All language subtitles for Masterchef.US.S09E01.WEBRip.x264-ION10

This season on "MasterChef,"
everything has changed.

Because this season,
the judges do battle.

Every home cook we bring here
to the MasterChef kitchen...

Is competing
for a MasterChef white apron.

Each of us have
just eight aprons.

Just eight chances to find
America's next MasterChef.

And if a judge chooses a home
cook to wear one of our aprons...

We become their mentor.

- ( Cheering ) - There are
thousands of hopeful home cooks.

( Crowd chanting ) MasterChef!

Gordon:
Those that make the cut...

- Wow!
- Oh, my goodness!

...will soar...

- Whoo!
- You guys look great!

...to new heights...

Are those people? Oh, my God!

Woman:
They're landing for dinner!

- ( Horn honking )
- ...they'll feel the heat...

Whoa! It's burning.

...as they cook
for American heroes...

- Aarón: Don't let these firefighters down.
- Let's go, guys!

...run five-star restaurants...

- Where's the beef?
- I need some entrées now.

...and cater all-star events.

I'm honored to declare you
husband and wife.

Along the way,

we as mentors will face
tough decisions.

What happened?

The home cook
that I would send home

is wearing an apron
that I gave them.

But we'll experience some of
the most spectacular dishes...

This is a home run.

...the MasterChef kitchen
has ever seen.

This is the reason
I gave you an apron.

Gordon: I was 100% correct
handing you that apron.

You've been a perfect student,

potentially America's
next MasterChef.

Three judges.

Eight precious aprons.

Just one MasterChef.

Let the battle begin.

( Music playing )

( cheering and applause )

My name is Gerron,
and I'm an English teacher.

My food is gonna
be the best food

that Gordon Ramsay ever tasted.
So I expect

nothing lower than an A plus.

- Whoo!
- I am Olusola.

I'm from Columbia,
South Carolina.

I've been a bus driver
since I was 18 years old,

but cooking food makes me feel
like I'm alive.

I've daydreamed about cooking

since I was six years old,

but I've never
had an opportunity

to follow my dream.

I have to shine.

Wow! My name is Farhan.

I live in Chicago, Illinois,
and I'm a dental student.

I know mouths better
than anyone else.

I know how to clean them
and I know how to feed them.

So, I wanna be the person

that shows America
what Indian food is about.

( Cheering and applause )

Hello!

Welcome to "MasterChef"!

- I'm Gordon Ramsay.
- I'm Aarón Sánchez.

And I'm Joe Bastianich.

And trust me, we searched
all across America

for talented home cooks,

and we found them:

You.

Make no mistake.

Winning "MasterChef" will unlock

every culinary door
you've ever dreamed of.

And the winner will go home

with a quarter of
a million dollars.

( Cheering and applause )

Home cooks, it's a long road

to become America's
next MasterChef.

And you don't even take one
tiny step on that journey

unless you win one of these.

( Cheering and applause )

The incredible MasterChef
white apron.

But how you win one of these
is much different

than ever before.

Each judge will have just
eight aprons to give out.

But that doesn't make it easier.

In fact,
it's a whole lot harder,

because we are battling it out

to identify the next MasterChef.

That means our reputations
are on the line.

If more than of us
offers you an apron,

you will be in the unique
position of getting to choose

whose apron you take.

And this year, the judge
that gives you that apron

will then be your mentor
throughout the competition.

One last thing: We've invited
your friends and family here

to support you
and encourage you.

Good luck to you all.

( Cheering and applause )

Narrator: In the auditions
for a white apron,

the home cooks will fight
to impress the judges

with their signature dishes.

The judges will then decide

who wins a MasterChef
white apron

and a place in the top 24.

My whole life, basically,
has been building up to this.

Everything has revolved
around food.

I'm Emily. I'm 28,
and I'm from Neenah, Wisconsin.

I live and breathe food.

Growing up,
my mom had a travel bug.

I've been to almost
every continent.

I can't get chicken liver
mousse in Wisconsin,

and so I said, "You know what?

I'll make it myself."

