All language subtitles for Masterchef.US.S08E01.LasseKongo.en

Announcer: Across America,
thousands of home cooks

think they have what it
takes to be a MasterChef.

But only the 40 best have been brought

to the MasterChef kitchen...

Whoo!

to go head to head for a white apron

as they prove themselves

to three of the food
world's biggest names--

culinary legend Gordon Ramsay,

renowned pastry chef Christina Tosi,

and joining them this
season, award-winning chef

and restaurateur Aarón Sanchez.

Whoo!

They will face challenges
from the ocean's edge...

Gordon: Our lifeguards are arriving!

to the top of the world.

- Man: Oh, my God! Wilderness cooking!
- Shoot!

They'll cook at 5-star restaurants...

Guys, one omelet!

and all-star destinations.

The 50th anniversary of Caesar's Palace.

They'll battle it out,

creating dish after stunning dish...

I think that is out of this world.

to win the title of...

I'm 53 years old and I'm a
native-born Texas rancher.

I'm not your average cowboy.
I have a passion for food.

I'm here to win this son of
a bitch, and I'm not joking.

Eboni: I am a mother of four
from the south side of Chicago.

I have had a hard life.

Nothing was ever given to me easy.

I think that's why I need to win
"MasterChef," to show my kids,

you know, they can be
something great still.

Dino: I'm a ballet dancer
from Bensonhurst, New York.

Being a ballet dancer,
food is very important.

You gotta eat right, eat healthy.

The better I eat, the
better I look in my tights,

the better my cannoli looks.

- We love you. We praise you, Lord.
- Thank you, Jesus.

Announcer: Our first battle for
an apron features Yachecia...

- Yes, God.
-and Shawn,

two heavenly home cooks
with a higher calling.

You gotta pray for me, man, because
I'm going up against another pastor.

- You're going home in Jesus' name!
- In the name.

Yachecia: Being a
minister, it's just my life.

It's not really what
I do. It's who I am.

I feel a lifting in
my spirit. Hallelujah.

In church we cook a lot.

I believe that food is
a part of my calling.

I wanna feed body and feed the soul.

Look at that! Yum!

I call my cooking sassy southern fusion.

I take all the classic recipes
and elevate it a little bit.

Yes! Oh!

It's gotta make me sing.
It's gotta make me dance.

If it doesn't do that, you can't
eat it. I can't give it to you.

I can't leave here without
being the next MasterChef.

Announcer: Standing in her way
is Shawn, a Washington pastor

who's praying his cooking
is on a higher plane.

And you have the faith to live holy!

My parents were really busy growing up,

so I grew up in a house

with mostly TV dinners every night.

When I left home, it was an opportunity

to explore real food
for the very first time.

That's a beautiful duck breast.

As a pastor, I've lived
all over the United States.

Everywhere I went,

I was immersed in a different culture.

So I would say that my style of cooking

is global comfort food.

Both: MasterChef! MasterChef!

- We got this, Shawn.
- Yeah!

- Let's do this thing.
- That's right.

Make your way down to
the front. Thank you.

Yachecia: I love Shawn,

he's an amazing man,

but he's going down in Jesus' name.

- Hi.
- Welcome to your MasterChef battle

- for that elusive white apron...
- Yes.

and a spot in the biggest culinary
competition anywhere in the world.

Incredible.

Now, in your battle, you'll be
making one of the most beloved,

quintessential American
dishes of all time.

The is the battle of the almighty

- fried chicken.
- Yeah!

Okay. Awesome.

It's crispy, crunchy,
golden on the outside,

and absolutely packed with flavor.

But before we get to this,

we start with this.

I'm going to show you the perfect way

to break down a chicken.

Watch very carefully.

First off, the thighs,
you nick with a knife.

Pull back the skin and
pop out that knuckle

and slice through.

Find your point, let
the knife do the work.

And look. Drum, drum, thigh, thigh.

Next, one of the most popular cuts,

the stunning chicken wing.

Feel where the joint is. Cut.

Let the knife do the work.

Wing, wing. From there,
feel the breast bone.

Run the knife across the top,

come down to the point
where the wishbone is,

hand on, and through.

