All language subtitles for MasterChef.US.S09E12

Narrator: Previously...

- Please welcome back...
- ( cheering )

Christina Tosi.

The ultimate baking challenge...

Who stays and who goes
is all in your hands.

Meant the end of the road...

You had the worst cupcakes
in the MasterChef kitchen,

so we have to say good-bye.

...for Mark.

Tonight, the judges...

Rocking and rolling, baby.
I love it.

Join the hottest challenge...

- Whoo-wee!
- ...of the season.

Fried squash blossom, caviar.
I have to top that.

- And...
- Savory or sweet?

- A divided kitchen...
- This is it. Let's go!

- That is not pretty.
- produces...

- ( bleep ), man.
- ...shocking results.

What is that?

- Whoo! Top 13.
- Whoo!

- Hey!
- 1-3, 1-3.

Being in the top 13 means
everything to me.

So I really want to
show myself and the judges,

especially Gordon, my mentor,
that there's more to me

than just a 21-year-old
college kid from Los Angeles.

Welcome back.

Shanika is bold and fierce
and ready to fight.

I am going to show my mentor Joe

that I will be
the next MasterChef.

You all have survived some
difficult challenges,

and now it's time
for another one.

The iconic mystery box
challenge.

Right, on the count of three,

lift your boxes.

One, two, three.

- Oh!
- Ooh.

What?

Oil?

Right. Tonight, you're all
gonna be deep-frying.

Wow, this mystery box challenge
is made for me.

I probably fry something up
once a week,

and today I'm gonna fry
this whole competition.

We wanna see a fully
composed dish

where the star is deep-fried.

And you have
just 45 minutes to do it.

Now, the person

with the best dish
in the mystery box challenge

will win a huge advantage.

And, trust me,
you wanna win this one.

To aid in making
the best possible dish,

you'll have access
to the full MasterChef pantry.

And of course, you'll have the
incredible Viking stoves to work with.

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

Well, I'm sorry, but we're not.

Because there's a twist.

You'll also be cooking along
three incredible guest chefs.

- Oh!
- Us!

( Cheering )

I'm so excited to be cooking
alongside my culinary heroes.

There's just so much
to learn from them,

and people would die for this
type of opportunity.

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

I guess it's
our 45 minutes starts now!

Let's go.

Keep it moving!

- Cucumbers, cucumbers.
- Aarón, you'll go straight

for the Sriracha
and mayonnaise, right?

( Aarón laughs ) Exactly.

- Do y'all see bread crumbs anywhere?
- Oh, here, here, here.

S.J., you want a glass of wine?

I'm okay. Thank you, Chef.

- Emily.
- Yes, Joe.

Do they have Shiitake mushrooms?

- Yes, they do.
- Gordon: Joe, seriously?

- Grab a couple for me. Thanks.
- Really?

- Are you just having wine and cheese?
- What are you making?

I'm keeping it Italian. So I
think you'll be happy with it.

I'm not afraid of frying.
I come from Wisconsin.

If you can batter it
and deep-fry it,

we've probably done it.

And, obviously, this challenge

is taking something
that's fried and elevating it.

So I'm making a spinach and
mushroom stuffed fried ravioli

over a pomodoro sauce
with a crispy chip of Pancetta

- and a fried basil leaf.
- Farhan, can you pass me some leeks?

- Yes, Chef.
- And zucchinis.

- Some snap peas.
- Joe, come on! Please?

This is the difference
between me and you guys.

- This is how I shop.
- Let's go, guys.

Gentlemen, I've selected a
beautiful mid-80s Côte-Rtie for us

- to share while we cook.
- Joe, come on, we're busy.

- Aarón, keep an eye on him in
case he needs a break. - Yes, sir.

Absolutely. He might get winded.

I'm from the dirty South.

So, with that being said,
we fry just about everything.

So, today I'm gonna make some
fried salmon croquettes,

and I'm going to do a sweet
potato hash with red peppers.

It is definitely a dish that my
mom has made for us growing up.

And so it's just something
where it makes me feel at home.

You know growing up,

Mexican food was one
of my favorite foods to eat.

So I'm making a traditional
Indian style bhajiya,

but I'm kind of infusing
some flavors of Mexico.

So I'm using chipotle
to make a caramelized

onion chipotle sauce
to go along with it.

Guys, just over 35 minutes left.

35 minutes left.

I am going to be making
spicy pork empanada,

and also a squash blossom
quesadilla.

The reason I'm making this dish
is because I have an aunt

in Mexico who makes her living
by running a quesadilla stand.

So, this dish is really
something that speaks

to my family heritage,
my culture,

and it's also something
that reminds me of home.

