This season on "MasterChef," everything has changed.
Because this season, the judges do battle.
Every home cook we bring here to the MasterChef kitchen...
Is competing for a MasterChef white apron.
Each of us have just eight aprons.
Just eight chances to find America's next MasterChef.
And if a judge chooses a home cook to wear one of our aprons...
We become their mentor.
- ( Cheering ) - There are thousands of hopeful home cooks.
( Crowd chanting ) MasterChef!
Gordon: Those that make the cut...
- Wow! - Oh, my goodness!
...will soar...
- Whoo! - You guys look great!
...to new heights...
Are those people? Oh, my God!
Woman: They're landing for dinner!
- ( Horn honking ) - ...they'll feel the heat...
Whoa! It's burning.
...as they cook for American heroes...
- Aarón: Don't let these firefighters down. - Let's go, guys!
...run five-star restaurants...
- Where's the beef? - I need some entrées now.
...and cater all-star events.
I'm honored to declare you husband and wife.
Along the way,
we as mentors will face tough decisions.
What happened?
The home cook that I would send home
is wearing an apron that I gave them.
But we'll experience some of the most spectacular dishes...
This is a home run.
...the MasterChef kitchen has ever seen.
This is the reason I gave you an apron.
Gordon: I was 100% correct handing you that apron.
You've been a perfect student,
potentially America's next MasterChef.
Three judges.
Eight precious aprons.
Just one MasterChef.
Let the battle begin.
( Music playing )
( cheering and applause )
My name is Gerron, and I'm an English teacher.
My food is gonna be the best food
that Gordon Ramsay ever tasted. So I expect
nothing lower than an A plus.
- Whoo! - I am Olusola.
I'm from Columbia, South Carolina.
I've been a bus driver since I was 18 years old,
but cooking food makes me feel like I'm alive.
I've daydreamed about cooking
since I was six years old,
but I've never had an opportunity
to follow my dream.
I have to shine.
Wow! My name is Farhan.
I live in Chicago, Illinois, and I'm a dental student.
I know mouths better than anyone else.
I know how to clean them and I know how to feed them.
So, I wanna be the person
that shows America what Indian food is about.
( Cheering and applause )
Hello!
Welcome to "MasterChef"!
- I'm Gordon Ramsay. - I'm Aarón Sánchez.
And I'm Joe Bastianich.
And trust me, we searched all across America
for talented home cooks,
and we found them:
You.
Make no mistake.
Winning "MasterChef" will unlock
every culinary door you've ever dreamed of.
And the winner will go home
with a quarter of a million dollars.
( Cheering and applause )
Home cooks, it's a long road
to become America's next MasterChef.
And you don't even take one tiny step on that journey
unless you win one of these.
( Cheering and applause )
The incredible MasterChef white apron.
But how you win one of these is much different
than ever before.
Each judge will have just eight aprons to give out.
But that doesn't make it easier.
In fact, it's a whole lot harder,
because we are battling it out
to identify the next MasterChef.
That means our reputations are on the line.
If more than of us offers you an apron,
you will be in the unique position of getting to choose
whose apron you take.
And this year, the judge that gives you that apron
will then be your mentor throughout the competition.
One last thing: We've invited your friends and family here
to support you and encourage you.
Good luck to you all.
( Cheering and applause )
Narrator: In the auditions for a white apron,
the home cooks will fight to impress the judges
with their signature dishes.
The judges will then decide
who wins a MasterChef white apron
and a place in the top 24.
My whole life, basically, has been building up to this.
Everything has revolved around food.
I'm Emily. I'm 28, and I'm from Neenah, Wisconsin.
I live and breathe food.
Growing up, my mom had a travel bug.
I've been to almost every continent.
I can't get chicken liver mousse in Wisconsin,
and so I said, "You know what?
I'll make it myself."
Competing on "MasterChef,"
this is literally my dream.
I wanna prove
that I am as good as I think I am.
You're gonna put Cambodian food on the map.
Yes! My name is Jannie. I'm 29.
I'm from Las Vegas, Nevada, and I'm a cocktail server.
Vegas nightlife is its own world.
I get to make sure people have an amazing time.
I love my job, but wherever I am in life,
something always brings me back to food.
I use a lot of lemongrass,
so, gotta keep that stocked.
I'm Cambodian and Vietnamese,
so a lot of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, a lot of turmeric.
As a Vegas vixen,
I'm gonna make sure my food looks as good as it tastes.
