- Announcer: Last time... - Bibimbap. Whoo!
Announcer: ...an exotic pressure test...
Make sure, it tooks amazing.
Announcer: ...brought out the best in Shaun.
That makes me so happy.
Announcer: But for Diamond...
- Wow. - Announcer: The results were hard to stomach.
Diamond, it looks like puke.
Announcer: Ending her MasterChef journey.
Gordon: Sorry to say goodbye to Diamond.
( applause )
Announcer: Tonight, on a two-hour MasterChef...
All: Whoa...
That is a chef's dream.
Announcer: A high-end mystery box...
takes the competition to a whole new level.
This is MasterChef cooking at its absolute best.
Announcer: And then...
- Salmon. - All right!
Announcer: For the top nine it's sink or swim.
There's no ocean in Kentucky.
Announcer: And only the sharpest home cooks will survive.
It's definitely one of the worst.
You're a talented cook, but it's dreadful.
This is the top nine. There's nowhere else to hide.
I'm proud of how far I've come,
but I've yet to show the judges what I can do,
and my confidence is wavering.
Come on in and get to your stations.
I've really gotta step it up
and create something amazing
just to show myself that I still belong here
and I have what it takes.
Welcome back to MasterChef kitchen.
( cheers, applause )
You're all experiencing an incredible opportunity
throughout this competition
to learn from not only Christina and I,
but some of the best chefs in the world today.
And now we have another phenomenal chef
and guest judge to introduce.
Who is it?
Christina: Joining us in the MasterChef kitchen
is the owner of a highly respected culinary empire.
Having won accolades in some of the biggest
and best known cooking competitions in the world.
Please welcome...
Gordon: Chef Kevin Sbraga.
- How are you? - Good. Good to see you.
Welcome to MasterChef kitchen.
Katie: I'm ecstatic. I've been a fan of Chef Kevin forever.
He's a high-end chef.
One of the best in the country.
Welcome to MasterChef kitchen.
Thank you, I'm excited to be here. I appreciate it.
Wow.
Katie: This little Mississippi girl doesn't know a lot
about super high-end foods, but I'm like a sponge.
I'm gonna absorb everything from Chef Kevin.
Christina: For those that haven't been to your restaurants,
give me a little insight. What are they like?
My food is a refined American food.
It's all about the ingredients for me.
And I can't wait to see what all of you
home cooks can do.
Hell, yeah.
Now it's time for your next big
Mystery Box Challenge.
Christina: Kevin, would you like to do the honor?
On the count of three.
One, two, three...
lift.
Whoa.
Fine dining ingredients.
Mm...!
Nice.
Terry: When I lift the mystery box, I see a mystery.
There are a lot of items here
that unfortunately I have never really dealt with before.
Okay.
Christina and I personally selected
all of the ingredients in your mystery box tonight.
You have baby octopus, black cod, lamb belly,
squash blossoms, early tomatoes,
garlic buds, vintage red wine.
That there is a chef's dream.
Shaun: Finally a high-end box.
I mean, this box is my dream box.
I am excited like a kid in a candy store right now.
The person with the best dish in this mystery box challenge
will win a huge advantage.
Gordon: Kevin, since this is your first night
inside MasterChef kitchen, may I invite you
to participate in your first mystery box?
With those ingredients? Absolutely. I'd love to.
This is a big one.
Kevin Sbraga will be cooking live
in front of you guys.
Christina: You're gonna have 60 minutes
to make us one spectacular dish.
Your 60 minutes starts... now.
Gordon: Wow, what a mystery box.
Have we gone too far too soon with the top nine?
Christina: We're trying to push them more
into that fine dining space
and out of the ingredient comfort zone
that some of them are living in.
Where am I gonna put this sucker?
What I want to see is them being a little bit more daredevil.
Gordon: They're using ingredients they've never used before.
That was really our motivation
for bringing Chef Kevin in at this point.
Gordon: What a huge inspiration
for him to be cooking in front of the top nine.
Whoo! It's hot in here.
- Gordon: Kevin, all good? - Kevin: All good, Chef.
- What's the dish, please? - An octopus salad,
lamb belly,
- and then tandoori cod. - Gordon: Nice.
- I'm actually doing three dishes. - Three.
I've gotta show them what I can do.
