Masterchef (2010–…): Season 10, Episode 23 - London Calling - Pt. 2 - full transcript

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Gordon: Tonight on "MasterChef,"

we're down to the final four

after losing two home cooks last week...

Subha, Shari, I'm sorry to say,

tonight was your last
performance in this competition.

...and head to the English countryside

for an epic semifinal cook-off.

Welcome, everyone, to the
amazing Hatfield estate.

With surprise...

You'll be cooking for culinary royalty.

Nigella Lawson.



...after surprise...

Stop the clock! There's one more thing.

- I knew it.
- ( bleep )

- Aw, jeez.
- ...and a fight...

Here we go.

...for one of the three
spots in the finale.

- ( bleep )
- Sarah, you've got to start plating.

You're making me very nervous.

Not going home today.

Visually, it's certainly artistic.

Food shouldn't be plate decoration.

Ay, Dios mío.

( music playing )

- Oh, my God.
- Wow.



This is so much faster than I thought.

I know. So crazy.

Dorian: I never in a million years

thought that I would
be in the semifinals

of "MasterChef" season ten.

When I first started
in this competition,

I wasn't confident.

And here I am now thinking,

"You can be in the finale, Dorian."

I know for a fact that I
don't belong in a carpet mill.

This is where I'm supposed to be.

Look at the deer!

- Noah: Oh, my gosh.
- It's a herd!

Look over there.

( fanfare playing )

- Noah: This is unbelievable.
- Dorian: Look how pretty it is.

- That's the biggest house...
- Dorian: I've ever seen.

I feel like a princess!

Taking me to the ball.

I feel like I'm in a fairy tale.

I'm so excited, and
also kind of terrified,

because I know that we have something

really intense around the corner.

- I got ya.
- Thank you.

Thank you.

Noah: Oh, my gosh.

They look so cute.

- Good morning.
- Good morning, Chefs.

Welcome, everyone, to the
amazing Hatfield estate.

This is one of the finest, most famous

country estates in all of England.

Now, listen carefully.

Kings and queens have lived
on this incredible estate.

King Edward VI, Queen Elizabeth I,

- and Queen Mary.
- Wow.

This place is living history.

And today, you talented
four will make history

as you embark on the
incredible semifinals

of "MasterChef" season ten.

Guys, we brought you halfway around
the world for this very moment.

There are three spots up
for grab in the finale.

There are four of you. Do the math.

I don't like those aprons.

Please, all of you, put
on your black aprons.

Let's be gentlemen. Ladies first.

We're in England.

One of you standing before us

will be America's next MasterChef.

Gordon: And today you'll
be cooking for royalty.

Culinary royalty.

She is the queen of British cuisine.

Please welcome my dear
friend Nigella Lawson.

- Oh, my...
- Well, hello!

Welcome.

I cannot believe Nigella Lawson is here.

She is a renowned food critic.
Her palate is phenomenal.

She is the person who makes
home cooking look elevated.

Hello!

It's really nice to meet you all.

She is going to be dissecting

every single element of our dishes,

so I need to make sure that my
flavor profiles are on point.

Finally! It's taken you
ten years to be here.

We're so grateful and honored.

I'm very pleased to be here.

Sarah, I saw your face light up

when I mentioned Nigella's name.

I think I'm dreaming.
I'm pinching myself.

But I love you. It's
really amazing to...

to cook for you.

I'm looking forward to
eating all of your food, too.

You know, for me it's really exciting.

And you've come so
far in the competition,

so I know I'm getting
a particular treat.

You know the history behind
this incredible building.

Nigella: For centuries,
royalty has hunted here,

especially the prized deer

that still roam freely in the woods.

That's why in this challenge

we want you to make a venison dish

using venison that came straight
from these majestic grounds.

You have one hour to
make us a venison dish

that you could feed
to a king or a queen.

Dorian: Being that it's the semifinals,

I knew it wasn't gonna be easy,

but I just hoping it wasn't venison.

I've never had venison.
I've never cooked venison.

But no matter how hard the protein,

I'm going to give the
judges my very best.

Today, you guys will be cooking

in the original Victorian
kitchen of this estate.

Guys, you can practically
taste the history and flavor

of the food that's been
made in this kitchen.

So you have incredibly high
standards to live up to today.

Nigella, would you please do the honors?

Try and go in with a smile.

You have 60 minutes,

and your time starts now.

- Let's go, guys.
- Come on. Good luck.

Good luck. Noah, don't knock
anything down over there, please.

- Yes, Chef. Heard, Chef.
- It costs a fortune.

- Oh, my...
- Oh, my God.

Oh, my gosh.

Dorian: This is so crazy.

- They have all kinds of stuff.
- Okay, risotto.

