All language subtitles for MasterChef.US.S12E01.WEBRip.x264-ION10

- Hey, guys. We good?
- Hello, Chef. Yes, Chef.

Nice to see you again.
Here we go! Welcome backstage.

Now this is where
the "MasterChef" magic happens.
Right here.

Brady, let's take
the one on the left.

Make sure there's
no creases in there, please!

This MasterChef kitchen
is legendary

because for over a decade,

we've crowned
11 amazing home cooks...

The winner of America's first
ever MasterChef-- Whitney!

...who've gone on
to leave their mark
on the culinary world.

Gerron!

Claudia!

But for every time
someone left a winner...

We did it!

...hundreds were left craving

another chance
to become a MasterChef.

Your time is done
in "MasterChef."

- We're sorry to see you go.
- This has been amazing.

But I believe
in second chances.

I will carry on.
This is not my end.
This is actually my beginning.

So get ready.

This is
Back To Win."

This year on "MasterChef"...

- Oh, my gosh!
- ...is a season of redemption.

Can you believe we're back here?

We're reopening the doors
to some of the most memorable

and talented cooks
in the competition's history.

These all-stars will get
a second chance to prove

that they too deserve the title
of MasterChef.

- Back to win. Let's go.
- Whoo!

These people are amazing.
It's the best of the best.

- You got what it takes?
- Yes, I do.

And this time,
there is no horsing around.

Step up a little bit or go home!

That was personal.

We're holding these budding
culinary professionals

to the highest standard
in "MasterChef" history.

Allow me to demonstrate.
Hold, left to right.

- Right to left,
half moon shape.
- Oh, God.

And there's even more
on the line than before.

'Cause everybody has
something to prove.

- Wolfgang Puck!

You're gonna put the reputation
of Spago on the line.

It's freezing!

What are you trying to do,
close down Spago?

So if they want
to make it to the finale...

- This is insanity!
- Medic!

This time,
there's zero room for error.

Hey, it's raw.

- It's not
"Back To Win" material.
- This is terrible.

This is your worst performance
in the competition so far.

- I just don't
wanna see you go home.
- Me neither.

But if they survive
the toughest competition yet...

- Whoo!
- Yes!

...the taste of success
will be all the sweeter.

I've never tasted anything
quite like that before.

- You plate with
such beautiful finesse.
- That's award-winning stuff.

You've come along way,
my friend.

This is
Back To Win."

- Oh, my gosh. Wow.
- Whoo!

I am super pumped to be back
in the MasterChef kitchen.

You know,
most people don't get
a second chance.

- Oh, my God.
- Oh, my gosh.

Can you all believe
we're back here?

I was the season seven
runner-up.

And I didn't win.
I was so close.

But "MasterChef" changed my life
in every single aspect.

Guys, let's put our books away
for a minute.

Prior to season seven, I was
an elementary school teacher,

but now I own my own private
chef and catering company.

Oh, my goodness!

There's someone
from every season here.

You've got Newton,
you've got Sarah,

you've got people
from seasons one and two
and five and six.

There's a lot of talent
standing behind me.

- We got this.
- Hey, they better
watch out for us!

Last time I was in this kitchen,
I was 12 years old,
and now I'm 20 years old.

I could put that dish tonight
in my restaurant.

- Great job. Well done.
- Thank you.

It's really exciting.

All I wanna know right now
is where's Gordon?

- Uh-oh.
- Oh!

- Wait, wait.
- Are judges coming?

Here we go.

- Aah!
- Oh, my gosh!

- Aah!

Wow.

This is absolutely insanity
to be standing here

in front of Gordon Ramsay again.

It's the greatest honor
of my life,

and I'm not gonna waste it.

Welcome back to
the MasterChef kitchen,
everybody.

This is
Back To Win."

Over ten years worth

of past competitors right here,
including "Junior."

Whoo!

Shayne, you were only 13
when you graced the floor

of the MasterChef kitchen
last time.

I'm a grown man now.

We're all so glad
to have you back,

not as home cooks anymore,
but as professionals.

Now last time you were here,
clearly you all proved you had
incredible natural talent.

In fact,
one of the only things

you didn't get out
of your time here

was the title of MasterChef.

Just like these
11 previous champions,

only one of you will go home
as America's next MasterChef.

And our incredible prize will
give you the leg up you need

to fully realize
your culinary dreams.

- Whoo-whoo!
- Yeah!

