14x04 - Gen X Auditions

[bunniefuu]

Gordon: Previously
on "MasterChef"...

This is "MasterChef
Generations."

...so far 15 cooks
from the Millennials...

I'm only gonna
say one thing-- yes.

- ...the Boomers...
- Joe: Exceptional.

- Thank you so much.
- It's a yes.

- ...and Gen Z...
- I think you crushed it.

- Oh, my gosh.
- I'm, like, feeling your energy.

...have earned their
"MasterChef" aprons.

This means the world
to me! This is crazy.

Gordon: I didn't know they
were gonna be that good.

This is a finale worthy dish.

We haven't even started
the competition yet.

[ all cheering ]

Tonight it's the final
round of auditions

with Generation X...

- Please welcome Christine Hà.
- Oh, my God! Oh, my God!

For Gen X,
we strive under pressure. So just bring it.

We didn't really have
the internet to find recipes.

...as more home
cooks battle it out...

We're the generation that's
supposed to be seen and not heard,

but you're gonna
hear from me today.

I forgot to put flour in this.

[ bleep ]

Oh, [ bleep ].

...for the last five aprons.

I like the different
textures in here.

Shrimp are cooked beautifully.
It's got the right amount of heat.

- Thank you.
- This is a great example

of frying something
the wrong way.

[ music playing ]

We got this. We
got this. We got this.

- You got this.
- All right, let's go! Yeah! Whoo.

I am a Generation X. We may
be the forgotten generation,

but I am here to show that we are here,
and we're present, and ready to represent.

- I just need to nail it.
- I'm ready for this competition to get started.

I'm excited. I've been
waiting for this moment.

That's what I'm here for,
and we're gonna put it down today.

- Whoo! Here we go.
- [ music playing ]

- [ cheering ]
- Oh, we got fireworks.

- [ cheering continues ]
- This is it!

Yeah!

Welcome. Amazing.

Wow.

Welcome back to
"MasterChef Generations."

Now,
so far we've seen the Millennials,

the amazing Baby Boomers,
and Gen Z cook.

We've handed out 15 aprons.
Now we're down to the final five.

Trust me,
there is not a lot of room for error.

Now the generation that
will be cooking tonight

is one that we three know quite
well because we're all part of it.

Yeah!

Auditioning tonight is Gen X.

If you're Gen X,
you're in your early 40s to late 50s.

We've seen the
birth of the internet,

we've seen the fall
of the Berlin Wall,

and we watched a lot of MTV.

- Yes, we did.
- Whoo!

And 'cause there's not enough
Gen Xers already up here,

we're bringing in one
more special judge

- from our generation.
- Crowd: Ooh!

She's a renowned chef,
a James Beard Award finalist,

and most importantly, she won the
toughest cooking competition in the world.

Please welcome "MasterChef"
season three winner

Christine Hà.

[ cheering ]

Amazing!

[ cheering continues ]

- [ muted chatter ]
- Hi.

It's her. She's so
amazing! She's so amazing!

Oh, my gosh. I am so
excited that Christine is here.

I watched the season
twice when she won,

and every single time, I cried.

I am so honored and
humbled that she's here

and that she's actually
going to try my dish.

So, Christine,
I'd like to take this moment

to congratulate
you on everything.

The incredible cookbook,
the restaurants.

And no question about it,

you are a true star
of your generation.

- Thank you. Yes.
- You were born in the late '70s.

In your mind,
what is the Gen X food world all about?

Well,
I think growing up in our generation,

we either learned from our parents,
grandparents, cookbooks-- reading print.

We didn't really have the resource
of the internet to find recipes.

- Yeah.
- So I feel like it was a lot of cooking

- from the soul, I would say.
- Gordon: Love that.

Now, all of you will have 45 minutes
to cook your signature dishes tonight.

Remember,
if you want to represent Gen X

and earn one of
the final five aprons,

you need three out of the
four of us to say yes tonight.

- Oh, wow.
- Oh.

Now,
the very best of luck to you all.

Your time starts
when the clock starts.

Do Gen X proud. We'll
see you in the restaurant.

- Woohoo!
- Man, they are pumped, aren't they?

Oh, my gosh, oh,
my gosh, oh, my gosh!

Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh,
oh, my gosh, oh, my...

- Gordon: Okay, here we go.
- Christine, welcome back.

- Thanks for having me.
- So good to have you on the right side of the law here.

I still remember like it was
yesterday coming in to be judged.

You don't know who
chose the right dish.

You don't know what the judges--

- if they're gonna be mean or nice.
- Come on.

We were always nice, weren't we?

I mean,
you were the most intimidating one.

- Yeah, no.
- 100%.

Yeah,
because I'm the one who knows the most.

