Original subtitles

- Previously on - Back To Win"...

Welcome back to the MasterChef kitchen, everybody.

...the audition battles began.

There's someone from every season here.

We only have 20 aprons this year.

You all need to cook us the best comeback dish ever.

Whoo!

I didn't come here to not get an apron.

This is .

The sauce for me is a miss.

The dish is good, but it's not your average season.

Five years has made quite a difference in your cuisine.

The dish gives us all a stern reminder how early you left this competition last time.

- Whoo! - I just won an apron for the second time!

Tonight the "Back To Win" audition battles continue...

So far, we've given out six aprons,

which leaves 14 up for grabs.

as more returning faces...

Including "Junior."

I have unfinished business in the MasterChef kitchen.

...fight to get their hands on the coveted MasterChef apron.

- Flambé. - The competition is fierce.

We got a lot of fine cookery going on tonight.

- No mistakes can be made. - Shaking.

- What's Cate doing? - You know as well as I do that that's wrong.

Thank you very much. So far, we have had some amazing comeback dishes,

and the bar has been set so high.

We're all so glad to have you "Back To Win."

Look at our previous champions,

like Christine from season three,

Claudia from season six. and Shaun from season seven.

They have all gone on to fully realize their culinary dreams.

One of you will join their ranks

and win the title of MasterChef.

Right. So far we've handed out six aprons,

which leaves just 14 aprons up for grabs.

Now, when I call your name,

please make your way down to your battle stations.

Let's go. Willie, season five.

Derrick Prince, season two.

Tommy, season six.

And Micah, season ten.

I'm Willie. You may remember me from season five of "MasterChef."

I was a director of music at my church,

and I was just, you know, barely getting my feet wet into this culinary industry.

Watch out for Willie. He's here to bake.

But it's been seven years since I've been in the MasterChef kitchen.

Now I'm a full service catering company owner.

I'm the executive chef.

And so I have a few tricks up my sleeve

that I don't think the judges are expecting.

- Bring it. - Welcome back.

You four have something in common.

You all finished in seventh place.

So we could say that you're all unlucky number seven.

Turn that around tonight and cook a comeback dish

that is good enough to get your hands on a comeback apron.

You guys ready for this?

Yes, Chef.

Your 45 minutes starts now. Let's go.

Let's go, Derrick.

Right, four amazing cooks from four different seasons.

Sadly, all finished in seventh place.

- Derrick, watch your corn. - I want a char on it.

Derrick, season two, a lot has changed.

- Congratulations. I'm a big yes for you. - Thank you, Chef.

When I was on "MasterChef," I showed up as someone

who loved food but made my living doing web design.

After the show, I became a chef.

I'm the chef de cuisine in one of the busiest

restaurants in New York City.

To be here on "MasterChef,"

I left a kitchen of people that rely on me,

and I really owe it to them to kick some ass.

Derrick, how are you, young man?

What's going on, Chef? How's it going?

What do you got going on? Talk to me about that.

I'm gonna do some deep fried shrimp.

- I'm gonna make a corn pudding. - So you think the shrimp dish,

corn pudding, it's gonna be enough

- and compelling to get you that apron? - I think so.

It shows technique, there's a lot of knife work,

and I think it's a real homage to the ingredients.

This just seems a little simple.

We're "Back To Win," so everything has to be perfectly done.

- Yes, Chef. - Stay the course, young man.

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

- Let's go, Willie! - Don't get distracted.

- Big Willie! - Yes, Chef!

What's it like having your mum and your aunt here

- breathing all over you? - It's a little pressure

because my mom has a high standard of me.

He's telling the truth on that.

- Tell me about the dish. - I'm doing a Cajun poached halibut.

Halibut. Hardly any fat in there.

Why such a difficult protein on night like tonight?

'Cause I'm a difficult kind of guy.

- That's right. That's right. - That's right.

I'm back to win. I'm here with a vengeance.

- Good luck, big Willie. Welcome back. - Yes, Chef. Thank you.

25 minutes remaining.

You got me ducking and weaving, Tommy.

You know I wouldn't hurt a fly.

I'm Tommy from season six!

I love to present food in a fashionable way on the plate.

Tommy, beautiful. So much story. This is you.

Since being on "MasterChef," I've done morning cooking shows,

and I wound up being a brand ambassador in the Netherlands.