A quarter of a million dollars,

a complete, brand new,

state of the art kitchen
from Viking,

the trophy,
and most importantly,

the title of MasterChef.

It takes some serious cojones

to cook right here
in the MasterChef kitchen,

but it takes even more
to come back and win.

Now if you want to wear
one of these again,

you're gonna have to battle
each other for it.

In these auditions, you'll be
cooking in head to head battles

against some of the best cooks
this kitchen has ever seen.

Since you are all capable

of way more than you were
last time,

we've upped
our standards as well.

We only have 20 aprons
this year,

so that means
half of you already

have one foot out the door.

Oh, my gosh.

You all need to cook us
the best comeback dish ever.

- Mm.
- Now to cheer you on,
your friends and family.

Welcome, everybody!

Hi!

Hi, baby.

Oh, thank you.

Right, everyone,
please take your seats.

Let's kick this off with
our first battle of the night.

Adrien, season two.

Mr. Derrick Fox, season six.

Brandi, season seven.

And finally, Natasha,
season four.

- Let's go.
- Good luck.

Now, all four of you have
something unique in common.

All four of you made it
to the finals of your seasons.

You were all runners-up.

Derrick, what do you think
about the competition

on the left and right of you?

I know how hard it is
to get to the finale,

and for the confetti
to fall for someone else,
we all have that in common.

America's next great
MasterChef is Claudia!

To lose in the finale
was very hard.

I was so close, and I've never
been so close to something

so life-changing and then--

just, it, like,
falls through your fingertips.

It's been a heavy weight
on my shoulders.

Even though I didn't win,
"MasterChef" changed my life,

and I remind myself that
every day.

Before "MasterChef,"
I was a struggling drummer
living gig to gig.

Now I've been running
a private chef business.

I've been doing pop-ups
around the country.

I'm back to show America

that this is
my one culinary dream,

to be the next MasterChef.

Brandi, what does it mean
to be back to win?

Gosh, you're gonna get me
emotional before we even start.

You know,
it means so much to me.
It means everything to me.

You know,
I was so close last time,

but if you're not first,
you're last with second place.

Right, all four of you,
the very best of luck.

You have 45 minutes
to get your hands on that
"Back To Win" apron.

Your time starts now.
Let's go.

- Come on, Derrick! Yes!
- Come on, you got it.

Keep the noise up!

Right, Joe and Aarón, season 12,
"Back To Win."

How excited are you? Aarón?

For me, there's nothing
better than having redemption,

the shot of righting a wrong.

And what a round to kick it off.

Four runners-up,

but only two will come out
with an apron.

- More lemon zest.
- At this point,
we have to judge them

at more professional level,
because the level
is going to be sky high.

- Yeah.
- You've got this, Adrien.

- Thank you, thank you.
- Guys, 15 minutes gone.

30 minutes to go!

Right, young man,
how are you feeling?

I got my heart in my throat,
but other than that, I'm good.

Season two. Nearly a decade ago.
How does it feel to be back?

You know, it was hard to lose,

but it was a great opportunity
of being here to learn from you.

I'm Adrien, and on
season two of "MasterChef,"
I was the runner-up.

The winner is...

Jennifer!

Even though I didn't win,
"MasterChef" significantly
changed my life.

I've been around the country
working and working my way up

to executive chef,
and then opening up restaurants.

My love for food definitely
comes from my Mexican heritage,

and I want to showcase
how much I've grown
in these ten years.

- I wanna win,
and I'm here to win.
- Tell me about the dish.

- What are you doing?
- It's an homage to Texas.

I'm making a New York strip,
and a little bit of cactus,

mushroom herb emulsion,
salsa macha with bone marrow.

- Wow, so you're going all out.
- Trying to do a bunch

of different things
in a short amount of time.

- Dish sounds amazing.
- Appreciate it.

Good luck.
Just under 30 minutes to go.

Heard, Chef.

Let's go, Brandi!
You got this!

Whoo, that's hot.

- Brandi!
- Hello, Chef Aarón.

Talk to me a little bit
about what you're making.

I am cooking a cast iron seared
venison loin

and it's gonna be served over
an acorn squash purée
with a blackberry demi-glace.

What do you think the venison
should be? What temperature?

- Between rare and medium rare.
- Beautiful.

Let your meat rest
for the amount of time
that you've cooked it.

That is why I got my meat in
so early.

- Well, stay composed.
- Yes. Thank you, Chef.

