All language subtitles for Masterchef.US.S09E02.WEBRip.x264-ION10

Narrator: Tonight...

Game on, boys.

...the judges' battle to find

America's next MasterChef
continues.

Joe: Incredible colors going on.

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.

( Music playing )

Narrator: The next three home
cooks hail from Houston, Texas...

H-Town holding it down, baby!

...but none are more determined
to receive a white apron

than 30-year-old Taylor.

I can't believe that I'm here
for the third time!

I'm back!

You might remember me
from last season.

You made a couple mistakes.
So, I'm sorry, it's a no.

And the season before that.

Taylor, you were that close.

Do not give up.

Being defeated twice hurt,

but it lit a fire in me.

I've perfected
my Columbian dishes,

and become more knowledgeable
with different kinds of cuisines

and cooking techniques.

I always strive to be the best.

So, I have to try again.

You ready?

I'm ready, baby!
I was born ready!

My name is Ralph,
and I'm an accountant,

but food and cooking

is where the passion is at.

Oh, my God.

Growing up, my parents always
worked long hours as nurses.

So, my dad handed me the torch

at a very young age

and taught me how to cook.

That was way better

than I thought
it was gonna turn out.

High fives around, baby!

You got this!

At the end of the day I cook

'cause I just wanna make people
happy.

And I'm gonna make
these judges happy.

( Music playing )

H-Town is in the building!

- Welcome!
- You guys ready?

Yes!

Chelsea: I'm Chelsea. I'm 28.
I'm a huge hippie.

I go to a ton
of music festivals.

So I'm trying to resemble
like a chicken shawarma,

that you would get
in the Middle East.

Because of my father's career
as an oil engineer,

I got to live in India,
Thailand, Sri Lanka.

I'm bringing all the amazing things
I've learned from my travels

into this dish tonight.

- Um, Taylor.
- Yes, Chef.

You look familiar.
You've been here before, right?

Maybe a time or two.

- Wow! Welcome back.
- Thank you!

So, you have just 30 minutes

to make your signature dish.

We started
with eight aprons each.

Now Gordon has five,
Aarón still has seven,

and I have just five
aprons left,

but they're going fast.

If you want an apron,
it's simple.

Your dishes have to convince one
of the three of us

that you are worthy of one of
our precious remaining aprons.

If you're lucky enough
to have multiple offers,

then you decide who you want
to be mentored by,

which is a privilege.

- Are you ready?
- Ready!

- Ready.
- Yes.

Time starts... now!

( Music playing )

Taylor, give me an idea

of what you're doing different
this time around

and what's gonna get you
an apron.

I've just been taking everything
that you guys told me,

my passion for cooking,

and I'm making a tangy
tomatillo pulled chicken.

Over a garlicky rice.

Pull it all together
with a sunny-side egg,

and then a side of traditional
Colombian hot sauce.

- Third time's a charm.
- Third time's a charm.

Thank you, Chef.

( Music playing )

20 minutes remaining.

All right, guys,
time is not playing around.

- Ralph. Tell me about yourself.
- Yes, sir.

I'm a senior accountant
from Houston, Texas.

- Tell me about the dish.
- I'm making a Filipino noodle dish

that you can immerse
like a sauce into it.

I'm gonna add shrimp, chicken,
little bit of pork.

This is the dish

that I make not only for myself

but my siblings, my wife.

You seem like a more passionate
guy than a real numbers guy.

I have no regrets
doing accounting,

but I wanna be a chef.

I'll tell you what, though.
There's no cooking in accounting.

Unless you're cooking the books.

Unless you're cooking the books,
exactly.

- Good luck.
- Thanks, Joe.

- Chelsea.
- Yes.

Give us an insight
to what you're making.

I am making my take
on a lamb shawarma.

I'm making a homemade
pita pocket,

a really good roasted garlic
hummus and a fattoush salad.

- You're making fresh pita?
- Yes.

It's a little time sensitive.

I gotta make sure it rises.

Yeah. I'll say.

Guys, we're up to seven minutes
remaining.

Stop visualizing the dish,
think about the presentation,

taste everything.

- Taylor, te gusta? Que bueno.
- Si, me gusta!

You know what?
I really like Taylor.

For me, it's the
third time here,

I think it's still a no.

Gordon, you want us to think

she's not worth an apron.
So the path is clear for you

- to go ahead and grab it.
- Maybe, Joe.

