All language subtitles for MasterChef.US.S02E03.720p.HDTV.x264-DIMENSION

Previously on MasterChef...

It began with thousands
of home cooks

from across the nation.

You're looking
at America's next MasterChef.

I'm the next MasterChef.

You're looking
at America's next MasterChef.

100 were given an opportunity

to cook
for the world's toughest judges.

I'm Graham Elliot.

At 27, I became America's
youngest four-star chef.

My name is Joe Bastianich.

I own 24 of the best Italian
restaurants in the world

and three award-winning
Italian wineries.

And then there's me,
Gordon Ramsay.

I've got over 20 restaurants
with 12 Michelin stars,

and there's nothing
that I don't know about food.

Some served up brilliance.

I wish I had two mouths
to eat this.

You are the one to watch.

Others simply choked.
Disgusting.

The dish leaves me
filled with dread.

E-I-e-I-no.

Tonight, the final contenders

fight for the precious few
remaining aprons.

I don't think there's anybody
out here that can beat me.

Who will get chopped?
You're playing too safe.

And who will live
to cook another day?

Delicious.
Really yummy.

I was blown away
by that dish.

Find out as we continue

the search
for America's next MasterChef.

MasterChef 02x03
Auditions #3
Original Air Date on June 13, 2011

== sync, corrected by elderman ==

It's day three,
the final opportunity

for home cooks

to make an impression
on the judges.

The pressure has never been
higher as the last batch

of MasterChef hopefuls
prepare the dishes

that could make or break them.

This is my happy place.

I'm so happy just cooking.
I love it.

Neural engineer Suzy Singh

is desperate for an apron

to prove
to her conservative parents

that cooking can be her future.

I am 27 years old,

and I'm first-generation
South Asian.

Being a chef
in Indian culture

is going against the norm.

There's this demand
to be an engineer,

doctor, lawyer,
businessperson.

When I told my mom
I wanted to be a chef

and go to culinary school,

she was like,
"You want to be a servant?

I'm highly, highly disappointed
in you."

After their one hour
in the prep kitchen,

each home cook
is then given five minutes

to complete their dish
in front of the judges.

If two judges think a home cook
has what it takes,

they'll be awarded
a MasterChef apron

and move on to the next round
of the competition.

Hi, there.
Hi.

What are you cooking?
Today, I'm making

tandoori bass
en papillote.

I'm gonna put the bass in
right away.

Sea bass
en papillote?

Uh, uh-huh.
Holy crap.

And then I've got
a garam masala rub

that I made
on my roasted tomato.

Wow.

And I'm doing--

oh, my gosh,
this is really hot.

Oh.

Gonna let it sit
for a bit.

Your own blend garam masala?

I made
my own garam masala.

Which is a secret
in any household in India.
It is.

And where
are the family roots from?

Punjab.

You think
of Punjabi cooking,

you don't think
of en papillote.

Yeah, en papillote,
yeah.

And then I've made a lassi.

It's a sweet lassi.
Wow.

I've got fresh coconut juice,
and I also have

some cardamom that I'm putting
into it as well.

Sounds great.

You're organized,

aren't you?
I am.

I'm a neural engineer.

I have to be organized.

How much time
do we have left?

You've got one minute left.

All right.

I would love
to plate for you guys.

I'm so excited for you guys
just to try my food.

We are excited.
Put it on the plate.

Time out.
Please enjoy.

The secret of that papillote

is bursting that bag
and that waft of flavor.

Let's hope it's in there.

It almost turned

into smoked.

You think
it's gonna still steam?

We're gonna get
some beautiful aroma?

If it's cooked perfectly...

Mm-hmm.
When we cut into it,

it'll be flaky and moist.

Ooh.
No?

Umm, I didn't expect
to see a en papillote,

Punjabi-style.
Why try and over-complicate?

I actually think
this is a simpler version.

Yeah, okay.

Underneath, you've got the...

Turmeric on leeks
and shallots.

With my, uh, tomato.

