Original subtitles

Previously on "MasterChef"...

...the first team challenge of the season

kicked off with a bang.

All of you will cook for firefighters.

Jennifer, which region are the South pairing up with?

We want to pair up with the Midwest.

We're two people down, so we gotta communicate.

- Here they come, guys. - How long? Tell me how long.

- Two minutes. - We don't have two minutes.

- Guys, we have some raw pork chops. - That's terrible.

Ryan really has your destiny in his hands.

Brynn, that is not good enough.

You're the captain. Prove it.

The winning team is the red team!

Victory feels so good right now.

The person going home today is Ryan.

- Tonight... - Another mystery box.

...the top 17 face an unusual mystery box challenge.

- There's just one box per region. - Ooh.

Jennifer, you get to choose one region

that will start ten minutes later.

- Oh, no. - Let's go, let's go.

Lizzie, come on, you gotta speed up.

I don't think I've done it before.

I hope you've thought this through.

- What is that? - You played it all wrong.

That is a shock.

We've decided it wouldn't be fair

to send only one

of the bottom cooks home tonight.

- Mystery box. - Big one tonight.

- Let's do it up, do it up, do it up. - A big one.

- All right.

Let's get a pep in your step. Let's go.

- Mystery box! Whoo! - Another mystery box.

I'm feeling so excited to be here.

It's just unfortunately,

Northeast is really being hit hard.

We're just down to three.

So I'm hoping that all three ladies

will be doing the best

and making sure the Northeast stays in the competition.

- Oh, there's one per team. - And there's none here.

- Yeah, there's one for all of us. - One box.

One box per region.

Welcome back, everybody!

Tonight you're facing a mystery box challenge.

But as you can see,

there's just one box per region.

Ooh.

Now, please gather around your regional mystery box.

- Ah! - Let's go.

Just be aware, they move very quickly.

Aah! Oh, sorry.

Okay, very carefully, on the count of three,

lift your boxes.

One...

Two, three, lift!

- Ah!

You've got one beautiful chicken.

- An amazing bird. - Hi, baby.

So, all of you will be cooking us

restaurant quality chicken dishes.

All right.

Aarón: Chicken is a beautiful canvas.

Talk about a protein that you can impart your culture,

your region, with one cut of chicken.

Listen, you can divide up the chicken however you'd like within your region,

but only one person per team is allowed to break down the chicken.

So, choose your butcher very, very carefully

because if your region's chicken gets mangled,

you don't get another one.

- Ooh.

Tonight you're gonna have 60 minutes to cook us an amazing chicken dish.

Jennifer, for being the winning team captain last time round,

you've earned a very big advantage tonight.

Uh-oh.

You get to choose one region

between the West, the Midwest, and the Northeast

that will start ten minutes later.

- Ooh. - Oh, no.

Jennifer, make your way up here, please.

It's already so difficult

to prepare an elevated dish in 60 minutes.

Taking ten minutes away

can absolutely be a huge handicap for someone.

Jennifer, which region are you targeting with ten minutes less?

It's a difficult decision. There's some very talented cooks in all of the regions.

However, at the end of the day,

I'm here to win, and it's competition.

So, I am choosing the Midwest

because they still have five people.

They have some talented cooks.

So, I think it's their time to be limited today.

You're choosing the very region that helped you win this advantage.

Grant, how does that make you feel?

That's definitely not Midwest nice.

That's not how we were raised. What the heck, Jen?

We just helped you win the last challenge.

We're the reason your entire region was safe as well. That's not cool.

Jennifer, please rejoin the South.

- Thank you. - We'll remember this, too.

Now whoever cooks the best dish tonight

will win the immunity pin

and gain a game-changing advantage

across the next challenge.

They'll also keep their entire region safe

from elimination tonight.

And, sadly, whoever cooks the worst dish

will be leaving the competition for good.

- We got this. - We got this.

Right, your 60 minutes start now.

Off you go. Midwest, sit tight.

Who's done a chicken before and who's confident?

I've done it a couple of times. Can I butcher the chicken?

Can I have the drumsticks?

- Okay, and I really need the breast. - You know what?

- I'll take the wings. - If I could have the liver and the thighs,

- I would really appreciate it. - Y'all, let me do the chicken.

- You a farmer, girl. - I raise chickens. I butcher chickens.

Now what pieces do y'all need? I know I need that thigh.

- I need wings. - I'm good with a breast.

- How many wings do you need? - I mean, I was gonna use all of them.

- I need thighs. - I need thighs also.

I need the thighs because my gravy is gonna dry up.

- Okay, I can use one breast on mine. Let's go. - Okay, okay.

I don't think I've done it with a whole one like this before.

- Oh. - Let's go, let's go.

Initially, I figured we had a really huge advantage in the Northeast

because we have three cooks sharing one chicken.

But I really wanted chicken thighs.

I ended up giving them to Purvi.