These are definitely not ingredients
that you're used to seeing in a firehouse kitchen,
that's for damn sure.
I wanna make pan-seared and baked cod
with a parsley cream sauce,
and a watermelon radish salad.
I'm definitely gonna keep my eye
on Chef Kevin up there.
I wanna see what techniques he's using.
You know, take a little something from him.
My husband and I love having a date night
and going out to eat.
So I've definitely been around high-end food a lot.
So I'm gonna do lamb belly
with some vadouvan spice and I'm gonna use the eggplant.
I'm gonna make a chickpea puree.
I wanna bring a fine dining experience
to the three judges today.
Gordon: 20 minutes gone, guys. 40 minutes remaining.
This smells good. Tell me about the dish. What you did.
I'm just gonna make a tandoori-spiced black cod
over a tomato and squash blossom salad.
You look down. What's the matter with you?
I had a rough last time in the kitchen.
Do you have any idea how many rough nights
I've had in the kitchen?
I'm not feeling good enough, to be honest.
Oh, come on.
So your head's gotta get in that game,
and if we didn't see that potential in you,
you'd have gone weeks ago.
And that's not the case.
Yeah?
Get that head up. Come back strong.
Okay? Come on.
All right, Shaun. What direction
do you think you're gonna go tonight?
What do we got working here?
I'm about to cook off this cod a little bit to see how it looks
with a red wine braised lamb belly
with a puree of four different greens.
This is stuff I do all the time, high-end fine dining.
In my opinion, this is your challenge to win.
But there's talent in here.
Just 'cause I'm the high-end guy,
these guys can pull off some amazing dishes.
- Good luck. - Thank you, Chef.
Let's put those in there and see what happens.
Right. Brandi, how are you doing?
I'm doin' pretty good, actually.
What's the dish? What are you doing?
I actually made a cod with a little bit of tandoori spices
braised octopus,
and a play on a hummus with the fresh chickpeas,
and I stuffed the squash blossoms with it.
This mystery box has nothing to do with me
because I don't have these ingredients in Kentucky.
What's the fanciest restaurant in your hometown?
We only have one restaurant in--
There's only one restaurant in the whole town?
I don't have a stop light in my town.
We only have two in the whole county.
What about electricity?
- I do have electricity, thank you very much. - Just asking.
Electricity, plumbing, heat.
( laughs )
- You asked. - Good luck.
Thank you, Chef.
Too much oil.
- All right, Terry. - Yes, hi, Chef.
What are you cooking tonight?
Tonight I'm going to cook a grilled cod
with a grilled octopus on a bed of quinoa.
How much exposure have you had to fine dining restaurants?
I have had some exposure, but not too much.
How are you imagining the dish
- that you're cooking tonight? - Pictures.
Things that I've read, places that I've gone virtually in.
Imagine that dish.
Fine dining is all about, like, taking a snapshot
- 'cause it's just so beautiful. - Beautiful, yes, Chef.
Git it!
Gordon: Guys, 50 minutes gone.
10 minutes away from a game-changing advantage.
Christina: All right, I am loving this challenge.
The big shock for me tonight is Brandi.
She's making fresh hummus with chickpeas.
These are good.
She's cooking on pure instincts.
David, now he's going down the cod route.
What I'm hoping, having spent the last 60 minutes
opposite Kevin, it can lift him.
Kevin: David, You all right over there?
Not really, but I'm tryin'.
Come on, dude, just go with it. Don't overthink it.
Gordon: 60 seconds to go, guys.
And for one of you, one minute away
from receiving a game-changing advantage.
- 30 seconds remaining. - This is so hard.
Gordon: A picture on a plate. Let's go! 10...
Gordon, Christina: Nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- Gordon: Stop. Hands in the air. - Whoo!
High-end fine dining restaurant quality dish
is what we're looking for in this.
Gordon, Christina: Five, four, three,
two, one.
Gordon: Everyone stop. Hands in the air.
Whoo!
- Well done. - Whoo!
- Kevin, you good? - I'm good. I'm doing great.
Kevin, please, bring your dishes up.
Wow!
So describe those dishes.
Kevin: So my first dish is a red wine braised octopus,
piri piri sauce, tomatoes and garbanzo beans.
The middle dish, braised lamb belly.
Underneath there's a charred eggplant.
On top, roasted mushrooms.
And then the last dish is a tandoori cod.