- Oh, my God, fresh morels.
- Oh, wow.

Nick: Coming off that last
challenge, I failed as a team captain.

So I need to make something
that really stands out here

and shows that I deserve
to be in that top three.

And with this dish, I'm doing a lot.

I'm trying to pack a
ton into this 60 minutes,

but it's a risk that I have to take.

Behind. Excuse me.

Right, the most important
cook-off so far. Four remain.

One, sadly, is going home. Three
are going straight to the finale.

This is the first time we've actually
cooked venison in this competition.

Jeopardy beyond belief. Do you
think they would've been averse

in terms of understanding how
delicate you need to cook venison?

Well, it's a hard one 'cause
it's so simple to cook,

- but so easy to overcook.
- Yeah, absolutely.

And also they have to be careful
with what they pair it with

because the meat is
actually quite sweet.

They need to show all of the
beautiful lessons and techniques

- that they've learned throughout this journey.
- Sure. Absolutely.

It should be smart,
flavorful, and well-balanced.

It needs to be a dish worthy

of the semifinal of
"MasterChef" season ten.

Sarah: I've never cooked venison before,

but I feel very confident in my ability

to cook proteins in this competition.

So, I'm just gonna focus on
getting the perfect cook on it

and hopefully it'll come through.

Somebody got the white wine?

Dorian: I'm a little nervous
about cooking with the venison.

I've never cooked with it before.

I've come a long way,

both on myself and
on my form of cooking,

and this is a dish
that I'm gonna be able

to show the judges that growth

and be able to go into the finale.

Right, Dorian.

- Hello.
- Yes, Chef.

- How you feeling?
- We've come to interrupt you.

- I'm nervous, Chef.
- Now give us an insight

- to what you're doing.
- That smells good.

- What's the dish?
- I am doing cocoa buttered

rack of venison with mixed greens

and herb fingerling potatoes

- with rhubarb and currant compote.
- And what have you added

to the rhubarb and currant?

I am boiling them down
in a nice white wine.

How much wine did you add?

Probably about a cup and a half. Maybe.

Very good. I love the
idea of that tartness.

- How you feeling?
- I feel really good about it.

I always say that you are only
as good as your competition.

- Yes.
- So for me to get into the finale means

- that I've gotten there by beating the best.
- That's great.

- Think what you've done.
- Yes.

Think of service you've been through.

Remember that one? Now it's
just one stunning plate.

Just one plate.

Gordon: Right. Noah.

- Hey, Chef, how are you doing?
- What are you doing?

I'm doing a test real quick.

- Yes.
- Never done venison like this.

I'm gonna be doing a peppercorn

encrusted venison loin.

It's gonna be topped
with a red wine demi-glace

and then it'll be served over the
top of a morel mushroom risotto.

- But the hero is the venison, right?
- Yes, absolutely.

The risotto sounds like a separate dish.

- Sounds ambitious. Good luck.
- Yes, Chef. Thank you, Chef.

- Thank you, ma'am. Thank you so much.
- Good flavors.

Noah: I could play this
really, really safe,

but that's not who I am.

I'm gonna be throwing
down some big, bold flavors

in a castle kitchen.

I feel very, very confident
that I'm not gonna be going home.

Well, it's very calm so far.

- Aarón: Yes.
- Early days.

Gordon: Fascinating dishes. Dorian?

I love the idea of her flavors of doing

the red currant and rhubarb.

But what slightly made me anxious

is that she has added
a cup of white wine.

And of course, rhubarb
gives off so much liquid

- when it cooks...
- Yeah.

...that I think it's gonna
be waterier than a compote.

She might be able to turn
it into some sort of gravy.

Gordon: And Noah, there's
two dishes going on here.

He's making a morel mushroom
risotto with a loin of venison.

Joe: A risotto by definition
is flavored by the protein.

So, if you're making a venison
risotto, you need a venison stock

- to cook the rice in.
- Yeah, but he's doing a mushroom risotto.

Which is a little bit
all over the place.

Nigella: I don't think his
focus is going onto the venison.

Guys, 15 minutes gone,
45 minutes remaining.

I just want to point out

we've got 45 minutes to go
and Noah's cooking his risotto.

Risotto, you know better than anybody,

- takes 22 minutes from start to finish.
- Right.

Hopefully that's just the trial one,

and in a half hour he'll start
a new risotto to serve us.

He just made an egregious mistake.

He just put cold stock into his risotto.

Gordon: No.

( music playing )

Gordon: Guys, there's
40 minutes remaining.

Don't cook that venison too early,

but make sure you
give it sufficient time

- to rest properly.
- Okay, got it.

Nick: I've cooked with venison before.