- Derrick, you got this.
- So, young man, the dish,
what are you doing?

I'm a doing a crab and ricotta
stuffed squid ink agnolotti

with a lobster cream sauce.

Look at the pasta.
That's a touch dry there.

- I know.
- So just be smart.

We can only judge you
on what you put on that plate.

- Yes, Chef. Thank you.
- Stay calm. Stay calm.

You guys may remember me,
Natasha from season four.

Congratulations, Luca!

I put my heart into my season,

and to make it so close
and not win,

there's not a day that goes by
that I don't think about it.

Last time I was in
the MasterChef kitchen,
I was 26 years old.

A lot's changed since then.

I was able to start
my own catering business.

I've been traveling
around the world.

I've learned so much
in the last eight years,

and I'm ready to show that
I've grown as a person.

I'm just back here to have,
like, my redemption.

- Now how are you feeling?
- I'm feeling good.

So tell me about the dish.
What are you doing?

So I am going with
a deconstructed cheesecake.

Wow, to make one generally,
you're talking about
90 minutes, two hours.

How do you deconstruct one
in 45 minutes?

I just thought
I could use the components

and just really gonna hone in
on the taste of it.

- I can't wait to taste it.
- Thank you.

Good luck.

Whoo.

20 minutes to go.

Whoo!

So Derrick, looks like
he's really struggling.

- He's stressed out.
- He's a mess.

This is .

I'm having trouble
with the pasta dough right now.

I've spent too much time
on this dough,

but it's dry,
and I'm in full panic mode.

But this is the most important
component on my plate.

I didn't come here
to not get an apron.

So we've got 16 minutes to go

and he's still working
on the dough.

He's gonna be cutting it
right to the wire.

He might be in a bit of trouble.

Take a deep breath.
You got this, babe.

Oh, my God.

So we got 16 minutes to go

and Derrick is still working
on the dough.

He might be in a bit of trouble.

So I'm having trouble
with the pasta dough right now,

but this is the most important
component on my plate.

I didn't come here
to not get an apron.

I gotta just push,
and I can do it.

It's just adapt and overcome.

- Right, we're back in control.
- I'm back in, Chef.

Look at the pasta,
and if it needs a light dusting,
dust it.

- It'll stop it from cracking.
- Yep.

Beautiful, beautiful.

We're down to
the last ten minutes.

- Adrien!
- Go, Adrien! Whoo!

- That smells good!
- Thank you, thank you.

Come on, Derrick.
You got this, baby.
Finish strong.

My hands are shaking so bad.

Coming down to the last
60 seconds, guys! Come on!

Whoo!

All the finishing touches!

Aah!

Ten, nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four, three,

two, one.

And stop! Well done!

Come here.
I'm so proud of you.

What an amazing performance.

Please, join us
in the restaurant. Let's go.

Okay, Adrien, can you
please bring your plate?

Yes.

Thank you.

We have a New York strip,
potato crumble,

cactus pico,
with a bone marrow salsa macha
over the top.

What temperature were you
going for on the steak?

At home I eat my steaks rare,
and I thought, you know what?

My flavors are good.
It's seasoned right.

- Rare's good for me.
- It's a big risk.

The cactus pico, delicious.

That little sort of crunch,
the texture,

the heat coming through
at the end.

The steak does need
another three or four minutes.

Once you've got those
white marbles of fat

still running through there,
it just confirms
insufficient cooking time.

- But it feels refined.
- Thank you, Chef.

I think you captured
the Mexican palate

in this dish,
which I really appreciate.

- Sure.
- At the end of the day,

this dish shows
a lot of potential.

- Good job.
- Thank you.

- Thanks, Adrien.
- Good job, man.

- Thanks.
- Brandi, please.

I've made for you all
a cast iron seared venison loin

with acorn squash purée,
a blackberry demi-glacé,

and the pickled blackberries.

How did you season it?

I seasoned it
with just salt and pepper.

I really wanted the venison
to shine on its own.

Well, five years has made quite
a difference in your cuisine

because this is
a very well executed dish.

The acorn squash is heavenly.
It's nutty.

It has all those beautiful
silky smooth characteristics

that is a beautiful break from
the richness of the venison.

Brandi,
you've nailed the venison.

It's got that nice
gamey flavor to it.

It's cooked beautifully.
But I disagree with the judges.

The purée's too creamy,
so it doesn't taste of acorn.
Thank you.

