All language subtitles for MasterChef US - S06E01 - Let The Battle Commence (Top 40)

MasterChef white apron.

The coveted ticket

in to the world biggest
and toughest cooking competetion.

From every corner
of America...

- MasterChef! MasterChef!
- Good to see you.

Home cooks came out
in the thousands

for a chance to win one.

I'm a student.

- I'm a police officer.
- I'm a dentist.

- I'm a bartender.
- I'm a paramedic.

I'm an architect.

I'm a social worker.

But only the 20 best

were invited
to the MasterChef kitchen

to prove themselves

to three of the food world's
biggest names.

With multiple Michelin stars

and 25 restaurants
across the world,

I'm the man
behind a billion-dollar empire,

Gordon Ramsay.

America's youngest
four-star chef,

critically acclaimed
restaurateur,

Graham Elliott.

And now joining
the MasterChef judging panel,

James Beard award-winning
pastry chef

and owner
of seven renowned bakeries

across North America,

culinary superstar
Christina Tosi.

Together we will find
America's greatest home cooks.

Here are our guests.

It will be a roller coaster ride
for those who make it.

The cowboys are arriving.

They'll face
some of the toughest...

Welcome, everyone,
to fabulous Las Vegas.

Most spectacular...

A toast
to 100 episodes.

And incredible challenges
in MasterChef history.

- I love it. Good job.
- Wow.

Creating dish
after dazzling dish,

they'll battle it out
for a $1/4 million,

their own cookbook,
and the title of...

MasterChef.

I left my job to be here,
but I'm in the top 20,

and to have this apron
means everything to me.

It's a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity

that I'm not gonna lose.

Winning MasterChef
would be

the absolute pursuit
of happiness for me.

I feel so great to be a part
of the top 20 of MasterChef.

I'm a single mom,
and I got a nine-year-old

who's my everything.

She's my biggest cheerleader,

so to be the next MasterChef
would be life-changing.

Yeah!

I'm Gordon Ramsay.

And I'm Graham Elliot.

You are the top 20 home cooks
in America.

Welcome to MasterChef.

We are so proud
to introduce you all

to the newest member
of the MasterChef family,

a phenomenal new judge.

Just in her early 30s,

already owns
a North American food empire,

please welcome...

Christina Tosi.

Welcome.

Hey, guys, how are you?

Whoo!

I'm so excited
to be here.

When I grew up
in Virginia

playing around
in my mom's kitchen,

I never
in my wildest dreams

thought it could lead me
to this place.

Dream big, everyone.

You never know where
your fooreams might take you.

You are 20
of the best home cooks

across all America.

Our big question is,
who is the best here?

- Right here.
- Right here.

Right here.

Big man, why do you think
you're the best?

- Because I have the work ethic.
- Good.

I have the talent,
and I'm gonna compete.

I'm gonna beat you because
I'm gonna work harder than you.

Love the confidence.

I played college football.
You can't take me down, baby.

- Oh, hey!

And what's so special
about you, young lady?

I was born
to Lebanese immigrants,

and I'm here fulfilling
the American dream.

I'm combining my Lebanese roots
and American cooking,

and that's who I am.

Brilliant.

Tommy, what separates you

from the talent
around you?

I want to unleash
an avalanche of style.

- Wow.
- I design clothing in Chicago.

Right.

And I'm going to put couture
on a plate.

Fantastic.
Glad to hear it, Tommy.

Are you ready to show us
how good you really are?

Are you all ready
to put on a MasterChef apron?

There's only one thing

standing between you...

and a white apron.

These people.

What is this?

I thought that
we were the only people

that were
supposed to be here,

then you see
a lot more people packing in.

It's 20 more of the best
home cooks across America.

If they thought
it was gonna be easy,

they have no idea
what I'm about to do today.

I'm here to be the best.

Are you gonna
welcome them?

No.

You will each compete

in a head-to-head
culinary battle.

In each group,
there are home cooks

with similar
signature dishes,

steak versus steak,
seafood versus seafood,

bakers versus bakers,

and this is what
you're fighting for...

a coveted MasterChef
white apron.

