The Main Cast for the New Season is Revealed! | MasterChef USA

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:03]MasterChef, the biggest cooking show in the world.

[00:00:07]>> [music] >> Right now, the search is on for a new champion.

[00:00:18]From coast to coast, they came.

[00:00:20]>> MasterChef, the biggest cooking show on the planet, searched the entire COUNTRY FOR THE GREATEST HOME COOKS IN AMERICA.

[00:00:27]IN AMERICA.

[00:00:29]THIS IS MASTERCHEF.

[00:00:33]EACH BRING THEIR OWN STORY. I'm a marine.

[00:00:36]>> I'm a waiter.

[00:00:37]>> I'm a real estate agent.

[00:00:38]>> I'm a salesman.

[00:00:39]>> I'm a school teacher.

[00:00:40]>> I'm a student. I'm a stay-at-home mom.

[00:00:42]>> I'M A STAY-AT-HOME DAD.

[00:00:44]AND FOR THE 30 BEST home cooks who earned the chance, they'll have to prove themselves to three of [music] the biggest names in the culinary world.

[00:00:54]Michelin-starred chef Graham Elliot, world-renowned restaurateur Joe Bastianich, and culinary legend Gordon Ramsay.

[00:01:06]Here they come. This year, the competition will be bigger and more challenging than ever before.

[00:01:13]You got 60 guests, the bride and groom, AND THEIR WEDDING. NOW, the stage is set for America's top home cooks to do battle. Save your place in the MasterChef [music] kitchen.

[00:01:27]>> And tonight, they will prove themselves against I accept that challenge. Gordon Ramsay. I'll cook alongside all of you.

[00:01:43]After an extensive nationwide search, the MasterChef judges have selected the top 30 best home cooks in America to battle it out for a white apron in the MasterChef kitchen.

[00:01:55]I've been cooking since I was like 12.

[00:01:59]Now, I'm in the MasterChef top 30. You have seen thousands [music] and thousands of people. I said, "This is real."

[00:02:14]I'm super passionate about food. I want to write cookbooks. I don't want to go home with my tail between my legs. I want that apron.

[00:02:22]I don't enter competitions that I don't plan on winning.

[00:02:25]I'm confident enough that I know I'm going to get an apron. [music] It's just when am I going to get an apron?

[00:02:31]I am a law school graduate, but I was born into [music] a family that cooks a lot. My dream is to open up a restaurant. Getting that apron will really ignite who I am in my journey here in life.

[00:02:44]The game starts right now in this kitchen. I'm getting an [music] apron.

[00:02:49]The rest of you guys, figure it out amongst yourselves.

[00:02:53]I'm here to do this.

[00:03:02]Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.

[00:03:06]You are about to do battle in the biggest culinary competition anywhere in the world today. This is the search for the best home cook in America.

[00:03:17]One of you 30 home cooks standing here before us will become America's next MasterChef.

[00:03:24]One of you home cooks will win a quarter of a million dollars.

[00:03:30]One of you will be immortalized in the kitchens of America with your very own cookbook.

[00:03:37]And that's not all.

[00:03:39]There's another prize.

[00:03:41]The MasterChef trophy.

[00:03:44]This trophy is the validation of one person's incredible journey from home cook to MasterChef.

[00:03:51]Before any of you get near that trophy, you still have to earn one of these.

[00:04:02]A MasterChef apron.

[00:04:06]Win an apron and you are in with the chance of becoming this year's MasterChef. If you don't win one, well, you go home. We care about one thing [music] and one thing only, and that is what you put on a plate. Are you ready to face the challenge that can earn you a MasterChef apron?

[00:04:27]Are you ready? YES, CHEF!

[00:04:29]>> [cheering] >> YOU'LL BE GIVEN JUST 1 HOUR TO CONCEIVE, CREATE, and plate one stunning dish.

[00:04:40]On the face of it, this challenge is simple.

[00:04:45]Please turn over your chopping boards.

[00:04:54]Uh, what exactly does this mean?

[00:04:58]When I saw myself in the mirror, I was like, "Damn, I look good."

[00:05:01]But, I have no idea what's in store.

[00:05:05]To win an apron, we need you to put yourself on a plate.

