01x07 - Top 6 Compete

[bunniefuu]

Next on "Masterchef"...

For their latest challenge,

the remaining 10 best home
cooks in America

had to replicate a Cat Cora
signature dish.

So far, only Tracy
has impressed the judges.

I think it’s a dish that you
could serve in a restaurant.

- Thank you.
- Well done.

Whoever plates the worst dish

will have to leave
the Masterchef kitchen.

Jake, let’s go.

I was proud
to carry that dish up

and present it
to these amazing chefs.

I think for, really, the first
time in this competition,

I was like,
"There’s nothing I would change
about that dish."

Wow.
Now that’s absolutely
beautiful.

You definitely listened
to what I said

about a good balance
to the salsa.

I see some moistness there.

The sauce-- I don’t know
the taste, I’m gonna
taste it right now--

but the sauce
is absolutely stunning.

Mm.

Not too thick,
not too runny.

The seasoning is amazing.

- Thank you.
- Well, guess what, Jake?

It worked and you rocked it.

- Thank you.

- Good job.
- Whoo.

Okay, Whitney,
let’s go.

I definitely do not
feel very good or confident

about what
I’ve prepared for ’em.

And Cat Cora was tasting it,

and I didn’t want
to let myself down,

but her down,
knowing that, you know,

I did a crappy job
of making her dish.

- Hey, Whitney, how are you?
- Hey, good.

Let’s see how you did
on your dish.

Um, you know,
the thing that I’m
seeing with your sauce

- it’s a little bit...
- It’s a little thin.

It’s actually
a little runny.

I should not be able
to, like, do that,

and then have it
run like that.

It needs seasoning.

Anything can look gorgeous.

You put it
in front of somebody,
taste is everything.

You definitely need some
seasoning on that, okay?

The fish, you know,
slightly overcooked.

The actual salsa,
not really seasoned.

You know, you had a really--
a really good chance

to make
all these things sing,

and instead,
they’re just kinda--
they’re not even humming.

It sucks so bad
because I just got in the top
of the cupcake challenge,

and then I turned around
and I could see myself
in the bottom three,

and that’s definitely not
where I want to see myself,

knowing there’s elimination
at the end of it.

Okay, last but not least,
Faruq, let’s go.

So, my confidence is high.

I said, "You know what?

If this plate right here

is gonna put me
in the bottom three,

then I don’t deserve
to be here."

Did you follow
Chef Cora’s method?

Yes, very organized.

I tried to follow it
to the tee as much as possible.

I think that you definite--

there’s a looseness
to the sauce.

- Could’ve been
a little bit thicker.
- Okay.

That just comes from,
you know,

whisking it
a little bit more,

not rushing it too much.

Um, the salsa is just
a little dry, you know.

It’s not a good mix
of the seasoning and the oil.

It’s--
it’s too bad, man.

Thank you.

So, it’s a very thin
slice of halibut.

That could be your nemesis.

It could go back
and bite you on the butt

because it could
be overcooked instantly.

Damn, the fish is dry.

And it sort of falls apart
far too easily.

You go through there
and it’s like, sort of,

almost like
a canned texture.

The sad news is you’ve got
that dry skin on the tomatoes

and it needs that oomph,
that marinade,

and that salsa
sort of excitement.

Um, and then sadly
let down

with the dryness
of the fish.

What a shame.

Yeah.

Before the elimination,

Cat Cora, along with
the Masterchef judges,

select the best dish.

Let’s get to our winner.

And we all agreed
that it was the dish

that was closes to Cat’s
in terms of presentation,

execution, technique,

and the whole plate
coming together as one.

Congratulations...

Jake.
Well done.

It was sort of, like,
surreal.

I’m like,
"Okay, I’m pretty sure
he just said ’Jake,’

or at least something
that rhymes with ’Jake.’"

It’s awesome,
so I was super stoked.

Now that the judges
have chosen the best dish,

it’s time to select
the bottom three.

And for one of those
unfortunate chefs,

their time
in the Masterchef kitchen

will come to an end.

Okay...

first dish...

in the bottom three...

belongs to Mike.
Let’s go.

That’s right.

I did not expect
to see you here.

How could you go
from hero to zero

in such a short
space of time?

Second person...

to join Mike...

Slim.

Having had
the demonstration live,

I don’t expect someone
with your enthusiasm for food

to forget to strain a sauce.

Joining Slim and Mike...

I am terrified.

If they call my name,

I definitely know
I’m just gonna break down.

...is definitely...

Faruq.
Let’s go.