Ralph, when are those
shrimp going in?

Oh, my God!
They're about to go right now.

Oh, my God!

Guys, this is a very
exciting cookoff.

A lot of energy,
a lot of stuff happening.

Chelsea is making pita
from scratch.

If it doesn't rise,
and it doesn't cook properly--

This is the one thing
that I'm concerned with.

Joe: Ralph's dish, I don't know.

He's got a great way

of communicating his passion
about food.

I just hope he can
put it in the plate.

It's all gonna come
together right now.

Joe: Taylor seems
like she's juggling.

Got a lot of stuff going on.

So many details
to put together on the plate.

Hopefully she doesn't
break her egg.

That would be the end of her.

Last minute, here we are.

- Oh, whoops!
- Look at Ralph. He's all over the place.

Oh, man, that was close.

Gordon: Look, Chelsea's
got her pita bread out.

Aarón: Let's do it.
Come on, Chelsea!

- 30 seconds left.
- There it is, there it is.

She's going--
She's going with her hands.

We got this, y'all, we got this.

Representing H-Town
right here, y'all.

Ten, nine...

- Come on, come on.
- Eight, seven, six...

- Oh, my God!
- Five, four, three, two, one.

And stop. Hands in the air.

- Ralph: Oh, my God!
- Joe: Good job.

- Good job, guys!
- Go, Houston!

- Oh, my God.
- Gordon: Okay.

Very carefully bring your dishes
down, please. Let's go.

Let me remind you,

all you have to do tonight
is impress one of us enough

to give you one
of our white aprons.

- Okay, Chelsea. Tell me about the dish.
- Hi.

So, I made lamb shawarma
with homemade bread,

a fattoush salad
and roasted garlic hummus.

What'd you season the lamb with?

Cayenne, cinnamon, and sumac.

You know it tastes
like really authentic,

but if you wanna win
a MasterChef apron...

- Yes. - You should be able
to reinterpret this dish...

- Okay.
- And make it a restaurant dish.

- But very, very, good.
- Yeah.

Okay. Thank you.

Chelsea, um,

you decided to make
your own pita bread.

- Why?
- Yes. If I'm making a street food

I gotta make everything
from scratch.

And that's how I cook at home.

You know, it's messy
and it's good.

- All right?
- Yes.

- Good job.
- Thank you.

I gotta say it reminds me of being in
an Arab souk in Morocco somewhere.

My question for you is,

do you think this is good enough

to be potentially mentored by me
and get you a white apron?

I really, really hope so.
I do think it's good enough.

- Ralph. Describe the dish, please.
- Chef Gordon.

This is Filipino pancit.

The components of it is noodles
a sauce and also shrimp,

and marinated with onions,

garlic, just a tad bit
of soy sauce,

and calamansi juice.

That shrimp is delicious.

Thank you, Chef.

Noodles are a bit oily.

Is that good enough
for an apron?

( Sighs )
I don't know right now.

Thank you.

Señor Ralph.

Mmm.

It's registering a tad oily
for me as well,

but otherwise,
it's seasoned beautifully.

Tons of garlic and lemon.
What's not to like, right?

Thank you, Chef.

Mmm.

Give me some other examples
of dishes you can cook.

All sorts of everything.

Vietnamese,
a little bit of Italian.

I do like fresh, handmade pasta.

You and me might have a future.

Let me think about that.

Taylor, describe the dish
really quickly for me.

I have a pulled

tomatillo chicken
over a garlicky rice,

and then underneath
I have a jalapeño crema

and a sunny-side up egg,

accompanied by traditional
Colombian aji.

Mmm.

You know, I was thinking
to myself,

how could you possibly bridge

your Colombian background
with Texas,

but the idea of integrating

tomatillos and the chicken
does that.

- Mm-hmm.
- I gotta really think hard,

if I give an apron,
who it's gonna go to.

- But this is making a good argument.
- Thank you, Chef.

Joe: Tell me about the rice.

They're bringing like a little
bit of elevation to it.

I cooked it in beef stock.

It's very rich.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Chef.

( Whispering ) Oh, my God.

- Taylor.
- Yes, Chef.

Presentation wise,
it should be in a bowl.

- However, it's all in the flavor.
- Okay.

- Taylor.
- Yes, Chef.

