All language subtitles for MasterChef.US.S09E15.WEB.x264-TBS

- Narrator: Tonight...
- Judges: Switch!

- Go, go, go, go!
- Bleah!

...the race to be
the next MasterChef...

- Whack the garlic!
- ...kicks into high gear...

- Let's go! - ...In an
explosive tag team challenge.

Don't be scared of the fire!

Have you never cooked
over a ( bleep ) grill?

Who will cross the finish line?

- Perfect.
- Oh, man, that's hot.

And who will fall short?

- 60 seconds to go!
- They're so burnt.

- Ugh, this chicken is raw, Sam.
- It's burned.

- Oh, my God.
- Get it on the plate.

- Oh, my God.
- Is he okay?

Resync by TEDI for WEB.x264-TBS

- Yo, top nine.
- Gordon: Good evening.

Top nine, baby. This is
one heck of a milestone.

Come down here and stand
behind a box at random.

- Yeah.
- Gerron: Being a English teacher,

my full dream is to open up a
culinary program at my school,

and I am this much closer
to making it happen.

So I gotta keep pushing

until I get
that MasterChef trophy, baby.

Tonight, you're about to face your
next big mystery box challenge.

Okay, on the count of three,
please lift them.

One, two, three, lift.

- ( Gasps )
- Ooh.

- Peaches.
- Oh, lobster. Yes.

- Clams.
- Nine amazing American ingredients.

- Oh, nice. - Under each mystery
box is a different ingredient

that America was built on.

Aarón: You can each use your
ingredient to make any dish you like,

as long as that ingredient
is the star.

Joe: For this mystery box
challenge, you have 45 minutes

to make a delicious
and beautiful dish.

But listen, before you all go
to shop in the pantry,

we are each going to take
our mentees

and spend a few minutes
with you.

- Let's go.
- Go, go, go, go. Move, move, move.

- ( Gordon laughing )
- Thank you.

- Thank you, thank you.
- No problem, Joe.

Joe: All right, guys.

All right, Team Sanchez.

We entered this kitchen with 24.
You're in the top nine.

- Yeah.
- Look where you've come. I'm so proud

that you've lasted so long.
Yes, it's been tough.

You're up against tough competition,
but you are getting stronger.

Think what you've done.
Think how good your palate is.

Taylor: To get feedback
from Gordon Ramsay

is an experience of a lifetime.

I mean, this is Gordon Ramsay.

Every time we cook in this incredible
kitchen, give it your all.

Start those first 15 minutes
faster.

Get everything around you
that you want.

What you don't need, get rid of,

and then get that clear
perspective of what you're doing.

You have to show me
and show the other contestants

- where you guys are in this final nine.
- Okay.

This is really a moment
to stake your claim.

You've both had ups and downs

and I think we're
in a good point,

you two at least,
at least in your trajectory.

- So today we'll take it to the next level.
- Okay.

It is so motivating to have
this one-on-one with Joe.

It's been a long journey

and this advice is what I need
right now to keep going.

You need to have
beautiful dishes.

They need to reflect the
Americanness of these ingredients.

- Mm-hmm.
- I only have two of you guys left.

This is, like,
big stakes for me.

I want to see finesse.

I want to see concise,
beautiful plating,

and I want those flavors to pop.

Chef Aarón has such a high standard
that he holds to everything.

Harness your idea, commit, and don't
let fear command who you are.

Cesar: To be able to talk
to him and hear his advice

raises the bar of expectation
for myself.

I want each one of you to show me
that you can be the next MasterChef.

- Yes.
- Let's go get 'em.

- All right, let's go.
- Come on.

Show everyone that you guys
are contenders, okay?

- We got you. We won't let you down.
- All right. Good luck.

I'm expecting great things. I
want you to get to the finale.

All of you. Let's go.

By your station.

Down to the front, thank you.

Right. Back to the task at hand.

Now to help you make
the best possible dish,

all of you have access to the best
pantry anywhere in the world.

This would be a great
mystery box challenge to win

because the advantage
tonight is huge.

- Is everyone ready?
- All: Yes, Chef.

Your 45 minutes start...

...now. Come on, guys.

- Aarón: Think about your elements.
- Gordon: Wow.

Aarón: Come on, Cesar.

Okra, parsnips, no.

Okay, celery?

I am so happy that potatoes
is my ingredient

because potatoes are so classic.

- Anybody see celery?
- No celery.

So I'm gonna make
a cream of potato soup

with marinated grilled shrimp.

Oh, celery's right here.

Crispy fried potatoes,

and then garnishing it
with some truffle oil...

Right above your head.

...just to bring it up a notch.
This is always so heavy.

- Let's go, guys.
- Whoo-wee.

Bowen, I think you need
a few more ingredients, no?

Okay.

My dad is Cuban,
so I am doing a twist

on an American/Cubano dish.

Gonna do a corn and mango puree,
grilled corn salad,

and I'm also gonna do
some corn fritters.

There.

So, tonight we are
celebrating America

and some real staples
of American agriculture,

like potatoes, tomatoes.

- And then from the sea, we have lobster.
- Sorry, my man.

Joe: From the mountains,
we have venison.