My great grandmother
lived in upstate New York

where they'd always hunt deer,

so I think I do have a
pretty good understanding

of how to work with it,
how to treat it properly.

We're already 20 minutes
in. I have a lot left to do

and I haven't even
touched the venison yet.

So I need to get on that
because this is one dish

where you have one chance
to put it all on the line.

This is not the time to mess up.

- How you doing, Nick?
- This is incredible.

I mean, it's an honor
just to be cooking in here.

So, we have to do that justice,

and I'm trying to knock this
venison dish out of the park.

- Talk to us about your dish.
- A little bone marrow, I see.

- I'm making a bone marrow crusted venison rack...
- Joe: Wow.

...with a pomme purée, a
currant and red wine reduction,

and some lightly sweated
garlic and watercress greens.

That's a good idea,

although, a bone marrow
crust could be tricky

because it really just
acts more like a glue.

As long as the bone marrow
doesn't dominate, makes it soggy,

I think you'll be in
good shape there, okay?

How you gonna present? Are
you gonna cut it in half?

I'm gonna have a pretty
cool presentation.

I'm gonna have it sort of sitting up.

Nice!

Joe: Sarah, what's the plan?

So, you got some potatoes
boiling in cream or milk.

Parsnips and apple.

And then I'm gonna infuse some cream

with some thyme and rosemary

to do the parsnip and apple purée.

And I'm gonna do the venison
rack roasted Romanesco

with a pan sauce reduction.

Joe: Early on in this competition,

you suffered with finesse and plating.

And then you turned it on a little bit

in the last couple of weeks.

Are you gonna be able
to keep that streak going

and really present us a
beautiful dish that pops?

- Can you do that?
- I think so.

Yeah, that's the plan. I'm
gonna have a lot of nice colors

on there for you and
I'm definitely gonna try

and, you know, break out the tweezers.

Good luck.

One of us is gonna be eliminated
at the end of this challenge,

and I'm going to fight
my way as hard as I can

to make it into the finale.

I'm doing this to prove to my kids

that there's never a wrong
time to go after your dreams.

And that means absolutely zero
room for error in this dish

'cause the stakes are so high.

- Gordon: Nick, what's nick up to?
- All right,

so he's doing a dish
that has a lot of promise.

He's very aware that the
venison is void of fat.

So he wants to introduce
that in the crust

- with bone marrow and herbs.
- Bone marrow crusted? Smart.

And he's gonna put a
potato purée with that,

and then he has a
beautiful currant reduction.

Joe: Okay, so he's really risking a lot.

Not much to hide behind.
Hopefully, he gets it right.

Aarón: And then Sarah is
actually gonna be really focusing

- on parsnip and an apple purée...
- Gordon: Nice.

...to be the foil for her venison.

I would have thought
celeriac could have been

more interesting than the parsnips.

- 'Cause it's so sweet, parsnips.
- Right.

But she's doing it the right
way. She's cooking it in cream,

- which is the right way to do it, you know?
- Nigella: Yes.

Sarah, be mindful of time.
There you go, Nicholas.

Nick: There's a lot to do for this dish.

It's ambitious.

Venison is something that
can be difficult to work with.

You could overcook it.
You could undercook it.

You could not let it rest long
enough. It could be too tough.

So there's a lot of little details
there that you have to be aware of.

This is the most stressful
situation we've had yet.

Aarón: Nick's really
cooking, bro. I like this.

Yeah, yeah, it's the real deal.

He's got those racks in the oven.

Think of your timing, Dorian.

They saved the hardest thing for last.

Venison is not something
that I am familiar with.

It is very technical, it
is not an easy meat to cook,

and I am praying and hoping
that it turns out right.

Good job, Dorian.

Let's go. Keep moving, okay.

- How you doing, Sarah?
- Good. How are you doing?

- Awesome.
- Are you?

Noah: I have some world-class risotto

almost ready to go,

and I haven't started
cooking my venison loin yet,

but I've cooked venison multiple times.

I'm confident when I
nail the venison cook,

I'll have my ticket
punched to go to the finals.

You know, I do think
what would be really great

is a proper English dessert.

- Dessert?
- I'd go for a trifle.

It's kind of suicidal, I think,
throwing in a trifle right now.

Well, I'm not trying to be
mean, but it is the semifinals.

I agree. Season ten, let's go big.

Right, stop the clock.
You four look up, please.

We're halfway through.

There's one more thing
that we've just decided.

Do you know what would go
great with a venison dish?

I knew it.

( chuckles )

Stop the clock. You
four look up, please.

There's one more thing.

Do you know what would go
great with a venison dish?

- A trifle.
- I knew it.

- Yes, Chef.
- A trifle.