For the second week
in a row,

Faruq finds himself
in the bottom three.

Yeah, I mean, like,
I literally felt,

by this point,
I was bleeding out.

My dish wasn’t
one of the best today,

but, you know,

I don’t think it was
bottom-three material.

That fish died
for a reason,

so that you could
take it and put it in a pan
and make it amazing.

It’s-- it’s so sad,
it’s almost unforgiveable.

You’ve got to do more
than just dream

about being a great chef.

You’ve got to practice it
and live it every day.

Slim, I’m concerned
about your one-trick-pony
style cooking.

Mike, you move a little bit
too fast for your own good.

And, Faruq,
you’re lacking finesse.

Okay, the person

that is leaving
"Masterchef"...

is...

Faruq.

Please take off
your apron.

Your time is done
in "Masterchef."

Now, you follow your dream,
you keep your head up high,

because you
have come a long way
in a very short time.

It was a pleasure
cooking here in this kitchen,

meeting everybody,
and it was a privilege
to cook for y’all.

- Thank you.
- You made your
family proud, Faruq.

When I walked off,
there was no sorrow.

You know, just being here,
being part of this whole
"Masterchef" thing, man,

the mentors
that we were able to get,

the advice that
we were able to get,

I mean, all that stuff
was priceless.

I grew so, so much,
just by making mistakes.

The only thing that I was
extremely disappointed about

is that I didn’t get
a chance to show

what I can really do
in the kitchen.

I can cook, damn it.
I can cook.

The remaining 10 are about
to be split into opposing teams

for a challenge
to satisfy

some of the hungriest appetites
in the country.

You’re gonna be cooking
for the backbone of America:

truckers.

What the hell
are you asking for?

- Dude, you’re doing
the burgers, right?
- No, you are.

Oh, my God.
I can’t serve that, dude.

- Joe: I don’t want to.

The team that loses

will face
the dreaded pressure test,

where one
more contestant’s dream

of becoming America’s
first Masterchef

will come to a bitter end.

Nearly 100 miles

from the pristine
Masterchef kitchen,

the remaining 10 competitors

find themselves
in the middle

of the harsh wasteland
of the California desert

with no idea
what today’s challenge holds.

You see desert on you left

and you see snow-capped
mountains on your right.

And a whole bunch of nothing,
some abandoned buildings.

Who knows what’s gonna happen?

- This is nuts, man.

Okay.

That’s Gordon
in the front seat.

It is him!

Hey.

Okay, right,
good morning.

Morning.

You’ve cooked for us.

You even had the chance
to cook for Cat Cora.

But now it’s time
to cook for the people

who are clearly
the backbone of this country.

Today, your challenge
is to cook

for 100 hungry-a*s
truck drivers.

- Yeah.
- Whoo!

You guys are gonna make them
the ultimate truck stop dish.

- Hamburgers.

All right, all right.

I was a trucker
for many years,

and I’ve spent certainly
my fair share of time
at truck stops.

That totally, you know,
struck a chord with me.

I was like, "Yeah,
this is gonna be cool.

I can really dig in
and get into this."

Nothing says America
like a hamburger.

You’ve probably had 100
in your lifetime.

I probably had 50 last week.

I guarantee these truckers
have had more.

Some of them eat them
every day of their lives.

Today, you’ll
be competing in teams.

A Blue Team
versus a Red Team.

Each team will have
their own truck behind you

full of the most
amazing ingredients,

from chuck steak
to pork to seasoning.

Everything you need
to make that ultimate burger

is in that truck.

Now, you have to grind
the meat yourselves.

So, therefore, you put
the combination together.

Whether it’s beef, pork, lamb,
that’s your choice.

Remember, these guys
are long-haul truckers.

What’s it gonna take
to win them over?

Is it a gourmet burger?

Is it a burger

that has more
of an Americana sensibility?

So, think about it
very carefully.

- Gordon: Jake,
you clearly had...
- Yes, sir.

...the most stunning halibut
dish in our last challenge,

so therefore you get
to pick your team.

- Yes, Chef.
- Come over here, please, buddy.

Jakey!

- How you feeling?
- I feel great.

I’m gonna ask
for you to nominate

the first member
of your team.

Okay.

Jake, with his experience
with beef,

that’s gonna be
the winning team, in my mind.

I wanted to be
a part of that team so much.

To me, it would be a huge
advantage in this competition.

First nominee
is actually gonna be Tracy.

Oh, thank you, Jakey.

I love this girl.
She’s awesome.

She cooks with a lot of love,
a lot of passion.

