Gordon: Previously on "MasterChef,"
we searched America
for the most talented home cooks.
Welcome to the tenth anniversary season of "MasterChef!"
This year, three previous winners
are sticking around to help you.
It's season ten, and the most competitive year ever.
You need to convince all three of us
in order to move forward.
We only have 20 aprons to give out.
The best of the best earned a coveted white apron,
and one home cook was given a second chance to cook again.
I'm gonna be giving you this.
- Oh! - This is a battle pass.
I'm playing my card on you.
Tonight,
the search for America's next MasterChef continues...
Gordon: Absolutely stunning.
I can only hope it tastes as good as it looks.
with just eight aprons up for grabs...
It's a definite no.
...and two battle passes remaining.
I'm going to give my battle pass to you.
Then the three home cooks with a second chance battle it out...
This is any man's game at this point.
...for the final apron
and a spot in the top 20.
- Yeah! - I can't actually watch this.
It's perfect.
Please watch over us as I do this.
Please don't let me get my fingers cut or anything else. Amen.
All right, let's roll.
I already got my jacket off,
so I'm ready to put that apron on.
Jennifer: I'm excited to see what this group has for us.
Yeah, these guys have some-- some good techniques down.
The "MasterChef" season ten auditions continue
as the home cooks rush to finish their signature dishes.
Guys, come on, how great is it to be back?
Season ten, congratulations.
I wanna see an individual that's willing to learn,
that's able to impart their will, their personality,
and their background onto their dishes
- on a daily basis. - Absolutely.
This never ever gets old.
I'm Noah Simms, I'm 32 years old,
and I'm Epworth, Georgia.
I'm a big, loud, 6'7" carnivore.
I work in the septic business,
but I have an extreme passion for food.
- Wow! - Look at that thing.
- Be easy with those fingers! - Thank you, Mom.
I'm doing a southern breakfast burger.
Where's the noise, people?
The whole cooking dream was started by watching my grandma.
She was my hero. She passed away,
but this burger was one of her favorite things in the world to eat.
And every time I cook it, gets me kind of emotional
because it's just the connection that I have with her.
Being here is a dream come true, man.
I'm gonna give Gordon Ramsay a hamburger.
I am still in complete shock at this moment.
Countdown's coming up.
- Ready? Let's go. - All: Five, four, three, two, one.
Yeah! Let's go!
Let's go!
To be able to receive an apron would be beyond an honor.
It could change my life forever.
Hey, gentlemen. How are y'all doing tonight?
Good evening.
What a surreal experience this is.
Unbelievable.
Young man, first name, where are you from?
I'm Noah Simms from Epworth, Georgia,
north of Atlanta by about a hundred miles.
- Excellent. How tall are you? - 6'7", Chef.
- Wow, still growing by the looks of things. - Yes, sir.
What do you do for a living?
I'm a septic services technician.
So you stink of waste all day long?
No, if you're really good at it, Chef, you don't ever actually get it on you.
- I'm a professional. Yes, sir. - Amazing.
Season ten, the most competitive season ever.
- Yes, sir. Yes, Chef. - What's the dish?
Uh, okay, so what we have is an homage
to my grandparents,
going over to my grandparents' house as a young kid,
grinding meat on the spot.
I tried it with my grandma for the first time--
- Noah, Noah. - Yes, sir?
Just describe the bloody dish.
- Yes, okay. - Otherwise, we'll get a blanket
- and some hot chocolate in a minute. - Noah: Okay.
All right, so what we have here
is we have a double bacon cheeseburger
with a fried egg, arugula salad,
with a homemade hash brown cake that's crispy on both sides.
Then we have a hot smashed potato salad.
If you're gonna put a burger in front of us three
to get your hands on an apron, I swear to God,
it had better be a unique burger.
Let's taste it.
Holy ( bleep ), dude.
Yeah?
Killer? I like that face.
This is incredible.
- Thank you, Chef. - This thing here is dry.
I think you were trying to be a little too ambitious.
- This is an afterthought. - What's up with this lemon pepper bacon?
I won a competition with that bacon.
That is some seriously good bacon.
- Thank you, Chef. - Joe, yes or no?
- 100% yes. Another bite. - Thank you, thank you. Thank you so much.