Boom!

Win your battle,
and you win an apron

and a place
in the competition,

but if you lose your battle,
you win a ticket home.

Game faces on.
Are you all ready?

Yes, Chef.

Let battle commence.

Whoo!

In the battle for their aprons,
the home cooks will have

just 30 minutes to prepare
their signature dish.

We will then decide who wins
the MasterChef apron

and gets to take a place
in the MasterChef kitchen.

With the home cooks' friends
and families providing support,

our first battle for an apron
faces off Claudia and Andrew,

two home cooks who each have
a sensational way

to serve up shrimp.

Claudia is an events manager

who wants to turn her ambition
into an apron.

Cooking is something
that has been

a passion for me
my whole life.

I'm gonna grab some of
these rajas con queso,

a staple
in Mexican cuisine.

I was raised on beans and rice,
and food, for me, is love.

Do you like my food?

Yes.

- Okay, good.
- Hi.

I got pregnant at 22

and have since been
a single mother.

This competition
is the perfect opportunity

for me to show my daughter
that Latinos are

a viable and important part
of this society.

I love you.

It doesn't matter who you are,
where you come from.

You can absolutely make
your dreams come true

so long as you have
the passion anrive.

I need to win that apron.

Everything's at stake.

I can't not win this.

But standing in her way
is Andrew,

a political fund raiser
who hopes

his Southern style
will earn our votes.

Mmm.

Working in politics
for over ten years,

I know what it's like
to lose,

and I know what it's like
to win.

Winning feels a lot better.

I grew up in Charleston,
South Carolina.

The memories that I have
from childhood

are what motivates me
to cook.

I remember walking
across the street

to cast a net off
of the neighbor's dock

to bring shrimp home

that my mom would turn
into shrimp and grits.

- Cheers to y'all.
- Cheers.

There's nothing more unifying
than food.

There's nothing more divisive
than politics.

I want to go from being
a divider to being a uniter,

so when all the votes are
counted, I come out on top.

It's East Coast
versus West Coast.

Got this, yeah?

South Carolina
versus California.

My shrimp dish with roots
way back from Mexico

are going to beat
this dish from the South.

I'm bringing that apron
back to my daughter

just like I promised her.

Welcome to
the MasterChef kitchen.

Claudia, tell us
about your dish.

I am cooking camarones
barbones al mojo de ajo,

which means they are
head-on shrimp

saut�ed in an amazing
garlic butter sauce,

served on top of a grape pico
as well as a white Mexican rice.

Andrew, what's the dish
you're cooking for us tonight?

I'm making
Lowcountry shrimp and grits

deglazed with a little bit
of white vermouth.

I'm really, really excited
to share the flavors

of my childhood
with y'all.

Two very talented home cooks
battling it out for one apron.

Your 30 minutes...
starts...

now.

Two incredible-sounding dishes.

- Yeah.
- I'm excited for this one.

But cooking shrimp
with the shells on?

- That's a chef's dream
- Whole, head-on shrimp.

Well, you have to know
what you're doing...

- Big time.
- Because you can never

really tell when that shrimp
is properly cooked

when it's in the shell,
so that will be a real test.

Yeah.

Shrimp and grits,
that's a big one,

that one,
to pull it off in 30 minutes.

- Those grits don't cook easily.
- Yeah, exactly. No.

If they're not seasoned well,
that is the kiss of death.

Whoo.

Ten minutes gone,

20 minutes left
to get your hands on that apron.

Claudia, now, the shrimp
you're gonna be

- saut�ing in garlic butter?
- Yes.

Tell me about this rice.
Why is it gonna be magical?

It is a Mazatl�n Mexican rice,
which is the one that

we usually serve with a lot
of our seafood dishes.

Sounds delicious.
Andrew, great knife skills.

- You're so kind.
- Brilliant.

What have you done
with the bacon there?

- You've rendered the fat down?
- I've rendered the fat down.

I've poured a little bit
of the fat off

before I threw
the mushrooms in.

