Original subtitles

It's time for "masterchef!"

- Whoo! - Yay.

Gordon: There's nothing more timeless than cooking.

Everyone's done it.

Your parents, your grandparents, even your kids.

But one thing's for sure,

How people cook across generations is very different.

Which begs the age old question,

Which generation has the best cooks?

Is it the baby boomers,

Who have history on their side

And are known for cooking traditional cuisine

And old world family recipes?

Joe: Or is it the resourceful gen x?

The latchkey kids who grew up in the '70s and '80s,

Who were raised on mall food courts and music videos.

Totally awesome, dude.

Aarón: Or is it the passionate media-savvy millennials?

These guys grew up on the world wide web,

Blogging their inner thoughts and creating hot food trends.

No avocado toast is complete without sriracha.

Ah, yes.

Gordon: Or is the boundary-pushing, adventurous gen z,

Who do everything on their phone?

One more taste and our pasta is perfect al dente.

So which generation has the best cooks? We're about to find out.

This season on "masterchef"...

- ( squealing ) - it's the battle of the ages...

This is "masterchef: Generations."

As four generations compete...

- Go, boomers! - Let's go, gen x!

- The millennials have arrived! - Gen z is here to win.

...To prove which one has the best home cooks.

We're in better shape compared to those boomers back there.

I love these young kids, but I'm gonna kick their butt.

I'm a millennial. I'm not worried about a thing.

You don't have your phones. You don't know what time it is.

It's generational warfare like never before.

- Who are you taking out? - Gen z.

I gotta target the strongest competition right now.

- Challenge accepted. - I really wanted to sow seeds of chaos

- With the baby boomers. - Wow.

She'll regret messing with us like that.

Where there's smoke, there's fire, right?

- ( cheering ) - ...In our most explosive season yet.

- And flambé. Let it burn. - Switch!

- ( overlapping chatter ) - go, go, go, go, go!

- You're killing me, man! - ( shouts )

- The wall! - What'd you say?

Sorry. ( bleep ) can't hear you.

- What? - For ( bleep ) sake.

- Oi! - Shut up.

(bleep ) shut up.

Too much, too much.

But in order to succeed this season...

- ( cheering ) - welcome to los angeles football club.

- Players are arriving. - It's not quite ready.

- Get on the ( bleep ) stove and cook then! Let's go! - God!

- ...They'll have to prove that age is just a number. - ( bleep )

Did you see blow-torching steaks on tiktok?

- I did. - Please don't do that again.

It's the infamous restaurant takeover.

Change your batteries in your hearing aid!

- 'cause I'm ( bleep ) if I'm sending that. - I need help.

- Maybe you're too old. - It's raw.

( bleep )

- You are gonna derail us. - That is disgusting.

That is inedible. That was embarrassing.

That's one of the worst dishes I ever tasted.

I think something went wrong along the way.

Tastes like spicy baby food.

- I'm going home. - Oof, this is painful.

But those with the fighting spirit...

I think it's absolute bull ( bleep ).

I'm a little pissed actually.

I'm definitely not ready to go home.

We asked for michelin star standard

- And you've gone above and beyond. - ....Will rise.

- Honestly? Next level. - Thank you.

- This dish is amazing. - Talk about a show-stopper.

Only one home cook can claim the title...

It's the best dish of your generation.

- The trophy... - So boomer.

That's who I am.

...And a quarter of a million dollars.

- It's a joy to taste. - Thank you, chef.

Your evolution is truly remarkable.

This is "masterchef: Generations."

An old dog can learn new tricks.

Living proof.

( music playing )

- Oh, my gosh! - ( laughing )

- Whoo! - Let's go!

- Season 14! - Finally here.

Look at this, look at this. Come on.

Let's go! Whoo!

Wow! We're here!

Oh, my god! Look at the generations!

- Baby boomers. Gen x. - This is amazing.

- I can't believe I'm here. - Oh, my god.

Gen z is probably the most creative out of all the generations.

We grew up with social media.

We're not actually using cookbooks like the boomers.

- Anybody want a mint? Would you like a mint? - Yes.

I'm a boomer, but that is not gonna hold me back.

I am ready to come out hooting and hollering with that apron.

Millennials, baby!

Millennials all day. We gotta fight.