Using the tip, keeping it as
close to the carcass as possible,

making sure that you leave
no protein anywhere on there.

Two drums, two thighs,
two breasts, two wings.

That is how you break down a chicken

like a true MasterChef.

- Beautiful, Chef.
- Amazing.

Tonight you'll just have 30 minutes

to take that whole chicken

and turn it into a
MasterChef-worthy batch

of delicious, crispy fried chicken.

- Are you both ready?
- Almost. I'm ready now.

Your 30 minutes starts right now.

All right, here we go.

This really is a MasterChef technique

that you have to nail
before you can show us

that you can nail fried chicken.

They're up against it. 30
minutes to break down the chicken,

marinate the chicken, bread
the chicken, and fry it.

And you know that's a tall order.

So, Shawn, talk to me a little
bit about your fried chicken.

Shawn: I lived for two years in Hawaii,

so I'm doing a little Hawaiian style.

It's a five-spice fried chicken

and I'm making a hoisin barbecue
sauce for you to go with it.

And I saw rather than using
a liquid oil of some sort,

- I just saw a stick of lard in those cast iron skillets.
- That's right!

Well, in all honesty, the pork, for
me, is again, a throwback to Hawaii,

'cause pork is such a huge
part of the culture there.

All right.

Yachecia, you going shopping?

You cannot make real home-fried
chicken without a paper bag.

Now, this recipe,
where did it come from?

The church that I grew up in in Detroit,

we had fried chicken
every Sunday morning.

We season everything,
so my dredge is seasoned.

I've seasoned the chicken itself,

and then my buttermilk is
seasoned, and so is my oil.

And, you know, in the African-American
culture, fried chicken is a staple.

So basically, if I lose to
Shawn, I'm gonna get traded out.

Right, ten minutes to go.

Yeah!

I think Shawn's got way too much color.

He's using a mixture of lard and butter.

Yachecia's using canola oil.

Lard and butter are gonna
have a lower burning point,

which is why we're getting
so much color on the outside.

He's really gonna need to
put that chicken in the oven

to make sure it's cooked
all the way through.

- All right.
- I'm a little worried about Yachecia.

She's frying the chicken entirely,

and she's not finishing
it off in the oven.

She's just living with
the Lord on her side.

Somebody getting saved today.

60 seconds remaining. Let's go.

- Gordon: Ten..
- Judges: Nine, eight,

seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one,

- And stop!
- That's it.

- Hands in the air!
- Well done.

- Nice job!
- Good job.

Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome.

Now, very carefully, please bring
those incredible boxes of chicken

down to the front. Thank you.

Right. Yachecia.

Wow. That looks beautiful.

- Tell me about the breading.
- So I used all-purpose flour,

a little bit of cornmeal just
for a little added crunch,

and then a little bit of extra
cayenne, some salt, paprika,

- and lots of black
pepper. - Now the sauce--

It's called "Sweet Hotness,"

so, a little bit of honey
and a little bit of spice.

That, young lady, is beautiful.

- That chicken's delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.

Good color, the crispiness is perfect.

It's spicy, so I'm not too sure if
you'll get through your second piece.

- But your chicken has love.
- Thank you, Chef.

That's juicy chicken.

What I'm in marvel of is the idea of
cooking the chicken so consistently.

I think the actual breading
needs a little bit more pizazz.

- But that is a pleasant bite.
- Thank you, Chef.

- Shawn.
- Yes, sir.

Let's have a look. Wow.

What's the seasoning in the flour?

I have mostly five spice,
and then paprika, garlic,

salt and pepper, a little
bit of oregano, and basil.

Why so many different
add-ons into that?

Well, I tell everybody
that my top two influences

- are God and Gordon.
- Right.

- And I know you love flavor.
- Yes, I do.

So I wanted to give you
a wide variety of flavor.

My thigh is cooked beautifully.

The spiciness is there.

It doesn't look that attractive

with the different
layers of sort of colors.

And the sauce has been
reduced down a little touch.

But you definitely
nailed the fried chicken.

- It's an honor. Thank you.
- Thank you.

It's tasty, it's messy.