- A trifle.
- It's sponge

soaked in liqueur,

fruit, custard, and cream,

and decorated as you wish.

Out of all the desserts
in the world, why a trifle?

It is not an easy thing to do.

To get those layers all stand alone,

but when you spoon down deep

they all come up
together and make sense?

This trifle is a headache and
I haven't even started yet.

Guys, there's 30 minutes remaining.

We're starting the clock now. Let's go.

Moving and grooving,
baby. Moving and grooving.

Here we go.

- Sarah.
- Yes, Chef.

Sarah, get that venison in the oven.

- In the oven.
- In the oven.

Sarah: I don't even have
my venison in the oven.

I should've seen something coming.

But throwing the trifle in
there with 30 minutes to go...

( bleep )

...it's seeming like an impossible feat.

( bleep ), I need another
pan. Where's the pans?

Gordon: 28 minutes remaining.

Noah: I've never tasted a trifle.

I really can't even say that
I've seen it on a menu before.

But whatever Gordon Ramsay is
telling me to do, I'm gonna do,

because that's how a winner acts.

Sugar, sugar.

- Heavy cream.
- Let's go, guys.

Let's get the patissiere
cream dispatched.

- Noah: Where's the vanilla bean?
- Gordon: 25 minutes remaining.

Hello. Tell me about your trifle.

I don't make desserts a
ton, but when I do, you know,

I like to try something
creative, interesting,

and I think this looks pretty good.

Nick: After having a
couple desserts in the past

that didn't work out well,
this is a pretty huge curveball.

But I can't possibly go home

for such a simple English dessert.

I have to nail it. There's
no other option for me.

Gordon: What fruits are you gonna use?

I'm gonna just macerate
these blackberries.

Just little sugar, little water.

And then I think I'm gonna
soak these in champagne.

I think that'll taste
kind of interesting.

Careful of the champagne
inside that trifle.

You don't want to make it too bitter.

You know, the alcohol should be

like a rather delicious hit.

It shouldn't make you wince.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

- Right, Sarah.
- Hi, Sarah.

Your cream is nearly
boiling, by the way.

- Thank you.
- Gordon: Okay, you got that.

Right, how you feeling?

Uh, trying to recompose after that.

- Yep.
- Tell me about your trifle.

I'm gonna do a ladyfinger
and raspberry liqueur

- raspberry trifle.
- Fabulous.

- Looks good.
- Thank you.

Chef, does that
consistency gotta go more?

I'd cook it a little bit more.

- Bring it up to a boil.
- Yes, Chef.

Think of it as being like a
sweet version of mayonnaise.

Okay. Thank you so much, ma'am.

Dorian, I can see there
are blueberries here.

Yes, blueberries. That's
gonna be for my trifle.

I'm gonna cook these blueberries down

and then I'm mix it with
some fresh blueberries

- so that I don't lose that texture.
- Yes.

- And what alcohol you putting?
- Um, I'm not sure yet.

I think I might even use
that Chardonnay that I have.

- Think about a richer...
- Something rich...

- You know...
- I'm not much of a alcohol person. I don't drink.

I'm a strong baker, yes,

but I'm so far behind in
making my venison dish.

And I have to give it all
the attention that I can,

because there is no hiding
a bad cook on venison.

It has to be cooked properly.

Don't boil that. It's
gonna split, remember?

- Whisk it. Let's get it cooler.
- Whisk, whisk. That's it.

If it does start splitting, it's
too lumpy, pass it through a sieve.

- But you should be able to do it in one.
- Okay.

- Thank you. Thank you.
- Good luck. Well done.

We have 20 minutes remaining.

Perfect, perfect, perfect.

Sweet baby Jesus, we're rolling.

Guys, 20 minutes to go and Noah hasn't
even started cooking his venison yet.

Well, he's focusing on his trifle.

Mmm. Oh, that's nice.

- I can't open it. Noah, can you open this for me?
- I gotcha. I gotcha.

Don't... Don't...
Don't waste your time.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

- Gordon: Noah.
- Yes, Chef.

- Get that venison in the oven.
- Yes, Chef. Heard, Chef.

- Heard, Chef.
- The resting should be as long as you cook it.

- Okay? So be smart.
- Yes, Chef.

We're rolling. Not going home today.

Not going home today.

- ( bleep )
- I'm worried about these custards.

- Oh, my God.
- Nigella: Nick.

- Yeah?
- You can't leave a custard

on the flame without stirring it.

- It'll split.
- Thank you.

- Do not overcook your custards, guys, okay?
- Got it.

We have some extremely
anxious home cooks down there

and they're completely frazzled.

Nick's overcooked his custard,
now he's put it through a sieve.

- Which will still work, incidentally.
- Yes.