Aarón, is this dish worth an apron?
That is not.
But this is definitely worth an apron.
- Thank you, Chef. - So that's a yes from me.
Thank you, Chef.
I just hope that we make these in 3X,
because I'm not too sure if this one's gonna fit.
- Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. - Well done. Good job.
Man, you got a grip. I thought you were gonna have a grip.
My Lord, everybody's got a grip.
- Okay, you're a big guy, too. - Get that bib on.
- See if it fits. - Thank you so much.
Yeah. Oh, it's--
Looks like you just stole it from "MasterChef Junior."
- Congratulations. - Thank you so much.
- You're not gonna regret this. - Come on. Oh, my Lord.
- I hope he washed his hands. - He washed his hands.
Yeah!
Being able to be on "MasterChef,"
it's the best blessing I could ever ask for.
It's extremely emotional,
because I felt like I really represented my grandma.
So, this is the most amazing experience of my life.
- Gordon: What a burger. - Aarón: I agree.
This is maybe the first time a burger won an apron.
In ten years have we ever had a burger?
Nope. That was very good.
She's cooking. Say, "Let's go, Mommy! Let's go, Mommy!"
- Say, "Let's go, Mommy!" - Aww, honey.
My name is Shari, I'm 34 years old,
from Rochester, Minnesota, and I'm a stay-at-home mom.
I feel like I'm at home cooking.
My kids are here crying. That's totally normal.
Shari, this is smelling just like how it is back home.
- Beautiful. - I got into cooking Indian food
because, obviously, I'm married to an Indian man.
Before we met I didn't cook Indian food.
I'd barely even eaten Indian food.
And his mom was very worried that he would eat nothing
but salads for the rest of his life.
So to appease her, I've learned to cook Indian food.
Your food is amazing!
- Shari: Yeah? - You're totally gonna win "MasterChef!"
I've learned spices, I've learned flavor,
and now cooking is really my passion.
I've been married for ten years, but I still struggle
to win my mother-in-law's approval when it comes to my cooking.
All right, Shari, you've got just a minute left.
Last touch. Last touch.
So today I'm gonna to prove to his mom
that I can cook Indian food, and it's gonna get me an apron.
- Absolutely. - This is your first impression
with Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, and Aarón Sánchez.
Bring it home.
You got this.
Five, four, three, two, one.
- Hands up.
You got this done. Beautiful plate.
All the best, all the best.
I've always worried more
about what other people thought of me,
and I let that get in the way of following my dream.
Oh, my God.
But this is my chance to prove to myself
that I am good enough.
Give us your name, where you're from,
and describe the dish, please.
My name is Shari, I'm from Minnesota.
My husband's from India and I'm a small-town girl
that taught myself Indian cooking,
and that is no small feat.
This is a coconut and coriander curry
with a red snapper.
- Shall we have a look? - Yeah.
Visually, that is a very pretty-looking Indian curry.
The fish is moist, cooked properly.
It's a dish that certainly I would want to eat.
- So, for me it's a yes. - Aarón?
I just love the way that you were able to temper all the spices
and have everything sing in a very harmonious way.
You nailed it, and for me, yes to an apron.
What you've captured is the authenticity.
- Thank you. - Sauce is delicious.
It's apparent that you know your stuff, let's get that clear.
That's a big yes to an apron. Congratulations.
Well done.
I knew you were gonna get it.
I wasn't expecting to cry.
Gordon: The pressure is on for our home cooks,
with just six white aprons remaining.
- Man: David, you can do it! - Woman: Wow!
So fast. Okay, come on!
- Come on, peel those potatoes. - Now we're getting to it.
I dressed up for the occasion.
Hey, David, how are you doing?
I think I'm doing okay.
The eggplants take about seven minutes to fry,
and then after that I just stir-fry them
with the stir-fry gravy that I'm making.
- You seem really calm and composed. - Oh, no.
- You have no idea, Christine. - Oh, really?
I'm sweating, I'm shaking like a leaf.
Well, you're not showing it.
But I sure sound good, don't I?
- We'll let you get back to your cooking. - Awesome. Sounds good.
Thank you so much, Jennifer.
Today we're doing a venison loin
and we're gonna go ahead and do a potato puree with that.