I'm excited to go in that door to get my apron.
My apron will be for you.
( Speaking Mandarin )
My name's Bowen. I'm 24 years old.
I'm a pilot from Tianjin, China.
When I was 15 years old, I came to the United States.
In China, my dad is a professional chef.
By watching my dad's cooking, I fell in love with food.
Back two years ago, I got in a severe car accident.
I was in the hospital for almost a year.
There in the hospital,
the only TV program I would watch is "MasterChef."
"MasterChef" got me through it.
The doctor said it's a miracle.
( Cheering and applause )
Emily: Even though each judge
only has eight aprons to give out--
I mean, that's only 24 aprons total.
- ( Gasps ) - Welcome!
Emily: I'm going in there with the mindset
that I will get an apron offered to me
- by all three judges. - Let's go!
I am for sure going to get an apron.
All three of you, good evening and welcome
to the most amazing kitchen anywhere in America.
Tonight, each one of your signature dishes features beef.
You have just 30 minutes on the clock.
- Are you all ready to cook? - All: Yes, Chef!
Your 30 minutes starts...
now!
( Music playing )
All right, guys, so we have eight aprons to give away.
What I'm looking for is discipline.
Can they absorb like a sponge?
That hunger to learn more.
And how much better can I make them across this journey?
I'm thinking about how grandiose are their ideas.
Are they big thinkers? Are they creative
and open to new ideas?
My eight aprons, I'm looking for someone who shows confidence,
but you've gotta be willing to take direction
admit to what you don't know and be willing to learn.
So when I look, I gotta see someone
who can win this competition.
Jannie, give us an insight to the dish tonight.
I'm making my Cambodian beef skewers
with green papaya pickle and a coconut rice.
It is from my heritage
- and my culture. - Cambodia.
Some of the best food I've ever eaten.
Miss Emily, talk to me a little bit about what you're making.
I will be making a filet mignon over fondant potato,
mushroom duxelle with a red wine pan sauce.
This dish is entrenched in a lot of French technique,
- it sounds like. - Yes.
I've had the opportunity to travel the world.
I've been to France a few times,
and being a food anthropologist,
I've definitely honed my skills having that global experience.
Emily, I just assumed you're a food anthropologist,
that garlic powder and onion powder
is something more for traditional home cooks.
I feel like that's a little pedestrian way
to look at it. Do you never use
onion powder and garlic powder in the kitchen?
No. Never.
Gordon: 20 minutes remaining.
Bowen, give us an insight into what you're making.
I'm making a lion's head meatball,
a soft-boiled egg stuffed inside a meatball.
- So it's a Scotch egg. - Yes.
So, Bowen, who'd you learn to cook from?
I learned from my father.
My father is just like a Chinese version
of Gordon Ramsay.
He's always yelling at the kitchen.
- Is Gordon big in China? - He's famous everywhere.
How about me? Am I famous in China?
- Of course, famous. - Yeah? As famous as Gordon?
Oh, you're trying to give me trouble, huh?
Aarón: Guys, we are down to seven minutes left.
Emily: They look good, Bowen.
Of course. Always.
Aarón: Jannie, you just chose to put the beef on.
Is that 'cause you wanted the beef to marinate sufficiently?
Yes. It's gonna be bold flavored.
Very bold.
- I know you guys will enjoy it. - All right, guys,
so we couldn't have three more different beef dishes.
For me, Jannie, I think, has the biggest level of difficulty.
Is she gonna get enough of those aromatic flavors
in a very tight window of time?
- Almost two minutes, guys. - Emily's issue tonight,
- the temperature on that filet. - But, come on, garlic powder
- and onion powder. - By the way,
the secret there is making sure it's got an even color.
Joe: And is it too simple?
Gordon: 60 seconds remaining.
This is where it counts. Come on.
Bowen's got his meatball out. He's slicing it now.
Wow! Emily, is that filet gonna be medium rare?
- Yes, sir. - Gordon: Ten...
Chefs: Nine, eight, seven...
- Bowen: Come on, let's go! - Six, five, four, three,
- two, one. - Gordon: And stop.
- Hands in the air. Well done. - Joe: Wow!
All three of you, bring your dishes down to the front, please.
Thank you.
Aarón: So, three very passionate home cooks,
all with signature dishes that featured beef.
Let's taste.
Jannie, describe the dish.
It's Cambodian beef skewers
with a green papaya pickle and coconut rice.