It's all the things
fried chicken should be.

I'm more of a classic gal,

so I was a little bit concerned about

how I would take on the five
spice and the dipping sauce.

You definitely made me a believer.

The one weak point of
your box of fried chicken

is that not every piece of chicken
is perfectly coated in that crust.

- But overall, really delicious fried chicken.
- Thank you so much.

Yachecia, Shawn. You both nailed
the butchery of the chicken.

You nailed the cook on the chicken.

Both of your chickens
were juicy and tender.

However, we can only give
one of you that apron.

One apron, and with it,

one place in the MasterChef kitchen.

This apron belongs to...

One apron, and with it,

one place in the MasterChef kitchen.

This apron belongs to...

- Yachecia. Congratulations.
- Yes! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah. Put that apron on.

Whoo! Thank you so much.

So cool. So proud of you. Good job.

Yachecia, it was that length
that you let that chicken

fry at that lower temperature

that gave you the slight edge.

And that is what being a
MasterChef is all about.

Gordon: Shawn, you're a passionate man,

and you were born to
serve the community,

but I think you were born to cook.

- Don't stop.
- Thank you.

( cheering )

( screaming )

I've always had a fire for
cooking, but after today,

Gordon fanned that flame.

- I'm really proud of you.
- Thank you.

I prayed for Yachecia.

Maybe I prayed a little bit too hard.

But at the end of the day,

I know that she's gonna make
it all the way to the finale

- as the next MasterChef.
- Oh, thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus.

Announcer: Hoping to strike
a chord with the judges

in our next battle is Jason...

- Be yourself.
- Yeah.

a high school music teacher
from Newton, Massachusetts.

Jason:Just like in the orchestra when
I'm working with different instruments,

when I put food together on the plate,
I want to get the crunchy, the sweet,

the salty, and orchestrate it into something
that really makes a harmonious dish.

- Delicious!
- Thinking it's like conducting a symphony.

- Symphony on the plate, symphony on the plate.
- Yes.

I grew up in a
Chinese-American household

where no ingredient went to waste.

We always had at least six
or seven dishes on the table.

So when people come to eat at my house,

I'm not just gonna feed you one item.

I'm gonna feed you this,
I'm gonna feed you that.

That's the way we do it, the Jason way.

Announcer: But standing in
Jason's way is a home cook

that wants to prove that
he's more than meets the eye.

I'm Ty. I'm from Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma, and I'm a model.

It's basically gonna
be fashion on a plate.

I've been modeling for
four and a half years now.

What they don't know is this model
has traveled a lot across the U.S.

Going to different locations,

I get a chance to taste different foods,

experience different cultures,

see the way their techniques are,

and I bring all those tools
back with me to Oklahoma

and make it my own little style.

I know how to bring the flavor.

I'm gonna show these judges

what true Oklahoma cooking is about.

Come on down, please.

Jason: I have no idea
what we're cooking,

but whatever the judges throw
at us, I'm sure I can handle.

White apron! Jason Ling!

Jason and Ty, in your battle tonight,

you'll be making a dish

using the jewel of the sea.

Scallops.

Tonight in this battle,
you'll both have 30 minutes

to cook us a
fully-composed scallop dish

that screams you.

Your time starts...

now!

So, Jason, What's the dish?

What are you making and why?

I grew up in an
Asian-American household,

always three, four, five, six,

seven different things on the plate.

So I'm presenting you
a trio of scallops.

The first preparation is
going to be a sashimi style.

I'm marinating with
a little lemon juice,

white balsamic, and soy sauce.

Item number two is a steamed
scallop with ginger and scallions.

The third item is going
to be a pan-seared scallop

atop of a bed of sautéed
pea shoots with garlic.

Scallops three ways.
Huge amounts of jeopardy.

Why not one way perfectly?

I am a high school music teacher.

I conduct orchestra,

and it kind of reflects my cooking.

It's always a symphony
of flavors on the plate.

Okay.

So, how about you, Ty?

I'm 28, I live in Oklahoma City,

and I'm a male model.

When I was in New York
City doing Fashion Week

was the first time I ever had scallops,

and it changed my life.