You're passionate about this,
aren't you?

I am.

I'm literally
having the American dream.

To go back and tell your parents
you want to become a cook?

They hate it.

But that's why they came
to this country,

was for us to pursue
our dream.

Okay.

Look at this.

Yeah.

Nice fish.

I wish that was
a bit softer, though, yeah.

Joe, yes or no?

I think that...

Not only am I a yes,

I think we're looking
at one of the finalists here.

Big yes.

I was blown away
by that dish.

Are you all right?

You need a moment?

I respect you guys
so much

that, like, just hearing that

is--it's beyond anything
I could have ever imagined.

Graham, yes or no?

You should be proud,
so I'm a yes.

Three definite yeses.
Congratulations.

Well done.
Thank you, chef.

Looking forward to seeing
a lot more things of you.

I think you have
a long way to go here.

Thank you.
Congratulations.

Thank you so much.
Thank you.

Get out of here.
Well done.

Thank you so much,
guys.

Good job.

Thank you.

I am so proud
of what they said in there.

Everything's come up
to this point,

and this is my life.

This is my life.

It means so much.

There's a hot contender.

She's got the whole package.
Yeah.

Suzy's brain engineering days

may be behind her,
but not everyone

should quit their day jobs.

Hi, I have a creole
crab and crawdaddy cake.

So, first impressions...

Mark that out of ten for me.

What do you think?

What would you give
that presentation?

9 1/2.
9 1/2?

Wow.

9 1/2 out of 100, maybe.
Thank you.

Today I am cooking
a pepitas-crusted Halibut

over a green chile cake.

Every time somebody uses tongs

on a delicate piece of fish,
God kills a puppy.

Nice.

And what I'm making
for you today

is traditional
cajun corn maque choux.

Ron, you have a great future
in the restaurant world.

All right.
As a customer.

Big no.

So the judges start the day

pretty hard to please.

Next to face them
is 18-year-old Max Kramer,

the youngest-ever
MasterChef competitor.

But he thinks
what will make him stand out...

I'm doing a fried oyster
with steak tataki.

Is his taste for only
the very finest ingredients.

My name's Max Kramer.
I'm from New York City.

And I'm a freshman
at Trinity College.

Taxi!

I had a privileged childhood.

My parents
are very successful people,

which afforded me
the opportunity

to go to top-tier restaurants,

and that's
where I learned everything.

I can do it. I enjoy
the finer things in life.

Been overhearing a lot
of the competitors

stereotype me
as just a stuck-up rich kid.

I'm just gonna kick their ass.

I'm damn sure
I'm gonna win the competition.

I really want to be
America's next MasterChef.

It's an opportunity for me

to do something myself
and make it.

Hello.

What are you making?
Fried oyster

with steak tataki.

How old are you?

I'm 18 years old.

Tell us what you're doing.

This is basically

a mixture of grapeseed oil
and ponzu sauce

and some scallions.

And how long
have you been cooking?

Since I'm about ten years old.

Ever since my parents
got divorced.

They taught me
how to cook,

and then when we went

to restaurants
in New York City,

I would try to reinvent
that dish or recreate it

or improve upon it.

Cooking for me
is a way

to express myself
and throw away

the silver spoon
and do something on my own.

What else can you cook?

I'm not very fluent

with classic, simple stuff.

Give me
a signature dish

that you've been able to nail.

Butter-poached lobster.

Let's go.
Plate it up.

So here I have
a fried kumamoto oyster

with a steak tataki
and a yuzu oil infusion.

Fried oysters...

Not everyone's cup of tea.

What'd you do
to the beef?

Ponzu sauce,
safflower oil,

and salt, pepper.

Yeah.

All right.

You roll in here,
18-year-old kid from Manhattan.

You're lucky.

Parents take you out to eat
at good restaurants.

You're gonna impress us
with luxury ingredients,

oysters,
fancy restaurant dish.

A lot of ambition.

I don't know
if you have a lot of...

Technique.

What do you think,
guys?