What are some of the flavors
I'm supposed to be experiencing here?
- You'll get the lemongrass for sure. - Mmm.
The beef is tender, the marinade came through.
And I gotta say, I like the pickle.
- Well done. - Thank you.
- Very sweet. - I like my beef a little bit on the sweeter side
'cause I put honey in it.
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
And inside the rice?
There's coconut milk and ginger and a little bit of salt.
Tastes quite nice.
This is traditionally a street food dish.
It needs heat. Bit of chili.
So you've got something that's that sweet,
then you need to balance it out with that heat.
Thank you.
Emily, name of the dish?
This is a filet mignon
over fondant potato, mushroom duxelle,
and a red wine pan sauce.
Let's see. Medium rare.
- And what did you season with? - Onion and garlic powder.
- My apologies. - You don't have to apologize.
There's just a right way of doing things.
Great color on the steak.
- How long did you cook it for? - Two minutes each side,
and then I finished in the oven for about eight minutes.
Wow! The beef is delicious.
But a duxelle would generally be for lining or wrapping.
When you have a filet mignon like that you find the best mushroom
so it highlights the beef.
However, it's perfectly executed.
Thank you.
- Why duxelle? - Mushrooms are earthy flavor.
I think it's a nice component to the beef on the plate.
It's buttery and rich. I like the duxelle.
That's my favorite part of this dish.
But you need to bring in, for me, a little bit more acidity.
- Mm-hmm. - But perfectly cooked.
Bowen, describe the dish, please.
This dish is called lion's head meatball,
stuffed with hard-boiled egg, served with radish pickle.
And what's inside the ground beef?
Scallions, water chestnut,
ground ginger, ground garlic.
It looks weird, but it actually tastes delicious.
The ground beef is seasoned beautifully,
and I've got that nice richness from the egg.
- Good job. - Thank you.
Bowen, have you made this dish before?
Yes.
What I'm tasting is a beautiful texture of the beef.
If I wanted to change one thing,
you don't need all that radish. It's not serving a purpose.
Thank you.
It's very, very flavorful.
It's super moist, tender.
You ever think about leaving a little broth in it?
If I put broth in there it will be a mess on the plate.
Great job, all of you. Here's the deal.
You only have to impress one of us to win an apron.
We only have eight aprons each.
These are as precious to me as they are to all of you home cooks.
I'm going against my colleagues here.
I wanna be the one that puts forward the next MasterChef.
You might have multiple offers from all three of us.
If that happens, it's down to you guys
to choose who you want to be your mentor
throughout this whole competition.
I saw a lot of bright spots,
but my standards are super high and I've not seen enough.
That's three nos for me.
All right, I think there's one home cook
that has the potential to be the next MasterChef.
This apron is going to...
Bowen.
But I'm not finished yet.
Sometimes what it means
to have the potential to be the next MasterChef
is not always in the plate.
Emily, you and I haven't exactly bonded.
- You're tough. - Are you worth this apron?
Absolutely. I'm a sponge.
I'm gonna soak up every ounce of wisdom that you bestow upon me.
What you just said is the very reason why...
I'm gonna give you this apron.
- Don't let me down. - Wow!
Gordon, I guess it's up to you now.
I do have one apron to give out.
Bowen.
Aarón: ( whispering ) Whoa!
Mm-mm.
So, Jannie, this means that you'll be leaving the kitchen
without an apron.
Bowen, you have an apron from Joe Bastianich.
Restaurateur, probably the best in the world.
And you have an apron from one of the best chefs in the world.
Who is gonna be your mentor?
His father is a mini me.
And now you have the real opportunity to be with me,
so there's no choice.
Joe.
This is the single greatest day of your life,
because I am the greatest mentor in the history
of the biggest cooking competition in the world.
Bowen, who is gonna take you to the top of the culinary world?
Gordon Ramsay.
- Thank you, Jannie. - Aarón: Thank you, guys. Well done.
Gordon: Bowen's a fascinating character.
My God! That guy knows how to cook.
- Aarón: The sky's the limit. - Emily, she's confident.
I didn't love the plate, but I like the girl.
I think she could really go far.
( Cheering and applause )
I got an apron from Gordon!
( Crying )
( cheering )
Woman: Jannie, it's okay.
- So proud of you, baby. - Joe picking me, it's insane!
I really didn't expect it to come from him,
but that means a lot more
that it's coming from someone that's so critical.
I'm so happy for you!