Derrick, can you please
bring up your dish?

We have a crab and ricotta
stuffed squid ink agnolotti

with a tarragon butter
poached lobster

with uni on top
and a lobster cream sauce.

Visually,
it looks beautiful.

One thing that we grew
to admire with you

is the finesse, but there's
a lot going on there.

You've got crab, lobster.
Do you need uni on there?

I believe so. I think
it really elevates the dish
another notch.

I'll let you know
once I've tasted it.
Thank you.

The lobster is soft.
It's seasoned.

The pasta itself is good.

Even the uni, I thought
it would be over the top,

but it kinda actually works
for me. I liked it.

Yeah, the beauty in this
is the sauce for me.

I think it has so much flavor.
It's creamy.

It totally enrobes the lobster
in a beautiful way.

I think the only problem
I've got with you
is the editing.

In terms of lobster,
super sweet.

- Uni, super sweet.
- Okay.

And there's
insufficient balance.

But this dish is good.

I'm just concerned about
the competition behind you.

Thank you.

- That lobster's
cooked beautifully.
- Oh, my Lord.

- Good job.
- Natasha.

I have
a deconstructed cheesecake

with a brown butter crumb

and a lemon
and raspberry filling.

When you have
deconstructed anything,

the danger
is that every single element

has nowhere to hide.

Here's the thing,
it tastes good.

The lemon component
of this dessert is beautiful.

I think it's light,
it's airy, but I'm not a fan
of that dried raspberry powder.

That's an opportunity to use
the fresh version of it.

- Understand.
- The technique is really good,

and, look, it takes a lot
of confidence to come here

and do something
like a cheesecake
and then deconstruct it.

And I think this is a reflection
of your evolution as a person.

I appreciate that.
Thank you, Joe.

- Thank you.
- Thanks, Natasha.

Please, all four of you,
give us a moment.

I think it's difficult when
you think about the trajectory
and how much they want it.

But you can see
why they were all second place.

- For sure.
- It's a tough one.

Yeah.

I think it's safe to say that
this is a very tough decision,

but the reality is that there's
only two white aprons to give.

And the first apron
goes to a cook

who is not afraid of taking
a very difficult ingredient

and it making it sing
on the plate.

The apron goes to...

Brandi.

Here's your apron.

Congratulations.

- Outstanding. You deserve it.
- Thank you so much.

This has been
a very tough decision,

but it came down to
the tiniest of margins.

This apron is going to...

This apron is going to...

I know, like, how hard
this journey is going to be.

I've gone all the way
to the finale before,

so I'm just trying
to get back there.

Thank you.

Losing ten years ago,
second place,

and then coming in
and not even getting more
opportunity to show

what I've learned in the last
ten years, it's a little bit
of a disappointment.

- Good job, Brandi!

I'm coming into
this competition a different
person than I was before.

I'm just so proud
of myself right now.

Right, next up, Lindsay.

Julia!

Emily.

And Shanika!

It's time
for the season nine showdown.

Come on, MasterChef gods.
Why you doing this to me?

Everyone knows Emily and I
have history.

Last time we saw each other,
I sent her home,

so you know
she's not coming to play.

You've all got 45 minutes
and your time starts now.

Let's go.

Too quiet!

When you think of how
competitive season nine was,

we know they're super fierce,

but only two of them
will be graced

with an apron tonight.

Julia, what do you got going on?
Talk to me.

I've got a nice
Italian almond cake

with some amaretto cherries,
espresso mascarpone mousse,

and a little chocolate ganache.

Guys, remember me?
It's Julia from season nine,

your favorite
Italian from Chicago!

- I need fries now!
- Hey, hey, hey!

- Let's bring it down!
- Oh, my God.

The last time I was here
on season nine,

I had the heart,
the determination, the drive,

but I didn't quite make it
to the top.

I'm gonna do the same thing
that I did the first time,

but I'm gonna do it
even better, because now
I'm gonna go to the end.

Do you feel like you can
nail this really confidently?

Absolutely.
Growing up, we always had

amaretto Disaronno in our house
and their amaretti cookies,

and that was my inspiration
to make this.

- I love that. Good luck.
- Thank you.

Right, welcome back, girl.
Absolute pleasure to see you.

Pleasure to be here.

I'm Lindsay, I'm 44 years old,

and I am back to win.

On season nine,
I don't think that anybody

got to see what kind of cook
I could become in the kitchen.