My competitors think that I'm all talk and all fashion, but you know what?

I'm ready to showdown in this kitchen.

- Tommy, start your quail! - Tommy, how you doing?

- Joe! - What is the dish?

This is quail in a nest.

And the nest is made out of what?

Kataifi pastry.

How are you gonna cook the quail?

- Because I'm a fashion designer... - I got it.

I'm going to treat this quail like haute couture fashion.

So this is like a runway project?

And guess what. You see I got the wishbone?

- Let me give-- that's-- - No, you don't get to touch my wishbone.

We get to split it, and whoever--

Oh, no. We don't get to split it.

This is my wishbone. You go get your own wishbone, Joe.

- That's what you get, Joe. - I know you put on a good show,

but you need to put on a show on the plate today.

That's what I'm gonna judge you on.

- I am. - I hope you're right.

Yo, good luck, Micah! Let's go!

Right, Micah, welcome back. Tell me about the dish.

So today I'm gonna be making you a yuzu ricotta fritter,

with blackberry gin sauce,

scratched chocolate soil, and star anise powdered sugar.

Wow, so that sounds complicated and sophisticated.

You seem in control now and you seem content.

Just to have my sister here...

I'm just so proud of you, Micah!

If you remember on my season, I really struggled with my parental support.

A lot of my family do not view culinary arts

as a worthy way to spend my time.

So on season ten, I entered this competition

with no self-confidence.

Tonight you're not alone, okay?

You're with us. You're with the MasterChef family.

Since leaving "MasterChef,"

I have a new level of self-confidence.

I've worked in two separate Michelin star restaurants,

and I studied baking for a year.

I've never grown as fast as I did since "MasterChef" ten happened.

This dish sounds amazing. If you pull this off, you're wearing that apron.

- Thank you, Chef. I'll do you proud. - Good luck.

Last ten minutes! Keep it going, guys. Come on.

I got time.

Wow, what a cook-off. I mean, they are energized.

Derrick over here is gonna make shrimp and corn pudding.

It seems a little bit like bar food, you know?

Like, is it gourmet enough for "Back To Win?"

Deep breath. Deep breath, Micah. You got this.

Micah's gonna do, like, a ricotta fritter

with a black chocolate crumble.

It sounds, a very, very complicated dish.

I'm not too sure if he can get that done in 45 minutes.

If it's undercooked, then it can destroy that whole texture.

- Ooh. - Big Willie, he's poaching a halibut.

The halibut's always been very tricky in the MasterChef kitchen

because it doesn't have any interior fat

and you really have to sauce it right.

And it's very hard to determine if it's cooked or not.

Two minutes to go, guys! Come on! Let's go!

Tommy! Tommy!

Let's go, let's go, let's go!

Check your corn.

Come on, Micah!

Micah, let's go. We gotta get food on the plate.

Yes, Chef.

- Shaking. - Yeah.

- 20 seconds left. - 20 seconds. Let's go!

- Oh, . - What is Micah doing?

He's gotta get some food on the plate, guys.

- 20 seconds left. - 20 seconds. Let's go!

- Oh, . - What is Micah doing?

He's gotta get some food on the plate, guys.

- Oh, my Lord. - Come on, guys. Keep it going.

Come on, Derrick. Well done.

- Let's go, Micah! - Come on, Micah! Let's go!

Five, four, three, two, one.

And stop! Well done.

Well done. Time to taste your dishes.

Please follow us through to the MasterChef restaurant.

- Whoo! - Tommy!

Right, this is it. Only two aprons up for grabs.

Big Willie, let's start with you, please.

My dish tonight is a Cajun poached halibut

with a purple cauliflower purée

and a spicy roasted corn relish.

- Big Willie, it looks beautiful. - Thank you.

It's elegant. I go back to the beginning

of this journey when you were plating food, rustic,

but this is on a different level. This looks good.

Yup. It's very nice.

Big Willie, the fish is cooked beautifully.

It's glistening.

Very difficult poaching fish,

but it just needs that hit of lime or lemon,

especially across that corn.

- Okay. - But it is delicious.

The purée's unnecessary for me personally,

but I'm impressed that you were able to impart so much flavor

into this halibut in such an abbreviated time.

Really a restaurant quality dish.

Delicate, elegant.

Willie, my friend, you've gone a long way.

- Congratulations. - Thanks, Willie.

