Masterchef (2010–…): Season 10, Episode 24 - The Finale - Pt. 1 - full transcript
Returning from their home towns after a whirlwind trip across the pond, the Top Three home cooks are ready to tackle their final dishes in hopes of crossing the finish line and coming out on top.
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Gordon: Our search for
America's tenth MasterChef
started off with a bang.
Welcome to the tenth anniversary
season of "MasterChef."
Wow. It's the kind of dish
that I see in the top ten.
Absolutely stunning.
This is the best
auditions we've ever seen
- in over a decade of this competition.
- Noah: Let's go, baby!
This truly was a season of celebration.
You may kiss your gorgeous bride.
There we go!
But we pushed our home
cooks to their limits.
It's one of the ugliest
dishes I've ever seen.
Oh, what happened to
these? What's going on?
- Yeah, you ruined them.
- ( bleep )
Kind of reminds me of
a decomposing corpse.
- What?
- You're not ready to go home.
No, I'm not.
Look at our station. Oh, my God.
- Stop the clock.
- ( bleep ) kidding me?
- Put on your blindfolds.
- Dorian: This can't be real.
- Come on, Dorian!
- Whoa!
- ( bleep )
- I'm actually gonna have a stroke.
- Aah, you burned me!
- Don't shut down, Sam.
Happy to be safe up here.
And had some incredible moments.
( high-pitched )
Welcome to "MasterChef."
Unbelievable!
One of the best macarons
I've ever tasted.
I would love to sell a box
of these in one of my stores.
It's hard to distinguish
this from the original.
One of the best risottos
in the ten year history
- of "MasterChef."
- Micah: This competition
has completely changed my life.
Oh, my God!
Gordon: Chef Morimoto!
Aar?n: Alessandra Ambrosio.
Gordon: Grant Achatz.
Daphne Oz.
A true beast in the kitchen.
- Wow!
- A big old pig!
And for the first time
ever, we went to London.
Shari: Subha, Subha! Oh, my God!
That's not undercooked.
It's ( bleep ) ice cold.
- Finish strong, please. Let's go.
- Yes, Chef.
Gordon: Service, please,
let's go. Last table, red team.
- Well done. Clear down.
- We got through it.
( cheering )
Gordon: Congratulations. Well done.
Now, only three home cooks remain.
And shortly, just one will be crowned
America's next MasterChef.
( music playing )
- Hello!
- Hello.
Excellent. Good to see you.
- Thank you.
- Here we are!
Good evening.
Wow.
Welcome, everyone,
to our incredible
season ten grand finale.
This has been our most epic season ever.
Whoo! Yeah!
You're about to see the best
three home cooks in America.
And they're all gonna be doing battle
right here under the bright lights
of the MasterChef kitchen arena.
It's time to welcome our
three amazing finalists.
First up, we have a 45-year-old
factory worker from Georgia.
Please welcome Dorian.
Dorian: I never thought
in a million years
I would be in the "MasterChef" finale.
I've been waiting for
an opportunity like this
since I was a little girl.
Now I'm standing in the finale,
and it's the beginning
of the rest of my life.
Life before "MasterChef" was very tough.
When I was working
at the carpet factory,
the first thing that would come
into my mind just driving up
is that I didn't wanna be there.
It wasn't what I wanted to do.
Cooking is where I find my freedom.
- So, the moment I got my apron...
- Let's get this on.
...I could not believe a
dream was actually coming true.
Look, Mommy got an apron.
Throughout the competition,
I've unlocked dishes that are in me
that I didn't even know I had.
- Beautiful!
- O-M-G.
You are living testament to what we're trying
to get accomplished in this competition.
And I'm a totally different person
than I was when I walked
into the MasterChef kitchen.
If you'd said to me two months ago
that you'd be plating like this,
I would have never believed you.
It looks like something
that we would do at Alinea.
Gordon: It won't get
any better than that.
When you go home, you realize
how important the win is.
I look around at my children
and I look around at my home,
and I just think of how much more I want
for me and my family.
Going into the finale, I
wanna be true to the flavors
and the ingredients that I grew up with.
This is a very personal menu for me.
My mama has always been my inspiration,
and this menu is my tribute to her.
Mommy, are you gonna win "MasterChef"?
Yes, I'm gonna win "MasterChef."
My dream to have my own restaurant
is right at my fingertips,
and it doesn't have to stay a dream now.
I'm not going back to being a creeler.
I refuse to let that be my end.
My end is going to be
winning "MasterChef,"
and I'm not gonna let this
opportunity pass me by.
Next, a 22-year-old
Harvard student
from Rhode
Island... Nick.
( cheers and applause )
Nick: It means everything
to be here in the finale.
I feel fortunate that I've
had so many things in my life
that I would count as big successes,
but at the same time, a
lot of those had nothing
on getting that white apron.
I have to say, I totally
expected to not like this,
and it's really good.
Whoo!
I came into this competition
as a simple-minded home cook.
And being here has been a
once in a lifetime opportunity
to do stuff that I'd
never done before...
Nick, this is a very intellectual take
on a surf and turf with the prawn aioli.
I just love that creativity.
...and to just take massive risks.
You have something
that is somewhat common
presented in a very unconventional way.
- It's really nice.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Amazing.
- Thank you.
- Good job, Nick.
- Man, that's good.
It's good.
( music playing )
Let's go right in here.
Since coming back from
the MasterChef kitchen,
I have this newfound
sort of hunger to win
that I've never seen before.
- Whoa!
- That's a lot.
For me to pause school,
it was a bold move,
but one that I would
definitely do again.
Wanna measure 'em?
I followed this very traditional path
in academics all through my life.
But on the backburner all
this time has been food.
And I'm taking this
as seriously as I would
the biggest exam of my life.
So, I've been practicing
pretty religiously for this.
- How is that?
- That's really good.
- Yeah?
- We're very proud that Nick
does not hesitate to
follow what he loves.
I've tried to push the
needle in every way possible
in this whole competition.
The finale is no different.
In fact, I think I'm bringing
it up a whole 'nother level here.
Figuring out my menu, I
think the biggest things
that went through my mind
were how should I shape this
into something that tells my story?
I wanna do a menu that sort
of describes my collegiate life
because that's a big part of who I am.
It's a risk, but to win
you have to take these sort of risks.
This meal could change my life.
And finally, ladies and gentlemen,
a 31-year-old former Army
interrogator from San Diego.
Please welcome Sarah.
Sarah: Coming back into
the MasterChef kitchen,
it's really just a dream come true.
And I feel like every step in my life
has led to this exact moment.
I grew up in a really poor family,
so it was either you get scholarships
or you join the military.
The military toughens you.
And coming into this
competition with that mentality
has given me a huge advantage.
Gordon: You've nailed a rack of lamb.
It's the kind of dish
that I see in the top ten.
My journey in this MasterChef kitchen,
it has been such a roller coaster.
Kim, you're in charge of the chicken
stations. Stay focused on that.
- Wuta, you help Kim with the chicken.
- Copy.
But overall, it's been
the most gratifying thing
that I've ever done.
That is perfection.
I've never seen such a
beautiful, artistic piece
of fried chicken.
( music playing )
- What does a frog say?
- Ribbit!
- Good job.
- Yeah, great job.
It's crazy how fast the kids grow,
so it was really hard
being away from them.
But the thing that will make it
worth it is winning this thing.
These finale dishes are really
near and dear to my heart
because I'm bringing my family
into the MasterChef kitchen with me.
My husband's a sommelier,
so my menu is based off of
classic food and wine pairing.
I can't tell you how proud I am.
You've transformed through
this entire experience.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- To winning "MasterChef."
- To the next MasterChef.
I'm ready to take this thing
as far as I possibly can.
This is not a moment I can
let slip through my fingers.
Sarah, Nick, Dorian,
congratulations to all three of you
on making it to the incredible finale.
Welcome to the biggest
cook of your entire lives.
Dorian, you're the oldest
contestant ever in the finale.
How are you feeling right now?
Being the oldest in a finale
just lets you know
that you never give up.
You just keep pushing
forward, it'll happen.
Nick, you are the youngest competitor
that's ever been in the finale at 22.
I've seen you push the creative
envelope all season long.
Will your menu reflect
that this evening?
Absolutely, Chef. Yeah, the
creativity, I try to push it
as hard as I can, and
I'm gonna keep doing that.
Sarah, you've admitted
that you were underestimated
in the beginning of this competition.
Yeah, I mean, I've been
underestimated for my entire career.
People don't look at me and
think I was in the military.
But you know what? I'm
here to bring my A game.
All of you, you're not here alone.
Your friends and family are here
to give you all their
love, all their support.
Now, Dorian, you have
your husband Charles here,
your sons and your daughter.
Charles, welcome back, sir.
Any last words of encouragement?
Dorian, go out and do
it. God is with you.
Your family is with you. We love you.
- Thank you.
- Gordon: Amazing.
Of course, Nick, you
have your parents here,
Chris and Sudie, and your brothers.
Chris, it's every parent's nightmare
when your child leaves Harvard
to go and pursue a job in the kitchen.
( laughter )
Yeah. He's made it
clear this is his dream
and he wanted to follow it,
and we wanted to support that.