But I don't have any time to worry about it.

I need to butcher the chicken quickly so I can start cooking.

Okay, great.

- Let's get going. - Okay. Let's go!

Okay, let's go to the pantry.

Come on, little guy. We got this.

Hi, beautiful babies. Gonna do you...

Where's the jalapenos?

Having five of us in the South and one chicken to separate,

it's definitely a challenge,

But all of us in the South, we work together nicely,

and I feel like we can all put some good flavor

and love in that chicken.

- Great job there, Sav. - Thank you.

All right. They're ready.

Ain't bad for our farmer from Alabama.

- That's right. - So, Sav just ripped through that chicken.

She has chickens on the farm. She obviously knows what she's doing.

- Wow, that was quick wasn't it? - Yeah.

-So you need thighs? -Yeah.

Are you taking the drums as well or can you take that apart--

No, drums you can take-- I can take it apart.

-Yep. - Thank you.

- Grab this guy. - Great, love it. Thank you.

I am very, very upset because

it feels a little bit like we're being backstabbed.

I'm not sure if you can see it, but I'm pretty sure

I'm still missing eyebrow hairs

from manning the grill for Jennifer's team last week.

And now to lose ten minutes,

it's really gonna hurt all of our cooks.

Just under 55 minutes to go.

Five minutes to go, Midwest.

- Let's go, West Coast. - Let's get it, y'all.

Lizzie, come on, you gotta speed up.

- The whole team are waiting on you. - Almost there, guys.

That's over five minutes to break this chicken down. Come on.

I cut at the joint, right? For my chicken-- for my drumstick?

- Right on here? - Yeah. Yep.

-Kennedy, I'm a little worried - You got it, baby.

- Midwest, sit tight. - They're looking around at the other regions.

- They're cooking already. - This is really tough.

Jennifer's decision, come on. The Midwest didn't see that coming, Joe.

That's the nature of the MasterChef kitchen.

One day you're allies, the next day you're adversaries.

Four minutes.

- How we doing, South? - Good.

- Everybody good? - Feeling good!

- Moving and grooving. - That's right.

Hey, one of us has to bring this home, okay?

Work with speed and intuition.

I am making a roasted crispy skin chicken breast

with charred greens and a southern flavored risotto.

I love to be creative in the kitchen,

so I'm going bold with my flavors,

and I hope I'm at the top again.

Pressure is on.

- That's how you do it. - Whoo!

- Yep, that's how you do it.

- Your pieces are ready whenever you guys want them. - Heard. Thank you.

I'm surprised I got that chicken done that fast.

- I'm a little worried about my dish now. - Come on, let's do this.

I was kind enough to get the thighs,

so I'm really excited to make my signature dish from India.

I am making butter chicken with my version of naan.

This chicken challenge is awesome,

and the judges will be happy.

I always end up using my whole thing of salt.

- I can split some with you. - That'd be great, baby. Thank you.

I'm really confident in my dish today.

I got the chicken thigh because I know how it make it

crispy and juicy at the same time.

And then I also chose the chicken liver.

Weird meats like liver and stuff can always be difficult

because either it'll make or break a dish.

-Okay. - Nice.

My drumsticks are beautiful.

Yes, they are. They do. They look nice.

- They look good. - Good job, Lizzie.

Damn, now I forgot a lime. I just need a lime.

Midwest, 90 seconds to go.

This is the significant, significant penalty for the Midwest team.

No, without a doubt. Look at the faces of the Midwest right now.

- Aarón: Yeah, they look dejected. - Look how pissed they are.

- Yep. - 30 seconds.

I'm just standing there staring at the clock.

I'm trying to keep my cool,

but I'm looking at ten less minutes

and have to share this chicken with four other cooks.

Oh, we're screwed.

Midwest, your time starts now!

- Let's go! - All right, guys.

All right, guys, who wants to butcher the chicken?

- I wanna do it. - What do you need?

- I would love a breast, if I could. - Two thighs?

- A breast? - Innards and any other meat.

Done. Awesome.

My butchering skills are excellent.

I dress and butcher my own venison, my own steaks.

The Midwest has a target on our back,

so we have a lot to prove and not a lot of time to do it in.

So, Wayne looks like he's done this before.

- Look how quick he's moving. - Okay.

Is there goat cheese in here?

We're good, Midwest. Let's show 'em what we're about.

Not only do we have to split up this little chicken between five people.

Now we have a ten minute disadvantage. We only have 50 minutes to do this.

I hope it doesn't send one of us home.

This challenge is huge tonight 'cause no matter what region you're from,

- chicken is a staple. - Let's get it, y'all.

A very challenging mystery box because you have to take one chicken

and divide it among, in some cases, five people.

And the difficulty here is this is an individual challenge

but very much dictated by what kind of chicken you negotiated,

because each cut has their pluses and minuses.