I think this is gonna be one of
the most exciting generations

because it's our
generation. So I want sparks.

I want flavor profile
like never before tonight.

Mm-hmm. I agree. They say that
Gen Xers are the hardest working.

- I mean, look at all of us.
- Does Gen X have America's next MasterChef?

- We're about to find out.
- Joe: Indeed.

Crowd: Three, two, one!

[ cheering ]

- Yeah!
- Let's go!

This is great. This is awesome.

This is what I live
for. We're Gen X.

We strive under pressure,
so just bring it.

I'm feeling great. Very excited.

Got a great dish
planned for tonight.

I've been cooking my whole life.

I was a latchkey kid.

Played all of the
sports growing up.

Whenever I came home,
I was always starving after practice,

so it was out of necessity.

My name is Scott,
I'm 54 years old,

I live in Southlake, Texas,
and I'm a business consultant.

I'm gonna come in here. Should
be a beautiful golden brown.

Cooking is my
passion. It's in my blood.

My great-grandfather
is Billy McKinnon.

He was restaurateur from
about 1914 until about 1930.

So he kind of built a little empire
there in Houston and Dallas.

Actually, McKinnon Street in
downtown Dallas is named after him.

- You show that meat.
- Gotta make that meat taste good.

My dream is to bring the McKinnon
family restaurant heritage back

and to open McKinnon's Family
Restaurant on McKinnon Street

in honor of my
great-grandfather.

So this really matters to me.

- Don't cry with the onion.
- I'm not gonna cry. I'm having too much fun.

[ cheering ]

- Yeah!
- Whoo!

- Right, young man.
- Hello.

- Yes, sir. How are you?
- When was the last time you were called a young man?

- Come on.
- It's been a bit with this crew.

Ladies,
welcome. This is your family?

- My beautiful wife Kim.
- Hello. Nice to meet you.

- Likewise. Welcome.
- My daughters Macy and Molly.

- Hello!
- Macy and Molly, welcome, welcome, welcome.

- And how did you guys meet?
- Scott played football at TCU.

- Gordon: Okay.
- And I was cheerleader, and we met in college.

- I love that. Love that.
- Such classic Texas couple story.

- Scott: I know, right?
- Tell me the dish. What are we doing?

- So I'm doing a mustard-fried venison backstrap...
- Wow.

...and a kick-a*s
Southern creamed gravy.

Why did you choose
to do venison?

Scott: This dish was
the perfect Gen X dish.

This was a meal my father and I and family,
we had for many years.

This backstrap,
it's a really tough protein to get right.

And you know if that's not cooked properly,
it's gonna be tough as old boots, right?

Heard. I've got a good
method to handle it.

Okay. You've got this,
bud. Yes? Come on.

- Yes, sir. Let's go.
- Come on.

- Oh, yum.
- The hardest part of cooking venison,

especially the backstrap, it's the
thicker cut of the tenderloin of the deer.

But if you know
how to work with it,

the flavor profiles
are just tremendous.

- You got it.
- Let's go, Dad. 20 seconds.

- 20 seconds.
- 20 seconds.

- You got it.
- You got it.

All: Five, four,
three, two, one.

- Yay!
- [ all cheering ]

Let's go, Dad!

Scott: This apron would
mean everything to me.

It would validate

that cooking is in my blood,

the skills are there,

and I know I've got the passion.

- Welcome.
- My name is Scott McKinnon.

I made a mustard-fried
venison backstrap,

mashed potatoes, green beans,
and a Southern cream gravy.

- All right, guys, shall we taste?
- Mm-hmm.

Gordon: So, Christine, visually,
it's beautifully breaded.

It's appetizing.
I love the color.

But this backstrap is one of
the most difficult slices to cook.

- Did you marinate it?
- I did. So--

- Lightly tenderize it?
- Yes, sir.

Yeah, at the end of the day,
this is a deep-fried venison,

which is either really
smart or really stupid.

I don't know which one.
I'll tell you when I taste it.

- Scott, shall we get in there?
- Scott: Yes, please.

In terms of the temperature,
what are we going for in the middle?

- Where are we?
- A medium.

[ music playing ]

Gordon: Beautiful. It is medium.

Scott, listen,
I love the texture of the actual breading.

It's very hard when you've
got such a huge slab of venison.

It could've done with being
seasoned before dredging.

That's just a little bit
bland on my palate for that,

- but venison's cooked beautifully.
- Thank you.

And for that reason, I'm a yes.

Thank you so much.
It means everything.

Okay, that's a yes from
Gordon. That's a good start.

One yes. You need two more.

For me personally,
I don't think the venison

actually worked in
this dish particularly.

I'm getting sort of
this mealy texture.

And I feel like Southern
creamed gravy,

usually you're gonna get
a lot of that savoriness.