Competing on "MasterChef,"

this is literally my dream.

I wanna prove

that I am as good
as I think I am.

You're gonna put Cambodian food
on the map.

Yes! My name is Jannie. I'm 29.

I'm from Las Vegas, Nevada,
and I'm a cocktail server.

Vegas nightlife is
its own world.

I get to make sure
people have an amazing time.

I love my job,
but wherever I am in life,

something always brings me
back to food.

I use a lot of lemongrass,

so, gotta keep that stocked.

I'm Cambodian and Vietnamese,

so a lot of lemongrass, kaffir
lime leaves, a lot of turmeric.

As a Vegas vixen,

I'm gonna make sure my food
looks as good as it tastes.

I'm excited to go in that door
to get my apron.

My apron will be for you.

( Speaking Mandarin )

My name's Bowen.
I'm 24 years old.

I'm a pilot from Tianjin, China.

When I was 15 years old,
I came to the United States.

In China, my dad is
a professional chef.

By watching my dad's cooking,
I fell in love with food.

Back two years ago, I got
in a severe car accident.

I was in the hospital
for almost a year.

There in the hospital,

the only TV program
I would watch is "MasterChef."

"MasterChef" got me through it.

The doctor said it's a miracle.

( Cheering and applause )

Emily: Even though each judge

only has eight aprons
to give out--

I mean, that's only 24
aprons total.

- ( Gasps )
- Welcome!

Emily: I'm going in
there with the mindset

that I will get an apron
offered to me

- by all three judges.
- Let's go!

I am for sure going
to get an apron.

All three of you,
good evening and welcome

to the most amazing kitchen
anywhere in America.

Tonight, each one of your
signature dishes features beef.

You have just 30 minutes
on the clock.

- Are you all ready to cook?
- All: Yes, Chef!

Your 30 minutes starts...

now!

( Music playing )

All right, guys, so we have
eight aprons to give away.

What I'm looking for
is discipline.

Can they absorb like a sponge?

That hunger to learn more.

And how much better can I make
them across this journey?

I'm thinking about how grandiose
are their ideas.

Are they big thinkers?
Are they creative

and open to new ideas?

My eight aprons, I'm looking for
someone who shows confidence,

but you've gotta be willing
to take direction

admit to what you don't know
and be willing to learn.

So when I look,
I gotta see someone

who can win this competition.

Jannie, give us an insight
to the dish tonight.

I'm making my Cambodian
beef skewers

with green papaya pickle
and a coconut rice.

It is from my heritage

- and my culture.
- Cambodia.

Some of the best food
I've ever eaten.

Miss Emily, talk to me a little
bit about what you're making.

I will be making a filet mignon
over fondant potato,

mushroom duxelle
with a red wine pan sauce.

This dish is entrenched
in a lot of French technique,

- it sounds like.
- Yes.

I've had the opportunity
to travel the world.

I've been to France a few times,

and being a food anthropologist,

I've definitely honed my skills
having that global experience.

Emily, I just assumed
you're a food anthropologist,

that garlic powder
and onion powder

is something more for
traditional home cooks.

I feel like that's a little
pedestrian way

to look at it. Do you never use

onion powder and garlic powder
in the kitchen?

No. Never.

Gordon: 20 minutes remaining.

Bowen, give us an insight
into what you're making.

I'm making
a lion's head meatball,

a soft-boiled egg stuffed
inside a meatball.

- So it's a Scotch egg.
- Yes.

So, Bowen, who'd you
learn to cook from?

I learned from my father.

My father is just
like a Chinese version

of Gordon Ramsay.

He's always yelling
at the kitchen.

- Is Gordon big in China?
- He's famous everywhere.

How about me?
Am I famous in China?

- Of course, famous.
- Yeah? As famous as Gordon?

Oh, you're trying
to give me trouble, huh?

Aarón: Guys, we are down
to seven minutes left.

Emily: They look good, Bowen.

Of course. Always.

Aarón: Jannie, you just
chose to put the beef on.

Is that 'cause you wanted the
beef to marinate sufficiently?