Thank you. Thank you.

Good job, man. Very good job.

Derrick, can you please bring your dish forward?

Tonight I made crispy head on shrimp and corn pudding.

Derrick, the shrimp are great.

I just love the idea that you marinated in buttermilk,

which, you know, tenderizes,

so that shrimp tasted like lobster.

- Well done. I like it. - Thank you.

I like the dish. I wish it was a little bit more punchy.

The corn pudding is interesting, starchy.

It feels like it has corn starch

or something in there to thicken it

that didn't have a chance to cook out.

But I didn't think I was gonna like it

as much as I did, to be very honest.

I think the flavors all mingle well together.

Thank you.

Next up, Tommy, please, present your dish.

My dish is quail in a nest

with garden vegetables.

It's got finesse. I'm hoping it tastes as good as it looks,

'cause in terms of presentation, it's an A star.

Tommy, let's get one thing clear.

Quail's cooked beautifully.

I love the seasoning on the quail.

I think the only thing I've got as an irritation

is that phyllo pastry. It's just quite bland.

You could have done with a little nest of potatoes.

- Good job. - Thank you.

Micah, please bring up your dish.

So this is a yuzu citrus ricotta fritter

with a blackberry gin sauce,

scratched chocolate soil, and star anise powdered sugar.

I love the artistic expression.

I feel like it's an extraterrestrial dish, a dish from outer space.

- Thank you. - Shall we?

Ooh, it's a little raw, no?

It's like a pudding.

Micah, there's an amazing flavor coming off of here.

It's fresh and lively.

The issue I have is the density of those fritters.

And I think what you've done there is that you've looked

at the color of the fritter on the outside and thought,

"Damn, they're cooked." They're not.

Micah, you work as a pastry chef,

and you know as well as I do that that's wrong.

Thank you.

Even if the oil was a little bit lower, it could've actually cooked.

Gentlemen, the fact of the matter is that we have two aprons to give out.

I gotta say that this cook certainly earned this apron.

It makes us incredibly proud

to see someone like Willie and how far you've come.

Now you're in the class Back To Win."

The dish was excellent. Congratulations, Willie.

Thank you, Chef. Thank you.

Congrats.

- Looks good. - Yes.

This next apron goes to the individual

that confirmed their passion on a plate once again.

So I'm not gonna call out any names.

I'd like that person to step up here

and take this apron with grace.

Tommy.

So I'm not gonna call out any names.

I'd like that person to step up here

and take this apron with grace.

Tommy.

You're not wrong. Congratulations.

- Thank you. - Welcome back.

Thank you, Chef.

See this wishbone is my good luck talisman.

I just got an apron for the second time.

I'm back to win!

I'm speechless.

Me getting the apron just solidifies

that I know what I'm doing, and I deserve to be here.

Of course I'm disappointed to not get an apron right now,

but I'm still 21 years old,

and I know that I'm going places,

and I'm gonna do incredible things.

We are eight aprons down. Just 12 aprons remaining.

- Right, ready for the next battle? - Let's go!

Cate, season eight.

Sarah, season ten. Daniel from season eight.

And finally, Michael from season ten.

- Let's go. - Ready, brother?

- Good luck, bro. - Give me a hug.

Hi, I'm Michael from season ten,

and I was tied for 15th place.

Michael and Liz, you've cooked for the last time in the MasterChef kitchen.

And I know that I was sent home too early.

The minute I got out of the show last time, I left my job in real estate

and started my own business as a private chef.

And now I've published

two best-selling cookbooks worldwide.

I've walked away from everything that I'm doing

to be here for this, so I cannot go home right now.

- Right, you guys ready? - Yes, Chef.

Good. Your 45 minutes start now.

Let's go.

Whoo! Good luck, guys!

- Whoo, Sarah! - Thank you.

Come on, guys. Two from season eight, two from season ten.

Whoo!

This is gonna be a very, very tough cook.

- Cate, checking in. How you doing? - I'm awesome.

- How you doing, boo? - Feeling great.

Hey, you guys. I'm Cate.

In season eight, I came in fourth place.

Dino, please say goodbye to Cate and head on up to the balcony.

When I was on season eight, I was working as a nutritionist, and now that has changed.

I'm a full-time private chef in Chicago.

I cook about 60 hours a week,

and any other time I'm out hunting, fishing.