- We got this, yo. - Can we start cooking yet?

Oh, my god. Is this happening? Is this them?

- Oh, my god. - Oh.

- ( music playing ) - ( crowd cheering )

- Whoo! - ( music continues )

- Gordon: Here we go. - Yeah!

Whoo!

- Wow. Season 14. - Wow.

( cheering continues )

Thank you.

Welcome to the most famous kitchen anywhere in the world,

The masterchef kitchen!

You are the luckiest individuals from thousands of applicants

Who made it to the auditions tonight.

- ( cheering ) - yeah!

- Let's go! - "masterchef" has always been

About finding outstanding amateur cooks.

But honestly, what we've learned most after all these years

Is that no matter how old or young you are,

You can still become america's next masterchef.

- Yes! - Let's go!

This is "masterchef: Generations."

- Yes! I'm ready! Let's go! - The big question is,

Which generation's gonna win it all?

- Millennials! - Boomers!

- ( overlapping shouts ) - millennials! Millennials!

Will it be the kings and queens of flavor,

Who are incredibly wise and have learned how to cook from world old recipes?

- The baby boomers. - ( cheering )

- Yeah! - Baby boomers!

Maybe it's the resourceful and incredibly independent generation x.

( cheering )

Will it be the open-minded,

Savvy, sophisticated millennials?

Or will it be the ambitious--

And most of my followers from tiktok--

- Gen z, ladies and gentlemen. - Let's go!

Now, whoever rises to the top, will win the title,

- The beautiful masterchef trophy... - Yeah, baby!

...And a quarter of a million dollars.

Now all of you, it's time to show us

That you deserve

A legendary masterchef apron.

In the auditions, as always, you have to make us your signature dish.

And we will be judging you on flavor, technique, and, of course, plating.

Right, it's time to answer the question I know you all have.

The generation cooking tonight is the...

- Millennials! - ( cheering )

- Yeah! - Millennials!

Go!

Joe: You millennials were born

Between the early '80s and the mid '90s,

And you grew up during the peak of food television.

You may have picked up a few techniques from this very show.

Now, if you want a spot in this masterchef kitchen,

You need three yesses from the judges to get an apron.

And tonight, we're bringing in a very special

Fourth guest judge from your generation.

- Whoo! - Wow.

Oh, my god.

She's been on the forbes 30 under 30 list,

And also the best-selling author of three amazing cookbooks.

Please welcome priya krishna, ladies and gentlemen.

( music playing )

- Hey! - Oh, my god. I've got goosebumps.

- So good to see you. Welcome, darling. - Hi, hi, hi. Hi.

- You okay? - These are happy tears, gordon.

Gordon: Oh, they're happy tears? Okay, great.

Right, welcome to the masterchef kitchen.

Thank you. It's my first time. I'm thrilled to be here.

- Long time listener, first time caller. - Ah, amazing.

Congratulations on an amazing career.

Not just as a prolific cook, but food writer as well.

Heavily featured across "the new york times," "bon appétit."

Published three incredible cookbooks.

- Born in the early '90s. - Yep. Peak millennial.

- Gordon: A solid millennial, right? - ( priya laughs )

What is the most exciting thing about millennials from a food perspective?

I think we're not afraid to innovate.

We're not afraid to throw the rulebook out.

We're moving food in a new exciting direction.

I am so biased towards our generation.

- That's great. - Can you tell?

- Yeah! - ( cheering )

Right, listen carefully.

Tonight, you have 45 minutes to cook us your signature dish.

- We'll see you in the restaurant. - Yes! Let's go, baby!

- Very exciting, guys. - Okay. Here we go.

Priya, it's such an honor to have you here.

It is amazing to be here.

I've been watching this show since high school.

You're making us feel old.

I think it's one of the most exciting seasons because of the theme

That the generations are gonna create.

We're gonna go through 70 years

And four generations of american food culture

- In this season of "masterchef." - this is gonna be good.

So what are we looking for and what is the standard?

For me the bar is very high for millennials.

We should expect ample use of gadgets like air fryers.

And we really are a generation of bold, brilliant colors.

My goodness, me. We're gonna see some magic. Millennial magic.

Let's go, let's go! Why is it so quiet in here?

- Whoo! - Yeah!