Yeah, for me, I would have an ideal concept for a dish

that can utilize different cuts of the chicken.

That way no matter what I got, I can pivot and use it.

Everybody good over here?

Doing very well. How y'all doing?

I'm in a good spot. My noodles are a good texture.

The wings are nicely seasoned.

The hardest part about cooking this chicken

is that there is no room for error.

There is no backups.

There is no running to the pantry for more chicken.

We have to get it right the first time.

Whew! I thought it wasn't coming out right.

- Perfect. -44 minutes to go.

- Perfect! - All right, baby.

- Good show. -Midwest, chicken's done.

It's on my station. Grab what you need.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

- Here. In the bowl? There you go. - Yep. Thank you.

My chicken breast looks gorgeous.

- Innards, innards. - Yeah, take the whole tray, Charles.

I chose the carcass and the wings

because I'm so used to scraping off meats and stuff.

I grew up not having a lot.

My mom used whatever meats we got,

formed it into something nice and fed all of us with it.

So I wanna turn these scraps into an elevated dish.

Give me some, please.

- Right, young man, what did you get? - Hey, Chef.

So, I got the innards.

I also took parts of the meats of the carcass

and the wings as well.

I am making a chicken teriyaki.

But, wait. So you haven't got a thigh, a drum, a breast?

- No. - But--

There was some meat on there that I used.

I'm just asking because I've never seen this before.

- I have to use what I had. - So all sorts of leftover meat.

- Yeah. - What cut is that?

That looks like a sort of chicken wing, I think.

- I'm on it, Chef.

You're on it?

Yeah, you're on a different freaking planet right now.

- Yes. Yes, I am. - Good luck, young man.

- Thank you. - You got your work cut out.

The (bleep) is going on there?

You got this, Charles!

- Uh, right. Young man. - Gordon, how are you?

Yeah, very well, thank you.

Wayne, butchered that chicken down like a pro.

- Absolutely. - What cut did you want?

I wanted the breast today.

- It's one that I know is not as forgiving. - No.

It can dry out quite easily, but that's what I wanna show you today.

I'm making a chicken marsala. It's kind of a play on something

my mom used make for us. And last week mashed potatoes hurt us a little bit

in that team challenge, so I'm gonna show you that I know how to make

- a great mashed potato here. - Good. Redemption.

I love that idea. Get that pan on.

Just get it warm so that you're not waiting for anything, please.

- Just over 30 minutes, yes? - Perfect. Thank you.

I'm coming back here to get liquor.

- I don't need it for my dish. - You wanna take a shot or what?

I need it for me.

We're in good shape there. Good shape.

- Kendal, what do you got? - Hello, hello.

I am doing a chicken breast, and then I'm doing

Brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes

with a nice, sweet Memphis style barbeque sauce.

It's kind of rudimentary, okay?

- So how you elevate is gonna be key. - Yes, sir.

-What are you using the molasses for? - My sauce.

It's a sweet heat Memphis style sauce.

Kendal, you're in an interesting position

because you've been on the bottom a couple times.

- So you need to really redeem yourself right now. - Yes, sir.

- Do you feel that this dish is gonna do that? - I do, I do.

I think this dish is gonna have a lot flavors, it's gonna surprise you,

and hopefully let me stay around for a little while longer.

- All right, no room for error today. - No, sir.

There's no room for error ever in this kitchen.

- How we doing, Midwest? - Pretty good. Pretty good.

I think we're getting that pin back today.

You know, nobody ever wants a ten minute penalty.

But, hey, in the Midwest, we know how to work with adversity,

and we're about to show what's up.

Today I'm cooking with the drum and the thigh.

I am making a Jamaican jerk chicken today with an island rice.

I'm excited for the judges to try this.

This is one of my favorite dishes back in Columbus,

and I eat it all the time, and I hope to do them proud.

Okay, we got it. How's everybody doing?

- Great. - This is looking good!

- Sarah, how you doing? - I'm doing really well.

So what cut of chicken did you get?

I got the chicken breast, which I feel very comfortable with.

What'd you make?

I am making a stuffed chicken roulade.

A roulade? Where is it? Is it in the oven?

- It's in here. - You're cooking it all on the pan?

- Yeah. Yeah, for sure. - Can I see it?

Aarón: Okay. You got it on high heat.

Just don't let all that butter burn and all that fat.

- That's gonna put a very acrid flavor. - I'll put it in the oven.

No, so what you could do is actually drain that, Sarah.

'Cause taste that. Tell me if you like the way that tastes.

- I mean, it's up to you. But I'm just saying-- -Oh, don't taste that.

That looks like it's really dark and it might be acrid.

- Okay. - All right?

You know, Sarah, the roulade is a big risk

'cause you're taking a dish that requires a lot of technique.

As important as cooking is resting, 'cause it has to come together.

I was trying to rest it, like, eight minutes.

