Announcer: Previously on MasterChef.
Gordon Ramsay: You're all fighting
for the same thing.
- One of these. - Woo!
Announcer: 40 of the most passionate home cooks in America
- faced off... - Watch your eyebrows.
- in the culinary battles... - They're falling a little bit.
- of their lives. - It's beautiful.
Thank you.
- Ten survived. - Really delicious. Well done.
( cheering )
Announcer: And claim the coveted white apron,
( shouting )
gaining entry into the top 20
and the MasterChef kitchen.
I'm proud of you, Daddy.
Announcer: Tonight, with only ten spots remaining,
the competition heats up.
The best way to turn your lady on
- is to turn your stove on. - Hmm?
( chuckles )
Woo!
Announcer: With some of the most intense battles...
What is he doing?
Announcer: ...the MasterChef kitchen has ever seen.
I'm screwed.
You're got to start plating, young man.
He's falling apart.
Announcer #2: The most passionate home cooks in America
have been invited to the MasterChef kitchen
to go head-to-head
in a battle for a coveted white apron.
It's going down in the kitchen today.
This is... this is a dream come true.
- I got this. - I'm so excited.
I'm just like, "Get me in there already."
Announcer: In the battle for a white apron,
the home cooks will face off
over their signature dishes
to prove they deserve
one of the ten remaining aprons
and a spot in the top 20.
- First up is Takeila. - Ahh!
A nail technician from Chicago.
who's ready to claw her way into the top 20.
I've been doing nails for 20 years.
I'm the nail lady. That's what they call me.
Doing nails is wild and it's unique.
It's exactly what I like to do in the kitchen.
I like to create something that people will just die for
and that's how they do when they look at my nails.
Like, "Oh, my God. This is what she did?"
You haven't done my nails since you been here.
This Takeila nails or Takeila tacos?
Takeila tacos.
Nails is my life.
But food is my passion.
And food is about love.
It's about families coming together.
I think it's amazing.
- What about this Dan? - He's a kid.
I'm about to shoot this tequila home
with a slice of lime.
My name's Dan, I'm 26.
Peace!
I'm from Charlotte North Carolina
and I'm a fraternity guy.
I was social chair of my fraternity
so I interacted with a lot of sorority girls.
And I mean, I'm just saying,
cook a girl dinner you might end up cooking her breakfast as well.
I know tacos.
- I mean, I'm using flounder. - Nice.
Me and Grandpa Dan used to catch those
off the North Carolina coast, reel 'em in.
I cook from the gut.
And I think it's a huge advantage.
That is done. This is ready for the tortillas, man.
All the other contestants are gonna look at me
as the frat guy who can't cook.
( all chanting ) One, two, three, fry!
They don't know, I'm about to haze this competition.
Come on, Dan.
Dan, come on!
Hey, baby.
( cheering )
Takeila: Come on, Dan. Let's go.
- That was exhilarating. - ( Takeila laughs )
Dan, I know you've had a lot of tequila going around that frat house
but huh-uh, you've never had
Takeila like this.
Welcome.
I've never hazed a woman but Takeila, it's your time,
because I'm gonna show you who the real king of tacos is.
All right, guys. Battle of the tacos.
You will each have just 30 minutes
to take home that apron
- by wowing us with your tacos. - Yes.
- All right. - Your time starts now.
Dan, what's so special about your tacos tonight?
I'm making beer battered fish taco
with a little bit of fresh pico de gallo
and a fresh, zesty lime sour cream.
And it's kinda like my own North Carolina rendition
of the California Baja style fish taco.
I'm using flounder.
I love a good beer batter.
What beer are you using?
I'm using amber lager, club soda, and a little bit of vodka.
It does something like denature the gluten
which makes the batter stick around the fish
really crispy and nice.
- Wow. - Nice.
Gordon: Where did this passion come from?
Is it something you just recently found or--
The best way to turn your lady on
- is to turn your stove on. - Hmm?
( laughs )
Guys like us know that.
( laughing )
( chuckles )
Gordon: Half way, guys.
15 minutes gone. 15 minutes to go.
Takeila, what are you making for us?
I'm cooking jerk chicken tacos.
And waffles with a cayenne-maple-honey dipping sauce.
Wait, I thought we were doing tacos?
Yeah, tacos. And waffles.
It's gonna give you a taste that you're like, "Oh, my God,
I never even thought to think of something like this." Watch.
Right, okay.