So tonight I'm making you
some pan-seared scallops

on a smoky aioli with a citrus salad.

Gordon: Gentlemen, 20 minutes gone.

10 minutes remaining.

Two stunning-sounding scallop dishes,

one apron up for grabs.

So, you've got a case of Ty's
simple scallops with the citrus

up against Jason's scallops three ways.

I mean, is that over-ambitiousness?

Is he trying to show off too much?

Jason's dish has to be a home run.

There's something to be
said for keeping it simple

and just nailing that scallop.

Gents, two minutes left.

- You gotta move, Jason.
- Gordon: Let's go.

Use every second available

to get your hands on that apron.

- Aarón: Come on.
- Gordon: Let's go. Last 10 seconds.

Oh, my goodness.

Gordon: Nine, eight, seven, six.

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

- Gordon: And stop. Well done.
- Christina: Hands in the air!

Two scallop dishes, both
with individual styles.

Tonight, only one apron is up for grabs.

Right, Jason.

- Chef Ramsay.
- Describe the dish, please.

We have a trio of sea scallops.

The first preparation
is a sashimi scallop

julienne kohlrabi with
some celery leaves.

The second preparation
is a steamed scallop

on a bed of vermicelli.

The third preparation
is stir-fried pea shoots

with garlic and the seared scallop.

Why so much on one plate?

That's the way my head is inside.

As a musician, I just go from one thing

to the next to the next to the next.

But you're not writing
music, you're cooking food.

Why raw kohlrabi?

It is an homage to my grandmother.

She's from Beijing, and growing up,

we had a lot of different
salad-type things,

and I really enjoy that fresh component.

You steamed this with what?

Shaoxing wine, soy and
ginger and scallion.

How did you cook the last one?

The scallop is seared
with grape seed oil

and there's a little
bit of coriander crust.

So, the sashimi is delicious.

Love the freshness of the kohlrabi.

Love that idea. The
flavor of the last scallop

is, on its own, mind-blowing.

Thank you.

But the steamed one needs
a little bit more help.

It looks quite bland because the noodles

and the color of the
scallops is the same.

Man, you've given me
a lot to think about.

This one preparation, which
is the roasted scallop--

the color is textbook.

The combination of flavors is genius.

These other two preparations
were not necessary.

That sesame oil, those
very assertive flavors,

it's like putting too much cologne on.

Just like in music, food
needs to be corralled in.

Thank you for your feedback.

Ty, describe the dish, please.

Ty: We have a pan-seared scallop,

the salad with grapefruit vinaigrette,

the pomegranate, blood
orange, and grapefruit,

as well as a smoky aioli,

which really is gonna
fine-tune the Oklahoma taste

and style that I bring to the dish.

They're cooked beautifully.

First of all, you've
nailed the scallops.

But there's a lot of heat in that sauce.

The salad's a little bit overdressed

when you've got a heavy
vinaigrette with that spice as well.

I think more than anything,

I want to see a little
bit more from you.

But, listen, it's a
really strong effort.

Thank you, Chef.

I think the grapefruit
is a super smart move.

The pomegranates have a nice,
fresh brightness and pop.

I look at Jason's dish

and I wonder if he went too far.

For you, I wonder if you
played it a little too safe.

That said, it's gonna be tight.

Thank you, Chef.

- It's a tough one, this one.
- They're both talented.

This apron represents a place

in the biggest cooking
competition on the planet.

This apron belongs to...

( cheering )

I can't believe that I
just won a MasterChef apron.

I know my students will be proud of me,

and my mom is such a big
inspiration for my food life.

To have her here is just so amazing.

I'm so happy for you, my boy.

Announcer: So Jason joins
Yachecia in this year's Top 20.

And as the battles continue,
our judges were demonstrating

that the key to becoming
a great MasterChef...

Any air in there and we're in trouble.

is the ability to perfect...

Watch very carefully.

the essential culinary techniques.

Speed will wrap the egg
white around the yolk.

You want to remove
what you call the quill.

Even pressure is key.

I need stunning pasta so thin
I can almost see through it.

Wow.

And these home cooks faced off...