You have such a fighting spirit,
you're resilient.

Tonight wasn't your night.

But "MasterChef"
was a springboard

to catapult me into
a culinary world full-time.

Before "MasterChef,"
I was an attorney.

After "MasterChef,"
I own and operate a bakery

and café
with my wife Stephanie.

How's this dish tonight
gonna separate yourself

from the competition?

So I'm making
a chicken and dumpling.

We're elevating it.

We're doing
some Parisian style gnocchi.

- Love that.
- With a chicken roulade

stuffed with kale
and shiitake mushrooms.

We'll still have
some gravy on there,
but it won't be so smothered

that you can't get that
nice crisp out of the gnocchi.

There was very little
that ever fazed you
back in season nine.

Nothing's gonna faze me
this time either, Chef.

It's so good to see you back.
Good luck.

- All right.
- Just 34 minutes remaining.

Come on, ladies. Keep it going.

- How's it taste, Em?
- Really good.

- Right, how are you feeling?
- Good.

Doing a blue crab and
mascarpone stuffed tortellini.

- Wow.
- It's got a lemon
beurre blanc sauce.

Dish sounds amazing.
Super complicated to pull off
tonight in 45 minutes.

We were mortified when you left.
That was a shock.

Last time I was here
on season nine,

I made a mistake
that sent me home.

You can either pick one person
to go up against

or you can save just yourself.

I'm gonna choose to go
head to head with Shanika.

- I'm ready.
- Wow.

- Oh, my God.
- Oh, no. Her cake fell over.

The person leaving
the MasterChef kitchen is Emily.

That moment is something that
I do think about often.

Let's just say if given
the opportunity to save myself

or try to send
someone else home,

I will be saving myself.

I was crushed when it--

let it slip through my fingers
the first time.

So having a second opportunity,

you can bet I'm not gonna make
the same mistakes.

Good. Just over 30 minutes
to go. Good luck.

Thank you.

Hi, Shanika. Welcome back.

- Joe.
- How you doing?

- I'm doing good.
- What are you making today?

I am making strawberry arancini.

- Arancini?
- Yeah, stuffed with
a honey goat cheese.

- A sweet arancini?
- A sweet arancini.

Isn't there a lot of love
between season nine?

I have fond memories
of that season.

- It's love/hate.
- It's love/hate.

- We love each other.
- I'm--

- You and her maybe not so much.
- Maybe not so much.

- Okay.
- I've battled Emily before,

and what got me through that
is me staying 100% focused.

And tonight I'm gonna take
that same energy

because getting this apron
gets me one step closer

to becoming
one of the greatest female
chefs of my generation.

So I am not going down
without a fight.

So you think sweet arancini's
a good way to go here?

- It's a little bit risky, no?
- It is very risky.

But, Joe, this is
"MasterChef" season 12.

- You're gonna go big
or go home.
- Excellent.

30 minutes down.
Last 15 minutes remaining.

Come on, ladies. Come on.

Let me brown my butter.

So Lindsay's making a sort of
chicken and dumpling dish.

They look delicious.

- It's good.
- Beautiful.

So Julia is gonna
make this almond cake.

Yeah,
out of these four women,

Julia actually got
the highest in season nine.

She came seventh.

Her performance a few years back
was extraordinary.

Oh, yeah.

Emily is doing
a hand rolled tortellini.

Joe, can pasta be made
that quickly?

Yeah, you should rest
the pasta a little bit more.
But, look, Emily's not stupid.

- So maybe she can accelerate
the pasta process.
- It's looking good.

All right, we gotta go in.

Shanika, she's doing her take
on arancini with strawberries.

I mean, we know arancini
comes from leftover risotto.

But to take a leap of faith
and do a dessert? Big risk.

- It's one
of those tricky dishes.
- There we go.

Finish strong! Finish strong!

I'm just waiting
on this damn cake.

Julia's cake is not out
of the oven yet.

We've got just over
six minutes to go.

How do you fast track a cake?

- You don't.
- You can't.

- Come on, man.
- This is gonna
go down to the wire.

And you know cakes
need time to rest.

- Mm-hmm.
- That's extremely important.

This damn cake is
going to be the death of me.

Julia's cake is not out
of the oven yet.

And you know
cakes need time to rest.

- How do you fast track a cake?
- You don't.

- You can't.
- This damn cake is going
to be the death of me.

This is gonna go down
to the wire.

