( Music playing )
Narrator: The next three home cooks hail from Houston, Texas.
H-Town holding it down, baby!
But none are more determined to receive a white apron
than 30-year-old Taylor.
I can't believe that I'm here for the third time!
I'm back!
You might remember me from last season.
You made a couple mistakes. So, I'm sorry, it's a no.
And the season before that.
Taylor, you were that close.
Do not give up.
Being defeated twice hurt,
but it lit a fire in me.
I've perfected my Columbian dishes,
and become more knowledgeable with different kinds of cuisines
and cooking techniques.
I always strive to be the best.
So, I have to try again.
You ready?
I'm ready, baby! I was born ready!
My name is Ralph, and I'm an accountant,
but food and cooking
is where the passion is at.
Oh, my God.
Growing up, my parents always worked long hours as nurses.
So, my dad handed me the torch
at a very young age
and taught me how to cook.
That was way better
than I thought it was gonna turn out.
High fives around, baby!
You got this!
At the end of the day I cook
'cause I just wanna make people happy.
And I'm gonna make these judges happy.
( Music playing )
H-Town is in the building!
- Welcome! - You guys ready?
- Yes! - Ready.
Chelsea: I'm Chelsea. I'm 28. I'm a huge hippie.
I go to a ton of music festivals.
So I'm trying to resemble like a chicken shawarma,
that you would get in the Middle East.
Because of my father's career as an oil engineer,
I got to live in India, Thailand, Sri Lanka.
I'm bringing all the amazing things I've learned from my travels
into this dish tonight.
- Um, Taylor. - Yes, Chef.
You look familiar. You've been here before, right?
Maybe a time or two.
- Wow! Welcome back. - Thank you!
So, you have just 30 minutes
to make your signature dish.
We started with eight aprons each.
Now Gordon has five, Aarón still has seven,
and I have just five aprons left,
but they're going fast.
If you want an apron, it's simple.
Your dishes have to convince one of the three of us
that you are worthy of one of our precious remaining aprons.
If you're lucky enough to have multiple offers,
then you decide who you want to be mentored by,
which is a privilege.
- Are you ready? - Ready!
- Ready. - Yes.
Time starts... now!
( Music playing )
Taylor, give me an idea
of what you're doing different this time around
and what's gonna get you an apron.
I've just been taking everything that you guys told me,
my passion for cooking,
and I'm making a tangy tomatillo pulled chicken.
Over a garlicky rice.
Pull it all together with a sunny-side egg,
and then a side of traditional Colombian hot sauce.
- Third time's a charm. - Third time's a charm.
Thank you, Chef.
( Music playing )
20 minutes remaining.
All right, guys, time is not playing around.
- Ralph. Tell me about yourself. - Yes, sir.
I'm a senior accountant from Houston, Texas.
- Tell me about the dish. - I'm making a Filipino noodle dish
that you can immerse like a sauce into it.
I'm gonna add shrimp, chicken, little bit of pork.
This is the dish
that I make not only for myself
but my siblings, my wife.
You seem like a more passionate guy than a real numbers guy.
I have no regrets doing accounting,
but I wanna be a chef.
I'll tell you what, though. There's no cooking in accounting.
Unless you're cooking the books.
Unless you're cooking the books, exactly.
- Good luck. - Thanks, Joe.
- Chelsea. - Yes.
Give us an insight to what you're making.
I am making my take on a lamb shawarma.
I'm making a homemade pita pocket,
a really good roasted garlic hummus and a fattoush salad.
- You're making fresh pita? - Yes.
It's a little time sensitive.
I gotta make sure it rises.
Yeah. I'll say.
Guys, we're up to seven minutes remaining.
Stop visualizing the dish, think about the presentation,
taste everything.
- Taylor, te gusta? Que bueno. - Si, me gusta!
You know what? I really like Taylor.
For me, it's the third time here,
I think it's still a no.
Gordon, you want us to think
she's not worth an apron so the path is clear for you
- to go ahead and grab it. - Maybe, Joe.
Ralph, when are those shrimp going in?
Oh, my God! They're about to go right now.
Oh, my God!
Guys, this is a very exciting cookoff.