- Third time here.
- Yes, Chef.

It's bloody delicious.

Really delicious.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Chef.

- Good job, good job.
- Thank you.

Three home cooks
that call Houston, Texas home.

My aprons are only going to
people that are risk takers,

and one of you guys
fits the bill.

- Wow.
- ( Whispering ) Oh, my God.

I'm looking for

home cooks that come into this
kitchen with confidence.

Also home cooks

that I think have the passion

to reach the very, very top.

And I do see that
in one of you three.

I do have an apron to give out

to a home cook
who still has a lot to learn,

but has the potential
to go a long, long way.

Joe: Three aprons.

At least one of you are going
home with an apron.

But two of you might
leave here without one.

- Should we go?
- Oh, my God.

( Music playing )

Three home cooks that call
Houston, Texas home.

Three aprons.

Gordon: At least one of you
are going home with an apron.

- Oh, my God.
- Should we go?

Please, Houston. Please.

- Are you serious?
- Congratulations.

Are you--

- Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God!

Yeah, baby!

Yes! Let's go!

One shot! Hold me down, baby!

Let's go!

Congratulations.
That's a first for us.

- Oh, my God!
- Well done.

Taylor: It's surreal that I'm
walking out of those doors

with not only an apron,
but a Gordon Ramsay pin.

- You three, off you go.
- Thank you!

Taylor:
I finally earned my spot here!

I'm so excited! Oh, my God!

- I can't believe it.
- And representing Houston

with Ralph and Chelsea today

was like the icing on the cake.

Gordon: Ralph.

Why did you give Ralph an apron?
I thought you wanted Taylor.

That is exactly what I wanted
you to think, my friend.

I mean, Taylor--

Trust me, the finesse
she brought tonight,

I haven't seen that so far
in this competition.

- Wow! This guy's a real cook.
- I'm amazed that you don't--

- No. - I could put him in the
line tomorrow in the restaurant.

Aarón: Guys, pita from scratch.

- That's all I gotta say.
- Yeah.

Narrator: Up next is Olusola,

a 29-year-old bus driver
from South Carolina.

I cook from my heart.

Just like I drive the bus
with passion.

I've been a bus driver
for roughly 11 years.

Even though I love bus driving,

I'd rather be cooking.

I am the flavor queen.

I cook food
that tickles your soul,

being that I'm a soul food cook.

I'm gonna put Olusola
on this dish,

and I'm just hoping and praying

that all three judges are
fighting to give me an apron.

( Cheering and applause )

You ready?

- Good luck, big guy.
- Mark: My name is Mark.

I'm a firefighter and I'm
from Shreveport, Louisiana.

I've been a firefighter
for 12 years.

Been cooking my whole life.

We're a family at the station.

So, I love cooking for the guys.

Rub-a-dub-dub,
come get this grub.

We have from chicken
and dumplings,

to fried chicken,

to biscuits and gravy
in the morning.

If it's fried and smothered
and covered,

you're good.

( Music playing )

- Oh, God!
- God!

- My God!
- This is good to see.

I put out fires, so therefore,
I can handle the pressure

and the heat
of the MasterChef kitchen.

Good evening.

Now, I'd like to give
each of you an apron,

but we have to be very careful

on who we choose.

Joe is down to just four aprons.

And I've got six left.

And I've got four
white aprons remaining.

Both of you are cooking
your signature dishes.

Yes.

You both got just 30 minutes
on the clock.

Your 30 minutes starts now!

( Music playing )

Garlic, cumin, chili powder.

Olusola, give a little insight
to the dish.

I'll be making real
authentic soul food.

Jerk snapper
with a pineapple salsa,

coconut rice and
sautéed cabbage.

I drive city buses
in South Carolina,

When I get off work

at 1:30, 2 o'clock
in the morning,

I enjoy cooking the jerk,

because it's sweet and spicy
just like me.

Tell us what you're doing.

- What are you putting in there?
- I'm putting some allspice...

- Right. - Coriander, ground
ginger, garlic clove...

- Just free pouring.
- Peppers, smoked paprika.

How many spices are you putting
in there? It's endless.

There's about 15 spices
to get jerk properly.

- And you're just free pouring.
- I'm free pouring.

I don't have time to measure. I
got 30 minutes to make it happen.

That takes a lot of confidence.

- Wow!
- I don't have time.