Yes. It's gonna
be bold flavored.

Very bold.

- I know you guys will enjoy it.
- All right, guys,

so we couldn't have three
more different beef dishes.

For me, Jannie, I think, has the
biggest level of difficulty.

Is she gonna get enough
of those aromatic flavors

in a very tight window of time?

- Almost two minutes, guys.
- Emily's issue tonight,

- the temperature on that filet.
- But, come on, garlic powder

- and onion powder.
- By the way,

the secret there is making sure
it's got an even color.

Joe: And is it too simple?

Gordon: 60 seconds remaining.

This is where it counts.
Come on.

Bowen's got his meatball out.
He's slicing it now.

Wow! Emily, is that filet
gonna be medium rare?

- Yes, sir.
- Gordon: Ten...

Chefs: Nine, eight, seven...

- Bowen: Come on, let's go!
- Six, five, four, three,

- two, one.
- Gordon: And stop.

- Hands in the air. Well done.
- Joe: Wow!

All three of you, bring your
dishes down to the front, please.

Thank you.

Aarón: So, three very
passionate home cooks,

all with signature dishes
that featured beef.

Let's taste.

Jannie, describe the dish.

It's Cambodian beef skewers

with a green papaya pickle
and coconut rice.

What are some of the flavors

I'm supposed to
be experiencing here?

- You'll get the lemongrass for sure.
- Mmm.

The beef is tender,
the marinade came through.

And I gotta say,
I like the pickle.

- Well done.
- Thank you.

- Very sweet. - I like my beef a
little bit on the sweeter side

'cause I put honey in it.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

And inside the rice?

There's coconut milk and ginger
and a little bit of salt.

Tastes quite nice.

This is traditionally
a street food dish.

It needs heat. Bit of chili.

So you've got something
that's that sweet,

then you need to balance
it out with that heat.

Thank you.

Emily, name of the dish?

This is a filet mignon

over fondant potato,
mushroom duxelle,

and a red wine pan sauce.

Let's see. Medium rare.

- And what did you season with?
- Onion and garlic powder.

- My apologies.
- You don't have to apologize.

There's just a right way
of doing things.

Great color on the steak.

- How long did you cook it for?
- Two minutes each side,

and then I finished in the oven
for about eight minutes.

Wow! The beef is delicious.

But a duxelle would generally
be for lining or wrapping.

When you have a filet mignon like
that you find the best mushroom

so it highlights the beef.

However,
it's perfectly executed.

Thank you.

- Why duxelle?
- Mushrooms are earthy flavor.

I think it's a nice component
to the beef on the plate.

It's buttery and rich.
I like the duxelle.

That's my favorite
part of this dish.

But you need to bring in, for
me, a little bit more acidity.

- Mm-hmm.
- But perfectly cooked.

Bowen,
describe the dish, please.

This dish is called
lion's head meatball,

stuffed with hard-boiled egg,
served with radish pickle.

And what's inside
the ground beef?

Scallions, water chestnut,

ground ginger, ground garlic.

It looks weird, but it actually
tastes delicious.

The ground beef is
seasoned beautifully,

and I've got that nice
richness from the egg.

- Good job.
- Thank you.

Bowen, have you made
this dish before?

Yes.

What I'm tasting is a beautiful
texture of the beef.

If I wanted to change one thing,

you don't need all that radish.
It's not serving a purpose.

Thank you.

It's very, very flavorful.

It's super moist, tender.

You ever think about leaving
a little broth in it?

If I put broth in there
it will be a mess on the plate.

Great job, all of you.
Here's the deal.

You only have to impress one
of us to win an apron.

We only have eight aprons each.

These are as precious to me as
they are to all of you home cooks.

I'm going against
my colleagues here.

I wanna be the one that puts
forward the next MasterChef.

You might have multiple offers
from all three of us.

If that happens,
it's down to you guys

to choose who you want
to be your mentor

throughout this
whole competition.

I saw a lot of bright spots,

but my standards are super high
and I've not seen enough.

That's three nos for me.

All right,
I think there's one home cook

that has the potential
to be the next MasterChef.