But this is
a difficult challenge, Joe.

There are some tricky
ingredients out there tonight.

I'm not sure that's working
quite well.

Gordon: You know how difficult those
littleneck clams are to cook.

Whoo. ( Chuckles )

- Glasses are the worst.
- Gordon: The butternut squash.

Do you turn it into a dessert?
Do you go savory?

At this stage of the game,
top nine,

they should be able to adapt.

Today is a day that I want to
see how far they've come

since the beginning
of this competition.

Gerron: There we go, baby.

Come together.

For my mystery box ingredient,
I got butternut squash,

so I'm combining the butternut squash with
the taco that's loved by all Americans.

So I'm going to make
butternut squash tacos

with butternut squash tortillas

and crispy bacon, shallots,
garlic as the filling.

Get it in there.

In Texas, my family hunts a lot,

so I'm familiar with the taste
of venison,

so I am making
a pan-seared venison

with a purple cauliflower puree.

Aarón: Just 25 minutes.
Let's go!

- Gerron.
- What's up, Chef?

Georgia peaches.
Tell me about the dish.

- Today I'm going to do my peach
bread pudding. - How beautiful.

Then I'm making a regular
whipped cream.

This is something that my grandma
makes every family event.

How important is it for you
to win this thing?

It's very important because I've never
gotten an advantage in this competition,

- and so it's my time.
- Do me proud. Good luck.

- Right, Samantha.
- Chef.

You unveiled that box and you
had those amazing clams.

Yes, Chef. In Iowa, you don't
get fresh clams like this.

I'm extremely nervous.
I've never even eaten a clam.

But, you know, I strongly
believe in myself right now.

I'm trying to face my fears head on, so
I'm going to be making a clam linguini

with a lot of lemon in it and umami
flavors from some mushrooms.

- You are in the top nine of this, come on.
- Top nine.

- It's incredible, it's incredible.
- Come on.

- Yeah.
- How excited are you?

- So excited.
- Don't let yourself down,

- and don't let me down.
- Yes, Chef.

- Good luck.
- Thank you, Chef.

Ashley, talk to me.
Explain to me the ingredient

that you have here
that you're celebrating.

I have some beautiful
cranberries

and I'm going for a French
Moroccan-inspired duck breast.

And I'm going to also do
a granola as well.

I have never in my life
made this before.

I told Gordon
when he gave me that apron,

I was going to be a risk taker,
and I am doing it today.

- Ashley, best of luck.
- Thank you, Chef.

Gordon: Guys, you're down
to five minutes to go.

All right, Farhan, lobster.
What's the dish? Tell me.

You know, lobster is an ingredient
I've never used before,

but I really wanted to respect it and
use it in as many ways as possible.

So I'm gonna do lobster in
three ways: Tandoori lobster,

a lobster bisque,
and poached lobster.

- And I put ginger, lemongrass,
put some starch in it. - Wow.

You're really kinda going at it.
You have 8,000 ingredients.

It's the top nine now,
so I really want to do my best.

- Good luck.
- Thank you, Joe.

Gordon: 90 seconds to go.

Some great dishes.
I'm super excited.

I need something to slice
my duck on.

- Ooh, that's a long noodle.
- Finesse, garnish.

Presentation, please.

Joe: We can't taste it if you
don't get it on the plate.

- Gordon: Let's go. Ten.
- Judges: Nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four,

three, two, one...

- Aarón: Let's go.
- Gordon: And stop. Hands in the air.

Gordon: Well done, all of you.

We're extremely excited
to see what you guys did

with your mystery box ingredients
that America was built on.

Gordon: Now, you know,
we miss nothing.

We taste as we talk,
and we study everything you do.

Aarón:
And there are three dishes

that we would like to examine
a little closer.

Gordon: The first dish that
we want to bring forward

had a lot of flair,
great harmony.

This young individual had their
personality stamped all over this dish.

Please step forward...

...Ashley.

Yes! I am so stoked right now

because every week I strive
to make Gordon Ramsay proud,

and I really believe that I have
made him proud with this dish.

Right, young lady,
describe the dish, please.

Ashley: This is a French and
Moroccan-inspired duck breast

with a cranberry relish, savory
cranberry and walnut granola,

horseradish cream,
and roasted Romanesco.

I look at that dish and it's
just got that wow factor.

Tell me about the cranberries.

The cranberries are used
in three ways:

In the juice to baste the duck,

cranberry relish, and
cranberry and walnut granola.

Uh, delicious.

Cranberries, exuberant,
tangy, sour, sweet.

I love that little granola on top,
just love that idea in general,

especially with something
so rich and gamey.

What would I change? The duck
could do with two minutes less,

but you cooked it skin side down
so the duck's tender.

This is magical for me,

your best performance so far
in this competition.

You're a threat and and I think
everybody behind you sees that.

Great job, seriously.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you.

( Applause )

The second cook we want to focus
on tonight took a real risk.

Please step forward...

Gerron.

What? Turn up! This is my
first mystery box top three,

and I am feeling so good.
Is this real?

My grandma's recipe is the best.

Mama Lizzie, I'm making you proud.
I love you.