A lot of energy, a lot of stuff happening.
Chelsea is making pita from scratch.
If it doesn't rise, and it doesn't cook properly--
This is the one thing that I'm concerned with.
Joe: Ralph's dish, I don't know.
He's got a great way
of communicating his passion about food.
I just hope he can put it in the plate.
It's all gonna come together right now.
Joe: Taylor seems like she's juggling.
Got a lot of stuff going on.
So many details to put together on the plate.
Hopefully she doesn't break her egg.
That would be the end of her.
Last minute, here we are.
- Oh, whoops! - Look at Ralph. He's all over the place.
Oh, man, that was close.
Gordon: Look, Chelsea's got her pita bread out.
Aarón: Let's do it. Come on, Chelsea!
- 30 seconds left. - There it is, there it is.
She's going-- She's going with her hands.
We got this, y'all, we got this.
Representing H-Town right here, y'all.
Ten, nine...
- Come on, come on. - Eight, seven, six...
- Oh, my God! - Five, four, three, two, one.
And stop. Hands in the air.
- Ralph: Oh, my God! - Joe: Good job.
- Good job, guys! - Go, Houston!
- Oh, my God. - Gordon: Okay.
Very carefully bring your dishes down, please. Let's go.
Let me remind you,
all you have to do tonight is impress one of us enough
to give you one of our white aprons.
- Okay, Chelsea. Tell me about the dish. - Hi.
So, I made lamb shawarma with homemade bread,
a fattoush salad and roasted garlic hummus.
What'd you season the lamb with?
Cayenne, cinnamon, and sumac.
You know it tastes like really authentic,
but if you wanna win a MasterChef apron...
- Yes. - You should be able to reinterpret this dish...
- Okay. - And make it a restaurant dish.
- But very, very, good. - Yeah.
Okay. Thank you.
Chelsea, um,
you decided to make your own pita bread.
- Why? - Yes. If I'm making a street food
I gotta make everything from scratch,
and that's how I cook at home.
You know, it's messy and it's good.
- All right? - Yes.
- Good job. - Thank you.
I gotta say it reminds me of being in an Arab souk in Morocco somewhere.
My question for you is,
do you think this is good enough
to be potentially mentored by me and get you a white apron?
I really, really hope so. I do think it's good enough.
- Ralph. Describe the dish, please. - Chef Gordon.
This is Filipino pancit.
The components of it is noodles a sauce and also shrimp,
and marinated with onions,
garlic, just a tad bit of soy sauce,
and calamansi juice.
That shrimp is delicious.
Thank you, Chef.
Noodles are a bit oily.
Is that good enough for an apron?
( Sighs ) I don't know right now.
Thank you.
Señor Ralph.
Mmm.
It's registering a tad oily for me as well,
but otherwise, it's seasoned beautifully.
Tons of garlic and lemon. What's not to like, right?
Thank you, Chef.
Mmm.
Give me some other examples of dishes you can cook.
All sorts of everything.
Vietnamese, a little bit of Italian.
I do like fresh, handmade pasta.
You and me might have a future.
Let me think about that.
Taylor, describe the dish really quickly for me.
I have a pulled
tomatillo chicken over a garlicky rice,
and then underneath I have a jalapeño crema
and a sunny-side up egg,
accompanied by traditional Colombian aji.
Mmm.
You know, I was thinking to myself,
how could you possibly bridge
your Colombian background with Texas,
but the idea of integrating
tomatillos and the chicken does that.
- Mm-hmm. - I gotta really think hard,
if I give an apron, who it's gonna go to.
- But this is making a good argument. - Thank you, Chef.
Joe: Tell me about the rice.
To bring like a little bit of elevation to it.
I cooked it in beef stock.
It's very rich.
- Thank you. - Thank you, Chef.
( Whispering ) Oh, my God.
- Taylor. - Yes, Chef.
Presentation wise, it should be in a bowl.
- However, it's all in the flavor. - Okay.
- Taylor. - Yes, Chef.
- Third time here. - Yes, Chef.
It's bloody delicious.
Really delicious.
- Thank you. - Thank you, Chef.
- Good job, good job. - Thank you.
Three home cooks that call Houston, Texas home.