If I can find it, I wanna cook it.

And now I'm back because it's my time to win it.

Just over 35 minutes to go.

- Right, how you feeling, girl? - I'm awesome.

Tell me about the dish. What are you doing for this comeback dish?

I am making a mushroom rub venison loin

- that will be smoked... - Wow.

...with a pommes purée, sour cherry red wine sauce,

and pickled mustard seeds.

I love that you're playing to your strengths.

- Yeah. - What would you do with a quarter million dollars?

- I'd definitely buy a farm. - Gotcha.

Young lady, just over 30 minutes to do it, yes?

- Thank you. Yep, I'm ready. - Good luck.

Good job, Cate. We're impressed up here.

- Whoo! - And scared.

How we doing out there? Everybody feel good? All right!

Daniel! Talk to me a little bit about what you're doing.

So I'm doing a prosciutto wrapped cod.

I'm gonna sear this off, finish it in the oven.

I'm gonna do some glaze, rainbow carrots.

I'm gonna have lemon pea purée with some herbs in there.

So I'm hoping that I've got a dish here

that's gonna win me an apron, Chef.

I'm Chef Daniel from season eight

where I made it to top eight

till I went down on the chocolate truffle challenge.

- Say goodbye to Daniel. - It's all right.

But that's not gonna happen again this time.

I just opened up my own food truck,

which has been going great,

and I'm excited to show the judges how far I've come

since the last time I was here.

Love it. Stay the course, young man.

- 20 minutes gone. - 25 minutes remaining.

Hello, Sarah, what are you making today?

I'm making a crispy skin duck breast,

a pipian mole, and pickled peaches.

The duck is tricky 'cause you have to cook it medium rare obviously.

The fat has to be rendered, and the skin has to be crispy.

Yes, I wanted to really push myself.

I'm here to win this for my family.

My daughter actually remembers being at the finale.

She thinks that I won.

That was a very, very difficult one.

Congratulations goes to...

Dorian!

I came so close to getting the title.

I mean, I could see the win. I could taste it.

But it just fell a little bit short.

I did a lot of, like, private chef-ing after "MasterChef."

I got to, like, private chef for Alicia Keys.

And now I'm really here to bring it and win the competition this time.

- Keep on cooking. Good luck with that duck. - Thank you, Joe.

Michael really looks professional down there.

- Right, how you feeling? - Good, Chef.

Now let's be honest. You left this competition way too early last time.

- 15th. - 100%.

- How does it feel to be back? - Incredible.

I didn't even think this was gonna be possible to ever see this kitchen again.

But what's the dream now? Because you've done so much.

I've done the cookbooks. A restaurant is next. Mark my words.

Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?

Well, I'm doing a Texas meets Mexico dish.

We're doing a beautiful street corn grits

with a smoked filet mignon and a black garlic cherry sauce.

Wow, so you've gone super posh on me now.

What do you think about the competition you're up against tonight?

This is, like, the all-stars of "MasterChef,"

- so I gotta keep up. - Absolutely.

- Welcome back. - Thank you so much.

Last 15 minutes, guys. 30 minutes gone.

15 minutes to go. Come on!

I'm feeling the love! I'm feeling it!

Sarah's gonna go ahead with a pipian,

which is a different kind of mole.

A mole is like a ragu.

Hopefully Sarah has enough time to make that mole develop...

- Yeah. - ...and flavorful.

Oh, there we go.

We got a lot of fine cookery going on tonight.

Venison, cod, duck, and filet.

No mistakes can be made.

- Taste everything. - Mmm.

Correct, adjust, seasoning.

Five minutes to go, guys. Come on.

Let's go!

Look what Michael's doing. Smoking that. Look.

- Oh. - Whoo!

Looking good, Danny. Come on.

- Duck looks perfect. - Dude.

Look at that venison. Beautiful.

We're coming down to our last 60 seconds remaining.

One minute to go. Come on, guys.

- Whoo! - Let's go! Come on, Michael!

Come on, Cate. Y'all got this.

- What's Cate doing? - She's smoking it.

- Come on, Cate! - She's smoking it!

Stop eating! Let's go!

They have-- look! Like, ten seconds.

Ten, nine, eight,

- seven, six, five... - Too late. Too late.

- What's Cate doing? - She's smoking it.

She's smoking it! Wait, how much time?