3 1/2 minutes remaining.
Come on. Keep it going.

Who doesn't love
some fried chicken skin?

- Julia's cake's out.
- Cake is done.

- Beautiful.
- Thank God.

60 seconds remaining!
One minute!

Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one.

And stop. Well done.

- Holy .

Now it's time
to see how the season nine
showdown shakes out.

You go! Go, girl!

This is probably going to be

the most competition season

in the history of "MasterChef"

because everybody
has something to prove.

- Yeah, Lindsay!
- Beautiful!

Okay, Lindsay,
please step forward.

- Nice.
- Here you go.

So this is a take on
a chicken and dumpling.

So I've got some
Parisian style gnocchi

with a chicken roulade
and pan gravy.

- And the pan sauce is a roux?
- Pan sauce is a roux, yes.

When you're cooking out
a roux base, it takes time
for that flour to disappear,

and I've got a little bit
of floury taste.

But dumplings, exquisite.

They're crisp on the outside,
light and fluffy in the middle.

To accomplish that in 45 minutes
is hard to believe.

You gotta
push yourself and go big.

This is not regular
"MasterChef."

We've all been here before.

We gotta step our game up,
every one of us,

- if we want to go on.
- You are exactly right.

You know, Lindsay,
this dish has a lot of flavor.

It's rich, and it's rustic,
and it's well executed.

- Good job.
- Thanks, Chef.

- Thanks, Lindsay.
- Thank you, Lindsay.

Miss Julia, can you please
bring up your dish?

What I've made for you
is an Italian almond cake

with an espresso
mascarpone mousse,

some Disarrono
braised cherries,
and some almond glass.

Why a dessert
when you're up against
three very strong ladies

and you've only had 45 minutes?

Not a lot of people bake here.

So I don't mind
having the challenge,

and I wanna let them know
that I can get this done in 45,

so maybe they would be
a little nervous.

I like the choices
that you made thinking about how
it was going to be composed.

You have a creamy element.
You have something that's tart.

I like the flavor a lot.

It reminds me of
my childhood growing up.

My question I ask myself,

is this enough to play
at this level?

The dish is good,
but the big question is
is it good enough?

It's not your average season.
Thank you.

- Thank you.
- Next up, Emily, please.

It's a flowered crab
and mascarpone tortellini

in a lemon beurre blanc
with a seasoned crab salad.

Emily, visually,
it looks beautiful,

but big risk making pasta,
giving it time to rest.

You started rolling that
20 minutes in.

What's in the filling?

It is crab
and mascarpone cheese,
some shallots, and chive.

Pasta, beautifully manipulated.

Just be careful when you add
that mascarpone cheese.

It's distracting from
the actual flavor of the crab.

So it sweetens everything up,

but the dish oozes precision

and gives us all
a stern reminder

how early you left
this competition.

What you have here
is truly elegant.

The flavors are clear.
They're clean and robust.

- Thank you.
- This is the kind of dish

that perhaps
could get you to compete

with the best of the best.
Thank you.

- Thanks.
- Shanika, please bring us
your dish to try.

I have here for you guys
a strawberry arancini

with a honey goat cheese
filling,

strawberry balsamic
syrup reduction.

I hope it tastes better
than it looks,

because it doesn't look
that appetizing as a dessert.

Heard, Chef.

But I just hope
that you like this, Joe.

Hmm.
That's a curveball for you.

Yeah, my palate's bouncing
all over the place.

What do you think, Shanika?
Do you think I like it
or I hate it?

What do you think, Shanika?
Do you think I like it
or I hate it?

I think you might like it.

This dish is incredible.

Like, the rice
is perfectly cooked.

The flavors are balanced.

The sauce is
a little bit excessive,

but the rice ball itself,
top notch.

Is it a little too sweet
in some notes? Yeah.

But there's a good acidity
and that's helping a lot.

- Thank you, Chef.
- I don't know if it's as good

as Joe and Aarón make out,
but it's not supposed to work,

and bizarrely,
it actually tastes quite nice.

- Thank you, Chefs.
- Thank you.

Ladies, please give us a moment.
We have a lot to discuss.

- Um, so this is
gonna be very tough.
- Getting real.

Is that a fluke with Shanika's?

I don't know
if she just got lucky.
I have no idea.

Lindsay took a risk
with her dumplings.

It actually tasted quite decent.

No, it was quite good, yeah.

Julia's cake
was a very bold move

to put that dish up
for an apron.