Six minutes gone,
24 minutes remaining.

- Gotta shine.
- ( humming )

- All right, Mark, what are you cooking?
- This dish right here--

I'm cooking buttermilk biscuits
and gravy.

I'm a fireman
back in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Homemade biscuits is one of the staple
dishes when cooking at the fire station.

Man, you know, my fire crew

have yet left a biscuit
on the table.

- Completely get that done in 30 minutes?
- Yes, sir.

Between these two contestants,

who today is taking
the biggest risk?

Gordon: Oh, I think Mark's
taking the biggest risk.

- Just trying to bake a biscuit
in 30 minutes. - Yeah.

What does a gravy mean
traditionally in Louisiana?

You make a roux, you have a thickener
and then you cook that in pork fat.

- Gordon: But roux need time to cook out.
- Exactly.

15 minutes, he hasn't even
started cooking anything yet.

Aarón: Yeah, it's true.

Olusola's playing
to her strengths

with the blend
and the spices jerk.

It'd be one thing to have
a Michelin-starred chef

kind of free-throwing spices.

- Yeah.
- To have a home cook, bus driver--

Does she have the experience
to balance those flavors.

If Olusola could manage all
those very assertive spices,

and pull off a harmonious dish,

that's gonna go
high marks with me.

- Just under 14 minutes remaining.
- Gotcha.

Mark, biscuits are
in the oven, yes?

- Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
- Good.

Olusola, you ever have any
like dedicated riders

who just want to ride with you?

Yes, I have dedicated riders.

They wait for me
because they get to eat my food.

And they, for some reason

come on the bus with utensils
and forks,

and knives.

And they're always ready to eat.

I wanna be on the Olusola bus.

The fare's two dollars
and fifty cents.

Just under ten minutes, guys.

Mark, you are in a high-pressure
job that saves lives.

How does that stack up
to the pressure

of the MasterChef kitchen?

Being prepared for the unknown.

That's what I'm ready for.

I ran into a lot
of burning buildings.

Well, you know here,

this is a one, two,
three alarm blaze

- you have to deal with, so...
- Definitely.

- No firehouse chili.
- Yes, sir.

Five minutes remaining.

Mark's gonna need every one
of those five minutes.

That biscuit's gonna
have to be flaky.

It's gonna have to be cooked
in the center.

It can't be gooey.

Check my cabbage.

Olusola is nonstop tasting.

Everything she's touching,
she's tasting.

Tastes good to me.

90 seconds to go.
Come on, you got this.

- Mark starts to plate.
- Yeah, man.

- Wow!
- Joe: Wow! They look nice and fluffy.

- It's go time.
- Gotta make it happen.

- 30 seconds remaining!
- Oh, man.

No way.

Sh--

- Oh no, it looks--
- Uh-oh.

- Sh--
- Sticky the aluminum foil

- could cost you an apron.
- Let's go, Olusola.

No. It's okay.

15 seconds to go.

Come on, come on!

Gently, gently, gently.

Oh, shoot!

Both of you are cooking
your signature dishes.

Gotta make it happen.

30 seconds remaining!

Sh--

- Oh no, it looks--
- Uh-oh.

- Sh--
- Sticky aluminum foil

- could cost you an apron.
- Let's go, Olusola.

No. It's okay.

15 seconds to go.

Come on, come on!

Gently, gently, gently.

Oh, shoot!

Joe: She recovered.

I think her experience is
really showing through.

Five, four, three, two, one.

And stop.

- Well done.
- Wow!

Well done. That was close.

Right, very carefully,

both of you bring your dishes
down to the front.

- Thank you, sir.
- My pleasure.

Wow!

Looks good.

Well done.

Let's do it.

Olusola,
describe the dish, please.

Olusola:
So here you have a jerk snapper

with a pineapple salsa, coconut
rice, and sautéed cabbage.

It's a meaty fish.

- It is.
- It should be glistening,

almost like a pearl inside
when we come through the middle.

Yes, Chef.

Beautiful.

Moist.

Glistening.

The fish,
you've definitely nailed.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you.

( Whispering )
You're making me nervous.

I wouldn't be nervous
if I were on your bus.

- No.
- Sometimes I like to sit way up front.

Like in the seats reserved
for the elderly people.

- Would you throw me out?
- I can't do that, due to certain policies.

It's called ADA violation.