Eight minutes to go.
Now, Takeila's waffles and tacos?
Waffle batter is typically eggy and light
and it's also a bit sweet so you're gonna get
something that's little bit more like a crÃªpe.
But I mean it could be interesting.
Now the batter that Dan is making right now
it needs to be just the right consistency.
If it's too thick then we're gonna have a super-bready batter.
If it's too thin, it won't hold on
to the outside of the flounder.
You got this, Dan. You got this,
Gordon: Takeila cooking the chicken in water.
Come on, you gotta be a bit more elevated than that
at this stage in the game.
Christina: It's missed opportunity
to infuse more flavor into the protein.
And any spice you put on there,
the season is washed off.
Watered down.
I guess the real question's gonna be
is Takeila's imagination going to make Dan's
straight up the middle fish tacos seem
a little too pedestrian.
We're down to sixty seconds to go.
This is it.
Two stunning dishes, one apron up for grabs.
That turns into a spot
in the top 20 of MasterChef.
Ten, nine, eight, seven...
Gordon and Christina: Six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- And stop drinking, Dan. Hands in the air. - Hands up.
- Nice job, guys. - Well done.
Please, very carefully,
bring your dishes down to the front.
Let's go.
All right. Tell me about this taco.
Takeila: It's a jerk chicken taco
with a cayenne maple honey dipping sauce
and cornbread waffles, of course
All right.
Now I love a good jerk seasoning, right?
It's got some heat, but I was surprised to see you
take the dry rub on the chicken
and put it in a sauce pan with water.
- I would worry that-- - It would take the season away.
- Yeah, that it would water it down. - No, it doesn't.
Okay.
I like what you've done here with the jerk chicken taco.
The meat actually does have flavor to it which is great.
I like the sort of dense, hearty,
savory nature of the cornbread.
Great heat over here.
I think overall your elements taste delicious,
I just don't know that they make sense together.
Wow. That is interesting.
Chicken's actually moist and good.
But it's out there, but then that's a bit like you...
- Right. - Out there.
That's me. I'm on the dish.
- You are on the dish. - I'm on the dish.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Dan, describe your tacos, please.
We got a beer battered fish taco,
topped with a fresh pico de gallo,
and then a lime crema on top of that.
Dan, I mean...
Quite honestly...
delicious.
- Really tasty. - Appreciate that.
Balance of flavor is up there.
Love the amount of lime you've got,
because that just lifts everything.
- Good job. - Thank you, Chef.
Quite good. It's refreshing.
It's light, it's bright.
The only problem with a taco like this
is the lime and the sour cream are so bright,
and the pico de gallo has so much flavor
that you don't want the fish to go lost.
- Yeah. - If you had a little bit more of that beer
in the beer batter,
I think you would have gotten an even thinner shell
and really let that fish shine just a little bit more.
But this is a really delicious taco.
Thank you.
Tonight we have two unique-sounding dishes.
The battle won by a very fine margin.
Congratulations...
The battle won by a very fine margin.
Congratulations...
Dan.
- Great job. - Thanks, man.
Seriously, incredible potential. Good job.
Thank you, Chef.
Takeila, you know, the chicken actually tasted moist.
But focus on one thing, get that right.
- Don't give up. - Thank you.
Both of you, well done.
Thank you.
( cheering )
Woo-hoo!
I've never received such a compliment
from someone I idolize as much as Gordon Ramsay.
You know, I feel like throwing a party
but now it's just me getting to work.
It's me learning, it's me making myself better at cooking.
Woo-hoo!
( cheers and applause )
Announcer: Our next home cook is Zack,
a construction worker from Belleville, Michigan.
I built this burger from the ground up.
I think it's gonna send this boy packin'.
Announcer: Who hopes his spin on an American classic
will earn him a white apron.
Anything that needs to be built on a lake
in Belleville, Michigan, I do.
We mostly build decks, docks, seawalls, stuff like that.
Being a construction worker, I'm all about the protein.
My body burns on protein and fat
( grunts ) MasterChef.
If you want the heat you need the meat.
( imitates explosion )
I know you're gonna do great.
I'm a mama's boy, I was raised with four siblings
and one mom, she played both mom and dad.
And did a great job at it.
So happy for you to have this chance.
You're gonna make me cry.
I would love to open restaurants and retire my mom.
Return all the favors that she's done for me.
Love you, buddy. Give me a hug.