And I'm not really getting
that so much with this.

- So I'm sorry, but for me it's a no.
- Okay.

Aarón: Yeah, I mean, there's
something very comforting about this dish.

What you have here with that
gravy and the cooking of the venison

I think is a very
pleasurable bite.

- I believe in you, so I'm gonna say yes.
- Thank you so much.

So that's two yeses,
one no. I guess it's up to me.

You know,
this is a difficult thing for me

because this is a
very competitive year.

And I like the dish,
and I like the gravy.

There's a lot of things
that are good about it.

But that lack of salt on the
venison before you breaded,

it kind of takes the
wind out of the room.

It's like a fatal,
fatal mistake.

Joe, not many professional chefs
go anywhere near that backstrap.

And so as an amateur,
it takes a certain individual

to have the guts and the
determination to cook in front--

- I don't know.
- This means everything to me.

- I get it. I get it.
- Everything.

I'm trying to bring my
great-grandfather's restaurant

back to McKinnon Street.

Nothing has been
more important to me

than this minute
right now today.

I'll make you proud, Joe.

[ music playing ]

- Yeah.
- Come on, Joe.

[ music playing ]

That lack of salt,

it's like a fatal,
fatal mistake.

I'm sorry. It's a no.

- Gordon: Oh.
- Oh, my God.

Joe: Good luck to you.
Thank you for coming.

Thank you.

Oh!

You're our MVP. You're our MVP.

There's a lot more I had to give,
and a lot more I had to prove.

[ cheering ]

This is just a bump in the road,
and I'm gonna keep going.

- Joe...
- Guys, listen.

The guy was super sweet,
super likeable, but I'm a judge here.

I can't give aprons to people who
don't salt food. It's just the way it is.

- You got it, Mom. That's good.
- You got this.

I'm so excited to
represent Gen X.

We are independent.
We are creative.

We didn't have the internet.

We had to find
our own fun in life.

My name is Kimberly,
I'm 52 years old,

and I'm from Auburn, California.

I've been a
teacher for 29 years.

I always say I'm a teacher by
trade and a garden cook at heart.

I'm on the search for
some cherry tomatoes.

I really love gardening because I
love the idea of being sustainable.

I grow all kinds of vegetables,
herbs, and fruits.

- Oh, check it out.
- Okay, these babies are coming out.

- Good job, Mom. That looks great.
- [ crowd cheering ]

- Hi! Hi!
- Hi, guys.

- My name's Kimberly. Hi.
- Kimberly, hi.

- Both: Nice to meet you.
- Yes.

You have us talking like you. We're like,
"Hello!"

- Whoo!
- Joe: What are we making?

I'm making an herb-crusted
panko cauliflower steak

with some garden
beans and tomatoes.

- What's the protein?
- There's no protein.

So the cauliflower's
the protagonist.

Yes, my dish is based out
of what I grow in my garden.

- I have a big a garden.
- Aarón: Nice.

- Well, look, we're looking forward to tasting your dish.
- Thank you.

Remember, in the MasterChef kitchen,
you have to have a big voice.

I have a big voice. I'm squeaky,
but I can be a boss.

- Aarón: Okay.
- Joe: Good luck.

Both: Thank you.

Kimberly: All right,
guys. Magic going here.

- Oh, you got five minutes. You're good.
- It's all right.

- Don't stress.
- I am making this dish to show the judges

vegetables can be sexy
and they can stand alone

against some of
those protein plates.

- You got it, Mom. Good job. That looks great.
- You've got time.

- Set it on there.
- Five, four, three, two...

- You got this. You got this.
- ...one!

My name's Kimberly,
I'm 52 years old,

and I made an herb
panko-crusted cauliflower steak

with garden beans and tomatoes

and a tarragon
chimichurri sauce.

These are all ingredients that I
grow in my own garden at home.

- Are you a vegetarian?
- I'm not a vegetarian,

but I'm really health conscious,
and that's one reason I garden,

to teach healthy
habits to my daughters.

- Shall we dive into that steak?
- Yes, let's do it.

I can't believe I'm saying
that with a cauliflower.

I think it looks delicious.

I love the crispy topping

on the top of that
cauliflower steak.

Did you braise this
in a vegetable stock?

I did not.

I seared first in an olive oil

and then I roasted
it in the oven.

My problem with
this kind of dish,

if I'm gonna commit to
having a cauliflower steak

- as an entrée, I want it to feel like an entrée.
- Okay.

And I think this feels a
little bit more like a side veg.

Shall we dig in?

- What's in the chimichurri?
- Tarragon, parsley, garlic, vinegar, and lemon zest.

Kimberly, I think this dish really
showcases your love for vegetables.

I feel like I could learn
a thing or two from you.