It's from my heart,
it's what my grandmother started with,
and at eight years old
I was in her basement peeling potatoes.
And so I'm cooking her potatoes today.
- How much time do we have? - 15 minutes.
- Go, David, go! - You got it, babe. You got it.
This is the most important dish I've ever cooked.
Always need your hot sauce.
It's healthy, it's different,
it's spicy, it's sweet.
Just like me.
All: Five, four, three, two, one.
Get in there! Give that man a hug.
Wow! You made it!
My entire life, I've always pored over technical excellence,
and I've kind of defined success in that way.
But in cooking, I've found so much passion.
So, I'm here today to chase my dream,
and just chase it as far as I can go
in one crazy shot.
Welcome. Describe the dish, please.
This is a dish called
which roughly translates to "eggplant special."
I think the texture is a little off with that batter.
I find it a little gummy,
but I do love the flavors that you were able to achieve.
We have a pan-seared venison with a potato puree
and a bacon candied Maitake mushroom.
Gordon: Love what you did with the sauce,
but the venison is slightly overcooked.
The potatoes, a touch more seasoning.
I think if you were coached properly, we could get there.
It's just it's season ten
and the most competitive year ever.
It's okay.
We are so proud of you.
- Yay for Dad. - I tried.
It reeks of ambition and lacks technique.
- What a shame. - Yeah, exactly.
He went way out of his league.
Charli! Go, girl, go!
Hello, welcome.
- Hi. - Please, tell us something about yourself
- and what dish your brought us. - I'm Charli,
I'm 21 years old, and I'm a bartender.
I brought you curried shrimp
with pickled watermelon, wilted watercress,
fresh avocado, and chili lime sauce.
- So a protein and a bunch of vegetables. - Yes.
- I'm a health nut. - Oh, you think we need to be healthier? Is that--
- Of course, everyone does. - Why now at such a young age,
in such a fierce competition?
I am young, but I'm ready.
I could face anybody out there and I can put up a battle.
All right, let's taste.
Wow.
The dish is spicy, acidic.
The shrimp are cooked well.
It's a bit whimsical, just like you.
Good job.
Miss Charli.
Some of those seasoning choices are very aggressive.
They overshadow the avocado and the watermelon.
Could you make this dish without watermelon?
- Yeah-- - Why would you make this dish without watermelon
is the better question to ask him back.
- Yeah, why?
- Did-- did I encroach on your time? - Joe: I'm just--
She's feisty, like me. I'm trying to help her out.
This dish has so much potential.
Does it warrant an apron?
- We'll see. - Thank you.
Shrimp is cooked beautifully.
- Thank you. - But here's the issue.
That is just drowned and soggy.
It's a tough one.
Gordon, is it good enough for an apron?
Yes.
Next year. I don't think you're ready this year.
It pains me, because I have to agree with Gordon.
It's a no.
I think you're both wrong.
- What? - She's got a lot of potential,
and here's how wrong I think you are.
I'm going to give my battle pass to you.
Charli, you get a second chance.
There will be one last apron on the line,
and my bet is you're the one to win it.
Thank you.
Oh, my God. Oh, my--
I get to battle for one more chance.
Oh!
I'm gonna battle it out and I'm gonna get an apron.
- You have one judge's pass and you used it on that? - Yep.
She's gonna be in the competition. Mark my words.
It's season ten. So far, the standard has been incredible.
- There's a lot of talent out there. - Yeah.
I can't wait to taste some more dishes.
- Let's go, baby! - Hand spin it, son.
I have 20 minutes left.
- That's probably good. - I'm an eighth grade teacher.
Repping the Bronx, Brooklyn, New York,
- all of that! - Let's go, baby.
Okay.
I quit my job, sold my house, to be here right now
because this is my passion, this is what I love to do,
and I'm so happy to be here.
Home stretch, boyo.
You done this a thousand times.
I'm a sales coordinator,
but the dream is to earn money doing what I love, which is cooking.
I've had a lot of jobs in the past
that were on the periphery of food.
I was a concierge at The Ritz for six years in Boston.
I sold beer and spirits to some of the best restaurants in the world.
So I'm super confident I am gonna throw down
one of the best dishes I've ever made
and impress the judges today
because I got the chops to be the next MasterChef.