[00:05:11]This is your chance to create a dish that speaks to us about you. Think about your life story and put it on that plate. Show us your signature dish. My signature dish is coriander crusted shrimp because I'm from Louisiana. This is me on a plate with a little bit of Latina. I'm going to make a venison chimichurri. I hunt. I cook venison all the time. It's a homage to me and and where I grew up. This is me on a plate.

[00:05:39]When you go into the pantry, look around.

[00:05:42]Look at all the incredible items you have at your fingertips. You won't find a better pantry anywhere [music] in the world.

[00:05:49]Use those ingredients to showcase you in your signature dish.

[00:05:54]Oh, just one more thing.

[00:05:57]Not all of you are going to make it through the next hour.

[00:06:03]As you cook, we'll be watching your every move. And if we don't like what we see, you will be going home immediately.

[00:06:11]It's insane that they will pull people in the middle of their cook. I'm not going to lie, it is terrifying. Are you ready? Yes, chef.

[00:06:21]Your 1 hour starts now.

[00:06:29]Good luck.

[00:06:39]The competition begins not at the ranges, but in the pantry.

[00:06:42]>> Where's the flour? Where's the flour?

[00:06:43]This is signature dish. have to be disciplined deciding which of these ingredients they want to cook with.

[00:06:48]>> You got to stay clear to your ideas.

[00:06:50]Excuse me. Excuse me. Sorry. Excuse me.

[00:06:52]I'm making my white wine apricot chicken.

[00:06:55]This dish is something that I would do at home. I can really show who I am as a person and then tell my competitors Oh, hey. you need to be watching out. Oh, really? My chemicals.

[00:07:08]I love my chemicals, really. My strengths as a cook really come from my love of technology. I do a lot of molecular gastronomy, which involves powders and chemicals. To get this apron, it really means everything to me.

[00:07:22]Let's go. I'm coming.

[00:07:31]Wow. So, this is the biggest search we've ever had. These are the 30 finalists, the 30 [music] best home cooks in America. We know that these guys can cook. The question is, can they [music] do what they do here in the MasterChef kitchen? We're going to eliminate someone immediately. What are we looking for?

[00:07:46]>> they're organized, disorganized. Are they tasting flour?

[00:07:48]>> Knife work's got to be right. They've got to be clean.

[00:07:51]>> That is the very basics.

[00:07:56]I'm making peanut butter bread pudding with a mixed berry compote, chocolate covered pretzels and a little creme fraiche sauce. It shows who I am. I elevate comfort food to a higher level.

[00:08:04]I'm taking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and turning it into something you could put on a restaurant menu.

[00:08:10]I'm making chicken liver ravioli with a fresh made ricotta. Reducing down probably most of the bottle of wine, some champagne vinegar. I'm going to crush everybody under my techniques and then I'm going to make them some fresh dough here in a minute.

[00:08:25]Today I am making blueberry goat cheese and basil hand pies.

[00:08:30]I've always loved food, but it's only been in the last year or so that I really realized that I don't want to be working in a cubicle for the rest of my life. I want to be cooking for the rest of my life and I think something as [music] crazy as being on MasterChef is going to give me the courage to take hold of my dreams. I want an apron with with every part of my being. I I I want to be here so bad and prove that I can do this and I know that I can. I know I can. [music] Come on.

[00:09:01]Dan, this smells good. What is it? It's my ramen stock. I got some chicken bones. I got dashi in there. I'm going to add a little soy sauce. [music] It's got aromatics, some ginger, some garlic.

[00:09:11]>> amazing.

[00:09:12]>> Let's go, guys. Willie, what what are you doing? Right now I'm making my sauce for my chicken.

[00:09:17]>> What's in there? Apricot preserves, white wine, but [music] I am adding a kick to it so it is all going to balance out.

[00:09:22]>> Good luck.

[00:09:23]Tyler. Chef, how are you? Good. Good.

[00:09:25]What are you making?

[00:09:26]>> Venison. Is this sauce finished already?

[00:09:28]>> Uh yes, sir. It's a chimichurri.

[00:09:32]What is that?

[00:09:33]I'm going to make sure you go back and taste that.

[00:09:36]Gabe. Yes, sir. You're making so many things. You're doing the ricotta? Yes.

[00:09:39]Yeah? You making fresh pasta? Yes. Uh why something so complicated? Cuz you know what? I don't think anybody here else has the techniques that I do. So, that is the chicken liver.