We want to be impressed with your
ability to be a great student.

only the very best had the skills...

Look at that. You know
how to poach an egg, girl.

It's like tracing paper. You
rolled the pasta beautifully.

and the artistry...

The squid is spot on.

That's the start of an
amazing American breakfast.

to win a coveted white apron...

These aprons belong to...

...and a place in the Top 20.

- Caitlin.
- ( sighs )

- Jenny.
- Paige.

- Thank you.
- Sam.

- Yes!
- Necco and Mark.

- Oh.
- Well done.

Yeah, baby!

Whoo!

( cheering )

Announcer: Our next battle
features four talented home cooks

all competing for two
MasterChef white aprons.

This is mine! My apron!

Woman:I'm Julia. I am 22 years old,

and I have way more up my sleeve
than the other competitors.

I may look all-American,

but I have spent a lot of time in China.

When you're cooking with chopsticks,

it's ten times more fun.

I've studied the culture, the food.

I love to take classic dishes

and put that Asian twist on them.

( chanting ) Adam! Adam!

I'm gonna show 'em what I got!

- And I got a lot!
- ( cheering )

Man:My name's Adam, I'm 21 years old,

and I'm a Harvard student.

This is my dorm. This is
where the magic happens.

This isn't a hobby for
me. This is a craft.

Mm, skills.

If I was following the script,

I'd be getting ready to take
my first job out of college.

I've completely blown the lid off

what the Harvard
student should be doing.

( muttering )

My name's Gabriel. I'm 19 years old,

from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

When I got out of
high school, I thought,

"I should be going to college right now,

but my parents are not
in the best of health."

So I felt like I needed to step up

and really spend my time
focusing on my family.

I've worked in a Mexican fast
food restaurant for the past year.

I don't make a lot of money.

I'm on the lower end
of every bit of income,

so if I could become the
next MasterChef at 19,

it would allow me to set my parents up,

do something that would
better their lives.

All right. Come on down!

Man:My name is David, I'm 50 years old,

and I'm a wedding singer.

♪ It makes me want to sing... ♪

I'm gonna make those judges wanna sing

after they taste my food.

Gordon: Welcome, all four of
you, to the MasterChef kitchen.

Adam, David, Julia, Gabriel,

for your battle, you will all
be making a specialty of mine,

a dish that you can find in food trucks

and even Michelin star
restaurants around the world.

I'm talking about...

For your battle, you will all
be making a specialty of mine.

I'm talking about the
humble, the sensational...

taco.

Beef, fish,
shrimp, chicken--

the varieties are endless.

Oh, yeah.

You guys have 30 minutes

to cook the most memorable taco

of your culinary lives.

Your 30 minutes starts now.

Adam, give us an insight
to the taco, please.

Sure. Uh, the taco that I'm making

is spotted prawn tempura taco

finished with a yuzu aioli,
topped with ikura salmon roe.

Have you got what it takes to
become America's next MasterChef?

I am the most prepared.

I go to Harvard University,

which means that I think
it's pretty fair to say

- that I'm one of the best learners in this country.
- Good.

- David?
- Yes, this is me.

- What are you making?
- I'm making my spicy Caribbean fish tacos.

What I'm doing is using a lot of
produce that we use in Jamaica,

like scallion, cabbage, avocado,

and I'm just gonna try to
cohesively put them together

and try to get a good look.

Aarón: All right. 10 minutes are gone.

20 minutes left.

- Christina: All right, Miss Julia.
- Yes, Chef?

What are you making?

Well, I lived in China for two months

and a lot of my food is
inspired by that Asian zest.

So today I'm making a
Beijing crispy duck taco.

All right, it's gonna be tricky
to get a crispy skin on that duck,

- get a lot of flavor in such a short amount of time.
- That's the goal.

- I'm gonna bring it.
- All right.

- Gordon: Gabriel?
- Yes, Chef?

19 years of age, but it looks
like you've been in a kitchen

for the last 10 years as a pro.

What's the protein?

Protein's tilapia, Chef.

Which is a classic protein inside taco.

Well, Chef, I'm going
a little bit different.