You're gonna have to bring down the temperature

- so that everything kind of congeals again. - Okay.

- 'Cause if you cut it hot, it's gonna be like chop suey. - Absolutely.

So I hope you thought this through.

- You're taking a big risk. - All right.

I'm trying something that I've never made before

to try to get the judges' attention,

but I'm really worried

that I'm not gonna be able to pull it off.

Now with 50 minutes,

I'm already kind of set on the chicken roulade idea.

So I'm like, I gotta follow through with it.

Like, I'm gonna hit it out of the park or it's gonna be a total miss.

Man, time is flying!

35 minutes gone.

We're down to 25 minutes remaining.

We're getting there.

Undercooking this chicken is obviously number one.

If it's pink in the middle, I'm going home.

So that's why we're gonna keep checking the pan

and we're just gonna keep on trudging through

just like Midwesterners do.

Yeah! Nice.

Looking good. Whoo!

- Kennedy. - Hello, Chef.

- Right, how you doing? - I'm doing great today. How are you?

- Tell me about the dish. Oh. - I'm making a German dinner.

- I'm gonna do a spaetzle with a little bit of nutmeg. - Love that.

I'm doing braised red cabbage,

and chicken thigh is just the juiciest meat to me.

- Beautiful. - So I'm gonna do a crispy chicken thigh on top

- and then I'm gonna do a liver pan sauce. - Oh, I love that.

Liver's going to be finished, the pan sauce, at the very end?

The German influence, where does that come from?

- Oktoberfest is a huge festival in Denver. - Huge.

- Yeah, like, German food. - Not just the food, but the beer.

- Yeah. Oh, I love the beer. - I love the German influence.

- Good luck. - Thank you.

- Oh, y'all, my risotto is heaven. -Hello, Jennifer.

- Hello. How are you, my friends? - How are you?

Do you feel the arrows aimed at your back from the Midwest right now?

Probably so. But that's okay. Because you know what?

- I'm here to be very strategic. - You have to be.

- I'm here to win. - Yeah, you basically used them.

No, I cannot say-- I am a sweet Southern girl. I did not use them.

- So, you got what cut of chicken? - I got the breast.

I'm making a southern roasted chicken breast

with a southern risotto.

I am adding onions, green peppers, and celery.

So you're making a risotto with green bell peppers, which is not traditional.

- It is not traditional. - So he's over here cringing.

If you put green peppers in risotto in Italy,

you know where they would send you?

- But I will say

it's going to have the perfect texture.

It's going to have my southern flavors.

I'm bringing you something very special.

I hope you're right because I'm open

to interpretations of risotto.

I just want it to be done right.

Yes, I think it'll all be-- pull together very nicely.

All right, it's time to pull the nails out, Jennifer,

because they're coming at you.

- How are you doing, girls? -I am feeling good.

I got an extra boost after I butchered that chicken.

Right, Brynn. Give me an insight. Where are we going?

- I have a chicken cacciatore. Little bit of spice. - Wow. Nice.

- Man, that heat's in there. Lovely cacciatore. - Is it good?

Beautiful. What cut are you using-- chicken?

I ended up using the breast. I wanted to go with thigh,

but I knew that she really needed it.

Like, I know it would be a little bit better with thighs,

but I really wanted to make it, and I think every single bite

of that breast is gonna have that awesome sauce on it.

- It's gonna be okay. - Just don't overcook that.

Even though it's in a sauce, just be smart with that.

How do you feel now? The Northeast going down to three.

- We've lost two. - It's hard.

I was the team captain, and it was really hard to feel like I let them down.

I've got so much respect for you to step up and take that role,

and all you can do now is bounce back tonight.

- Good luck. - Thank you.

- We're good? We're good? - Yeah, yeah. We good.

- How'd your pasta come out? - I don't know yet.

Well, it stayed together. It hasn't cooked yet, but...

Shoot.

- Lizzie! - Hello, Joe.

All right, what cut of chicken did you get?

I got the breast.

So what's the dish?

The dish was going to be

a smoked gouda cream sauce

with my spicy chicken breast.

Was? Wait, was what?

- I am-- I'm out of time. - You're out of time.

- I'm out of time. - So you're pivoting?

I'm pivoting a little bit. I'm just removing some elements.

The breaking down of the chicken took away some time

'cause it took me a little time to do that.

Gotcha. All right, wish you luck.

I'm gonna do the best I can

with what I've got going on.

The cook on the chicken,

that's the most important component.

I'm just hoping that I can get something else on there as well.

All right, guys, one of you are going to save me on this end.

This didn't go at all how I planned it.

All right, we got you.

Okay, Purvi, what cut did you get?

I got thighs and the legs.

Okay, wow. So that's a dream. What's the dish?

- It's butter chicken. - Stop it.

- I love butter chicken. - Oh, I'm so glad I'm making this.

I went to the birthplace. I went to where it was first thought out. Moti Mahal.