Interesting.
How are you cooking the shrimp?

I'm actually gonna add them
to the sauce at the very end.

I finished the sauce
with the sweet white vermouth,

so it won't be too, too soupy
when the shrimp go in.

Wow.

Come on, speed up.

60 seconds to go.

Get it sauced, get it wiped,
get it garnished.

Come on, Claudia,
you've got to plate.

Season everything.

Ten, nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four,

three, two, one,

and stop.

- Hands in the air.
- Good job.

Well done.

Please bring your dishes
to the front.

Claudia, describe the dish,
please.

This is a shrimp saut�ed
in garlic and butter

served over a grape pico
and a Mexican white rice.

How many times
have you cooked this dish?

A million times.
It's my daughter's favorite.

The actual salsa's nice.
I like the heat in there.

Delicious.
Shrimps are cooked nicely...

crispy, elegant,
nice flavor.

There's something
quite charming.

- I feel the love.
- Thank you.

Very interesting combination
of flavors and textures.

I think the presentation leaves
a little bit more to be desired.

Good flavor.
I like the garlic.

The grape pico, I think
it could use a pinch of salt,

just to bring that out and
make it a little more savory.

- Yeah.
- But...

I think it's really,
really tasty.

- Andrew.
- Hello, Chef.

Describe the dish,
please.

This is
a Lowcountry shrimp and grits

with a tomato
and bacon scallion sauce

with dry white vermouth.

What happens to shrimp
when they're overcooked?

They become rubbery.

Damn.

Man, the sauce
with that vermouth,

really delicious.

Well, thank you.

The shrimp has
a little too much give,

little overcooked,
but I like the flavor.

I really enjoy
the layers of the bacon

and the mushroom
and the shrimp.

Thanks.

Really well done.
This is tough.

Two very good dishes,
one white apron.

Christina, which home cook
should get the apron?

Claudia, I loved
your shrimp,

but the rice didn't really
enhance or elevate the dish.

Andrew, the sauce was
so delicious.

I love the addition
of the vermouth.

You wowed me.

I got to say, I think the apron
should go to Andrew.

- Wow.
- Thank you.

- Really?
- Yeah.

I disagree.

I mean, I liked them both,
but one had the edge.

Claudia nailed the shrimp.
Cooked to perfection.

I'm going with Claudia.

- Wow, so it's on me now.
- Yup.

Two totally different styles,
one apron.

The person whose dish
just has a slight edge...

Claudia and Andrew
have had just 30 minutes

to prepare
their signature shrimp dishes

in a head-to-head battle

where only one will win
a coveted MasterChef apron.

With the votes split...

I think the apron
should go to Andrew.

I'm going with Claudia.

It's all in Graham's hands.

The person whose dish...

just has a slight edge...

Andrew, great effort.

Claudia,

sorry.

But you got to
stick around longer.

Thank you. Thank you.

- Thank you, thank you.
- Good job.

Andrew, great dish,
really delicious.

- Thank you. Congratulations.
- Thank you.

Ahh!

You won!

I did it, honey!

It's never fun to be on
the losing side of any battle,

but you just move forward
and live to fight another day.

Oh!

Fairy tales don't usually
come true for people like me.

For me to actually have gotten
this today means so much.

I love you.

Battling
for a white apron next

is Stephen
from Palm Springs,

who hopes to use
his passion for gardening

to harvest
a MasterChef apron.

Gardening is what has brought me
in to cooking today.

Over here I got celery.

I'm an urban gardener,
so I grow really good food,

and then I cook it,
so you can eat it

and be happy and healthy
and make babies,

and I'm not being arrogant,
but my food is great.

And that's that.

Like, there's no words
to describe my food.

It's a feeling.

It saturates
every cell in the body.

I don't know.
It's beautiful.

Stephen's competition is Tommy.

I am sure some
of the other contestants will,

you know, have to take me
with a grain of salt.

Oh, my God.

But I'm a regular guy

from the South Side of Chicago
who's made good.

I've been a fashion designer
for my entire life,

and I think fashion
and food is related.