Instead of my salsa being traditional
or more heat-based, or anything,

I'm going a little bit fruit-based.

So I'm gonna go ahead and
do a mango peach salsa.

Hopefully that sets me aside
enough from my competition.

Great. Guys, just under five minutes.

- Oh, God.
- Stay focused, okay? Focus.

Adam, look, he's moving 'em too fast.

He has to let 'em cook a
little bit. Come on, pal.

Christina: I personally am
a little worried about Julia.

Peking duck is very
different than duck breast.

I'm a little bit worried
about that texture

going too far out of what a taco can be.

60 seconds remaining. Let's go.

Christina: Come on, now, David.

Gordon: Start assembling
your tacos, please.

- Yes, Chef.
- Four home cooks,

two aprons, 30 seconds remain.

- Let's go.
- Aarón: You're coming to the finish line, guys.

Are all your garnishes there?

Balance, harmony in flavor.

Gordon: Julia, you've got to
complete those tacos. Come on.

Come on, guys, here we go.

Judges: Ten, nine, eight, seven...

six, five, four, three, two, one.

- Gordon: And stop, guys.
- Christina: Hands in the air!

Nice job.

Okay, guys, very carefully

bring those plates of tacos forward.

That was a tough, fascinating battle.

Right before you,
there's only two aprons.

And the only way that two of you guys

walk out with those aprons

is if we taste your tacos.

- Adam, we'll start with you.
- Yes, Chef.

Explain to me a little
bit about your taco.

It's spot prawn deep fried in tempura

with a yuzu aioli, topped
off with red cabbage

and ikura salmon roe.

Look at that. It's breaking up on me,

which is a disappointment.

Wow.

The texture of that tempura, beautiful.

The dressing, light, airy.

It has the right amount of floral yuzu.

I like the addition of the
roe. I think that was smart.

But the tortilla?
Worst part of your dish.

- All right, David.
- Yes, Chef.

Talk me through what I've got.

My spicy Caribbean fish taco

with cabbage, coleslaw,
red baby bell pepper,

avocado, scallion, a
little bit of everything.

And what's the binder of that coleslaw?

Mayonnaise, sour cream,

and I squeezed a little
bit of lime in it.

The fish is really
crispy. It's well-seasoned.

I think for the tortillas,
it looks like you had

a little bit of a struggle

with finding just the
right moisture in that masa,

because I can see some unbalanced edges.

Being from the Caribbean, your
flavors are big and bold and bright,

and I would've loved just
a little bit more in that.

Thank you.

- Right, Julia.
- Yes, Chef.

Describe what we've got here.

So, we have a crispy duck taco,

cantaloupe, dragon
fruit, serrano pepper,

sesame oil, lime juice,

and a crema with some
rice wine vinegar in there.

Um, Julia, just touch that for me.

It's underdone. It's
definitely underdone.

This is like eating a
raw mouthful of dough.

Crispy duck needs
to be shredded fine--

virtually impossible with
such a lean duck breast.

Love the seasoning. Quite like
that fruit in there. Quite nice.

The potential is there, but
that is not a showstopper.

Thank you.

- Gabriel?
- Yes, Chef.

Explain to me a little
bit about what you go here.

So, I have a sweet and spicy
taco with blackened tilapia,

some avocado crema, a red cabbage slaw,

and a mango and peach salsa,

finished off with a little
bit of cilantro and lime zest.

All right, so I gotta tell
you, it looks phenomenal.

Thank you, Chef.

Look at that knife work.

Look at the thinness of that tortilla.

You have the nice dice of the peach.

It's refreshing, it's meaty.
It stands up to the tilapia.

The crema, cooling, herbaceous,

makes you want to have another bite.

- Remind me your age.
- I'm 19, Chef.

19. For you to do that for me

gives me hope that what
I chose to do in my life

is gonna be carried on
by the new generation.

I appreciate that, Chef. Thank you.

All of you did a fantastic job.

But there's only two aprons.

There's one amateur home cook here

who was far beyond the other three.

Gabriel, please take that apron.

Thank you, Chef.

Good job, Gabriel. Good job, buddy.

Put that apron on. Keep your head up.

Yes, Chef.