Gerron, nice to be up here, huh?

Very nice to be up here.
I can't believe it.

Joe: All right, what's the dish?
Tell me.

Gerron: So what this is
is a peach bread pudding.

I dunked the bread
in condensed milk and spices.

With the pecans,
I just candied 'em,

then I finished it off
with a bourbon glaze.

This is beautiful plating. Who gave you
the idea of using a cast-iron pan?

My grandmother taught me
a dessert.

This is something that she makes
for every single holiday.

And so I knew it was the
perfect thing to put it in

to get that perfect texture.

This is so good.

And it's, like, rich
and has good acidity,

and the peaches
are properly cooked.

- Thank you, Joe.
- I taste home in this dish.

I can taste
your grandmother's kitchen.

- Thank you. - No, thank you for
bringing a piece of who you are.

Coming out as a real contender.
It's an amazing job.

- Thank you.
- Wow.

( Applause )

Aarón: And the third and final
dish belongs to a home cook

who made an extremely
ambitious dish this evening.

Please step forward...

Farhan.

Farhan: It feels great
to be recognized,

especially with an ingredient
I've never worked with before.

I mean, I've been in college
for eight years.

I can't afford a lobster, so for
me it's actually pretty cool.

Farhan, describe the dish,
please.

Farhan:
This is Lobster Three Ways,

so it's a saffron
lobster bisque,

a Ghee poached lobster claw,

and then a Tandoori
lobster tail.

First of all, visually,
it makes a statement.

I think it's whimsical.
I think it's fun.

You know, I grew up in America.
I'm full-blooded American,

but there's no reason why
I can't bring my heritage

into something that's classically
American like a lobster bisque.

Lobster's cooked perfect.
Really phenomenal job.

You have a beautiful balance
of tart, sweet, rich.

It's firing
on all cylinders, man.

You didn't make the mistake
by having too much bisque.

You really let the lobster
be the star.

The one thing I do not like
about the bisque

- is you use coconut milk in a lot
of your preparations. - Sure.

And I'm pleading with you to stop
using that ingredient all the time

'cause you have some many other
interesting elements happening there

- that you don't need coconut milk, okay?
- Farhan: Heard, Chef.

But other than that,
I think you have a home run.

- Thank you so much.
- Great job.

( Chefs muttering )

- Yeah.
- Yes. Agreed.

Cool.

Aarón: Your three dishes

really knocked
it out the park tonight.

But only one cook
can be the winner.

Tonight's winner will get
a huge advantage

in the next stage
of the competition.

The home cook
with the best dish...

congratulations...

There can only be one winner.

The home cook
with the best dish...

is...

- Gerron.
- Yes! Yes, baby!

( Clamoring )

This feeling that I have
right now is irreplaceable.

I've never won a mystery box
challenge before,

and I did it with one
of my grandma's recipes.

Well done, Gerron.
You are safe from elimination.

Come join us up here.

This confirms how much
I've grown as a chef.

Gordon:
Line up, please. Thank you.

Gerron: Ain't nothing gonna
hold me back.

I'm going to continue
making my mentor, Joe, proud.

Gerron, you are about to receive
a game-changing advantage.

All of these home cooks
in front of you

will be competing tonight,

but they'll be competing
in teams of two.

( Exhales deeply )

This is "MasterChef"
tag team challenge.

Oh, God.

- ( Groans )
- Okay.

Guess who gets to pick
the teams.

Oh, shoot! It's on.

So, Gerron, tell me one individual
that you would like to see go home.

So this person is a very, very strong
contender in the MasterChef kitchen.

- Cesar.
- Cesar, please stand over to the side.

Gerron, who are you gonna
pair with Cesar?

I'm gonna pair Bowen with Cesar.

Aarón: Bowen, please
walk over and join him.

Bowen doesn't really
communicate effectively.

He gets very flustered
under pressure,

and Cesar is very soft-spoken,

so if these two people
cannot communicate,

then there is no way
that they can do well.

Right, onto the next team. Second
person you'd like to see leave tonight.

- Samantha.
- Gordon: Wow.

Gerron: She is producing great dishes
each time she steps in the kitchen.

Who are you pairing
with Samantha?

This person is very,
very strong-minded,

but she may not be as successful
in this challenge

depending on
how she works in a team.

- Who is it?
- Shanika.

I'm hoping that these
personalities clash.

Shanika:
I'm a little bit nervous.

Samantha is very young. I've
seen her crack under pressure.

So, I'm hoping for the best
right now.

Joe: Gerron,
who are you targeting next?

Julia.
She is definitely experienced.

Uh, restaurant, baking.

So, Gerron, obviously this pick
selects the remainder of the teams,

- so it's the big one.
- Taylor.

I set Taylor and Julia
up to fail

because Julia has a lot
of experience,

and she has a very strong
personality.

Taylor kinda gets choppy
under pressure,

and so they're gonna go down.

That means Farhan and Ashley,
you are also a team.

Okay, everybody, please come
and stand in front of us.

Aarón: So, Gerron, your work in
the MasterChef kitchen is done.

You can head up to that balcony
for a front row seat.

Off you go, big boy, come on.

Lucky, lucky.