[00:09:49]Taste it. Quick. What's the one thing that needs? Salt.

[00:09:57][ __ ] it. I've broken my syringe and I have absolutely no idea what to do. I brought this from home. They don't have them here. I need a syringe to pump my spaghetti with these.

[00:10:12]All of you, STOP.

[00:10:14]KNIVES DOWN. NOW.

[00:10:18]WE told you some of you will not make it through the hour.

[00:10:25]Gavin, from the minute you started cooking, you've forgotten the most important ingredient. You're not tasting anything as you cook.

[00:10:34]Chicken liver pâté, bland.

[00:10:37]It's just not MasterChef.

[00:10:40]Turn off your gas.

[00:10:42]You are out of the competition.

[00:10:45]The rest of you, continue. Oh my god.

[00:10:49]There's a lot of pressure in the kitchen. You know, going into this, I was like, "Oh, it's not going to be that hard." But, with all the frantic activity going on around you, it's a lot more difficult uh than I thought.

[00:10:59]20 minutes to go. Really focus on you on a plate.

[00:11:07]Francis, how you doing?

[00:11:08]>> I had a little emergency. My syringe broke, so I've had to figure out another way to make my tomato spaghetti. What the hell are you doing around with a syringe at such a critical stage? You know what? I live life on the edge. I'm going to make it.

[00:11:18]>> How you going to utilize this? How you going to get this back? Hoping that this squeeze bottle and tube can work.

[00:11:23]Please fit. Good luck.

[00:11:28]I'm making uh ricotta and gnocchi and a brown butter sage sauce with some peas.

[00:11:34]When I was in my senior year of college, I was taking 18 credits, I had five jobs, and I still couldn't pay my rent.

[00:11:41]So, I had to make the decision to go work in a gentleman's club.

[00:11:46]But, I can't be an entertainer forever.

[00:11:49]But, I can be a cook forever. This is the most important dish in my entire life right now. Yes, I have to get that white apron. I got to be here tomorrow >> [music] >> and the next day and the next day all the way until I get that MasterChef trophy.

[00:12:03]All right, Natanya, what are you doing?

[00:12:05]>> This is my lemon butter caper sauce.

[00:12:08]Is there wine in there? Little bit.

[00:12:10]>> Like raw wine still? Yeah.

[00:12:12]You should taste that. Really?

[00:12:17]Elizabeth, how's the dish?

[00:12:19]Coming together great. The peanut butter bread pudding is in the oven, and this is the mixed berry compote to go on top.

[00:12:23]>> Let me have a quick look.

[00:12:24]All right, is that going to cook in time? I I I hope so, Chef.

[00:12:27]>> Why'd you do them so deep in such a big bowl? Um I just wanted you to get in there and so it's not fully cooked through the beginning. I want it to be a little soft.

[00:12:34]>> it in a flat tray. You still got mix there left, haven't you?

[00:12:36]>> Okay, yeah. Get it in flat, you know, like you're making a brownie. Okay.

[00:12:51]So, there's some pretty good dishes out there. I'm impressed. There were some surprises.

[00:12:56]Dan's ramen dish. Awesome.

[00:12:58]>> Pure, authentic, courageous cooking.

[00:13:00]>> Simple. It's right on. I think Tyler's got his chimichurri [music] down. It's nice that he's rethinking it.

[00:13:04]>> Exactly. Willie, I mean he's playing to his strengths. Then the sauce, the pan dripping. He shows skill. But, there's some there that didn't push the boat out good enough.

[00:13:13]10 minutes left. Everybody, knives down.

[00:13:17][music] Natanya, turn your gas [music] off. Okay. Your sauce is broken, over acidulated, raw wine, too many technical errors. Please leave the MasterChef kitchen. Okay.

[00:13:36]All of you, 8 minutes to go. 8 minutes to keep yourself in the competition.

[00:13:41]Come on, let's go.

[00:13:43]Seasoning, plating, we want to see beautiful [music] dishes as well as delicious dishes. Taste everything before it goes on that plate.

[00:13:51]45 seconds to go.

[00:13:53]>> Let's go, guys. Pull it together. This is it.

[00:13:55]Get it sauced, [music] get it wiped, get it garnished.