It is a visual art form.

My food is really pretty
to look at.

You have to eat
with your eyes

before you eat
with your stomach.

I don't like to be
overconfident,

but I'm
the next MasterChef.

Welcome.

You know, Tommy's a great guy,

but I didn't come here
to play tiddlywinks.

I came here to win, and I'm
gonna do my best to do it.

I want that MasterChef apron

more than I want
a Chanel haute couture dress.

Great to see you both.

- Thank you.
- How old are you?

47.

I'm the magical age of 53.

- Stop it.
- No way.

I'm not cut.
It's all real.

Amazing.

I only have one wrinkle,
and I sit on it.

So, gentlemen, you're both
cooking your signature dish,

which is...

pork,

battling it out
for one apron.

Your 30 minutes starts...

now.

Tommy, tell me
about your pork dish.

My dish is a sophisticated
version of a pork ballotine,

and then I want
to decorate my plate.

Pork can go kind of, you know,
dull and boring,

so I want to make sure
that I bring some color

and some artistry
to the plate.

Just under 20 minutes to go.

Stephen, tell us
about your dish.

It's stuffed pork as well
and wrap it in bacon

on the outside, give it
a little bit more flavor,

and finish
with some steamed vegetables.

- Sounds awesome.
- Yeah, you betcha.

Coming up
to the last three minutes.

Oh.

Oh. No.

Tommy's tenderloin is raw

in the center.

Ahh! Ahh!

I think he might be done.

You think?

I mean, he can
pull this back.

Get it onto the pan now
and sear it, kiss it.

Yup.

Last 60 seconds, come on.

Oh, my God.

Let's go, guys, let's go.

Come on, guys.

Ten, nine, eight...

Oh, God, help.

Seven, six,
five, four,

three, two, one.

Hands in the air.

Good job, guys.

Both of you,
well done.

Okay, bring your dishes
down to the front, please.

Tommy,
describe your dish, please.

It's pork ballotine
that is stuffed with fennel,

zucchini, and Granny Smith apple
with fennel fronds.

I got really nervous when you
sliced that tenderloin

'cause it was raw.

Are you confident that
it's cooked in the middle?

The tenderloin
is cooked...

perfectly.

It's moist, you got that sear
around the outside.

I'm amazed you got it cooked.
Good job.

It's really, really tasty.

Plating-wise, you've got
stems of the fennel,

you've got the fronds,
you've got a sage leaf.

It's nice that you're showing
some of that artistry,

but you need
to dial it back.

The fennel fronds
actually bring

a really great, unexpected
freshness to the dish.

Really great effort.

Thank you.

- Stephen.
- Yes?

Please describe your dish.

Basically, I took the pork loin
and packed it with the farm.

I have apples,
raisins, walnuts,

and then steamed vegetables
with couscous.

You've got walnut,
raisins...

- Mm-hmm.
- Apple?

Yeah.

I think those flavors
are classic,

- and they taste great.
- Right on.

- All right.
- I appreciate that.

Tenderloin's got a little bit
too much stuffing in there,

so you've lost that texture
in slicing.

I just wish you'd roasted
the vegetables

rather than steaming them,
because as you can see,

it's raw, raw beetroot.

So I would have preferred to see
less stuffing inside the pork

and more roasting
of the vegetables.

All right.

Your pork has
a really great flavor to it.

Thank you.

But the vegetable,
in the middle,

they're almost so hard
they could just be

a crudit� on the side.

The irony
of those vegetables...

you being
an urban gardener.

Yeah, it's sad.

It's the thing you love,
but it also might be

the thing that
sends you home.

- Let's go, guys.
- Come on.

Oh, my God.

In this MasterChef battle
for an apron,

Chicago fashion designer
Tommy...

Ahh!

is going head-to-head
with Stephen...

Come on.

an urban gardener
from Palm Springs.

I just wish you'd roasted
the vegetables

rather than steaming them.

It's raw.

The irony
of those vegetables...

you being
an urban gardener.

Yeah, it's sad.