- It was beautiful. - Yeah, it's just most favorite dish among all Indians.

- And you're gonna make a little fresh naan bread as well? - The naan. Yes, yes, I am.

- The competition's getting fierce. - Yes.

- You're such an amazing lady. - Thank you.

- You've got this beautiful breadth of culinary wisdom. - Thank you so much, Chef.

Do you understand the Band-Aids are off now?

Yes. I was nervous. I just focused myself and I'm really ready to roll.

- Elevate that dish. Elevate. - Thank you, thank you.

Let's go. Guys, just under ten minutes remaining.

- Thanks for the time, Jen. - I know.

- Love you! - Thinking about you, friend.

Do you have a squirt of lemon, James?

- There you go. - Thank you.

- Honestly, the West are looking super strong.

Kennedy, she's taking the delicious thighs and going down the German route

- with some braised cabbage. - Wow.

It sounds like she's really playing to her intelligence as a cook and her strengths.

- Is this sauce too salty? - No, not too salty.

- It's good? Okay, good. - Yeah.

Now let's talk about the South.

I'm excited to see what is Jennifer doing?

She's gonna do a pan-roasted chicken breast, but she's doing a risotto.

- She's starting with onions and green peppers... - What?

...which is a little bit strange for a risotto.

Aarón: And she's gonna couple that with collard greens.

- Oh, come on. - She's a little geographically mixed up, shall we say.

- Exactly. - But the chicken is supposed to be the star.

- I think we're done. - Purvi from the Northeast, she's doing butter chicken.

She can't make a mistake today.

This has to be the best dish she's ever cooked.

Last five, guys. Five minutes to go.

- Keep cooking, babies. - Taste, taste, taste!

- Ooh. - When's Sarah gonna slice that roulade?

She slices it now, that roulade's gonna fall apart.

If anything, I wouldn't slice it. I'd leave it whole.

- Yep. - 90 seconds remaining.

90 seconds. Work your magic, Purvi.

- Aarón: Let's go. - Elevate it.

Not too much, Kendal. 30 seconds to go!

I can do this, I can do this, I can do this.

- Let's go, Lizzie! - You can do it, girls. You can do it.

It's gonna have to be what it is.

- Get decisive, Jennifer, please.

- Yes, Chef. - Let's go! Ten...

Nine, eight, seven...

- Let's go, Midwest! - ...six, five, four,

- three, two, one. -Well done!

- Hands in the air! - Whoo!

-Well done! - Let's go, South!

- I could've used ten more minutes.

- I could've used ten more minutes. - I could've

- more minutes. - I could've used two.

What happened?

Um, I just ran out of time.

I'm just not in any way happy with my dish.

I definitely took on too much tonight,

and when the judges taste it, it's not gonna be up to par.

I'm 100% relying on my region to pull me through right now

because this plate could send me home,

and I don't feel like tonight's my night to go home.

Well done. Tonight you each had to cook

the most outstanding chicken dish of your entire lives.

Now we'd like to take a much closer look at all your dishes.

- Gents, shall we? - Let's go.

All right, Lizzie, what do we got here?

I have a pan-seared chicken with a gouda cream sauce.

- And you finished in the oven? - No, Chef.

- Okay. - Hmm.

Kennedy, so you're happy with all the proportions of all the elements?

It's a bigger portion than I'd want, but, I mean, Germans eat a lot, so...

I don't know how long I have to be in the MasterChef kitchen

to get used to the intensity of having the judges coming up,

looking at your finished plate,

and asking very direct, blunt questions.

I see a lot of uneven cuts here.

It was my first roulade, so I feel happy with the flavor.

Do you think it was the right time to do your first roulade today?

Sometimes with a little bit of air of,

"You're a moron for doing what you did."

All right, Charles, what piece of the chicken did you get?

- The wings and the carcass. - You created a--

- A chicken teriyaki out of it. - And I grilled it.

And I used innards for my vermicelli noodle salad.

- All right. - Were you missing the extra ten minutes?

You know, I think I could've gone a little bit deeper

with flavor with ten more minutes, but I'm very happy

- with what I was able to put on the plate today. - Thank you.

I definitely want to have a top dish tonight,

but being in the South, everybody's really good.

- So this is risotto? - Southern risotto, yes.

Even if your dish is not one of the worst in total,

it could be the worst in your region.

So it's more likely for me to go in the bottom

- if my dish is not perfect. - Are you happy with

- all the components? - Yes, sir.

- I think I did pretty good. -Thank you.

- Where did this come from? - Uh, scratch.

- You made it? - Yes, sir.

- Mm. - Thank you.

Purvi, there's a lot of responsibility

- with cooking a dish like this. - Yeah.

Do you feel that you did justice to it?

I think so.

I think I was able to get the flavors.

Brynn, what's the dish?

A chicken cacciatore.

- And skin off? - Skin off.