I also feel like tarragon is an underused,
underrated herb,

so I really like how you
incorporated that in here.

- For me it is a yes.
- Thank you so much.

Joe: Actually a little bit surprised,
but it tastes good.

This is a dish that you can really tell that
it's someone who connected to the produce.

It has a very Italian
sensibility to it.

- So, for me it's a yes.
- Oh, thank you.

For me,
I think the green beans are undercooked,

and that was a
little disappointing.

And I can't believe
I'm saying this,

but it's a little
excessive with the chile.

While I think the mission is admirable,
for me it's a no.

I'm sorry. That's two
yeses and one no.

I guess it's all up to you,
Gordon. What do you think?

I just wanna say thank you
for coming in and cooking

a delicious vegetarian
dish without any protein.

I appreciate that
you took a risk,

but I don't get all
the green beans.

- Green beans are your neutral veg.
- Okay.

It's not my go-to. However,
the steak is delicious.

This is a tough one for me.

Out of 365 days a year, how many days
do you spend in your garden, Kimberly?

Every day.

So this is gonna be harsh,

but I'm gonna be honest...

It's a...

Out of 365 days a year, how many days
do you spend in your garden, Kimberly?

- Every day.
- So this is gonna be harsh, but I'm gonna be honest.

It's a no for the first time in your
life not attending to your garden,

- but it's definitely a yes to "MasterChef."
- Thank you so much.

Congratulations. You took a
big risk cooking a vegetarian dish.

- It's paid off.
- Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much.

[ crowd cheering ]

They did? Oh, my God. Oh, yeah!

Kimberly: I'm just so
blessed and overwhelmed.

But tiny but mighty
came through.

I'm super excited. Oh, my gosh!

I love this dish. She's
intellectual. She's thoughtful.

I'm sure there's
a lot she can do,

- so it's good she got an apron.
- Gordon: Yeah.

Joe: One apron down and four to go,
guys.

- [ cheering ]
- Come on, baby!

Thanks,
Buggy. I'm representing Generation X!

My name is Arthur, I'm 49,
and I'm the founder

and a managing
partner at an ad agency.

I'm creative day in
and day out for my work,

and when I cook,
I can be creative in my own right.

Look at that.

I'm almost 50 now.
I feel like I've done

everything that there has
to be done in advertising.

And now is the time where I'm thinking
my passion for cooking that I've had,

maybe it's time to transition
into the culinary world.

- Oh, my God. That smells really good.
- You can't say, "Oh, my God."

You're right.

I have a four-year-old,
and she's like my biggest critic.

But I love cooking
for her and my wife.

They mean everything to me.

That's good. That's really good.

[ crowd cheering ]

Good evening. Good
to meet you. First name?

- Arthur.
- Both: Arthur.

An honor to meet you guys.

- Welcome to all of you.
- Thank you.

- Tell us about the dish.
- I'm making an olive oil

poached sea bass
with a crispy bok choy.

And then I'm gonna have
a light dashi underneath

with an oolong tea foam on top.

- Love that.
- Oolong tea foam?

You've gone all
Millennial/Gen Z.

- You're doing a foam?
- Yeah, yeah.

The dish sounds complicated.
There's a lot to pull off here.

You don't wanna just
take it a touch simpler

- or you going all out?
- Yeah, that's my approach.

Always looking at
doing creative things.

- Dish sounds good. Thanks, Arthur.
- Good luck, Arthur.

- Arthur: Thank you.
- [ cheering ]

A minute, babe. One minute.

- Wow. Baby, it looks so good!
- That looks beautiful.

- Doesn't it look beautiful?
- All: Three, two, one!

[ cheering ]

If I do get an apron,
it's validation to me

that maybe I do
have what it takes

to actually be successful
in the culinary world.

- You got this!
- Hi, guys.

- Welcome.
- My name's Arthur,

and I'm a managing partner
of a creative ad agency.

And this dish I
made for you today

is an olive oil poached sea bass

with ginger and
garlic crispy bok choy,

dashi, and an oolong tea foam.

Four years ago when
my daughter was born,

that's when, you know, when--

when I started being inspired.
And food was it, you know?

I wanted to make the best dishes
for her. It gives me so much joy.

That's beautiful.

Shall we dive in
to this sea bass?

Christine: Yes.

Gordon: It's an
interesting presentation.

It looks like it was done by a
guy who does ads for a living.

'Cause it's captivating, right?

I think you've attempted
something really difficult tonight

to pull it 45 minutes,

But as you know,
it's all about the taste, right?

- Yeah.
- Now let's get in there.

How long did you
cook the sea bass for?

Just under ten.

Arthur, I feel like a lot of times
in auditions of "MasterChef,"

people are really
going over the top,

trying to impress the judges

with a lot of different
things going on.