They have-- look! Like, ten seconds.

Ten, nine, eight,

- seven, six, five... - Too late. Too late.

...four, three, two, one.

- And stop! - Awesome!

- Oh, my goodness me.

- Oh, man. - That was nerve-wracking.

Wow. Cate, you forgot to smoke the venison.

I just had a lot of other things to do,

but there's smoke in my dish already, so you'll taste it.

Okay, time to taste those dishes.

Great job, guys. Great job. All of you did awesome.

Cate, please come forward. Bring your dish very carefully.

Chefs, it's a mushroom rubbed venison loin with pommes purée,

sautéed wild mushrooms,

and a sour cherry red wine sauce.

Visually, it looks right on point.

The crust looks quite delicious. I hope it tastes good.

Yeah, I did porcini mushrooms

that I'd just ground in a spice grinder with some Aleppo chilies,

and I painted and salted the venison with salt and Dijon.

Cate, it's a very accomplished, delicious dish.

Did it need to be smoked at the end? Who knows?

I think the dish is good enough standing alone, so great job.

- Thank you, Chef. - The venison's cooked perfectly.

The pommes purée is smooth, delicious.

The sauce might be my one criticism.

It's a little bit dense.

I think if there's one failure on this particular dish,

it would be the crust.

It's not necessarily making a big impact in flavor.

But everything else is rocking and rolling.

- Thank you, Chef. - Thank you.

- Good job, Cate. - Good job, Cate.

Danny, can you please bring your dish forward?

Tonight I've made a prosciutto wrapped cod

with a lemon pea and herb purée

and some roasted carrots.

Daniel, visually, it looks beautiful.

It's got that restaurant quality.

Fish is cooked beautifully.

- Thank you. - But when you plate like this,

you have to be careful about the sogginess of that prosciutto underneath.

So have the confidence to go on the side of that purée.

I think the salsa verde and the pea purée are kind of disjointed.

They don't belong together.

But I'ma tell you what I really appreciate about this

is the boldness that you showed, which I love.

- Thanks, Daniel. - Thank you.

- Good job, brother. - Good job.

Next, Sarah, please present your dish.

Today I've prepared for you

a crispy skinned duck breast

with a balsamic honey glaze,

a pipian mole, and pickled peaches.

I'm gonna be interested to see how you can marry a pipian with a balsamic glaze.

If that can happen, that's gonna be a stroke of genius.

Thank you, Chef.

The duck is perfectly cooked.

I like the acidity of the sauce.

But it tastes a little, like, starchy to me.

Yeah, making a mole is something that takes many, many years to learn how to master.

You put cumin in there raw. Cumin needs to be toasted.

And it's really hard to marry balsamic and a pipian.

They're kind of not getting along right now.

The mole, I think I would've left that off,

but I'm gonna come back to the hero of the dish, and that's the duck,

and you have absolutely nailed that duck.

- Thank you, Chef. - Thank you, Sarah.

Michael, please, bring us your plate.

Here you go, gentlemen.

So we've got a filet mignon, smoked,

then glazed in a black garlic cherry barbeque sauce

with a Mexican street corn grits

and some crispy leeks on top for texture.

Well, I think visually, the caramelization looks perfect.

How should it be when I cut it open?

I'm hoping for medium rare.

- Oh, man. - Nailed that.

- Looks beautiful. - Good job, Michael.

Oh, wow.

This filet could be anywhere in a two-star Michelin restaurant for how it's cooked,

and it could be anywhere in a great barbeque roadhouse in Texas

for the flavor of the smoke and the sauce.

- Bravo. - Wow.

The leeks, they're not adding anything to the dish.

If you wanna use them, make a purée or something

- that sort of highlights their beautiful sweetness. - Okay. Thank you, Chef.

Man, that's delicious.

It reaffirms that you left this competition

last time round way too prematurely,

because that is finale worthy.

- Great job. - Good stuff.

Thank you so much, Chefs.

Thank you, Michael.

- Great job. - Good job, Michael.

Right, you four, excuse us for a moment please.

- Good luck, guys. Good luck. - This is super hard.

I like the theme. I like the thought process. I really liked it.

- Everybody cooked their protein perfect. - That's true.

- We're happy? - Yeah.

Ready?

All right, a lot of very impressive dishes that tell us your ability.

The first apron goes to...

Michael, put this on.