- Whoo, whoo! - My name is jeet.

I am 32 years old from portland, oregon.

I grew up in new delhi with a lot of north indian flavors.

But after moving here, I met my husband who grew up in kuwait.

So he's got a lot of middle eastern food that he's grown up with,

And all those different cultures and cuisines

And flavors is what I'm trying to put together on a plate.

Rocking and rolling.

I'm excited to be here today.

I am a huge "masterchef" fan.

At home, it's kind of like we play "masterchef" every day,

- And he's gordon. - Looks so pretty.

- Come on, come on, come on. - You got it!

All right, I'm ready. Can we please get out there already?

- Let's go. - Okay.

( cheers and applause )

You're right.

- The energy's incredible. - Oh, my god. Amazing.

- Good evening. - Hello, chefs.

- How are you? - I'm good. How are you?

- First name? - My first name is jeet.

- Jeet, welcome. - Jeet.

Now tell us the dish. What are you doing?

I'm making some crispy rice paper dumplings

And I'm gonna fill them with a carrot halwa

And sweetened thickened condensed milk right there...

This is a traditional dish, right?

Normally served around the holidays-- diwali.

Absolutely, it's a very common indian dessert,

Especially in the north.

Absolutely, and I think that's where the balance comes in

From the creaminess of the rabri.

What's the millennial twist on this thing?

So instead of serving it traditionally,

I'm turning them into little bite-sized dumplings.

- Okay. - Secondly, I'm gonna air fry them.

Is that a millennial thing now?

That's the most millennial thing ever, isn't it?

- There we go. There we go. - I love that.

- Just under 20 minutes to go. - Thank you, chefs. Thank you, thank you.

Thank you.

- Gordon: Interesting. - What do you think guys?

- It looks pretty good. - Amazing.

- Yeah, this look good. - It's beautiful.

So with my dish, one of the main things

That I know I have to nail

Is making sure that the flavors are not overly sweet.

All: Six, five, four,

Three, two, one.

- ( cheering ) - yes!

What I want the judges to see is the melting pot that is jeet.

Whoo!

Whoo!

- Gordon: Welcome. - Jeet: Hello, everyone.

Today I've made crispy rice paper dumplings

That are stuffed with carrot halwa and rabri,

Which is a sweetened thickened condensed milk.

All righty, shall we? Vámonos.

So, jeet, as you know, I'm a big lover of indian cuisine,

And visually it looks beautiful.

- Thank you, chef. - And it just oozes confidence.

Let's hope it's delicious as it is interesting to look at.

- Thank you. - Priya: All right.

How long were they in the air fryer for?

- Jeet: About five minutes. - So air is the new oil.

Aarón: Okay, jeet, so in order for you to get one of those coveted aprons,

You're gonna need three yesses from us judges.

- Chef gordon? - Um...

Delicious. Really delicious. A treat.

And it's not as sweet as you thought it was gonna be.

So it's a celebration, and I think more than anything,

I taste the sentiment.

But then the confidence of crossing over

And turning it into a dumpling--

For me, yeah, 100% yes.

Thank you.

It takes guts to cook a dish like this,

With a step in india

And a step in the rest of the world.

I wish the dumpling wrapper were a little bit less gummy...

- Okay. - ...But great start.

- This is awesome. It's a yes. - Thank you.

All right, jeet, so that's two yesses.

You need one more in order to get your hands on that apron.

- Yes, chef. - Now, for me... ( sighs )

...It's very hard to overlook the gumminess of that wrapper.

- Okay. - I'm sorry. It detracts from the interesting elements

That you stuffed it with.

So for me it's a no. I'm sorry.

Gordon: That's two yesses and one no.

The fate lies in joe's hands.

Joe, please.

Like, I don't even know what to say.

That's two yesses and one no.

Your fate lies in joe's hands. Joe, please.

Like, I don't even know what to say.

So I'm only gonna say one thing.

Yes.

It's delicious. Come here.

- Oh, my god. Thank-- - put this on.

- It was great. - Thank you.

I've never tasted anything like it. Amazing.

- Gordon: Delicious, yes. - Quintessential millennial.

Quintessential millennial! Wow.

- Thank you, guys. - In true millennial style,

- Should we do a selfie? - Absolutely, absolutely.