I am not gonna let him down.
- Good chef. - Gordon Ramsay!
My husband, my father, and me,
we all love Gordon Ramsay,
so I will never let Gordon Ramsay down.
I will become the next MasterChef!
I'm so proud of you!
( Crying )
Narrator: Up next is Cynthia,
an accounting assistant from Sylmar, California.
Mom, you're my favorite cook.
- I'm your favorite cook? - My favorite.
Mom.
I'm a mother of six.
So, by the time I'm done doing the dishes,
it's time for the next meal.
Muah!
To cook on "MasterChef,"
it's something I've always wanted.
And getting this apron,
it will just prove to my children
that it's never too late to go after your dreams.
What is Gordon gonna think?
My name is Shanika.
I'm 34 years old. I'm from Miami, Florida
and I'm an event promoter.
I cook how I look:
Bold, tough, daring.
I'm very, very confident in who I am.
And, you know, when you feel good and you look good you cook good.
- The flavors have to be on point. - Yeah, man, you got it.
- You got it. - I know I got it.
I mean, I know my mom would be proud right now.
I was 14 years old when I lost my mom,
and my love for cooking came from my mom.
Losing my mom at an early age,
it pushed me to become like an adult.
I actually had to become the mother for my sister.
It was really, really rough.
But I wouldn't change it.
Because I wouldn't be who I am today.
I wouldn't be as strong as I am.
( Cheering and applause )
And I'm ready to show these judges
that I know how to cook.
They're gonna get straight up, raw Shanika.
Welcome. Come on down.
Very excited to be here.
That is why I'm gonna get that damn apron.
Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.
We started the competition with only eight aprons each.
Your dishes have to convince at least one of the three of us
that you are worthy
of one of our eight aprons.
Ladies, tonight, you've got 45 minutes
to cook us your signature dishes.
- Ready? - Yes, Chef.
Your 45 minutes starts...
now!
- So, Cynthia. - Yes.
Talk to me a little bit about your dish.
I'm making a cream biscuit strawberry shortcake,
a strawberry-mint puree for the base,
and then I will be doing a lemon whip
to kinda cut into the sweetness a little bit.
Outstanding.
- Shanika, what's the dish? - Yes, sir.
I'm making a bitter French kiss.
It is a puff pastry with very, very sweet dates, goat cheese,
heavy whipping cream to tone it down just a little bit.
- And it creates just this marvelous filling. - Wow!
That ponytail, young lady.
How long is that thing?
This is my Beyoncé ponytail.
Gordon: Ladies, just under 25 minutes to go.
You make it into the MasterChef kitchen,
it's your signature dish, and you decide to bake?
I mean, are they crazy?
Ask any professional pastry chef.
They wouldn't touch baking in 45 minutes.
Aarón: I love the grit of coming on strong with the dessert.
You're setting the tone.
Cynthia, are you gonna get a white apron?
It should be good enough to impress at least one of you.
Gordon: Right.
Ladies, we're down to 10 minutes remaining.
Cynthia's biscuits are still in the oven.
So they're gonna take at least five, six minutes to cool down.
They've gotta cool down first.
But my worry right now is
that cream is gonna absolutely disintegrate
the minute it hits that shortcake.
Oh, my gosh.
Just under eight minutes remaining, ladies. Come on.
Got a small problem.
Are these cooked desserts gonna get done?
Let's go, guys! Come on, pull it together.
Are we gonna be tasting something or we gonna be tasting raw pastry?
Gosh.
Just under eight minutes remaining, ladies. Come on.
Got a small problem.
Are these cooked desserts gonna get done?
Let's go, guys! Come on, pull it together.
Are we gonna be tasting something or we gonna be tasting raw pastry?
Oh, pastry out.
Wow! That looks perfect.
Shanika, who would you most want an apron from,
if you had to pick one of the three?
I really wanna prove to Gordon that I have what it takes.
I wanna be him. Period. 100%.
You wanna be the female version of me?
- Of you. - Wow!
- Okay. - Yes, you.
I want you to give me my apron.
Ladies, five minutes to go.
Here we are.
Joe: Winning over one of us is all it takes
to give you an apron and a place
in America's largest cooking competition,
the MasterChef kitchen.
This is the one.
Awesome. Yes!
Ladies, we are down to 60 seconds remaining.
- Showtime. - I just hope that those biscuits are cool enough.
Gordon: Ten, nine...
Chefs: Eight, seven, six,
five, four, three, two, one.