I think he's really found his direction.
Sarah, you have your husband Michael,
your mom, and kids.
So, Michael, all alone,
three kids under three.
The sergeant's gone, you
are in charge of the platoon.
You look exhausted.
Does she have what it
takes to deal and to cook
in this immense pressure
of this finale tonight?
I've never met anybody who's dealt
with more pressure in their life.
She can handle anything.
As well as your wonderful
families here to support you,
give it up for season ten contestants
up on the balcony,
and previous "MasterChef" winners!
What's up, guys?
Well, everyone, this is season ten.
So, for the winner, we have
our biggest prize package ever.
Aar?n: You know that
you'll get the title, right?
You'll get the trophy, and of course,
a quarter of a million dollars.
But that happens every season.
This season, one of you will also
win a complete top of the range,
state of the art,
stunning Viking kitchen.
Win here, and your kitchen back home
will truly be worthy of a MasterChef.
And you'll get the
greatest prize of all.
Because for the first time ever,
ten seasons, the winner
of "MasterChef" this year
will get to train in
each of our restaurants.
Trust me, that is a prize
that money truly can't buy.
There's only one thing
standing between you
and winning
all of that...
a perfect three course meal.
One stunning appetizer,
an incredible entr?e,
and then a beautiful dessert.
Aar?n: Please tell us about your menu.
Dorian, we'll start with you.
My menu is inspired by the
homage of my mother and Georgia.
I'm taking components
of my mother's cooking
and I'm telling a story of her.
Beautiful. Nick.
So, my menu follows a college theme.
It's pretty fun,
playful, and then I have
a lot of family background
influences in there.
- Sarah.
- So, my menu is inspired by my husband,
who's a sommelier.
The dream is to open a set course
food and wine pairing
restaurant in San Diego.
Listen, they sound amazing,
ambitious, and definitely risky.
Big question is, can you pull it off?
It's time to start the appetizer round.
Aar?n: Now, listen closely.
You'll have just one hour
to make your appetizers.
One for each judge.
That's three total.
You know what's at stake
tonight. Everything.
Let's have 60 minutes
on the clock, please.
Right.
Sarah, Nick, Dorian,
are you three ready?
- Yes, Chef.
- Your 60 minutes...
starts now!
- Let's go.
- Aar?n: Let's go.
- Whoo!
- Let's move, Nick!
- All right, let's do it. Whoo.
- Let's do it.
These are the three best cooks
this season, period. Hands down.
- Scallops.
- Micah: I really want Dorian to win
because she is incredibly talented.
She needs to stay true to who she is,
but bring it at 1,000.
Where are the carrots? Shoot.
- Oh, man.
- Bri: I'm totally Team Nick.
I just think he's
everything a chef should be.
Just really pushing the boundaries
and I think he just really
brings something new to the table.
- Excuse me.
- Noah: Sarah, her ideas
that she's gonna be bringing
tonight are really bold.
I think she is ready to
try to take this trophy.
- All right.
- Yeah, there we go.
Let's go, Nick.
- Hey!
- Come on, Sarah.
Let's go, Dorian!
Here we are. Season ten, guys.
Three amazing, talented home cooks.
This is gonna be a
cook-off like no other.
Aar?n: The pressure is higher than ever.
They gotta aspire to be what
those past winners are right now.
- Getting goose bumps.
- I know, man. I know.
Let's go, Dorian.
( chanting ) Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!
Joe: This is the
culmination of season ten.
Our biggest, our brashest,
our most twist-filled season.
- Yes.
- You got this, Mommy!
Gordon: Just under 55 minutes to go.
I've cooked in the finale before.
These guys gotta be on point.
They gotta make sure that they
do everything with precision
and they gotta be ready to execute.
Every mistake counts.
Okay, young lady, give
us an insight to the dish.
I'm doing seared scallops with corn,
Swiss chard and bacon,
and a cornmeal tuile.
Growing up my mom would
make greens, fresh corn,
that crunch from the cornmeal
tuile is gonna give you
that sense of her good
cornmeal crusted fried fish.
- Gordon: Sounds amazing.
- Dorian: Yes.
How are you gonna elevate your appetizer
better than the two standing behind you?
It's something that you
haven't seen from me.
It's bright, it's fresh,
because I wanted you
- to see the elevation of my dishes.
- Right.
And this dish is gonna set the
stage for my next two dishes.
- Promise? Good girl.
- I promise.
- Sounds amazing. Well done.
- Thank you.
You got this, Dorian.
Okay, Sarah, what are you doing?
Making braised octopus
and homemade chorizo.
Is it worth the risk and
the time to make a chorizo?
I mean, this is the "MasterChef"
finale and I'm here to win it.
Yeah1 Yeah, sweetheart!
There's a lot of jeopardy in that pan
because just because you made it
doesn't mean it's better
than the one in the store.
- ( groaning )
- Secondly, we all know
that you could easily boil octopus
in an hour then grill it
and it comes out perfect.
Double jeopardy in braising the octopus.
- Why?
- My husband took me out
on Mother's Day and I tried octopus
and it was flash-fried.
So because I loved it so much,
I wanted to share it with you guys.
- That's a huge octopus.
- Yeah.
She better just use the
bottom of those tentacles.
Sarah, good luck, because you
have a lot of cooking to do.
I do. Thank you, Joe.
All right, baby, looking beautiful.
There you go, Nick. Make it perfect.
All right, Nick, talk
to me about your dish.
My appetizer is called beer pong
and it's umami dusted soft-shell crab,
pomme souffl?, and a tomato party cup.
- Let's address the elephant in the room, okay.
- What's that?
- The pomme souffl?, all right?
- Yes, Chef.
It takes chefs a very
long period of time
to be able to master this technique.
Do you feel it's gonna
have a place on your dish?
It's gonna be the Ping-Pong
ball for my beer pong.
Got you. Beer pong.
We don't have that back
there south of the border.
What the hell is beer pong?
I'm no extraordinaire,
but basically you got teams
and you just toss
Ping-Pong balls into cups.
All right, so what are you
worried about here, Nick,
that could potentially go wrong?
The pomme souffl? are pretty hard,
but if I can do that,
I'm pretty free and clear.
Go for it, okay? You can do it.
Time is flying, y'all. Time is flying.
Gordon: Halfway, guys.
30 minutes gone, 30 minutes remaining.
Come on.
Now, Dorian's dish,
that sweet corn pur?e,
those amazing roasted bay scallops.
Very simple,
- but too simple?
- No, not at all.
I think there's so many potential
things that can go wrong.
You gotta make that corn pur?e silky
and sear that scallop the right way.
A lot of jeopardy
because looks easy, but not so easy.
Y'all, this corn is giving me a mess.
- Let's go!
- Beautiful, sweetheart. You got it.
Now, Sarah's braised octopus,
that dish sounds amazing.
But can you really braise octopus
- in that short period of time tonight?
- My question is,
is Sarah making the right
decision to make her own chorizo?
It might even be less good
than the chorizo we buy at home.
- We'll see.
- Go, Nick.
Now, Nick's dish, the beer pong.
I mean, the dish
sounds super complicated
and then, of course,
pomme souffl? as well.
Pomme souffl? is very difficult
because of the technique
involved with it.
- Yeah.
- The question is can he execute it.
So what happens if one of
those elements go astray
and he's not able to include them?
So, the concept of beer pong
now becomes null and void.
You have to execute beer pong.
- Exactly.
- No.
What the hell am I doing?
- Nick is scatterbrained right now.
- Yeah.
- How's that chorizo tasting?
- It's really good.
Beautiful, Sarah. Beautiful.
Let's go, Mom! You got it!
Teach me something,
Dorian. I'm still learning.
Guys, I'm concerned. Dorian is starting
to cook the scallops way too early.
15 minutes too early.
You got it, baby.
- Dorian, you have 25 minutes remaining.
- Yes.
- Yes, 25 minutes.
- And you're cooking the scallops already.
- Yeah.
- What are you doing?
This dish is very intricate
in my plating and I can't wait
till the very, very last
minute to cook my scallops
because I want them to
get a really good sear.
The longer in the pan,
the better the sear.
I'm gonna turn the heat off
and then I'm gonna add
my favorite ingredient.
- What's that?
- Butter.
- I love it.
- Butter.
There you go. Good luck.
That looks amazing, Dorian.
Doing great, Sarah.
Is that right?
When I see all the processes
that Nick is taking to
create this dish, it's a lot.
For every one pomme souffl?,
it takes at least eight
or nine goes to get one.
Fred: He's innovating.
No one's done pomme souffl? before.
Come on, Nick.
Yeah, ah, come on. Are you kidding me?
Aar?n: I think he's
had a couple miscues.
He's going back into the fryer
to try to get that perfected.
Joe: I'm either really impressed
because it's so complex
and so intricate,
or I'm really afraid he's
not gonna get it done.
Nick: I'm nervous because
each pomme souffl?,
it has to be treated really carefully.
If they don't puff,
this doesn't actually represent
what I want it to represent.
So, this could be a really big disaster.
Oh, my God.
What the hell is going on?
( Nick grunts ) Come on!
Nick is done.
I'm sweating.
( Nick grunts ) Come on!
Nick is done.