My aprons are only going to people that are risk takers,
and one of you guys fits the bill.
- Wow. - ( Whispering ) Oh, my God.
I'm looking for
home cooks that come into this kitchen with confidence.
Also home cooks
that I think have the passion
to reach the very, very top.
And I do see that in one of you three.
I do have an apron to give out
to a home cook who still has a lot to learn,
but has the potential to go a long, long way.
Joe: Three aprons.
At least one of you are going home with an apron.
But two of you might leave here without one.
- Should we go? - Oh, my God.
( Music playing )
Three home cooks that call Houston, Texas home.
Three aprons.
Gordon: At least one of you are going home with an apron.
- Oh, my God. - Should we go?
Please, Houston. Please.
- Are you serious? - Congratulations.
Are you--
- Oh, my God. - Oh, my God!
Yeah, baby!
Yes! Let's go!
One shot! Hold me down, baby!
Let's go!
Congratulations. That's a first for us.
- Oh, my God! - Well done.
Taylor: It's surreal that I'm walking out of those doors
with not only an apron, but a Gordon Ramsay pin.
- You three, off you go. - Thank you!
Taylor: I finally earned my spot here!
I'm so excited! Oh, my God!
- I can't believe it. - And representing Houston
with Ralph and Chelsea today
was like the icing on the cake.
Gordon: Ralph.
Why did you give Ralph an apron? I thought you wanted Taylor.
That is exactly what I wanted you to think, my friend.
I mean, Taylor--
Trust me, the finesse she brought tonight,
I haven't seen that so far in this competition.
- Wow! This guy's a real cook. - I'm amazed that you don't--
- No. - I could put him in the line tomorrow in the restaurant.
Aarón: Guys, pita from scratch.
- That's all I gotta say. - Yeah.
Narrator: Up next is Olusola,
a 29-year-old bus driver from South Carolina.
I cook from my heart.
Just like I drive the bus with passion.
I've been a bus driver for roughly 11 years.
Even though I love bus driving,
I'd rather be cooking.
I am the flavor queen.
I cook food that tickles your soul,
being that I'm a soul food cook.
I'm gonna put Olusola on this dish,
and I'm just hoping and praying
that all three judges are fighting to give me an apron.
( Cheering and applause )
You ready?
- Good luck, big guy. - Mark: My name is Mark.
I'm a firefighter and I'm from Shreveport, Louisiana.
I've been a firefighter for 12 years.
Been cooking my whole life.
We're a family at the station.
So, I love cooking for the guys.
Rub-a-dub-dub, come get this grub.
We have from chicken and dumplings,
to fried chicken,
to biscuits and gravy in the morning.
If it's fried and smothered and covered,
you're good.
( Music playing )
- Oh, God! - God!
- My God! - This is good to see.
I put out fires, so therefore, I can handle the pressure
and the heat of the MasterChef kitchen.
Good evening.
Now, I'd like to give each of you an apron,
but we have to be very careful
on who we choose.
Joe is down to just four aprons.
And I've got six left.
And I've got four white aprons remaining.
Both of you are cooking your signature dishes.
Yes.
You both got just 30 minutes on the clock.
Your 30 minutes starts now!
( Music playing )
Garlic, cumin, chili powder.
Olusola, give a little insight to the dish.
I'll be making real authentic soul food.
Jerk snapper with a pineapple salsa,
coconut rice and sautéed cabbage.
I drive city buses in South Carolina,
When I get off work
at 1:30, 2 o'clock in the morning,
I enjoy cooking the jerk,
because it's sweet and spicy just like me.
Tell us what you're doing.
- What are you putting in there? - I'm putting some allspice...
- Right. - Coriander, ground ginger, garlic clove...
- Just free pouring. - Peppers, smoked paprika.
How many spices are you putting in there? It's endless.
There's about 15 spices to get jerk properly.
- And you're just free pouring. - I'm free pouring.
I don't have time to measure. I got 30 minutes to make it happen.
That takes a lot of confidence.
- Wow! - I don't have time.
Six minutes gone, 24 minutes remaining.
- Gotta shine. - ( humming )
- All right, Mark, what are you cooking? - This dish right here--
I'm cooking buttermilk biscuits and gravy.