This apron is going to...

This apron is going to...

Bowen.

But I'm not finished yet.

Sometimes what it means

to have the potential
to be the next MasterChef

is not always in the plate.

Emily, you and I
haven't exactly bonded.

- You're tough.
- Are you worth this apron?

Absolutely. I'm a sponge.

I'm gonna soak up every ounce of
wisdom that you bestow upon me.

What you just said
is the very reason why...

I'm gonna give you this apron.

- Don't let me down.
- Wow!

Gordon, I guess
it's up to you now.

I do have one apron to give out.

Bowen.

Aarón: ( whispering ) Whoa!

Mm-mm.

So, Jannie, this means that
you'll be leaving the kitchen

without an apron.

Bowen, you have an apron
from Joe Bastianich.

Restaurateur,
probably the best in the world.

And you have an apron from one
of the best chefs in the world.

Who is gonna be your mentor?

His father is a mini me.

And now you have the real
opportunity to be with me,

so there's no choice.

Joe.

This is the single greatest day
of your life,

because I am the greatest mentor
in the history

of the biggest cooking
competition in the world.

Bowen, who is gonna take you to
the top of the culinary world?

Gordon Ramsay.

- Thank you, Jannie.
- Aarón: Thank you, guys. Well done.

Gordon: Bowen's a
fascinating character.

My God!
That guy knows how to cook.

- Aarón: The sky's the limit.
- Emily, she's confident.

I didn't love the plate,
but I like the girl.

I think she could really go far.

( Cheering and applause )

I got an apron from Gordon!

( Crying )

( cheering )

Woman: Jannie, it's okay.

- So proud of you, baby.
- Joe picking me, it's insane!

I really didn't expect it
to come from him,

but that means a lot more

that it's coming from someone
that's so critical.

I'm so happy for you!

I am not gonna let him down.

- Good chef.
- Gordon Ramsay!

My husband, my father, and me,

we all love Gordon Ramsay,

so I will never let
Gordon Ramsay down.

I will become the next
MasterChef!

I'm so proud of you!

( Crying )

Narrator: Up next is Cynthia,

an accounting assistant
from Sylmar, California.

Mom, you're my favorite cook.

- I'm your favorite cook?
- My favorite.

Mom.

I'm a mother of six.

So, by the time I'm done
doing the dishes,

it's time for the next meal.

Muah!

To cook on "MasterChef,"

it's something
I've always wanted.

And getting this apron,

it will just prove
to my children

that it's never too late
to go after your dreams.

What is Gordon gonna think?

My name is Shanika.

I'm 34 years old.
I'm from Miami, Florida

and I'm an event promoter.

I cook how I look:

Bold, tough, daring.

I'm very, very confident
in who I am.

And, you know, when you feel good
and you look good you cook good.

- The flavors have to be on point.
- Yeah, man, you got it.

- You got it.
- I know I got it.

I mean, I know my mom
would be proud right now.

I was 14 years old
when I lost my mom,

and my love for cooking
came from my mom.

Losing my mom at an early age,

it pushed me
to become like an adult.

I actually had to become
the mother for my sister.

It was really, really rough.

But I wouldn't change it.

Because I wouldn't
be who I am today.

I wouldn't be as strong as I am.

( Cheering and applause )

And I'm ready
to show these judges

that I know how to cook.

They're gonna get straight up,
raw Shanika.

Welcome. Come on down.

Very excited to be here.

That is why I'm gonna get
that damn apron.

Welcome to the MasterChef
kitchen.

We started the competition
with only eight aprons each.

Your dishes have to convince
at least one of the three of us

that you are worthy

of one of our eight aprons.

Ladies, tonight,
you've got 45 minutes

to cook us
your signature dishes.

- Ready?
- Yes, Chef.

Your 45 minutes starts...

now!

- So, Cynthia.
- Yes.

Talk to me a little bit
about your dish.

I'm making a cream biscuit
strawberry shortcake,

a strawberry-mint puree
for the base,

and then I will be doing
a lemon whip

to kinda cut into the
sweetness a little bit.