You gotta be kidding.

Don't burn out too quick this time, bro.

Let us eat some of that good food.

- That was an amazing dish. - Congrats, Michael.

One apron down. Just one apron left to give out to this group.

But this apron's gonna go to...

Give it up for Danny!

The competition is fierce.

There are no weak links here.

So it's game on, game face every single day.

- Whoo-hoo-hoo! - Oh, my God.

I didn't even make top ten my last season here.

And tonight I just beat out the runner-up

from my own season.

So, yeah, I got a lot of pressure,

but I think I can do this.

Good job, bro.

Of course, I'm disappointed,

but I don't disagree with the judges' call.

I knew the mole was really risky,

and it's a tough competition.

- Man, that was tough. - Yeah.

The embarrassment of becoming a runner-up

and then having to vouch for your apron again.

Sometimes there's a right way and a wrong way.

That risk of balsamic and cumin, it's just too much.

It's "Back To Win."

It's the most fierce competition

in the history of "MasterChef."

Yeah.

The auditions night continued

as four more "Back To Win" contestants

battle it out for a coveted white apron

- and a spot in the top 20. - Get it going, boys.

We had Brien O'Brien from season eight,

Bowen from season nine, Newton from season eight,

and Stephen from season six.

- Two, one! - Stop!

Brien, describe the dish, please.

Chef, you have the new and improved Filet O'Brien.

My problem here in the pan sear on the filet

has turned the texture

into a bit of, like, a sandy, grainy texture in the meat

which I don't enjoy.

Senior Newton.

Chefs, I had the filet mignon.

It's got a sweet and tangy barbeque glaze.

Newton, the filet is cooked beautifully.

But there is so much heat in that sauce

that it actually destroys the quality.

- Bowen. - It's filet mignon pot stickers

served with Thai chili finger lime vinegar sauce.

Bowen, the pot stickers are delicious.

Really good, indeed.

This sauce is action-packed

and a really beautiful assault of flavor in a good way.

- Thank you, Chef. - Stephen, please.

This is rabbit and doughnuts

with sautéed dandelion greens

and cactus berry salsa.

People have been eating chicken and waffles for so long.

Let's do rabbit and doughnuts.

This dish is...

...psychedelic.

It's like a trip on your palate of deliciousness.

I'm getting goosebumps

because I'd never tasted anything quite like that before.

What's the first thing you wanna do when you take a bite of that?

- Take a second. - Thank you.

Please step forward,

Stephen and Bowen.

Thank you, Chef.

I cannot be any happier than

what I'm feeling right now.

I feel like I'm on top of the world.

Way to go, Stephen!

I got the apron, and now I'm scared to death.

We are 12 aprons down.

Just eight aprons remaining.

Now this next battle might be one of the most exciting ones

we've ever witnessed.

From "MasterChef Junior" Back To Win,"

Shayne, Dara, Tae-Ho.

Hey, guys, it's Tae-Ho from season four of "MasterChef Junior."

I really wanna win this.

The last time I was here, I was 12.

It's been seven years. I went through high school.

Then I've been to culinary school.

I'm coming back to win this competition.

Shayne! Oh, boy. Young man, am I happy to see you.

Thanks for having me. Remember me, guys?

Shayne the Train from "MasterChef Junior" season five.

Shayne, how are you doing?

Good. They call me Shayne the Train

'cause I like finding the biggest guy

and then going right at him.

I made it in the top three.

Shayne, this is why we started this competition

based on boys like you, you know that?

It's been five years. I've grown up a lot.

I mean, I don't have a Mohawk, I started college,

and I am working at a Vietnamese barbeque fusion restaurant.

I feel like I have unfinished business in the MasterChef kitchen,

and I am ready to prove Chef Shayne the Train is here to stay.

- Dara. - Hello, Chef.

A season one "MasterChef Junior" finalist.

The winner of "MasterChef Junior,"

congratulations, Alexander.

Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for our runner-up Dara.

People might remember me as Dara the Bow Girl.

Can I have a look at that please?

- Yes. - Ah, beautiful.

Yeah? What do you think?

But I've ditched the bow now and gained a culinary degree.

I'm back to show that I'm meant to be a force in this industry.

It's a lot of pressure,

but I have to take my deep breaths

and just keep in my zone.

And I wanna be the first "MasterChef Junior" contestant

to come back on and win.