- Oh! A selfie. - Yes, please.

- All right. Do you have long arms? - Here we go.

Come on. Get in, get in, get in. It's a yes.

- ( laughing ) - gordon: Well done.

( cheering )

I told you!

- I got an apron! - Whoo!

I'm just, like, smiling so much, my cheeks hurt.

Joe: High standard this year, guys. Good stuff.

One apron given away. Four remaining.

- Priya: A great start. - ( crowd cheering )

Are you cooking any children in that pot?

- No, I'm not cooking children in the pot. - ( laughing )

I'm a vegan! I don't cook living things.

So I'm a kitchen witch, and basically what that means

Is just like I mix my herbs and spices

And I put my energy into my spell work,

I do the same thing in the kitchen

By putting all my positive happy energy into it,

And that's what makes it taste so good.

It's magic.

The cauldron is brewing.

Let's go, lexi.

- Hi! - How are you?

- Welcome. I'm lexi. - How are you?

- Lexi. Nice to meet you. - I'm the kitchen witch.

- Oh, very nice! - You're a kitchen witch.

So you put magic in the food?

- Of course. - What is that?

This is vegan chicken roulade.

It's soy based and I'm using it

Kind of like a ground meat.

Do you eat vegan normally? Is that your deal?

Yes, I'm showing people that it's not just rabbit food and salads

- And you can be creative. - Is this mom?

- Lexi: Grandma and mama. - I love it.

We'll let you cast your last spells and finish up here.

- Good luck. - Thank you, guys.

- Thank you. - The oven's too hot!

Watch the lashes, watch the lashes.

This is my passion. This is what I love to do.

I just need to nail this and make sure that it just tastes good.

Gotta make 'em real pretty. Look at that. Beautiful.

All: Three, two, one!

Yes! I did not come here to not get an apron.

I didn't bring grandma on her first flight ever, okay, to not get an apron.

Okay, so, before we start...

What in the...

What, what-- is that a candle?

No, this is sage. We need to cleanse the energy.

- Cleanse the what? - The thing about our generation,

- We're into witch stuff. - Come on, guys.

- Uh, madame, this is a competition. - Yes?

Halloween is ( bleep ) long gone.

Please give us your name and what you've created on that beautiful dish.

I'm lexi. I made a spinach and artichoke vegan chicken roulade.

- The anticipation is killing me. - Let's eat.

- Take a look? - Let's do it.

Gordon: Wow. Right, visuals.

Listen, it's hard to say that looks like a roulade.

It's looking like it's gonna be a little dry and chalky,

But the vegetables look good, so let's see.

- I'm keeping an open mind. - Gordon: Shall we?

Right, what's in the middle here?

Spinach and artichoke and vegan cream cheese.

All right, so you're gonna need three yesses in order to garner an apron.

We're gonna start with chef gordon.

Uh, ooh, dear.

I'm desperate for you to maybe cast a spell on my palate

To help it taste better.

It tastes strange, and the sponge texture like no other.

I love your spirit and the energy, but I'm not in love with your food.

Lexi, I'm sorry. That's a no from me.

Look, I like you, but for me, it just kind of misses the mark.

It's not cooked properly.

For me, unfortunately, it's an no.

- Okay. - So, sadly, that's two nos.

- Gordon: Sorry. - Good luck to you.

- Priya: Thank you so much. - Aarón: Thank you so much.

Come on, lexi. Aww, lexi. All right.

It's okay, baby. It's all right.

- They weren't ready for the witch. - They weren't.

- They're not ready for the kitchen witch. - No, they're not ready.

I'll give them another season to let it brew.

That one was, like, tough to swallow.

That's one of the worst dishes I ever tasted.

- ( crowd cheering ) - so quiet! Let's go!

- ( cheering continues ) - my name is kamay.

I'm from washington, dc. Repping the capital.

I'm an attorney by day and I'm gonna make gordon food that he cannot object to.

I pride myself on being a smart, sharp attorney.

But food feeds my soul while the law feeds my mind.

It's good.

( crowd cheering )

- Right. Good evening. - Hello!

- How are you? Welcome, welcome, welcome. - Good to see you, chef.

- Thank you so much. Good to see you. - Welcome, welcome, welcome.