Chef Aarón, what are you
grinding over there?

I'm making a crispy oyster taco,

my friend, with chile habanero

and chayote and jicama slaw.

Oh, that sounds amazing.
What are you making, Joe?

- I'm making Frito Misto.
- Ooh, nice!

So mixed fresh bay fish,
calamari, lemons,

zucchini, tiger shrimp.

Joe, is this a dish

that has been in
your family's restaurant?

This is a dish from my young
years in Italy, from our house.

Fried calamari's
a grand classic,

and it's something
that we always have.

Hey, Chef, can I ask
what you're doing right now?

Stuffing these wonderful
squash bottoms with fresh crab,

and then we're gonna
deep-fry them.

And that's going to be served with a
caviar and Granny Smith vinaigrette.

- Wow.
- And a light citrus fragrance inside, yes?

- Tell me what you're doing.
- Yes. This sounds amazing.

So I'm doing, like,
an Asian style fish and chips

with a roasted miso
and garlic aioli,

along with a pickle,

- green onion and pear slaw.
- Love it.

Guys, we're down
to 20 minutes remaining.

Oh, my God.
You can do this, Chelsea.

Ralph, talk to me.
What's the motivation over here?

Filipinos and chicken adobo

are synonymous with each other.

And so doing a deep-fried
version of it served with rice.

- Ralph. You've got really big pieces
of chicken. - Yes, Chef. Yes, sir.

Normally, those chicken thighs
take 20 minutes to cook.

Yes, Chef. I think
I'm gonna take this bone out,

get the oven ready just in case
I need to put it in there.

- I want something immaculate.
- Yes, Chef, will do.

And there we go. Whew!

- Chelsea. What's the plan?
What are you making? - Yes.

I'm doing one of my favorite things
to cook at home for my boyfriend,

a roasted beet salad
with a fried risotto ball.

- Do we know what they're called? Arancini.
- Arancini, yes.

How did you flavor the risotto?

I mean, I wanna go rich
and luxurious,

that's why I'm putting goat
cheese and vegetable stock.

- All right, Chelsea. Good luck.
- Thank you.

- Shanika, talk to me. What are you making?
- Yes.

I am making risotto balls

that has apple
and pancetta in it.

Really wanna impress
my mentor Joe tonight,

so I'm gonna go with classic Italian,
but with just a little twist.

My aunt used to cook a lot of
fried food when we were younger,

but as I grew up, I knew that
it was not good for you.

- Wasn't good for the figure.
- Got you.

So I cut that out
and baked and broiled.

Okay, you look like you're comfortable.
Get that rice cooked

- and cooled down. Let's go.
- I am getting it cooked.

Gordon: Two minutes remaining.

Let's hope they come out right.

Oh, they look good.
They look good.

Let's go, guys, come on.
Nice and beautiful.

Check your seasoning.

Gordon:
60 seconds to go. Come on!

Start plating guys.

- This is it!
- Ooh, it's good!

15 seconds to go, guys.

Aarón: Come on!

Keep going, keep going,
keep going.

- Gordon: Here we go.
- Judges: Ten, nine,

eight, seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one.

- Gordon: And stop. Well done!
- Aarón: That's it.

- Aarón: Beautiful.
- Oh, my God.

Gordon: Amazing deep-frying.

All of you, well done.

- I think we did a great job as well.
- Absolutely.

Gordon: Everybody, would you like
to come down and look what we made?

- Yes!
- Come down. Let's go.

Oh, that looks
spectacular, Chef.

It looks so good, Chef.

So, start off
with this dish here.

Squash blossom stuffed
with a beautiful crab.

And then a tempura batter

lightly dipped
with that vadouvan spice,

served on a caviar vinaigrette
with Granny Smith apples.

And right here we have
a beautiful crispy oyster taco

with a chile habanero aioli,

a beautiful shaved chayote
and jicama slaw,

pickled red fresnos, and, of
course, a little bit of aguacate.

And tell me that is not
an invitation to eat, y'all.

- There's an invitation.
- Right?

I don't need to sell my dish.

It's called Frito Misto.

It's basically scampi,
calamari, heads and tentacles,

lemon, zucchini, salty,
lemony, citrusy.

It's a perfect taste
of the goods

when the sea gives up
the right stuff.

- Dig in. Let's go.
- Awesome!

That looks so good. Damn!

- Oh, my God.
- This is amazing!

Gordon and Aarón
and Joe's dishes

just put us all to shame.

I mean, there's no other way
to say it.

All of you, head back
to your stations, please.

- Thank you. Thank you so much, Chef.
- Well done. Well done.