I'm sweating.
Gordon: 15 minutes to go.
Come on.
Oh, my God.
I'm really afraid he's
not gonna get it done.
Let it puff. Let it puff.
Boom.
He's taking out those
pomme souffl?s now, see?
Perfect.
Sarah is frying octopus
after it's been braised.
I've never seen anyone
throw it in the fryer.
So, that's unorthodox.
- But why not grill it?
- Like every restaurant in the world does.
Is she frying it?
That's scary.
Keep it up. You got this, Nick.
No frazzle. No frazzle.
Dorian, your composure is exceptional.
Joe: Dorian's scallops.
She's got a nice sear on them.
The problem she's gonna have now
is each temperature from the scallop,
they need to be identical.
Dorian, those look awesome. To die for.
Five minutes to go. Here we go, come on.
- Woman: Yeah!
- Gordon: See.
So, Nick's now very carefully
pulling those cups out, the cylinders.
But look how delicate that is,
and he hasn't got a spare one,
so he can't afford
to break one of those.
You gotta be perfect.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
- Did he put oil in those cups?
- Oh, my God.
- There you go, Nick!
- Go, Nick!
- That's what I'm talking about, boy.
You did it!
Oh, that looks yummy!
Last 30 seconds to go.
- Come on, Mom! You got this!
- Time to plate!
Yeah. Those look
great. You got it, Nick.
- There you go, Nick.
- Fred: Ooh!
I am obsessed with Sarah's plates.
Looks good!
Look at Nick's hand
shaking lifting those over.
Sarah's hand is shaking as well.
The nerves are getting to them, guys.
Aar?n: This is when you
need to compose yourself.
All: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- Stop!
- Whoo!
Wow, that was very exciting.
Oh, my God.
Good job!
- Whoo!
- Beautiful, guys!
Great job.
That was a tough cook,
and this is the highest stakes
we've had in the kitchen yet.
I tried to stay focused
on getting everything done
as quickly as possible.
Gordon: Sarah, Nick, Dorian,
what an amazing performance.
Now, for the most
exciting part or our jobs,
to taste those incredible appetizers.
This sets the stage for the entire meal.
Let's see how well you did.
I know, I'm so nervous for them.
The first dish that we
wanna taste is Nick's.
Please bring your dish.
Nick: I took a lot of risk
in making such a complex dish,
but if I want to win,
it's kind of a risk that I have to take.
I mean, there's not
much left after this.
You either win or you go home,
so there's a lot riding on this.
Please, Nick, tell us what you made.
So, my dish is called "Beer Pong."
It's a umami dusted soft-shell
crab with pomme souffl?,
a green tomato and caper relish,
and then a tomato party cup.
Nick, let's get one thing clear.
You know how to wow,
let's get that right,
'cause the dish looks stunning.
You know when you make
highly conceptual food,
you have a great responsibility to
follow through on all aspects of the dish.
Everything on this plate has a story.
It's beer pong, right? So, this
is the cup, those are the pongs.
This is you after playing
beer pong I would imagine.
- ( laughter )
- But when I look at this dish,
my question is this.
Do I really wanna eat
a piece of toasted bread
when I have a beautiful
soft-shell crab?
I'll tell you after I try it.
Here's the fascinating
thing about the way you cook.
You practice on a tightrope
with no safety net.
And so I have to then remove the
gimmicks and get back to the heart.
The hero is the crab.
It's absolutely delicious.
I mean, you fried it
beautifully, it's crisp.
It's elegant. I love the relish.
And the articulation of getting
sliced potatoes to souffl?
into these small beautiful little discs
and stay crisp like that,
it's... it's mind-blowing.
But the cone and the pomme
souffl?, it didn't make any sense.
I think that's the bit I'm
understanding with difficulty.
- But great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
You know, Nick, the cooking
that's been achieved here
is brilliant in a lot
of ways. I love the play
on deconstructing a remoulade sauce,
but it's hard to integrate the cup.
It seems a little bit superfluous.
Look, Nick, there's good news
and there's bad news in this plate.
Look, Nick, there's good news
and there's bad news in this plate.
The good news is you've executed
diverse cookeries with precision.
It's kind of like that ying and yang
that I really love in my palate.
You have the richness and
sweetness from the crab.
The super punchy
acidity from the relish.
And then I get to the
red tuile Solo cup,
which I had lots of doubts about.
And I have to say that I
don't agree with my associates
because I think it's spot-on.
- Thanks, Joe.
- Fully fits with the dish,
gives it another texture.
It's perfectly executed and smart.
Here's the bad news. Going forward,
you're gonna have to execute
that level of cohesiveness
and perfection on
every other dish you do.
- So you set the bar this high.
- Thank you, Joe.
Thank you, Nick.
Good luck.
Next up is Dorian's, please.
- ( cheering )
- ( no audible dialogue )
Dorian: I feel confident
about the scallops.
I feel that... that sear on
them is just like a penny.
It's beautiful.
So, I feel good about this dish.
Dorian, please describe your dish.
What you have before
you are seared scallops
with corn, Swiss chard, and bacon,
with a cornmeal tuile.
I've accompanied it
with a sweet corn pur?e
and pickled Swiss chard.
Visually, it looks
beautiful. I love the sear.
Was the idea to get the sear
on one side or both sides?
They weren't that thick.
So I didn't wanna overcook them
by searing them on both sides.
- Shall we?
- Yes, please.
- Dorian, it's delicious. Let me tell you that.
- Thank you.
Here's the thing, it may
look rustic and simple
but it does pack a punch.
The corn element is delicious.
Love what you've done
with this crisp, I mean, it
gives a really nice texture.
Super crunchy, but the
scallops are seared beautifully.
You haven't done anything wrong.
It's not the most difficult
dish to pull off tonight,
but I think you're trying to goad us in
to what's coming next.
I think, you know, for
me a big high mark here
is the fact that you're
able to in essence integrate
three different expressions of corn.
And celebrate that in a way
that makes sense and that's true to you.
I think it really speaks
to who you are as a cook
and where you've matured and where
you've gone here on this competition.
Thank you.
So, I think that all
the individual components
of this dish are very, very good.
It's excellent.
I really think that
the corn is outstanding.
My question
is...
for this finale, for
the MasterChef trophy,
and everything you dreamed
of, did you risk enough?
Yes.
We'll find out.
It's your heart on a plate.
- Great job. Thank you.
- Nick: Good job.
- You killed it, Dorian!
- Good job, Dorian.
Okay, the next dish we
wanna taste is from Sarah.
Great job, Sarah. Good job, sweetheart.
Sarah: I know that I've taken
a lot of risks in this dish.
And hearing the feedback
that Nick and Dorian got,
I'm nervous about what the judges
are gonna have to say.
Okay, Sarah, can you please
take us through this dish?
So, I have for you
today a braised octopus
with a piquillo pepper
pur?e, a chorizo ragu,
and an assyrtiko-chili vinaigrette.
Visually, it looks appetizing.
It's inviting. It's the kind of thing
that you want to eat on vacation.
- You braised the octopus.
- Yes, Chef.
- And then you fried the octopus?
- Yes, Chef.
And why wouldn't you grill the octopus?
I recently had octopus
that was flash-fried
and I thought it was amazing.
So I wanted to share that
technique with you guys.
Shall we?
And the octopus is...
super tender and really delicious.
Here's the awkward bit about this dish.
You went out of your way
tonight to make a chorizo sausage
within 60 minutes.
That kind of sausage
takes weeks and months
to mature and to improve.
So, I'm not getting
that spicy authenticity.
Here's the other issue.
When you've cooked something
so beautiful as that,
give me half of it.
Let me beg for more.
Don't OD me on your appetizer.
- But good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
I'm gonna tell you what
you've nailed perfectly.
And for me, the amount of flavor
that you were able to extract
from the piquillo peppers, cooking them,
and let them be a focal
point of your dish,
I think is important.
Thank you, Chef.
The chorizo ambition
didn't pay off for you.
Let's talk about the octopus.
You took an octopus and fried it.
The sweetness reminded me
of eating fried calamari.
The good news is
it tasted like probably the best
fried calamari I ever ate in my life.
Noah: Yeah! Way to go, Sarah!
Well done, Sarah.
So, you took a big risk
- and it paid off.
- Thank you, Joe.
( cheers and applause )
This is the biggest cook
in the entire competition
and I'm disappointed in
how the chorizo turned out.
It needed to be absolute perfection.
That's a tough one.
Now I need to make sure
that my entr?e and my
dessert are all on point.
Otherwise, I'm done.
One's rustic, one's super avant-garde,
and one's traditional, you know?
So, it's like, what
are they looking for?
Three outstanding appetizers.
A lot to think about.
I can't wait to see what
they're cooking for the entr?es.
What an amazing start. Sarah,
Nick, Dorian, well done.
Three stunning appetizers, but let me
tell you, on the back of that tasting,
- it is still anybody's game.
- Yes, Chef.
It's time to get started
on the entr?e course.
This course can make or break your menu.
Dorian, give us an
insight to what's following
that incredible appetizer.
The scallops followed by...
- Applewood smoked short rib...
- Gordon: Nice.
...with a potato horseradish gratin.
Gordon: And why this
particular main course?