So, I cannot make you
give up your seat.

Mmm, I like this.
This sautéed cabbage

is one of the best things
on the dish.

It seems like the throwaway

but it's really well done,
it has good flavor.

( Whispering ) That's good.

Those exotic spices like
the clove and the pimento--

They're not overpowering the delicate
nature of the fish, which I like.

- Okay.
- And I just think you gotta give me more.

Give me more pineapple salsa.

- Okay.
- But overall...

- Mark. Biscuits and gravy.
- Yes, Chef.

Mark: Yes, sir.
Buttermilk biscuits and gravy.

Gordon: What did you
season that gravy with?

Mark: I did salt and pepper,
poured some garlic powder,

and also some hot sauce.

The biscuit should be
sort of light and fluffy

- in the center there.
- Yes, sir.

So it's quite doughy there.

- Yes, Chef.
- Quite dense.

And what did you glaze
the biscuits with?

You've got a beautiful color
on top.

Before I put 'em in the oven
I glaze them with buttermilk

and butter on top
to top it off with.

It's a beautiful color on there.

Great seasoning on the sausage.

The garlic powder
and the salt, lovely.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Your biscuit...

it's a little bit raw.

The flavor is excellent.

This roux is cooked very well.

Thank you, Chef.

90 seconds more in the oven.

- Yes, Chef.
- Could've been perfection

for what is a perfectly,
perfectly seasoned dish.

Thank you, Chef.

Love the flavor of the gravy.

I love the flavor of the pork.
I think it's really great.

Like the fact that you were able
to kind of reinforce it

with all that richness.
Good job.

Yes, sir. I appreciate it.

Remember, we started out
with eight aprons each.

Joe and I have already handed
out four aprons each.

Aarón has handed out two.

So we must be absolutely certain
on who we choose.

Aarón: All three of us
might offer you an apron.

If that happens,
it's down to you guys

to decide who you want
to mentor you

throughout this
whole competition.

Well, guys.
Joe, let's start off with you.

Do you have anybody worthy
of an apron?

Yeah, there's one.

Aarón?

You know what, Gordon? One
of these home cooks is worthy.

Wow!

I, too, like someone here.

Three aprons.

( Whispering ) Oh, wow!

Wow! Joe, make your move.

Aarón, your move.

- Wow!
- Here's my apron.

Gordon: Olusola.

( Whispering ) Oh, my God!

( Gasping )

- Olusola--
- ( whispering ) Oh, my God!

You have three aprons
from three judges.

Now, one of us is gonna
become your mentor.

Aarón: Olusola, here's the deal.

I come from a restaurant family,
I've been through it all.

Trust me. You wanna go with me.

Right, Olusola.

Gordon: Trust me. I've
got 33 restaurants.

I am your mentor.

Olusola, you don't need
a chef mentor.

I have the savvy,

the insight to take you
all the way

to the "MasterChef" victory.

This is the apron
you wanna pick.

Oh, my gosh!

This is so hard!

Chef Gordon Ramsay,

I adore you!

And I love, Aarón, I really do.

And the person
that intimidated me

prior coming in here
was you, Joe.

But today is a really
hard decision for me.

You want my apron.

I'm gonna go with Joe.

There you go.

It's yours.

Whoo! Yeah!

Thank you!

Thank you! Thank you!

Ooh!

Congratulations, young lady.

You just took Joe's apron.

Mark, unfortunately,
tonight you're going home.

Yes, sir.

You know, the hero of a biscuit
and gravy is that biscuit.

Had you rolled them thinner,

and literally,

kept them in the oven
for another two minutes.

- Great gravy, great seasoning!
- Yes, sir.

Do not stop here.

Let's make that right.
Well done, both of you.

Off you go.

- Congratulations, girl!
- Thank you.

- You got that apron. Yeah, man!
- Thank you.

Joe:
I'm taking a ride on her bus,

to the "MasterChef" finale.

- How's that sound?
- Only mistake she made tonight,

she chose the wrong judge.

She doesn't need a chef
because she could cook.

- She needs me.
- Oh, please.

I will give her
spiritual guidance.

- Spiritual?
- The strategy

to win this whole competition
is right here, my friend.

- Spiritual.
- You've never been on a bus in your life.

I've been on a bus.

- When?
- A yellow one.