Outstanding.

- Shanika, what's the dish?
- Yes, sir.

I'm making a bitter French kiss.

It is a puff pastry with very,
very sweet dates, goat cheese,

heavy whipping cream to tone it
down just a little bit.

- And it creates just this
marvelous filling. - Wow!

That ponytail, young lady.

How long is that thing?

This is my Beyoncé ponytail.

Gordon: Ladies, just
under 25 minutes to go.

You make it into
the MasterChef kitchen,

it's your signature dish,
and you decide to bake?

I mean, are they crazy?

Ask any professional
pastry chef.

They wouldn't touch baking
in 45 minutes.

Aarón: I love the grit of coming
on strong with the dessert.

You're setting the tone.

Cynthia, are you gonna get
a white apron?

It should be good enough
to impress at least one of you.

Gordon: Right.

Ladies, we're down
to 10 minutes remaining.

Cynthia's biscuits
are still in the oven.

So they're gonna take at least
five, six minutes to cool down.

They've gotta cool down first.

But my worry right now is

that cream is gonna
absolutely disintegrate

the minute it hits
that shortcake.

Oh, my gosh.

Just under eight minutes
remaining, ladies. Come on.

Got a small problem.

Are these cooked desserts
gonna get done?

Let's go, guys!
Come on, pull it together.

Are we gonna be tasting something
or we gonna be tasting raw pastry?

Gosh.

Just under eight minutes
remaining, ladies. Come on.

Got a small problem.

Are these cooked desserts
gonna get done?

Let's go, guys!
Come on, pull it together.

Are we gonna be tasting something
or we gonna be tasting raw pastry?

Oh, pastry out.

Wow! That looks perfect.

Shanika, who would you
most want an apron from,

if you had to pick one
of the three?

I really wanna prove to Gordon
that I have what it takes.

I wanna be him. Period. 100%.

You wanna be the female
version of me?

- Of you.
- Wow!

- Okay.
- Yes, you.

I want you to give me my apron.

Ladies, five minutes to go.

Here we are.

Joe: Winning over one
of us is all it takes

to give you an apron and a place

in America's largest
cooking competition,

the MasterChef kitchen.

This is the one.

Awesome. Yes!

Ladies, we are down
to 60 seconds remaining.

- Showtime. - I just hope that
those biscuits are cool enough.

Gordon: Ten, nine...

Chefs: Eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one.

- Hands in the air. Well done.
- Hands in the air, hands in the air.

- Nice job, ladies.
- Ladies, very carefully,

please, bring your desserts
down to the front.

Cynthia, describe
the dish, please.

I have a cream biscuit
strawberry shortcake

with a lemon-mint
strawberry puree.

The actual shortcake, delicious.

It's light, it's fluffy.

Layers are done nicely.

It doesn't give me the wow
factor, in terms of visual.

You could've done
with a glaze on top,

just get a bit of color
contrast.

- But it does taste good.
- Thank you, Chef.

The mint, the strawberry,
the lemon, they all make sense.

There just needs
to be a lot more of it,

but there's enough
great attributes,

that make you remember
this dessert.

Thank you, Chef.

You know, the dish,
it's a little homey.

- Right.
- Which is nice.

Is it nice in
the MasterChef kitchen?

I-- I think so.

I'm not so sure.

Shanika, what's the dish?

This is a bitter French kiss.

I have a puff pastry

stuffed with a goat cheese
filling,

that was made with cream cheese,

heavy whipping cream,
sugar, and date.

I did a balsamic vinegar
reduction,

and I created a candied bacon
rosette.

You're playing on a high wire,

because you're using very,
very risky ingredients.

Goat cheese, and balsamic,
and candied bacon.

Without the greatest
of finesse and skill,

you're gonna fall off that wire.

Shanika, I'm so impressed.

The fact that you got that puff
pastry cooked all the way through.

If you're a goat cheese lover,

then this is
the dessert for you.

Ladies, let me remind you,

you only have to impress
one of us to win an apron.