Tonight you'll be making...

a perfect platter of...

- Mediterranean food.
- Oh, my gosh.

Joe: Here we have spanakopita,

a phyllo dough
stuffed with spinach and feta,

chicken skewers,
peppers and onions

with coriander
and lemon marinade.

Of course we have hummus
with grilled pita chips,

and falafels
with tahini dipping sauce.

And last, but not least,
lamb kofta

with yogurt and cucumber sauce.

Samantha: I'm so excited.

My entire extended family
is Greek.

My sister and I are actually
baptized Greek Orthodox,

so I grew up with Greek food, so I
feel confident in this challenge.

I just hope I can do
Gordon proud.

Aarón:
With a tag team challenge,

your communication skills
are gonna need to be spot-on

because you will not
be able to work on your dish

at the same time
as your partner.

Here's how it works, guys.
One of you starts cooking.

When we yell, "Switch,"

you will trade positions
immediately.

The person starting will not
be the person finishing.

So think about your strategy.

Those choices could make
or break your team.

Okay, please, everyone,
head to your stations.

Farhan: I'm feeling a
little scared right now.

Tag team challenges
brings out the worst in people.

And if Ashley and I don't
communicate with each other,

that would be a disaster.

Everything you need
is on the station behind you.

You have a selection
of incredible ingredients.

All right, guys, I want the home
cook finishing this challenge

to step to the end of the station.
Let's go.

You have just 60 minutes to make us
an immaculate Mediterranean platter.

Your 60 minutes...

starts...

- ...now.
- Let's go.

- Come on, guys.
- All right, Sam. Get everything prepped.

- We're moving, we're moving.
- Cesar, come on. You got this.

- Dump. Quick.
- Meat, meat, meat, meat, meat.

- Lamb going in.
- Awesome. Go. Go, go, go.

Guys, by far the most difficult platter ever
in the history of this tag team challenge.

- First thing, spanakopita.
- Season it with some salt and pepper.

- Yes. - Cooking the spinach,
seasoning beautifully with the nutmeg

- is instrumental.
- Multitask.

And then the difficult falafel.

Julia: I think it's too full.
Take some out, Taylor.

Gordon: They could break up and
disintegrate in the fryer in seconds.

Chicken skewers looks easy,
but it's not.

It needs a little more coriander.
Okay, I'm gonna do that.

The chicken, being a very neutral
protein, has to have the right seasoning.

- Just a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Joe: Very, very tricky balance there.
- You got this, you got this.

Let's go, spice boy.

And last, but not least,
the lamb kofta.

- We're gonna season the outside
of those when it's done. - Yep.

- All right.
- Joe: The lamb is gamey. It wants spice,

and then the yogurt sauce
has to be the cooling agent.

- Cesar, that's too thin.
- For the yogurt sauce, we need it thin.

- Joe: Gotta nail both.
- Yep.

- Move faster. Multitask, multitask.
- Okay.

- I'm moving as fast as I can.
- This is all about communication.

Stand there silent,
you're in trouble.

- What do you want me to do for the lamb?
- Um, salt and pepper.

What else?
Come on, talk to me, buddy.

I need you to talk me through
what else we're missing.

30 seconds to go
till our first swap.

All right, I really want you
to take care of the spanakopita.

- Okay, yes, of course. - Get the phyllo
dough ready, all right? Let's do this!

There was only two peppers,
I think.

Quick as you can, Taylor.
Time is going by fast.

All right. All right.
Yep, yep, yep.

- Okay, what do you want me to do?
- Just chop the rims off.

No, we don't even need that 'cause
it's gonna go in the processor.

- Stand by.
- I'm gonna be leaving the butter melting

and the garlic in there. Check the
seasoning. We need some herbs in there.

Judges: Five, four, three, two, one.
Switch!

Go for it, Bowen! Bleah!

- A little more lemon.
- Go.

Spanakopita's up first. I already
got the cheese in there.

- Yes.
- All right, pine nuts are good.

Uh, come on, Bowen.

Where's-- where's my skewer?

The lamb we need
to finish first.

Okay. I'm looking
for the skewer.

Hey, Bowen, Bowen,
we need to test the lamb

to make sure
the seasoning is good.

- Come on, Bowen, come on.
- Oh, my God.

- What the-- - Come on, Bowen,
don't frazzle, don't frazzle.

Gerron: Bowen is falling apart,

and he's getting flustered
under pressure.

- Where is the-- - Bowen,
Bowen, Bowen, listen to me.

Bowen's all over the place.

What's he doing? Is he okay?

- Bowen, keep cool. Keep cool, buddy.
- Okay, okay, okay.

This is exactly
what I wanted to happen.

- Oh, my God.
- Make decisions, Bowen.

Oh, my God.

My mind is going so crazy.

Come on, Bowen.

- Gordon: What's he doing?
- Don't lose it, don't lose it.

- Bowen: Oh, my God.
- Gordon: Is he okay?

Bowen's all over the place.

- Oh, my God.
- Make decisions, Bowen.

- Oh, my God.
- You gotta move faster, buddy.

I thought you were faster
than this.

- Cesar: Come on.
- Bowen: I know, I know, I know!