It just shows
that frying food doesn't need

to necessarily
be heavy and dense.

It can be something
that you could go out and buy

at high-end
fine dining restaurant.

Whilst we were cooking,

we did get a chance
to check in with you guys

and taste everything
you were doing

across those 45 minutes.

And the first dish
that we really enjoyed,

we can't wait to taste again,
incorporated a risotto.

Congratulations...

- Shanika.
- What?

I'm shocked. I'm shocked.

For the first time ever,
I'm in the top three right now.

Did this really just happen?

I mean, I gotta pinch myself.

Oh, it happened. It's real.

Finally. Welcome
to the top three.

Shanika: Oh, my God!
It feels amazing.

Gordon: Well done.
Describe the dish, please.

You have an apple
pancetta risotto cake

on a bed of kale
that has a little bit of lemon

cooked in chicken stock,
tomatoes, salt and pepper.

How did you get the pancetta
in there? What'd you do?

I fried it up first, and I
put it in at the last minute

with the last batch of apples.

Mmm. Wow. I love the arancini.

And I love what you did with the
apple, 'cause that makes it lighter.

So we're thinking
of the fried food,

and we're thinking heavy,
sedated, greasy.

And all of the sudden,
you got that vibrant--

What was that, Granny Smith?

- Yes, it was Granny Smith.
- Yeah?

And an apple, uh, crispy--

( muttering ) I'm so nervous.

- Are you okay?
- No! Oh, my God.

I've never been up here
like this. Sorry, y'all.

- ( laughs ) Sorry.
- Don't worry.

Here's the thing. It's not the
prettiest, but it's nice to see you

cooking with confidence,
and I can taste that.

- Good job. Well done.
- Thank you.

Shanika, finally.

I gave you an apron. You're
making me so proud right now.

Your eyes-- They--
They're amazing now.

They look happy.

The dish is great.

It's so crispy on the outside.

The rice is perfect.
The acidity in the apples

and richness of the bacon makes
it a little bit more complex.

It's really, really good.

This is such
an evolution for you.

- It is.
- To make a dish

that has so much authentic
Italian flavor,

- Thank you.
- So much technique.

It's kind of perfect.

- Make me proud. Good job.
- Thank you.

Good job, girl!

The second dish that we would
like to see examined further

belongs to a cook who put
their heritage on the plate.

The second dish belongs to...

Come on up here, Ralph.

- Yeah! Go, Ralph!
- Let's go, baby!

Whoo!

The judges
are taking notice of Ralph.

I don't know how the hell
you miss me.

I'm, like, the biggest dude
in the room.

And I'm just excited
to really represent myself

and the whole Filipino
culture in this plate.

- Ralph, please describe the dish.
- Yes, Chef.

This is a fried chicken adobo
with, like, grated ginger,

garlic, onions, and soy sauce,

served with an arborio
coconut curry rice.

And then I used a little bit of
fried vermicelli as a garnish.

All right, so I came
to visit you.

I saw the chicken
kind of searing there.

- I got a little concerned.
- Yep.

How did you kind of veer
and get that chicken cooked

to such perfection?

What I decided on was
I'm gonna braise this chicken

with the adobo liquid
and then fry it.

And when you fry it, it's just
gonna add the finishing touches.

So you didn't put anything
on the outside of the chicken?

No. I was thinking
about doing flour,

but I wanted to let the
actual skin do the talking.

I'm so happy that you decided
not to cover this in flour.

It was smart move.

The real adobo,

that flavor from the soy,
all those aromatics--

Had you put flour, I don't know if it
would be so prevalent on the palate.

And then
the actual rice sucked in

all of that beautiful marinade.

It's rich, it's fun
in a very unique Ralph way.

- And I like it.
- Thank you, Chef.

Ralph, here's the thing.

You've got the white meat
cooked beautifully.

The skin and the flavor
of that is delicious.

- It's a really good dish.
- Thank you, Chef.

It's a little sloppy.

So get a bigger plate
and give yourself some room,

and let your food breathe.

But it really is packed
with flavor.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Yeah. Good job.

- Yeah, Ralph!
- Good job, Ralph!

The third and final dish

that really nailed it tonight

belongs to our second cook
from Houston

in the top three.

Please bring up your dish...

- Chelsea! Come on up.
- Nice job, Chelsea.

I definitely think
I'm climbing towards the top.

My dish shows finesse,
it shows skill,

and I just think that
I'm gonna make Aarón so proud.

So, Chelsea, what's the dish?

I did a goat cheese arancini

with a beet salad
and a lemon vinaigrette.

How is this dressed?
It's like a pesto almost.