- Hands in the air. Well done. - Hands in the air, hands in the air.
- Nice job, ladies. - Ladies, very carefully,
please, bring your desserts down to the front.
Cynthia, describe the dish, please.
I have a cream biscuit strawberry shortcake
with a lemon-mint strawberry puree.
The actual shortcake, delicious.
It's light, it's fluffy.
Layers are done nicely.
It doesn't give me the wow factor, in terms of visual.
You could've done with a glaze on top,
just get a bit of color contrast.
- But it does taste good. - Thank you, Chef.
The mint, the strawberry, the lemon, they all make sense.
There just needs to be a lot more of it,
but there's enough great attributes,
that make you remember this dessert.
Thank you, Chef.
You know, the dish, it's a little homey.
- Right. - Which is nice.
Is it nice in the MasterChef kitchen?
I-- I think so.
I'm not so sure.
Shanika, what's the dish?
This is a bitter French kiss.
I have a puff pastry
stuffed with a goat cheese filling,
that was made with cream cheese,
heavy whipping cream, sugar, and date.
I did a balsamic vinegar reduction,
and I created a candied bacon rosette.
You're playing on a high wire,
because you're using very, very risky ingredients.
Goat cheese, and balsamic, and candied bacon.
Without the greatest of finesse and skill,
you're gonna fall off that wire.
Shanika, I'm so impressed.
The fact that you got that puff pastry cooked all the way through.
If you're a goat cheese lover,
then this is the dessert for you.
Ladies, let me remind you,
you only have to impress one of us to win an apron.
You might have multiple offers and it's down to you to choose
who you want to be your mentor
throughout this whole competition.
I've made my decision.
Cynthia...
your dish, for me,
is not worthy of my apron.
Well done, Cynthia...
but I'm afraid it's a no for me.
Cynthia, I'm looking at that dish
and I'm thinking about is it "MasterChef"-worthy?
And the answer is no,
so I'm not gonna give you one of my aprons.
Thank you, Chef.
Shanika, I know you want my apron, right?
Yes.
I'm sorry to say, I just don't think you're ready yet.
Okay.
- Shanika. - Yes, sir.
Gordon doesn't believe in you. Why should I?
Because I know I have the potential.
I know I have the drive, I have the hunger.
And I will win.
I look at you and I see promise.
I see a future and I do believe in you.
So I do wanna give you this apron.
- I want it. - Wow!
- Shanika. - Yes, sir.
If I offered you this apron,
would you take my apron or would you take Aarón's apron?
I'm gonna go with Aarón.
Hmm.
Well, Shanika, I don't believe you.
I'm gonna make this not hypothetical anymore.
I'm gonna count to three, and then you reach out
and take whichever apron suits your ambition the most
to prove Gordon wrong.
One, two, three.
Shanika, I'm gonna count to three
and then you reach out and take
whichever apron suits your ambition the most
to prove Gordon wrong.
One, two, three.
Mm.
See you on the camp.
Cynthia, sorry, you are going home,
but your family should be proud of you.
Thank you.
Thank you, ladies.
Keep coming, keep trying.
Don't give up.
She's got the animal heart it takes to win this competition.
- No. - I'm happy she's not on my team.
Yeah, that's 'cause you like to lose.
( Cheering and applause )
( cheering )
Mommy, I'm so proud!
Props to Shanika. She went in there and did her thing
and she had a great dish,
and I'm really proud of her.
What Joe saw was a damn diamond
and MasterChef kitchen gotta get ready
because I'm bringing the heat, the flavor, and the sass
all up in that kitchen.
( Cheering and applause )
Narrator: From thousands of home cooks across America,
the judges invited those with the skill...
- Flambé it. - There you go.
- Determination, and courage... - Let's do this!
- Were you chopping garlic that fast? - Absolutely.
- Keep the knuckles out the way. - ...to take risks...
- This is not doing what I need it to do. - No, it's not.
Cooking an Italian dish in front of an extraordinary Italian,
- now that's ballsy. - No!
...but for these home cooks...
That is a crime in Texas.
It's the consistency of toothpaste.
Looks like a calf's brain.
...the gamble didn't pay off.
Gordon: You know that this is not going to you.
I'm afraid it's a no.
- I'm sorry. - You were close.
- It's a no. No as well. - No apron.
- Double no. - Your dish is good.
- Is he gonna give it to him? - Not good enough.
Ooh!