What I'd love to see you cook

is something less glamorous.

Stripped of all the richness.

Because you're reaching
too high

too fast,

and you don't actually deserve
to be there.

Because after this,

we tell you what to cook,
and you have to cook it.

And I just don't know if you
could bring it on that level.

18 years of age, did I expect
you to fry an oyster? No.

The dish works.

There's something in there

that I can't quite put
my finger on it.

But...

For me, it's a yes.

Graham.

Fried oyster, great.

Beef unseasoned.

I'm gonna say no.

I think that
after a year of seasoning

and learning
would be better.

You don't see anything
in him?

I see stuff in him.

I just think that
we'll see more next year.

This is a tough one.

Think you can do it?

I really think
I can do it.

18-year-old Max
has no shortage of confidence.

But is his dish good enough

to win him a MasterChef apron?

It all comes down to Joe.

Think you can do it?

I really think
I can do it.

You're gonna need
a little time...

to hone your skills

for the rest
of this competition...

'Cause you're going through.

Good luck, man.

Thank you.
Thank you.

Congratulations.

Come around.

Going out on a limb
for you.

I think that you've got
some potential.

Good luck.
Well done.

Thank you.
Prove me wrong.

I will prove you wrong.

I mean...the swagger.

We just need to see
the humility.

Is he a MasterChef
or is he a trust fund baby?

Exactly.
We'll find out.

Congratulations, kid.
You did it.

I'm a pretty damn good cook,

but I'm used to cooking

with really extravagant things.

I could not be more proud
of myself.

After Max won Joe over...

The next group of home cooks

tried to do the same

by appealing
to Joe's Italian roots.

This is a giambotta,
which is an Italian stew.

I made homemade gnocchi.

I'm cooking cioppino.

This is?
A giambotta.

I've never heard of it.
A giambotta.

"Jam-bot."
"Jam-bot."

Is it MasterChef quality?

What part of Italy
is the stew from?

I really don't know.

No.
No.

It's definitely

on the salty side.
But it tastes good?

Are you asking me
or telling me?

Italy has a great culture

of seafood soups.

This is just not one of them.

It sounded delicious,
but it didn't deliver.

Rate that out of ten.

Where would you go
on that?

Seven.
Yeah, I'd give it three

after three bottles
of wine.

Thank you.
Thank you.

It's a good idea
gone bad.

So it would seem
the aprons

are getting harder
to come by.

But can this next Italian

make a dish
that Joe would be proud of?

There is so much love

in my blood,
if you cut my vein,

tomato sauce is gonna come out.

I'm Giuseppe.

I'm from Chicago,

and I was born and raised
in Italy.

I moved here
around 15 years ago.

It was very tough for me.

My English was very poor.

So, madre,
how's the weather over there?

It's very warm.
My mom is my best friend.

She's in Italy.

We talk pretty much
every single day.

Over here?
Not bad.

I got couple penguins outside

knocking on the door.

They want to get in.

My cooking
is straightforward Italian.

There is no fusion.
There is no confusion.

Can you smell that?

If you didn't go to Italy
to try the real food over there,

you don't know
how it really tastes.

So this is
what will be my weapon.

I can't wait
to meet Joe Bastianich.

He is known
for good Italian food.

And I can't wait to see
what he is going to say

about my Italian food.

How are you?

My name is Giuseppe Marusco.
I'm from Chicago.

But I was born
and raised in Italy.

Cool.
Start cooking.

Umm, today I'm gonna make
a traditional dish.

My grandma used to make it
all the time.

This is called cozze ripiene--
stuffed mussel.

I'm bringing my culture
over here from South Italy.

And if you won MasterChef,
would you open a restaurant?

First of all, I would go
to Costa Amalfi

and enjoy a little bit
of a vacation over there.

And then I would open--
I would open

a little restaurant
with my mother.

Bon appetit.

Grazie.

I made the sauce
from scratch.

It's all fresh--
tomatoes, everything.

Joe, you're Italian.

