Masterchef (2010–…): Season 11, Episode 10 - Cook for Your Legend - full transcript

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GORDAN RAMSEY: This is
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JOEL MCHALE: Did you
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Gordon: Previously on
"MasterChef Legends"...

Please welcome the savant
of street food, Roy Choi.

- a street food challenge...
- Okay.

saw some home cooks
under-deliver...

- Did you eat those fried glass noodles?
- I did.



And was it like eating
a Brillo pad when you ate it?

Please tell me
you took the skin off.

...and one home cook
took out the competition.

- This is a restaurant dish.
- Restaurant quality beyond belief.

Joseph, well done.

I hope you eight are ready
for your next big challenge.

The next time we see you, you will be
wearing those notorious black aprons.

And, Joseph, enjoy the safety
of the balcony from up there.

Tonight, it's getting personal.

You'll need to cook an amazing
dish inspired by your personal legend.

- Go!
- Who's your legend?

- My grandmother.
- My husband.

Gordon Ramsay.
I'm fired up right now.

A lot of pressure.



It's an elimination challenge...

- This is go-time.
- Whoo!

- Pray for me that it sets.
- What are you gonna do?

- All right.
- ...that will be the last for one home cook.

Make sure it's not you.

- [bleep]
- Michael.

- Oh, my God. It's right on the edge.
- You should be.

- That is exceptional.
- Professionally executed.

- I think this is your worst dish.
- It's kind of a mess.

The worst one was obviously...

- I'm going home.
- I agree.

- Here we are, gents.
- All right.

- Down to the final nine.
- It's gonna get difficult.

Yeah, very difficult, but this
is where the competition

starts taking off.
Top nine. Huge.

- Here we go.
- Come on down, guys.

Oh, man, it's gonna be
absolutely brutal.

Things are getting serious now.
Black aprons are on.

Who knows what
this challenge is gonna be?

But what I do know is I'm
gonna have to cook my butt off,

because this apron means that
somebody is going home tonight.

- Right, how are we feeling?
- Nervous.

Joseph, congrats, because
you are the only home cook

with immunity tonight.
Well done, sir.

Not putting on the black apron
is the best feeling

I've experienced
in this competition thus far.

I have a guaranteed spot
in the top eight.

Now, as for the rest of you,

you've all got those
legendary black aprons on.

Trust me, they carry
a lot of weight in this kitchen.

- Yes.
- Because it means that tonight, there are no winners.

All of you are in danger
of being eliminated tonight.

- Suu?
- Yes, Chef?

- Who's your biggest competition right now?
- It's me, Chef.

When I'm stressed
I can get frazzled,

so that is the me that
I don't want to see tonight.

Michael, you show a level of
appreciation like no other in here,

and you're very humble
and earnest.

But competitive-wise,
who are the ones to watch?

Uh, one of them's standing up
on the balcony right now, for sure.

Lexy, you're getting stronger
week on week,

yet you lack this confidence.
Why is that?

I do feel like
I'm out of my depth.

I look around
and I feel like everyone

has such skill and finesse.

I feel like I know flavor,
but I feel like,

in a competition like this,
that may not always be enough,

and so I'm also
very critical of myself.

Being critical of yourself
is highly important,

but don't let it
turn into self-doubt.

At this stage
of the competition,

we expect everyone
to bring their A-game

across every single challenge.

Treat every cook
as if it could be your last.

Now, if tonight is your
last cook, go out swinging,

because you'll have to cook

for the biggest legend
you can think of.

Oh, my gosh.

Tonight's challenge is to cook

for your own personal legend.

Whoever you look up to,
whoever's inspired you

across your food dreams,

that's who you should keep
in mind as you cook tonight.

They don't have to be a chef.

Could be your wife,

your husband,
a personal hero or mentor,

maybe even your grandma that's
handed you down a beautiful family recipe.

And the most important thing
is that you elevate that recipe

to MasterChef quality tonight.

I mean, frankly,
it could be even one of us.

- Not funny, actually.
- Should we get your picture up there?

Chef, I'll be with you
in a moment.

Whoever you cook
for this evening,

make sure that
it's well-planned,

that it's thoughtful,
that it speaks to you

and your culinary style,

and it's restaurant quality.