You might have multiple offers
and it's down to you to choose

who you want to be your mentor

throughout this whole
competition.

I've made my decision.

Cynthia...

your dish, for me,

is not worthy of my apron.

Well done, Cynthia...

but I'm afraid it's a no for me.

Cynthia, I'm looking
at that dish

and I'm thinking about
is it "MasterChef"-worthy?

And the answer is no,

so I'm not gonna give
you one of my aprons.

Thank you, Chef.

Shanika, I know you want
my apron, right?

Yes.

I'm sorry to say, I just don't
think you're ready yet.

Okay.

- Shanika.
- Yes, sir.

Gordon doesn't believe in you.
Why should I?

Because I know
I have the potential.

I know I have the drive,
I have the hunger.

And I will win.

I look at you and I see promise.

I see a future
and I do believe in you.

So I do wanna give you
this apron.

- I want it.
- Wow!

- Shanika.
- Yes, sir.

If I offered you this apron,

would you take my apron
or would you take Aarón's apron?

I'm gonna go with Aarón.

Hmm.

Well, Shanika,
I don't believe you.

I'm gonna make this
not hypothetical anymore.

I'm gonna count to three,
and then you reach out

and take whichever apron
suits your ambition the most

to prove Gordon wrong.

One, two, three.

Shanika, I'm gonna
count to three

and then you reach out and take

whichever apron
suits your ambition the most

to prove Gordon wrong.

One, two, three.

Mm.

See you on the camp.

Cynthia, sorry,
you are going home,

but your family should
be proud of you.

Thank you.

Thank you, ladies.

Keep coming, keep trying.

Don't give up.

She's got the animal heart it
takes to win this competition.

- No.
- I'm happy she's not on my team.

Yeah, that's
'cause you like to lose.

( Cheering and applause )

( cheering )

Mommy, I'm so proud!

Props to Shanika. She went
in there and did her thing

and she had a great dish,

and I'm really proud of her.

What Joe saw was a damn diamond

and MasterChef kitchen
gotta get ready

because I'm bringing the heat,
the flavor, and the sass

all up in that kitchen.

( Cheering and applause )

Narrator: From thousands of
home cooks across America,

the judges invited those
with the skill...

- Flambé it.
- There you go.

- Determination, and courage...
- Let's do this!

- Were you chopping garlic that fast?
- Absolutely.

- Keep the knuckles out the way.
- ...to take risks...

- This is not doing what I need it to do.
- No, it's not.

Cooking an Italian dish in front
of an extraordinary Italian,

- now that's ballsy.
- No!

...but for these home cooks...

That is a crime in Texas.

It's the consistency
of toothpaste.

Looks like a calf's brain.

...the gamble didn't pay off.

Gordon: You know that
this is not going to you.

I'm afraid it's a no.

- I'm sorry.
- You were close.

- It's a no. No as well.
- No apron.

- Double no.
- Your dish is good.

- Is he gonna give it to him?
- Not good enough.

Ooh!

But for the most
talented home cooks...

- I absolutely love the cook on the veal.
- Thank you.

...the risk turned
into reward...

That is MasterChef-worthy.

...with Gordon handing out
his second apron...

Congratulations, Seth.

...and Aarón giving out
his first of the night...

- Julia.
- Wow!

...leaving Gordon and Joe
with six aprons each...

( cheering and applause )

...and Aarón with seven.

Team Aarón! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!

Let the games begin,

because this is the highest
level we've ever seen.

Good luck,
because you're gonna need it.

Up next is Samantha...

- I'm so nervous.
- You'll do fine.

- You'll do good.
- I hope so.

...a 20-year-old college student

from West Des Moines, Iowa.

And voila!

I'm in a sorority,

and I'm kind of the mom
of the group.

You know, after a long night
of partying,

they'll come over to my place,
I'll make hangover food,

and make sure everybody gets
a good meal in.

I wish Dad could see me
right now.

He'd be so proud.

- He is, he's watching.
- He's watching.

My passion for food and for cooking
really came from my family.

When I was around 15 or 16

my dad got diagnosed with
stage 4 renal cell carcinoma.