Let's go!
I'm doing this for my mom, my family,
and most importantly, my students at Lyons Community.
I like that slice.
My mission here on "MasterChef" is to show people that you can dream hard,
you can dream big,
and even though people tell you you can't, you still can.
I'm definitely gonna make my students proud today.
The dish is a teriyaki salmon
with fried rice.
The jeopardy on a baked salmon is when we cut it open,
it can't be overcooked.
Gordon: Fish is cooked perfectly.
Aarón: It's juicy, it's moist.
This is how you come out the gate.
We got play action, we play action!
- Oh! Let's go! - Let's go, baby!
Gordon: Welcome.
I have brought you a seared prime New York strip steak
sitting on a bed of creamy polenta
with sautéed mushrooms.
Absolutely delicious.
Season ten, highly competitive.
It's all about ambition, and I think you're ambitious.
I can taste it.
- He got it.
He got that apron! What's up?
You got that apron!
Yes, boy! Yes, boy.
All: Five, four, three, two, one.
Mollie: Being able to spend my time dedicated to cooking
and actually following this dream
would be something that would really change my life
in a way that I can't even explain.
- Hi. - Aarón: How are you, young lady?
What is your name and what's the dish?
My name is Mollie, and I have a grilled skirt steak
with a Thai chimichurri and a ginger soy broccolini
and some braised shallots.
- So, being a chef, is that the dream? - It really is.
I kinda have done everything by the books my whole life,
what people have wanted for me to do.
And I finally realized that I was doing
all of these things for other people.
Well, gentlemen,
I'm gonna go in there and have a little taste.
- All right. - All right, see where we are.
It's a very difficult proposition
to be able to balance Asian and Latino flavors,
and I think you were really able to do that
by way of the chimichurri and those herbs,
not dominating one another,
and there is a lot of bright moments on this dish.
Thank you.
Love what you did with the sauce,
but could've done with a bit more color on the steak.
It just looks a little bit gray and all one tone.
- Why this dish? - It's bringing techniques
and flavors that I grew up with and I learned,
but also bringing things that are new.
- I wanna try new things. - I get that.
I like to experience new flavors.
I hear the enthusiasm, but I'm not tasting it.
I like what I taste.
It's well-seasoned, it's balanced.
Good enough for an apron?
I don't know.
Gentlemen, the idea of making a spot-on chimichurri
and bringing some of that Asian flavor
and balancing the umami of the soy,
understanding how to char those vegetables,
and then the marinade on the steak,
that for me is enough to warrant a big yes
- when it comes to the apron. - Thank you.
The dish leaves a bit to be desired. For me it's a no.
For me, I just don't know if you've got the experience
to last into the next round of this competition.
And so, I'm gonna say no.
Joe: Thank you very much, Mollie.
Mollie, hold on.
With all due respect, you're wrong,
and this is my opportunity to give you my one battle pass...
Really?
...so you can prove Chef Gordon wrong
and Mr. Joe Bastianich wrong.
- I'm ready to fight for it. - Do not let me down.
- Thank you so much. - All right?
Thank you.
- I'm gonna prove both of y'all wrong. - All right.
- Good luck. - Thank you.
- Guys, there's tons there. - Really?
- Tons there. - I don't see it.
- I'm still fighting! - Yes!
Aarón saw the fight that I had, and he believed in me.
I'm ready to show everybody that I am meant to be here.
I'm so glad, baby. Oh, my God.
- Tunnel vision. It's just you and this cake. - Yep.
This is it. Gents, there's only two aprons remaining.
- We have to be so careful now. - Yeah, absolutely.
- Let's go, Fred! Let's go!
Trying my best, trying my best.
My name is Fred.
I'm from Redondo Beach, California, I'm 24 years old,
- and I'm a revenue analyst. - That's it, Fred.
In the kitchen, I'm allowed to express myself
beyond the fact that I'm just this quiet, shy, awkward kid.
Honestly, I didn't even want to audition this season,
but my mother actually gave me the courage to do it.
She told me, "Just put yourself out there, you have nothing to lose."
And lo and behold, I'm here right now.
So, thank you, Mom. I'm gonna get this apron
because I will present the best dessert I can possibly make.