But for the most talented home cooks...
- I absolutely love the cook on the veal. - Thank you.
...the risk turned into reward...
That is MasterChef-worthy.
...with Gordon handing out his second apron...
Congratulations, Seth.
...and Aarón giving out his first of the night...
- Julia. - Wow!
...leaving Gordon and Joe with six aprons each...
( cheering and applause )
...and Aarón with seven.
Team Aarón! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!
Let the games begin,
because this is the highest level we've ever seen.
Good luck, because you're gonna need it.
Up next is Samantha...
- I'm so nervous. - You'll do fine.
- You'll do good. - I hope so.
...a 20-year-old college student
from West Des Moines, Iowa.
And voila!
I'm in a sorority,
and I'm kind of the mom of the group.
You know, after a long night of partying,
they'll come over to my place, I'll make hangover food,
and make sure everybody gets a good meal in.
I wish Dad could see me right now.
He'd be so proud.
- He is, he's watching. - He's watching.
My passion for food and for cooking really came from my family.
When I was around 15 or 16
my dad got diagnosed with stage 4 renal cell carcinoma.
So, now that we're apart, all I can do
is try to make him incredibly proud of me
by just following my passion.
Being here now means everything.
I'm going in with Mark. He's 19,
so we're the two youngest in the competition.
These people might be a little older
but they can't cook like me.
My name is Mark and I am a dishwasher.
I grew up in Rockport, Maine.
We lived on a farmhouse-esque property.
We had a top floor living space and a bottom floor restaurant.
( Cheering and applause )
Growing up in a restaurant at such a young age
really did steep me in the culture
and the respect it takes to succeed in the kitchen.
I'm an expert in flavor profiles.
I'm well-schooled in the art of butchery.
- Come on down, please. - I've been in food my whole life,
so I'm confident that today I'll be taking home a MasterChef apron.
- Hello. - Hi.
Welcome. Both of you have got 30 minutes
to absolutely nail your signature dishes.
Your 30 minutes starts...
now!
Let's go.
Good knife skills. Look at that.
- He's spent some time in the kitchen. - Aarón: Mm-hmm.
Samantha, give us an insight to what you're making.
The dish I'm preparing tonight is a chicken piccata
with roasted asparagus and a potato puree.
I make it a lot for my sorority sisters.
But leaving here tonight with an apron, what would that mean?
That would mean everything to me.
I dropped all of my classes.
Pretty much gave up everything to be here.
Gordon: Wow! Incredible.
Good luck.
10 minutes gone, 20 minutes to go.
So, Mark, give us an insight to the dish.
I'm making a lamb chop with sautéed asparagus,
a potato stack and a cauliflower puree.
So, Mark, what do you do for a living?
I'm a dishwasher at my mother's restaurant in Rockport, Maine.
Gordon: Why not culinary school?
Well, I find that I've learned enough
in my own field, personally, independently,
- Wow! - And just as well through my own experience.
I'm one of the more talented people in this room.
Even at 19 years old, you feel you're above the class.
- Absolutely. - Self-confident.
A lot of similarities between Mark's story and mine.
I also grew up washing dishes and peeling potatoes,
and I can tell, by the way he moves
and the confidence in the way he touches a pan or food,
that that kid has spent time in a restaurant.
Aarón: One of the things that excites me about Samantha
is she's gotten her pans nice and hot,
and she's allowing the pan to do the work for her.
Creating a beautiful crust.
This is always very risky. She's adding wine.
Let's see if she knows to burn the alcohol out of the wine.
- Lamb's out. - Oh!
Lamb is out.
Two and a half minutes remaining.
I don't think that lamb's gonna rest in time.
60 seconds remaining.
- This is it. - Come on, finish strong.
Put it on the plate.
Aarón: Come on, Mark. It has to be immaculate
and gorgeous, those plates.
25 seconds to go. Come on, let's go.
He has nothing plated.
What is he doing?
Come on, Mark. Let's go.
It has to be immaculate and gorgeous, those plates.
25 seconds to go. Come on, let's go.
He has nothing plated.
What is he doing?
Gordon: Ten, nine...
Chefs: Eight, seven, six,
five, four, three, two, one.
- Gordon: And stop. Well done. - Joe: Hands in the air.
- Good job. - Whoo!
- Well done. - Thank you.
Very carefully, please bring your dishes down to the front.
So, Samantha, describe the dish, please.
So today I have for you a chicken piccata
with potato puree and oven-roasted asparagus.