Please.
I'll go.

I've never heard
of stuffed mussels before.

You got to go
to South Italy.

That's where you're
gonna find them.

Really?
Yeah.

Tell me exactly
what's in this now.

Salt, pepper,

some bread
and some garlic,

and a little bit of eggs

are stuffed
inside the mussel.

Okay.
The whole process.

Okay.

This is very exciting,
you know.

It's authentic.

Who do you cook for
at home?

I cook at home
for my family.

For my son.
And is your son

here with you today?
Yeah. He's with me.

Bring him in, please.
All right.

My wife too or my son?
The whole family.

Yeah, it's got that
rustic charm to it.

Kind of a purity
of flavor.

Yeah.

It's missing
a little salt

and a little bit of heat.

It tastes
like there's only

like three ingredients
in the whole thing.

Camilla.

Come on. Let's go.

Come on, Camilla.
Come on.

Hello.

Welcome.
What's your name?

Jake.
Can I borrow you
for two seconds?

How many bowls of pasta

have you eaten so far?

I don't keep track,

but I'm sure a lot.

A lot.

And you rate your dad's food
ten out of ten?

11.
11.

Do me a big favor.

Give that to your dad,
would you, please?

Well done.

Thank you so much.

Well done. Well done.
Well done.

I got to come.
I got to do this.

I got to do this.

Bravo.

Aah!

Doing this for me
means everything.

I'm doing something right
with my life.

Voila!

Still to come,

a man with many talents...

When you take the beautiful fish

and you dip it in the egg...

Makes a mistake
he may never forget.

What's this?
Ha! Ha ha ha!

I forgot my signature
ingredient!

What's the matter with you?

So far tonight,
just three home cooks

have earned a MasterChef apron.

Next, can Christin,
a grade school teacher

from Tampa, Florida,

appeal to the judges'
sweet side?

Hello.
Hello.

Hey, guys.
My name is Christin.

And I have made you
Italian meatballs with a twist.

They are sweet.

Sweet meatballs?

Yes, sweet meatballs.

Sweetballs.

What turns 'em sweet?
Pound cake.

Pound cake.
That's the secret ingredient.

I hope when you bite
into them...

That they absolutely just kind
of melt in your mouth.

The recipe

is over 75 years old.

So I hope you like 'em.

It really is sweet.

What's the sauce?

Basic marinara.
Lots of cheese.

Garlic.

Basil.
Wine.

Thanks.

I don't know if veal

and pork should be sweet.

Ay-yi-yi, it's hard.
It's a strange one.

Thank you.

Joe, yes or no?

I know how hard it is
to make a meatball

that's kind of light
and fluffy like that.

They're not overtly sweet
for me.

For me, it's a very surprising
but big yes.

Graham?

Nice tomato sauce.

I thought
it was really yummy.

But I was kind of put off

with the meatball itself.

Maybe I'm just so predisposed

to thinking of it

as something really hearty
and rustic.

So for me it's a no.

Gordon, you loved them.

They just melted
in your mouth.

I know it might have taken
a minute to just kind--

Have you got it in you...

Absolutely, I've got it in me.

To climb the ladder, become
America's next MasterChef?

MasterChef means everything
to me.

I'm here to say that,
you know what,

this is what I've done, this is
what I grew up with--food.

Food is everything to me.

It's about family.
It's about love.

It's about sitting down
and loving what you do.

For me it's a no.
I'm sorry.

I think you did a great job.

Keep on cooking.

Thanks.

No.

No. I wasn't getting it
with the meatball.

The flavor was bizarre.

You like that, though?

Yeah, I liked it.

I really did.

After Christin's
too-sweet meatballs,

a string of home cooks
get it just right

and snag aprons.

You really hit it
on all levels.

I'm a yes.

I'm gonna say yes.
Oh, my God.

Congratulations.

Yes!
Well done.

Congratulations.
Thank you, sir.

Thank you.
Thank you.

A definite yes.
You're a serious contender.

Thank you, chef.