This is nine years of me baking on a plate.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I am doing a malted miso and chocolate cake.
- I'm calling it-- - That does not look like a chocolate cake.
I'll be sure to go and make it pretty for you, Chef.
How are you gonna make that into a cake?
I'm gonna go and dice it up into little cubes
- once it's cooled down-- - So it's deconstructed.
- I don't use that word, Chef. It's not deconstructed. - Okay.
- It's a plated chocolate cake. - A plated chocolate cake.
If you're gonna do a modern take on a chocolate cake,
- you need to make sure it's the best. - Absolutely, Chef.
- Yes? - I will do you proud.
Plate with some finesse.
- Absolutely, Chef. - And give it some love.
- Good luck. - Thank you.
Right now, all that's left is my sauce.
Hello, hello, hello.
- Are you nervous? - A little bit.
- You know, serving a dessert to the judges... - Yeah.
...I'm just actually more excited.
I actually started watching "MasterChef" with your season.
- Oh! - And you're actually my favorite winner.
So this is kind of like a double whammy for me.
I actually can't believe that this is happening.
- Maybe a good luck charm, right, Christine? - Awesome. Yeah.
Thank you so much. I hope to do you both proud.
- You got this. Looks good. - Thank you.
- You got two minutes and 20 seconds. - Whoo!
I would say I'm definitely nervous,
because my dessert tonight
has a ton of components going into it
and my presentation takes a lot more time.
You look good, Fred. Keep going.
Let me just do a final taste.
I want it to be like salted caramel.
I like to make my plates look more composed
as opposed to just a mini layer cake.
All: Five, four, three, two, one.
I'm doing the math. There's not that many aprons left.
So, I'm definitely sweating a little bit right now.
- Let's go, Fred! - Go, Fred!
I've been watching "MasterChef" since I was 15,
and that's literally the reason why I started cooking.
I just can't believe that I'm here and I'm doing this.
Like, this my chance to start my dream,
and I really want it to be true.
- Hello, hello, hello. - Hello.
- How are you, young man? - I'm good. My name is Fred.
And for you, I have today a black vinegar
and Ovaltine infused chocolate cake
with malted mascarpone cream,
caramelized white chocolate, and burnt miso ganache,
Togarashi walnut crumble, chocolate twigs,
and edible flowers.
And I plated it so that way
the cake looks like little cubes,
which represent seeds of my dreams.
- That's all? - That's all.
And why "MasterChef"?
I grew up as a very sort of introverted person.
I had a lot of people telling me that I wasn't good enough.
It made me very, very shy, and often forgotten.
Well, Fred, first of all, let's not even pay any mind
to those knuckleheads that doubted you.
- All that's important is your belief in yourself. - Yes.
- Is this your moment? - This is a dish
that tells my story to you guys.
Wonderful. Well, guys, let's taste some of these seeds
of, uh, of goodness over here.
- I'm in the mood for dessert. - Yeah.
Visually, absolutely stunning.
- Thank you. - Beautiful, but we know it's all about the flavor.
I can only hope it tastes as good as it looks.
- Gordon: Shall we? - Aarón: Yes.
Mmm.
- So light. - Thank you.
That's the black vinegar. It tenderizes the crumb.
- This is, like, serious. - It's delicious.
Thank you.
This is all the superlatives you give dessert--
- Ooey, gooey, decadent, rich. - No, but it's also so smart
because it's all those things, but it's not.
- Aarón: Yeah. - Because it's not oversweet.
It's not heavy. It's not buttery.
And I love the fact
that your presentation's whimsical.
It's like you, you know. You're putting flair into it
and you're allowing this dish to represent your journey.
- Thank you so much, Chef Aarón. - Mm-hmm.
You know how hard it is to make desserts like this even in restaurants?
We really struggle with desserts that are flavorful and light
so people can really enjoy them even after eating.
I can't stop eating this, personally.
- Gentlemen, insane. - It's gone.
You know, and one of the quandaries
that we find ourselves in more times than not, Fred,
is that we struggle with making decisions.
And I think that says it all right there.
- Joe: I guess Gordon likes it. - There's no debate.
- Oh! Oh! - That's a yes. Take that.
- Gordon: Get out of here. - Wonderful job, Fred.
- Holy mackerel. - Fred: Thank you, thank you.