[00:13:58]Save your place in the MasterChef kitchen.

[00:14:01]10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 and stop.

[00:14:13]Hands in the air.

[00:14:16]Well done.

[00:14:17]Even from here, some of those dishes look and smell delicious.

[00:14:22]After observing and sampling all of the dishes throughout the challenge, the judges will now take one final taste to determine which home cooks will receive a MasterChef apron and move on to the next stage of the competition. Your technique is good, but I'm just not sure if it's worth my [music] time taking you to the next level.

[00:14:42]It's good. It's sweet. Is this the absolute best that you could have done?

[00:14:45]>> These hand pies are good. Why gnocchi?

[00:14:48]I'm a third generation Italian. [music] I wanted to take something that was from home and make it into something that was mine. So, [music] fresh ricotta mixed through? Yes. Mhm.

[00:14:58]It actually tastes better than it looks.

[00:15:00]Why is this you on a plate? I am a person of color. I love sweet, salty, [music] and different textures. So, this right here is bringing all those things together.

[00:15:13]It's MasterChef, not Junior MasterChef.

[00:15:19]Bold move, make a dessert.

[00:15:24]If we call your name, come down here and receive your MasterChef white apron.

[00:15:33]That apron in his hand, it represents so much that's going to lead me to the title of MasterChef. I just cooked my soul on that plate. It's like, [music] put me out of my misery and say my name.

[00:15:47]>> [laughter] >> If I can take something as humble as a PB&J and turn it into something that you'd want to eat at a restaurant, [music] the apron is just like floating in front of my mind.

[00:15:56]The first apron belongs to Courtney.

[00:16:05]I came here with a dream. Now it's really coming true. Well done. Thank you. Uh definitely you on a plate, authentic, brave, tenacious. It's incredibly delicious. Great job. Thank you very much. Thank you. MasterChef is going to give me the tools that I need [music] to create a new profession for myself.

[00:16:25]Wow, I'm so proud of myself.

[00:16:28]>> [music] >> There's another home cook whose dish showed us what this home cook was all about. I put myself on that plate. My flavors are good. This dish does show my potential. I'm hungry for it. Like, I need that apron. This is totally like freaking me out. The next apron belongs to Big Willie.

[00:16:51]>> [applause] >> Well done, big man. Maybe they'll call my name next time. Dan Wu. Yeah!

[00:16:57]Jamie.

[00:16:58]>> [applause] >> Tyler.

[00:17:01]The first couple aprons, I'm thinking, "Yay! There are still so many more aprons to give out."

[00:17:05]>> Victoria. Christine. Kira. Each bloody apron is disappearing and I'm starting to get very nervous. Christian. Aaron.

[00:17:13]Cutter. Jordan.

[00:17:15]>> Daniel. They keep calling names.

[00:17:17]>> Whitney. Then none of them are my name.

[00:17:21]This is the last apron. There's no way they cannot give me an apron. There's just absolutely no way. This has been a very tough decision. I want that apron so badly. I want this with every fiber of my being. The last apron in this challenge belongs to I'm mentally preparing to make the phone call to my husband saying, [music] "Now I'm coming home."

[00:17:54]Elizabeth.

[00:17:56]Congratulations.

[00:17:57]>> [applause] >> Oh, thank god.

[00:18:00]I'm officially a MasterChef competitor.

[00:18:02]Pretty good job indeed. Congratulations.

[00:18:04]Well done.

[00:18:05]I finally feel validated and like I feel like I deserve to be here.

[00:18:10]This is the best moment of my life.

[00:18:17]You nine, please come down to the front.

[00:18:27]Tough one that one.

[00:18:30]Elise.

[00:18:31]How you feeling?

[00:18:34]Pretty devastated. [music] To be honest.

[00:18:37]Why?

[00:18:39]Put my whole life on hold for this.

[00:18:41]It was the start to something new.

[00:18:44]Uh Now I got to figure out something else.

[00:18:52]Listen.

[00:18:53]You made it this far.

[00:18:55]Because clearly you are talented [music] home cooks. Yes, chef.

[00:18:59]But we are not giving up on you just yet.

[00:19:09]Oh, you all face one last and final chance for some or all of you to earn a MasterChef apron.