Now first name, where you're from, and you're with.

Kamay. I'm from washington, dc.

This is my father jean and this is my wife emily.

Welcome, emily. Welcome, dad.

We are recently married after eleven years together.

- How recently? - A month ago.

- Oh, my god! - And we postponed our honeymoon to be on "masterchef."

Whoa, hold on a bit. You postponed the honeymoon?

- We did. We're here. - Priya: Wow.

- That's a huge sacrifice. - That's a small sacrifice.

- We'll celebrate when I win. - Gordon: Love that.

Tell us about the dish. What is this?

So we have a haitian inspired snapper filet,

A picked cabbage called pikliz.

This is usually stewed in a tomato sauce for quite some time.

I'm doing a little bit of a deconstructed version.

And it's gonna be delicious. You're gonna love it.

This is sort of a millennial twist on it.

A millennial twist. Exactly.

What do you think defines haitian food?

Love, spice, excitement.

- Gordon: Love that. - Thank you so much.

Make sure that fish is cooked all the way through.

- Yes. - Good luck, good luck, good luck.

Thank you.

Eye on the prize, kamay. Eye on the prize.

How's it looking? It looks good?

- It looks good? - It's good.

I have put my job on hold,

I have put my honeymoon on hold,

Because this opportunity means everything to me.

We're gonna get it. We're gonna get it.

Five, four, three, two, one!

- ( crowd cheering ) - whoo!

Yeah!

- Getting an apron would absolutely change my life. - You got this!

It would confirm that I'm more than just a great attorney.

I'm also an incredible cook.

My name is kamay. I'm an attorney for the federal government.

And what we have here is a haitian inspired snapper filet

With a jasmine rice and peas, a spicy tomato sauce,

And a side of pickled cabbage that we call pikliz.

- Sounds delicious. - Madame, may we approach the bench, please?

- Shall we? - Of course.

- Yeah. - Uh, right.

Uh, visually, it looks simple.

However, I'm just glad you've cooked that fish beautifully.

- 'cause it's glistening from here. - Thank you, chef.

And so how long was the fish cooked for?

Uh, 13 to 14 minutes. It was pan-seared.

And then I popped it in the oven to make sure the thick center was cooked.

Aarón, please. I'm gonna start with you.

Look, I think this is a beautiful exercise

In how to use herbs and citrus and spice.

- That is so delicious. - So good.

I mean, I love that kind of heat, and it's just so loaded with flavor.

It's a definite yes for me.

Thank you, chef.

For me, I really loved every component of this dish.

I thought the fish was beautifully cooked.

I loved the sauce and the depth of flavor.

It's a yes for me.

Thank you so much. Two yesses.

One more, you've got yourself an apron. Joe?

Listen, my problem with this dish

Is there is a consistent mistake through every component of it,

Which is lack of salinity.

Salt is an amplifier for food.

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

Thank you for the feedback.

So two yesses and one no.

Listen, I'm gonna be honest. Okay?

The fish looked like it was gonna get all elevated,

And then you short of dumped it on a huge plate of rice.

Oh, it's a tough one. Um...

- ( crowd groans ) - oh.

( crowd cheering )

I'm repping the millennial generation.

I have an apron. I'm setting the bar high.

- Proud of you. - Thank you.

Now I'm going for the top. I'm gonna be the masterchef.

- That's right! - I just can't let the salt thing go.

But she seems like someone who takes feedback.

- Totally. - Two aprons gone and three left to give.

My name is tori and I'm really proud to be a millennial.

You know, gotta love gen z, but I think sometimes they have a hard time listening to people,

And I think we know the balance.

So I'm happy to be a millennial.

I am making deep fried salmon croquettes.

And I think this is probably the most millennial dish you can make.

( laughing )

Tori: Do we hear that... ( imitates sizzling )

There we go. That's what I like to hear. Sizzle, sizzle.

That looks so beautiful, tori.

All: Three, two, one!

Go, tori!

- Hello. - Joe: Hi.

Gordon: So good to see you.

So good to see you, my goodness.

I'm tori. I'm a high school english teacher.

And I made deep fried salmon croquettes

- With a purple sweet potato purée. - Why croquettes?

Being a millennial, you grow up in the kitchen,

You watch your mother, you watch your grandmother.