So, now that we're apart,
all I can do

is try to make him
incredibly proud of me

by just following my passion.

Being here now means everything.

I'm going in with Mark. He's 19,

so we're the two youngest
in the competition.

These people might
be a little older

but they can't cook like me.

My name is Mark
and I am a dishwasher.

I grew up in Rockport, Maine.

We lived on a farmhouse-esque
property.

We had a top floor living space
and a bottom floor restaurant.

( Cheering and applause )

Growing up in a restaurant
at such a young age

really did steep me
in the culture

and the respect it takes
to succeed in the kitchen.

I'm an expert
in flavor profiles.

I'm well-schooled
in the art of butchery.

- Come on down, please.
- I've been in food my whole life,

so I'm confident that today I'll
be taking home a MasterChef apron.

- Hello.
- Hi.

Welcome. Both of you
have got 30 minutes

to absolutely nail
your signature dishes.

Your 30 minutes starts...

now!

Let's go.

Good knife skills. Look at that.

- He's spent some time in the kitchen.
- Aarón: Mm-hmm.

Samantha, give us an insight
to what you're making.

The dish I'm preparing tonight
is a chicken piccata

with roasted asparagus
and a potato puree.

I make it a lot
for my sorority sisters.

But leaving here tonight with
an apron, what would that mean?

That would mean
everything to me.

I dropped all of my classes.

Pretty much gave up everything
to be here.

Gordon: Wow! Incredible.

Good luck.

10 minutes gone,
20 minutes to go.

So, Mark, give us an insight
to the dish.

I'm making a lamb chop
with sautéed asparagus,

a potato stack
and a cauliflower puree.

So, Mark, what do you do
for a living?

I'm a dishwasher at my mother's
restaurant in Rockport, Maine.

Gordon: Why not culinary school?

Well, I find
that I've learned enough

in my own field, personally,
independently,

- Wow! - And just as well
through my own experience.

I'm one of the more talented
people in this room.

Even at 19 years old, you
feel you're above the class.

- Absolutely.
- Self-confident.

A lot of similarities between
Mark's story and mine.

I also grew up washing dishes
and peeling potatoes,

and I can tell,
by the way he moves

and the confidence in the way
he touches a pan or food,

that that kid has spent time
in a restaurant.

Aarón: One of the things
that excites me about Samantha

is she's gotten her pans
nice and hot,

and she's allowing the pan
to do the work for her.

Creating a beautiful crust.

This is always very risky.
She's adding wine.

Let's see if she knows to burn
the alcohol out of the wine.

- Lamb's out.
- Oh!

Lamb is out.

Two and a half minutes
remaining.

I don't think that lamb's
gonna rest in time.

60 seconds remaining.

- This is it.
- Come on, finish strong.

Put it on the plate.

Aarón: Come on, Mark.
It has to be immaculate

and gorgeous, those plates.

25 seconds to go.
Come on, let's go.

He has nothing plated.

What is he doing?

Come on, Mark. Let's go.

It has to be immaculate
and gorgeous, those plates.

25 seconds to go.
Come on, let's go.

He has nothing plated.

What is he doing?

Gordon: Ten, nine...

Chefs: Eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one.

- Gordon: And stop. Well done.
- Joe: Hands in the air.

- Good job.
- Whoo!

- Well done.
- Thank you.

Very carefully, please bring
your dishes down to the front.

So, Samantha,
describe the dish, please.

So today I have for you
a chicken piccata

with potato puree
and oven-roasted asparagus.

Just from the outside,
you got a beautiful color on it.

Do you like the citrus level
that you have in that sauce?

- Did you put enough lemon juice?
- I-- I believe I did.

I got citrus from the wine

and then I got citrus
from the lemon juice.

The chicken's moist.

That skin is rendered
down beautifully.

Love how it's seasoned.

I think you did a great job
creating texture.

On the outside
there's a beautiful crust.

You're suffering
from one major thing.

You didn't cook out
the wine enough.

Skin is incredible.

A little bit of naiveté
on the asparagus peeling them,

when they should
be just roasted whole.