- Congratulations, young man.
- Thank you, Chef.

I feel amazing. You know, I'm 19,

but I made it to the Top 20.

It's a dream come true because I knew

this is something that I can pursue

that would make my parents proud,

and this will change my life

by being able to change the
lives of people around me.

Three of you left,
one apron up for grabs.

But one of you has the flair,

one of you has the skill.

Three amazing tacos,
let's get that right.

The final apron goes to...

Congratulations.

- ( cheering )
- Who's it gonna be?

Oh! Yeah!

Whoo-hoo!

So many people want
this thing, and I got it.

I could be at Harvard right now,

starting my senior year,

but instead, I am in "MasterChef."

So psyched!

Announcer: Up next is Paola,

a 27-year old who's ready
to drill the competition.

I'm a dentist by day, and
honestly I love what I do.

We're gonna go ahead and get started.

I really love my career,
but food is my passion.

- Boom!
- My whole life I've been cooking

- and eating quite a bit.
- ( laughs )

This is sancocho.

I am Puerto Rican and Dominican.

We have a very big family,

and I've always been in
the kitchen with my mom

and aunts and grandparents.

Food's always played such
a big role in my life.

- ( cheering )
-I love my white coat.

I wear it every day into the office.

But I'm here to trade that white coat in

for a white apron.

Announcer: Providing
some down-home competition

is 48-year-old stay
at home mom Reba.

Paola might be sophisticated,

but there ain't nothing
like country cooking.

- Country girls are the best?
- Country girls are the best.

Growing up in a small town in Texas,

we grew up poor.

So if you wanted chicken,

you go out to the yard, you kill it.

Remember when y'all went hunting?

Y'all didn't bring anything
back. we didn't eat.

That's it. You go hunt your food,

you bring it home, you cook it up.

Squirrel, bullfrogs--
food's food.

You get hungry enough,
you'll kill it and eat it.

Y'all need to dig in!

( bleep ) I ain't gonna serve you.

Yeah, we're country.

( cheering )

Reba: It's on like Donkey Kong.

My competitor might think

I'm a hillbilly backwoods redneck,

but my food is
slap-yo-mama good.

Ladies.

Tonight in your battle,
you'll be making a dish

using one of the most sought-after
proteins anywhere in the world.

- Duck.
- Hell, yeah.

I am about to show you how to cook

and render the fat for
the perfect duck breast.

First off, get your
cast iron pan piping hot.

Now, take a really sharp paring knife

and score the duck breast.

Use the tip of the knife and
come across the duck breast.

Turn the duck breast over,

cut back across the other way.

Now, salt,
pepper-- both sides.

Into the pan.

We're not putting any oil in there

because we're gonna cook the
duck breast in its own fat.

Fresh rosemary, touch of
garlic, slightly crushed.

The salt now starts
to penetrate that fat,

but more importantly, we're
getting it really crispy.

Sear the duck all
the way around--

the top, bottom, and each side.

That way the flavor gets locked in.

Skin side down, into the pan.

Into the oven for eight to nine minutes.

Now, out of the oven.

The skin is nice and crispy,

and the perfect temperature for duck.

Pink is absolutely spot on.

And that is how you sear
and cook a duck breast

like a true MasterChef.

Ladies, in this battle,
you'll have 30 minutes

to cook us a fully-composed duck dish.

- You both ready?
- Yes, ma'am.

Your 30 minutes starts... now!

Right, Paola, tell me about the dish.

I am making a crispy-skinned

seared duck breast over creamy farro,

with vegetables tossed
in rendered duck fat

with cherry port wine reduction.

I'm in the business of
making smiles, right?

So hopefully this dish will be
putting a smile on all you guys' faces.

- Reba.
- Yes, sir.

Tell us about the duck dish.

The sauce is a wild
mushroom red wine reduction

with Brussels sprouts,
candied pecan on top of it,

and we gonna throw you
down some taters on there.

- Some what, sorry?
- Some taters.

- What are they?
- Potatoes.

- Oh, potatoes.
- We call 'em "taters."

Aarón: All right, ladies,

seven minutes before one of you

gets her hands on that
very elusive apron.