[00:19:25]>> [sighs] >> In that first challenge, you had the full pantry at your disposal. Now, you'll all be cooking with the same exact ingredients.

[00:19:36]In the equipment room, each of you will find a refrigerator. [music] In each refrigerator, you'll find identical ingredients. The kind of things that you would find in millions of homes across America.

[00:19:49]Bacon, bell peppers, carrots, shrimp, potatoes, and of course the most popular protein chicken.

[00:19:57]Along with all those classic American ingredients, you'll also have [music] the use of our own MasterChef staple pantry box.

[00:20:04]So, in this challenge, you'll take the most common ingredients that can be found virtually in any fridge across the country and turn them into an amazing dish good enough to earn you a MasterChef apron.

[00:20:17]But, unlike being in your own house, one of us is going to cook alongside you.

[00:20:28]>> [laughter] >> So, which of us three do you challenge?

[00:20:33]Astrid.

[00:20:34]Gordon Ramsay, I respect the hell out of you, so let's bring it, baby. You and I, mano a mano.

[00:20:42]I accept that challenge. I'll be cooking alongside all of you.

[00:20:48]You all have 1 hour to cook us something incredible. A dish that proves that you deserve to be in this competition.

[00:20:55]You're going to be cooking your dishes alongside Gordon Ramsay. He's going to show you what one day you can aspire to become.

[00:21:03]Now, is everyone ready? Yes, chef.

[00:21:06]Your 1 hour to keep yourselves in this competition starts now.

[00:21:23]Holy bugger and bollocks. We have a final challenge, an all American challenge, and this is time to prove that I'm not just a one-trick pony.

[00:21:36]Anyone in America tonight could go in the refrigerator and cook along.

[00:21:40]Everyone has potatoes, everyone has bacon, everyone has a piece of chicken.

[00:21:43]>> I hope they have that imagination to use that hour to maximize that flavor. 10 minutes gone, you ready? I was born ready, Graham.

[00:21:52]Show us what you got, chef.

[00:21:54]The coat IS OFF.

[00:21:57]>> [cheering] [applause] >> CHEF, MIGHT I ASK? PLEASE. WHAT ARE YOU COOKING? Wait and find out.

[00:22:12]Okay, guys, time is running down.

[00:22:19]Corey, what are you making? Uh we're going to do a potato and parmesan souffle and CFC. It's our Corey fried chicken.

[00:22:27]>> Now, this is a dish you might make at home?

[00:22:28]>> Yes. Have you made it before? Not in this exact way. Why would you, on such an important dish, why would you change the techniques? It's only evolving.

[00:22:42]Leah, how are you doing?

[00:22:43]Chef, it's a pleasure to be cooking behind you.

[00:22:45]>> What is that in there?

[00:22:46]This is the filling to a chicken pot pie. I'm about to roll out my dough. And do you not think it's a little bit dangerous doing a pie again? It is. Wow, I'm looking forward to that chicken pot pie. Yes, chef.

[00:22:58]My kind of cooking is for feeding my family, so I'm going to make a stuffed chicken breast with spinach, mushrooms, and bacon. At the end of the day, if my children aren't eating at the table, I'm I wasted all that food for nothing.

[00:23:11]I'm 56 years old and I'm a stay-at-home dad from Malibu, California. Come on in, let me show you around. Well, my wife's the breadwinner, married her with five children. She was tired of being a stay-at-home wife and she seems to make more money than I ever ever would have and things are good, I can't complain.

[00:23:27]I'd be a fool if I did.

[00:23:30]When you're hot, you're hot and I'm hot.

[00:23:32]I'm going to make this happen.

[00:23:34]Guys, just over 15 minutes left.

[00:23:40]Look at Astrid's station.

[00:23:42]>> [music] >> Does she cook like that at home?

[00:23:49]This is not going to fly. This is disgusting. This is not how you work in restaurants. Everyone listen up a second.

[00:23:56]We're not going to tolerate disgusting working conditions. This is a kitchen.

[00:24:01]We have sanitary standards. This is dangerous. You're going to fall. You're going to hurt yourself. You're going to hurt me and I'm just not going to tolerate it.

[00:24:10]Everyone listen up a second. We're not going to tolerate disgusting working conditions. We have sanitary standards.

[00:24:17]This is dangerous and I'm just not going to tolerate it.