It's the thing you love,
but it also might be

the thing that
sends you home.

Tough, two pork dishes,

two very energetic,
talented individuals.

- Stephen's filling.
- Filling's good.

Tommy's was a mess.

Four minutes to go,
it was raw inside.

- Amazing he pulled it back.
- Right.

- Wow.
- I know. I know.

You both did
a really great job.

Which one of these pork dishes
wins this apron?

The apron goes to...

I'm disappointed
that I didn't win,

but Tommy,
he's a great competitor.

He had a great dish,
better than mine,

and he ended winning that apron.

Congratulations to him.

Oh, my God.
You did it.

Get ready.
I'm not leaving.

Buckle up your seat belts.
It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Our next battle features lamb.

This time
four talented home cooks

will battle it out
for two MasterChef aprons.

Go, Moniza!

My name is Moniza.

I grew up
in a Pakistani household

where lamb was as common
as chicken or beef,

so Pakistan knows
how to cook lamb.

My mama taught me right.

Come on, Derrick.

My name's Derrick,
and I'm a drummer.

It's a concert in the kitchen
when I'm in there.

The other contestants,
they're my opening act,

and I'm gonna be the headliner
of this lamb battle.

My name is Nate.
I live in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago's the best food city
in America.

It's a melting pot, and the way
I cook is international,

so I have no borders to what
I'm gonna put on a plate,

and I can't wait
to show that.

Welcome.
Come on down, guys.

My name's Amanda.

I grew up
in a strict Lebanese family.

I came to love cooking
by seeing my grandmother cook

for our entire family.

I cook
Middle Eastern fusion food,

so I am the expert
when it comes to cooking lamb.

Four talented cooks,
two aprons up for grabs.

30 minutes to nail it.

Your time starts...

now.

Whoo.

- Wow, lamb.
- Yeah.

Now, seriously,
one of my favorite proteins.

- Yeah.
- Right.

I think everybody's become

much more of a foodie,
so instead of, you know,

just a chicken breast
or something else, you're seeing

people from completely
different backgrounds...

parts of the world...
doing lamb.

It really shows the power
of how food unites.

Exactly.

- Right, Nate.
- Yes, Chef?

What are you making?

I'm doing a porcini
mushroom-crusted rack of lamb

with a puree
of cauliflower.

- Do you always cook this fancy?
- I do.

I live in Chicago,

and I'm lucky enough to have
all of my best friends

in the same neighborhood
as me.

Right.

So instead of all 12 of us
going out for fine dining,

I bring the fine dining
to my place.

Nice.

10 minutes gone,
just under 20 minutes to go.

My drum solo.

- All right, Derrick.
- Yes, ma'am?

What do we have here?

It's a pistachio-crusted
rack of lamb

over a parsnip puree.

I want 'em juicy,
flavorful.

Okay. So what does
this apron mean to you?

I'm a mama's boy.

She raised me as a single mom,
so I'm doing this for her.

Do you make this dish
for your mom at home?

My mom has never tasted this,
and she has no idea I'm here.

Why not?

There's been a thousand letdowns
being a drummer,

so this is going to be
a phone call

that I am
the next MasterChef.

Good luck, Derrick.

It's just under 15 minutes
to go.

Amanda, what's the dish?

It's my grandmother's
lamb kofta

with a jalapeno-dusted potato
and a sumac aioli.

If there's one thing I love,
it's kofta.

No pressure then.

Seriously, I love it.
Good luck.

Thank you, Chef.

- Hi, Moniza.
- Hi, Chef.

- These smell delicious.
- Thank you.

I love the pine nuts in them.
What's the dish?

It's a beef and lamb kabob
with pine nuts and parsley.

And what are you preparing
here? This is your...

So this is my tahini mixture
with lemon and garlic.

Are you worried
about anything?

You have
just over five minutes to go.

The only thing I'm worried about
is the time right now.

Come on, let's go.

Undercook, overcook,
underseason, overseason,

those are the big issues here
that will separate them

from getting an apron
or just going home empty-handed.

60 seconds to go, come on.