Dorian, why are you using a hand whisk?

- Ma'am?
- Are you gonna get that whisked in time?

- It's okay. It's almost done.
- You only need a couple of spoons on top.

Don't go crazy.

You should be starting
to assemble your trifles,

but don't neglect your venison.

I am very, very worried
about the trifles.

Aarón: Think about what's in the oven.

Give ample time to rest your meats.

- Yes, Chef.
- I'm worried that Nick's got his venison

in the oven for at least 10, 15
minutes now without being looked at.

- It might be overcooked.
- I'm feeling very stressed.

Seven minutes to go.

Four super talented home
cooks down there, Nigella,

the boldest, the most competitive.

- Behind.
- Nigella: Yeah, I can see.

Their journey has been
nothing short of a miracle.

Noah, keep stirring that risotto!

- Come on, Noah. I'm slightly concerned.
- Got it.

Noah's been cooking that risotto
for the better part of an hour.

Noah: If I execute my plan,

I should be the first person

from north Georgia as a finalist.

Not going home today.

Go big or go home.

That's what my MasterChef
journey has been about,

and to see it end would
be absolutely devastating.

So, I can't fail here.

- Come on, Noah. You got this.
- Yes, Chef, I do.

Four minutes remaining.
Start thinking of plating.

Aarón: Go through the
bone. There you go, Dorian.

Dorian: I came into this
competition as an underdog.

There's a lot of ingredients
that I had never seen before

because I wasn't able to
afford those kind of things.

- That's enough on there, Dorian.
- So, for me to come in

with those types of handicaps

and to get to this place now,

I am so proud of myself.

Make sure you taste everything.

- Mmm!
- Nice.

He's going avant-garde. I like that.

Nick: I've put a lot of
thought into this plating.

I mean, I don't like to
go along with convention.

So, it's a risk, but for me

to take off the time from school

and chase this dream,

I need to make it worthwhile.

And for me that means
making it into the finals.

I have to put it all on the line

- because that's why I'm here.
- Last two minutes.

Sarah, you've got to start plating.

Get your garnish on there,
slice your venison last.

- Yes, Chef.
- Let's go.

Sarah: There are two
minutes left in this.

I have nothing on my tray right now.

You need to get it on the plate, you
know? You're making me very nervous.

I feel like I'm not breathing.

I'm known for last-minute plating,

but there is way too much on the line.

I need to get something on my tray.

90 seconds to go, guys.

Gordon: Oh, no, look at Noah's cream.

- His pastry cream is liquid.
- Oh, jeez. Here we go.

Season that venison once you slice it.

- Where's salt?
- Gordon: Good, Nick.

Make sure the string is off.

- 60 seconds remaining, guys.
- Aarón: Here we go.

- This is it.
- Final minute, everyone.

Knife, knife, knife.

Where's my tongs? Tongs?

Gordon: Come on, Sarah.

Be positive what you're doing.

That's the potato in the
plastic squeezy bottle.

Oh, I see, he just wants
to do, like, buttons.

- Aarón: Make sure it's on the tray, Sarah.
- Watch that tray, Noah.

It's hanging off the
edge of the table, please.

Aarón: Here we go.
30 seconds, everyone.

Trifles out. Sprinkle them
with nuts on top, dusted sugar.

Pecans.

- Come on, guys.
- Come on, make sure you get it all on.

Judges: Ten, nine, eight, seven,

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

- That's it. Hands in the air.
- ( bleep )

- That was hard.
- That was hard.

That was a challenge for the ages.

Now, who will make history?

We'll find out when we taste
your incredible looking dishes.

We'll see you in the grand dining
room. All of you, well done.

- Thank you so much, guys.
- Nigella: Thank you.

- Thank you for visiting us.
- Thank you very much.

- Whoo, that was intense.
- Nigella: It was.

That is, Sarah, perfect.

You like that? I
finally nailed a protein.

I'm just overwhelmed.

That had to have been the
hardest cook that I've done

in "MasterChef" yet.

So, at this point it's
really up to the judges.

Sarah: Everything that
I do is for my family

and for our dream of that restaurant.

And it's all here on
this tray in front of me.

Noah: The journey here has been
the greatest journey of my life.

I just know that I have
unfinished business to do.

I know that I gotta get that finale.

I want to show everybody
how much I've grown

from day one to where I'm at now.

Nick: I started in this
little illegal dorm kitchen,

and now I'm walking into
this tasting that's gonna lead

either into the top three
or going home right before.

I don't feel like I'll
have completed my journey

if I don't make it to the finals.

That was an extraordinary 60 minutes.

There's four of you in front of us

and there are only three
spots in the finale.

Seriously, all of you, well done.