I'm a fireman back in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Homemade biscuits is one of the staple dishes when cooking at the fire station.
Man, you know, my fire crew
have yet left a biscuit on the table.
- Completely get that done in 30 minutes? - Yes, sir.
Between these two contestants,
who today is taking the biggest risk?
Gordon: Oh, I think Mark's taking the biggest risk.
- Just trying to bake a biscuit in 30 minutes. - Yeah.
What does a gravy mean traditionally in Louisiana?
You make a roux, you have a thickener and then you cook that in pork fat.
- Gordon: But roux need time to cook out. - Exactly.
15 minutes, he hasn't even started cooking anything yet.
Aarón: Yeah, it's true.
Olusola's playing to her strengths
with the blend and the spices jerk.
It'd be one thing to have a Michelin-starred chef
kind of free-throwing spices.
- Yeah. - To have a home cook, bus driver--
Does she have the experience to balance those flavors.
If Olusola could manage all those very assertive spices,
and pull off a harmonious dish,
that's gonna go high marks with me.
- Just under 14 minutes remaining. - Gotcha.
Mark, biscuits are in the oven, yes?
- Yes, sir. Yes, sir. - Good.
Olusola, you ever have any like dedicated riders
who just want to ride with you?
Yes, I have dedicated riders.
They wait for me because they get to eat my food.
And they, for some reason
come on the bus with utensils and forks,
and knives.
And they're always ready to eat.
I wanna be on the Olusola bus.
The fare's two dollars and fifty cents.
Just under ten minutes, guys.
Mark, you are in a high-pressure job that saves lives.
How does that stack up to the pressure
of the MasterChef kitchen?
Being prepared for the unknown.
That's what I'm ready for.
I ran into a lot of burning buildings.
Well, you know here,
this is a one, two, three alarm blaze
- you have to deal with, so... - Definitely.
- No firehouse chili. - Yes, sir.
Five minutes remaining.
Mark's gonna need every one of those five minutes.
That biscuit's gonna have to be flaky.
It's gonna have to be cooked in the center.
It can't be gooey.
Check my cabbage.
Olusola is nonstop tasting.
Everything she's touching, she's tasting.
Tastes good to me.
90 seconds to go. Come on, you got this.
- Mark starts to plate. - Yeah, man.
- Wow! - Joe: Wow! They look nice and fluffy.
- It's go time. - Gotta make it happen.
- 30 seconds remaining! - Oh, man.
No way.
Sh--
- Oh no, it looks-- - Uh-oh.
- Sh-- - Sticky the aluminum foil
- could cost you an apron. - Let's go, Olusola.
No. It's okay.
15 seconds to go.
Come on, come on!
Gently, gently, gently.
Oh, shoot!
Both of you are cooking your signature dishes.
Gotta make it happen.
30 seconds remaining!
Sh--
- Oh no, it looks-- - Uh-oh.
- Sh-- - Sticky aluminum foil
- could cost you an apron. - Let's go, Olusola.
No. It's okay.
15 seconds to go.
Come on, come on!
Gently, gently, gently.
Oh, shoot!
Joe: She recovered.
I think her experience is really showing through.
Five, four, three, two, one.
And stop.
- Well done. - Wow!
Well done. That was close.
Right, very carefully,
both of you bring your dishes down to the front.
- Thank you, sir. - My pleasure.
Wow!
Looks good.
Well done.
Let's do it.
Olusola, describe the dish, please.
Olusola: So here you have a jerk snapper
with a pineapple salsa, coconut rice, and sautéed cabbage.
It's a meaty fish.
- It is. - It should be glistening,
almost like a pearl inside when we come through the middle.
Yes, Chef.
Beautiful.
Moist.
Glistening.
The fish, you've definitely nailed.
- Thank you, Chef. - Thank you.
( Whispering ) You're making me nervous.
I wouldn't be nervous if I were on your bus.
- No. - Sometimes I like to sit way up front.
Like in the seats reserved for the elderly people.
- Would you throw me out? - I can't do that, due to certain policies.
It's called ADA violation.
So, I cannot make you give up your seat.