After a run of great results,

can Edgardo, a California
teacher, make the grade?

I am Edgardo
from Burbank, California.

And I'm a school teacher.

Christopher.

It's extremely fulfilling
to see

how the kids progress.

Now we'll start off
with all the plans involved.

Aside from being a teacher,

my passion is cooking.

I'm actually cooking
a live dungeness crab

and mango cucumber salad
on the side.

I just hope I make it
on time, though.

I am here to show
what I've got.

I really want to win.

Good luck Mr. G.

Good luck Mr. G.

Good luck Mr. G.

Good afternoon, chefs.
Good to see you. First name is?

Edgardo.
What are you cooking, Edgardo?

I actually cooked
a live dungeness crab.

Live?
Yeah.

Wow. Well done.

And I actually sauteed
the crab fat

with a garlic
and ginger sauce.

And where is the fat
on a crab?

Actually
when you open up the shell.

The purse.

The first layer
in between those two--

that's where the fat
on a crab is?

I didn't even know that.
I didn't know that either.

Did you know that?
Nope.

You're just putting the crab

back in the crab.

Yes.

I did get a lot of meat.

It's fresh.

That's
what we're excited about.

It's all fresh,
even the sauce.

Okay, we ready to taste?

Yes, sir.

I actually tried to make
the texture as natural

as possible.

Isn't this so cool looking?
Yeah.

I love it.

Yeah, it's delicious crab.

Thank you so much.

To be able to take this

and to try to finesse
more flavor

out of the crab itself...

Yes.
Concentrate that,

this is--
it's a very noble cause.

Thank you.

Is this what it's supposed

to look like,
with this kind of, like,

greenish tinge to it?

Yes, chef.

If you give me a chance, I can
show you what I can really do.

Right.

Thank you, chef.

Okay.

Joe, yes or no?

I thought that was...

Quite frankly...

Kind of amazing.

I think that the purity

of the cooking technique
of the crab...

You have combined

the essence of what lightness
in crab can be.

The crab is amazing.

A big, big yes.

Thank you so much.

All right, Graham,
yes or no?

I think the crab, of course,
is delicious.

And there's
such a purity there.

But...

There's not really
a whole lot to it.

There's not really a dish.

There's not a ton
of different layers,

so...

to me it's a no.

And top marks
for keeping it simple.

It tastes good.

For me...

It's...

Edgardo, a teacher
from Burbank, California,

has received mixed reviews

for his uncomplicated
seafood dish.

The crab is amazing.

A big, big yes.

To me it's a no.

Now his MasterChef future
is in the hands

of Gordon Ramsay.

And top marks
for keeping it simple.

It tastes good.

For me...

It's...

It's a no.

Thank you.

Uh...

MasterChef needs to see more.

Because it's not just
about cooking a crab,

carefully putting it
back into the shell

with its natural juices.

Thank you so much.
Thanks, Edgardo.

Thank you.
Thank you, Edgardo.

I think you guys made
a mistake on that one.

I tried.

At least you tried, honey.

This guy nailed it.

You want to see more than that.

Yeah.

With only a handful
of aprons remaining...

The pressure is on
for the next in line.

My name's Adrien,
I live in Ventura, California,

and I'm a server.

But I want to be a chef.
I want to own my own place.

I might not have
the formal training and skills,

but I do have passion
for my cooking.

It's what I absolutely love.

I had to learn
to cook for myself as a kid

'cause my father and my mom
both had to work.

My style of cooking,
it's definitely influenced

by Mexican flavors
and techniques.

I am making
achiote tierra y mar.

The main thing
is this right here.

Traditionally
it's called achiote.

It's the flavors
of me growing up.

Hopefully they taste what
I've been tasting all my life.

Mexican food is low and slow.

And some dishes
have 16 ingredients.

What sets me apart
is that I know

how to work
with all these flavors

and not mask one
more than the other.

My grandma's
the most important thing to me.

And I asked her to pray for me,

and she feels that God
has been listening to her.