Each of you will have
one hour to cook a dish

for your own personal legends.

And if that dish isn't up
to MasterChef Legends standards,

- you will be eliminated.
- Are you all ready?

- Yes, Chef.
- Your 60 minutes start now.

Let's go!
Come on, Alejandro.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

- Ginger.
- Swiss chard, anybody? Swiss chard?

- Passion fruits.
- A-ha!

Chicken wings.

My personal legend for today
is my husband.

He's just been so supportive.

I mean, you know, we have two
kids that are, like, a year apart,

and he's watching them
while I pursue my dreams.

I need a sweet potato.
Is that over here?

So today I'm making
my husband's favorite dish,

fried chicken wings, sweet potatoes,
cornbread, and collard greens.

Crushed red peppers.

Aarón: There you
go, Autumn. Come on.

- You got it, Autumn.
- Thanks, Joseph.

Love ya!

Jersey got this.

This is an amazing challenge

that they need to bring
that huge influence

from their grandma, their
granddad, their husband or wife,

and put it on that plate
to get into the top eight.

I think we're gonna see the highest
quality dishes we've ever seen.

It's an amazing opportunity
to express yourself as a cook.

- What would you make, Aarón?
- My legend is definitely my grandmother,

a woman that grew up on a cattle
ranch in northern Mexico,

made unbelievable
food every day,

so I would want to take
one of her signature dishes

and bring it up
to restaurant quality.

Okay.

Joe, who would be your legend?

I would have to say
my mother and my grandmother

together as a team
are my legends.

I would probably cook
the classic Milanese veal chop.

It's a legendary Italian dish.

Gordon: Wow.
I would do a risotto

inspired by
the legend Guy Savoy,

who was an incredible mentor
for me at the age of 22.

So I put myself in Abe's
situation this evening.

At 22, you're absorbing
like a sponge non-stop.

- Looks good, Abe.
- Abe: Thank you, thank you.

My legend is my family.

And I'm doing a shepherd's pie
because that was the first thing

I cooked for them
when I got back from London.

And there's a few tidbits
that I've picked up

because of the people I've met,

like adding bacon
for the topping,

or some croutons or doing,
like, a beer roux.

I just need to get
the ingredients out,

show some love in there,
and just really make

the ingredients
speak for themselves.

- Whoa.
- [exhales sharply]

So, my personal legend,
um, I mean,

it's more than one person,
it's my roommates.

I absolutely love them
and I miss them so much.

My roommate Julian
is one of my best friends,

and me and him
went to Korea last year,

so I'm gonna make a Korean dish.

So I'm going to do
a bulgogi style

marinated rib-eye with some garlic
broccoli and some sesame rice.

The pressure's
definitely on today.

Nobody wants to be
the one going home.

I just know I gotta
cook my heart out,

and I'm cooking
for the people that I love,

so I'm hoping that I can get
the judges to love it also.

Guys, the challenge tonight,
it might seem simple,

but they have to try to capture
that legend in one dish tonight.

This is, for them,
certainly way more personal

than cooking
for the other legends

- that we've had here in the kitchen.
- Gordon: Absolutely.

I think the danger here
is they get too nostalgic

and maybe they revert back to
making a super home-style dish,

not something at the level
we're looking for,

certainly
in the season of legends.

We are raising the stakes
on them tonight.

Okay, meat is marinating.

All right, Lex.

Alejandro: I am making a
pan-seared loin of venison

with an eggplant
and some confit vegetables.

The legend that I'm cooking
the dish for is Gordon Ramsay.

In my opinion, he's the best,

and I aspire to be,
like, the best.

I feel a lot of pressure

'cause I've been in the bottom
three times already,

so I'm going to pay attention
to everything and do my best

not to end up
at the bottom again,

'cause that would be horrific,
especially with this dish.

Ten minutes gone, 50
minutes to go, guys. Come on.

Good job, Suu.

- Got it!
- Professional.

Today, my legend
is my grandmother.

I'm going to make a coconut
panna cotta for her

because I owe my whole
culinary journey to her.

She's the one who taught me
how to cook,

she's the one who inspired me
to make good dishes.

But making a dessert
is a very daring task.

Time is my biggest enemy
right now.

