mum and Dad, - 'cause I'm taking care of that.
- Thank you.
If this is how good you are without proper training, young man, at 19 years of age, let me tell you, you've got the potential to be great.
- Will you accept that offer? - Hell yes, Chef.
Gabriel, you might be going back to Oklahoma to take Chef Gordon's once-in-a-lifetime offer, but after that, I want you to leave Oklahoma - and come to New Orleans.
- Oh, wow! 'Cause I'm prepared to offer you a job in one of my restaurants.
- Gabe.
- Will you accept my offer? - Hell, yeah, Chef.
- Outstanding.
Gabriel, I want to know how you feel now.
All I've wanted to do is learn and cook, and I get to do both of them under tutelage from two people I've admired since I was, like, seven, so I can't-- I can't be happier.
- Wow.
- Hey.
- Come on up here.
- Cate: You're amazing, Gabriel! Thank you, Chef.
We're gonna take good care of you, okay? Tell Mom and Dad not to worry, all right? So impressed.
Get in here.
Now, please, take that apron off, - I look forward to seeing you soon.
- Likewise, Chef.
Thank you.
- ( cheers, applause ) - Cate: Go, Gabriel! I'm not going back to fast food.
I'm not going back to my regular routine.
I'm changing my life, and that is all thanks to "MasterChef" and what the judges have presented me.
My parents have always struggled.
They don't make a lot of money, so Chef Ramsay offering to pay for my culinary school and telling me not to stress about my parents is a huge relief, because they are the main people that I care about, love and respect.
I'm so happy for you! On top of that, I get to go and experience this amazing food scene and this amazing restaurant that Chef Sanchez wants to put me at.
To me, that's the world.
That's the jackpot.
The trophy's shiny, but this is amazing.
- Eboni: Bye, baby.
- ( cheers, applause ) Cate: Oklahoma! Announcer: Coming up - Whoo! - Oh, my God.
This is beautiful.
- it's a picture perfect - Welcome, to the Triunfo Creek Vineyard.
pop-up restaurant.
- First table, four filet, two duck.
- All: Yes, Chef! But when things turn ugly in the kitchen - Let's go! - Come on! Get the food out! - which team - It's freezing cold in the center.
- Come on! - will tear itself apart? - Jeff is a loser.
- Thank you so much.
Stop saying "thank you" and ( bleep ) cook! - Okay, just stop.
- Shut up and plate.
Oh, my God.