I did lemon juice, salt,
cherry vinegar, and olive oil.

Goat cheese with beets
is a classic,

and super full-flavored.

And the outside crust
is super crispy.

The one thing I have to say
is that these beets

are maybe a little undercooked.

- Okay.
- But beautiful plating. Good job.

Thank you.

Look, this arancini
is firing on all cylinders.

It's a perfect example

of two different kinds of textures
working at the same time.

Crispy on the outside
and creamy and rich,

and unctuous on the inside.
That's what you want.

- We have the perfect fried item.
- Yes.

This dish has
all the elements of something

you wanna keep going back in
and having another bite.

I'm proud I gave you that apron.

- You work in sales, correct?
- Yes.

If you were selling me this
arancini at a restaurant,

- I would buy a double order.
- Thank you.

- Great job. All three of you.
- Thank you.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

- Good job, Chels.
- Go, Chels.

So proud of you.

Chelsea: Ralph's dish got
really bold flavors.

Chicken was amazing.
Three different cuts.

And Shanika's dish
looks delicious.

...the flavor, without a doubt.

It's just we missed
the balance...

But I think that mine looked
absolutely beautiful.

It was composed,

and it highlighted
the fried ingredient.

I feel like I nailed this.
I deserve this win today.

Shanika, Ralph, Chelsea,
well done, all three of you.

But, unfortunately,

we can only have
one mystery box winner,

and know that winning this

gives you a huge advantage

in the next challenge.

And the winner
of this challenge is...

Unfortunately, we can only
have one mystery box winner.

And the winner
of this challenge is...

Come on.

...Shanika.

- Good job!
- Good job, Shanika. Great job.

Shanika has finally arrived.

I am getting the recognition
that I deserve.

Go, Shanika.

Ralph, Chelsea, good job.
Well done.

- Thank you. - Please head back
to your stations. Thank you.

Y'all better watch out, 'cause
I told y'all I was coming.

Shanika, you, of course,
are safe from elimination,

and you'll get to watch this
daunting elimination challenge

from the safety of the balcony.

But before you head upstairs,

we're about to place this
competition in your hands.

- Whew!
- You are not deciding

what everybody's gonna be
cooking with tonight.

- Okay.
- Because tonight everyone will be cooking

with the same incredible,
versatile ingredient.

( Squeals )

Citrus fruits.

Tonight, everybody will have to
incorporate citrus fruit

- across their dishes.
- I'm so excited.

When you grow up in a place
like Opa-Locka, Florida,

with grapefruit trees and
orange trees in the backyard,

they just become
a part of your DNA.

Shanika, you don't get to choose

the ingredient
everyone has to cook with,

but you will get to decide
what kind of dish

each home cook
has to make this evening--

Savory or sweet.

If Shanika hands you
a savory basket,

that means you'll have
to make a savory dish.

If Shanika hands you
a sweet basket,

you'll have to make
a sweet dish.

The home cook
who fails to conquer

this citrus fruit challenge
will be going home.

Please, everyone, line up.

Gerron.

Hey, Shanika.
Your ponytail looks good today.

- Why thank you!
- ( laughing )

I really would like
a sweet basket,

because I didn't prove myself
in the last baking challenge.

I will...

not give you the opportunity
to correct that error,

and I'm going to go with
the savory basket for you.

Thank you so much.

Gerron, is that
what you really wanted?

This is exactly
what I really wanted.

Gordon: Smart boy.

Shanika, they're playing
mind games with you.

- I see that.
- Hey, girl.

I would love a sweet basket.

I am going to give you
a savory basket

- Damn it.
- To see what you can do.

My strategy is very,
very direct.

You will get this sweet basket.

Thank you.

I've been paying attention to
everybody in this competition.

The sweet basket.

I'm giving the sweets
to the people

that I know have issues
with baking.

I'm gonna say pink basket.

Well, of course I would not
give you the sweet basket.

I do want the savory today.

I am going to give you
the sweet basket today

- Damn.
- To see what you can do.

I'm just gonna go out now.

They think I don't notice things,
but I notice everything.

Gordon: Two talented cooks left.

Wow.

Sweet, savory. Sweet, savory.

- And you will get--
- Ooh, wow.

Sweet basket for you,
savory basket for you.

- Farhan: Thanks, Shanika.
- Gordon: Wow.

The end goal
is for me to get rid

of top competitors right now.

Emily, Cesar.

Gordon: Great choices.

Now, head on up to the balcony.

If I can do that,

that's one step closer to me
becoming the next MasterChef.

Strategy is key.

- Whew, okay.
- Oh, calamansi. I love you.