If something goes wrong,
if the panna cotta doesn't set,

I will be out of these doors.

- You comfortable, Suu?
- Definitely feeling the heat, that's for sure.

- Whew!
- Okay.

Gotta get my steak in the oven.

Gordon:
Just over 45 minutes to go.

Sadly, for one of you,
your last 45 minutes

inside the MasterChef kitchen.

Make sure it's not you.

These cooks they've been
cooking for the greatest

culinary legends all season now.

Tonight, we open up
the playbook for them

and we allow them
to create a legendary dish

for their personal legend.

Jersey got this.

- Right, Michael.
- Chef, how are you doing?

Very well, indeed.
Now tell me about the dish.

The inspiration came from where?

So, this is Grandma Mary's
chicken provolone.

She's the one who got me
first interested in cooking.

Every time we'd go over there,
you know, being Italian,

- there would always be a pot of gravy on the stove.
- Nice.

Always food. Always
forcing food down our throat.

What elements of this dish are you elevating
tonight to stay in the competition?

I'm taking her provolone, I'm
updating it a little bit with a prosciutto

'cause we didn't have
a lot of money growing up.

And it comes
with a nice béchamel sauce,

you know, so it's
a really delicious dish.

When I wasn't vegan, we would have
it and I could never eat enough of it.

So, use that béchamel. Make
sure that roux is cooked out.

- Yes, yes.
- Don't go too heavy on the flour.

This is family recipe,
so if I mess this one up,

- I disappoint not only her, but I disappoint myself.
- Right, good luck.

Talk to me a little bit about your
dish, Miss Anne. I like the technique.

- It's a typical mom move. I like that.
- You're not kidding.

- What have you got going on?
- My heroes are my family.

If it wasn't for them,
I wouldn't be here.

When I was young,
on our way home from church,

we'd stop at Grandma's house
and we'd bring fried chicken,

so that is what I am doing.

Yeah, but that doesn't
look like chicken.

- Oh, it's quail.
- It's what?

- I amped it up. I did quail.
- Quail?

I'm making a pickled
buttermilk fried quail.

- That's tricky, Anne.
- Listen, listen.

This whole thing's been tricky,
but I've made it this far.

Fried quail.
It's not quite fried chicken.

- Quail's very different.
- It is different.

Listen, you look at all
these great people around you,

and I can't play it
that safe right now.

I can't play it safe at all.
I gotta go.

All right, Anne.

Today, I am carrying a lot
on my heart and on my shoulders,

because my family
are my legends,

and I do not want
to let anybody down.

So I am running back
and forth between the pantry

and the cook station
like a crazy person.

Corn starch? Sugar.

It's an elimination challenge

and I don't want
my journey to end.

Nobody panic. Holy moly.

- You feel good, Anne?
- Yeah.

Gordon: 38 minutes
remaining. Come on.

So, my legend is actually
both my dad and my aunt.

They were a huge influence
on my love for food.

And I lost them both within a month
of each other a couple years ago,

so this is definitely
kind of an homage to them.

The dish is a kalamata
crusted lamb chop.

They would be really impressed
with me making this dish.

So, it's definitely... definitely
holds a special place in my heart.

- Go!
- Ooh. That's hot.

- Right, young man. Here we go.
- Chef.

Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing?

I'm gonna make venison,
some confit vegetables, herbs,

and it's down... we're eating at
a camp fire, but fine dining style,

and we're cooking it with love
and we're respecting the ingredients.

So, this dish is inspired
by your mum? Your dad?

This is, uh...
my legends are all of you guys,

and you're my biggest
inspiration out of all of them.

- That's very kind.
- I'm not kissing your butt.

- You really are.
- Am I that old? To be legend?

- [laughing]
- No, I've been watching you all the time.

- Right.
- So to have you here in front of me,

- it's just crazy.
- Right.

Dish sounds amazing. I want to
see that legendary focus on there.

Yes, Chef. I realize
that I'm my worst enemy,

and if I slow down, I could execute
a lot better than I have so far.

- Yeah, and less is more, right?
- Yes, Chef.

Because you grew up with very
little, you go into a pantry like that,

- you want everything.
- That's exactly what it is.

My upbringing was
very similar to yours.