Again, this was my mom's.
She would always have a
roast going low and slow
on Sunday in the oven.
- And can you braise in 60 minutes?
- Yes.
- Brave.
- Yes.
Nick, how do you follow that
dynamic, exciting appetizer?
So, my dish is called "All-Nighter."
It's a steamed striped bass with
a squid ink and celery root pur?e,
and then a black truffle
and white asparagus salad.
Glad to see you keeping it simple again.
- Thank you, Chef.
- And what does that dish speak about you?
- What does it say?
- It kind of reminds me of the late nights
in the library back at school.
I tried to replicate the
flavor that you might get
from the smell of an old book,
and I'm painting that on the fish.
- And then I'm plating it on an old book, too.
- Sorry?
- On a book.
- On a book.
- Yes, Chef.
- Wow.
Nick, you're a damn fool.
You're just something else, dude.
Gordon: Good luck. Holy mackerel.
Sarah, how do we follow
that incredible appetizer?
So, for my entr?e I'm gonna
be doing an herb crusted lamb
with a spring vegetable fricassee
a fava bean pur?e and a burgundy sauce.
Wow. That rings a bell because you
came into this competition months ago
- and won an apron on that lamb.
- I did.
But I'm taking it to the next
level based off of everything
- that I've learned from this competition.
- Right.
Remember, we wanna see
three stunning plates.
One for each of us.
Sarah, Nick, Dorian, are you all ready?
- Yes, Chef.
- Let's get one hour on the clock, please.
All right, everyone, your time...
starts now.
Let's go.
Nick: Behind you, Sarah.
Shaun: Through your MasterChef journey,
you are putting together
these skills that you need
to win the MasterChef finale.
So what these guys need to do is
get out of their home cook ways
and focus "restaurant."
They've gotta bring in that
mentality of "I am chef."
Let's go, Nick! Let's go, Nick!
- Here comes Sarah. All right, Sarah.
- Let's go, Sarah!
One dish down, two dishes to go.
- Who's your money on?
- Well, you know for me, it has to go with Sarah.
I think Sarah is gonna rebound
from a couple mistakes she
made with that octopus dish.
I think she has a lot of
resolve, a lot of resilience,
and she's gonna come back
strong with this lamb dish.
Joe: She has to show us her evolution
by doing the same dish again.
Is the risk too big that
it'll just fall short?
- Go! Go! Go!
- Go! Go, Mommy!
Let's go, Dorian! You got this.
Gordon: Now, Dorian's dish,
that smoked braised short rib.
- In an hour?
- In an hour.
But get that right,
guys, it's a showstopper.
On a technical level,
can you really braise
a short rib in an hour?
Or is it a shortcut braise?
It's a shortcut braise.
Absolutely right.
Aar?n: Yeah, it is.
And you gotta believe
that Dorian wants to utilize
that beautiful liquid
that it's being cooked in.
And that's gonna take time to reduce.
- Let's go, Mom! You got it!
- You got this!
- You got it, Ma!
- Joe: Talk about jeopardy.
Nick has created an expectation
of this very narrative menu.
How accountable do we
hold him to this narrative
versus the flavor of the dish?
The question to you, Joe, is
who wants to taste an old book?
- Joe?
- I don't... I don't think...
I don't think it's so literal.
Gordon: Fascinating. Look what Nick's
doing now with that sea bass skin.
He's removed it from the fish and
now he's gonna put it onto trays.
Almost like they're like
the bacon of the sea.
Hey, sweetheart, you
still got 50 minutes.
Spice it up. You look great.
Sarah, that smells great.
- That stuff's really good.
- Thank you.
Shaun: Her short ribs aren't in yet?
Are you kidding?
Joe: Dorian's gotta pull it together.
She's running a little late.
Gordon: Oh, my God.
She's gotta get it on
otherwise she's over.
Jennifer: She's just putting them in.
Yeah, but she should've had those in
- within, like, the first five minutes.
- Five minutes.
Like, it's insane.
Gordon: 45 minutes to go, guys.
Go, Mom, go! Go, Mom, go!
Go, Mom, go!
( chanting ) Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!
Go, Nick, go! Go,
Nick, go! Go, Nick, go!
That atmosphere is like the Coliseum
in Rome in here. It's awesome!
- Push, push, push!
- All right, Nick.
You nailed the first course
at least in this narrative
of telling your personal story.
The bar is set super high.
Are you feeling the pressure
now of this all-nighter?
A little bit, yeah, but that's kind
of what an all-nighter is, right?
My fear for you, Nick, is that your head
is so into telling us the story,
is the food on the plate
gonna be tasty and delicious?
I want it to tell the story, but
I think I did a really good job
at making sure that I
never sacrificed taste.
So there's no compromise on flavor here.
- So you're feeling confident.
- Man: That's right, baby!
- That's right, Nick!
- Good job, Nick!
I think she's going to sear
it and then put it in the oven.
- She's got two pans going
right now, so... - Aar?n: Sarah.
- Hi, Chef. Good, Chef.
- How we doing?
So you have an herb
crusted rack of lamb.
There's a lot that could
potentially go wrong.
You have to nail the cook on the lamb
'cause there is nowhere to hide.
- Do you feel confident you can do that?
- I do, Chef.
- Why?
- I made this for my husband
on his birthday when we were dating,
and, well, he bought an engagement ring
three months later,
so I think he liked it.
Whoa, man!
Sarah: I'm ready to bring
this home to my family.
I've been practicing non-stop.
- Best of luck.
- Thank you, Chef.
And I'm confident
with my ability to cook
this really difficult protein
and knock it out of the park
at a perfect medium rare.
Okay, Dorian, so you said
your mama cooks low and slow.
- Low and slow.
- You have one hour to braise.
- I got one hour. Yes.
- A lot of jeopardy.
What are you doing to
shortcut the braise?
- How do you do it?
- I'm putting the... I put the short ribs
- in the, uh, pressure cooker.
- Right.
So, that's gonna definitely
speed up the cooking process.
Do you think you can get the same kind
of, like, depth of flavor you can get
out of a long three, four-hour braise
- in a pressure cooker?
- Yes.
You think that's a big risk
to take during the finale
- of "MasterChef"?
- It is a risk, but this is the finale.
I just gotta get it on a plate
where you guys will be wowed by it.
This is my wow dish.
Dorian, you believe
that what you're cooking
is good enough to win this competition.
- Yes. Yes.
- Okay.
- Let's go, baby!
- Go, Mom!
- Good luck.
- Charles: 20 minutes, Dorian.
- Looking good, baby, looking good.
- Dorian: Right.
With Dorian's, I'm curious to see
how she's gonna plate it
to make it look elegant.
I can see it being a very,
very rustic dish at best.
If I was in the finale, I
wouldn't wanna leave knowing
that I left some skills
or techniques on the table.
I wanna go and bring my full arsenal
into each and every dish.
Halfway.
- 30 minutes to go. Come on, guys.
- Oh, my God.
- Nick: Are you kidding me?
- Let's go, Nick.
- Come on, Nick.
- Okay, guys, in this moment,
who has the advantage on the entr?e
based on what you've seen
and what you smell right now?
Um, it's a tough call. Dorian
looks the most composed.
Nick still looks like he's
trying to bring it all together.
And Sarah hasn't even
started on her wine sauce yet.
If I was making a wine
sauce with my lamb,
I'd be getting that on at the beginning.
I'd allow the 60 minutes to reduce down
- to a proper intense flavor.
- Aar?n: Yeah.
I think Sarah has the
most to get accomplished.
Noah: That's looking great, Sarah.
- Keep it up.
- Thanks, Noah.
Dorian has the least
to get accomplished,
but Dorian has a lot that
could potentially go wrong.
Joe: Her future is all
in that pressure pot.
I kind of like that. That
takes a lot of confidence.
Gordon: She can't afford to take
that lid off that
pressure cooker to check.
- When would you take that off?
- I would do 50 minutes,
and then you have to
leave sufficient time
to reduce the braising liquid
and skim any impurities and fats.
- Woman: Oh, wow!
- Michael: Beautiful, baby.
Deep breath, baby, you
got it. You got time.
Looking great, sweetheart.
Yeah.
She's in her element right now.
She's looking great.
Guys, this is it.
We're going to be crowning our
season ten MasterChef tonight,
and the winner will be coming
out of that amateur world
and moving into the professional world.
Aar?n: Yep. We have to prepare them
for what it's like to
work at our restaurant.
Absolutely. We need a twist
that will throw shockwaves
through the entire MasterChef kitchen.
- All or nothing. One dish.
- All or nothing. This is it.
Look at me. Stop the clock!
You three, listen up.
- Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
- I told you, season ten,
it is the season of
twists and surprises.
- You've gotta be joking.
- We are training you to be professional chefs.
We have pushed the boundaries
out more than ever before,
so you need to be ready.
This is it. Season ten.
So, there's a twist.
Gordon: Now, focus, all of you.
Gordon: Next time,
our finale continues...
You need to stand up to every
obstacle we throw at you.
( bleep )
...as the talented
home cooks battle it out
for the MasterChef title.
Every detail counts. It
all comes down to this.
I can't get this close and go home.
Restaurant quality without a doubt.