( murmurs )
Announcer: Standing in Zack's way is Alejandro.
First Venezuelan MasterChef.
Announcer: A voiceover artist from Miami.
who plans to use his Venezuelan flair
to win a spot in the top 20.
- You dreamed about this. - This is a dream.
- This is what I wanted.
Five years ago, I moved to the United States
in search for the American dream.
I'm a voice-over actor.
- ÿY porqué no? - TV shows, cartoons...
I do promos, trailers...
Mi nombre es Alejandro Toro
and I am the next MasterChef.
But cooking is really my passion.
I cook from the heart.
Venezuela is gonna be so proud of you.
My mother is everything to me.
In a country like Venezuela,
the opportunities are more limited.
It's hard to live as a family
and it's even harder to be a single mother.
Just being here, it's a bless.
My mom has sacrificed her whole life
so now I want to pay back.
I wish I could give her half of what she has given me.
( cheering )
Woo!
( imitates explosions )
( shouting )
Welcome.
Zack: This is the battle of the burgers.
Alls I knew was beef.
My mom made beef, beef, beef,
burgers, burgers, burgers.
That's all I ate.
Gordon: Let's go, guys.
Alejandro: Any home cook can make a burger,
but I'm gonna put my Venezuelan spin on it
and I'm gonna make it sexy.
Stand behind your bench, please.
Thank you.
Alejandro, the secret behind any great chef
is his or hers family.
Who are with you today?
Today, with me are my mother, Marietta,
and my grandmother, Maria Teresa.
And which one has been the biggest influence on you?
My mother, Marietta.
And who's here supporting you today, Zack?
My mother, Beth.
How proud do you think she is of you today?
She's glowing, I just saw her, she was crying.
It was awesome.
Right. Two stunning burgers.
Two very intelligent home cooks.
One apron.
30 minutes to get your hands on it.
Your 30 minutes starts now.
Good luck.
Alejandro, what are you making?
I am making hamburguesa con todo,
burger with everything.
It's gonna have a fried egg,
it's gonna have cabbage, onion,
with yuca fries.
And a chimichurri sauce.
Gordon: Right. Zack, describe your burger, please.
Chef, I am making a black and blue burger
with onion rings, jalapeño strings,
- and a spicy voodoo dipping sauce. - Wow.
That's gonna be two thin patties,
blackened on the outside,
so it's nice and salty and spicy.
And I'm gonna stuff that patty with blue cheese.
Zack, how does Alejandro's burger sound to you?
It's doesn't sound as beefy and manly as mine.
He might be the Casanova, but I'm gonna "blast-him-ova."
Ooh, "blast-him-ova."
Gordon: 15 minutes gone.
Two burgers head-to-head.
One apron up for grabs.
Alejandro, did your mom teach you how to make this burger?
Yes, I remember the ingredients it had
and I went based on that on memory.
So you spent some time together in the kitchen.
Yes, for sure.
- It's great bonding time. - Nice.
Zack, I remember what confidence it gave me
when my mum was by my side in my first ever competition.
I was so nervous until she came and held my hand,
and... ( exhales ) it all went away.
She wants nothing more than to see me succeed.
So it means everything.
Coming up to five and a half minutes to go.
I am slightly concerned
about the complexity of Zack's burger
Blackened burger with a blue cheese?
Wow, that's dangerous.
I mean, that's spicy, the blue cheese, very salty.
Very overpowering.
Yeah, but if you get it just right,
it could be a force to be reckoned with.
I'm a little worried about Alejandro.
It looks like his beef patties are just steaming.
He's just turned them over
and there's very little color.
15 seconds to go.
- Oh, my God. - Oh, my God.
Gordon: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five, four,
three, two, one and stop.
Hands in the air.
Two burgers head-to-head.
One apron up for grabs.
- Oh, my God. - Oh, my God.
Gordon: Five, four, three,
two, one, and stop.
- Hands in the air. - ( clapping )
- Well done. - Christina : Nice job.
Gordon: Great job, both of you.
Now, very carefully,
please bring both of your dishes down to the front.
So Alejandro,
talk me through the layers.
Alejandro: I have the first patty, then I put some cheese,
and the other patty on top.
On top of that I have ketchup, mustard,
and garlic mayo.
- Then I have some smoked ham and cabbage... - Wow.
tomato, and the egg.
With a side of yuca fries and a chimichurri sauce.
I wanna slice this thing and look inside.
That's what draws you into a burger.