- You guys ready? - Yes, Chef.

Your 45 minutes start now.

Don't forget about the burners!

- Turn them on! - There you go.

We've got three incredibly talented "MasterChef" Juniors.

Tonight, we wanna see their growth

since we last saw them here in the MasterChef kitchen.

Honestly, they all need to exceed our expectations.

How you doing, Dara?

- Good, how are you? - I'm great.

- Young man, how you feeling? - I'm feeling great.

You were 13 years of age last time you graced this floor.

Shayne, what competition are you in?

"MasterChef Junior!"

What's in a vinaigrette?

Lemon, lime, olive oil!

- What does that make? - A vinaigrette!

I never thought this opportunity would come, but here I stand today.

Tell me about the dish. What are you making?

I'm gonna be making a Cajun risotto

- with a blackened catfish. - Wow.

And I'm also gonna be making a Cajun cream sauce to top it off.

- Gotcha. - I hope I can do enough to get that apron, Chef.

Likewise. How much rent do you pay mom and dad now?

I like to tell them that I'm a grown man, and whenever I tell them that,

they always hand me the light bill, so that's pretty much it.

Man, you got some great parents, you know that?

- Yes, sir, I do. - Okay. Well, welcome back.

Thank you for having me.

- Yeah, girl! - Oh, yeah.

Dara, this is quite impressive.

Your setup here is super professional.

Tell me a little bit about what you're doing.

I'm doing Chinese style steamed cod

with a stuffed bok choy.

Then it's served with a seasoned dashi broth.

And what's the dream? What do you wanna do?

You want to have an empire you said?

I do. I know I said that I wanted to take your job.

Dara, what's the food dream?

Be a judge on "MasterChef."

And whose job do you want to take?

- Joe. - Joe's.

Can you do a death stare?

You got it. Okay, you start next year.

I'm about ready to retire, so you can have the keys to the empire.

- Perfect. - Good luck, Dara. It's nice to see you.

Just over 22 minutes remaining. Halfway. Come on, guys.

Taste everything. Let's bring it!

- Tae-Ho, how are you, man? - Hello, Chef. Good to see you again.

Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?

I'm doing something I like to call Sleeping Beef.

We got a yuzu dashi brown butter pasta

- with a New York strip. - So you're making what?

- A tagliatelle? - No, sir. Pasta blankets.

- Asian influence though. - I love that.

Did you have any idea you'd be back here competing?

- "Back to Win?" - Not at all, Chef.

Last time I was here, I was a little boy.

I was using sriracha on beef. I'm sure you remember.

Because you just don't put sriracha over the best lobster

and the best filet mignon.

I've learned my lesson. I don't use sriracha anymore. Don't worry.

- Get your hands on that apron, yes? - Yes, Chef!

- Welcome back and good luck, young man. - Thank you so much, Chef.

We're coming down to the last ten minutes remaining.

The energy is definitely up there,

and they're moving as fast if not faster than the adults.

Maybe their youth is an asset, not a liability.

- Exactly that. - Where's your money on?

All right, look, Dara's hard to beat, I think.

She's eloquent, she's knowledgeable, and she's dangerous.

You know, that dashi broth,

that needs to be exceptional, that broth.

Can you do that perfect broth in 45 minutes?

- It's a lot. - That's the question.

- Flambé. - Shayne has to nail the risotto, right?

We all know it's either right or it's wrong.

So he's got a lot of jeopardy there.

Too easy. Too easy.

Tae-Ho's dish sounds amazing.

Fingers crossed that the cook on the steak is right.

Since when were y'all this quiet?

- Come on, Tae!

We've now got one minute to go.

Come on, guys.

- Ooh, she's fast. Look at you go. - There you go.

All right, speedy.

30 seconds to go. Look at what Dara's doing.

She's got a ladle of oil, and she's heating that thing

to sear in those aromatics on top of that cod.

Five, four, three, two, one.

And stop. Well done.

I'm shaking. I'm nervous.

I wasn't able to taste it all together.

This moment means so much to me.

I'm feeling the pressure, and I'm just scared

what they're gonna say about this dish.

What an amazing 45 minutes.

You three former "MasterChef Junior" contestants did incredible well.

- You should be very proud. - Thank you, Chef.

Tae-Ho, please, let's start off with you.

This is a dish I like to call Sleeping Beef.