Four stunning dishes,
two aprons up for grabs.

Make it count, guys.

Put everything on the plate
for a reason.

Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five,

four, three, two, one,
and stop.

Hands in the air.

Four stunning dishes,
two aprons up for grabs.

Five, four, three,
two, one, stop.

Hands in the air.
Well done.

Wow, that was definitely
the battle of the lamb.

Now, very carefully
bring your dishes

down to the front,
please.

Four stunning lamb dishes
stand in front of us,

but only two of you are leaving
with the MasterChef apron.

Right, Nate.

Yes, Chef.

Describe the dish, please.

So I have a porcini
mushroom-crusted rack of lamb

with a pureed cauliflower,
tomato relish,

and a herb vinaigrette.

Let's have a look.

Is that what you wanted?

It's probably closer
on the rare side,

but it looks fairly good.

What's the seasoning
in there?

Shallot, salt, pepper,
and red wine vinegar.

The flavoring's good,
but it's a little bit too rare,

so it's very tough.

You know, you've got
the best cut of lamb,

so it should be melting
in my mouth. It's not.

- Okay.
- Thank you.

- Hi, Amanda.
- Hello, Chef.

What's the dish?

My grandmother's
lamb kofta

combined with a jalapeno-dusted
potato and a sumac aioli.

Nice depth of flavor.

Really nice decision,
that sumac, on seasoning,

really brings out both
the potatoes and the lamb.

I could see that the potatoes,
if they were crisp,

would really be
a great statement in texture,

but they're a little soft,
so you can sort of see

where you lost track
of time.

Definitely.

- Derrick, how are we doing?
- Doing well.

Go ahead and tell me
what you've made.

It's a pistachio-crusted
rack of lamb

over parsnip puree and quinoa
with a coconut curry sauce.

I'm gonna be honest...
the preparation,

the flavor, the technique,
and the plating,

you've nailed them all.

I think you've got a long, long
road ahead of you with cooking.

This is one of the best things
that we've had so far.

- Thank you.
- Good job.

- Right, Moniza.
- Yes?

Describe the dish,
please.

My dish is a beef
and lamb kabob

with pine nuts and parsley
upon a sauce with ghee.

That's where I get my Pakistani,
Indian flair with.

That is raw.

That's disappointing
to me.

Oh, dear.

Let me take
an end of one.

Mmm.

That bit tastes good.

There's something
quite charming,

but the lamb is raw.

It's a comfort food.

- Yeah.
- That's not giving me comfort.

Of course.

That's giving me
the heebie-jeebies.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Damn.

Four lamb dishes,
two aprons up for grabs,

but let's be honest,

the first apron goes
to the one individual

that we strongly believe

stood head and shoulders
above their competition.

We would like that person

to very confidently
pick up their apron.

Congratulations.

Thanks, Chef.

Well done.

Perfectly executed.

Thank you, Chef.

Put that apron on,

and walk through those doors
with your head up high,

and make that important call
to your mother.

Well done.
Good job.

- Thank you.
- Well done.

Good job.

I did it.

I went into that kitchen,
and I rocked the house.

My dish was a hit.

It was the best show
I've ever put on in my life.

- Mom?
- Hey.

I got some news for you.
I'm gonna be on MasterChef.

What?

- Oh, my God.
- Yeah.

I am so proud of you, honey.

Thank you.

I love you.

- I love you very much.
- I can't believe it.

I'm gonna be the first ever
rock and roll MasterChef.

She's so proud of you.
You know she is.

Three of you left,
one apron up for grabs.

This is tough.

All three of you cooked
your heart out.

All three of you
made mistakes,

but all three of you,
we see something in you.

So right now, this is
a very tough decision.

The apron goes to...

Congratulations.

This is to make
my family proud.

This is to make all minorities
in America proud,

let them know that they can do
anything they put their mind to.

I won an apron
in the lamb battle,

and I'm going to be
the next MasterChef.

Coming up,
when hometown rivals

face off over fish...

Whoo!

Will the pressure
of the MasterChef kitchen

prove too much?