Secondly, I’m gonna go
with this girl.

She kind of struggled
on her last challenge

and I want to kind of help
kind of build her back up,

you know,
on a personal level,

so, Whitney, I want you
to come over here, yeah?

Thank you.

Uh, third choice,
I feel like, going into battle,

I’ve got to have
my guys on the ground

that can lead the troops,
and today that’s Lee.

I want Lee on my team.

Jake won the challenge.
I immediately knew I’m not
gonna be on his team.

We’re both, I think,
alphas, you know?

Very dominant
in our situations,
like to do things our way.

I’m just ready to go to battle,
ready to go to w*r on this.

So, the last pick,
take a good look at them
because it’s your last.

- I gotta go with Tony.
- Wow.

Tony and I, we’re like peas
and carrots in the kitchen.

- Gordon: Okay.
- And he keeps me level
and keeps me calm.

I was psyched, you know?
I felt we had a rock-solid team.

Good, good, good.
Take one and pass them along.
Put them on.

Likewise, Red Team,
take the one,
pass them along.

Jake believes he has picked
the winning team

by choosing Tracy, Whitney,
Tony, and Lee.

While the remaining cooks--
Sharone, Sheetal,

Slim, David, and Mike--
by default, have become
the underdogs.

We’re not the team
that was picked.

However, being an underdog
is always extra motivation.

Nothing to lose,
something to prove.

Each trucker will have
a burger from the Blue Team

and a burger
from the Red Team.

Whichever burger they prefer
wins the challenge.

The losing team
will face a pressure test,

and on the back
of that pressure test,

one of you will be eliminated
from "Masterchef."

You’ll all have


Off you go.

- Ready? Go.
- In the truck?

The teams have only 30 minutes

before the truckers
start to arrive.

In this short time,
they must first select

their meats, buns,
and toppings,

and then grind, season,
and prep



Right, Blue Team.
Burger, what is it?

We’re doing a-- we got
two different types
of red meat going in here.

What cut of beef
you going with?

Um, we’re using
short rib

and, uh, short loin,
too, yeah?

- Short loin. Any pork in there?
- Yeah. No, no.

Okay, garnish, the burger,
what is it?

- Uh, butter lettuce...
- Yep.

- ...uh, slice of onion...
- Yes.

...slice of tomato,
and a k*ller little slaw
we have on the top.

We’re going with kind
of a Route 66 burger

and top it with
some k*ller slaw, you know?

Like, the secret sauce,
if you will.

- How we doing, girls?
- We’re great.

- Are you done?
- It’s almost done.

- Okay.
- I’m getting ready
to come and help--

Let’s get it out here
and get it set up

Ask what Lee needs for help
or help Whitney slice onions.

- Okay?
- Okay, got it.

You girls start
going on the meat.

These are Americans.

I think we should do


Meanwhile, the Red Team
is also opting

for a 100% all-beef burger

and an eclectic blend
of accompaniments.

We knew we had to make it
powerful, we had to have
a lot of flavor in it.

Apple cider vinegar.
I’m making a barbecue sauce.

- Okay.
- I’m makin’ barbecue.

Definitely bacon.

What trucker doesn’t like
bacon in a burger?

Good chunk of caramelized,
sautéed onions,

Swiss cheese, blue cheese,

with a bold,
spicy barbecue sauce.
That’s a burger.

Sorry, Dave, just explain to me
what’s in there, please.

- Blue cheese...
- Yes.

- ...panko breadcrumbs...
- Yes.

...granulated onion powder
and granulated garlic powder,

and black pepper
and smoked paprika.

Is here anything
that’s not in there?

You put the blue cheese
in the mix?

- Blue cheese in the mix.
- That’s ambitious.

I really love blue cheese.
It gets beautifully melted,

and, you know,
like, you can see the spots.

It looks real cool.
You bite into it and it
dribbles out.

Red Team, blue cheese
inside the burger,

- and then a barbecue sauce.
- Graham: And bacon.

No flavors make sense.

I think the Red Team has
definitely fallen prey

to the celebrity chef
burger syndrome.

- Yeah.




I’m slicing up some short ribs,
getting the meat ready
with Jake here.

We’re doing a 50-50 combo
with two cuts of meat.

Kind of very Americana,
but I think we’re gonna
pull this off today.

Whenever you have
some patties ready.

Yeah, we’re working
on it right now.

Right behind you.

Jake took control.
"Tony, meat. Lee, this.
Whitney, prep."

You know, everybody
got their jobs.

Everybody just fell in line.

We were a well-oiled machine.