Gordon: Stand by.

- Five, four, three...
- Let's go. Come on.

- ...two, one, switch.
- Go, go, go.

- Gordon: Let's go.
- All right, Bowen, come on.

- You're not communicating with me anymore.
- Okay.

- What you wanna do?
- Hey. Yes.

Come on, Bowen, talk to me.

I don't know, like-- like--

Let's go. Dear, oh, dear.

- What are we doing? Talk to each other.
- Yeah, I did.

Big deep breath and have a bit more
confidence in what you're doing.

Okay. Okay, okay.

- And get it together.
- Yes, I got it.

- Cesar, brush a little bit olive oil.
- Yeah, I got you, Bowen.

- I'm gonna get the sauce done, all right?
- Perfect, yeah, awesome.

- That garlic's gonna burn.
- Yeah.

The pairing
sticking out tonight,

which I think would be
a disaster,

the pairing of Taylor and Julia.

What, um,
what do you think for this?

- Have you made those spinach pies before?
- No.

Gerron has your apron on, Joe. So why
do you think he made those choices?

Joe: Julia is very strong,
more experienced.

- I think Julia's gonna command,
Taylor's gonna follow... - No.

- ...and he did a really, really
nice move there. - I disagree.

I think he believes that Taylor
is gonna be dead weight,

and she's gonna bring down
Julia big time.

If you're not sure about it
then do something else.

- You can do the sauce.
- Okay.

Two minutes remaining
till the next switch.

- Come on, guys. - What do you guys
think about Ashley and Farhan?

- Have you tasted that yet? Okay, okay.
- Yeah, I did. It's good.

Gordon: Listen, there's a
marriage made in heaven,

because those two are
powerhouses.

- Absolutely.
- Pack it in, pack it in. Good.

I know you know
what you're doing.

The vulnerable team
for me tonight

is gonna be Samantha
and Shanika,

because I don't think
they're compatible.

Move it a little bit faster,
Samantha.

You're moving slow, baby.
You're moving too slow.

I'm going as fast
as I can, Shanika.

Joe: Shanika can be headstrong.

I think Samantha is kinda quiet.

How are they gonna communicate?

Add your pine nuts
so that you don't forget.

Okay? Sam? Sam?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Joe: 30 seconds till
the switch, guys.

- 30 seconds.
- All right, Bowen.

I want you to throw the
spanakopitas in the oven, okay?

Okay, okay.

We have to make
that cucumber sauce.

- We'll just smash some garlic in there.
- Are you sure?

- I don't think there's garlic in it.
- Positive.

Go, go, go, go.
Turn those kabobs.

- All right, heard.
- Get ready.

- Five, four, three...
- What do you want?

- Oh, my God.
- ...two, one, switch.

- Cesar.
- Get it, girl.

- Okay, so that-- okay.
- Gordon: Talk, come on.

You're going with the lamb now?

No, I'm gonna knock out
the spanakopita.

Okay, yeah. You finish that,

because I-- I'm not
familiar how to do that,

- or how to fold it.
- Yeah.

Bowen, start cooking. Get the
chicken on first. There you go.

- Bowen: I know!
- Come on, Bowen.

Don't be scared of the fire!

You're a cook,
for crying out loud! Come on!

- Bowen: Oh, my God.
- All right, check the hummus.

Work a little bit faster,
Shanika.

- Work a little bit faster.
- I'm moving fast, Sam.

Hurry up, hurry up.

It's easier said than done.

You done put me on like four
different things already.

( Sighs ) Are you serious?

- Ashley, keep brushing on the butter.
- Yeah?

There you go, girl.
There you go, girl.

- Keep going. Yes, Chef. How's it going?
- All right, so, Farhan.

You've got my apron on,

so talk to me a little bit
about who's doing what.

I got the spinach started,

and I marinated the chicken
and the lamb.

So Ashley's job right now is
to get the spanakopita done.

So you laid the foundation down,

but you want her to make the
spanakopita with the spinach hot?

Oh, yeah. Okay. We're gonna
have to let it cool down.

- Okay, no problem. - Obviously
you guys are communicating well.

Make sure all that filling
is nice and tight,

and it should not burst.
All right?

- Good luck.
- Thank you, Chef.

Joe: Let's go, guys.
Come on, speed it up.

Gordon:
We've got 12 minutes remaining.

Two minutes
until the next switch.

Okay, there's parsley
and then all those spices.

- Taylor, let me get these folded 'cause--
- I know.

- I'm just trying to talk to you. Sorry.
- Yeah.

Quickly, quickly. Don't be--

Have you never cooked
over a ( bleep ) grill?

I'm doing it.

I don't know
how we're gonna do this.

What do we need now? Sam?

Come on, come on, come on.
Let's go.

Flip the chicken. Perfect.

Okay, hurry.
And make 'em kinda smaller.

Joe: Okay, guys, how's it going?
Where do we stand?

We just gotta get the lamb on,
that's number one right now.

- That's way too much. Way too much.
- You haven't even formed those?

You haven't started cooking
anything yet?

Get 'em on the grill
so they have time to cook.

- Time's running out.
- Okay, okay, okay.