Earth to Katrina.

MasterChef home cooks
come from all walks of life.

I work for the railroad.

I am a mechanical engineer,
and I'm also a model.

I'm a human resources
professional

at a health food store.

I am a high school teacher
of Spanish and science.

I've been a stay-at-home mom
for almost 42 years.

I was a restaurant supply
sales rep,

but I left my job
for this.

But creating
extraordinary dishes...

That's really good.

- Young man, you can cook.
- Thank you, Chef.

delicious.

It's earthy
with that punchy flavor.

That pastry cream filling
is really delicious.

Elegant.
Protein you've nailed.

Great job.

Has turned these
extraordinary home cooks...

This apron's going to...

Into potential MasterChefs.

- Ailsa.
- Yes!

- Dan.
- Yes!

- Kerry.
- Thanks, Chef.

- Mateo.
- Thank you.

- Veronica.
- Oh, my God.

- Nick.
- Thank you.

And proud winners of six more...

MasterChef aprons.

Ah!

Next up to battle for an apron
are Katrina and Taylor,

hometown rivals going
head-to-head over salmon.

Katrina is
an admin assistant

who's come in search
of her true calling.

University housing, this is
Katrina, how many I help you?

The job that I do
pays the bills,

but it's not
what pushes me every day.

Cooking makes me
love life.

I grew up in a food family.

My dad's a hobby fisherman,

so we would have fish
every Friday.

I'm nervous.

You're gonna
do such great things.

I know I can do this.

I just... I really need
to have some confidence

in my head,
in my heart.

I'm battling another person
from Wisconsin,

making salmon,
and I'm gonna kick some ass.

Katrina's only obstacle
is Taylor, a 23-year-old server

who's no stranger
to the taste of competition.

I play divisional football
for about four years in college,

and it's made me
a much tougher individual.

I thought I wanted to be
a football player, but for me,

my actual dream is
to be an executive chef.

Growing up
in a single-parent household,

my mother taught me
how to be a man,

you know, taught me
how to take care of myself,

and one of the things that went
along with that was cooking.

She sacrificed so much so that
I could get closer to my dreams,

so doing this,
I want to make sure that I can

give something back to her,
'cause I always promised her

that I was gonna give her
something back

for everything
that she's done for me,

so part of this
is for her.

Welcome.
Come on down, please.

One person is going
back to Milwaukee,

and it's not gonna be me.

What's gonna happen
in this battle today

is that I'm gonna
walk out with an apron.

This battle was
tailor-made for Taylor.

Two salmon signature dishes,
one apron,

and 30 minutes to nail it.

Your 30 minutes...
starts...

now.

Let's go.

- Taylor?
- Yes, sir?

What are you making
to battle for that apron?

My signature dish,
it's a blackened salmon

plated
with a pineapple salsa.

How are you cooking
the salmon?

I'm gonna cook it
in a cast iron skillet,

gonna throw some canola oil
on there as well.

I'm a big guy.
You know, I need the calories.

You know, I probably should be
burning 'em off,

but obviously, I mean,

that hasn't been happening
for a while.

- Katrina?
- Yes, Chef.

How are you cooking
the salmon?

I'm making
a pan-seared salmon

with panang curry sauce,
rice and peas, and a slaw.

Why curry with salmon?

I really love spicy, sour,
sweet, salty.

Good.

It's a little confusing to me,

those salmon, curry flavors, but
I also feel like it's ballsy.

Yeah.

Whoo!

The level of the action
that Taylor's bringing here,

you know,
like it's game day.

- Yeah.
- Ready.

If you guys came
to change your lives,

you have five minutes
to do so.

Oh.

You can smell
those blackening spices.

Mmm.

Taking off the rice
from the direct heat like that,

that damp cloth draws
the moisture out,

so it steams
and stays fluffy.

How many home cooks
do we see do that?

Love it.

Yeah, but she has a lot
to get done at this point.

Here we go, last minute.

Oh, my God.

Taste everything.
Let's go.

If it's not on the plate,
we don't have anything to taste.

Ten, nine...