But altogether,
I think it's a pleasant dish.

It's got some finesse.
Things marry well together.

So it is a yes from me.

- Ooh, la, la.
- Thank you. Thank you.

I think something that's really
magical is the idea of that garlic

that kind of crisp up on the
bottom end of that bok choy.

It has that nuttiness
that I really think helps

the actual broth and
brings it to another place.

And the sea bass is
so beautifully cooked,

- and that's why I'm giving you a yes.
- Oh, thank you.

Uh, listen,
technically, it's good.

Broth, super fragrant,
delicious.

Sea bass is a fish that's robust,
it's intense.

And it's got that skin, so poaching
it is adventurous, but it's paid off.

So for me it is a
big resounding yes.

Welcome to "MasterChef."
Congratulations.

- Thank you guys so much.
- Great job. Really good.

- Christine: Thank you, Arthur.
- Really good, indeed.

- Thank you.
- Congrats.

- Joe: It would've been a yes.
- Thank you, guys.

[ music playing ]

- Yeah!
- [ cheering ]

[ muffled chatter ]

- Arthur: What is this?
- What did Daddy get?

- Apron.
- That's right.

- Do you get to bring it home?
- Hopefully.

- Oh, my God.
- I know.

- [ music playing ]
- [ cheering ]

[ cheering ]

Come on, Sunshine!

- You got this.
- I love representing Gen X

because I was raised by Boomers
and I've been raising Millennials,

and I think that give us
a really good advantage.

Go, Sorn.

This is so hard. Wow! Okay.

- [ crowd gasps ]
- [ bleep ]

- It's okay, it's okay.
- I don't got this.

[ bleep ]

Mm-mm. I can't do this.

It's okay, Sorn. You got this.

- [ Sorn groans ]
- Almost there, almost there.

- Sorn: God.
- Crowd: Three, two, one.

[ crowd cheering ]

My name is Sorn,

I'm from Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania,

I'm 42 years old,
and I'm a fashion designer.

This dish,
it's a Filipino stuffed milkfish

stuffed with ground
pork and vegetable

with a fish sauce
and garlic and rice.

To be very honest, I think the
fish got away from you a little bit.

- It looks a little beat up.
- Yes.

- It just looks bizarre.
- Joe: Let's give it a try.

Gordon: Shall we?

That's a tough one. Gen X, I think,
is one of the most competitive generations.

I think dish is a step too far.
All the elements are there.

It just needs to be
constructed better

'cause it's sort of
discombobulated.

It's fallen apart.

It's a shame because
the actual skin isn't crispy.

Unfortunately, for me it's a no.

Look, I'm gonna tell you,
and I think you know this,

- this dish is a bit of a mess.
- Yes.

This looks like a
scrambled egg omelet.

It looked like it went
through a blender.

So I'm gonna have
to say no. I'm sorry.

- That's two nos, unfortunately.
- Aarón: Sorry.

- Christine?
- I think this was a valiant effort.

The fact that you made it
all the way here to auditions

still says a lot about
you and your potential.

Whoo!

Hey.

Okay, babe. 18 minutes,


- Perfect.
- My name is Sunshine.

I am 50 years old,
and I'm from Portland, Oregon.

I'm Hunkpapa Sioux,
so I'm Lakota Sioux.

My mother was born on
Standing Rock reservation,

so I grew up
participating in powwows

and learning about our
people and our culture.

The other thing we're gonna
add to this is some fresh avocado.

When I cook,
I don't waste any of the ingredients,

and that definitely
comes from my heritage,

as we use every
part of the animal.

There's nothing
that goes to waste.

That's something that's
been ingrained in me,

and so it comes out when I cook.

- Come on, babe.
- Where am I at on the clock?

- 14 minutes, 30 seconds. You are rocking.
- Perfect. Okay.

- [ music playing ]
- [ cheering ]

Hello, hello. Welcome. Hi,
hi, hi, hi, hi.

- Hi. What's your name?
- My name is Sunshine.

- Hi, Sunshine.
- Hi.

- So what are you cooking today?
- I am cooking creamy polenta

with a summer succotash
and a pan-seared halibut.

- It's a nice idea. Halibut's tricky, right?
- Yes.

Because it can get
mealy if you overcook it,

but you definitely
want it cooked through.

- Yes.
- Are you gonna finish it in the oven?

- No.
- No? That's interesting.

- You're gonna cook all the way in the pan?
- Sunshine: I am.

Joe: Risky. If it's raw,
it's gonna be a disaster.

Wow. I like the boldness.

Joe: So, Sunshine,
what do you do in life?

Sunshine: I'm a yoga instructor.

Food, breath, life,
mind, meditation.

- Holistic.
- Yes.