Mmm, I like this. This sautéed cabbage
is one of the best things on the dish.
It seems like the throwaway
but it's really well done, it has good flavor.
( Whispering ) That's good.
Those exotic spices like the clove and the pimento--
They're not overpowering the delicate nature of the fish, which I like.
- Okay. - And I just think you gotta give me more.
Give me more pineapple salsa.
- Okay. - But overall...
- Mark. Biscuits and gravy. - Yes, Chef.
Mark: Yes, sir. Buttermilk biscuits and gravy.
Gordon: What did you season that gravy with?
Mark: I did salt and pepper, poured some garlic powder,
and also some hot sauce.
The biscuit should be sort of light and fluffy
- in the center there. - Yes, sir.
So it's quite doughy there.
- Yes, Chef. - Quite dense.
And what did you glaze the biscuits with?
You've got a beautiful color on top.
Before I put 'em in the oven I glaze them with buttermilk
and butter on top to top it off with.
It's a beautiful color on there.
Great seasoning on the sausage.
The garlic powder and the salt, lovely.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Your biscuit...
it's a little bit raw.
The flavor is excellent.
This roux is cooked very well.
Thank you, Chef.
90 seconds more in the oven.
- Yes, Chef. - Could've been perfection
for what is a perfectly, perfectly seasoned dish.
Thank you, Chef.
Love the flavor of the gravy.
I love the flavor of the pork. I think it's really great.
Like the fact that you were able to kind of reinforce it
with all that richness. Good job.
Yes, sir. I appreciate it.
Remember, we started out with eight aprons each.
Joe and I have already handed out four aprons each.
Aarón has handed out two.
So we must be absolutely certain on who we choose.
Aarón: All three of us might offer you an apron.
If that happens, it's down to you guys
to decide who you want to mentor you
throughout this whole competition.
Well, guys. Joe, let's start off with you.
Do you have anybody worthy of an apron?
Yeah, there's one.
Aarón?
You know what, Gordon? One of these home cooks is worthy.
Wow!
I, too, like someone here.
Three aprons.
( Whispering ) Oh, wow!
Wow! Joe, make your move.
Aarón, your move.
- Wow! - Here's my apron.
- ( Gasps ) - Gordon: Olusola.
( Whispering ) Oh, my God!
Announcer: Don't miss Camp MasterChef,
( gasps )
- Olusola-- - ( whispering ) Oh, my God!
You have three aprons from three judges.
Now, one of us is gonna become your mentor.
Aarón: Olusola, here's the deal.
I come from a restaurant family, I've been through it all.
Trust me. You wanna go with me.
Right, Olusola.
Gordon: Trust me. I've got 33 restaurants.
I am your mentor.
Olusola, you don't need a chef mentor.
I have the savvy,
the insight to take you all the way
to the "MasterChef" victory.
This is the apron you wanna pick.
Oh, my gosh!
This is so hard!
Chef Gordon Ramsay,
I adore you!
And I love, Aarón, I really do.
And the person that intimidated me
prior coming in here was you, Joe.
But today is a really hard decision for me.
You want my apron.
I'm gonna go with Joe.
There you go.
It's yours.
Whoo! Yeah!
Thank you!
Thank you! Thank you!
Ooh!
Congratulations, young lady.
You just took Joe's apron.
Mark, unfortunately, tonight you're going home.
Yes, sir.
You know, the hero of a biscuit and gravy is that biscuit.
Had you rolled them thinner,
and literally,
kept them in the oven for another two minutes.
- Great gravy, great seasoning! - Yes, sir.
Do not stop here.
Let's make that right. Well done, both of you.
Off you go.
- Congratulations, girl! - Thank you.
- You got that apron. Yeah, man! - Thank you.
Joe: I'm taking a ride on her bus,
to the "MasterChef" finale.
- How's that sound? - Only mistake she made tonight,
she chose the wrong judge.
She doesn't need a chef because she could cook.
- She needs me. - Oh, please.
I will give her spiritual guidance.
- Spiritual? - The strategy
to win this whole competition is right here, my friend.
- Spiritual. - You've never been on a bus in your life.
I've been on a bus.
- When? - A yellow one.