Underneath, tomato marmalade and shaved radish.
Katie: Chef Kevin, really? I'm looking at your
three beautiful dishes tonight.
You can just see the flavor
bursting out of each dish.
Gordon: Beautiful.
Katie: I'm so inspired by everything he does.
It's just ignited this passion in me.
Gordon: The fascinating thing for me, Kevin,
is the harmony.
Balance of textures. Great job.
Christina: I tell you what, guys,
I'm not sure I'd wanna follow
Chef Kevin's three dishes.
Gordon: Time to take a much closer look
at those finished plates.
Christina: Whoo! Lookin' good.
Announcer: Throughout the Mystery Box Challenge,
the judges taste elements of all the home cooks' dishes
as they come together.
- David, that's beautiful. - Thank you, Chef.
Announcer: They now take one final look
to choose the top three standouts,
and the winner of this challenge
will receive a major advantage in the next round.
The first dish we'd like to take
a much closer look at--
this individual created a plate
that is both beautiful and colorful.
It's time to see if this home cook
can get their head in the game.
David.
Shaun: David's dish looks beautiful,
so I'm gonna go ahead and give him credit for that,
but, you know what, I am the top dog from Vegas.
David's finally starting to step up his game,
but he has a long way to go to catch up with me.
What is it?
Tandoori-spiced black cod on some red quinoa
in a chickpea puree.
Gordon: It looks beautiful.
The contrasting of the colors are amazing.
Black cod, very difficult to cook.
You seasoned it with what?
Salt, pepper, and tandoori spice.
Then I cooked it in a red wine reduction
with a little shallots, and then braised it
with some butter and rosemary.
The cod's moist and it's glistening
and it's packed with flavor.
Love that little spice-- that kick, fresh chickpea.
A tad overcooked,
but it's not easy to get right.
I mean, there's a weird dichotomy going on with you,
because the moodier you are, the better you cook.
I think it's one of the best dishes
you've cooked in this competition.
Thank you, Chef.
Wow, that's delicious.
I mean, look how juicy it is.
I mean, that's cooked perfectly.
And that's what we're looking for in fish.
As long as I'm here, this is the expectation.
You've gotta hit that every single time.
Yes, Chef.
- Congratulations. - Thank you, Chef.
All right, David.
It didn't seem like you were feeling
this challenge at all. What happened?
I just felt previous challenges I really gave it my all
and did not get any recognition.
If I gave my all and it wasn't worthy of top three,
why am I here?
I love the acidity from those beautiful pink radish.
They're delicious in flavor.
The plate is so delicate, it's so fine dining.
To be a great chef you have to be really great at failure.
Because we're gonna keep pushing you.
We're probably gonna make you miserable.
Until we get something like this out of you.
And look at what you got.
Dude...
you gotta be proud of this dish.
This is who you are, and that's why
- you're standing up here. - Thank you.
- ( cooks applauding ) - Kevin: Good job, David.
The second dish that we want to examine further,
this home cook used two tricky proteins
beautifully on the dish, and it's definitely
a restaurant-worthy plate.
I can see you smilin' all the way back there. Shaun!
Shaun: I rocked this dish.
I've completely brought Vegas
to the MasterChef kitchen.
And now I got confirmation from the judges.
You can't beat that. It's the best feeling ever.
Wow. Awesome. Describe it for me.
Shaun: What we have is a red wine-braised lamb
vadouvan-seasoned black cod,
and then I did a balsamic reduction
in those beautiful little baby tomatoes.
What did you braise the lamb belly with?
First, I seared off some shallots and some garlic.
I seasoned it with some vadouvan,
and then I seared it real quick just to get
a nice crisp exterior on the outside.
Oh, when it hits your mouth it just melts away,
and that's what a really nice
braised lamb belly should do.
Now, how did you cook this cod?
I just seasoned it with vadouvan, salt and pepper
and seared it on one side and 30 seconds on the other.
Oh, it's really good.
It's cooked beautifully.
Tasting this dish shows that you're front runner
for a reason. Very nice job.
- I'm here to compete, Chef. - All right.
This looks beautiful.
Why the cod and the lamb?
I wanted to get a play on luscious lamb
and beautiful cod.
You know, music and DJing you're mixing,
you're blending. Every night is different, right?