I think I have the upper edge.
It could be a disaster,
but it could be great.
Are they cooked?
America's next MasterChef is...
---
Gordon: Our search for
America's tenth MasterChef
started off with a bang.
Welcome to the tenth anniversary
season of "MasterChef."
Wow. It's the kind of dish
that I see in the top ten.
Absolutely stunning.
This is the best
auditions we've ever seen
- in over a decade of this competition.
- Noah: Let's go, baby!
This truly was a season of celebration.
You may kiss your gorgeous bride.
There we go!
But we pushed our home
cooks to their limits.
It's one of the ugliest
dishes I've ever seen.
Oh, what happened to
these? What's going on?
- Yeah, you ruined them.
- ( bleep )
Kind of reminds me of
a decomposing corpse.
- What?
- You're not ready to go home.
No, I'm not.
Look at our station. Oh, my God.
- Stop the clock.
- ( bleep ) kidding me?
- Put on your blindfolds.
- Dorian: This can't be real.
- Come on, Dorian!
- Whoa!
- ( bleep )
- I'm actually gonna have a stroke.
- Aah, you burned me!
- Don't shut down, Sam.
Happy to be safe up here.
And had some incredible moments.
( high-pitched )
Welcome to "MasterChef."
Unbelievable!
One of the best macarons
I've ever tasted.
I would love to sell a box
of these in one of my stores.
It's hard to distinguish
this from the original.
One of the best risottos
in the ten year history
- of "MasterChef."
- Micah: This competition
has completely changed my life.
Oh, my God!
Gordon: Chef Morimoto!
Aar?n: Alessandra Ambrosio.
Gordon: Grant Achatz.
Daphne Oz.
A true beast in the kitchen.
- Wow!
- A big old pig!
And for the first time
ever, we went to London.
Shari: Subha, Subha! Oh, my God!
That's not undercooked.
It's ( bleep ) ice cold.
- Finish strong, please. Let's go.
- Yes, Chef.
Gordon: Service, please,
let's go. Last table, red team.
- Well done. Clear down.
- We got through it.
( cheering )
Gordon: Congratulations. Well done.
Now, only three home cooks remain.
And shortly, just one will be crowned
America's next MasterChef.
( music playing )
- Hello!
- Hello.
Excellent. Good to see you.
- Thank you.
- Here we are!
Good evening.
Wow.
Welcome, everyone,
to our incredible
season ten grand finale.
This has been our most epic season ever.
Whoo! Yeah!
You're about to see the best
three home cooks in America.
And they're all gonna be doing battle
right here under the bright lights
of the MasterChef kitchen arena.
It's time to welcome our
three amazing finalists.
First up, we have a 45-year-old
factory worker from Georgia.
Please welcome Dorian.
Dorian: I never thought
in a million years
I would be in the "MasterChef" finale.
I've been waiting for
an opportunity like this
since I was a little girl.
Now I'm standing in the finale,
and it's the beginning
of the rest of my life.
Life before "MasterChef" was very tough.
When I was working
at the carpet factory,
the first thing that would come
into my mind just driving up
is that I didn't wanna be there.
It wasn't what I wanted to do.
Cooking is where I find my freedom.
- So, the moment I got my apron...
- Let's get this on.
...I could not believe a
dream was actually coming true.
Look, Mommy got an apron.
Throughout the competition,
I've unlocked dishes that are in me
that I didn't even know I had.
- Beautiful!
- O-M-G.
You are living testament to what we're trying
to get accomplished in this competition.
And I'm a totally different person
than I was when I walked
into the MasterChef kitchen.
If you'd said to me two months ago
that you'd be plating like this,
I would have never believed you.
It looks like something
that we would do at Alinea.
Gordon: It won't get
any better than that.
When you go home, you realize
how important the win is.
I look around at my children
and I look around at my home,
and I just think of how much more I want
for me and my family.
Going into the finale, I
wanna be true to the flavors
and the ingredients that I grew up with.
This is a very personal menu for me.
My mama has always been my inspiration,
and this menu is my tribute to her.
Mommy, are you gonna win "MasterChef"?
Yes, I'm gonna win "MasterChef."
My dream to have my own restaurant
is right at my fingertips,
and it doesn't have to stay a dream now.
I'm not going back to being a creeler.
I refuse to let that be my end.
My end is going to be
winning "MasterChef,"
and I'm not gonna let this
opportunity pass me by.
Next, a 22-year-old
Harvard student
from Rhode
Island... Nick.
( cheers and applause )
Nick: It means everything
to be here in the finale.
I feel fortunate that I've
had so many things in my life
that I would count as big successes,
but at the same time, a
lot of those had nothing
on getting that white apron.
I have to say, I totally
expected to not like this,
and it's really good.
Whoo!
I came into this competition
as a simple-minded home cook.
And being here has been a
once in a lifetime opportunity
to do stuff that I'd
never done before...
Nick, this is a very intellectual take
on a surf and turf with the prawn aioli.
I just love that creativity.
...and to just take massive risks.
You have something
that is somewhat common
presented in a very unconventional way.
- It's really nice.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Amazing.
- Thank you.
- Good job, Nick.
- Man, that's good.
It's good.
( music playing )
Let's go right in here.
Since coming back from
the MasterChef kitchen,
I have this newfound
sort of hunger to win
that I've never seen before.
- Whoa!
- That's a lot.
For me to pause school,
it was a bold move,
but one that I would
definitely do again.
Wanna measure 'em?
I followed this very traditional path
in academics all through my life.
But on the backburner all
this time has been food.
And I'm taking this
as seriously as I would
the biggest exam of my life.
So, I've been practicing
pretty religiously for this.
- How is that?
- That's really good.
- Yeah?
- We're very proud that Nick
does not hesitate to
follow what he loves.
I've tried to push the
needle in every way possible
in this whole competition.
The finale is no different.
In fact, I think I'm bringing
it up a whole 'nother level here.
Figuring out my menu, I
think the biggest things
that went through my mind
were how should I shape this
into something that tells my story?
I wanna do a menu that sort
of describes my collegiate life
because that's a big part of who I am.
It's a risk, but to win
you have to take these sort of risks.
This meal could change my life.
And finally, ladies and gentlemen,
a 31-year-old former Army
interrogator from San Diego.
Please welcome Sarah.
Sarah: Coming back into
the MasterChef kitchen,
it's really just a dream come true.
And I feel like every step in my life
has led to this exact moment.
I grew up in a really poor family,
so it was either you get scholarships
or you join the military.
The military toughens you.
And coming into this
competition with that mentality
has given me a huge advantage.
Gordon: You've nailed a rack of lamb.
It's the kind of dish
that I see in the top ten.
My journey in this MasterChef kitchen,
it has been such a roller coaster.
Kim, you're in charge of the chicken
stations. Stay focused on that.
- Wuta, you help Kim with the chicken.
- Copy.
But overall, it's been
the most gratifying thing
that I've ever done.
That is perfection.
I've never seen such a
beautiful, artistic piece
of fried chicken.
( music playing )
- What does a frog say?
- Ribbit!
- Good job.
- Yeah, great job.
It's crazy how fast the kids grow,
so it was really hard
being away from them.
But the thing that will make it
worth it is winning this thing.
These finale dishes are really
near and dear to my heart
because I'm bringing my family
into the MasterChef kitchen with me.
My husband's a sommelier,
so my menu is based off of
classic food and wine pairing.
I can't tell you how proud I am.
You've transformed through
this entire experience.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
- To winning "MasterChef."
- To the next MasterChef.
I'm ready to take this thing
as far as I possibly can.
This is not a moment I can
let slip through my fingers.
Sarah, Nick, Dorian,
congratulations to all three of you
on making it to the incredible finale.
Welcome to the biggest
cook of your entire lives.
Dorian, you're the oldest
contestant ever in the finale.
How are you feeling right now?
Being the oldest in a finale
just lets you know
that you never give up.
You just keep pushing
forward, it'll happen.
Nick, you are the youngest competitor
that's ever been in the finale at 22.
I've seen you push the creative
envelope all season long.
Will your menu reflect
that this evening?
Absolutely, Chef. Yeah, the
creativity, I try to push it
as hard as I can, and
I'm gonna keep doing that.
Sarah, you've admitted
that you were underestimated
in the beginning of this competition.
Yeah, I mean, I've been
underestimated for my entire career.
People don't look at me and
think I was in the military.
But you know what? I'm
here to bring my A game.
All of you, you're not here alone.
Your friends and family are here
to give you all their
love, all their support.
Now, Dorian, you have
your husband Charles here,
your sons and your daughter.
Charles, welcome back, sir.
Any last words of encouragement?
Dorian, go out and do
it. God is with you.
Your family is with you. We love you.
- Thank you.
- Gordon: Amazing.
Of course, Nick, you
have your parents here,
Chris and Sudie, and your brothers.
Chris, it's every parent's nightmare
when your child leaves Harvard
to go and pursue a job in the kitchen.
( laughter )
Yeah. He's made it
clear this is his dream
and he wanted to follow it,
and we wanted to support that.
I think he's really found his direction.
Sarah, you have your husband Michael,
your mom, and kids.
So, Michael, all alone,
three kids under three.