So the first apron,
this is a chance for redemption.

It's a chance to right a wrong.

And that apron goes to Emily.

Great job.

This is for you.

I hope you can take this

and learn from all the mistakes
you made before, right?

- I will. I promise.
- Okay?

Oh, my God.

We have one more apron
for this group.
It wasn't easy.

The good news is that the chef
that will be moving forward

has definitely redeemed herself
since season nine.

The bad news is that, Shanika,

you're gonna have to find a way
to get along with Emily.

Come get your apron.

Thank you, Chefs.

Emily and I have an apron.

That means this fight
is not over.

Getting this apron
is that validation

in saying
I was eliminated too early.

So now I'm bringing back what
I left on the table and more.

- I'm so ready.
- Congrats.

Thank you, Lindsay.

Listen,
it's not the desired outcome,

but I'm leaving "MasterChef"

with a great sense of pride.

I went out there,
I killed it,

so I walk away
with my head held high.

Thank you very much.
Ready for the next battle?

- Yes, Chef!
- Wuta, season ten.

- How does it feel
to be back here?
- It feels amazing.

- I gotta show you
what I can do now.
- Amanda, season six,

I know that you have your family
here cheering you on.

- Lexy, season 11 phenomenon.
- Thank you.

And lastly,
Christian, season five.

You're a super confident guy.

Do you have any doubts tonight

looking at these cooks
left and right of you?

Hell, naw.

Mm-mm.

- Right. You guys ready?
- Yes, Chef.

45 minutes.
Your time starts now.

Whoo!

- Thank you!
- Yes!

Right, young lady,
welcome back.

- Thank you so much.
- Oh, my goodness me.

I still have nightmares
of the last time you left
this competition.

On season six,
I went home way too early.

My cake was raw.

- That's raw.
- I know.

Tell us about the dish.
What are you making?

I'm making
a zaatar olive oil cake.

Another cake?
Of all nights, why cake?

Because I had a bakery shop,

and I've been able to bake
thousands of cakes since,

really make my name
as cake baker.

We're so glad to have you back.

- Thank you so much, Chef.
- Good luck.

- Get to work.
- Let's go!

Wuta, what do you got going on?
Talk to me.

You know I'm about
to swag drip this food.

Look, I'm old.
What is swag drip?

- Style.
- A lot of style.

Oh, like, style.
Orale. Swag drip.

After "MasterChef" season ten,

I didn't just go back
to being a teacher.

I've been in the kitchen.

And now I'm a private chef

and I want the judges to see
how I've elevated my palate

throughout the last three years.

Now this dish, talk to me
a little bit about it.

It's a shrimp burger.

It's encrusted in panko,
so we're gonna have that crunch,

- that crunch that you need.
- I like that.

- Yes, sir.
- All right, keep on it, buddy.

- Let's go, Lexy!
- Yeah.

- Lexy.
- Yes?

Tell me about the dish.
What are you making?

I have pan seared scallops
with fried calamari

and herb salad
and a garlic cream sauce.

Wow. You didn't even touch
any of those ingredients
last time round.

No, I did not.
I was too scared to.

When I was here last,
I was definitely
an amateur cook.

I was cooking on a budget.

My budget's, like, $40 a week
for groceries, which is--

- A week?
- What?

Yeah.

I cooked for my family
and my husband,

and that was about it.

And now I have a small business

where I cook for other people,

and they love my food.

And just feeding off of that

has given me
so much more confidence,

and I know that I can do this.

Be smart with that dish.
Taste everything.

- Yes. Thank you.
- Get your hands on that apron,
and good luck.

Thank you so much.

Right, young man,
tell me about the dish.
What are you doing?

I'm making
a bourbon glazed salmon

served with
a creamy mashed potato

and sautéed shallot
white wine spinach.

What I love about you is that
you've kept yourself super busy,

but you've also been
a prolific private chef.

When you do so well at home,
you've got that reputation,
why come back?

Why come back?
Because I love what I do
and I'm passionate.

I mean, I wanna win this.

You know, I just lost
my grandmother last year...

- I'm sorry to hear that.
- ...so this is for her.

Of course. You focus
and you make sure you send
that message up there...

- Yes, sir.
- ...that you're back to win.

The passion for cooking

comes from my late grandmother.

She could bake her ass off.

I learned a lot
from my grandmother.

Me and her had a relationship

that I'll never get
from anybody else.