Man!
Aww.
One of the best desserts I've ever tasted
- in this competition. - Yeah.
And it's such an astute dish.
- It's thought-provoking. - Man, look at that!
- Gordon: Come on!
Drop the ( bleep ) plate, man!
This is just the start to my whole life ahead of me,
and I just can't believe that it's happening.
Wow, what a night. We've given out 19 aprons.
Yet again, the bar has been raised.
Just one apron remains.
It all comes down to the battle.
Season ten, the level couldn't be higher.
The dishes have been amazing.
This is the best auditions
we've ever seen in the history
over a decade of this competition.
Three battle passes, one apron left.
May the best home cook win. It's gonna be big.
Guys, it's gonna be incredible.
Gordon: Coming up...
Congratulations to you talented 19.
You made the cut.
it's a battle of redemption...
Everybody loves a second chance.
as three home cooks face off...
Micah: This is any man's game at this point.
Mollie: It is make it or break it time.
Get off.
She might cut herself out of this competition.
- Let's go! - ...for the final spot in the top 20.
This was your last chance.
Gordon: With the auditions now over,
19 aprons have been handed out,
and only one last coveted apron remains.
Congratulations to you talented 19.
- You made the cut.
- Good job, good job. - Good job.
- Great job. - But you know there is still
one more apron up for grabs.
It's time to start the battle round.
First up, the person that I gave my battle pass to,
- Micah.
I literally left everything behind to be here.
- Let's go, Micah! - You got this, Micah!
I don't have the support of my family,
but I know this is what I'm supposed to be doing.
Next up, I gave my battle pass to Charli.
I am only 21 years old, but I do have
what it takes to go up against any other cook here.
I know my skillset is strong,
and I just hope I can show the judges.
And, finally, I chose Mollie.
- You got this, girl! - I quit my job.
I have changed everything to be here,
and I'm ready to start a new chapter in my life.
We asked you three to make us one other dish
that is worthy of this final white apron.
You've got a big second chance
to get yourself into the top 20
of the biggest culinary competition
anywhere on the planet.
You three ready to cook the best dish of your life?
- Charli: Yes, Chef. Yeah. - Always.
Good. Your 45 minutes start...
- now. - Go, guys! Come on!
Come on, guys! You got this! Stay focused!
You got this, Chuck. You got this, Chuck.
- You got this! - Go through the process. Stay focused.
- You can do it. - Let's go, guys.
Charli: There's a lot of pressure.
It's just the three of us against each other.
Only one of us is gonna get the apron.
And that was our first time cooking in front of the judges.
Pace yourselves. Keep it up, guys.
- Come on, Micah. - Here's the thing, guys,
we want to see a vast improvement from that first time around.
And I hope that the nerves doesn't get the best of them.
It's really important to stay composed and stick to the plan.
This is so amazing right now to be here.
It's just, like, I can't believe that Aarón gave me another chance.
- All right, so, Mollie. - Yes.
Give me some insight on your dish.
Okay, so a boneless pork loin with a cilantro sauce,
and then I'm doing carrots three ways.
Are you gonna grill it? What are you gonna do?
I'm gonna pan-sear it and finish it in the oven.
Finish it in the oven, but pull it out
and let that pork rest. Okay, young lady? Good luck.
All right, thank you so much.
- Let's go, Mollie! - Let's go, Mollie!
Dorian: Crisp that skin, baby doll. Get it, Micah.
Micah: Cooking for an apron is a dream come true,
especially having a second chance like this.
Last time I made churros, but it showed a lack of skill.
It's a bloody churro,
but I believe in you.
To feel his endorsement was really something special.
Give us an insight into the dish.
I am making chili lime sea bass
with cilantro quinoa and stir-fried eggplant and shiitake.
Just be careful when it comes together.
- Especially the eggplant. - Yes, Chef.
I'm counting on you, okay? Good luck.
- Thank you, Chef. - Nice, Charli.
- Good technique. - Thank you!
Okay, Charli, you're blowing us all away with the knife skills.
- Tell me about the dish. - I am making beer battered fish tacos.
- Tell me about the beer batter. - I have beer,
vodka, rice flour, and a--
Beer and vodka? That's a bit risky.