I'm really concerned about this.

Good luck.

Five, four, three,
two, one, switch!

- Gordon: Let's go!
- Go, go, go.

Get the sauces ready
so I can go ahead and plate.

Gordon:
You have to multitask, guys.

Those are seasoned, okay?

- Yep, heard. With the za'atar.
- Yeah.

Awesome. I like
the way you work!

Keep moving, keep moving.

Ashley and Farhan, they seem
to be working great together.

No one's really arguing
with one another.

- You gotta finish this out, all right?
- Okay.

Get these off the grill
and get 'em in the oven.

Okay. I need to know what to do.

You're fine. Just
breathe, just breathe.

- Get the falafel done.
- Okay.

- And you gotta get those pita chips in.
- Seriously?

- Do that.
- You're telling me a million things.

- Taylor's all over the place.
- Yeah.

- Taylor's in a spin.
- Julia: Is it browning or no?

They're so burnt.

- They all burned?
- Oh, my God.

- What do I do?
- Get 'em out.

Aarón: Taylor is not bringing
anything to this team.

She's falling under the
pressure, which is unfortunate.

- ( Groans )
- I'm sorry.

- I'm trying, I'm trying.
- Come on.

This is gonna be
the death of me.

Cesar, check the kabob.

- Cesar.
- We're doing good, Bowen.

- Don't trip on it.
- Cesar doesn't take direction.

More importantly, they're
not talking to each other.

- Cesar. Yes.
- Joe: That's a problem.

- Cesar, take it off.
- But I gotta say,

they're playing to each other's
strengths, they're ahead of the game.

- They could be victorious tonight.
- 25 seconds to go

- until the last switch.
- Shanika: Check the meat in the oven.

If it's done,
you can pull it out.

I don't know if that chicken is
done, but that lamb should be okay.

Gordon:
Last switch coming up, guys.

- All right, is it cooked?
- No. Almost, almost.

All right,
so take the lambs out.

It'll cook-- no, it'll cook
with the dressing there.

Okay. Put it in there.
Put it back in the oven.

No, it'll rest and it'll cook,
come to temp.

- All right, Sam.
- Five, four, three,

- two, one, switch!
- Switch!

- And switch!
- Let's go.

- Go, go, go, go.
- Let's go!

This is it! This is it!

- What do you want me to do?
- Start plating.

Come on, this is the last
five minutes.

Come on, come on, come on!

Flip it over. Feel the hummus.

- Gordon: Shanika. You need to plate.
- Yes, Chef.

- You need to plate.
- Don't give up.

- Look at me. She is behind.
- Yeah.

- You need to help her. Come on.
- I will, I will.

- Let's go.
- Hummus goes in this bowl, right?

- Yep. - This is your last
chance, so make it count.

All right, come on. We gotta go quickly.
There you go.

We don't even have
the onion ready.

- It's okay, it's okay.
- It is not okay.

Make sure those plates
are perfect.

- Make sure everything's perfect.
- Heard, heard, heard.

Oh, my God,
I need the spanakopita.

- There's a little bit-- Okay, hurry.
- Come on.

Gordon:
Two and a half minutes to go.

- Joe: Let's go, guys. Come on!
- Cesar: Stir it, get a whisk.

Get a whisk and stir--

Get a whisk! Listen to me!

Get what we have on the board!
Get what we have on the board!

- Sam.
- Shanika, I'm stressed out!

- Let's go!
- I am, too, but you didn't do ( bleep ).

Get that done. Come on, red pepper
sauce underneath the chicken.

- Heard, heard, heard.
- Let's go, come on.

- 60 seconds to go!
- Joe: One minute left!

- The hummus is over there.
- Joe: Come on, let's go!

- Julia, the hummus is in the
corner over there. - Julia: I know!

I don't know
if that chicken is done, Sam.

Then only put the two
small ones on there.

Get it on the plate.
This is your last chance.

- Gordon: 30 seconds to go.
- Just 30 seconds.

One more.
Grab the prettiest one.

Put a little bit of lemon
and the hummus on top.

- Okay, that's not gonna happen.
- Come on, come on, come on.

- Aarón: Come on, Shanika!
- Here we go!

- Ten, nine, eight...
- Get it on the plate! It's fine.

- Get it on the plate-- it's not (
bleep ), it's yogurt. - ...Seven, six,

- five, four, three...
- Ashley, come on. Let's go.

...two, one, and stop!

Aarón: Hands in the air.

Joe: It's time to taste your
Mediterranean platters.

Aarón:
First up, Bowen and Cesar.

Bowen: The tag team
challenge-- oh, my God.

Me and Cesar is not go along.

He is so controlling
and kind of cocky.

But I'm really confident

because everything
on the platter, it looks good.

So, tonight, Gordon,
I'm gonna make you proud.

Well, you know it was evident

that you guys had
your struggles.

Visually, it's delivering.

This is just stunning.

Now, who was in charge
of the spanakopita?

Bowen cooked the spinach and then
I assembled everything else.

Did you feel confident, Bowen,
with him rolling them?

Yes, I trust him.

- Even if I don't like him.
- ( laughs )

- Even after this, you don't like me?
- No, because, like,

he has his opinion,
I have my opinion.