And this is his answer to her

and an opportunity
for me.

Hello.
How's it going, gentlemen?

The first name is?

Adrien.
Adrien. What are you cooking?

I'm doing
an achiote tierra y mar.

Achiote is the spice
that I made myself.

And I'm doing
a surf and turf,

and I'm doing it my way.

Love it.
Please start.

Is it a Mexican dish?

Yes, definitely.

I am of Mexican descent,

and this spice holds everything
that I've tasted all my life.

I've gone to school
for lots of different things.

I've been a little lost.

I've been trying to find what it
is that I'm supposed to do.

And cooking was always there.

Is cooking just another phase?

Are you sure
you're not just confused

in terms of you haven't found
your niche in life?

There is nothing you could say
that'll deter me

from this choice.

I've begged every chef
in my county

to let me work for free.

Free?
Yes.

I was willing
to work part-time,

still have my other job.

And none of 'em
gave me a chance.

So this for me,

if I got this chance,

I wouldn't take it lightly.

Okay.
Ready?

I'm done.

Right.

The seasoning--
not for the faint-hearted.

These are nice flavors,
a lot of great layers.

Thanks.
Thank you.

Can I see the rub?
Can I smell the--

Of course.

This one is the one for the meat.
Mm-hmm.

This one here
is the one for the seafood.

Joe, yes or no?

The spice mixes
are beautiful.

But they taste completely flat
without the salt.

It's like, they're nice when you
smell them on their own,

but you're missing
the foundation

of the dish.

I appreciate the passion.

You didn't execute.

I'm--I'm no.

Graham, yes or no?

Loved the spice rub.

The sear and crust

on the beef was great.

The technique is there.

And I know
that the passion's there.

So I'm gonna give you a yes.

Thank you, chef.

The sear is amazing.

Okay.

I'm a yes.

But, listen,
step up to the plate

and jump
at this next opportunity.

Well done.

This is it.
Yes.

Your one chance.

That's amazing.

I mean,
that's a lovely blend.

I've been wanting to make
my family proud for a long time,

and this is just the first step
to do that.

Coming up...

You love her dearly.

Can one man's
commitment to his ailing wife

Oh. Very much.

She's my best friend.

Turn an amateur cook...

Into a master chef?

I like you guys.

I don't like the dish.

So far tonight,

all sorts of talented home cooks

have won aprons and praise.
Well done.

But as the day moves on,
the next in line are sent home

with just a few delicate words
from Gordon.

You go from greasy to dry

to bizarre.

My biggest problem
is the oil slick on the plate.

It's...

Slightly bland.

There's a burnt garlic flavor.

Are you allergic to flavor?

The combination's dreadful.

It's lethal.

It's like the recipe
to give me to .

Here's the sad news.

For me it's a no.

Good try.
Bye.

Keep cooking.
Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Now it's the turn
of Joseph Jane,

a good ol' boy
from down south.

He's hoping that
his wife's favorite meal

could also turn out
to be Gordon's.

Don't eat all the alligator.

I got to give it
to Ramsay.

If I get an apron,
I don't know

if my head would fit
through the door

when I come out
through there.

I want this so bad.

Hello.

How are y'all doing today?

How are you?

Good.

And first name is?
Joe.

Joe.
Good to see you, buddy.

You're a keen novice cook,
right?

Yeah. I mean, I taught myself
everything I know.

My wife

was hurt in
a bad construction accident...

I'm sorry.
16 years ago.

They ended up giving me
a hospital bed,

and we put her in the house.

And I, of course,

had to take over every duty
in the house.

You were looking
after your wife,

you started getting excited

about food.
Yes, sir.

And how is your wife now?

She's good.
She's here today with me.

Done?
Yes, sir.

It's my version
of Swiss alligator.

Swiss what?

Swiss alligator.
Wow.

All right, Joe.

How are you, Joe?
Good.

Definitely an amateur.

I mean,
I'm not gonna say I'm not.

I got a lot of ideas
in my head.