You guys are kicking a*s.

While the Blue Team

remains calm and collected,
the Red Team discovers

a crucial problem with their
beef and blue cheese patties.

Oh, my God.
I can’t serve that, dude.

It’s leaking all
over the grill.

It’s smoking everywhere.

The blue cheese just gunked

all over the place,

got all over the griddle,
melted through.

It was a complete disaster.

Yo, no blue cheese
in the patty, please.

- Terrible.
- Yeah, bad--
bad call, guys.

- No, blue cheese.
Put it away.
- All right, you got it.

Two minutes left
until the first trucker arrives.

- 100 burgers each.
- Come on, dude.

With only two minutes left,

the Blue Team’s burger station
is in full swing.

But on the Red Team,
panic is taking hold

as they scramble to prep
a whole new batch of burgers.

Uh, we need
a lot more meat, guys.

- We’re screwed.
- Just turn those out first,
brother, come on.

Where’s the
salt and pepper?

- Have to salt
and pepper this.
- I’ll give you salt.

The Red Team,
at this point,

is in jeopardy
of not having food

when the truckers show up here
in the next couple of minutes.

- Right.
- The Blue Team, judging
from the dozen burgers

on the grill
and the setup line

will have food
to offer the truckers.

Doesn’t matter how good
your food is

if you can’t get it
made and put up in time.

Okay, guys, I think
we can see the first
trucker coming now.

It’s utter chaos.

You already doing the buns?
What’s going on?

No, we got to--
we got to do patties.

- Gordon: Come on, guys.
- We’re like, "What the

is going on right now?"

Here we go.

My God.

Guys, the truckers
are starting to arrive.

- Here they come.

- Hey, are you today?
- All right.

We’re gonna get you
a lovely burger.

As the first truckers roll in,

the Blue Team is prepped
and ready to go,

serving up their all-beef patty
topped with raw onion,

lettuce, tomatoes,
Swiss cheese,

and an old-fashioned coleslaw.

There you go.
You enjoy that, okay?

I would say this is the best
burger I’ve had in years.

Let’s go, Blue!

Our burgers are firing,

truckers are coming through,
we’re feeding them.

I look over
at the Red Team

and it’s
utter chaos.

- Sheetal, grab this tray.
- Patties, over here.

- Let her do it, come on.

- What about the burgers.
- Dude, you’re doing
the burgers, right?

No, you are.

Scrapping the blue cheese
from their patty mix

has put the Red Team way
behind schedule.

Butter lettuce,
butter lettuce!

Butter-- what the hell
are you asking for?

You’re gonna put
the burgers on,

you’re gonna put
the bacon on.

- Me?
- No, no.

- Oh, he’s doing--
- The bacon’s not ready, dude.

Buns are burning,
bacon’s not cooked,

it’s not cooking evenly.

Probably too
crowded in the pan.

Open these up.
Okay, we gotta move.

- Gordon: Red Team, seriously.
- Yes, Chef?

Get a bit of teamwork
going on right now.

It’s looking a little bit
embarrassing.

- Yes, Chef.
- Sheetal, they can’t vote

for the Red Team
unless they taste
the Red Team’s burger.

I realize that,
I realize that.

Help Dave make those patties
right now, please.

Red Team, any burgers
ready, please?

Yeah, can we serve?
Come on, guys.

In all honestly,
on a normal day,

would you normally
wait for a burger

when you’ve been driving
for six hours?

- No.
- No chance.

Just give me one
done piece, thank you.

Finally, the Red Team
is serving their gourmet

all-beef burger topped
with sautéed onion,

bacon, Swiss cheese,
and their secret weapon,

Sharone’s chipotle
barbecue sauce.

There we go.
Enjoy, bon apétit.

That’s the first
burger out, guys.

Yeah, congratulations.

With 100 hungry truckers
to be served,

the race is on.

The first team
to 51 votes wins,

while the losing team faces
the dreaded pressure test,

where one person
will be eliminated.

Okay, Red Team, Blue Team,
listen to me.

Chris has had a burger
from each team.

He’s now gonna cast
the first vote

on which one he prefers.
So, two different burgers.

One from the Blue Team
and one from the Red Team.

Come on, baby blue!

I am not feeling
confident at all

with our first trucker.

But what I did know
is that we were making
a kick-a*s burger,

and that burger was gonna be
the best burger out there.

Interesting combinations.
Which one did you prefer?

Was it the Blue Team
or the Red Team?

- It’s gotta be blue,
it’s gotta be blue.
- Let’s go, blue!