( Cheering and applause )
( screaming )
Olusola: I never thought I would have the opportunity
to be in the "MasterChef" competition,
and here I am today.
I got offered three aprons.
- So-- - ( cheering and applause )
Aww!
It's all right!
I didn't get an apron today,
but I'm very happy that I made it this far.
No matter what happens,
nothing extinguish my fire for cooking,
'cause I had to risk it for the biscuit,
but it's all gravy, baby.
- Congratulations! - Thank you!
Narrator: Mark wasn't the only one
to not get a white apron.
As the night moved on...
Why do I wanna give you an apron?
Being a criminal defense attorney,
- I'm a hustler. - Wow!
...the aprons got tougher and tougher to earn.
Come on! What happened?
- And... - Have you ever been to a restaurant?
Unfortunately, no, Joe.
- ...many home cooks... - If I get a closing argument,
I can convince you I can improve--
I'm not running a courtroom.
I'm running a competition.
...fail to persuade.
Decision time.
- It's a no. - For me... no.
- I'm just not seeing enough. - The verdict is in for me, too.
No.
( Cheering and applause )
And walked away empty-handed.
- Just wasn't my night. - Babe, you did your best.
- I'm proud of you. - It was hard.
I know.
Leaving Gordon with three, Joe with four,
and Aarón with six white aprons.
Guys, high expectations, but they all fell a little bit short.
As they await the next group of home cooks.
I'm doing snapper.
I've been put with three excellent cooks
who are also doing fish.
I'm gonna go in there and get that apron.
I'm Cesar.
I'm from Texas and I'm a high school teacher.
Today's warm up is going to be something we did last Friday.
And cooking to me is a means of self-expression.
I'm here to showcase Mexican cuisine,
and voice my knowledge throughout the world.
All right, let's make that happen!
My name's Matt. I'm 28 years old
and I'm an optometrist.
Keep looking up there for me.
Even though I'm very science minded,
the thing about cooking that I love is it's not just science.
There's also an art to it.
I like playing around with doing different styles.
Vision's really important to me
and how things appear on the plate.
As an optometrist,
you know I have my eyes on that prize.
- Let's do it, Ryan! - It's happening, baby!
My name is Ryan.
I'm 33 years old and I'm a drummer
from Texas.
Playing drums has taken me everywhere,
and I've eaten just about everything.
What I'm really just trying to do is
take people around the world through a plate.
- Come on down. - I'm S.J.,
I'm 21 years old,
also known as the flavor prince of K-Town.
Growing up in Koreatown,
I was exposed to traditional Korean dishes,
but I wanted something more
than just Korean traditional flavors.
I wanted to incorporate Korean cuisine
with different, modern techniques
that really exposes Korean food in a new and exciting way.
Welcome to the incredible MasterChef kitchen.
You four are the final four cooks of the night.
We each started out with eight aprons,
and, my friends, the good news for you
is that we've still got some left.
You've got 40 minutes on the clock
to cook us your incredible signature dishes.
All of you, good luck.
Your time starts now!
- ( Music playing ) - Nice.
- Ryan: Excited, Cesar? - Very excited. How are you feeling?
Ryan: Feeling it. We're just getting going, man.
Cesar, tell me what are you doing.
Tonight I'm preparing a red snapper
with the flavors of a Coctel de Mariscos.
It's a tomato, citrus, chili cocktail.
My family heritage is Mexican.
People say I'm too American to be Mexican,
but too Mexican to be American.
So I found that when I cook, I can marry my Mexican culture
with my American upbringing and I'm capturing that on the plate tonight.
- Love that idea. - Thank you, Chef.
Just under 32 minutes to go.
- Let's go, guys. - Brother, you're cranking, man.
- I'm trying. - Matt, tell me about the dish.
Tonight I'm doing a pan roasted cod.
With a turnip puree, some pickled carrots
and then a Meyer lemon beurre blanc sauce.
Matt, how are you gonna make it special?
Plating is one of the things I try to strive to be best at.
I'm an optometrist.
- So how things look is really important to me. - Love it.
Halfway. Just coming up to 20 minutes remaining.
Smelling good over there, Ryan.
Ryan, talk to me a little bit about your dish.