Ain't afraid to take a risk
and try something.

You've found your soul
in food?

Oh, yes.

My wife was down
to 78 pounds

at 35 years old.

I had to--basically
force-feed her.

And she wouldn't eat it
if it didn't taste good,

so I had to learn to cook food
that tasted good.

You love her dearly?

Oh, very much.

She's my best friend.

Can we say hello?
Yeah.

You want me to get her?
Please.

He wants you.

Come on.

Oh, my God, I'm gonna meet
Gordon Ramsay.

Yeah.
Really?

Yeah.

Oh, my God,
what an honor.

Hello, darling.
Hi.

And first name is?

Connie.
Connie. Good to see you.

The alligator dish,

if you were to mark that
out of ten,

what would you give him?

I'd give him a 20.

Graham.
I think that there's

some flavor in there,

and I think
that there's a lot

of heart and soul,

and it comes through.

I say yes.

Thank you.

Joe, yes or no?

I don't like the dish.
I like you guys.

But I'm gonna say no.

All right, Gordon.

Can I just have
a little word with you, please?

Does he cook for you every day?

Yes.

And how long
have you been married?

Going on 16 years.
We've been together for 20.

Will you do me a favor?

Give this to him.

Oh, God,
thank you so much.

Thank you very much, guys.

You got an apron.
You got an apron.

Yeah!

Oh, man, this is amazing.

My heart's pounding.

Even winning the lottery
right now

wouldn't matter.

It don't get no better
than this.

I can't believe
I got an apron.

Coming up, has the very
last home cook...

What's this?

Made the biggest mistake
of his life?

I forgot my signature
ingredient!

And the judges reveal
the final 38.

This is it.

Well done!
Amazing.

Over three long days,

the judges have tasted
99 signature dishes.

Finally, they're about to eat
their very last one.

It belongs to Ben Starr,
a travel writer

who's trying to blaze
a whole new trail.

I'm making my world-famous,
life-altering fish tacos.

I am Ben Starr.
I am 33 years old.

And I live in Dallas, Texas.

And I am a travel writer.

Of all days in my life,
today is the day

everything has to be perfect.

I grew up on a sheep farm.

And my parents encouraged

all my siblings and I
to get as involved

in as many different things
as we possibly could

so that we'd make
the right career choice.

So I was president of
the Future Farmers of America,

and I was drum major
of the band,

and I was president
of the Speech and Drama Club,

all, you know,
at the same time.

Then you take the beautiful fish

and you just sort of dip it
in the egg...

One thing that I've really
discovered in my travels

is that,
whether you live in a tent

in the desert in Egypt
or in a palace

in Europe,
cooking is the way

people share their experience
and their life and their joy

and their love
with each other.

I love you all.

And that just fills me

with inspiration and excitement
every time I get

into the kitchen.

Uh, first of all,

what have you come as?

I've come as a pumpkin.

Pumpkin.
Now, first name is?

My first name is Ben.
Ben, good to see you.

What are you cooking?

I'm cooking
crunchy fish tacos.

That is what my friends call it.

Okay, Ben,

just under five minutes
to go.

Move your pumpkins.

All right.

Pumpkin is one
of my signature ingredients.

And my mother
desperately wanted

to be here with me today

to watch me cook,

but she found out
she had to have surgery.

I'm sorry.

So she made me my pumpkin apron

and my pumpkin hat
to root me on.

To hopefully wish you
good luck.

Exactly.
What kind of fish

do you have there?
I actually have tilapia.

And it's marinated in a homemade
pumpkin I.P.A. that I make.

I'm a home brewer.
You are a busy guy.

Ah, this is literally my life.

I mean, I've been cooking
since age four.

I followed my mother
into the kitchen,

and I never left.
Wow.

Have you got what it takes

to become
America's next MasterChef?

There is absolutely no question

in my mind
about that, sir.

What would you do if you won?

It's always been my dream

to open a very small,
sustainable organic farm

on the big island of Hawaii
and have a cafe and a brewery.