- Sometimes like--
- That's called being human.

I just do not like you. That's--

That-- that is the reason.

Bowen, Cesar, look,

it's like same thing
with Chef Gordon and Joe.

They might disagree, but they're
here for the common goal.

It's called being
professional, right?

- Yes.
- So, this spanakopita, I love it.

I love it, I think
you did a great job.

I think the spinach is kind of really
creamy and a little bit sort of--

It had that sulfuric taste
to it, which I like.

- Thank you. - Talk to me about the
marinade on the chicken kabob.

So it's salt, pepper,
ground coriander,

lemon juice, olive oil.

The chicken's cooked
through perfectly.

You were very aggressive
with the coriander,

- so that's coming through, which is nice.
- Thank you, Chef.

- Talk to me about the lamb.
- I seasoned the lamb.

Salt and pepper, coriander
seeds, and then cumin.

The lamb is delicious.

Really great grill marks,
I like that.

Who did you have on the hummus?

Cesar: I made the hummus, Chef,

with lemon juice, olive oil,

- salt, pepper.
- Your hummus is great.

Great job of adding
the olive oil

and making it very sort
of unctuous and creamy.

That's what you want.
And then that falafel,

that is textbook.

Guys, with a platter
this well executed,

it's gonna be a hard proposition for
one of you guys to go home tonight.

Well done. You did us proud.

Gerron, I know you wanted me
home tonight,

but, sadly,
you made the wrong call.

Your prediction didn't plan out.

Bowen, I love you, man.

Let's just hug it out.

- Calm down.
- I don't like you.

Gordon: Right, next
up, Julia and Taylor.

I took the lead in the team.

Taylor, she was
second-guessing herself,

and I was doing my best
to pick up the slack.

So I'm really hoping

that what we have on the
platter is gonna be enough

to keep us in this competition.

Ladies.

You know and I know

that that does not
look appetizing.

And what I've just witnessed
in the last 60 minutes

was a freaking disaster,

because you panicked, Taylor.

- Why?
- I mean, I panicked for a little bit,

but I felt like I was just
excited in it--

In the whole thing.

Excited? For this?

I mean, look at
the color of those.

It's gray. That is not a kofta.

Who cooked these?

I put 'em on the grill.

It's like something
my bulldog left

under the sofa discreetly.

- Yeah.
- Yeah, I'm not laughing, Taylor,

because somebody's leaving.

What happened here?
I mean, seriously.

What are those? Who cooked that?

- Taylor: I fried 'em.
- Please, have a dog biscuit.

Have a dog biscuit.

- It's very nutty.
- Nutty.

It's dry.

Who cooked the chicken?

I did, Chef.

There's no flavor
in there whatsoever.

- Who made these?
- I did.

It actually tastes better
than it looks,

but there's just way too much
phyllo paste,

which just causes it
to be super dry.

Nice crispy pita bread.

Mm-hmm. Delicious.

However, I'm disappointed.

Taylor: I'm just so embarrassed.

I just feel disappointed
in myself.

Our team as a whole, we could've
worked better together,

and I let my nerves and
the pressure just get to me.

It's just a terrible feeling
letting Gordon down.

We're gonna be fine.
Don't worry.

Next up, Ashley and Farhan.

Ashley and I
worked great together.

I think we really did
a good job communicating,

getting everything on the plate.

The only thing that I'm really
disappointed about is the falafel.

So I'm really hoping, you know,
it's cooked properly,

and our flavors are there.

So, certainly, appearance-wise
it's the most colorful,

and aesthetically pleasing.

I can tell just by looking at
it that it's properly cooked,

except here, the falafel's--

This is like sand on the beach.

Yeah, no, it's not--
It's not good.

The issue we had was
when we were frying them,

they kept breaking apart.

It's a little bit drier,
but it's good.

It has incredible
depth of flavor.

Spanakopita looks really nice.

They're like giant size.
Who capped in that filling?

Honestly,
it was a little teamwork.

I started it,
Ashley finished it up.

I think the flavor in there
encapsulates what I saw from you two,

was mutual respect,
communication, calmness.

- Thank you, Joe.
- Who assembled the chicken?

He marinated the chicken, I finished
the assembly and got it on the grill.

It's nice and moist,
it's cooked properly,

and the lamb, well-seasoned.

Really, really good.

And here, pita and the hummus--

This looks really,
like, spot-on, like--

Like you would see in a
Mediterranean restaurant.

It's missing a little bit
of salt, but it's good.

Too bad you had some
technical errors,

but the platter speaks
to a unified effort.

And you guys were a pretty
stellar example

of what a tag team challenge
should look like.

- Thank you. - You created a
very nice team here, Gerron.

- Agreed.
- Good job, guys. Thank you.

- Thank you guys so much.
- Thanks, Joe.

Last up, Shanika and Samantha.

Shanika: I'm pissed off.

We did not work together as
a team the way we should have,

and I'm embarrassed
by this platter.

I do not wanna present it
to the judges.

Right now I just wanna ask
if we can just pass.

Shanika, Samantha.

Both of you disintegrated
tonight. Why?