The season is good, I like the spiciness of it.
But it just looks a mess.
However, burger's all about robust flavor.
And yeah, I like it.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
You can tell from the meat,
that your griddle pan just wasn't hot enough.
It's a good flavor, it'd be even better
if that griddle was hot and you really seared it
and you got a little bit of pink still
on the inside of the burger.
I love that you did the yuca fries.
I think that already shows us a little bit more of you are on this plate.
The burger is a good start, it's definitely not perfect.
But all in all, nice effort.
Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
Zack, describe the burger please
from bottom to top.
Zack: We have a ground sirloin patty
that has been blackened and stuffed with blue cheese.
We then have a layer of grilled jalapeños,
and a layer of thinly sliced raw white onions,
topped with honey bourbon ketchup,
with onion rings and jalapeño strings.
That burger bun is absolutely crispy.
Nice.
The patty is delicious.
Love the blue cheese in the middle.
Quite like that.
Don't like the raw onion.
Very pungent, very strong.
Jalapeños, fried onion rings, delicious.
However, you've smothered it With lots of seasoning.
I'm already on fire with one bite of that burger.
So strong effort.
Badly balanced.
Because you have a lot going on there.
Yes, Chef.
I like the funk of the blue cheese for sure.
I'm not as offended by the blackened seasoning.
For me, more than anything,
the jalapeño is a little too much.
I think you've got a lot going on here.
Editing is one of the hardest things to do.
But really nice effort.
Thank you, Chef.
Uh, this is a tough one.
I know how much my mother means to me.
And I love the fact that you've brought your mothers.
- We'd like to meet them. - Oh, man.
Please, pop outside and bring them in.
I mean, longer, he needs longer.
See, that works.
( cheering )
( speaking Spanish )
Mom, Gordon would like to speak to you.
Come on.
Oh, my God.
That's some real finesse, look at how smart he was.
I know, yeah, but look.
There.
The blackened part, is that not too much seasoning?
Welcome, ladies.
Please, come on down. Thank you.
Mums, welcome.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Alejandro, could you introduce your mum, please?
Yes. Marietta Toro.
Marietta, your son clearly has a passion for cooking.
How important is this competition for him?
Very important.
It's a dream come true.
Just being here makes him a winner.
I work very hard every day to become
half the human she is.
Zack, introduce mum, please.
This is Beth Wilson, she's the kindest, most loving,
generous person I've ever met.
Beth, how important is this competition to him?
It's an opportunity of a lifetime.
It could change the rest of his world.
It's very important.
She's showed me the kind of love and affection
that words can't describe
and I don't think I could every pay back.
Both burgers had personality.
Zack, strong, bold and just Midwest.
Alejandro, a different take on a burger.
Whatever the outcome is, I know both of your mums
are incredibly proud, that's obvious.
The burger that had the slight advantage...
Marietta, pass this apron to your son.
Thank you.
Alejandro: I've gone so far
since I've gotten here from Venezuela.
And now I'm-- I won an apron.
And to have my mom here and have her put
the MasterChef apron on me,
I'm living the American dream.
I win everything, so this is gonna be no different.
( chuckles )
Announcer: Our next battle features shrimp and grits
and four talented home cooks
who will compete for two MasterChef aprons.
Man: All right, Neco!
I'm Neco, and back at home in Detroit,
I'm a manicurist but also,
I'm what some people would call a psychic,
because I hear voices which are my ancestors.
Let me get that soul clap.
So I know there's a white apron in my future
because my ancestors told me so.
Right, Tanorria! You got this!
I am Tanorria, I am a credit union coordinator
from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
And the best shrimp and grits
come from the South.
( shrieks )
I'm Shawn,
and I'm a restaurant manager from Las Vegas, Nevada.
So as far as shrimp and grits,
you don't need to be from the South,
you just need to understand flavors.
Whoo!
My name is Brittany, I'm from New Hartford, New York,
and I'm a server.
Welcome, nice to see you all.
Nice to see you, Chef.
I grew up in a really big Italian family,
my grandfather was the king of the kitchen.
He didn't let anyone in but me,
and you know, he taught me everything.
So I'm gonna grab that white apron today
because I'm bringing it to the Italian side,
I'm putting love and passion into my food.
And I'm gonna make my presence known.
This is the battle of the shrimp and grits.
Four talented amateur cooks, two aprons...
to catapult yourself in the top 20 of this competition.