However, you're eager to try new things.

Youtube at your fingertips.

You just become a little bit more adventurous.

- Right, shall we? Wow. - Yeah. Let's do it.

Visually, it looks quirky. A little touch of picasso going on with the purées.

I have to say, this doesn't feel super millennial to me.

The swoosh seems very '90s. But I feel like the creativity is all millennial.

- Thank you. - So let's see how they taste.

You know, tori, it tastes as quirky as it looks.

When you have something like this, which is in essence kind of a finger food,

This sweet potato purée has no place being on the plate.

It just kind of seems off and disjointed.

I'm sorry, for me it's gonna be a no.

- Okay. - I like the flashiness of your presentation.

- Thank you. - But the croquettes are very dense.

It's just like filleted salmon rolled in sweet cornmeal.

- Okay. - So, I'm sorry. For me it's a no.

That's two nos unfortunately.

( crowd groans )

What a shame. Yeah, it's not pedestrian, but it is basic, right?

This might even be from someone from our generation.

This really, yeah, does not feel millennial at all.

- This is like late '80s kind of stuff. - ( laughing )

Yeah, we're stepping it up here and that's not enough.

We're doing this for the millennials!

Represent with that fish sauce.

You already know. Fish sauce all day.

My name is si, I'm 30 years old,

I'm from the bay area california,

And I'm a biotech manager.

I'm doing a vietnamese crêpes called bánh xèo.

I was actually born in vietnam. I'm a vietnamese immigrant.

I came here when I was three.

Growing up, we were really poor

All we had was food, love, and enjoying what we have,

Even though we didn't have much.

With my food, what I want to do

Is I want to make it an experience, a memory.

And that's why I'm gonna bring you back to vietnam.

I'm shaking so hard.

- It's okay. You're doing great. - Relax.

In elementary school, my mom would give me

You know, a tupperware full of rice, some chicken,

And fish sauce on the side.

And I would open that bad boy in the cafeteria and everybody ran away.

Let's go. You can do it.

All: Five, four, three, two, one!

As a kid, I was ashamed,

But now I want everybody in the world

To taste how amazing vietnamese food is.

- Hi, chefs. - Welcome.

- Sorry, I'm a little nervous. - Priya: You're good.

Hi, my name is si. This is a vietnamese crêpes called a bánh xèo

With marinated pork, shrimp.

On the side is fish sauce vinaigrette with fresh herbs and veggies.

- Mm. - Sounds delicious.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm a refugee, an immigrant.

And my dad brought over, you know, eight people

With $20 in his pocket.

He is the strongest man in the world.

My father passed away in 2014.

This is one of his favorite dishes that my mom used to make.

So this reminds me of him.

Wow.

Your passion is so apparent

And it really seeps through you.

- Should we take a look? - Let's do it.

( sighs )

Presentation-wise, yeah, it looks good.

But the secret of this is the crispiness, the texture,

- As you well know. - How do you want us to eat it?

- Traditionally, it's eaten with a lettuce wrap. - All right.

You can cut off a piece, get some pickles.

- Please dip and take a bite. - Gordon: I'm gonna dip.

It's like a little vietnamese taco.

I love vietnamese food and the herbs, the freshness.

I could eat this every day.

It was a beautiful homage to your dad. It's a yes.

Let me tell you, the magic of this is the crêpes for me.

The level of difficulty to get that fluffy and then still be able

To have the integrity to hold all the ingredients--

So for me it's a yes.

Gordon: Okay, si, that's two yesses.

You need three to get your hands on that apron.

Joe, please, how was that?

This is a little difficult for me. I love the story.

As a human being, I wanna say yes.

As a judge of "masterchef," there's technically some things wrong with the dish.

The shrimp are not seasoned at all.

There's a strange bitterness in the crust of the crêpes.

So I'm gonna say no and I'm gonna put you

In the hands of my colleague gordon.

I've been the vietnam-- multiple occasions.

The cooling agents are there with the mint.

It's certainly got the sour and the sweet, but it's missing the heat.

Ah, it's so hard.

Ah, it's so hard. I think this has been one of our most competitive seasons.

Um, but I know deep down inside

That your father would be very proud.

( all cheering )

I'm so proud! I'm so proud of you!