( Cheering and applause )

( screaming )

Olusola: I never thought I
would have the opportunity

to be in the "MasterChef"
competition,

and here I am today.

I got offered three aprons.

- So--
- ( cheering and applause )

Aww!

It's all right!

I didn't get an apron today,

but I'm very happy
that I made it this far.

No matter what happens,

nothing extinguish my fire
for cooking,

'cause I had to risk it
for the biscuit,

but it's all gravy, baby.

- Congratulations!
- Thank you!

Narrator:
Mark wasn't the only one

to not get a white apron.

As the night moved on...

Why do I wanna give you
an apron?

Being a criminal defense
attorney,

- I'm a hustler.
- Wow!

...the aprons got tougher
and tougher to earn.

Come on! What happened?

- And...
- Have you ever been to a restaurant?

Unfortunately, no, Joe.

- ...many home cooks...
- If I get a closing argument,

I can convince you
I can improve--

I'm not running a courtroom.

I'm running a competition.

...fail to persuade.

Decision time.

- It's a no.
- For me... no.

- I'm just not seeing enough.
- The verdict is in for me, too.

No.

( Cheering and applause )

And walked away empty-handed.

- Just wasn't my night.
- Babe, you did your best.

- I'm proud of you.
- It was hard.

I know.

Leaving Gordon with three,
Joe with four,

and Aarón with six white aprons.

Guys, high expectations, but they
all fell a little bit short.

As they await the next group
of home cooks.

I'm doing snapper.

I've been put with three
excellent cooks

who are also doing fish.

I'm gonna go in there
and get that apron.

I'm Cesar.

I'm from Texas and I'm
a high school teacher.

Today's warm up is going to be
something we did last Friday.

And cooking to me is a means
of self-expression.

I'm here to showcase
Mexican cuisine,

and voice my knowledge
throughout the world.

All right,
let's make that happen!

My name's Matt. I'm 28 years old

and I'm an optometrist.

Keep looking up there for me.

Even though
I'm very science minded,

the thing about cooking that I
love is it's not just science.

There's also an art to it.

I like playing around
with doing different styles.

Vision's really important to me

and how things appear
on the plate.

As an optometrist,

you know I have my eyes
on that prize.

- Let's do it, Ryan!
- It's happening, baby!

My name is Ryan.

I'm 33 years old
and I'm a drummer

from Texas.

Playing drums has taken me
everywhere,

and I've eaten just
about everything.

What I'm really just trying
to do is

take people around the world
through a plate.

- Come on down.
- I'm S.J.,

I'm 21 years old,

also known as the flavor
prince of K-Town.

Growing up in Koreatown,

I was exposed to traditional
Korean dishes,

but I wanted something more

than just Korean
traditional flavors.

I wanted to incorporate
Korean cuisine

with different,
modern techniques

that really exposes Korean food
in a new and exciting way.

Welcome to the incredible
MasterChef kitchen.

You four are the final four
cooks of the night.

We each started out
with eight aprons,

and, my friends,
the good news for you

is that we've still got
some left.

You've got 40 minutes
on the clock

to cook us your incredible
signature dishes.

All of you, good luck.

Your time starts now!

- ( Music playing )
- Nice.

- Ryan: Excited, Cesar?
- Very excited. How are you feeling?

Ryan: Feeling it. We're
just getting going, man.

Cesar, tell me
what are you doing.

Tonight I'm preparing
a red snapper

with the flavors
of a Coctel de Mariscos.

It's a tomato, citrus,
chili cocktail.

My family heritage is Mexican.

People say I'm too American
to be Mexican,

but too Mexican to be American.

So I found that when I cook,
I can marry my Mexican culture

with my American upbringing and I'm
capturing that on the plate tonight.

- Love that idea.
- Thank you, Chef.

Just under 32 minutes to go.

- Let's go, guys.
- Brother, you're cranking, man.

- I'm trying.
- Matt, tell me about the dish.

Tonight I'm doing
a pan roasted cod.

With a turnip puree,
some pickled carrots

and then I marinate
in beurre blanc sauce.

Matt, how are you gonna
make it special?

Plating is one of the things
I try to strive to be best at.

I'm an optometrist.

- So how things look is really
important to me. - Love it.

Halfway. Just coming up
to 20 minutes remaining.

Smelling good over there, Ryan.

Ryan, talk to me a little bit
about your dish.

I'm a drummer from the South.