Well, I'm the only one who has talked to the spirits
and they've already told me
that one of those belongs to me.
Absolutely not.
Right, your 30 minutes...
starts now.
Yeah, baby.
Shrimp and grits, I mean, a classic American comfort.
The secret is what?
You gotta start out with a delicious tasting liquid.
Chicken stock, beef stock,
you gotta use liquid that has flavor.
You can't make grits with just water, in my opinion.
No. And the shrimp, preparation is crucial.
- Oftentimes shrimp is overcooked, right? - It becomes rubber.
Mm, that's what I'm talking about, B.
- Neco, gives us an insight - Yes.
to your shrimp and grits, please.
Today, I'm making shrimp and grits
with a white wine cream tarragon sauce.
This is the best shrimp and grits
in "Detroit Rock City."
What are you cooking the grits in?
What flavored stock have you got?
Actually, I don't do a stock,
I just do water, butter and salt.
I keep it pretty simple,
like how my mom and dad taught me.
- Right. - Bada boom bada bing, there you go.
- ( pops ) - Ooh!
In Vegas we call that, "poppin' bottles."
Brittany, what kind of beer is that
and what are you using it for?
Ah, it's a nice Belgian ale.
I make a beurre blanc and instead of using white wine,
- I use beer. - Right.
I'm from a really huge Italian family,
so my shrimp and grits are kind of a,
they're an Italian spin.
I put a little veggies with mine
because I need a little more texture and crunch.
I fry my grits too.
- Nice. - Ten minutes gone,
20 minutes to go
so speed up a little bit.
Come on, thicken for yo' mama.
You're a nut, girl.
Gordon: Shawn, give an insight.
Shrimp and grits, how are you gonna nail it
and get your hands on that apron tonight?
Well, I'm making a Southwestern style shrimp and grits,
with little bit of sweet roasted corn
and sweet chili oil.
Right.
My secret weapon is maple syrup,
combined with bacon.
So you're giving us a restaurant quality take on the classic?
I run a Michelin recommended restaurant,
so I'm hoping.
- Okay. - Gordon: Wow.
Tanorria, give us an insight
to your shrimp and grits, please.
Being from Tennessee, I'm bringing all the South to you today.
- Gordon: Good. - I am bringing shrimp and grits
and I am bringing it with some fried okra crispies.
- Woo! - So the grits themselves, the secret?
Cream and butter, if you're not putting
cream and butter in your grits,
you're not making grits.
This is a Southern recipe
that comes from my grandmother.
Wow. Beautiful.
Don't burn me, please.
You guys are just coming up to two minutes left.
Taste everything, make sure it's exactly what you imagined,
because only two of you are walking out of here with those aprons.
Come on, babies.
60 seconds to go.
You know what's at stake.
Four dishes, only two aprons up for grabs.
Ten,
Gordon and Christina: nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two, one.
Gordon: And stop. Hands in the air.
Christina: Hands in the air.
Well done.
All four of you, please bring those dishes on down.
Gordon: Smells incredible.
Brilliant.
That was a unique four-way battle.
All right, Neco, describe the dish, please.
Neco:It's a four cheese shrimp and grit blend,
white wine tarragon cream sauce
and crab meat.
Okay, so you cooked the grits in water.
- So, no stock? - No stock.
Wow.
Here's the thing, crab's delicious.
The shrimp actually tastes nice.
But the grits are very middle of the road.
So if you'd added stock
then it would've gone up to another level.
- Thank you. - Note taken. Thank you, Chef.
Now Brittany, describe your dish for me.
Brittany: I made an Italian style shrimp
with a fried grit cake.
Christina: And then talk to me about the sauce that's on top.
The sauce is a beurre blanc.
Instead of using the white wine and the shallots
I used green onions, and I put beer in it.
It's definitely a far more modern approach
than the classic shrimp and grits.
The beer beurre blanc is good,
I would have loved a little bit more acidity to it,
just to brighten it up a little bit.
The shrimp is done really well.
Really interesting approach.
Thank you.
Shawn, describe the dish, please.
What we did was a Southwestern
sweet and smoky shrimp and grits.
with blackened shrimp,
finished off with a little bit of roasted corn.
Okay, why this technique?
Just because I wanted to separate the layers of flavor.
- Mm-hmm. - I wanted to give you the saltiness of the grits
with the sweetness of the roasted corn,
and smoked paprika.
Um, so grits, delicious.
Love the corn.