I'm a drummer from the South.
So I'm doing a baked catfish
with a bacon wrap haricot verts
- and a dirty rice dish. - Baking catfish
as opposed to frying it.
Everybody and their mom fries catfish
down South,
and my travels have taken me everywhere.
I wanna show some techniques,
- some things I've learned. - Well, best of luck.
- Thank you, sir. - There you go, Ryan.
- Let's get it, let's get it! - S.J., what are you making tonight?
I'm preparing a panko crusted cod with honey buttered chips,
cucumber kimchi, and a gochujang sesame aioli.
Growing up with my grandmother,
in a traditional Korean household,
men were not looked as as chefs.
And so tonight, I'm definitely gonna show
I am more than meets the eye with my cooking.
Sounds amazing.
- Five minutes remaining. - Let's go, guys.
Four incredibly sounding dishes.
So, S.J.,
That cod has to be slightly salted, in order to keep
that water out to keep the batter nice and crispy.
The big risk tonight for me is Ryan and his catfish.
And I'm concerned the idea of baking catfish,
it might be too aggressive
for that particular flakey fish.
But on the other hand, I really like risk takers.
And those are the kinda people that I wanna give my apron to.
Pump it up.
- Matt, how's the beurre blanc? - It looks okay.
I'm trying to take it on and off the heat so it doesn't get too hot.
I don't want it to break.
Matt obviously has a level of sophistication
that's above the rest of the crowd.
With my aprons that's exactly what I'm looking for.
Aarón: I really like what Cesar's doing.
Searing that fish, hot pan, skin side down.
Straight ballin'!
90 seconds remaining. You've got this.
Think about your garnishes, think about your sauce.
Let's go, guys! Push, push.
S.J.'s got some incredible colors going on on his plating.
60 seconds remaining.
- Now or never, now or never! - One stunning portion.
Come on, guys! Y'all got this!
- Finish strong. - Ten, nine...
eight, seven, six, five, four...
- You guys got it. - Three, two, one.
- And stop. Hands in the air. - Nice job.
- Well done. - Great job, guys.
Four amazing dishes, let's get that right.
I can't wait to start tasting them.
Let's do it.
Cesar, describe the dish, please.
Cesar: Chef, I have a pan seared red snapper,
with an orange guajillo beurre blanc,
a habanero and shallot guacamole,
crispy rice and chive radishes for garnish.
- What'd you cook the fish in? - Grapeseed oil.
It has a higher smoke point
and I didn't want it to burn.
- Delicious. Seasoned beautifully. - Thank you.
You've got the contrast
of the right kind of texture, the heat.
- Delicious. Great job. - Thank you. I appreciate that.
The fish is good.
- Very nice job. - Thank you.
Cesar, do you feel like
you have got a lot going on in this dish?
I feel there's different components,
but they replicate the Coctel de Mariscos.
That tastes like I'm in Veracruz, on the beach.
And I think the real star here
is that skin with that crispiness.
Well done.
Matt, name of the dish?
This is a pan roasted cod with a turnip puree.
There's a little shaved apple and fennel in it,
and those are pickled carrots rolled in tarragon dust
with some fingerling potato chips.
Talk to me about your plating here.
Plating is big to me. You know, I'm an optometrist.
So, vision is an important sense.
You eat with your eyes first.
Great cook on the fish. I like what I see.
Nice job.
- Love it! - Thanks, Chef.
Fish, delicious. You've nailed it. Great job.
Thank you, Chef.
Ryan, explain the dish.
I have a baked catfish with a dirty rice,
with ground turkey and a bacon wrapped haricot verts
Catfish, why?
I'm from Houston, Texas. So, I grew up eating catfish.
And I definitely wanted to keep those southern flavors.
Man! Fish is cooked perfect.
There's a nice little richness. You have that beautiful crust.
The beans with the bacon-- It's crispy.
The dirty rice is a little clunky,
but amazing dish, Ryan.
Thank you, Chef.
Catfish, delicious. Let's get that right.
- Good job. - Thank you, Chef.
For me, a bit too rustic but executed well.
- Good dish. - Thank you, Chef.
S.J., describe the dish, please.