The sergeant's gone, you
are in charge of the platoon.
You look exhausted.
Does she have what it
takes to deal and to cook
in this immense pressure
of this finale tonight?
I've never met anybody who's dealt
with more pressure in their life.
She can handle anything.
As well as your wonderful
families here to support you,
give it up for season ten contestants
up on the balcony,
and previous "MasterChef" winners!
What's up, guys?
Well, everyone, this is season ten.
So, for the winner, we have
our biggest prize package ever.
Aar?n: You know that
you'll get the title, right?
You'll get the trophy, and of course,
a quarter of a million dollars.
But that happens every season.
This season, one of you will also
win a complete top of the range,
state of the art,
stunning Viking kitchen.
Win here, and your kitchen back home
will truly be worthy of a MasterChef.
And you'll get the
greatest prize of all.
Because for the first time ever,
ten seasons, the winner
of "MasterChef" this year
will get to train in
each of our restaurants.
Trust me, that is a prize
that money truly can't buy.
There's only one thing
standing between you
and winning
all of that...
a perfect three course meal.
One stunning appetizer,
an incredible entr?e,
and then a beautiful dessert.
Aar?n: Please tell us about your menu.
Dorian, we'll start with you.
My menu is inspired by the
homage of my mother and Georgia.
I'm taking components
of my mother's cooking
and I'm telling a story of her.
Beautiful. Nick.
So, my menu follows a college theme.
It's pretty fun,
playful, and then I have
a lot of family background
influences in there.
- Sarah.
- So, my menu is inspired by my husband,
who's a sommelier.
The dream is to open a set course
food and wine pairing
restaurant in San Diego.
Listen, they sound amazing,
ambitious, and definitely risky.
Big question is, can you pull it off?
It's time to start the appetizer round.
Aar?n: Now, listen closely.
You'll have just one hour
to make your appetizers.
One for each judge.
That's three total.
You know what's at stake
tonight. Everything.
Let's have 60 minutes
on the clock, please.
Right.
Sarah, Nick, Dorian,
are you three ready?
- Yes, Chef.
- Your 60 minutes...
starts now!
- Let's go.
- Aar?n: Let's go.
- Whoo!
- Let's move, Nick!
- All right, let's do it. Whoo.
- Let's do it.
These are the three best cooks
this season, period. Hands down.
- Scallops.
- Micah: I really want Dorian to win
because she is incredibly talented.
She needs to stay true to who she is,
but bring it at 1,000.
Where are the carrots? Shoot.
- Oh, man.
- Bri: I'm totally Team Nick.
I just think he's
everything a chef should be.
Just really pushing the boundaries
and I think he just really
brings something new to the table.
- Excuse me.
- Noah: Sarah, her ideas
that she's gonna be bringing
tonight are really bold.
I think she is ready to
try to take this trophy.
- All right.
- Yeah, there we go.
Let's go, Nick.
- Hey!
- Come on, Sarah.
Let's go, Dorian!
Here we are. Season ten, guys.
Three amazing, talented home cooks.
This is gonna be a
cook-off like no other.
Aar?n: The pressure is higher than ever.
They gotta aspire to be what
those past winners are right now.
- Getting goose bumps.
- I know, man. I know.
Let's go, Dorian.
( chanting ) Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!
Joe: This is the
culmination of season ten.
Our biggest, our brashest,
our most twist-filled season.
- Yes.
- You got this, Mommy!
Gordon: Just under 55 minutes to go.
I've cooked in the finale before.
These guys gotta be on point.
They gotta make sure that they
do everything with precision
and they gotta be ready to execute.
Every mistake counts.
Okay, young lady, give
us an insight to the dish.
I'm doing seared scallops with corn,
Swiss chard and bacon,
and a cornmeal tuile.
Growing up my mom would
make greens, fresh corn,
that crunch from the cornmeal
tuile is gonna give you
that sense of her good
cornmeal crusted fried fish.
- Gordon: Sounds amazing.
- Dorian: Yes.
How are you gonna elevate your appetizer
better than the two standing behind you?
It's something that you
haven't seen from me.
It's bright, it's fresh,
because I wanted you
- to see the elevation of my dishes.
- Right.
And this dish is gonna set the
stage for my next two dishes.
- Promise? Good girl.
- I promise.
- Sounds amazing. Well done.
- Thank you.
You got this, Dorian.
Okay, Sarah, what are you doing?
Making braised octopus
and homemade chorizo.
Is it worth the risk and
the time to make a chorizo?
I mean, this is the "MasterChef"
finale and I'm here to win it.
Yeah1 Yeah, sweetheart!
There's a lot of jeopardy in that pan
because just because you made it
doesn't mean it's better
than the one in the store.
- ( groaning )
- Secondly, we all know
that you could easily boil octopus
in an hour then grill it
and it comes out perfect.
Double jeopardy in braising the octopus.
- Why?
- My husband took me out
on Mother's Day and I tried octopus
and it was flash-fried.
So because I loved it so much,
I wanted to share it with you guys.
- That's a huge octopus.
- Yeah.
She better just use the
bottom of those tentacles.
Sarah, good luck, because you
have a lot of cooking to do.
I do. Thank you, Joe.
All right, baby, looking beautiful.
There you go, Nick. Make it perfect.
All right, Nick, talk
to me about your dish.
My appetizer is called beer pong
and it's umami dusted soft-shell crab,
pomme souffl?, and a tomato party cup.
- Let's address the elephant in the room, okay.
- What's that?
- The pomme souffl?, all right?
- Yes, Chef.
It takes chefs a very
long period of time
to be able to master this technique.
Do you feel it's gonna
have a place on your dish?
It's gonna be the Ping-Pong
ball for my beer pong.
Got you. Beer pong.
We don't have that back
there south of the border.
What the hell is beer pong?
I'm no extraordinaire,
but basically you got teams
and you just toss
Ping-Pong balls into cups.
All right, so what are you
worried about here, Nick,
that could potentially go wrong?
The pomme souffl? are pretty hard,
but if I can do that,
I'm pretty free and clear.
Go for it, okay? You can do it.
Time is flying, y'all. Time is flying.
Gordon: Halfway, guys.
30 minutes gone, 30 minutes remaining.
Come on.
Now, Dorian's dish,
that sweet corn pur?e,
those amazing roasted bay scallops.
Very simple,
- but too simple?
- No, not at all.
I think there's so many potential
things that can go wrong.
You gotta make that corn pur?e silky
and sear that scallop the right way.
A lot of jeopardy
because looks easy, but not so easy.
Y'all, this corn is giving me a mess.
- Let's go!
- Beautiful, sweetheart. You got it.
Now, Sarah's braised octopus,
that dish sounds amazing.
But can you really braise octopus
- in that short period of time tonight?
- My question is,
is Sarah making the right
decision to make her own chorizo?
It might even be less good
than the chorizo we buy at home.
- We'll see.
- Go, Nick.
Now, Nick's dish, the beer pong.
I mean, the dish
sounds super complicated
and then, of course,
pomme souffl? as well.
Pomme souffl? is very difficult
because of the technique
involved with it.
- Yeah.
- The question is can he execute it.
So what happens if one of
those elements go astray
and he's not able to include them?
So, the concept of beer pong
now becomes null and void.
You have to execute beer pong.
- Exactly.
- No.
What the hell am I doing?
- Nick is scatterbrained right now.
- Yeah.
- How's that chorizo tasting?
- It's really good.
Beautiful, Sarah. Beautiful.
Let's go, Mom! You got it!
Teach me something,
Dorian. I'm still learning.
Guys, I'm concerned. Dorian is starting
to cook the scallops way too early.
15 minutes too early.
You got it, baby.
- Dorian, you have 25 minutes remaining.
- Yes.
- Yes, 25 minutes.
- And you're cooking the scallops already.
- Yeah.
- What are you doing?
This dish is very intricate
in my plating and I can't wait
till the very, very last
minute to cook my scallops
because I want them to
get a really good sear.
The longer in the pan,
the better the sear.
I'm gonna turn the heat off
and then I'm gonna add
my favorite ingredient.
- What's that?
- Butter.
- I love it.
- Butter.
There you go. Good luck.
That looks amazing, Dorian.
Doing great, Sarah.
Is that right?
When I see all the processes
that Nick is taking to
create this dish, it's a lot.
For every one pomme souffl?,
it takes at least eight
or nine goes to get one.
Fred: He's innovating.
No one's done pomme souffl? before.
Come on, Nick.
Yeah, ah, come on. Are you kidding me?
Aar?n: I think he's
had a couple miscues.
He's going back into the fryer
to try to get that perfected.
Joe: I'm either really impressed
because it's so complex
and so intricate,
or I'm really afraid he's
not gonna get it done.
Nick: I'm nervous because
each pomme souffl?,
it has to be treated really carefully.
If they don't puff,
this doesn't actually represent
what I want it to represent.
So, this could be a really big disaster.
Oh, my God.
What the hell is going on?
( Nick grunts ) Come on!
Nick is done.
I'm sweating.
( Nick grunts ) Come on!
Nick is done.
I'm sweating.
Gordon: 15 minutes to go.
Come on.
Oh, my God.
I'm really afraid he's
not gonna get it done.