- Can I grab something behind?
- Where the fruits at?

There's a bunch
of lemons right here.

Fennel, I need peas,
I need radishes.

- Where's the dairy?
- Brussels, brussels, brussels.

I got savory,
so I'm going to be making

ravioli with
a lemon cream sauce.

Some pine nuts over here.

I feel like I'm starting
to fall behind

- in the competition.
- ( bleep )

I need to step it up
and prove to Gordon

that I am here
for the long haul.

Okay.

- Let's go.
- Let's go, guys. Hurry up.

Gordon: Well done, Cesar.
Ashley, are you kidding me?

- I'm a grocery shopper, Chef.
- Oh, my Lord.

Ashley brought the whole
grocery store out.

Is everybody ready to cook the most
amazing citrus dish of their lives?

All: Yes, Chef.

60 minutes on the clock.

Your time starts... now!

Today, I'm gonna be stepping
out of my comfort zone.

I'm making this
beautiful cube steak

that has been marinating
in lime juice.

I know I would be able
to succeed better

at the sweet basket,

but I think
I'm gonna surprise Shanika

and pull off a great
savory dish today.

Oh! Nice!

Hey, Cesar, what you making?

I'm gonna be making
a lemon chiffon cake

with mascarpone pecan filling.

- Mmm!
- I'm from Houston,

so in Texas we have lots
of pecan trees.

So, it's a touch of home that
I'm putting in there as well.

I think Shanika forgot
that the mystery box challenge

that I have won
was with a baked item.

So, assigning me
the sweet basket

might not yield the results
that she was looking for.

Let's just marvel
at the world of citrus.

It's the most versatile
element in my kitchen.

A lemon, an orange,
a grapefruit can really work

in both sweet
and savory context.

The citrus, it is the star.

Gordon:
This is a tough challenge.

We could be saying good-bye
to a big hitter tonight.

Gerron: Whoo!

I took a study abroad trip
to Trinidad and Tobago

where I ate a lot of jerk,
and so I am making

a jerk chicken
infused with blood orange.

Shanika definitely
underestimates me.

I've been in elimination rounds
over and over again,

but I make it out of elimination
every single time.

So, I'm feeling good.
I'm feeling good.

Guys, we're down
to 30 minutes remaining.

- Joe: Let's go, guys. Step it up.
- ( bleep ), man.

Right, S.J., now Shanika
gave you a pink basket

that you didn't want.

- S.J.: Absolutely.
- It was strategy.

Tell me what you're doing.

So, I'm gonna be doing a
strawberry Meyer lemon torte.

Why so complicated?
A torte, why?

I've been taking a lot of safe routes
so far in this competition, Chef.

- And I really wanna step out
of my comfort zone. - Right.

- What are you layering it with?
- Strawberries and whipped cream.

The batter itself has a little
bit of the Meyer lemon zest.

- Nice. - And I'm going to be
doing a butter cream frosting

that's gonna have a little bit
of the juice itself

- and the depth from the Meyer
lemon as well. - Right.

You may be one
of the youngest here,

but you are a very
passionate young man.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Focus and don't leave everything

- to the last minute.
- Yes, Chef.

Okay, Emily,
what are you thinking?

Chile lime marinated shrimp

over a kind of an jilotes
inspirited corn salad

with an avocado lime crema.

- When you got the savory basket,
- Yes.

Did you feel like Shanika is
playing some strategy against you?

I know that Shanika
wants me to go home.

- I'm just motivating you.
- She sees me as a threat

because I am one of the strongest
competitors in the kitchen.

But this is not something
that is in my wheelhouse.

Like, I think the savory
is gonna test my skills today.

Emily, good luck.

- Thank you.
- Good luck.

Ashley, Shanika gave you
a dessert basket.

- Yes, she did, Chef.
- What are you making?

I am doing a double layer
lemon blueberry cake.

It's gonna have a lemon curd.

I'm going for
a coconut pastry cream.

- Wow.
- And it's gonna have beautiful garnishes

of these lime zest cookies.

Like, this is gonna be
to honor my grandparents.

This is gonna be to honor
Opa-Locka and my family.

And I have to do it. There's
no, like, letting them down.

I can't believe you're
gonna do this in 60 minutes,

- I'm gonna do it. - But I'm
gonna wish you all the best.

- Thank you, Chef. Thank you.
- Good luck, Ashley.

What in the hell is she doing?

- How's it going, Chef?
- All right, Ralph, talk to me.

- What are you making?
- It's brazo de mercedes.

This is, like, a special cake
that my mom always makes for us.

So, I'm very honored
to be doing this dish.

You got Joe's pin on your apron.