With food, you're mixing, you're blending as well.
Here's the thing-- I mean,
it shouldn't work together...
but it does.
It's almost like the perfect lamb.
The fish is still glistening,
and that, for me, shows the flair to cook beautifully.
- Maybe a touch of heat in that puree. - Okay.
But this is MasterChef cooking
- at its absolute best. - Thank you, Chef.
- ( applause ) - Ooh, Vegas, baby.
- You did a good job. Good job, man. - You too, brother.
The third dish we'd like to take a closer look at,
this home cook has really stepped up
out of her comfort zone.
The plate looks beautiful.
I'd proudly serve it in any one of my restaurants.
Please step forward... Brandi.
Get 'em, Brandi.
Brandi: I'm right up here with the Vegas boys.
Of course they're gonna be called up here.
But me, a fifth-grade elementary teacher
from Irvington, Kentucky? Who would have figured?
So Brandi, walk me through all the components to your dish.
Brandi: I cooked a seared tandoori black cod
over sautéed mustard greens.
Sautéed my octopus in my pressure cooker.
And the squash blossoms I stuffed with fresh hummus.
The only ingredient under there
that I've actually used before is tomatoes.
- Kevin: Wow. So everything here is new to you. - Mm-hmm.
Wow. Look at that. It's absolutely juicy.
- How's it taste? - It tastes fantastic.
The fish is beautiful.
The squash blossoms are probably my favorite.
But the octopus, I wish it was a little bit softer in the texture.
Otherwise, it's a fantastic dish.
- Thank you. - Brandi: Thank you.
It's bloody good.
I mean, you've got everything there.
All the elements to compose a beautiful dish.
Octopus is near perfect.
The squash blossom, you nailed it.
And how fascinating is this that two of the guys
standing behind you are from Vegas
and your plating is on par with their dishes?
- Great job. I congratulate you. - Thank you.
- ( applause ) - Shaun: Whoo!
Three amazing dishes. Way to go.
I mean, all three are best.
The winner of this very unique
Mystery Box Challenge,
the person who will receive a game-changing advantage...
Congratulations...
The winner of this high-end Mystery Box Challenge,
the person who will receive a game-changing advantage,
congratulations...
Shaun.
We're going to the pantry to find out your advantage.
I knocked that one out of the park today.
- Gordon: Great job on those. - Shaun: Thank you very much.
- Christina: Dude, you did a great job. - Thank you.
Shaun: It's a great feeling to win the mystery box
you're supposed to win.
This means I'm the front runner.
I'm the one that everybody's gunning after
and everybody has to catch up to.
And now I get my advantage.
Congratulations on that amazing winning dish.
Top eight, Shaun.
Yes. Thank you very much.
- How does that feel? - I've got goosebumps.
All right, Shaun, down to business.
You have the opportunity to select what everyone else
- is going to have to cook tonight. - Nice.
Now it's time to see what the home cooks can do
with a particular ingredient.
But two sides of the spectrum,
from high-end to low-end,
it's the number-one most consumed fish in America.
All right.
Whew. Wow.
Salmon.
That's beautiful.
Now this extraordinary fish is a chef's dream,
but it takes real skill and patience
and stellar technique to get it just right.
I grew up eating a slightly less
exciting form of salmon.
( Shaun laughing )
Oh, man.
Gordon: Canned salmon. Mmm... delicious.
Watch and learn.
This is something I mastered in Paris, Shaun.
It is all in the wrist.
- (sputters) - Oh-hh!
The challenge with a canned salmon like this
is how in the hell you elevate it.
Yeah.
( bleep ) me, it stinks.
But here's where it gets interesting.
All the home cooks need to give us
a restaurant-quality dish to stay in the competition,
but only four home cooks will be working
with this beautiful expensive salmon.
On the other side, four home cooks tonight
have to crack open a can of salmon.
Shaun, it's up to you to decide who does what.
- Do you have a strategy? - I do, Chef.
Last time I wanted to cut the fat.
I wanted to get rid of the weaker people.
My game plan this time is to go after
the heavy hitters.
So the people who have worked with finer ingredients,
are getting that can.
Let's go for Nathan.
He's not gonna be able to handle that whole salmon,
and I think he's gonna butcher the crap out of it.
So, Nathan, whole salmon.
- Gordon: Dan. - I'm gonna put Dan with the can.