Incredible.
You are the ultimate food geek.

Right?

I am. I am.

Are we ready to taste?

We're ready to taste.

What we have here

is we have homemade tortillas,

a chipotle cream,
tilapia breaded

with a custom chili powder
I blend myself.

And then we have
a jicama and red cabbage slaw

with cilantro
that's also marinated

in the pumpkin beer.

Where have you been hiding
for the last ten years?

I've been waiting for you

to be here eating my tacos.

This is amazing.

What else can you cook?
Anything. You name it.

Middle-eastern.
Thai.

Latin American.
My partner's from Brazil.

Love Brazilian food.
British food?

Let me make you
a Shepherd's pie,

and we'll find out.
You be the judge.

The only thing you didn't do

is catch the tilapia, right?

If you had given me a boat

and let me go out there,
I would have caught it.

I promise.

Only thing
I can mention

is maybe a little more
of the crema.

Yes.
You know, just because

with the tortilla being,
you know, as thick as it is,

it can have a tendency
to get dry.

So maybe just a little more
of that.

So I came
to seafood tacos late in life,

but I do love them.

What's this?

I forgot
my signature ingredient!

Ho ho!

Crispy fried pumpkin.

Oh, got it.

It's, like,
unbelievable.

What's the matter with you?

I don't know!
I don't know!

I'm nervous.
It's all nerves here.

Come on.
You almost blew it

without
the crispy fried pumpkin.

All right,
what do we got?

Here's where I am.

You've been beavering away
for all these years underground,

and you are...

A strong contender
in this competition.

You are
what MasterChef is all about.

Through and through,
100%.

Unequivocal yes.

100%.

You come in making everything

from scratch,
it's delicious--

absolute yes.

Come on.

Oh, my God.

Stand up here.

This has changed my life
so much.

Good job.

Thank you so much.
Good job.

We don't want you
to lose that.

Thank you.

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

I cannot even describe
how good I feel right now.

No words.

I wanted this more

than I have ever wanted anything

in my whole life.

He's a genius.
Great stuff.

So Ben claims the final apron

and joins his fellow contenders
for the MasterChef crown.

Life has literally begun today.
Right now.

It feels like a dream.

In this moment,
I'm living my dream.

I am a classical pianist.

I'm a 51-year-old truck driver.

I am a real estate agent.
I just quit my job.

I'm an attorney.
I'm a musician.

I'm a single mom.
I'm a stay-at-home dad.

I'm an architect.
I'm semi-retired.

I'm a senior in high school.

This is my life.

I will be the next MasterChef.

I came here to win.

Let me tell ya,
I'm gonna end up on top.

I will do

whatever it takes
to become the next MasterChef.

Check it.
Look at it.

Remember this face.

America's never seen
a MasterChef like me.

It gives me
another chance.

I feel
like I got a second life.

I'm ready to roll.

Now I know anything's possible.

Ahh.

Cooking is the one thing

that I know comes from my heart.

This is that chance
I was looking for.

I want this more than anything
I've ever wanted in my life.

This is my destiny.

Whoo!

Now the ultimate kitchen battle
begins.

The judges have selected the top
38 home cooks in America.

One of them will walk away

with $250,000

and the title of MasterChef.

This is it.

You are the final 38.

Well done.

You have earned those aprons

that you have on right now.

Absolutely.

Just as easily
as you got 'em,

we can take 'em away.

Push yourselves
to the absolute extreme.

Good luck
and good night.

Tomorrow night on MasterChef...

Knife skills.
For the top 38 home cooks

in the country, the competition
has only just begun.

We'll be eliminating you based
on how you slice these apples.

They'll be tested to the core.

First person's gone.

And have to pluck up the courage

to create the dish
of a lifetime.

One chicken.
One hour. Off you go.

Most will get cut.

I don't want
to choke on your chicken.

But a chosen few will succeed.

It melts in your mouth.
As the search

for America's next MasterChef
continues.

== sync, corrected by elderman ==