However, you've destroyed the shrimp.
'Cause they're sticky and overcooked,
and you could've done a lot better with them.
- Absolutely, Chef. - Yeah?
I'll do better.
All right, Miss Tanorria.
Describe your dish for me.
Tanorria: You've got a traditional
Southern style shrimp and grits with andouille,
and okra crispies.
The tricky part when you go classic
is if you don't nail it, it just is forgettable.
Yeah. Tennessee won't let me come back home.
( both laugh )
That is delicious.
Thank you.
The grits are incredible.
They're just oozing with flavor.
Which is what grits should do.
I love the heat from the andouille,
the shrimp is delicious.
- I think you've definitely did Tennessee proud. - Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Well done, all of you. Gallant efforts. Good job.
Sadly, we're gonna give two aprons out.
We would like to invite...
Tanorria to come up here.
Congratulations.
Wow.
- I have a white apron, guys. - Uh, yeah.
Young lady,
that will go down in history
- as the best shrimp and grits. - No way.
- Gordon: And you'll be tough to beat. - Thank you.
- Keep it up. - Thank you so much.
Well done.
( applause )
What is happening?
Oh, my God.
Okay, guys, that means there's one apron left.
There's one home cook that Gordon and I
would like to work with, nurture, develop...
as a cook.
And that person is...
( cheering )
( screaming )
Oh, my God, I can't believe I just got an apron.
( screaming )
I'm hanging up that server apron,
I have this beautiful thing to wear from now on
and it will be, it will be forever stuck to me.
( laughing )
You did it, baby! ( cries )
I can't believe it. My grandmother is so proud of me right now.
My baby.
From the South, straight to your mouth,
Tanorria is here to stay.
Next MasterChef, baby.
( grandmother crying ) You deserve this so much.
Announcer: Never in the history of MasterChef
has it been so difficult to own the coveted white apron.
Gordon: Hold the head up high and continue cooking.
- 'Cause we haven't seen the last of you. - Thank you.
Announcer: But with the battles drawing to a close...
Gordon: Two gallant efforts. One apron.
And it's going to Katie.
Announcer: ...five more skilled home cooks...
- Come on. - It's yours, Diana.
- I know it's mine. Thank you. - Congratulations.
Announcer: ...managed to savor the taste of victory.
Gordon: Cassie, good job.
- Diamond. - Gordon: D'Andre.
( cheering )
Announcer: In all, 19 home cooks
are going to place in the top 20.
God, I'm so proud of you.
Announcer: Leaving just one final spot
in the MasterChef kitchen.
( sobbing )
In our final battle, Shaun, a Las Vegas DJ...
I'm ready to go. I can't wait.
Announcer: ...is hoping to mix his music with his culinary dreams.
I've been on some of the biggest stages in the DJ community.
I actually DJ'd-- The only DJ to ever DJ
on Las Vegas Boulevard for New Year's Eve.
I DJ'd in front of 150,000 people.
But I have just as much of a passion for food
as I do for music.
Looks good to me.
Food and music are the basis
of most of our memories in our lifetime.
( crowd cheering )
I want that apron so bad, Mom.
I bet you do, I bet you do.
- I miss Dad. - I know you do.
My father actually passed away a few years ago.
My dad loved my food.
My dad would fly me to go see him
just to cook him some meals.
But when he passed away, it gave me so much more drive.
Um, I gotta-- I have to make him proud.
( whispers ) Aw, man.
I'm proud of you.
Announcer: Standing in Shaun's way is James,
a truck driver from a very different part of Las Vegas.
I don't come from the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas,
I come from the real Las Vegas that's off the strip.
Gangs, prostitution, drug dealers, crackheads.
All the things that is a nightmare,
is North Las Vegas.
And I went to truck driving to find a way of escape.
But when I'm on the road, I miss my kitchen.
This is where we usually do all our cooking at right here.
So I made this little portable kitchen I have with me
when I do my truck driving.
I got a hot plate, I got electric wok,
electric griddle.
I call it my get down kit.
( chuckles )
- This is it right here, you guys. - ( cheering )
Truck driving isn't my passion,
cooking is my passion.
And I want to get out of that cab
and I want to get into the kitchen.
( crowd cheering )
Vegas, baby!
James: This is Vegas versus Vegas.
We're dudes on steak and seafood.
And what better dish than surf and turf?
Let's go, guys. Come on down.