Taylor, keep going,
keep going.

Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am.

Six, five, four,

three, two, one,
and stop.

- Hands in the air.
- Nice job, guys.

- Well done.
- Whew.

Both of you, very carefully

bring your dishes
down to the front, please.

Taylor, describe
the dish, please.

So what I have for you today
is a blackened salmon

plated with
a wonderful pineapple salsa

as well as a little bit
of a tangy lemon vinaigrette.

For me, salmon's cooked
beautifully.

It's got that nice crust
on the outside

but pink in the middle.

Yes, Chef.

However, spices,
slightly bland.

When you have
that blackened seasoning,

it needs a backup
of salt as well,

but there's a sort of
rustic charm to the dish.

- Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.

Thank you.

All right, let's see.

So salsa is one
of those things that can

show off some knife skill.

So I'm looking
at the pineapple.

What's wrong with that?

It's a little bit
of the skin from the pineapple.

Little bit of the skin.

The good thing,
salmon's awesome.

- Perfectly done.
- Thank you, Chef.

I think that the blackened rub
on the salmon,

for me, is what just seals
the deal and the flavor.

I feel like I really understand
your flavor palate.

Mm-hmm.

For me, it's very clear,

the potential
that you have.

- Thank you, ma'am.
- Very exciting, yes.

Thank you.
Thank you.

Right, young lady,
describe the dish.

It is a pan-seared salmon
with a panang curry sauce,

and the slaw is just
regular green cabbage.

It's supposed to have
mint leaves

and Thai basil leaves
and a little bit of jalapeno.

Supposed to have?
Doesn't have? Maybe have?

Lost it?
Someone stole it?

What's going on?

I hope it's in there.
Um...

Listen, if you don't know
it's in there,

we're screwed.

So is it in there or not?

Earth to Katrina.

So is it in there or not?

Earth to Katrina.

I had 'em in the bowl.

I don't know if they made it
on the plate.

Phew, man, you've just
given me a headache.

I'm sorry.

Right, what am I looking for
inside the salmon?

It should be pink.

Oh, no. Should be, may be,
will be, may not be?

It'll be pink.

Good.
Let's taste it.

Pink throughout,
a strong pink.

Katrina,

salmon's cooked
beautifully.

Flavor of the curry
is delicious,

sour, sweet, salty,

so it's a traditional
Thai-infused curry.

However, you don't know
what's on the plate.

Salmon's great.

The cook,
I think Taylor's was

a little more in that
mid-rare/medium phase.

I think this is just
a little over.

I love that color.

I personally have never had
a salmon curry before,

but, man, this sauce,
really delicious.

Thank you.

Right, one apron,
two stunning dishes.

Graham?

I'm going with Taylor.

Whew. Thank you.

Christina?

I got to go with Katrina.

This is so tough.

This is hard.

Yeah, but, I mean, the cook
on Taylor's was perfect.

You can teach him
some stuff.

Yeah, but Katrina's personality
on her plate,

you can really gauge
what her potential is.

I'm gonna go with my heart

and go with the individual

that I think that can climb
in this competition.

Come on, Katrina.

Katrina is
a wonderful competitor.

She's from my hometown,
so the fact

that she's
in the competition still,

I'm proud of that,
and I'm proud of her.

Aw, Taylor.

- I'm so proud of you.
- I'm sorry.

I didn't expect
I'd get this far.

You know, I'm always
the underdog.

I'm the girl who...
who doesn't win much.

Ahh!

Next time on MasterChef...

The search for America's
next MasterChef continues

with the most spectacular
dishes yet.

Ladies, 30 minutes
to change your life.

And a single mom...

Come on.

Turns her cooking battle...

I'm making $10 an hour.
This is gonna change everything.

Into a showdown for the judges.

Give it to her, Graham.

I don't know
which way to go.

And later...

The last two
MasterChef aprons.

Some home cooks
get a second chance...

Just get it on the plate!

In an all-or-nothing
final battle.

This apron belongs to...

Sync and corrections: Ajvngou
www.addic7ed.com