Let's just try a little
while we're here.

Yeah, I mean,
I could do downward dog.

- I could do,
like-- - We'll just do a little breathing.

- We'll just do a little bit breathing.
- Okay, all right.

- Okay, let's breathe.
- Just exhale out all your stale air

and stand strong.
Take a deep inhale.

- Hands over head. Brings your palms together.
- Ow.

Exhale. Your hands to
your heart. Bow your head.

Take a moment to set your intention,
and release.

- [ sighs ] - Well,
good luck to you and nice to meet y'all.

- Thank you. I will.
- Be careful with that halibut.

Come on, Shine. Finish it
up strong. Finish up strong.

- [ cheering ]
- Here we go, babe.

- Sunshine: Gonna start plating now.
- Get your yoga on.

Crowd: Five, four,
three, two, one!

Hey! Whoo, whoo, whoo!

- Good job.
- Okay. I love you.

I love you, too.

This dish is definitely
indigenous born

from the ground up.

I brought the roots of my people

on the plate.

My name is Sunshine,
I'm from Portland, Oregon,

and I made a pan-seared halibut
on top of a summer succotash

with a creamy polenta.

Succotash is actually
an indigenous word.

It means broken pieces of corn.

So this is an elevated
dish to honor my ancestors.

Gordon: Amazing.

- Let's do it.
- Let's try it.

Gordon: Visually,
it's popping, Sunshine.

I'm slightly nervous about
the halibut being a little bit dry

because it's really seared.

Is there any heat
inside the succotash?

No heat. Just very full
of flavor. Very homey.

This is a very interesting
dish 'cause it's simplistic

and it's also very
complex at the same time.

The amount of work that
you put into that succotash

and the deepness and richness of
flavor in such an abbreviated time

shows that you know
how to handle ingredients.

- So, it's a yes for me.
- Thank you.

Sunshine,
I think this dish was well-balanced.

It was really a
celebration of corn.

The fish was cooked well. So,
for me it's 100% yes.

- Thank you so much.
- So, sadly, my bit of halibut was slightly dry.

And then polenta, it just needs
to be a little bit more richer.

Just a touch on the bland
side. But I love the succotash.

But I'm not in love with
the way you cooked the fish.

So, for me, I'm a no.

So that's two yeses and
one no. You need one more.

- So, Joe?
- Joe: Well...

[ clicks tongue ]

The halibut is
aggressively cooked,

but I like the crust.

I thought the dish was awesome.

So,
for me it's a yes. Congratulations.

- Here's you apron. Good job.
- Thank you.

- [ cheering ]
- [ chanting ]

I am a ball of expl*sive
sunshine right now!

I'm just super elated.
I'm honored to be here.

It's time to k*ll it. It's time to
win the MasterChef trophy.

- "MasterChef!"
- [ cheering ]

- [ music playing ]
- [ cheering ]

- Let's go, babe. k*ll it, babe.
- Let's go, Mom!

You got this. You got this.

[ cheering continues ]

Dad, go, go!

- Daddy-- - No,
you can't tell him what to do.

- Let's go, Mom.
- Thanks, baby.

I'm Marie, I'm 43, from Westminster,
Maryland, and I am a proud Gen Xer.

- I think Xers are underestimated and overlooked.
- Spicy.

We're the generation that's
supposed to be seen and not heard,

but you're gonna hear from
me today. Let's go, Gen X!

I'm making soft-shell crabs
with balsamic beets. So good.

When I was 20 years old,
I joined up for the military,

and I met my
husband in the Army.

We were both
soldiers at the time.

My passion for
cooking really took off

when I had a family of
my own to provide for.

I wanted to make sure
that we were the family

that sat together
at the dinner table.

- Whoo!
- Lock in, Mom.

- Marie: I'm locked in, baby.
- Ooh, that looks great, Mom.

Ooh, look at that! Babe,
that looks excellent.

- That looks good. That looks--
- Crowd: Five, four, three,

- two...
- You are a queen. Yes!

- [ cheering ]
- Let's go!

Welcome.

I'm Marie Triplett,
and today I have prepared for you

soft-shell crabs with
roasted balsamic beets,

beet greens with
bacon and shallots,

and a roasted red pepper
and horseradish aioli.

- Amazing. Shall we?
- All right. Let's give it a try.

Drum roll, please.

So, usually when you think
about fried soft-shell crabs,

you think about
something light brown.

This is a dark brown,
so I don't know

if that's because of what
you crusted them with

or if you overcooked them.

Mm-hmm. Shall we?

I feel like there's a little bit too
much batter on the soft-shell crab.

For me,
this dish didn't necessary work.

- So, I'm sorry. For me it's a no.
- Thank you, Chef.

Frying properly is one of the most difficult
things to do, and very few get it right.