Shaun: Being a top DJ in Vegas, I get to dine
at the finest establishments, so I know fine dining.
And my surf and turf
is the best damn surf and turf on the planet.
Welcome.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Now, you both have 45 minutes
to perfect a surf and turf.
No problem.
Any final words for each other?
- See you later. - Ha-ha.
Your 45 minutes...
starts...
now.
Let's go.
You ready over there, Shaun?
Rock and rolling, baby, rock and rolling.
Rock and roll, baby, rock and roll.
- Shaun, describe your dish please. - Yes, sir.
Tell me what you're doing.
I'm gonna do a new school Vegas surf and turn.
Hard seared filet mignon, lobster,
I'm gonna top it with a nice hard seared piece of foie gras.
And I'm gonna get risky and I'm gonna do
a bone marrow beurre blanc.
You're gonna do a bone marrow beurre blanc?
Beurre blancs, as you know obviously, is usually used
for more fish and lighter proteins.
But I wanna tie in the steak and fish
and I think that the bone marrow will give it a little earthiness.
The gamble of Vegas.
I've been gambling all my life, Chef.
- Where are you from? - I grew up in a small town
in western North Carolina.
And then I packed up and moved to Las Vegas
on a hope and a dream.
Girlfriend?
No, Chef. I am a DJ in Vegas.
( laughing )
Right, 15 minutes gone.
Woo, let's get it, let's get it.
- Gordon: James? - Yes, sir.
What are you going for?
I'm doing a seared rib eye,
a butter poached lobster with grill marks on it,
and I'm gonna do my Cajun shrimp ball my daughter loves.
- Gordon: How old is she? - She's 12.
- Does she ever jump in the truck with you? - All the time.
- My daughter's actually been to 49 of the 50 states. - No.
- Wow. - Wow, that's awesome.
- What's your favorite state? - North Carolina.
That's where your fellow competitor,
Shaun's from, North Carolina.
I'm gonna send him back home there.
( laughs )
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Gordon: Just under 20 minutes to go.
Rocking and rolling, James, rocking and rolling.
I see you over there, I see you, baby, I see you.
Shaun, my big worry about the dish
is the bone marrow beurre blanc.
That's one thing that doesn't go inside a beurre blanc.
- 'Cause it's greasy, it's fatty and... - It's gutsy.
That's like putting a quarter million dollars on black
and it could be red.
But it could be black.
- ( pan sizzles ) - Ooh. You hear that sizzle?
Now James's dish. I mean, there's a lot going on there as well.
Butter poached lobster
and then he's grilling that as well,
so I'd be a bit careful there.
If you butter poach it, it gives it that soft sweetness,
grilling it toughens up a little bit,
starts to curl the lobster.
He should be very careful.
James: Ooh, that smells good.
Beautiful.
Just under four minutes to go.
- James: Woo. - Shaun: Time to go faster.
Has Shaun bitten off too much?
Three and half minutes left to go,
nothing on the plate.
James, calm, collected
and starting to plate.
This gamble may not pay off.
Coming up to three minutes to go.
Come on, Shaun.
Gordon: Let's go guys.
Two surf and turf, one apron up for grabs.
Shaun's gotta go, what is he doing?
Gordon: Shaun, you're gonna have to start plating.
( grunts )
- Go for it, bud. - I'm screwed.
Gordon: Let's go. Finishing touches, James.
Keep it going.
60 seconds to go.
Last minute.
- Whoo! - Edit, Shaun, edit.
If you don't need it all,
it doesn't all need to be on the plate.
You've got to start plating, young man.
30 seconds to go.
- We're gonna judge you, boy, follow the plate. - Oh, my God...
Son of a bitch.
He's falling apart.
Gordon: 60 seconds to go.
Last minute. Let's go guys.
Two surf and turf, one apron up for grabs.
I'm screwed.
Edit, Shaun, edit. If you don't need it all,
it doesn't all need to be on the plate.
You've got to start plating, young man.
30 seconds to go.
Son of a bitch.
- We're gonna judge you, boy, follow the plate. - Oh, my God...
Gordon: 25 seconds to go.
He's falling apart.
20 seconds to go.
I need to see steak on there,
I need the lobster on there.
15 seconds to go.
Crunch time, baby, crunch time.
There's no way I'm finishing.
Gordon: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two, one.
- And stop, hands in the air. - Boom!
- Shaun: Woo! - Oh, my God.
- Great job, man. - Good job, brother.