Puree needs a touch more lift,

but you cooked the chicken
beautifully.

I can't believe
that it's so flavorsome.

Thank you.

You know, I would ask you,

"Did I order a chicken piccata
or a glass of Chardonnay?"

- Good chicken, though.
- Thank you.

Mark, describe the dish, please.

I have a pan-roasted lamb chop
with a crispy potato stack,

a cauliflower puree
and sautéed asparagus.

So, visually, what do you think?

- I like how it looks.
- Right.

You're full of ( bleep ).

You know and I know
that that's undercooked.

However, I look at this bit
of lamb and it's cooked.

But that one there,
you know that's raw.

So, man up a little bit. Got me?

Absolutely.

The cauliflower doesn't taste
of cauliflower.

It tastes of butter,
it's so rich.

But asparagus is delicious,
potatoes okay. Fine, fried.

However, that lamb is
not cooked properly,

but seasoning is on point so there's
something there to hold on to.

You know, got a lot of swagger
behind the bench.

You cook like a kid
who's been in a restaurant,

but all the swagger
and technique

has to translate into a dish,

and you definitely
made some errors.

I think that your decision in butchery
was really kind of what got you wrong.

I mean, this looks
too rough, you know?

You know, bring a little bit
of more true technique.

You know where you learn
that technique?

Exactly the place you said
you didn't need to go.

Culinary school.

The seasoning is right there.

The cook doesn't really
upset me that much.

I just think
the lack of imagination

with some of the other elements

is what's a little
disappointing.

Each of us only started out
with eight aprons to give out.

Joe and I have already handed
out two aprons each.

Aarón has handed one apron.

Joe, do you have an apron
to give out?

It's a huge investment for me.

- But I think I'm a no.
- Gordon: No.

Aarón.

Nope.

I saw a lot of bright spots,
for sure.

I'm just concerned
about the lack of experience.

Gordon: I disagree,

because what I see
is someone down there

with tremendous potential.

That apron...

goes to...

( whispering ) Please.

What I see is someone down there
with tremendous potential.

That apron...

goes to...

( whispering ) Please.

( Cheering and applause )

( screaming )

Mark, come back next year.

- Okay.
- Head up high.

Thank you.

Mark. Hold on a second.

You know, I'm an entrepreneur.

I'm a business man,
I'm a restaurateur.

I invest my money in people,
in restaurants to get a return,

and I thought
you were investable

for a minute.

And then it all
kind of fell apart.

And I thought maybe,
with my mentorship,

I could bring him to even win
this whole competition.

You got the skills.

You remind me of myself.

But every investment is a deal.

If I invest in
you with an apron...

you would have to take
direction and listen to me

as you compete to win.

And if you broke that deal,

the consequences
would be severe.

You should really
think deep now,

because maybe you should
do what Gordon said.

Leave, hone your skills,
come back another year.

Mark, only take
this apron from me

if you are ready
to do what it takes.

It's your decision.

( Cheering and applause )

Marky!

( Screaming )

Whoo!

Joe must've seen something
in me.

He struck me a deal
and I took it

and I couldn't be more honored
and grateful for that man

and what he saw in me
to give me the apron.

Good job!

I owe it to myself,
and more than ever to him,

to make it to the finale now.

Your Marky got an apron!

The kid, I'm dealing
with raw talent here.

I'm gonna put myself on the line

and bring him to win
this competition.

- You watch.
- Hold on a minute.

Now you're saying
he's gonna win it?

- He's gonna win it.
- Now you're dreaming.

Maybe he got sick
from eating that raw lamb.

Narrator: Next time...

Game on, boys.

...17 white aprons remain

as the judges' battle to find

America's next MasterChef
continues.

I'm certain that they're gonna
pick me and not you.

And the competition heats up...

- Oh, whoops!
- He's all yours, man.

...with some of the most
talented home cooks...

- ( whispering ) That's good. - ...The
MasterChef kitchen has ever seen.

Three aprons,
but let me tell you,

I can get you
to the MasterChef finale.