For her to see me
on my season, like...

I know she's looking down,
and I know she's proud.

- Good luck.
- Thank you, Chef.

Five minutes remaining.
Come on.

It's not raw.

It's good.

One minute remaining!

- Let's go!
- Ha!

Taste everything.
This is where it counts.

Start dressing, Christian.
Don't leave that too late.

Go, Amanda!
That looks beautiful!

- Come on, Christian.
Let's go, baby.
- Yes, Chef!

Christian's the only one
with nothing on the plate.

What is Christian doing?

- 45 seconds to go!
- Come on, Christian.

- Let's go, baby.
- Yes, Chef!

Christian's the only one
with nothing on the plate.

Christian, you gotta plate,
young man.

Here we go. Here we go.

He's going to the plate.

30 seconds to go!
Come on, guys!

Here we go!
Down to the wire!

- Let's go! Come on!
- 20 seconds to go!

Gently, Christian.
Gently, Christian.

Ten, nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four,

three, two, one.

Well done!

Please, very carefully
bring those dishes through

and follow us into
the MasterChef restaurant.
Thank you.

This is gonna be tough, guys.

Wuta, can you please
bring your dish forward?

So I have my shrimp burger

with chili garlic sriracha
aioli sauce

and some homemade tots.

Wuta, very few chefs dare
to put shrimp in a burger.

If this is cooked beautifully,
then you're back to win.

Yes, Chef.

This dish is perplexing.
I don't know why
I like it so much,

but it's just
straight up delicious.

I love the courage,
elevating the concept

of a shrimp burger
up to top level.

But is that good enough
to get back in this competition?

That's a really tough question.

Thank you, Wuta.

Christian, show us your dish.

What I've prepared for you

is a bourbon glazed salmon

with creamy mashed potato
and a sautéed garlic spinach.

It looks straightforward.

That being said,
the simplicity of the dish,

everything's gotta be perfect.

Do you feel confident

- with the cook on the fish?
- Yes.

All right.

Wow, he's back.

Christian, the salmon's
cooked beautifully.

What I love
is the crispiness of it,

and that you got that nice
bourbon glaze on top.

You extracted all the beautiful
flavor from the bourbon.

It's woody, it's nutty.
I mean, it's rocking.

- Good job.
- Thank you.

Lexy, please.

I have pan seared scallops
and fried calamari

in a lemon cream sauce.

Lexy, these scallops
are cooked beautifully.

Love the acidity.
Not a big fan of the calamari.

- Oh.
- The sauce for me is a miss.
It's kind of grainy.

The pickled salad, the greens,

very, very nice contrast
to the acidity.

You did very, very well.

Amanda, please bring us
your dessert.

Thank you.

Today I made for you
a zaatar olive oil cake,

lemon sesame snow,
and some pulled sugar.

It looks stunning.
Shall we?

Amanda, cake's delicious.
Let's get that right.

The cake is moist, light.

It's very, very evocative,
very delicious.

Have the confidence to soak
a little with that sponge.

It just warrants
a touch more olive oil.

The competition is rife,
and so to come in

in "Back To Win" with a cake

when in season six it was a cake
that sent you home,

it's a very, very,
very courageous move.
Thank you.

Four incredible dishes,
and clearly this means a lot
for all of you.

As you know, we only have
two aprons to award.

And our first apron goes to...

Christian.

Here you go.

- Well done, mijo.
- Thank you.

Here you go. Make us proud,
all right, brother?

I'm not gonna let y'all down.

Congratulations.
Well done.

Good job.

I got what I came here for.
I know my grandmother's proud.

I just gotta win now.

All right, guys,
three very different dishes.

Only one apron left to give.

This is a difficult one,
but this last apron goes to...

Amanda.

I just won an apron
for the second time,

and I did it on a cake!

You did it!

Most people
don't get second chances,

so I'm so incredibly proud
and excited,

and I just wanna do the best
that I possibly can.

Next time, the "Back To Win"
audition battles continue...

So far,
we've given out six aprons,

which leaves 14 up for grabs.

as more returning faces...

Including "Junior."

I have unfinished business
in the MasterChef kitchen.

...fight to get their hands on
the coveted MasterChef apron.

- I'm back to win.
- That's right.

- Flambe.
- The competition is fierce.

We got a lot of fine cookery
going on tonight.

- No mistakes can be made.
- Shaking.

What's Cate doing?

You know as well as I do
that that's wrong.