We might be disorganized,
but we make a hell
of a burger, come on!

Pull it.

- The Red Team.
- Whoo!

- Hallelujah!
- Why did you prefer the Red
Team over the Blue Team?

- The sauce is good.
- Right.

That hamburger was good.
It was done just right.

That don’t mean nothin’.

That’s one burger.

- Red Team or Blue Team?
- Red Team.

Red Team, wow.
Off you go!

Yeah!

I had just told my Blue Team,

whatever’s happening
with the scoreboard,

it doesn’t matter.
Just stay focused
on the job at hand

and the best burger will win.

Oh!

There you go.
You enjoy that, okay?

It’s great coleslaw.
Good. It’s, like, homemade,

like your mom would make,
you know?

Make sure you vote
for the Blue Team.

Five-three.

Okay, Red Team, it’s five-five.
Keep it going, guys, come on.

Yeah, that’s
what I’m talking about.

Let’s go, blue!

No competition.
Red Team.

- Yeah, baby!
- Whoo!

- We’re feeling better, you
know, we got a rhythm going.
- Yes.

And, uh, I think that was
our problem in the start...

- Yeah.
- ...is we were
all over the place.

Now it’s our turn.

We’re just like--

like a perfectly-oiled
machine.

And then I look
over at the score

and we’re tied.

It’s game time.

Get them in the fat,
and then just give ’em
a quick sear,

- and put them all on here.
- I got ya.

And put my buns there,

and then you’re gonna
toast them right up here.

In a bold move
to break the tie,

Sharone comes up
with a clever idea.

- Yeah, get that bacon.
- Hell, yeah.

I took the bun, put it
in that bacon grease,

let it sit in it
for a couple minutes

and marinate and
do what it wanted to do,

then I put it back on the grill
and I got, really,

the most beautiful toasted bun
you’ve ever seen in your life.

Yeah.

Wow, that is a showstopper
right there, look at that.

We’re making bacon buns!

- Oh, yeah.
- Bacon bun? Bacon bun?

Oh, yeah!

- Adaptability, baby.
- I’m not worried.

There’s a bunch of blue plates
out there right now,

and they’re gonna end up
walking up there, tugging
on that blue handle,

that’s what I’m talking about.

- Red.
- Yeah!

Someone put those burgers
onto the grill.

- Red gets my vote.
- I love it!

They’ve just hit 30.
Red Team, well done.

All of a sudden,
Red’s scoreboard just starts
lighting up like crazy,

and I was just like,
"How is this possibly
happening?"

This is the burger that’s
beating your a*s at the moment.

Have a taste, guys.
It’s not too late to adjust.
First one to 51, yeah?

With the Red Team
surging ahead,

Gordon offers the Blue Team
a taste of the opposition’s
burger.

Raw bacon,
right out of the gate.

I’d serve no bacon
before I served raw bacon.

- A little dense.
- A lot dense.

That burger
I just tasted was gross.
To me, it was gross.

It was a burger
slathered in barbecue sauce
and raw bacon.

- You’re cooking for truckers.
- We can do the best we can.

Now it’s gone
a little bit too plain,

and it’s not too late to change,
that’s all I’m saying.

Yeah, absolutely, yes, Chef.
Absolutely, thank you.

- There you go.
- Absolutely.

I heard what Gordon had said,

but I’m not just gonna jump ship
in the middle of my deal

and take off
in a different direction.

You pick the teams, yeah,
you chose the recipe...

- I’m proud of my team.
- I’m not asking if
you’re proud or not.

We win together,
we lose together.

And don’t sound
like a loser.

You want to win this
competition, right?

Absolutely, we will win
this competition.

Let me put it to you this way.

There is no way

that the Red Team had a better
burger than the Blue Team.

- Sharone: Yeah!
- Whoo!

You’re seven away
from winning, Red Team.

Seven burgers away
from winning.

Red Team is now serving
double burgers, yeah?

You got a double,
well-done, right?

- Double with cheese.
- Double with cheese.

Double burger, medium,
with cheese, crispy bacon.

You are talking my language.

We’re kicking
the Blue Team’s butt here.

Double patty,
double cheese,

double bacon,
extra everything.

We adjusted, we improvised,
we are adaptable,

and that was our edge.

Six burgers away from winning.

- Come on, come on!
- These people are saying it’s
the best burger they’ve had.

They love the sauce.

I think this is where
it’s not only cooking,

you’ve got
to do some marketing.

You’ve got to think
like a restaurateur at work.

Mike is out on the floor
tableside,

spooning out barbecue sauce.