Now for the most
exciting part...

how it tastes.

- First up, Dorian, please.
- Let's go, Dorian.

Dorian: I've worked so hard to get here

and I'm proud of the plate.

You don't need bells and
whistles to make good food.

All you need to do is make good food.

But this is season ten,

so you either put up or go home,

and hopefully I put up
enough to keep me here.

Describe the dishes, please.

I have a cocoa
butter-basted rack of venison

with bitter greens and
herb-roasted fingerling potatoes

with a rhubarb and currant compote.

- Did you slice any venison off and taste it?
- Yes, I did.

I loved it. It was my
first time tasting it.

It doesn't look like it's
the first time you cooked it.

It's cooked beautifully.
I love the sear.

- Yeah.
- All right, shall we?

- Smells wonderful.
- Actually slicing this through there like that,

it's actually cutting like butter.

- Look at that.
- That's perfect.

That's cooked beautifully.

Thank you.

Great job. That cocoa powder lifts it

and helps that sort of
gamy flavor disappear

- and get a little bit more bitterness in there.
- The potatoes are neither

one thing nor the
other. They're not crisp.

You need something with a bit
more depth to bring it together.

Dorian, this dish speaks of you.

You're consistent with your style.

And I think you're one of the rare cooks

able to transfer your
emotion, your actions

into dishes that truly
reflect who you are.

- Thank you, Joe.
- Gordon: And your trifle?

My trifle is a blueberry
compote custard and whipped cream

garnished with pecans and mint.

So...

what was the alcohol for the sponge?

- What'd you put in there?
- I used the sweet sherry

- and... yes.
- Nigella: Very traditional.

And I squirted the blueberries
with just a little bit of lemon

just to add some more acidity.

So, I love it.

I want another spoon. I like
that drunken fruit flavor.

Nigella: I like the fact that
you brought a bit of America

to a very British
classic with the pecan.

Perhaps a bit more texture on top.

I'm not as big of a
fan, especially from you.

I think that this is
an important moment.

You know, we're in the semifinal.

Look at the other
trifles that are there.

The flavor is okay.

- Hopefully it'll be enough.
- Hopefully.

- Thank you, Dorian.
- Thank you.

I came in here feeling
like I didn't even belong.

- Good job, Dorian.
- Good job, Dorian.

And where I look at where I came from...

Thank you.

...and where I am now,

it lets me know that I belong here

just like anybody else does.

Noah, please bring yours forward.

Noah: I've never been more
proud of the finished result.

So now it's make or
break with the judges.

If they like it, I'm
stoked and I'm on to finals.

If they don't like it,

I'm very proud of the dish still.

I'll just be
extraordinarily disappointed.

Noah, please describe your dish.

We have a red and black
pepper crusted venison loin

over the top of a morel
mushroom and lemon risotto

with asparagus on the side.

And then we have red wine
and venison demi reduction.

I love the color you got in the risotto.

It immediately looks
like it's very rich.

You did seem to start
cooking it very early on,

and I feel like a risotto
needs about 20 minutes to cook.

So, if you started it
right at the very beginning,

that it's gonna be quite pudding-y.

Gordon: I just love your ambition.

The fact that you're cooking
for a spot in the finale

and you're prepared to do a
risotto and a loin of venison.

It's one of the most temperamental
proteins anywhere on the planet.

Joe: It's a lot.

That being said, a lot can be good

- if everything's delicious.
- Gordon: Shall we?

- You're happy with the cook, Noah?
- Yes, Chef.

I tested one. I seasoned it.

I tried it again. Then
I cooked another one.

I was very happy.

Joe: Noah, you chose
to execute a risotto,

which is the most unforgiving,

the most difficult, the
most time-sensitive carb.

And you chose to execute
a loin of venison,

which is the most difficult,
unforgiving protein.

One of the two let you down.

( music playing )

Noah, you chose to execute a risotto

and you chose to execute
a loin of venison.

One of the two let you down.

The risotto was not properly cooked.

The rice kernels themselves

are a little bit granular and mushy,

which means at some point when you
added too much liquid, you boiled them.

And when you boil them they explode,

and that is a dramatic
technical error making a risotto.

For me, Noah, I think you
executed the venison beautifully.

I love everything about
this dish minus the rice.

You know, you got two
big dishes going on.

You got that loin
venison and the risotto.

I want one stunning dish.

So, man, it's... it's
a tough call this one.

- Aarón: Should we try the trifle?
- Gordon: Thank you.

The trifle is a cake underneath
soaked in a raspberry liqueur,

a raspberry and blackberry
compote with the Anglaise custard,

and then toasted coconut
to give it some texture.

Aarón: I love it. From the snappy parts

of the fruit and the seeds to
the coconut shavings on top,

it's firing on all cylinders
when it comes to texture.