Gentlemen, very carefully,
bring your dishes down to the plinth, thank you.
- Shaun: After you, kind sir. - Thank you, brother.
Uh, they smell incredible.
Beautiful.
Right. Good.
Describe the dish, please, Shaun.
Shaun: So what I have is a seared filet mignon,
butter and herb poached lobster tail,
bone marrow beurre blanc and a hard seared foie gras.
It's Vegas, baby.
Gordon: You've got that part, right. Um, glamorous, exuberant.
Um, great sear on the filet.
What will we get in here? Where are we going?
Medium rare, sir.
- That is cooked to perfection. - Thank you, Chef.
Why foie gras?
I wanted to add some fattiness to it,
since I went with the filet mignon.
I wanted to give you a little bit of silkiness.
You've nailed the lobster, and you've nailed the filet mignon.
- ( sighs ) - But you've got a little bit too much going on,
- Okay, okay. - 'cause it's too rich.
So you need to pull back a little bit.
Thank you, Chef.
Foie's nice, I actually quite prefer the foie on there.
- Thank you. - I get the richness,
I get the luxurious nature of it.
I think the beurre blanc in general
- is just a little lost. - Too much? Okay.
I was expecting to get something
a little bit more meaty to coat it.
But I think you did a really good job.
Thank you.
James,
describe the dish, please.
Um, what I have here is a seared rib eye,
with my Cajun shrimp balls, butter poached lobster,
with a toasted pine nut, apple, arugula salad.
What was the spice that you started seasoning with?
- Because it smelled delicious. - Oh, Creole seasoning.
I did like a Cajun style surf and turf
- for you guys today. - Right.
- And the rib eye? - I did a Cajun rub on that as well.
And then I actually made a butter parsley sauce
that I let it marinate in before I actually seared it.
Here's the thing,
I mean it's not as attractive as Shaun's,
- but the flavor is extraordinary. - Yes, sir.
Gordon: Lobster's beautifully poached, steak's perfect.
- Prawn balls, delicious. - Thank you, Chef.
And the seasoning, got that combination right, pretty good job.
- Thank you, Chef. - Gordon: Thank you.
- All right, James. - Yes, Chef.
Now what's going on with the arugula salad over here?
I just did toasted pine nuts, green apple, and fresh lemon over the top.
Thought I'd throw a little finesse on it.
The surf and the turf, you nailed.
Thank you.
But I think more than anything,
the arugula salad and the yogurt and dill sauce
just doesn't have a place on the dish.
Most definitely, Chef. Okay, okay.
I think the editing process
is a point to work on for sure.
Most def.
It's a tough one. Very tough.
Both of you give us a minute, please.
- Gordon: Um... - Oh, man...
Who's got the potential, I mean they both got incredible--
They both do, that's the problem.
- Hey. Whatever happens, bro, good luck. - Thank you.
- With James, look what he's done. - Yeah.
He's showing restraint. If you can deliver
that amount of flavor and that amount of goodness,
and there's hardly any meat on that plate.
Christina: Shaun nailed the temps.
I think he needs to pull it back a little bit.
- Bone marrow beurre blanc. - Stop.
He's a home cook, you have to trust me on this one.
We're looking for potential.
So guys, as you can tell,
it was a little bit of a split decision.
We both believe in both of you.
But there's only one apron.
Oh ( bleep ).
The home cook that takes this apron,
and a place in MasterChef
is...
Congratulations...
( crowd murmuring )
( crowd cheering )
( screaming )
Oh, my God!
Woo!
Yeah!
( cheering )
I am disappointed that I didn't get the apron,
but you know, Shaun represented Las Vegas like myself
so I'm gonna be cheering him on at home.
Go Vegas.
Let me look! Let me look! Oh, my God!
Shaun: Having this MasterChef apron means the world to me, man.
I can't imagine how my dad would feel right now.
It's a-- I wish he was here.
But I know he's... he's doing cartwheels.
Whoo...
( crowd cheering )
Announcer: Next week on MasterChef.
No.
Announcer: The kitchen is graced by a culinary legend.
Cassie: Wolfgang Puck?
MasterChef is stepping up their game this year.
Announcer: But it's an epic Gordon Ramsay dish...
Gordon: Everybody got it?
Why's he so quiet?
Announcer: ...that takes center stage.
Stop the clock.
For one of you, this is your last ten minutes.
Sync & corrections: Ajvngou www.addic7ed.com