I used that skin to make the crispy topping.

-Interesting. - Thank you.

Right, all of you, well done.

It's time to taste the best dish from each region.

First dish we'd like to highlight tonight, from the Northeast,

featured a really impressive flavorful sauce.

Please make your way to the front...

Brynn.

I needed this. I needed this for the team.

I needed this after the last challenge.

Brynn, please describe the cut of chicken and the dish, please.

I made chicken cacciatore with chicken breast,

roasted lemon asparagus topped with crispy chicken skin with chicken liver mousse.

It's rustic, it's charming, and it plays to your background,

- 'cause it screams the Northeast. - Thank you.

- Shall we? -Yep.

- Looks good. - Aarón: Very nice.

What was the heat in the sauce?

I used a Calabrian chili,

as well as red bell peppers.

It's satisfying. It's like a really, really

well-executed top level home dish.

Yeah, for me, I'm so impressed that used three different expressions of the chicken.

This is exactly what we were asking for.

Listen, this dish is delicious.

I just wish you'd used the thigh.

But I know Purvi fought you for it.

- Well done. - Thank you so much.

- Aarón: Thank you, Brynn. - Woohoo!

- Go, Brynn! - Way to go, Brynn.

Okay, so the dish from the South that we collectively felt

deserved the most praise comes from a cook

who has never been in the top four.

Please come forward, Kendal.

- Whoo! - Way to go, Kendal.

- Good job, Kendal. - Nice job, Kendal.

Whoo!

I made a barbeque chicken breast

seasoned with a rub

and a perfectly balanced Memphis barbeque sauce,

and mashed potatoes with roasted Brussel sprouts.

Kendal, I was amazed that you decided to barbeque a breast,

because as you know, the breast gets dry.

But plating-wise, it looks beautiful. Really beautiful.

- Thank you. - Shall we?

Aarón: Yep.

Kendal, let's deal with the elephant in the room about the barbeque sauce.

That thing needs to be put in a bottle and sold online.

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

- Yeah, South! - So we're absolutely clear,

the chicken is moist, it's delicious.

- It's Kendal at his best. Great job. - Thank you, sir.

The tendency to put that barbeque sauce on too early

and have that scorch and burn with all the sugar in it, you didn't do that.

That shows awareness and it shows good cooking, all right?

- Thank you. - This is one of the rare occasions

that you were able to cook something the three of us can't,

and I think that that is why you're here,

because that sauce is something that we do not have mastery of.

So...

- Thank you very much. - Good job, South, baby!

Where's that bottle?

Barbeque sauce. Bring it up here.

- Congrats, friend. - Yeah, Kendal!

- Good job, Kendal. -Thank you.

That's coming home with me tonight.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

That's a compliment right there, young man.

Very much so. Thank y'all very much.

Okay, the dish from the Midwest

that we were drawn to the most was an inventive riff

off a classic chicken dish.

Please come forward, Grant.

- All right! - Grant.

- Nice. - Wow.

- Good job, Grant. - You deserved it.

I got a chicken breast to cook, and I made chicken marsala.

So I have a white wine sauce with a beautiful oyster mushrooms and mashed potatoes.

It looks rustic, but I'm thinking

it's gonna have very, very sophisticated flavor.

- Looks good. - That's cooked beautifully.

Thank you.

Grant, this dish screams the Midwest.

Chicken's cooked beautifully. Really beautifully.

Skin crisp. Everything you want from a chicken breast. Moist.

It's hard to believe you got that done in 50 minutes.

That's what impressed me the most.

Yeah, I can envision this

as a course at a very nice restaurant.

If I had to sort of adjust one thing,

have the confidence to put a little bit of vinegar in that sauce.

- Yeah. Mm-hmm. - It needs acid.

Other than that, man, you got a homerun there.

But I just wanna make note of one thing.

Cooking a chicken breast like this may seem like a simple thing to do,

but it is actually very, very difficult. Good job.

Thank you all very much. Appreciate it you.

-Thank you. - Yeah, Grant! Whoo!

The fourth dish, from the West tonight,

this individual definitely impressed us.

Please step forward, Kennedy.

Whoo!

Get it, Kennedy!

This is my second time walking up with a top dish.

I put my whole heart on the plate,

and I feel like this time, I just feel it in my bones

that I'm gonna get that immunity pin

and I'm gonna save the West.

Kennedy, describe the dish, please.

I got the thigh,

and I made a crispy chicken

with a German spaetzle

and braised red cabbage.

Visually, it looks good.

It's the kind of thing you want to sit on a long table

with 50 or at a beer fest.

Someone get me a beer.

Let's go.

- Shall we? - Aarón: Let's try it.

Chicken's cooked beautifully.

It's got this sort of rich, unctuous, delicious seasoning, but the skin is crispy.

The fact that you didn't take that off at the end really makes me happy.

It's something that is remarkably delicious.