- Thank you.
- Joe: I could taste the berries.

They're cooked well. I taste the sponge.

It's absorbed the liqueur.

What I can't taste is the pastry cream.

I think it's a problem that the cream
and custard have melded together,

and I think perhaps a bit
more acidity with the fruit.

Gordon: I actually
love it. It's moreish.

- Good job.
- Thank you all so much.

- Thank you, Noah.
- Way to go, Noah.

Noah: I know that I screwed up,

but the flavors came through,

and I did not do a mistake
that should cost me going home.

The next venison and trifle

we'd like to taste is that of Sarah.

Come on, Sarah. Come on, girl.

Sarah: It's so surreal to be
looking down at this tray of food.

I gave everything that I
have to make it to the finale,

and I am just hoping and
praying that it's enough.

Okay, Sarah, tell us about
your venison dish first.

So, I've made for you a rack of venison.

I have a parsnip and apple purée,

roasted Romanesco, and a port reduction.

I think it looks absolutely beautiful.

It looks restaurant quality
and it's cooked beautifully.

This is actually my first
time ever cooking venison.

- Wow.
- Love that.

I almost feel bad knocking
it down, but here we go.

Aarón: Yeah, I think the
venison is cooked beautifully,

but I think the Romanesco is boring.

- I think it needs a lot more love.
- Sarah: Okay.

- So, the venison is cooked beautifully.
- Thank you.

But it just needs more
seasoning after basting.

- Okay.
- When you're slicing, season again,

because it needs that carry along.

- Purée is smooth, silky, and delicious.
- Thank you.

You need to get slightly more of a sear.

- Okay.
- The purée is good, but it's quite sweet

given that the venison is quite sweet.

Thank you.

And your trifle?

You have a trifle cake

soaked in a little bit
of raspberry liquor,

raspberries, custard, whipped cream,

- and toasted almonds on top.
- All right, I'm going in.

I'm slightly worried that the sponge

- isn't soaked enough at the bottom.
- Okay.

So I'm gonna have to have
quite a profound excavation.

I think that you did need a bit

more booze of some sort at the bottom...

- Okay.
- ...so that the sponge was actually soaked.

It's not a perfect trifle,

but you have got a
good balance of fresh,

- creamy, and crunchy.
- Thank you.

The pastry cream, absolutely
spot-on. Nice texture.

And you can identify the
difference between the whipped cream

- and the pastry cream.
- Okay.

It just needs to be damp underneath

to really absorb all
that wonderful liquid

and alcohol and fruit.

- Joe: Thank you.
- Gordon: Thank you, Sarah.

- Way to go, girl.
- Sarah: I've worked too hard

for too long in this competition

to go home on this dish.

This was either my golden
ticket to the finale

or my plane ticket back to San Diego.

Next up, Nick, please. Thank you.

Nick: I think the dish I cooked today

will be the best dish I've
put out all season long.

I took a lot of risks
and they worked out

and I hope the judges see that.

Gordon: Nick, describe
your dish, please.

I have a bone marrow crusted
venison with a pomme purée,

a currant and red wine reduction,

and some assorted greens.

So, visually, it's certainly
artistic in its plating

and it's very enticing.

I feel food is there to be eaten.

Food shouldn't be plate decoration.

And if it isn't really good,
then that becomes pretentious.

- Let's try it.
- Mm-hmm.

The string's on.

( bleep )

Seriously?

We'd lose a star if we sent
that out to the customer.

- Wow.
- Nigella, how did that taste?

I think you cooked the venison well.

The crust was really good,
but you have to beware

in cooking this concept cuisine.

You're seeing what could
be done, and that's great,

but I think you've got to
think like an eater as well.

Let's get one thing clear.

Crust of the night.

The bone marrow, the way you roasted it,

toasted it... absolutely spot-on.

You've way overdosed on venison.
I need more pomme purée.

When it's that delicious,

give it to me in abundance.

Maverick dish of the night.

It's like a wild
bucking bronco of a dish.

I love that.

I just have a huge, huge problem

with leaving the string.

So, semifinals "MasterChef" season ten.

I have to say that it's like

professionally giving
me a punch in the gut.

And the trifle?

For the trifle, I have soaked the sponge

in champagne and sauternes,
macerated blackberries,

and then the two creams.

What was the alcohol?

It was a mix of champagne and sauternes.

Was it a lot?

I do like it, but it is
actually a creamy cocktail

rather than a dessert.

- You've been asking for it.
- I'm not complaining.

Trifle, it only needs one...
sauternes or the champagne.

- However, it's moist and it's delicious...
- I love it.

...and it's like let's
get drunk on a trifle.