- Kevin: Excellent. - Gordon: Eric.
I'm gonna give Eric the better ingredient
'cause I don't fear him.
Eric's got the salmon. Tanorria.
So I'm gonna put Tanorria with the can.
- Gordon: Terry. - Terry's goin' to the can.
- Kevin: Wow. - Gordon: Katie.
- The whole salmon. - Left we've got Brandi and David,
two feisty competitors.
Okay, one of them is gonna have a major hard time
breaking down that fish.
I'ma piss 'em off.
I like this one.
- ( chuckles ) - Welcome back.
- Oh, nope. - ( cooks laughing )
Whoo. I like the view, Chef.
As you can see, Shaun does not have to cook
in tonight's elimination challenge.
For Shaun's second advantage,
he got to choose what everyone else has to cook with tonight.
Two versions of a single very popular protein,
but in two very different forms.
Now, it's time to find out
which version of this particular protein
Shaun's chosen for each of you.
And the answer, guys, is back there in the pantry.
- ( chuckles ) - He's smiling way too much.
All right, everyone's gonna have one hour
to make us a restaurant quality dish.
Your 60 minutes
starts...
now.
Have fun.
Please don't run me over.
Go, go, go, go!
Oh, I got a can.
Canned salmon. All right!
- Nice big salmon here. - Terry: I got canned.
Hey, mister.
I have never cut up a fish this big before.
Seeing how there's no ocean in Kentucky,
the only fresh salmon that I've worked with
are filets that have already been cut up
and are ready to go into the skillet.
Ugh.
- Canned salmon? - Whoo! Let's go.
The fact that Shaun gave me the canned salmon
shows that Shaun thinks I'm a threat.
After seeing the dish I produced in Mystery Box,
he's worried.
Huh!
I'm gonna do a Asian-inspired salmon
over a celery and bok choy puree.
It's gonna be beautiful colors. Lots of flavors.
This isn't something we exactly do at the firehouse.
Most of the fish that we get is prepared,
so this is definitely a new thing for me.
I got the canned salmon and I'm a little disappointed.
I grew up in North Carolina, so I'm making my take
on a classic Southern dish--
salmon croquettes.
I'm making my own tartar sauce right now.
I'm also going to make salmon hushpuppies.
- Mmm! That's really good. - ( whirring )
Today I'm making the pan-seared salmon
with grilled asparagus and a garlic dill sauce
that goes over it.
In Zambia we have a big fish like this
called the "yalelo,"
but I've never done this before
and I feel extremely nervous.
Dear God, please help me with this salmon.
Fresh salmon, come on. We know how exciting they look
when you see them enter onto that marble
in that kitchen first thing in the morning.
To do it perfectly, is really something
that you gotta perfect over time.
It doesn't happen overnight.
So it's going to be exciting to see
that, one, everyone scales it,
two, fillets up nice and clean and doesn't hack it up.
Three, remembers to pin bone it all,
and four, portion it properly.
But I gotta say, guys, I know everyone's looking
at the canned salmon as though they're at a disadvantage,
but timing-wise, three twists of the wrist
and you've got that salmon at your fingertips.
The one thing to keep in mind tonight, though
is we're looking for something high end.
Salmon, salmon, salmon. Everybody loves salmon.
Gordon: Now Eric, it looks like that salmon's
just been pulled from a bear's mouth.
Turn this bad boy over.
Kevin: That does not look good.
- Terry, how are we doing? - Good, Chef.
Canned salmon. What are you doing?
Today I'm gonna make a salmon au gratin.
Bread crisp with some nice julienne vegetables to dip it in.
And then I'm gonna put a side of fishcakes.
- Dry thyme in there? - Yeah, little bit of thyme in there.
How do you get this into something MasterChef worthy?
It's gonna have to just be
the colors and the way that I put it on the plate.
He wants you out. He wants you gone.
Keep yourself in the competition.
- Come on, you can do this. - Thank you, Chef.
Helps if I plug that in here.
- All right, Brandi. - Hello.
Why do you think Shaun gave you this fish?
He probably figured I'd be more comfortable
with the canned salmon 'cause that's something
you can get at a grocery store in Kentucky
and a fresh salmon is not.
What's the dish?
I am making a cast iron salmon, a spinach puree.