It was lack of communication.

Once I did get on to the things
I needed to get on,

- it was too much on my plate.
- So you were sandbagged?

- Basically.
- I don't agree

that Shanika was the only one
doing everything.

I folded the spanakopita.

Most of the falafel
that are on the plate

are the ones that I dropped
in the fryer,

so I don't see
where I didn't participate.

I've had everyone in this whole
competition telling me

that because I'm young
I'm not good enough,

and then having my teammate
on the side telling me

- I was working too slow and--
- Calm down.

I was coaching you, telling you
just to move a little faster.

- In a very negative way, which
obviously wasn't working. - I did not.

- Well, you could've said it...
- I was raising my voice...

...in a different way. - ...Because
you said you couldn't hear me.

Let's get back to the
Mediterranean platter, please.

- Who cooked the lamb?
- Samantha: I put 'em on the grill

and she finished them
in the oven.

It's a tad overcooked,

but seasoning is on point,
let's get that right.

Spanakopita.

It needs a touch more feta.

- And who cooked the chicken?
- She took it out of the oven

- and I took it off and--
- I did the marinade.

Look, it's pink.

And I've just eaten a chunk.

I did not wanna put
that chicken on this platter.

- The smallest piece we assumed were done.
- That's why--

That's why I told you we needed to
cut the chicken pieces smaller.

Okay, but in the end, you said you
don't care, put it on the plate.

I said put the two
small ones on.

- Okay, Sam.
- Gordon: Oh, boy.

What was going
across the last 60 minutes

and you're still bitching.

Yes, we are.

America's next MasterChef
is thick-skinned,

strong, confident.

They don't disintegrate.

I tried.

I was picking up on the slack
of a lot of the things--

I'm done. Thank you.

That was a tough
elimination challenge.

I'd like all four teams to come down
to the front, please. Let's go.

Gerron: When I'm looking at the
performance of everyone today,

I'm feeling pretty confident
about my strategy.

Everything that I did tonight
was successful.

The communication was off
and it was a complete disaster.

A team will go down.

Tonight, one team
during the cook excelled

in this kitchen this evening,

which means they are both safe
from elimination.

Cesar and Bowen.

You both are safe.

Get yourself up there on that
balcony next to Gerron, please.

- Thank you.
- Good job.

Best team of the night.

How do you like that, Gerron?

You wanted me out,
but I'm still here.

I believe I'm living up
to Chef Aarón's expectations.

So, I wanna win
this whole competition

to make Chef Aarón
even more proud of me.

And there's one more team

that doesn't really need to
worry about elimination tonight.

Farhan and Ashley.

You two guys, up to the safety
of the balcony.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Now it comes down
to you two teams.

Both teams were somewhat
unbalanced and fragmented.

One team fell short.

The final team safe
from elimination is...

...Shanika and Samantha.

Shanika:
I know what we did wrong,

but I will never make
the same mistake twice.

So I am coming
with everything I've got

to win that trophy.

Taylor and Julia,
we felt it lacked direction.

It lacked ownership.

And then some
of the fundamental flaws

that were across that platter
was just unacceptable

when you are both
in the top nine.

Taylor...

...your time is done
inside the MasterChef kitchen.

Julia, head up onto the balcony.

Taylor, tonight got
the better of you.

Julia did 85% of the work.

You know, young lady, third time
trying out for this competition,

you've done incredibly well.

Continue that food dream.

How are you feeling?

Just--

Let me just--

Every step of the way has been
so challenging for me.

I just couldn't be more thankful
for the opportunity

and being here and, Chef,
I am so, so grateful

for you to be my mentor
up to this point.

I couldn't be more thankful.

Right, young lady.
Come and say goodbye.

Good luck. It was a pleasure.

You did great.

Thank you, Chef.

Young lady, please,
place your apron on your bench,

and have a safe trip home.
Thank you.

- Aarón: Great job.
- Gordon: Take care.

Go, Taylor.

Taylor: I'm really sad to go,

but I'm proud of who is walking
out of the competition,

because I'm a stronger person,

a stronger home cook.

- Gerron: Love you, Taylor.
- Love you, Tay-tay.

I am so much closer

to my culinary dream
to open up a restaurant,

and I am just excited

about what's ahead of me.

( Sighs )

Now, we're down to
the final eight home cooks.

Samantha: With Taylor being
eliminated, Team Gordon,

we have three aprons and we
are neck and neck with Aarón,

who also has three aprons,

but Joe only has two.

It is getting intense
and I have got to make sure

I am working hard
to represent my mentor.

One word of advice.

If you can't stand the heat
of being in the top eight,

you'll soon be out
of this kitchen.

Good night.

- Good night.
- Good night.

Good night.

Narrator:
Next time on "MasterChef"...

The Thomas fire ravaged
Ventura County.

Today, you're gonna be cooking
for the amazing men and women

who battled that fire.

...when the top eight serve
America's finest...

Aarón: These are some of
the most important guests

that we have ever served.

This is a joke.
It looks disgusting.

...things backfire...

You can't expect us
to taste this.

It's still raw. Get a grip.

I will cook this lunch on my
own and I'll send you four home.

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