Simple, but also thought provoking.

And I think everyone should listen for this.

It's good within the cultural reference

of which you place it, and then to make it right

is playing this game at the highest level.

- Thank you. Thank you. -Delicious.

- Whoo! - Ah-ah-ah-ah!

Gents, let's take a moment, please. Excuse us.

Brynn, the chicken cacciatore.

- It was good. - That sauce is exceptional.

If she'd put the thigh in there,

that would've been exceptional.

-Yeah. - Amazing.

And the barbeque sauce? Barbeque chicken?

-Uh, yeah. - Aarón: Amazing.

- Lights out. Great. - Yeah, yeah.

Is that enough to make him win though?

- One of the best tonight-- Grant. - With the wine sauce?

- Grant. That was good. - Beautiful.

- And then the German inspired dish. - Impressive.

Aarón: I love the boldness in Kennedy.

It's courageous, it's intelligent, and it's delicious.

We have four great dishes. Who's it gonna be?

- I know who it is. - I think I know, too.

- We in agreement? - Yeah.

Let's go.

Brynn, Kendal, Grant, Kennedy, four outstanding dishes,

but we've got just one pin to give out.

And we are all in agreeance

that tonight's best dish was cooked by...

Congratulations go to...

Tonight's best chicken dish was cooked by--

congratulations goes to...

- Kennedy.

- Good job! - Yes! Go, Kennedy!

That's what I'm talking about!

We gonna be up there on that balcony!

That dish was exceptional.

Congratulations, you win the immunity pin

and will be safe from elimination in the next challenge.

- May I? - Of course.

Please. Congrats.

- This pin right here means everything to me. - Amazing.

I feel like I made Denver proud, and I made my team proud.

Kennedy, congratulations.

That means everyone from the West are safe from elimination tonight.

All of you, make your way up to the balcony. Let's go, guys.

I feel on top of the world right now.

We're the wild, wild best,

and we truly are here to be the best.

Lizzie, you've got a big thank you towards Kennedy

because that was definitely the worst dish in your region.

- Yes. Thank you. - Get a grip, girl.

- Thank you. - Now it's time to take a much closer look

at one dish from each remaining region

that we felt was not up to par tonight.

The first dish comes from the Northeast.

It felt like a shocking misfire.

Please step forward, Purvi.

I am feeling sad and a little bit shocked.

Chef Ramsay has big expectations

because he has tasted and made butter chicken so many times.

So I am concerned that my butter chicken

might not have the flavor and the standards

that the chefs were looking for.

Give us an insight to the dish, please.

Today I got chicken legs and thighs,

and I made butter chicken with naan.

Butter chicken is supposed to be inviting and warm

and it's got that fragrance to it.

But it looks dull. Shall we?

Yeah.

Look, when you do a butter chicken,

you have a standard that's so high and so specific

to everyone who's eaten it 8,000 times in their life.

So you're gonna really kind of raise the bar on yourself so high by doing an iconic dish.

And then it's your ethnicity, too, so we're expecting so much.

And I just feel that this wasn't butter chicken like I wanted or I like it, quite frankly.

- Sure. - Purvi, you know,

this was in your wheelhouse, and so I am saddened

because I just know this is not the best butter chicken that you ever made.

Butter chicken gravy should be fragrant, very tomato-y,

and this is oozing of raw spice.

And then unfortunately, as you can see,

the denseness of the bread is actually-- it's raw.

That needs to be rolled super thin there.

Thank you, Purvi. What a shame.

Okay, the dish from the South that disappointed us

was cooked by someone who's never been in the bottom three.

Please come forward, Jennifer.

After two wins in a row, I think that the judges hold me to a high standard.

But, you know, I'm starting to second guess myself,

and I'm worried about that flavor profile

and what the judges think of it.

So, I'm pretty nervous.

Okay, Jennifer, tell us what you made.

I made a roasted chicken breast

with charred greens, a chicken gravy,

and a southern flavored risotto.

Visually, it looks strange.

It's the dish that doesn't sound like it goes together.

I get the risotto, but tonight wasn't the risotto challenge.

The chicken is like a bit of an afterthought. Shall we?

The risotto's overcooked, and it's not by any reference point a risotto.

It's Arborio rice done with New Orleans mirepoix with a lot of wine in it.

And it's not really a dish.

For me, it's just like a chicken breast that's seasoned

with a bad risotto.

I actually like the seasoning on the chicken breast.

If this was retinkered, reimagined,

I think it would be completely different.

- Yes, Chef. - Jennifer, I'm underwhelmed.

You had the control of the challenge tonight in your palm,

and you didn't use that to your advantage.

The chicken gravy's just, you know, gummy,

and just not what you serve with a risotto.

This doesn't taste like the Jennifer that I know.

- I'm so sorry. - Thank you.

So the dish from the Midwest that fell short

was made from an ambitious cook

who tried overcome that ten minute penalty.