As long as the vodka doesn't overpower the fish--
I took a big chance on you,
so you better bring it home, kid.
Charli: I know it sounds weird,
but I want to show my versatility.
She's gonna do some beer batter with vodka?
- Vodka? - Vodka.
I need to get this fish frying.
It's very hard to get rid of that vodka's strength in that batter.
The beer goes well with the fish, but the vodka?
Well, I tell you one thing,
if it tastes like a martini straight up,
she won't get the white apron.
- Micah, how is the fish doing? - I'm about to see.
- Looking good. - Awesome.
- Nice, Micah. - Walk it, man. Walk it, walk it.
- Great job, Micah. - Gordon: All right, Micah.
- How are we doing? - I'm feeling prepared.
- I really think that I can nail this. - Good.
You've got the butter frothing beautifully.
Skin side down, make sure you baste that fish.
And also, you've still got plenty of time.
- Yes, Chef. - Hey, young man.
Don't plate this dish too early.
There's elements there that need finesse.
Focus, stay clean.
Let's go, guys. Let's go, guys.
- Eight minutes remaining. - There you go!
- There we go! - Yeah! Yeah!
- Awesome, Chuck. - Finish strong, guys!
Check those tortillas, Chuck!
There you go.
Gordon: Plenty of time, guys, okay?
Micah, don't plate too early.
Micah: One of the biggest key components is the plating.
I need to make sure that it's perfect.
Noah: Pork chop looks great, Mollie. That's awesome.
Mollie: The one thing could make or break this for me
is if my pork isn't completely there.
I'm trying to get at least a 125 or 130.
Okay, so I'm not there yet.
All right, yeah, I'm gonna stick that back in.
I'm a little worried about my pork.
It is make it or break it time,
and I don't want to go home.
Okay, Charli, is that the only two tortillas you have?
- Yes. - One's small, one's big.
- Can you at least get them consistent? - I'll make a new one.
Make them nice and big and do two more.
Good luck, Charli.
Three minutes remaining.
Focus, Charli!
Gordon: Now's the time, guys, to start plating.
This is do or die for her. She's gotta nail these last two tortillas.
Dorian: Come on, Chuck. You got it, girl.
Come on, you got it. That's okay.
Come on, get it right. You got an apron on the line.
I got it stuck to the fricking thing.
- She's having all kinds of issues right now.
Get off.
She might be in jeopardy of not being able
- to produce a plate. - Wow.
Two minutes to go. Come on, guys.
You in the game, Charli. You in the game.
- Come on, Micah. - Aarón: One of the things
that concerns me about Micah's dish is that
all of that eggplant is kind of cut very clumsily.
They're big pieces.
And when eggplant is cut too big, it can be dry.
60 seconds remaining, guys. Come on.
- Last minute! - Let's go, guys! Come on.
- Yes, sir. - It looks beautiful, Micah.
- Come on, Charli! - Come on, Mollie!
Mollie: I am so worried about this pork loin.
Hopefully, it came out right.
Finish strong!
Charli: The tortillas weren't working.
- My mind is scrambling. - Joe: 15 seconds.
- Come on! - My nerves.
I can't actually watch this.
Make sure that plate is perfect.
- All: Five, four, three... - Finish strong!
- two... - Don't forget your pickles!
- ...one! - Gordon: Well done.
- Beautiful job! - Way to go!
- Great job, guys! - Way to go!
- Whoo! - Great job.
Mollie: I am so happy with my dish.
I think it shows a variety of techniques.
I'm a little worried about my pork cook time.
I had to put it back in.
Fingers crossed that it came out right.
Charli: I'm very nervous because the tortillas
didn't come out exactly how I wanted them to.
I just hope it's good enough to win over the judges.
I'm really not a fan of my stir-fry.
It looks really messy and unsophisticated.
I'm just praying that the fish saves me.
Right, now the moment of truth,
and for Joe, Aarón, and myself to taste all of your dishes
and decide who gets the final apron.
Charli, you're first up.
I made beer battered fish tacos and Asian slaw.
You know, visually, it's hard to overlook the fact
that it's misproportioned as far as the size of the fish
and then the tortilla.
I'm gonna disagree with Aarón.
For me, it looks like a beautiful piece of fish.