[00:24:21]Here we go. [music] I'm going home.

[00:24:23]Back to my four children in New Orleans.

[00:24:26]Take this as a warning because if you were in my kitchen, you'd be taking a taxi home.

[00:24:31]Wow, I'm embarrassed, [music] but all I know is that right now, Astrid, you've got to [music] focus. I thought they had people that cleaned.

[00:24:44]Watch Gordon, look what he's doing.

[00:24:46]Yeah.

[00:24:47]>> He's He's using the French coffee press to put the broth in with fresh herbs.

[00:24:50]So, they'll keep steeping, so you're pressing those oils out of the actual herbs.

[00:24:54]>> that technique. That's It's Nice idea. Nine home cooks and one master chef.

[00:25:02]Oh, she's shaking. Look at her. She's poor thing.

[00:25:04]Take a deep breath, Candice. Take a deep breath.

[00:25:07]I am making frosty stacks, which are like potato [music] pancakes with shrimp and a mint aioli. I'm from Idaho, so I'm going to make Idaho proud and make these potatoes perfect. I grew up on a farm [music] gardening with my mom and then hunting with my dad. My parents taught me sustainability from a young age. When you are able to cook and put [music] in fresh ingredients, it can really revolutionize your life.

[00:25:33]Five minutes, guys. Five minutes left to cook.

[00:25:37]Oh, did that burn, Leslie? No, not really. Don't you worry about me. I'm not worried about you.

[00:25:41]>> You got a lot up your sleeve, right?

[00:25:43][music] >> I got a lot of tricks up this sleeve.

[00:25:45]>> Show me. I don't need to show you. Just wait and see. Let the judges be it.

[00:25:49]>> one of these, right?

[00:25:50]>> Yeah, I want one of those. Maybe it MIGHT BE YOURS.

[00:25:54]ONE MINUTE LEFT.

[00:25:56]ALL RIGHT, GUYS.

[00:25:58]TAKE IT HOME, GUYS. Take it home. Let's go.

[00:26:01]Think about plating. Think about style, finesse. Polish up those plates. Last looks. This is where you can make a difference. Let's go.

[00:26:09]10 9 8 7 6 >> Where's Gordon going? Come on, baby. 4 3 2 1 AND STOP. HANDS IN THE AIR.

[00:26:22]>> [cheering] >> GOOD JOB, GUYS. GOOD JOB.

[00:26:26]BRING IT UP, CHEF.

[00:26:31]DESCRIBE your dish, chef. A delicious uh minted shrimp dumpling cooked in [music] a sweet and sour Asian-style broth.

[00:26:39]Please, would you taste?

[00:26:40]I had a bird's-eye [music] view of Chef Ramsay's dish. That was an awesome-looking dish.

[00:26:47]It's delicious, chef. What's the heat from? [music] The heat was from the ginger, the chili flakes, and then the caramelized garlic. That is is the standard that you should be aspiring to reach.

[00:26:58]Will the following three home cooks please bring their dishes up here?

[00:27:04]Corey, Leslie, and little Gordon. Let's go. Three of you make your way down to the front, please.

[00:27:12]First up, Gordon.

[00:27:16]Please describe your dish. I have a pan-seared chicken breast that I marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and mustard. And then I have a soft-boiled egg [music] and a potato puree. So, there's another Gordon in this kitchen.

[00:27:29]Yeah.

[00:27:29]>> And he made this right here. And we look at yours.

[00:27:33]Now, if I didn't know who made what, I probably be able to know by now.

[00:27:38]>> Chef, that's like the World Series and mine's like T-ball, I think. I don't even know if it's the same sport. But, [laughter] great flavor. The puree. What else is in that? Uh a little bit of butter and um at the very end I added a little bit of chicken [music] stock. Overall, it's it's a tasty dish that you want to eat some more of. So, good job. Thank you, Chef.

[00:28:02]Leslie.

[00:28:05]Describe your dish.

[00:28:07]It's uh chicken breast stuffed with uh mushroom, spinach, [music] and bacon with a mashed potato and some carrots.

[00:28:14]Leslie, where do you live? Um Malibu, California.

[00:28:17]>> Malibu. I don't think all of Malibu could eat this portion tonight.