- Joe: Here we go, here we go.
- Gordon: Red Team?

Red or blue?
Red? Another red.

- Come on, guys!
- We’re trying!

- Come on!
- Come on, man.

We need to sell
these burgers, baby.

Don’t worry about
the temperature.
Just serve them.

- Come on, Red Team!
- We need a vote.

- We need a vote.
- Let’s go, blue!





You guys, remember,
the first one to 51 wins.

Tracy, come on.
We need all those
burgers served.

- All the burgers are...
- Okay, no problem.

Right now.

Yes, go!

- Two more, guys.
- Gordon: 49! Here we go!

On that board is 50.

One more vote.

Okay, Red Team, Blue Team,

this next vote
could win the competition
for the Red Team

if this trucker
pulls that cord.
Sir, off you go.

Blue!

Okay, this next vote
could win the competition
for the Red Team

if this trucker
pulls that cord.

Blue!

- Sharone: Yes!

Our burger was
the better burger.

The weaker burger won today.

Not only did we win,

we kicked the really
c*ck team’s butt,

who still, after we won,

thought that they had
a better burger.

I let the truckers
speak for themselves,

and they spoke Red Team
all the way.

With the Red Team safe,

the Blue Team
is about to face

the dreaded pressure test

that will send
one of them home.

This is my first
pressure test,

so the only thing
I know to expect

is the absolute unexpected.

This means business,
you know?

Somebody’s gonna actually
go home today.

It’s tense.
I was legitimately scared.

Under this black curtain
in front of you

are 25 ingredients.

They feature things
from all over the world.

You have ingredients
that you might be
comfortable with.

You might have things here
that you’ve never seen before.

Now, this is
a unique pressure test.

Identifying these ingredients
with your eyes, yeah?

Today’s pressure test,
you’ll guess as many ingredients
as you can in a row.

When you get an ingredient
wrong, your time is done.

The individual that guesses
the fewest ingredients

from this table
is leaving "Masterchef."

Out of this whole team,
I’m the only one

who’s actually faced
a pressure test already.

I’m kind of confident
with knowing I’m the only one

who’s experienced
this already.

Jake, you’ll go first.
Let’s go.

So I’m thinking,
"Oh, wow, I’m gonna walk in

and the judges are gonna say,
’Okay, Tracy,

you have to name 25
or you’re going home,’

because Jake
is gonna get all 25."

Okay, Jake, be clever.
Good luck.

Thank you.

Joe, Graham.

I’m looking at these


and I’m like,
"Okay, boom, boom, boom."

My eyes are darting around,
I’m seeing a bunch of stuff
that I get.

I’m seeing a few things
that I probably am
pretty sure about,

and I’m seeing a handful
of things that I’m kinda like,

"I don’t really know
what that is."

I was sh**ting for 20.

Okay, Jake, take one ingredient
onto the table

and tell us exactly
what it is.

What are they?

Those are golden raisins.

Correct.

- Whew.

Good job, Jake.

I know exactly why
it’s called a pressure test,

because you are under
a tremendous amount of pressure.

One shot on each ingredient,
and if you get it wrong,

that’s it.
That’s your number.

So there’s zero room
for error.

Jake, what is that?

Tomatillo.

Correct.
Well done.

- Keep it goin’, buddy.

I was just really trying
to stick with what I knew

and work my way through
those ingredients.

What is that?

Uh, made soup from it
many times.

It’s a butternut squash.

Three.
Well done.

- Man: Yeah.

- And this is allowed.
Touching, texture.
- Absolutely.

Identification with the eyes.

- Cooking with the eyes.
- Yeah, okay.

What are they?

Macadamia nuts.

Congratulations.
That’s four.

Good job.
Confident start.

And not the easiest
ingredients you’ve chosen.

Love it.

Oh, man, he’s gonna set the bar
real high for the rest of them,

’cause he-- he knows his
ingredients really well,

so whoever’s gonna come next
is gonna have it hard.

- What is that?
- That is definitely rosemary.

Congratulations.
Well done.

Good job, Jake.

My strategy was

to get as much
as you know down,

and then go to the stuff
that you,

you know, are, like,


- That’s a plantain.
- Correct.

- Well done.
- Woman: Good job, Jake.

That’s lemongrass.

It’s a filet.

- Wow.
- Smoked salmon.

Congratulations.
Well done.

And if you get through that,

you know, eventually,
me, personally,

was gonna be faced
with I’ve never
even seen before.

Wow.

Jake, what is that?

Uh, it’s okra.