Just the visual impact, it looks good.
So, there was some talk of vodka in the batter. Did it make it in or not?
The vodka made it in the batter.
Are you happy with the dish?
I'm very happy with the dish. I tasted the fish.
- It's crunchy and tender. - Here we go.
I'm desperate to see what impact the vodka had on the batter.
I'm not into the vodka at all.
Batter should be crisp.
But the slaw is delicious.
- I'm gonna commend you for that. - Thank you.
You created a legitimate, mature, evolved plate,
and I'm very, very glad that I invested my one and only battle card in you.
Thank you.
- Way to hang in there. - Charli, well done.
The next dish we'd like to taste is from you, Mollie.
- Please bring it up.
I did a boneless pork loin with a cilantro lime sauce,
and then I did carrots three ways.
I think the last dish you presented,
it was a little bit flat. This one's gone up a level.
- That's a good thing for me. - Thank you.
When I cut this open, Mollie, what are you hoping to see
that interior of this chop look like?
A nice glistening, little bit of pink,
not over-dried, not tough or anything.
We shall see, young lady.
See how raw that is? That's just undercooked.
Here's the thing, Mollie, you cook with confidence. Let's get that clear.
It's a shame, because the visual impact of the dish,
it's got that wow factor with those rainbow carrots.
The big mistake you made tonight is it's undercooked in the middle.
But I do appreciate the consistency
and the smooth nature of that puree.
Thank you.
Right, final dish for scrutiny.
Micah.
Ginger lime sea bass
with quinoa and stir-fried eggplant
with shiitake mushrooms.
It looks good.
Skin looks crispy, fish was basted beautifully.
For me, the rest of the dish is just a little bit amateurish.
Ooh, man.
Yeah. That's a good one.
I'm just wondering, do you have a point of reference?
Have you eaten in a starred restaurant and had a piece of fish like this before?
No, sir, I've never eaten in a starred restaurant.
It's perfect.
Thank you, Chef.
Yeah, let's get one thing clear, you've nailed the fish.
It's cooked beautifully.
The sad news is that the cabbage and the eggplant is greasy.
It's all sort of inter-cloying, heavy, soggy mess.
And some of those eggplants are undercooked.
Yeah, I wish the whole thing were at the level of the fish itself.
Thank you, Micah.
Uh, please give us a moment to discuss.
Micah: I want this so desperately.
I have put so much on the line for this.
This is tough.
The best fried fish and the best pan-roasted fish
that we've seen in a long time.
Charli: I want this apron more
than I've honestly wanted anything.
But the final dish wasn't perfect.
Yeah, but I think she shows a lot of promise.
Mollie: I'm disappointed and I feel like I let myself down.
- So we have our decision. - We have our decision.
Right, let's cut straight to the chase.
The moment of truth. It's been a tough enough evening.
All three of you should be incredibly proud. Well done.
That said, we only have one apron
to give out tonight.
The person earning that final apron
for "MasterChef" season ten...
is...
- ...Micah. Well done. - ( cheers and applause)
Mollie, Charli, what can I say?
Well done, and promise me you'll both keep cooking.
- Always. - Well done, both of you.
Mollie: Thank you.
Right, young man, first of all, great job. What a difference.
I've never been given a second chance in life.
And to have somebody like you stand up for me and believe in me,
it means more than you'll ever know.
Take tonight's experience
and absolutely continue climbing that ladder.
Congratulations. Well done.
Get this on. Hey.
Well done. Good job.
Get that on and head upstairs.
I have dreamt about getting an apron and standing up
on that balcony since the time I was nine years old.
Yeah!
Here we have it.
The top 20!
Wow. For all of you standing up there, trust me,
the most incredible journey of your lives
starts right now.
- Gordon: Next time... - Your story in this kitchen
starts now.
I'm gonna be your drill sergeant.
- Oh, ( bleep ). - Watch closely.
the top 20 face their first test...
Gordon Ramsay is like a ninja.
and fight to keep their aprons...
- You shouldn't even be here if you don't have the skills.
...in the season's first mystery box challenge.
- You're making stupid mistakes and I'm losing my patience.
Gordon: If you can't master the basics,
you cannot call yourselves a MasterChef.
There's one more thing that we do need to tell you.