Just from the outside, you got a beautiful color on it.
Do you like the citrus level that you have in that sauce?
- Did you put enough lemon juice? - I-- I believe I did.
I got citrus from the wine
and then I got citrus from the lemon juice.
The chicken's moist.
That skin is rendered down beautifully.
Love how it's seasoned.
I think you did a great job creating texture.
On the outside there's a beautiful crust.
You're suffering from one major thing.
You didn't cook out the wine enough.
Skin is incredible.
A little bit of naiveté on the asparagus peeling them,
when they should be just roasted whole.
Puree needs a touch more lift,
but you cooked the chicken beautifully.
I can't believe that it's so flavorsome.
Thank you.
You know, I would ask you,
"Did I order a chicken piccata or a glass of Chardonnay?"
- Good chicken, though. - Thank you.
Mark, describe the dish, please.
I have a pan-roasted lamb chop with a crispy potato stack,
a cauliflower puree and sautéed asparagus.
So, visually, what do you think?
- I like how it looks. - Right.
You're full of ( bleep ).
You know and I know that that's undercooked.
However, I look at this bit of lamb and it's cooked.
But that one there, you know that's raw.
So, man up a little bit. Got me?
Absolutely.
The cauliflower doesn't taste of cauliflower.
It tastes of butter, it's so rich.
But asparagus is delicious, potatoes okay. Fine, fried.
However, that lamb is not cooked properly,
but seasoning is on point so there's something there to hold on to.
You know, got a lot of swagger behind the bench.
You cook like a kid who's been in a restaurant,
but all the swagger and technique
has to translate into a dish,
and you definitely made some errors.
I think that your decision in butchery was really kind of what got you wrong.
I mean, this looks too rough, you know?
You know, bring a little bit of more true technique.
You know where you learn that technique?
Exactly the place you said you didn't need to go.
Culinary school.
The seasoning is right there.
The cook doesn't really upset me that much.
I just think the lack of imagination
with some of the other elements
is what's a little disappointing.
Each of us only started out with eight aprons to give out.
Joe and I have already handed out two aprons each.
Aarón has handed one apron.
Joe, do you have an apron to give out?
It's a huge investment for me.
- But I think I'm a no. - Gordon: No.
Aarón.
Nope.
I saw a lot of bright spots, for sure.
I'm just concerned about the lack of experience.
Gordon: I disagree,
because what I see is someone down there
with tremendous potential.
That apron...
goes to...
( whispering ) Please.
What I see is someone down there with tremendous potential.
That apron...
goes to...
( whispering ) Please.
( Cheering and applause )
( screaming )
Mark, come back next year.
- Okay. - Head up high.
Thank you.
Mark. Hold on a second.
You know, I'm an entrepreneur.
I'm a business man, I'm a restaurateur.
I invest my money in people, in restaurants to get a return,
and I thought you were investable
for a minute.
And then it all kind of fell apart.
And I thought maybe, with my mentorship,
I could bring him to even win this whole competition.
You got the skills.
You remind me of myself.
But every investment is a deal.
If I invest in you with an apron...
you would have to take direction and listen to me
as you compete to win.
And if you broke that deal,
the consequences would be severe.
You should really think deep now,
because maybe you should do what Gordon said.
Leave, hone your skills, come back another year.
Mark, only take this apron from me
if you are ready to do what it takes.
It's your decision.
( Cheering and applause )
Marky!
( Screaming )
Whoo!
Joe must've seen something in me.
He struck me a deal and I took it
and I couldn't be more honored and grateful for that man
and what he saw in me to give me the apron.
Good job!
I owe it to myself, and more than ever to him,
to make it to the finale now.
Your Marky got an apron!
The kid, I'm dealing with raw talent here.
I'm gonna put myself on the line
and bring him to win this competition.
- You watch. - Hold on a minute.
Now you're saying he's gonna win it?
- He's gonna win it. - Now you're dreaming.
Maybe he got sick from eating that raw lamb.
Narrator: Next time...
Game on, boys.
...17 white aprons remain
as the judges' battle to find
America's next MasterChef continues.
I'm certain that they're gonna pick me and not you.
And the competition heats up...
- Oh, whoops! - He's all yours, man.
...with some of the most talented home cooks...
- ( whispering ) That's good. - ...The MasterChef kitchen has ever seen.
Three aprons, but let me tell you,
I can get you to the MasterChef finale.