It is sugar snap peas in a brown butter yuzu dashi sauce

tossed with pasta blankets with a New York strip.

All right, so how did you want to cook this steak?

Just under medium rare.

This is a rare to black and blue steak.

Which is okay by me, but if you were hoping

for medium rare, that it's not.

What's the acidity in the pasta?

Because there's a really punching acidity.

Yuzu.

And then you grated Parmigiano-reggiano on it?

- Mm-hmm. - So putting yuzu in a pasta

is very, very creative.

You get the richness from the reggiano Parmigiano

and then you get acidity from the yuzu,

and I kind of enjoy that.

I agree. I love the usage of herbs.

I love the little breadcrumb.

Tae-Ho, the dish is good. I love the sear.

It could have done with another 2 1/2 minutes max,

but the pasta's delicious. Good job.

Thank you, Chef.

Right, Shayne, bring your dish down. Thank you.

Here I have a Cajun risotto with a blackened catfish

served with a Cajun cream sauce.

The risotto looks spot on,

so I'm hoping for a lot of flavor.

What do you think?

I think it's pretty good, Chef.

Shayne, let me tell you something.

I was not making risottos

- like that at 18 years of age. - Thanks, Chef.

The blackened catfish is cooked beautifully.

What the dish does need is a touch of citrus acid

- on top of that fish. - Shayne, let me give you a word of advice.

Cream sauces are for amateurs. You're not an amateur. You didn't need it.

The risotto is well executed. You made it your own.

You gave it a little Cajun twist. You nailed it.

For me, Shayne, I think the catfish was great.

The flavors are clear. They're clean and robust.

- Good job. - Thank you.

Dara, can you bring your dish forward, please?

I've prepared a Chinese style steamed cod

with a stuffed bok choy and a seasoned dashi broth.

All right, Dara, visually, it looks beautiful.

Elegant piece of cod.

Maybe a touch too big for the size of the circumference of the bowl.

We'll see when we get in there.

Tell me about the dashi broth.

I wanted to take the umami flavors from the kombu,

and I also added a little bit of lemongrass and lime

to break through some of the umami.

Dara, the dish is...

Delicious.

Cod is cooked beautifully,

and the broth, it tastes good.

You're cooking with such finesse.

Can you imagine another five years training?

You'll only be 25 years of age ready to kick all our asses.

- Great job. - What are you able to do is with the aromatics

like the ginger and the scallion and the chili,

they've softened up so I can actually have them.

Usually you wouldn't have a piece of ginger like that,

- but you can. - Smart.

Thank you, Chef.

This dish is-- it's electric.

- Bravo. - Thank you, Chef.

- Good job. - Thank you.

Right, Shayne, Dara, and Tae-Ho, excuse us for a moment please.

Great job, guys.

This is now where we need three aprons,

- because all three of those dishes-- - Yeah, were really good.

Three great dishes vying for only two aprons.

Really, very, very impressive.

Among the three, there was a clear standout dish.

And this apron goes to...

Dara.

- Well done, girl. - Thank you.

- Good job, Dara. - Great job.

Congratulations.

Dara, you've got the education,

and you've got the foundation, so congratulations.

Thank you so much, Chef.

Right, Tae-Ho, Shayne, it's been a very tough decision,

but the final apron goes to...

Man, am I excited.

It feels so good to be competing with the adults.

We're grown, and it's time to play with the big dogs.

It's time for the big dogs to play with me.

- I'm proud of you. - I'm proud of myself.

I was so close to that apron.

I maybe should've left

the steak on the pan a little longer.

But either way, I stood there and I was proud of what I made,

and I was proud of my peers around me.

This apron means everything to me.

I doubt myself a lot,

and having a MasterChef apron

proves that I'm meant to do this,

and I think the judges see that.

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

- Next time on - Back To Win"...

All of these ex-contestants, they're back with a vengeance.

the pressure is on as the audition battles conclude...

- Are you back to win? - 100%.

with only six aprons left to claim a spot...

- I hope y'all like it spicy. - ...in the top 20.

- Where's Fred gone? - I think this is done.

Your seasoning here is really what's bringing this to the next level.

Now I'm treating you like I would talk to a cook in my restaurant,

because that's the level we're at.

There is so much going on here.

I don't know if I need a chair or a sick bag.

Master Chef returns with former contestants back to win.