- Correct. Well done.
- Thank you.


Keep it going.

Really good start.

Jake, what is that?

That’s rhubarb.

Rhubarb.
Well done. Excellent.



How many are you
unsure about now?

Oh, maybe half a dozen.

Okay.

The 12th ingredient.
Tough one, this one.

- Yeah.
- The pressure’s really on.

- Okay.
- Have you ever cooked

with that ingredient before?

I really don’t cook it.

I just kind of used it
in dishes,

but not so much cooking it.

- It cooks brilliantly.
- It does.

What is that?

Uh, sorrel?

Sorrel.

Jake, that is...

- watercress.
- Ah.

You’re sorely mistaken.

Jake, you’ve scored


sorrel.
Jake!


No way.

I’m thinking to myself,
"Dude, you blew it.
You’re done."

Buh-bye.

Jake, you’ve scored


- Right.
- Hopefully that’s enough.

Yeah.
I, at that moment,

thought I’d just handed
this competition over.

Next up is Tony.
Let’s go.

Okay, Tony, pressure test.

The number to beat
is 11 out of 25.

I was like,
"Jake got 11?"

Man, I was pegging Jake
to get, like, 22 or something
like that.

But I felt like I had a shot
at, you know, at least getting
a dozen of these things.

Think wisely.

- Tony, what is that?
- That is rosemary.

- Congratulations.
- All right, Tony.

Keep it going, bro.

Good start.

Okay, ingredient number two.
What is that?

- I’m gonna say
it’s a nectarine.
- Congratulations, well done.

I’m starting to, like,
cycle through my brain,

through the mental rolodex
here, like,

Tony, what is that?

I believe it is a catfish.

I’m gonna say that’s
a macadamia nut.

- Woman: Come on, man.
- I’m like, "All right,
I know what that is,

I know what that is,
I know what that is,

I know what that is,
you know.

I feel like,
"All right, you know,

I think I can get to 11,
at least tie Jake here."

- Uh, tomatillo?
- Well done.

- What is that?
- I’m gonna say it’s okra.

I’m gonna say
it’s blue cheese.

You’re over there and you’re
watching somebody

that’s got your fate
in their hands.

It’s a super emotional train
wreck just waiting
to happen.

I’m gonna say that’s
a filet mignon.

I’m gonna go with plantain.

- It’s lucky number nine.

- Come on, Tony.
- Come on, Tony.

- A few more, buddy.
- Next ingredient.

Is it gonna send you
into double figures?

Think wisely.
The ingredient number 10.

I believe it’s a passion fruit.

That’s just jumping out
at me right now,

just seeing the way
it’s laying down,

so I’m gonna go
with passion fruit.

If you’re right,
you’re one ingredient away

from tying with Jake.

That ingredient is a...

fruit...

but not passion.

It’s a star fruit.

Nine out of 25.

Passion fruit.
I don’t know what
I was thinking.

I never would’ve
thought twice about it.

I would’ve said a star fruit.

I’ve seen it in the market
a thousand times.

I’m an idiot.

- Jake?
- Yes, Chef.

A big, deep breath.
Climb the stairs.

- Yes, Chef.
- Congratulations.

- Wow.
- You, too.

I shot myself in the foot.

I knew what so many
other things are on that thing.

- Gordon: Lee, let’s go.
- Let’s go, Lee.

Yes, you are.

Okay, the number to beat
is nine.

- Nine.
- Nine.

I am extremely happy.

All I need to do is guess 10,

and I know
that I have this.

These are things
that I can name in my sleep.

In my hand
I have a nectarine.

This is a butternut squash.

Right here, I have rosemary.

This is a papaya.

Here, I have macadamia nuts.

This is okra.

These are golden raisins.

These are tomatillos.

This is star fruit.

You’re tied with Tony.
Well done. Nine in a row.

- Lee comes up,

Lee just starts
firing things off,

and I was like,
"I’m screwed."

Bring in whoever’s next.
Bring in Whitney or Tracy.

Lee, get this right,
you’re joining Jake.

What’s in your hand?

In my hand
I have smoked salmon.

Join Jake.
Congratulations.
Well done.

- Whoo, Lee!
- Good job, Lee!

- Thank you.
- Gordon: Well done.

He nailed it.
Going upstairs.

And then there were two.

Right, Whitney.

Tony got nine in a row correct.

Good luck.

She’s 22.
I’m like, maybe, you know,
the pressure.

That’s quick.

- First ingredient?
- This is okra.

Dear Lord, please.
You know, like, I need
some company over here.