This is a great example of
frying something the wrong way.

So, I'm sorry. For me it's a no.

Have it, have it, have it.

- Aww.
- [ applause ]

- Aww, that's crazy. I'm so proud of you.
- It's okay. I did my best.

- I'm so proud of you.
- Obviously, I'm disappointed.

It wasn't the outcome
I was hoping for,

but everyone takes L's in life.

You're doing amazing, Chris.

- Come on, Dad, keep going. You got this.
- Thank you, baby.

I'm Chris, I'm 45 years old,
I'm from Mobile, Alabama.

I'm a real estate
investor and a lover of life.

Dad,
how can you keep it on there?

I live in Alabama now,
but my roots are from Louisiana.

When I was young,
I would spend my summers

at my grandmother's
house on the bayou.

I fished all morning,

caught crabs in the crab traps,

and we would be
able to eat it that day.

It was amazing. It
was always fresh.

It was incredible.

Damn, I'm good.

I'm making jumbo shrimp
over smoked gouda grits

with a blackberry gastrique.

- Come on, Dad, you got this.
- Thank you, baby.

[ cheering ]

- So proud of you. You're doing amazing.
- [ laughter ]

Keep going,
Chris. Don't get distracted.

Come on, Dad. Make it perfect.

- Let's go, Dada, let's go!
- I'm doing good, baby.

All: Five, four,
three, two, one!

[ cheering ]

When the judges taste my food,

I want them to know
that that's me on a plate.

It's all or nothing, and I'm just
excited to be in this moment right now.

Welcome. Come on in.

I'm Chris, I'm 45 years old,
I'm from Mobile, Alabama,

and today I've made jumbo shrimp

over a bed of creamy
smoked gouda grits

and a little
blackberry gastrique.

- Shall we?
- Come closer, come closer.

So, Chris, visually, listen, I love the
look of the shrimp, of the seasoning.

Fingers crossed that it has a heat,
it's sweet,

everything that you want
from that sort of Cajun style.

'Cause if it doesn't,
you're in trouble.

- I think you're gonna love it.
- Yeah, I appreciate your confidence.

Um,
so the idea of blackberry gastrique

is something
that's not traditional,

so hopefully that
pays off for you.

- Yeah, but definitely quirky.
- Gordon: Shall we?

Joe: Let's try it.

So, Mr. Chris,
I'm very pleasantly surprised

that that damn blackberry
gastrique worked.

Shrimp are delicate and sweet.

This is a very
unique interpretation

of such a Southern classic,

- and that's a yes for me.
- Thank you.

- Thank you, thank you.
- So listen, the shrimp are cooked beautifully.

But a whole plate of
that gouda? Too much.

It just needs to be subtle. But
you've got some great flavors there.

I'd like the chance to
mold you even better.

It's an absolute yes.

Thank you. Mm. Thank you,
thank you.

I like you, I like the dish,
but it's all too much.

It's super cheesy.
It's super rich.

- I'm gonna say no. Too much for me.
- I understand.

- Thank you, thank you.
- Wow, okay.

It all lies in the hands
of Chef Christine.

Chris, I think you've got a
pretty tough judge before you

because I'm from the South,
so I've had a lot of shrimp and grits.

I think the flavors are there,

but I think this dish could
be a little bit more refined.

For me, I think...

Chris, this dish,
the flavors are there,

but I think this dish could
be a little bit more refined.

For me, I think it is...

I'm scared, too. Oh, my gosh.

Aww.

- [ all cheering ]
- [ laughing ]

- Did I surprise you guys?
- Yeah.

- Yes!
- Chris: I'm gonna win this for my family

because they're amazing,
and I want them to know

that anything you put your mind to,
you can do.

[ cheering ]

Incredible. Some great food.

Gen X are bringing
the flavor like no other.

Yeah, you go!

Going old-school.

My name is Daniela,
I'm from Tehachapi, California,

and I'm a Reiki master.

You got it. You just
get in your happy zone.

Daniela: We got this.

Today I have my son Ricky

and I have my
wonderful partner Rick.

Whoo!

Rick and I started dating ten
years ago. We're best friends.

His my soul. He is the
reason why I'm here.

He has supported me
every step of the way.

Ah, man. Aww, that smells good.

- Smells perfect.
- I making chiles en nogada.

It's a chile relleno that will
stuffed with ground pork.

And it also has apples,
pears, plantains.

I grew up in Mexico, so this dish
is really near and dear to my heart.

I'm still thinking
this is a dream.

I actually get to feed
chiles en nogada

to Aarón and Joe and Gordon,

and top of everything,
to Christine Hà?

Are you kidding me? Oh,
my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

You're doing fantastic.
You just keep on chugging.