So I'm doing a baked catfish

with a bacon wrap haricot verts

- and a dirty rice dish.
- Baking catfish

as opposed to frying it.

Everybody and their mom
fries catfish

down South,

and my travels have taken me
everywhere.

I wanna show some techniques,

- some things I've learned.
- Well, best of luck.

- Thank you, sir.
- There you go, Ryan.

- Let's get it, let's get it!
- S.J., what are you making tonight?

I'm preparing a panko crusted
cod with honey buttered chips,

cucumber kimchi, and
a gochujang sesame aioli.

Growing up with my grandmother,

in a traditional Korean
household,

men were not looked as as chefs.

And so tonight,
I'm definitely gonna show

I am more than meets the eye
with my cooking.

Sounds amazing.

- Five minutes remaining.
- Let's go, guys.

Four incredibly sounding dishes.

So, S.J.,

That cod has to be slightly
salted, in order to keep

that water out to keep
the batter nice and crispy.

The big risk tonight for me
is Ryan and his catfish.

And I'm concerned the idea
of baking catfish,

it might be too aggressive

for that particular flakey fish.

But on the other hand,
I really like risk takers.

And those are the kinda people
that I wanna give my apron to.

Pump it up.

- Matt, how's the beurre blanc?
- It looks okay.

I'm trying to take it on and off the
heat so it doesn't get too hot.

I don't want it to break.

Matt obviously has a level
of sophistication

that's above the rest
of the crowd.

With my aprons that's exactly
what I'm looking for.

Aarón: I really like
what Cesar's doing.

Searing that fish,
hot pan, skin side down.

Straight ballin'!

90 seconds remaining.
You've got this.

Think about your garnishes,
think about your sauce.

Let's go, guys! Push, push.

S.J.'s got some incredible
colors going on on his plating.

60 seconds remaining.

- Now or never, now or never!
- One stunning portion.

Come on, guys! Y'all got this!

- Finish strong.
- Ten, nine...

eight, seven, six, five, four...

- You guys got it.
- Three, two, one.

- And stop. Hands in the air.
- Nice job.

- Well done.
- Great job, guys.

Four amazing dishes.
Let's get that right.

I can't wait
to start tasting them.

Let's do it.

Cesar,
describe the dish, please.

Cesar: Chef, I have a
pan seared red snapper,

with an orange guajillo
beurre blanc,

a habanero and shallot
guacamole,

crispy rice and chive radishes
for garnish.

- What'd you cook the fish in?
- Grapeseed oil.

It has a higher smoke point

and I didn't want it to burn.

- Delicious. Seasoned beautifully.
- Thank you.

You've got the contrast

of the right kind
of texture, the heat.

- Delicious. Great job.
- Thank you. I appreciate that.

The fish is good.

- Very nice job.
- Thank you.

Cesar, do you feel like

you have got a lot
going on in this dish?

I feel there's different
components,

but they replicate
the Coctel de Mariscos.

That tastes like I'm in
Veracruz, on the beach.

And I think the real star here

is that skin
with that crispiness.

Well done.

Matt, name of the dish?

This is a pan roasted cod
with a turnip puree.

There's a little shaved apple
and fennel in it,

and those are pickled carrots
rolled in tarragon dust

with some fingerling
potato chips.

Talk to me
about your plating here.

Plating is big to me.
You know, I'm an optometrist.

So, vision is
an important sense.

You eat with your eyes first.

Great cook on the fish.
I like what I see.

Nice job.

- Love it!
- Thanks, Chef.

Fish, delicious.
You've nailed it. Great job.

Thank you, Chef.

Ryan, explain the dish.

I have a baked catfish
with a dirty rice,

with ground turkey and
a bacon wrapped haricot verts

Catfish, why?

I'm from Houston, Texas.
So, I grew up eating catfish.

And I definitely wanted
to keep those southern flavors.

Man! Fish is cooked perfect.

There's a nice little richness.
You have that beautiful crust.

The beans with the bacon--
It's crispy.

The dirty rice is
a little clunky,

but amazing dish, Ryan.

Thank you, Chef.

Catfish, delicious.
Let's get that right.

- Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.

For me, a bit too rustic
but executed well.

- Good dish.
- Thank you, Chef.

S.J., describe the dish, please.