Please come forward...

So, the dish from the Midwest

that we must investigate further,

please come forward...

Sarah.

So it's my first time in the bottom,

and I feel very scared about what's to come.

I definitely regret making something that I've never made,

but I'm hoping, like, the flavors can carry through.

I got the chicken breast tonight,

and I made a chicken roulade stuffed with prosciutto basil,

a mix of goat and mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes,

artichokes, roasted potatoes, and a tomato cucumber salad.

You picked a dish where the resting time

is just as significant and important as the cooking time.

So you gave yourself double jeopardy

in a point where you had a ten minute penalty.

- Yes, I agree. Yeah. - You played it all wrong.

All right, let's taste it.

Sarah, unfortunately, the chicken's dry.

I just have to commend you for having the gumption

to attempt a roulade on a night like tonight.

But you were up against the clock,

- and it's evident, right? - Absolutely.

Yeah, this dish kind of reminds me of a lot

of those Italian chain restaurants, and that's not a good thing.

I think what you could've done here is taking that filling

and used that as a garnish for just simply searing the chicken breast.

Roulade-ing it is not the right move.

- Yeah. - The chicken's overcooked.

The filling has no reference. It's obviously falling apart.

And the dish, it's not what you promised.

- Thank you, Sarah. - Yep.

Purvi, Jennifer, Sarah, please give us a moment.

Oh, this is tough.

- Yes. - Love you.

- Purvi's? - An iconic dish like butter chicken needs to be executed.

This was in her wheelhouse. She should have an immunity pin tonight.

- Huge mistake on her part. - Aarón: Yeah.

Jennifer, that dish missed the mark.

The cook on the chicken for me was the saving grace.

-Yeah. - Does that risotto come from the South?

- Come on? - No, we don't do that.

Sarah's dish was a disaster.

Why would you make a roulade if you've never made

a roulade before?

-Tough one, this one. -I think we need to do it.

- I agree. - I think the dishes were that bad.

We can't that slide 'cause that's gonna set a precedent

- for everybody else. -Wow.

- We all in agreeance? -Yeah.

Aarón: Let's do it.

Purvi, Jennifer, and Sarah, sadly, tonight you cooked

the worst dishes from your regions.

After discussing with Joe and Aarón,

we are all in agreement.

Sarah will be leaving the MasterChef kitchen tonight.

And you can thank Jennifer for that.

Having ten minutes less time to cook

really put you up against it, forced you to rush,

and the final dish

was certainly not up to MasterChef standards.

- I'm sorry. - Thank you, Chef.

But wait.

After that intense discussion with Joe and Aarón,

we felt that there was another dish equally as bad,

and that simply wouldn't be fair

to send only one of the bottom cooks home tonight.

The second person leaving "MasterChef" tonight is...

Purvi.

- Oh. - Ooh.

Jennifer, say good-bye to Purvi and Sarah

because you dodged a bullet tonight.

It's okay.

Purvi, we fell in love with you weeks ago.

You brought this incredible authenticity to this competition,

but tonight you missed the mark.

It was nowhere near up to the standard it should've been.

- Yes, Chef. - What's next for Purvi?

I'm still gonna cook. Today was not the day,

but I will keep continuing with my cooking.

Sarah, tonight, I think with the time deficit,

you didn't play it right. But you're a great cook,

and, listen, you got a lot of good stuff ahead of you,

- so keep on cooking. - Thank you very much.

- How are you feeling? - I mean, I'm upset,

but I've had the best experience.

I mean, I've already learned so much,

and I appreciate all of the guidance.

Please come and say good-bye.

I feel really bummed that I'm leaving now

because I feel like I was just kind of getting into my groove.

This is just a stepping stone, okay?

- Thank you for saying that. - You're on your way, okay?

I am kind of, like, in this Midwest bubble,

and so I have a lot more learning.

But I got a lot of new things to bring home to my family.

Please place your aprons on your benches.

Making it to the top 20 was the biggest dream coming true.

I came here to show my talent, my Indian heritage.

I know that whatever I've cooked,

I cooked it with full honesty and dignity, and I did my best.

- Ladies, good night. -Good night.

- Aarón: Thank you, ladies. - Thank you.

If you have a dream, just follow it.

Even if one door closes, the other opens up.

Next time, we celebrate our 250th episode.

I present to you the United Cakes Of America.

Kennedy, you get to decide who's baking which cake.

- He's a great chef,

so I'm gonna screw him over today.

With nine layers!

Man, and I thought we were friends, Kennedy.

That's a lot of layers.

I don't (bleep) know what I'm doing.

- Just change gear. - Stressing me out up here.

- Oh, jeez. - Between you and I, you're (bleep).

I think Kennedy might've sent the Midwest

- to the guillotine. - Nailed it!

Kennedy set you up for success.

- You went rogue. -This is a mess.