Let it puff. Let it puff.
Boom.
He's taking out those
pomme souffl?s now, see?
Perfect.
Sarah is frying octopus
after it's been braised.
I've never seen anyone
throw it in the fryer.
So, that's unorthodox.
- But why not grill it?
- Like every restaurant in the world does.
Is she frying it?
That's scary.
Keep it up. You got this, Nick.
No frazzle. No frazzle.
Dorian, your composure is exceptional.
Joe: Dorian's scallops.
She's got a nice sear on them.
The problem she's gonna have now
is each temperature from the scallop,
they need to be identical.
Dorian, those look awesome. To die for.
Five minutes to go. Here we go, come on.
- Woman: Yeah!
- Gordon: See.
So, Nick's now very carefully
pulling those cups out, the cylinders.
But look how delicate that is,
and he hasn't got a spare one,
so he can't afford
to break one of those.
You gotta be perfect.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
- Did he put oil in those cups?
- Oh, my God.
- There you go, Nick!
- Go, Nick!
- That's what I'm talking about, boy.
You did it!
Oh, that looks yummy!
Last 30 seconds to go.
- Come on, Mom! You got this!
- Time to plate!
Yeah. Those look
great. You got it, Nick.
- There you go, Nick.
- Fred: Ooh!
I am obsessed with Sarah's plates.
Looks good!
Look at Nick's hand
shaking lifting those over.
Sarah's hand is shaking as well.
The nerves are getting to them, guys.
Aar?n: This is when you
need to compose yourself.
All: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- Stop!
- Whoo!
Wow, that was very exciting.
Oh, my God.
Good job!
- Whoo!
- Beautiful, guys!
Great job.
That was a tough cook,
and this is the highest stakes
we've had in the kitchen yet.
I tried to stay focused
on getting everything done
as quickly as possible.
Gordon: Sarah, Nick, Dorian,
what an amazing performance.
Now, for the most
exciting part or our jobs,
to taste those incredible appetizers.
This sets the stage for the entire meal.
Let's see how well you did.
I know, I'm so nervous for them.
The first dish that we
wanna taste is Nick's.
Please bring your dish.
Nick: I took a lot of risk
in making such a complex dish,
but if I want to win,
it's kind of a risk that I have to take.
I mean, there's not
much left after this.
You either win or you go home,
so there's a lot riding on this.
Please, Nick, tell us what you made.
So, my dish is called "Beer Pong."
It's a umami dusted soft-shell
crab with pomme souffl?,
a green tomato and caper relish,
and then a tomato party cup.
Nick, let's get one thing clear.
You know how to wow,
let's get that right,
'cause the dish looks stunning.
You know when you make
highly conceptual food,
you have a great responsibility to
follow through on all aspects of the dish.
Everything on this plate has a story.
It's beer pong, right? So, this
is the cup, those are the pongs.
This is you after playing
beer pong I would imagine.
- ( laughter )
- But when I look at this dish,
my question is this.
Do I really wanna eat
a piece of toasted bread
when I have a beautiful
soft-shell crab?
I'll tell you after I try it.
Here's the fascinating
thing about the way you cook.
You practice on a tightrope
with no safety net.
And so I have to then remove the
gimmicks and get back to the heart.
The hero is the crab.
It's absolutely delicious.
I mean, you fried it
beautifully, it's crisp.
It's elegant. I love the relish.
And the articulation of getting
sliced potatoes to souffl?
into these small beautiful little discs
and stay crisp like that,
it's... it's mind-blowing.
But the cone and the pomme
souffl?, it didn't make any sense.
I think that's the bit I'm
understanding with difficulty.
- But great job.
- Thank you, Chef.
You know, Nick, the cooking
that's been achieved here
is brilliant in a lot
of ways. I love the play
on deconstructing a remoulade sauce,
but it's hard to integrate the cup.
It seems a little bit superfluous.
Look, Nick, there's good news
and there's bad news in this plate.
Look, Nick, there's good news
and there's bad news in this plate.
The good news is you've executed
diverse cookeries with precision.
It's kind of like that ying and yang
that I really love in my palate.
You have the richness and
sweetness from the crab.
The super punchy
acidity from the relish.
And then I get to the
red tuile Solo cup,
which I had lots of doubts about.
And I have to say that I
don't agree with my associates
because I think it's spot-on.
- Thanks, Joe.
- Fully fits with the dish,
gives it another texture.
It's perfectly executed and smart.
Here's the bad news. Going forward,
you're gonna have to execute
that level of cohesiveness
and perfection on
every other dish you do.
- So you set the bar this high.
- Thank you, Joe.
Thank you, Nick.
Good luck.
Next up is Dorian's, please.
- ( cheering )
- ( no audible dialogue )
Dorian: I feel confident
about the scallops.
I feel that... that sear on
them is just like a penny.
It's beautiful.
So, I feel good about this dish.
Dorian, please describe your dish.
What you have before
you are seared scallops
with corn, Swiss chard, and bacon,
with a cornmeal tuile.
I've accompanied it
with a sweet corn pur?e
and pickled Swiss chard.
Visually, it looks
beautiful. I love the sear.
Was the idea to get the sear
on one side or both sides?
They weren't that thick.
So I didn't wanna overcook them
by searing them on both sides.
- Shall we?
- Yes, please.
- Dorian, it's delicious. Let me tell you that.
- Thank you.
Here's the thing, it may
look rustic and simple
but it does pack a punch.
The corn element is delicious.
Love what you've done
with this crisp, I mean, it
gives a really nice texture.
Super crunchy, but the
scallops are seared beautifully.
You haven't done anything wrong.
It's not the most difficult
dish to pull off tonight,
but I think you're trying to goad us in
to what's coming next.
I think, you know, for
me a big high mark here
is the fact that you're
able to in essence integrate
three different expressions of corn.
And celebrate that in a way
that makes sense and that's true to you.
I think it really speaks
to who you are as a cook
and where you've matured and where
you've gone here on this competition.
Thank you.
So, I think that all
the individual components
of this dish are very, very good.
It's excellent.
I really think that
the corn is outstanding.
My question
is...
for this finale, for
the MasterChef trophy,
and everything you dreamed
of, did you risk enough?
Yes.
We'll find out.
It's your heart on a plate.
- Great job. Thank you.
- Nick: Good job.
- You killed it, Dorian!
- Good job, Dorian.
Okay, the next dish we
wanna taste is from Sarah.
Great job, Sarah. Good job, sweetheart.
Sarah: I know that I've taken
a lot of risks in this dish.
And hearing the feedback
that Nick and Dorian got,
I'm nervous about what the judges
are gonna have to say.
Okay, Sarah, can you please
take us through this dish?
So, I have for you
today a braised octopus
with a piquillo pepper
pur?e, a chorizo ragu,
and an assyrtiko-chili vinaigrette.
Visually, it looks appetizing.
It's inviting. It's the kind of thing
that you want to eat on vacation.
- You braised the octopus.
- Yes, Chef.
- And then you fried the octopus?
- Yes, Chef.
And why wouldn't you grill the octopus?
I recently had octopus
that was flash-fried
and I thought it was amazing.
So I wanted to share that
technique with you guys.
Shall we?
And the octopus is...
super tender and really delicious.
Here's the awkward bit about this dish.
You went out of your way
tonight to make a chorizo sausage
within 60 minutes.
That kind of sausage
takes weeks and months
to mature and to improve.
So, I'm not getting
that spicy authenticity.
Here's the other issue.
When you've cooked something
so beautiful as that,
give me half of it.
Let me beg for more.
Don't OD me on your appetizer.
- But good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
I'm gonna tell you what
you've nailed perfectly.
And for me, the amount of flavor
that you were able to extract
from the piquillo peppers, cooking them,
and let them be a focal
point of your dish,
I think is important.
Thank you, Chef.
The chorizo ambition
didn't pay off for you.
Let's talk about the octopus.
You took an octopus and fried it.
The sweetness reminded me
of eating fried calamari.
The good news is
it tasted like probably the best
fried calamari I ever ate in my life.
Noah: Yeah! Way to go, Sarah!
Well done, Sarah.
So, you took a big risk
- and it paid off.
- Thank you, Joe.
( cheers and applause )
This is the biggest cook
in the entire competition
and I'm disappointed in
how the chorizo turned out.
It needed to be absolute perfection.
That's a tough one.
Now I need to make sure
that my entr?e and my
dessert are all on point.
Otherwise, I'm done.
One's rustic, one's super avant-garde,
and one's traditional, you know?
So, it's like, what
are they looking for?
Three outstanding appetizers.
A lot to think about.
I can't wait to see what
they're cooking for the entr?es.
What an amazing start. Sarah,
Nick, Dorian, well done.
Three stunning appetizers, but let me
tell you, on the back of that tasting,
- it is still anybody's game.
- Yes, Chef.
It's time to get started
on the entr?e course.
This course can make or break your menu.
Dorian, give us an
insight to what's following
that incredible appetizer.
The scallops followed by...
- Applewood smoked short rib...
- Gordon: Nice.
...with a potato horseradish gratin.
Gordon: And why this
particular main course?
Again, this was my mom's.
She would always have a
roast going low and slow
on Sunday in the oven.