S.J.: For you I have prepared a panko crusted cod fillet,
with honey buttered chips, cucumber kimchi,
and a gochujang sesame aioli.
Love that crispiness.
How long did you cook it for?
Eight to nine minutes.
Absolutely nailed without a doubt.
The balance is there. The sweet, the acidity, the sugar, kimchi.
- Beautiful. - Thank you.
It's crunchy, sweet, sour.
It's good.
The fish is perfect, the aioli is immaculate,
and the pickles are bright.
Good job!
You, too, bro.
Gents, great job. I mean, clearly for me,
one of the best rounds tonight.
Now, let me remind you,
we started the competition with only eight aprons each.
Those aprons are dwindling quickly.
I've got four left.
Aarón has six, Joe only has three.
Remember, though, you only have to please
one of us three to take an apron.
And if any of you are lucky enough to get multiple offers,
then it's down to you to decide
which judge will be your mentor.
A very important and strategic decision.
Right.
Aarón, let's start with you, please.
I gotta say, cooking fish is a true barometer
of a great cook at one of my restaurants.
I'm blown away.
It's not enough for me, though.
I'm gonna give out three aprons.
What?
Three aprons, Aarón?
- You only got six left. - When you have talent like this,
you can't let it walk out the door.
My first apron...
I'm gonna give it to...
I'm gonna give out three aprons.
My first apron...
I'm gonna give it to...
S.J.
My second apron goes to...
Ryan, you get the second apron.
My third apron goes to...
Cesar.
Thank you, Chef.
- You get my third apron. - Thank you, Chef Aarón.
Aarón, you gave three aprons out.
But I'm gonna give out just one apron.
In my opinion, Aarón,
neglected... the best cook here.
- Matt. - Thank you.
Backing you.
- Full house, boys. - Okay.
Well...
this is interesting.
No!
No! Two?
Oh, my God!
( Whispering ) What?
Wow!
My first apron goes to...
S.J.
My second apron goes to...
Cesar.
- ( Whispering ) Yes! - ( whispering ) Wow!
So, the good news,
Matt, you're with me.
Ryan, you'll be mentored by the great Aarón Sánchez.
Now, this is where it gets interesting.
Cesar and S.J.,
you both have to decide
if you want Aarón Sánchez or Gordon Ramsay
to be your mentor.
Aarón, how many aprons you got left?
- I got five aprons left. - Wow, still. And I've got four.
Now, before we go any further
there isn't really a decision to be made.
You both wanna become America's next MasterChef,
and I am the judge that can help you achieve that dream.
Guys, I can't argue with this man's credentials,
but what I can tell you is
I represent food with heart,
and I can take you to the title.
S.J., what are you thinking?
Gordon Ramsay!
Congratulations, S.J..
- Well done. - Thank you.
Okay, Cesar, it's your turn.
It's almost embarrassing that I'm an English teacher
and I'm at a loss for words
at this great honor by both chefs.
I have to pick...
Chef Aarón Sánchez.
- Very good. - Hmm.
Congratulations to all four of you.
Get those aprons on and get out of here.
Gordon: Well done. Great job.
Cesar: It's an honor for me
to receive my apron from Chef Aarón Sánchez.
He is a beacon in Mexican cuisine and I want
to carry that torch for our culture.
Matt: An apron from Joe is such an honor, at the same time,
he's always intimidated me a little bit.
( Cheering and applause )
Gordon Ramsay is a world ambassador of food.
I wanna make him proud
and I can represent Koreatown at the same time.
And I can't wait to start cooking.
The big question is
did we see America's next MasterChef tonight?
Yes we did, and they're on my team.
Please. Really?
- Where's everyone going? - Good night, Joe.
- Good night. - Dream on, Aarón.
We came, we saw, we conquered.
( All cheering )
Narrator: Next week...
only nine aprons remain.
This is gonna be tough.
- Whoo-hoo! - As the last home cooks...
- Come on! - Scramble for a place in the competition.
The final apron goes to...
And then...
Welcome!
...the top 24 face their first mystery box.
- Lift. - Contestants: Oh!
I told you that this year,
things are gonna be tougher than ever before,
and I meant it.