[00:28:23]>> [laughter] >> Nice uh seasoning on the chicken, nice crisp on the skin on the top.

[00:28:34]>> [music] >> Good technique.

[00:28:35]Delicious food, absurd portions.

[00:28:40]Corey, let's go.

[00:28:43]Here we have fried chicken with sauteed spinach with a potato souffle and a parmesan crisp.

[00:28:51]It's a play on the souffle.

[00:28:52]>> There's a golden rule in cooking, you never play with a souffle. Yes, chef.

[00:29:07]Matt.

[00:29:10]Wow.

[00:29:11]How did you cook the chicken? Deep fried it at about 350 for 10 minutes or so, a little bit over probably.

[00:29:17]Matt.

[00:29:18]Here's the thing, I mean if there's one staple across the country it's fried chicken. Yeah. Well, you're you're sunk.

[00:29:23]So, this stuff should be done with your eyes closed. Um, I broke the plate, my apologies. Um, the dish was broken way before that.

[00:29:29]Thank you.

[00:29:31]Matt.

[00:29:32]It's hard.

[00:29:34]I understand if you didn't think it was the best it it wasn't the best, but I definitely still feel like I have a decent [music] chance. You utilized the time wisely. I did. The egg was stupid.

[00:29:42]I had to prove to the chefs today I could present an immaculate dish based on ingredients [music] we all have at home, and I did that and I deserve to be up there. It's got the most important thing, Mike. It's got the flavor profile. I most certainly belong up there with any one of them, but at the end of the day I think there are a lot of one-trick ponies in there, and I don't want to be the only horse [music] that gets kicked in the ass.

[00:30:04]All right, guys.

[00:30:05]We gave you a second chance. Not everybody can take that chance and turn it into an apron. Gordon.

[00:30:13]Yes, chef.

[00:30:17]I'm sorry.

[00:30:19]You're not going back to uh school.

[00:30:25]There you go.

[00:30:25]>> [applause] [music] >> Oh my god. Thank you, chef. Thank you so much.

[00:30:34]>> [applause and cheering] >> Corey.

[00:30:40]>> [music] >> Yes, chef.

[00:30:43]You know, I think that we all three agree that your future is not in the MasterChef kitchen.

[00:30:48]Understandable, chef. It's the end of the road. Thank you so much.

[00:30:53]>> [applause and music] >> And then, Leslie, we have you.

[00:30:58]Do you really need this competition?

[00:31:00]Yes. I just need an honest-to-goodness chance to learn from some of the best people in the world.

[00:31:08]We think we can teach you some new tricks.

[00:31:10]Come get your apron. Thank you very much.

[00:31:13]I promise you you won't regret it.

[00:31:15]>> [applause] >> Thank you. All right. Great job.

[00:31:21]The next three home cooks are Astrid, Amy, and Michael. Let's start off with Astrid.

[00:31:30]Describe your dish.

[00:31:32]Pan-seared chicken breast with potato hash, as well as a butter stock emulsion sauce.

[00:31:41]Chicken's now seasoned, bacon, delicious. Really good indeed. Seasoned, lemon, totally unnecessary. Overall, flavor's there.

[00:31:49]Thank you. Amy, please bring your dish forward.

[00:31:54]So, today I made two tacos, a shrimp taco and a chicken taco with a chimichurri sauce and bell pepper salsa.

[00:32:04]I like the shrimp, but [music] the chicken's pretty dry.

[00:32:07]Next up, Michael.

[00:32:09]That is a sauce pecan with uh pan-roasted chicken and a corn box shoe topped with a poached egg.

[00:32:21]I want you to try that.

[00:32:24]Oh, it's too salty.

[00:32:30]One apron, three home cooks.

[00:32:34]This apron belongs to Astrid.

[00:32:43]Come and get it.

[00:32:45]>> [applause] >> Thank you.

[00:32:46]Good dish, but clean it up in the kitchen. Out of the three to only get that one apron, it's a fantastic feeling. Hooray!

[00:32:55]Okay, the final three, please make your way down to the front.

[00:33:04]Okay, Francis, please bring us your plate.

[00:33:09]So, [music] tell me everything that we have here.

[00:33:12]It is a spinach pasta with a creamy spicy [music] sauce underneath with sous vide shrimp.

[00:33:16]What's the idea behind this?