Oh! You did that!

Oh, this means the world to me! This is crazy!

( sighing )

To all the immigrant kids, don't give up.

Keep kicking down those doors.

Vietnamese food is where it's at, y'all. Let's go.

Joe: You know what, gordon? I'm glad you said yes.

Gordon: Yeah. We've only got two aprons left.

We need to be incredibly selective, okay?

Priya: All right.

You're at a good pace. Keep it smooth.

Beautiful purple to the potatoes.

I am making a pan-seared duck with purple potato purée, a red wine sauce.

I'm originally from ukraine,

And growing up, I ate a lot of these ingredients.

It did not really taste good.

So this dish really represents

Taking simple bland ingredients

And turning it into something delicious.

There you go. Gorgeous.

I am a tax director.

I am very successful,

But it's not what I really want to do.

- Good? - That's looking good.

Make sure it gets cooked through.

I want to prove to my daughters that they have to go

And pursue their dreams if they really believe in them.

I just want to be an inspiration.

- You got this. 30 seconds. - Come on.

- You got it. - Go! Come on, mama.

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

I was just focusing on my career and raising my children.

And so pursuing my dream was not really something I could do.

- All right, anna! - This is really the first time

I'm doing something for myself

And just really going after what I want.

- Welcome. - Hi.

Thank you. Hello.

My name is anna, and I'm a tax director.

Today I made a pan-seared duck breast

With purple potato purée, pickled beets, brussels sprouts, and red wine butter sauce.

- All right, let's do it. - Take a look.

Priya: Tableside service. I love it.

- Thank you. - That's very millennial.

This looks like something I would be served in a very high end restaurant.

A lot of really beautiful pops of color.

- Thank you so much. - A lot of complex techniques.

Maybe it's too much, but I hope it tastes as good as it looks.

Me, too.

Duck's hard to get right in 45 minutes.

But tonight you've absolutely nailed it.

It tastes as good as it looks.

There's so many exciting colors and flavors.

But don't flood the plate with so much sauce.

However, it is an absolute resounding yes from me.

- Thank you. - Well done.

I agree with chef gordon. It's kind of inundated with the sauce.

But that's a small note. At the end of the day,

You did a lot of techniques really well.

- And for me, it is an absolute yes. - Thank you.

That's two yesses. You need three.

I do need three.

This is a dish you could see in a restaurant,

Any restaurant that I own. The duck is cooked perfectly.

Disagree. I think it's the right amount of sauce.

I think there are three certainties in life.

Death, taxes...

...And you getting an apron right now.

- That's a yes for me as well. - Oh, my god!

Thank you so much. Thank you.

You should know it is a resounding yes for me with flying colors.

Thank you so much.

I'm nervous.

( crowd cheering )

Whoo!

I'm super stoked to wear this apron for my children.

I'm so happy!

So that they can see if they put enough time

And effort, they can achieve anything they want.

This is a finale worthy dish.

We haven't even started the competition yet, so--

This is someone who could go all the way.

Aarón: Yeah.

I'm representing the millennials--

The best generation, hands down.

Millennials know how to learn,

They know how to innovate,

And they know how to listen.

When I'm in the kitchen, I feel the most confident.

- Looks beautiful, michael! - Growing up in new jersey,

My style of cooking is definitely more italian-based.

But I am not italian at all. Not even a lick.

- Looking good. - Go, michael!

( crowd cheering )

- Hey! - Hi. Oh, my gosh.

- Gordon: And first name? - My name's mike.

- Mike, where you from? - I'm from myrtle beach, south carolina.

- Originally, I'm from new jersey. - Right, and this is?

- This is my beautiful sister brittany. - Welcome.

- And this is my best friend vince over here. - Nice to see you both.

What's the dish? What are you doing?

So I'm doing an herb goat cheese ravioli

With sautéed spinach and roasted red peppers

And finished with a basil oil.

- Why the dish? - Because it kind of really represents me.

- Nice. - And you're making fresh pasta for joe bastianich?

- Are you crazy? - Michael: I am.

You've taken on a lot in 45 minutes.

- Absolutely. Yes. - Yes?

Does he cook like this at home? Is he bouncing around there?

- Yes, he is. - He reminds me of myself.

- Thank you. Chef. - Just taste everything.