Should he be concerned that Shanika
chose a sweet basket for you?

Bake that cake.

I've never baked in the
competition, so I gotta make sure--

This dish has a couple--
Oh, we got--

- Ralph, Ralph, don't BS us.
- Yes, Chef?

You're sweating like a long-tailed
cat in a rocking chair store.

You can't just talk the talk.
You gotta walk the walk.

I don't wanna
lose another apron, bro.

Oh, my God.

- How's it going, Chef? - All right,
Ralph, you got Joe's pin on your apron.

Should he be concerned

that Shanika chose
a sweet basket for you?

Bake that cake.

I've never baked in the
competition, so I gotta make sure--

This dish has a couple--
Oh, we got--

- Ralph, Ralph, don't BS us.
- Yes, Chef?

You can't just talk the talk.
You gotta walk the walk.

I don't wanna
lose another apron, bro.

- I got you, Joe. Thank you.
- Good luck.

All right, if that doesn't
work, you need a backup plan.

Wow. First of all, Ashley,

I mean, she's doing, like,
a three-layer cake

- with a coconut citrus filling.
- Ooh, it's hot.

S.J., again, another dessert.

He's doing this citrus torte

with, like,
a strawberry filling.

So, two very tough
desserts to pull off,

and I don't think they're
gonna have time to nail it.

I am, like, sweating.

- Damn it.
- Hey, Gordon,

are you prepared to lose one
of your aprons tonight?

- No.
- I'm talking about Taylor.

She's making a ravioli filled
with ricotta and spinach.

She's gonna do a very run of
the mill lemon cream sauce.

Joe: Quit those
lemon cream sauces.

- It's not 1975.
- Exactly.

We are coming up
to two minutes remaining.

Joe: Let's go, guys. Step it up.

- Okay.
- I don't think Ashley can make it.

Joe: She has to
construct the cake.

- Yeah.
- Those layers are still hot.

It's gonna squish out
like melted butter.

- S.J., you gotta go.
- Yes, Chef. Oh!

Joe: Another layer?

Another layer. Really?

30 seconds remaining!

Joe: Ralph is getting
his custard out.

Oh, my God.

Ralph's plate right now looks
like a bowl of English mustard.

- Aarón: Let's go, Ralph!
- Joe: Come on, you got my apron!

- That is not pretty.
- Whoa.

- Here we go.
- Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six, five, four,

three, two, one.

- And stop!
- That's it. Hands in the air.

- Whoo!
- Wow!

- Wow.
- Damn.

Now it's time to find out
how you all did using citrus.

First up, Gerron.

Since day one, I've been
working on my plating,

and I'm feeling pretty confident
about what I have here.

But the MasterChef kitchen is
always full of surprises.

You can be knocked down
really quick.

Aarón: So, how would
you describe the dish?

It is a jerk chicken infused
with blood orange zest,

and then also a coconut
cauliflower puree

with crispy bacon and brussels.

You put coconut in cauliflower?

Yeah, I actually boiled it
in coconut milk.

I lived in Trinidad
for a month on study abroad

and I ate a lot
of jerk chicken there,

and just experienced
a lot of island flavors,

and so that was just
my inspiration tonight.

Well, I'm happy that you
spent time in Trinidad

and understand those flavors.

You chose to serve the breast.

You were able to inject
a lot of flavor

in that marinade and the jerk

in a very short period of time.

I love the velvet nature
and the creativity

of coconut and cauliflower.

What would I
have done different?

Herbs.
This needs some freshness.

But, look, man,
this is really showing

that you're growing
as a cook, Gerron.

- Very impressive.
- Thank you, Chef.

Next up, Ralph.

( Bleep )

Ralph: I am so shook right now.

This plate does not
look good at all.

I don't know what
the judges are gonna say.

I just hope that it tastes
absolutely amazing.

So, explain the dish to me.

It's a brazo de mercedes,

with a mixed berry
calamansi coulis.

And it's supposed to be,
like, a rolled dessert.

Yes. I think the time got to me.

This is a dish that usually
takes two hours to make.

You chose to do
a very ambitious thing,

but the meringue is
kind of technically wrong.

I mean, it tastes more like
a marshmallow than a meringue.

This dish is a-- I don't
even know what to say.

It's chewy.
It's raw in the middle.

It's doughy. This is a
couple of ingredients

put together and assembled
in a sloppy mess.

- Oh, man.
- You know, Ralph,

it's been a great road
for you and I.

I gave you an apron, and I would
hate for it to end on this.

- Yes, Joe.
- Thank you.

Thank you.

I am devastated right now.

I hope the judges
see the potential in me.