This trifle is really
reflective of your age, I think,

in a big...
in a big way.

Nick, you know who soaks
sponge cake in champagne?

- Who?
- Nobody.

- Thank you, Nick.
- Thank you.

Nick: I can't believe that in this

most important challenge I've had,

how in the world do I possibly forget

to take the string off of the venison?

I'm definitely disappointed in myself.

There's no excuse for
that this late in the game,

and I really hope this
doesn't send me home.

( fanfare playing )

Okay, four incredible performances,

- and we have a major decision to contemplate.
- It's gonna be hard.

Please, give us a moment. Thank you.

Gordon: This is gonna be extraordinary.

- Aarón: Yeah, there's a lot to process.
- Four stunning venison.

Four interesting cooks.

Everybody has ups and downs.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Nick: I'm nervous. I'm sweating.

And if I'm sent home
because of a little string

that was tying a venison rack together,

I'm never gonna forget it.

I think everybody connected the dots.

But, I mean, let's be honest,
venison was the true star.

Absolutely. The venison is the hero.

Noah: I've done
everything that I could do

to show the judges what
I'm capable of doing.

I've fallen short so
many times in my life.

Today is not that day.

And they all cooked it well.

Yeah, they all did cook it well.

Gordon: But there were some
big mistakes from two of them.

Aarón: Yeah.

I know the cook on my
protein was really good,

but everyone brought their A game,

and I'm just hoping
that mine was stronger.

- So, do we all agree?
- Joe: Yeah.

- I definitely do.
- Yeah.

It couldn't be any other way.

We started this competition with
literally thousands of applicants.

You guys are the final four.

The cream of the crop.
What an incredible journey.

Nick, you know, trifle,
it was delicious.

The plating was way too
heavy a clump of venison.

No excuse for the string,
let's get that clear.

Dorian, your trifle was the
most delicious this evening.

Your venison, it was you on a plate,

but potatoes were somewhat
a little bit lacklust.

Sarah, trifle, the pastry
cream was exceptional.

Your venison, it needed more seasoning.

Noah, we couldn't stop
digging in to the trifle.

Come to the entrée,

the risotto was a
completely independent dish

and it was overcooked.

Noah, Sarah, Dorian, Nick,

three of you are going
through to the finale

and sadly, one of you,

you've cooked for the very
last time in this competition.

The home cook that's
leaving us tonight is...

Noah.

I'm sorry, buddy.

( sighs )

The venison dish was super ambitious.

And sadly, there was way too
much effort on the risotto.

Young man, such a lovable character.

What's confirmed for
all of us in this room

is that you have a future in food.

Promise me you're gonna continue.

I promise you, Chef, that
I'll do way more than that.

You've been incredible.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Think back.

Early on in this
competition, you set the tone.

- Gordon: What a burger.
- Aarón: I agree.

This is maybe the first
time a burger won an apron.

Noah: The journey that I've
had getting here to the top four

is substantial in so many ways.

Yeah! I won, baby!

Literally, one day I'm
driving a septic truck,

next day, I'm cooking for Gordon Ramsay

and Aarón Sánchez and Joe.

- I mean, it's delicious.
- Thank you.

- Thank you so much.
- It was a pleasure.

You were awesome.

The amount that I've
learned in a couple months

would take years and years to learn.

Thank you so much.

Thanks for everything.

- Thank you!
- Thank you, miss.

Even though I'm going home,

I'm extraordinarily proud
of what I've achieved.

Thank y'all so much for everything.

It made me a better person,

and I'm truly happy
of what I've done here.

It's been an absolute true blessing.

Congratulations to the finalists

of "MasterChef" season ten.

Come on! Man!

There's just one thing
wrong with this picture.

You still have those black aprons on.

- Oh.
- Get them off!

You're in the finale.

Sarah: I'm so excited I made it

to the "MasterChef" finale.

There's one more special surprise.

Please, follow us.

I'm a mom. I'm a veteran.

This just proves that all of this time

away from my family is all worth it.

Come on! Brilliant!

I'm in the "MasterChef"
season ten finale.

I mean, I had to convince
all my family, my friends,

my teachers, to let me put
school on hold for this.

And now I need to win this thing

to really show that I did
this and it was worth it.

You know what lies ahead, right?

The finale of "MasterChef" season ten.

Congratulations, and good luck.

- Come on, guys.
- Cheers.

- All: Cheers!
- Well done.

Gordon: Lord!

Dorian: I cannot believe it.

I am in the finale.

It is absolutely crazy.

This finale is going to be epic.

I'm in it to win it.

I want that trophy.

- Nick: That's awesome.
- ( cheering )

Gordon: Congratulations, well done.

( music playing )