At the bottom I've got some roasted
little cherry heirloom tomatoes and a peach slaw on top.
Okay. Awesome, Brandi. Keep going. Good luck.
Thank you.
- All right, David. - Yes, Chef.
Gordon: Tell me about the dish.
I'm making pressure cooker risotto, with Arborio rice.
A little canned salmon, peas, and asparagus.
Kevin: I understand you play poker.
There's a gamble cooking risotto in a pressure cooker.
- Why do that now? - I'm definitely taking a big risk,
- but that's why I'm here. - Gordon: Right.
- Good luck. - Thank you, Chefs.
Let's go, guys.
Gordon: Ten minutes to go.
Stop the clock.
All of you, look at me now.
I've got some very important news.
Shaun has another big advantage right now.
You have the power to bring somebody
up to the balcony and put them in the top eight.
Uh...
Gordon: Ten minutes to go.
Stop the clock.
All of you, look at me now.
I've got some very important news.
Shaun has another big advantage right now.
You have the power to bring somebody
up to the balcony and put them in the top eight.
Uh...
uh, I'm gonna save Eric.
You wanna take the pass or not?
- I'll take it. - Christina: Get on up there.
Shaun: I'm saving Eric because I don't find Eric
to be a major threat to me at this point.
- Thank you, brother. - Good job.
Clock starts again, guys.
Less than 10 minutes to go.
Tonight's definitely the night to go after the big dog.
I'm going after Terry, I'm going after David,
I'm going after Brandi, I'm going after Tanorria.
- How you feelin', Terry? - Feelin' good, Shaun.
( sizzling )
So Tanorria, what do you have here?
Yeah, this is going to be salmon two ways.
I'm going to have the fried salmon patty.
I'm going to have the poached salmon pâte à choux
with some crispy potatoes to give that texture.
When was the last time you saw a poached pÃ¢te Ã choux?
Uh, I've never seen it.
There's a reason why you've never seen it,
'cause there's no such thing.
- Have you got time to... - I sure hope so.
- Good luck, Tanorria. - Thank you, Chef.
"Poached salmon pâte à choux"?
Let's go, guys. Last two minutes.
I think it's gonna be interesting to see what Terry does.
You know, to see him elevate that and do something refined.
But I don't want it to look like a clunky appetizer.
That's my only thing.
Now, David-- I've never seen a risotto cooked
in a pressure cooker. The sauce needs to be stirred.
Gordon: Last minute. Come on!
Make those dishes shine.
Ten...
Judges: Nine, eight, seven...
- Let's go, guys, finish strong. - Judges: ...six, five,
four, three, two, one.
Gordon: Stop, hands in the air.
( cheering )
First up, Brandi.
Go, Brandi!
I've never filleted a whole salmon before.
I've never seen a whole salmon before.
- Come on, Brandi! - But I've made a beautiful dish
and I think the judges are gonna be super impressed.
Describe the dish, please.
Brandi: I have a seared salmon with apricot balsamic glaze,
salmon stock spinach puree, and a peach slaw.
I think Shaun thought I might have had a little bit of trouble
butchering the fish
because you can't get fresh salmon where I live.
There's no ocean in Kentucky, so--
Gordon: Why the slaw?
I wanted a crispiness to the dish.
I like a lot of different textures and flavors.
Beautifully cooked.
Pink in the middle, skin crispy...
slaw, delicious.
Lovely gastrique.
You know, we may poke fun at the accent
and you've got no electricity
and you pee out in the garden.
You don't have a bathroom, but--
I have three bathrooms, Chef.
- Outside? - No, in the house.
- Oh, inside. - With plumbing.
But for me, you're a dark horse
that's running very fast.
I just wish everybody behind you could taste this.
Because if they could, they'd start sharpening their knives.
- Great job. - Thank you, Chef.
The flavor's fantastic.
The fish is cooked nicely.
The pink salmon, the stone fruit and the cabbage,
there's not just layered flavor,
but a dimension of flavor.
Would your fifth graders be proud of this?
They would be amazed at this.
Kevin: The acidity in there, the sweetness in there,
that thought process is not fifth grader,
- that's MasterChef. - Thanks, Chef.
Brandi: Shaun definitely thought I was not
gonna be able to handle this fish.
He wants to get the good competition out of here,
but he failed to do that tonight.
Terry, please, let's go.