I hate to see you go, but I'm
gonna love watching you leave.

Two complete opposite individuals,

but cooking the same interpretation.

And it'll show in those dishes.

Ladies, we have 60 seconds remaining.

Christina: All right now.

Come on, guys, this is it. Final push.

One apron up for grabs. Let's go.

- Mm.
- Ten...

Judges: Nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one.

- And stop.
- Christina: Hands in the air!

Well done.

Ladies, well done.

Two duck dishes, both
with individual styles.

Tonight, only one apron is up for grabs,

and one spot inside
the MasterChef kitchen.

Paola, at face value, it's a
gorgeous dish. Tell me about it.

What I have made for you
is a seared duck breast

over creamy farro with spring peas,

heirloom carrots, and pearl onion,

tossed in that rendered duck fat,

and then a tart cherry
port wine reduction sauce.

What am I looking for color-wise?

You're gonna be getting a pinkish color,

hopefully, right in that middle.

Let's see what you got.

That's pretty beautiful.

Thank you.

The duck is juicy, seasoned pretty well.

I think that the sauce on
the outside is beautiful.

There's a nice buttery
richness to that farro,

but it's a little underdone.

Okay.

Gordon: Right, Paola.

Under there, there's
still a touch of white fat.

So duck could've been at least
another three or four minutes

skin side down in the
pan. It won't overcook,

it will just-- the
fat will render out.

And when you've got baby carrots,

the best in the world
that are hours old,

they taste incredible.

They don't need the help of duck fat.

Noted.

However, presentation
skills is like you.

It's articulate and pretty,
and the plate looks stunning.

Unfortunately, it doesn't
taste as good as it looks.

Okay.

Reba, describe the dish, please.

You've got a pan-seared
duck over Brussels sprouts

and some fresh taters,

along with wild mushroom
wine reduction sauce.

There's the frustrating part,

the beautiful color
you got on that duck.

And then you destroy it
with that sauce on top.

Texas likes gravy.

It's slicing like butter.

Yep, that is beautiful.

It's pink and it's glistening.

What'd you season the duck with?

Salt and pepper, sir.

And the duck tastes incredible.

- Thank you, sir.
- It's exceptional.

Mashed potatoes are fine,
but a little bit lumpy.

The thing is, I close my eyes
and it tastes beautifully,

but it just looks a mess.

Aarón: Miss Reba.

- Your duck is fantastic.
- Thank you, sir.

I really love that aggressive seasoning

on the outside of that duck.

And the gravy? Wonderful.

That earthiness from the
mushroom really shines through.

Yes, there's some plating issues,

there's some technical flaws,

but that is a pleasant bite.

Thank you, sir.

Okay, so, they both did a
great job of cooking the duck.

Aarón: Which one has more potential?

This is tough.

Uh, ladies, you're both so good

that you both deserve to go through.

But, unfortunately, this is a
competition and rules are rules.

( Gordon sighs )

This apron goes to the individual

that I think can mature
across this competition

and become a true MasterChef.

This apron belongs to...

( sighs )

- Come on, honey. Come on.
- ( cheering )

Yes!

Come on!

- Oh, my God!
- Come on, Texas!

If it's this good now
before the top twenty,

we're in for a season and a half.

( cheering )

Reba did win it today.
She brought her A-game,

and that's not gonna discourage
me from continuing on.

That doesn't mean that I'm not gonna
be back in that kitchen someday.

Honey child! Yeah!

Paola gave me a run for my money,

but this country girl's like a
flea on the back of a coon dog.

We ain't going nowhere.

Good job.

Announcer: Next week...

Watch very carefully.

the search for America's
next MasterChef continues.

It doesn't get any tougher than this.

- It sure doesn't.
- Ooh!

Only nine white aprons remain.

- Whoo!
-And this year's talent...

- Oh!
- Don't touch it.

is hotter than ever...

- Ow.
- Flambé the steak, not the stove.

with some of the most
shocking battles...

- Tonight, you'll be making...
- Uhh!

...in "MasterChef" history.

- Oh! - Oh,
what the--

Sync: Ajvngou www.addic7ed.com

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