- Make sure it comes together. - Yes, absolutely.

- Priya: All right. - Good. Good luck.

- Look at that. Look at that. - Move, move, move.

You're making mom proud, mike.

My mom is my biggest inspiration through this whole thing.

Me and her would watch "masterchef" together all the time.

And she would just sit there and be like,

"mike, this is you.

You can do this. I know you can cook."

Sadly, she passed away earlier this year.

When I start to feel doubt and I start to feel down,

I feel like she's right there telling me that, like,

"mike, you got this."

One minute, one minute, one minute.

- Oh, yeah! - Looks beautiful, michael.

You got it, mike. You got it.

All: Four, three, two, one.

Mike!

It's been a really tough year.

But my mom she always believed in me,

Always thought I could do this,

And so I wanna prove her right.

So my name is michael and today I made for you

An herb goat cheese ravioli with a tomato cream sauce,

With sautéed spinach, roasted red peppers, and finished with a basil oil.

Me and my mom loved to eat italian food together.

It's one of her favorites.

You cook for her all the time?

I used to cook for her all the time.

My mom, sadly, passed away at the beginning of this year.

Oh, my god. Sorry to hear.

Michael: She had cancer.

You know, being here is--

It's absolutely surreal because me and her

- Used to watch this show together all the time. - Aww.

And, you know, I remember her saying that,

"mike, you could do this." you know?

And now I'm standing here.

You took a big part of your heart and put it on a plate today for us to try.

I did, and I hope you enjoy it.

Shall we take a look?

Visually, it's beautiful. I love the colors.

And the freshness-- it's not doused in a cream sauce.

It's showing off for all the right reasons.

So, yeah, let's hope it tastes as good as it looks.

- Yes, chef. - So, let's see.

We're gonna see if the pasta is cooked through.

It looks right.

Nice proportion of filling to pasta.

The pasta's thin. Should we try it?

I feel like with the ravioli made by scratch,

Could be gummy, could taste like plain food.

This really worked for me.

I thought it tasted fresh and bright and not too heavy.

I think your mom would've been really, really, really proud of this one.

It's definitely a yes for me.

- Yes, chef. Thank you. - Pasta's cooked beautifully.

But be careful with the garnish underneath, 'cause its lacking seasoning.

- Yes. Chef. - I have to remind myself you're an amateur.

So, for me I'm a yes

With great confidence.

Uh, that's two yesses.

But you need three yesses to get that apron tonight.

- Joe? - I'm not sure what I taste more in this dish.

An amateur cook who has an ability to take this kind of cooking to the next level

Or this incredible love that comes through a dish that you cooked with your mother.

And I think it's both of those things.

So, for me it's a yes.

Oh, my god. Thank you.

Michael, I was a definite yes as well.

- Now put that apron on. - Gordon: Congratulations.

You got a stain on your t-shirt. You got to cover that thing up.

- Come on, buddy. - Keep that millennial courage going,

And keep on cooking like this-- fearless and bold.

Absolutely. I will.

( all cheering )

Oh, oh, oh!

Whoo!

( laughing )

This means everything to me, getting these four yesses.

My mom would be over the moon ecstatic

- If she saw me walk out with that apron. - Oh, mike.

This is something I've been working for

For so long, and it finally just happened,

And I almost can't believe that it just did.

- What an amazing night. - Incredible.

I didn't know they were gonna be that good.

And only gonna get better.

So which generation's gonna land this thing?

- Hmm. - Millennials without a doubt.

I am convinced. Especially after today.

Ah, you're just cheering for the home team.

- It was so amazing to have you. Shall we? - All right.

- Gordon: Amazing. - Joe: High standard this year, guys.

- Good stuff. - Gordon: Next time,

The auditions continue with the baby boomers...

- Boomers! Boomers! - Go, boomers!

Please welcome my mother lidia bastianich.

As more home cooks compete...

I'm a baby boomer blooming in the kitchen now.

- I smell something. Is that okay? - You burned the venison.

These recipes that we're cooking are from heritage cooks.

I'm gonna show 'em what the old folks can do.

...For a coveted white apron.

The chicken, crispy, and the flavor is excellent.

The dish is good. I like you. I like the energy.

This is a perfectly executed dish for children.