- And can you braise in 60 minutes?
- Yes.
- Brave.
- Yes.
Nick, how do you follow that
dynamic, exciting appetizer?
So, my dish is called "All-Nighter."
It's a steamed striped bass with
a squid ink and celery root pur?e,
and then a black truffle
and white asparagus salad.
Glad to see you keeping it simple again.
- Thank you, Chef.
- And what does that dish speak about you?
- What does it say?
- It kind of reminds me of the late nights
in the library back at school.
I tried to replicate the
flavor that you might get
from the smell of an old book,
and I'm painting that on the fish.
- And then I'm plating it on an old book, too.
- Sorry?
- On a book.
- On a book.
- Yes, Chef.
- Wow.
Nick, you're a damn fool.
You're just something else, dude.
Gordon: Good luck. Holy mackerel.
Sarah, how do we follow
that incredible appetizer?
So, for my entr?e I'm gonna
be doing an herb crusted lamb
with a spring vegetable fricassee
a fava bean pur?e and a burgundy sauce.
Wow. That rings a bell because you
came into this competition months ago
- and won an apron on that lamb.
- I did.
But I'm taking it to the next
level based off of everything
- that I've learned from this competition.
- Right.
Remember, we wanna see
three stunning plates.
One for each of us.
Sarah, Nick, Dorian, are you all ready?
- Yes, Chef.
- Let's get one hour on the clock, please.
All right, everyone, your time...
starts now.
Let's go.
Nick: Behind you, Sarah.
Shaun: Through your MasterChef journey,
you are putting together
these skills that you need
to win the MasterChef finale.
So what these guys need to do is
get out of their home cook ways
and focus "restaurant."
They've gotta bring in that
mentality of "I am chef."
Let's go, Nick! Let's go, Nick!
- Here comes Sarah. All right, Sarah.
- Let's go, Sarah!
One dish down, two dishes to go.
- Who's your money on?
- Well, you know for me, it has to go with Sarah.
I think Sarah is gonna rebound
from a couple mistakes she
made with that octopus dish.
I think she has a lot of
resolve, a lot of resilience,
and she's gonna come back
strong with this lamb dish.
Joe: She has to show us her evolution
by doing the same dish again.
Is the risk too big that
it'll just fall short?
- Go! Go! Go!
- Go! Go, Mommy!
Let's go, Dorian! You got this.
Gordon: Now, Dorian's dish,
that smoked braised short rib.
- In an hour?
- In an hour.
But get that right,
guys, it's a showstopper.
On a technical level,
can you really braise
a short rib in an hour?
Or is it a shortcut braise?
It's a shortcut braise.
Absolutely right.
Aar?n: Yeah, it is.
And you gotta believe
that Dorian wants to utilize
that beautiful liquid
that it's being cooked in.
And that's gonna take time to reduce.
- Let's go, Mom! You got it!
- You got this!
- You got it, Ma!
- Joe: Talk about jeopardy.
Nick has created an expectation
of this very narrative menu.
How accountable do we
hold him to this narrative
versus the flavor of the dish?
The question to you, Joe, is
who wants to taste an old book?
- Joe?
- I don't... I don't think...
I don't think it's so literal.
Gordon: Fascinating. Look what Nick's
doing now with that sea bass skin.
He's removed it from the fish and
now he's gonna put it onto trays.
Almost like they're like
the bacon of the sea.
Hey, sweetheart, you
still got 50 minutes.
Spice it up. You look great.
Sarah, that smells great.
- That stuff's really good.
- Thank you.
Shaun: Her short ribs aren't in yet?
Are you kidding?
Joe: Dorian's gotta pull it together.
She's running a little late.
Gordon: Oh, my God.
She's gotta get it on
otherwise she's over.
Jennifer: She's just putting them in.
Yeah, but she should've had those in
- within, like, the first five minutes.
- Five minutes.
Like, it's insane.
Gordon: 45 minutes to go, guys.
Go, Mom, go! Go, Mom, go!
Go, Mom, go!
( chanting ) Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!
Go, Nick, go! Go,
Nick, go! Go, Nick, go!
That atmosphere is like the Coliseum
in Rome in here. It's awesome!
- Push, push, push!
- All right, Nick.
You nailed the first course
at least in this narrative
of telling your personal story.
The bar is set super high.
Are you feeling the pressure
now of this all-nighter?
A little bit, yeah, but that's kind
of what an all-nighter is, right?
My fear for you, Nick, is that your head
is so into telling us the story,
is the food on the plate
gonna be tasty and delicious?
I want it to tell the story, but
I think I did a really good job
at making sure that I
never sacrificed taste.
So there's no compromise on flavor here.
- So you're feeling confident.
- Man: That's right, baby!
- That's right, Nick!
- Good job, Nick!
I think she's going to sear
it and then put it in the oven.
- She's got two pans going
right now, so... - Aar?n: Sarah.
- Hi, Chef. Good, Chef.
- How we doing?
So you have an herb
crusted rack of lamb.
There's a lot that could
potentially go wrong.
You have to nail the cook on the lamb
'cause there is nowhere to hide.
- Do you feel confident you can do that?
- I do, Chef.
- Why?
- I made this for my husband
on his birthday when we were dating,
and, well, he bought an engagement ring
three months later,
so I think he liked it.
Whoa, man!
Sarah: I'm ready to bring
this home to my family.
I've been practicing non-stop.
- Best of luck.
- Thank you, Chef.
And I'm confident
with my ability to cook
this really difficult protein
and knock it out of the park
at a perfect medium rare.
Okay, Dorian, so you said
your mama cooks low and slow.
- Low and slow.
- You have one hour to braise.
- I got one hour. Yes.
- A lot of jeopardy.
What are you doing to
shortcut the braise?
- How do you do it?
- I'm putting the... I put the short ribs
- in the, uh, pressure cooker.
- Right.
So, that's gonna definitely
speed up the cooking process.
Do you think you can get the same kind
of, like, depth of flavor you can get
out of a long three, four-hour braise
- in a pressure cooker?
- Yes.
You think that's a big risk
to take during the finale
- of "MasterChef"?
- It is a risk, but this is the finale.
I just gotta get it on a plate
where you guys will be wowed by it.
This is my wow dish.
Dorian, you believe
that what you're cooking
is good enough to win this competition.
- Yes. Yes.
- Okay.
- Let's go, baby!
- Go, Mom!
- Good luck.
- Charles: 20 minutes, Dorian.
- Looking good, baby, looking good.
- Dorian: Right.
With Dorian's, I'm curious to see
how she's gonna plate it
to make it look elegant.
I can see it being a very,
very rustic dish at best.
If I was in the finale, I
wouldn't wanna leave knowing
that I left some skills
or techniques on the table.
I wanna go and bring my full arsenal
into each and every dish.
Halfway.
- 30 minutes to go. Come on, guys.
- Oh, my God.
- Nick: Are you kidding me?
- Let's go, Nick.
- Come on, Nick.
- Okay, guys, in this moment,
who has the advantage on the entr?e
based on what you've seen
and what you smell right now?
Um, it's a tough call. Dorian
looks the most composed.
Nick still looks like he's
trying to bring it all together.
And Sarah hasn't even
started on her wine sauce yet.
If I was making a wine
sauce with my lamb,
I'd be getting that on at the beginning.
I'd allow the 60 minutes to reduce down
- to a proper intense flavor.
- Aar?n: Yeah.
I think Sarah has the
most to get accomplished.
Noah: That's looking great, Sarah.
- Keep it up.
- Thanks, Noah.
Dorian has the least
to get accomplished,
but Dorian has a lot that
could potentially go wrong.
Joe: Her future is all
in that pressure pot.
I kind of like that. That
takes a lot of confidence.
Gordon: She can't afford to take
that lid off that
pressure cooker to check.
- When would you take that off?
- I would do 50 minutes,
and then you have to
leave sufficient time
to reduce the braising liquid
and skim any impurities and fats.
- Woman: Oh, wow!
- Michael: Beautiful, baby.
Deep breath, baby, you
got it. You got time.
Looking great, sweetheart.
Yeah.
She's in her element right now.
She's looking great.
Guys, this is it.
We're going to be crowning our
season ten MasterChef tonight,
and the winner will be coming
out of that amateur world
and moving into the professional world.
Aar?n: Yep. We have to prepare them
for what it's like to
work at our restaurant.
Absolutely. We need a twist
that will throw shockwaves
through the entire MasterChef kitchen.
- All or nothing. One dish.
- All or nothing. This is it.
Look at me. Stop the clock!
You three, listen up.
- Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
- I told you, season ten,
it is the season of
twists and surprises.
- You've gotta be joking.
- We are training you to be professional chefs.
We have pushed the boundaries
out more than ever before,
so you need to be ready.
This is it. Season ten.
So, there's a twist.
Gordon: Now, focus, all of you.
Gordon: Next time,
our finale continues...
You need to stand up to every
obstacle we throw at you.
( bleep )
...as the talented
home cooks battle it out
for the MasterChef title.
Every detail counts. It
all comes down to this.
I can't get this close and go home.
Restaurant quality without a doubt.
I think I have the upper edge.
It could be a disaster,
but it could be great.
Are they cooked?
America's next MasterChef is...