Back home in Long Island, I'm very used to cod,
I'm used to halibut.
I've never really worked with canned salmon before,
so it's really steppin' out of my comfort zone,
but I have to tell ya, I'm still very happy
with the result.
Terry, describe your dish, please.
Terry: Well, I made salmon and roasted red pepper cakes
on a bed of dill aioli.
I also have a baked salmon and dill crostini.
- You baked it? - Yes, Chef.
I just put some heat into it to meld all the flavors.
Uh, Terry, you're a talented cook,
but...
um...
- You baked it? - Yes, Chef.
I just put some heat into it to meld all the flavors.
Terry, you're a talented cook,
but...
um...
it's dreadful.
Gordon: I want you to taste it.
What's the first thing that comes to mind?
Straight on the end of the tongue.
Put that-- I don't-- the thyme, I mean, I--
You don't put thyme with salmon.
And why would you bake canned salmon?
You don't bake that. It's already cooked.
You're just drying it out. They're like hockey pucks.
My palate's on fire, I've got thyme
running all over the place.
This has been your worst performance
of this competition.
It's almost like you've gone backwards with this dish.
Christina: The flavor of both are fine.
That dill sauce underneath the cakes is nice.
The salmon cakes themselves are a little dry
and when using something canned, everything else
should be fresh to help lighten it and brighten it.
And I think that dill sauce at the bottom
actually does help.
But it feels like you took a can of salmon
out in your home kitchen and you were
just making something for an afternoon snack.
You didn't give us what we were asking for.
( whispers )
Next up, the one that we've all been dying to taste.
Can't quite believe
he cooked a risotto in a pressure cooker.
David.
David: Cooking risotto in a pressure cooker is risky,
but being a poker player, I know sometimes
you gotta take big risks for big rewards,
and I'm very confident this risotto is great.
Describe the dish, David.
David: For you today, I have a salmon risotto,
garnished with some asparagus, peas, fresh tarragon
and a dollop of crÃ¨me fraÃ®che.
You know, risottos need to be nursed and attended to
and it's a ladle of stock every time
so the rice doesn't lose its texture and explode
and it's zero to 22-23 minutes nonstop stirring.
You can't fast-track it, so why pressure cooker?
David: I found that I was able to achieve risotto
that was the same quality of the risotto I made
without a pressure cooker,
and actually, it gave me a little more time
to do other things at the same time also.
I mean, I-- I'm pretty much lost for words.
- This tastes good. - Whew.
It shouldn't work, but it does.
Love what you've done with the salmon flake in there.
I can taste the oil.
So it feels like it's not from a can.
The can was to get one foot out the door.
You've got both feet firmly in this competition.
- Great job. - Thank you, Chef.
So my biggest concern was it wasn't a salmon dish,
that is was a rice dish,
but you overcome that.
It tastes like salmon and you nailed it.
- Nice job. - Thank you, Chef.
- ( applause ) - Shaun gave me canned salmon
'cause he wants to send me back to Vegas.
All he did was allow me to impress the judges once again.
Whoo!
I took a risk tonight and it paid off in spades.
Right, next up, Katie. Let's go.
- ( applause ) - Go, Katie.
Katie: I have a seared salmon over a bed of lentils,
a celery root puree and also a carrot puree.
- The salmon's delicious. - Thank you, Chef.
Salmon cooked beautifully and the purees are delicious.
The block of lentils underneath, terrible.
It's like mush. But you did the best bit
and the hardest bit beautifully.
Good job.
- Thank you, Chef. - Well done.
- Kevin: Dan. - Go, Dan!
Dan: I got canned salmon.
So I did bacon, jalapeño and salmon croquettes
with a made-from-scratch tartar sauce
along with parsley and three herb-encrusted salmon hushpuppies.
All in all, it tastes great.
The sauce is fantastic.
- I love the croquette. I love the heat. - Thank you.
The one thing that needs to go is this.
Sorry about that, Chef.
Christina: Next up, Nathan.
Let's go, Nathan. Whoo!
Nathan: I have a pan-seared lemon dill salmon,
a purple cauliflower couscous sautéed with asparagus
and summer squash topped with green peas.
All right, now, the salmon,
I'd say it's a little overcooked.
You can see how it's starting to flake there a little.
But it's very well seasoned.