S.J.: For you I have prepared
a panko crusted cod fillet,

with honey buttered chips,
cucumber kimchi,

and a gochujang sesame aioli.

Love that crispiness.

How long did you cook it for?

Eight to nine minutes.

Absolutely nailed
without a doubt.

The balance is there. The sweet,
the acidity, the sugar, kimchi.

- Beautiful.
- Thank you.

It's crunchy, sweet, sour.

It's good.

The fish is perfect,
the aioli is immaculate,

and the pickles are bright.

Good job!

You, too, bro.

Gents, great job.
I mean, clearly for me,

one of the best rounds tonight.

Now, let me remind you,

we started the competition
with only eight aprons each.

Those aprons are
dwindling quickly.

I've got four left.

Aarón has six,
Joe only has three.

Remember, though,
you only have to please

one of us three
to take an apron.

And if any of you are lucky
enough to get multiple offers,

then it's down to you to decide

which judge will be your mentor.

A very important
and strategic decision.

Right.

Aarón, let's start
with you, please.

I gotta say,
cooking fish is a true barometer

of a great cook
at one of my restaurants.

I'm blown away.

It's not enough for me, though.

I'm gonna give out three aprons.

What?

Three aprons, Aarón?

- You only got six left.
- When you have talent like this,

you can't let it walk
out the door.

My first apron...

I'm gonna give it to...

I'm gonna give out three aprons.

My first apron...

I'm gonna give it to...

S.J.

My second apron goes to...

Ryan, you get the second apron.

My third apron goes to...

Cesar.

Thank you, Chef.

- You get my third apron.
- Thank you, Chef Aarón.

Aarón, you gave three
aprons out.

But I'm gonna give out
just one apron.

In my opinion, Aarón,

neglected... the best cook here.

- Matt.
- Thank you.

Backing you.

- Full house, boys.
- Okay.

Well...

this is interesting.

No!

No! Two?

Oh, my God!

( Whispering ) What?

Wow!

My first apron goes to...

S.J.

My second apron goes to...

Cesar.

- ( Whispering ) Yes!
- ( whispering ) Wow!

So, the good news,

Matt, you're with me.

Ryan, you'll be mentored
by the great Aarón Sánchez.

Now, this is
where it gets interesting.

Cesar and S.J.,

you both have to decide

if you want Aarón Sánchez
or Gordon Ramsay

to be your mentor.

Aarón, how many aprons
you got left?

- I got five aprons left.
- Wow, still. And I've got four.

Now, before we go any further

there isn't really a decision
to be made.

You both wanna become
America's next MasterChef,

and I am the judge that can help
you achieve that dream.

Guys, I can't argue
with this man's credentials,

but what I can tell you is

I represent food with heart,

and I can take you to the title.

S.J., what are you thinking?

Gordon Ramsay!

Congratulations, S.J..

- Well done.
- Thank you.

Okay, Cesar, it's your turn.

It's almost embarrassing
that I'm an English teacher

and I'm at a loss for words

at this great honor
by both chefs.

I have to pick...

Chef Aarón Sánchez.

- Very good.
- Hmm.

Congratulations
to all four of you.

Get those aprons on
and get out of here.

Gordon: Well done. Great job.

Cesar: It's an honor for me

to receive my apron
from Chef Aarón Sánchez.

He is a beacon
in Mexican cuisine and I want

to carry that torch
for our culture.

Matt: An apron from Joe is such
an honor, at the same time,

he's always intimidated me
a little bit.

( Cheering and applause )

Gordon Ramsay is
a world ambassador of food.

I wanna make him proud

and I can represent Koreatown
at the same time.

And I can't wait
to start cooking.

The big question is

did we see America's next
MasterChef tonight?

Yes we did
and they're on my team.

Please. Really?

- Where's everyone going?
- Good night, Joe.

- Good night.
- Dream on, Aarón.

We came, we saw, we conquered.

( All cheering )

Narrator: Next time...

only nine aprons remain...

This is gonna be tough.

- Whoo-hoo!
- ...as the last home cooks...

- Come on! - Scramble for a
place in the competition.

( Exhales ) That is one of

the best things I've
ever tasted in this kitchen.

- And...
- ( exhales )

- What?
- What's he doing?

...the judges battle it out...

- ( exhales )
- Joe: There is a massive

decision to be made.

Choose wisely.

...to find America's next...

The final apron goes to...

...MasterChef.