I hope they see
that I've been growing,

I've been learning, and, uh,

hope this isn't
the end of the road.

Next up, Ashley, please.
Thank you.

I have never made a cake
in 60 minutes before,

but it looks gorgeous.

However, I am still nervous,

because my daddy always says,

- "But does it taste good?"
- You live on the edge.

With two minutes to go,
you're assembling this.

Are you crazy?

Yes, I'm crazy.

Gordon: And describe it.
What is it?

This is a lemon cake,

filled with lemon curd,
a blueberry sauce,

with lime zest and
white chocolate whipped cream.

What's the sponge?

It's a classic lemon cake,

and it has the
freshly-squeezed lemon juice

and fresh lemon zest inside.

Ooh.

It looks like it just came out

of a top patisserie shop
off the Champs-Elysées.

I hope it tastes
as good as it looks.

What's in the chantilly?

It's heavy cream
that's been whipped,

and then also
some white chocolate

that I melted down
for the sweetness

instead of powdered sugar.

I'm gonna be honest.

Um...

I'm gonna be honest.

Um...

- it's bloody delicious!
- Oh!

The sponge is magical.

I think you've got
five or six different flavors

of the citrus bouncing
around on the palate.

The curd is vibrant,
tangy, sour, sweet, bitter.

Young lady, I think this
is the best performance

that you've had in
this competition so far

because you played
to your strengths.

You took a massive risk,
and it paid off.

I'm happy for you,
and I'm worried

for everybody else
standing behind you.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job, girl.

- Whoo! Go, Ashley.
- Good job, Ashley.

Next up, Cesar.

Shanika, there's no way
I'm going home tonight.

I'm extremely happy
with my dish,

so I know I'm gonna
make Chef Aarón very proud.

All right, so, before I
taste this dish, Cesar,

Shanika, what is your
assessment of this dessert?

Um, I'll be bluntly honest.
It doesn't look appealing.

Shanika, you are absolutely
right about that.

This looks like it's
a slice from a bigger cake

that was left behind somewhere.

Talk to me about your dish.

It's a lemon chiffon cake,

with a pecan and mascarpone
filling in the middle,

and just whipped cream on top.

So what citrus
did you rally around?

I put lemon zest
and lemon juice in the batter,

and then I made a kumquat
and grapefruit simple syrup

to soak it
before I assembled it.

Here's the deal.
It's unappealing.

This is a very... ( sighs )

...difficult dessert,
because, surprisingly,

I can't even pick up any citrus.

And it's not lively
and popping in my palate.

All of the elements
that you've chose to put on,

from the cream to the pecans,
they're not that bad,

but it's just like a cake that
you would get from a diner.

I gave you my apron.
I believe that you're gonna be,

hopefully, a chef someday that can
take Mexican food to the next level,

but that right there
is a disappointment.

Cesar: As a teacher,
I always tell my students

to perform their best,

and tonight, obviously,
I did not do that.

So, Shanika,
well-played tonight.

I'm feeling
this could be the moment

that this dream ends.

Next, please join us, Samantha.

Samantha: This dish is really
outside of my comfort zone.

I don't work with steak a lot,

because being in college,

steak is not
on the budget for me.

But I feel so confident,

and I know I knocked it
out of the park.

Okay, Samantha,
tell me about the dish.

Today, I have for you
a lime juice marinated steak

on a bed of roasted red,
yellow, and green bell peppers,

and then I have a chimichurri
and lime and cilantro crema.

And what cut of steak
did you use?

I believe it was a cube steak.

Mmm.

You know,
the chimichurri's good.

It has, probably more
than any other dish,

a strong citrus component

in all the aspects of it.

Steak's properly cooked.
Nice sear on the outside.

The peppers are really,
actually, properly cooked,

which is always something
that's very difficult to do.

- Good job, Samantha.
- Thank you.

Emily, thank you.

Emily,
describe the dish, please.

It's a chile lime shrimp

over an jilote-inspired
corn salad

with an avocado-lime crema.

I used lime and lemon, lemon
to focus on the corn salad,

and lime in the shrimp
and the crema.

What you've done is you've brought
out that magic of the citrus.

That's what we were hoping for.

The big surprise is when you get so
much color on a shrimp like that,

and they're still cooked
beautifully in the center,

and seasoning on point, that
shows me you've got finesse.

It's a rustic dish, but it's
got that nice bold flavor.

Shanika targeted you tonight.
I think it's a missed hit.

- Well done.
- Next up, Taylor.

I made a ravioli
stuffed with pine nuts,

ricotta cheese, some Parmesan,

with a lemon cream sauce
underneath.