I think you got a lot of texture on the plate which is great.
You probably have two or three good ideas on the dish
where we only needed one good idea.
Yes, Chef.
Overall, nice job.
Good job, Nathan.
Gordon: Last up, Tanorria.
I've been doing a lot of Southern comfort food
in this competition and I'm really hoping
the judges notice that I'm trying something outside my box,
and that they appreciate that today.
Right. Describe the dish, please.
Tanorria: I have for you a crispy salmon croquette
as well as a salmon quenelle with a crispy potato
all on top of a lemon Dijon sauce.
Tanorria, I really like you
because of what you stand for
and what you bring to this competition.
That...
is one of the worst platings I've ever seen.
It looks terrible.
Hmm.
Tanorria, that...
is one of the worst platings I've ever seen.
It looks terrible.
What's the seasoning in here?
Inside of the canned salmon croquette
there is some sautéed shallots and garlic,
Old Bay and chives.
A little taste.
I need some more salt and lemon.
I wish that was the only thing it needed was salt.
It's not cooked.
It's gooey.
It's almost like a sort of unwanted fish cake.
That does not feel or look anything like you've ever cooked.
Shaun put a big target on your back
and it's a direct hit.
It would be sad to see you go.
Agreed. I didn't come here to go home at number nine.
I like that they have different textures.
I like that you made the choux pastry
for the salmon quenelle.
There are some big downs flavorwise,
'cause I know you know how to make food that tastes better,
but overall, I just wish I saw more from you tonight.
It's definitely one of the worst.
Thank you.
I definitely think that I had an impact on this competition.
( speaking softly ) So guys, it's a tough one.
Shaun: I may have taken out not one,
but two of our heavy hitters.
Christina: As you guys know, this is an elimination challenge.
At least one of you will be going home tonight.
But first, the good news.
The two standout dishes of the night,
congratulations...
David and Brandi.
- Nice job. - Thank you, Chef.
Kevin: Now, unfortunately
I have to deliver the bad news.
If I say your name,
please come down to the front.
Tanorria...
and Terry.
Tanorria, you know you've come into this competition,
and delivered flavors that we haven't seen before.
But what you did tonight was badly executed.
Terry, you've never been in the bottom.
You cook brilliantly,
however, tonight
you completely misinterpreted the challenge.
Both of you were given canned salmon tonight.
Shaun put a big target on your back.
One of you two
is leaving the MasterChef kitchen.
This is tough.
- Tanorria... - Yes, Chef.
head back to your station.
Thank you, Chef.
Terry, one of the most lovable,
fun, passionate contestants
we've ever had in this competition.
I look at you and I don't see a handyman,
- I see a chef. - Terry: Without a doubt.
To be a part of all this is just something
that is just priceless,
and I just thank you guys for everything.
Terry, you're gonna be missed.
Terry: Thank you, Chef.
Please, come up here and say goodbye.
Oh, man.
Safe trip home. We'll see you.
( applause )
This has been an absolutely amazing journey.
- Terry. - Oh, thank God. Thank you so much.
- MasterChef! - ( cheering )
Terry: I'm a handyman from New York,
and I got to cook for some of the most
amazing chefs in the world.
It is a piece of art.
It's one of the best pies we've ever seen
in this competition ever.
The opportunity that MasterChef has given me...
I need 27 scallops, guys.
...has just changed the way that I look at food
and cooking in general.
( cheering )
Terry: It's broadened my eyes to the fact
that my cooking is something that can be enjoyed by the masses.
Christina: It shows everything we were looking for.
Technique, flavor, potential.
And now I'm ready to show the world what Terry's got.
Thanks, Terry.
Announcer: Coming up...
Be afraid, be very afraid.
Slightly scared.
Announcer: It's a triple-threat challenge.
- ( cover rings ) - ( gasps )
Three pressure tests? Are you kidding me?
Come on, oil.
Announcer: With three times the tension...
- Christina: Eric's falling apart. - Kevin: That's not good.
Oh, man.
- Announcer: ...three times the drama... - I don't like ( bleep ).
- ( snaps ) - Ugh, that's a raw potato.
Announcer: ...and three times the pressure.
- It's one strike. - Has Katie cooked it enough?
- Katie: ...two strikes... - What's she doing?
- three strikes, you're out. - Oh, my God.
( ticks )
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