Tomatillo.
These are dried
black eyed peas.

I see a lot of some
Southern things going on.

You know, she started
rattling ’em off.

These are golden raisins.

This is a butternut squash.
It’s a nectarine.

It’s smoked salmon.

It’s rosemary.

This is a papaya.

She went for the plantains.

I’m like, "Oh, Whitney,
please say banana. Please
say banana."

Not an easy one.
What’s on that plate?

- This is a plantain.
- Tony: But no such luck.

Well done.


It’s starting to get hot.

Even doing, like,
signature dishes

or cooking in that kitchen,

I haven’t sweat like I was
sweating up there today.

- Last up, Tracy.
- All right, Trace.

- Go, Tracy.
- Doctor’s in the house.

You’re the last up.
The pressure is really on.

Tony, how you feeling?

I feel like it’s getting late
early around here.

- Tracy.
- Yes?

Tony got nine
out of 25 correct.

Really?

Seriously?

Nine?

He only got nine?

Ten, the pressure’s off.

Nine, you tie with Tony.

Any less than nine, Tracy,
you’re leaving "Masterchef."

All right.

Being a girl from Georgia,

I’m gonna go with these little
babies right here first.

And I’m thinking,
"Oh, here’s another
Southern girl."

It is a sign of good luck,

and these
are black-eyed peas.

They’ve brought you
lots of luck.

Well done.
Good start.

- Way to get it started, Tracy.
- There you go.

This is okra.

Plantain.

Catfish.

These are golden raisins.

This is smoked salmon.

That is rosemary.

This is rhubarb.

Well done.

Don’t let ’em
get to you, girl.

Like, you know, bottom of
the ninth, bases are loaded.

I only got a one-run lead,
and there’s nobody out,

and it’s not feelin’ good.

You got eight ingredients
in a row correct.

You need this one
to tie with Tony.

It is a nectarine.

You sure it’s not
a Georgia...?

No.

I’m a Georgia peach.
That’s not a Georgia peach.

Congratulations, Tracy.
You are now tied with
nectarines.

Well done.

This next ingredient

is either going to be
my favorite ingredient,

or it’s going to be
the ingredient

that will haunt me
for the rest of my life,

other than a cupcake.

Just want
to be absolutely sure.

You have to be


Right. Okay, let me look
over these ingredients again.

I kinda zone in on,
you know, this red meat.

It seems
pretty straightforward,

but they have got to put
a ringer on here.

They have go to put
something on this table

that is gonna trip up
all of these smart contestants.

All right,
let’s do this.

You guys wouldn’t
trick me, right?

If you get this ingredient
right,

Tony is eliminated
from "Masterchef."

I just hope I have what it
takes to make it back

into the safe haven
and keep my apron
and keep on fighting.

Name that ingredient, please.

This is...

If you get this ingredient
right,

Tony is eliminated
from "Masterchef."

Name that ingredient, please.

This is...

...filet mignon.

Tracy...

Just say it.

It’s filet mignon.
Well done.

Congratulations.
Join the rest of them.

Tony, please come over.
Thank you.

Your journey’s been amazing,

and you took us all
by surprise.

Trust me,
deep down inside,

there’s an amazing, passionate,
burning chef at heart there.

Continue following that dream.

And if you don’t
find that dream,

then give me a call.

Thank you, Chef.
Thank you.

- Right on, Tony.
- Yes.

See you at home, kid.

It just bums me out.
That’s not how I wanted
to leave.

I beat myself today,
and that’s the worst
part about it.

I really wanted to shine.
I wanted that day where I
had the best dish,

and I didn’t get that chance.

And, you know,
I got to learn new things

in this competition.

I got to learn that I can
go outside my comfort zone

and I can cook with things
I’m not familiar with.

And I pulled it off,
and, I mean,

if I could do that,
it made me feel like
I could do anything.

You know, you only get
one shot at this life,

and go out there,
you just keep smilin’,

living and breathin’,
and having a good time.

Next time on "Masterchef"...

...the theme of the invention
test is romance,

but some will leave
with a broken heart.

Go back to your station.
I’m not tasting this crap.

When the amateur cooks
must deliver

on one of the most
romantic days of all...

All of you are gonna
be cooking for a wedding.

...some of them fall short
of the occasion...

David, if you don’t know
where the salmon is,

- you’ve got to
find out where it is.
- It’s right there.

Look at me.
We’re not done yet.

Look at me.

That is.

...and must face
the most intimidating

pressure test to date.

Two of you will be
leaving "Masterchef."