[00:33:19]It was called runaway shrimp. My concept was it would look like seaweed and the shrimp were leaving and running away from the seaweed.

[00:33:27]I don't know. I hope that it tastes great.

[00:33:36]Pasta's great.

[00:33:37]The shrimp are delicious, but this is the sauce here? Yes, sir.

[00:33:42]>> made from the heads?

[00:33:45]I'm not sure.

[00:33:49]Chandis, please bring us your dish.

[00:33:52]What's this dish called?

[00:33:54]This is a rosti stack with spinach, shrimp, and [music] mint.

[00:34:02]A rosti stack? It's potato pancakes, essentially.

[00:34:10]You know, the shrimp, they're cooked fine, but you know one of the worst offenses [music] in the MasterChef kitchen? No.

[00:34:17]Serving us raw potatoes.

[00:34:20]Have a bite.

[00:34:26]Is it raw?

[00:34:29]It is raw.

[00:34:35]>> Last up, Elise.

[00:34:39]Describe your dish.

[00:34:41]It's chicken pot pie and it's succotash with roasted [music] chicken, mushrooms, carrots.

[00:34:48]Another bloody pie. Two pies in one night. Redemption pie. Seriously?

[00:34:53]>> Yes.

[00:35:01]Here's the really bizarre news. Now you're starting to freak me out slightly cuz it actually does taste good. Thank you, Chef. But it's a pot pie. I understand. [music] I wanted you to come out your comfort zone, not dive back in it.

[00:35:15]However, [music] it may look a mess but there is something there. I might be the underdog right now, but I am scrappy and [music] I will fight for a privilege to please please cook at this kitchen.

[00:35:32]Thank you.

[00:35:33]Thank you.

[00:35:35]I left everything out on that plate. It is very disheartening to feel that you [music] have disappointed yourself and the judges. Three very talented home cooks >> [music] >> fighting to continue that incredible journey across this competition.

[00:35:50]Tanisha, you had 60 minutes to prove your potential to us. There were some incredible moments [music] across those 60 minutes, but you had some elements that were unforgivable.

[00:36:05]Tanisha, your journey started tonight and it's ending tonight.

[00:36:11]I'm sorry. It's just not good enough to earn an apron.

[00:36:15]Thank you. Good night.

[00:36:17]>> [applause] >> It's been such an honor to be in the MasterChef kitchen. I'm so proud of myself for doing it. I didn't know what to [music] expect jumping into this awesome challenge, but I definitely leave here [music] a stronger person.

[00:36:37]Francis, I wanted you to cook again tonight to see what basic skills you have up your sleeve, to see what you're like with >> [music] >> just good, humble ingredients.

[00:36:50]You made a very bold move making pasta for the very first time.

[00:36:55]Francis, your journey is going to continue. Congratulations.

[00:37:05]>> [cheering] [applause] >> To get that apron handed to me by Gordon Ramsay, the most iconic chef to me in the world, is just a I can't I It's overwhelming.

[00:37:18]>> [snorts] [sighs] >> Elise, I know how much this means to you, but my frustration, [music] I wasn't convinced by the pies in the first round. We give you a second chance, another pie re-emerges. I know I want this privilege to be here. I want to cook with all these amazing people.

[00:37:47]And I want to prove my worth to myself and to you.

[00:37:53]Ah, young lady, >> [laughter] [snorts] >> I'm sorry.

[00:38:00]You are not going upstairs [music] to the balcony.

[00:38:04]Yes, Chef.

[00:38:08]Because they are coming down [music] to congratulate you.

[00:38:16]>> [applause] >> Welcome.

[00:38:18]>> [music] >> Congratulations.

[00:38:21]>> [applause] >> Thank you so much. I won't let you down.

[00:38:23]No more pies.

[00:38:24]>> [cheering] >> No more pies. Thank you.

[00:38:28]Getting that apron and then to shake Chef Ramsay's hand and for him to say congratulations, I don't know. This might be the best day of my entire life so far.

[00:38:38]>> [laughter] >> You are the top 22. CONGRATULATIONS.

[00:38:46]YOU ALL SHOULD be incredibly proud because we are. And now, one of you 22 talented home cooks standing [music] in front of us is going to become America's next MasterChef. Make sure it's you.

[00:39:02]>> [applause]