Let me tell you something,
young lady.

It has delivered
on flavor, texture.

Little bit more cream sauce.

You need that one element,
that condimenti,

to kind of
bring it all together.

But the citrus pop at the end

really makes this dish
remarkable.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.

Next up, S.J., please.

I know that my torte
doesn't look pretty,

but I hope that the judges see

that I tried my best,

and that I can pair
citrus ingredients

with any dish, sweet or savory.

S.J.

O-M-G.

- What is that?
- Um...

Gordon: I'm looking at that.

I don't know what to say!

Describe the dish.

It is a strawberry
Meyer lemon torte.

The center is strawberries
that's been marinated

with the Meyer lemon juice,

and a little bit
of the zest as well.

( sighs )

You know it's not good, right?

There's no citrus in there.

And seriously?

- What's that?
- Uh, caramel, Chef.

( Bleep )
It's a visit to the dentist.

Have we seen everything?
Are you done?

Is it time to get back
to studies?

No, Chef.
I really want to be here.

This is one of
my biggest embarrassments

and disappointments
ever in cooking.

I really want to bounce back
from this, Chef.

Bounce back?

Yeah, I'd love you to
progress in this competition,

but how can I invest in that?

Would you invest in that?

- No, Chef.
- No.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Chef.

I'm so down on myself right now.

The fact that I served
something of this poor quality

to Gordon Ramsay,
who gave me one of his aprons,

is just heart-wrenching.

I could be going home.

Now, guys, that was
a very tough challenge.

There were two outstanding
dishes tonight,

and it just so happens that one
was savory and one was sweet.

Gerron and...

- Ashley.
- Gerron: Thank you.

Aarón: Great job, young lady.

- Thank you.
- Gordon: Amazing.

But now comes the hard part.

If we call your name, please
come down to the front.

S.J.

Cesar.

Ralph.

One of you is going home.

Cesar, you got a lot of
things wrong tonight.

But there were two
worse dishes than yours.

Please, head back
to your station.

It's a great relief
to know that I'm safe,

that I'm part of the top 12,

but I know if I keep
performing like this,

my name is next.

You live to fight
another battle.

So I really need to buckle down

and elevate what I'm doing
in this kitchen.

So, it's down to S.J. and Ralph.

S.J., you were brought
into this competition

by Chef Gordon Ramsay.

And, Ralph, you were brought
into this competition

by Joe Bastianich.

Both of you
fell from a great height

with dessert.

Gordon, who would you send home?

Um, S.J.,
you just took on too much.

Ralph, you didn't
give yourself enough time

to master that dessert.

So, I would send home Ralph.

Aarón: Wow.

- Joe?
- It's tough.

Aarón: Yeah.

The home cook
that I would send home,

didn't have the technical
skills to execute,

is wearing an apron
that I gave him.

- I'm sorry, Ralph.
- Wow.

I agree with
both Gordon and Joe.

Ralph, this is
the end of the road.

Thank you, Chef.

S.J., get back
to your station, please.

Ralph, you know,

even though you and I
have become friends,

I have to deal you
this devastating blow

in order for us to pursue

our mission to find
America's next MasterChef,

and I'm sorry for that, Ralph.

My love to everybody.
Thank you to the judges,

and, uh, I've learned so much.

Ralph...

please place your apron
on your bench,

and goodnight.

One more thing.

- Come on, brother.
- Bring it in, Joe.

- ( Applause )
- Good job.

I'm very sad to be leaving
the MasterChef kitchen,

but I feel like I've accomplished
a lot since I've been here.

I've learned so much,

and I'm not going to
give up on my dream

of starting
a Filipino restaurant.

Thanks, guys.

Shout-out to those judges.

Shout-out to my mentor, Joe.

I got a little misty there.

Not only am I a better person,
but I'm a better cook.

Bye!

And just like that,

we entered with 24,

we're down to the top 12.

Shanika: Oh! This hurts,

'cause I was the cause of us
losing our apron.

We're down to three aprons now.

Aarón has four,

and Gordon still has five?

This competition
is getting serious now.

Now, all of you, get some rest.

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight, Chef.

Narrator:
Next time on "MasterChef"...

Halibut.

...it's a Gordon Ramsay
master class.

The way Gordon's moving, it's
just like a surgeon at work.

- And...
- Damn it.

Only the sharpest home cooks...

Gordon: Looks like
it's been mauled by a cat.

- ...will make the cut.
- This looks like

trying to clean a fish
with an ax.

Then, a shocking twist...

Two more talented cooks
will be leaving.

...shakes up
the MasterChef kitchen.

And that will happen right now.