- Whoo!
- The reason that I want to do "MasterChef" right now

is I'm 52 years old, and I've waited
way too long to pursue my dreams.

I've been a social
media manager.

I've been a Reiki master.

Not that I wasn't passionate
about those things,

but this is what lights me up.

Cooking lights me up.

Being here,
it's like a reset of the clock.

It means that that
page needed to turn,

- and life needed to start again.
- You got this.

I got this,
I got this. Thank you.

- Ricky: Five minutes.
- There you go. There you go.

Perfect. Damn, that looks good.

All: Five, four,
three, two, one!

[ cheering ]

I would love for the judges
to feel the heart and the soul

and just all the love
that I put into this dish.

Getting that white apron would
mean a whole reset to my life.

That's my baby!

Hello!

- Hello!
- Hello! Buenos noches.

My name is Daniela,

and tonight I've
presented to you

a chiles en nogada with a
sherry and pomegranate reduction.

And I used almonds and
pine nuts in the white sauce.

It's part of my heritage.

- I'm half Mexican and half Serbian.
- Interesting.

So I hope I did nail it, and especially
for you, Aarón, and Christine Hà.

I mean, I can't believe that you're
going to actually try my chiles en nogada.

- Aarón: Yeah. Yeah, shall we?
- Joe: Shall we take a look?

Gordon: Daniela,
the colors are stunning.

- You look at the plate, and you just can't wait to dive in.
- Thank you.

Are you happy with the
chile being cooked properly?

I'm happy with the chiles cook. Yes,
sir.

I'm so happy you didn't
fry it because a lot of times

people take a shortcut
and they'll fry it,

and I like the fact
that you roasted it.

It's gonna add another
dimension of flavor.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Gordon: Shall we?

Aarón: Yeah.

It is packed with flavor,
honestly.

- Thank you, Chef.
- It's festive. It's a celebration.

It's so fruity and nutty.

And it just needs a
touch more seasoning...

- Okay.
- ...but it is so delicious.

- It's a big yes from me.
- Thank you, Chef.

I'm not familiar at all with this dish,
actually.

This is the first time I've had this,
so I didn't know what to expect.

I like the different
textures in here.

You've got the nuts,
there's some crunchiness to it,

and I think this dish celebrates
a lot of different ingredients.

- For me it's a yes.
- Thank you.

It makes me very proud to be
Mexican when I eat this dish.

It really is that
magical. It's that special.

For me, it's a sí.

[ gasps ]

It's an absolute yes. Of course,
it is.

[ muttering ]

- Thank you. Thank you.
- Amazing.

- Amazing, amazing. Congrats.
- Thank you.

Gordon: Joe,
how was that for you?

Daniela, this is a dish

that's really authentic,
flavorful, soulful,

and I really like it a lot. So,
for me it's a yes.

- Aarón: Make it happen.
- Thank you.

- Thank you. Congratulations.
- I don't think I've ever

- been this nervous in my life.
- No.

- [ cheering ]
- Yeah!

Four yeses! Four yeses! Oh,
my God!

Of course, they did.

[ cheering continues ]

Daniela: I'm proud I
was able to do this.

I'm blessed that I was supported
by these two amazing men.

I can't even put
the words together

to tell you how
this feels tonight.

Wow. We gave out 20 aprons.

The big question is which generation is
gonna become America's next MasterChef?

Honestly, I think it's gonna be one of
the most competitive seasons of all time.

- Exciting!
- Right.

You're the last person,
so we gotta...

- Andale!
- ...so that you can kind of address the whole audience.

What?

[ music playing ]

- [ laughs ]
- [ crowd cheering ]

- [ music continues ]
- [ cheering continues ]

- I love you so much.
- Daniela: I love you, too.

Yeah! Oh, yeah!

Go win "MasterChef!"

Oh, my gosh.

I just got an apron
and I got engaged!

All in one day.

- Gordon: Next time on "MasterChef"...
- Welcome to the top 20.

...the generations go
head-to-head for the first time...

- We can do this, Baby Boomers.
- Go, Millennials!

- Come on, Gen Z. We-- aah!
- Gen X magic going on.

I like that. That's progressive.

...in their first mystery
box challenge...

- Ooh, I'm scared.
- Lift!

- The secret ingredient is you!
- Oh, that's awesome!

Use your own memories and
make us a super memorable dish.

Someone's gonna win immunity and
save themselves and the entire generation.

I don't even know why you
invited other generations.

Millennials are gonna win,
hands down.

Someone is going home
tonight. Make sure it's not you.

Gordon: It's failing
on multiple levels.

It literally tastes
like spicy baby food.

Gordon: But it's
charming and elevated.

The sauce is really
where the magic lies.

It's retro and modern at the same time,
and that's exciting.