We didn't grow up with much,

so every time
you see something...

"Wow, give me that.
I can't wait to use that."

That's part of the
excitement with food, right?

- It is. It is.
- Somebody's going home tonight,

so focus on this dish.

Make sure it's top eight worthy.

- Yes, Chef.
- Good luck, young man.

Thank you, Chef.
I'm fired up right now.

You got it, Lexy.
Damn. Soul food.

- Hi, Lexy.
- Hello.

What are you making?

I'm making fried
chicken wings, cornbread,

candied sweet potatoes,
and collard greens.

Aarón: Who's the legend
that's inspiring you?

- My husband.
- Okay.

He's doing a great job
taking care of our kids,

and I know he misses
my food, for sure.

What is it about the chicken
wings that remind you of him?

It's the only thing we can
always agree on to eat for dinner.

And because we don't have
a lot of money,

we don't have, like, turkey
and stuff at Thanksgiving.

We have fried chicken and
macaroni, that kind of stuff.

That story is very beautiful, but bottom
line is that someone's going home tonight.

- Yeah.
- And how do you feel about your chances...

- Of staying in the competition?
- Yes.

On this dish?

This is the most confident
I've been in the kitchen, so...

- But is it good enough, though?
- I think so.

- The level's high.
- I think so.

The flavors are really good.

My chicken is really good.

The cornbread,
all of that stuff is good.

All right, we'll see.

- Good luck.
- I like that confidence.

You said to be confident.
I'm trying, man.

I know, I like it.
I like it.

I do think I'm slowly learning
to believe in myself.

My husband has all the
confidence in the world in me

when I have so little in myself.

I need to remember
the words that he tells me

and feel his presence
as I'm making this dish.

All right, Lex.

Come on, girl.

Aarón:
30 minutes now.

30 minutes.
Let's take that off.

- Halfway gone! Let's go!
- I gotta go.

- Come on.
- Come on, Alejandro. Let's go.

Clear down your bench so you
got some clarity in what you're doing.

- Yes, Chef.
- Guys, guess what.

So, Alejandro's legend, would
you believe he said it was me?

- Lot of pressure.
- [Aarón chuckles]

Gordon, you have to digest
the fact that you are

a legendary figure for a lot
of these home cooks, you know?

It's very flattering and very
brave. What is he making?

Gordon: He has this amazing
loin of venison that he's marinating.

He's making potato fondant.

Is this one of the cases where his
ambition outweighs his capacity?

Conceptually, he has a
great idea. Can he execute?

It doesn't look like
he's overcomplicated it.

If you look at his bench,
less of the pantry than normal.

[bleep] me.

So, Anne's family
have a big tradition

of going to Grandma's house,
getting fried chicken after church.

She has chosen to take it to another
level doing fried quail in the same way.

- Wow. Would you fry quail?
- Depends on how they're used.

Joe: I don't know. Risky,
because they are very delicate.

Gordon:
Very delicate.

- Both: Michael.
- If it's getting too thick,

take a couple of spoons out.
There you go.

Work with what you need,
that's all, yeah?

- Yes, sir.
- Come on, Jersey.

- Thank you.
- Winning this immunity, it's unbelievable.

I get to stand up
on this balcony, look down,

and watch these people
fight for their lives.

Hell, yeah.
Suu, you okay?

- Doing great. Thank you.
- You need something?

- 'Cause I can't help you.
- Nope, I'm good.

- Joseph?
- Yes, Chef?

Amazing dishes out there.
Who's looking good?

Um, Abe's looking great.
Kelsey looks very comfortable.

I'm excited to see
how Alejandro's turns out.

- Who's fallen behind?
- Um...

Someone's going home.

Mike's dish could take
a long time.

- Yes.
- And I think Anne, a little bit,

little frazzled,
running back and forth.

- Anne.
- Anne: Who?

Focus, Anne, please.
Don't worry about the balcony.

I'm not frazzled, no. I just
know that I want to do a lot.

So these last 24 minutes
have to be perfect,

and I gotta get
my [bleep] together.

It's not gonna be me
going home today.

- Hi-yah! Gotta go.
- What are you gonna do?

Mother trucker, you are
hot, hot, hot, hot, hot.

Anne, how do you feel?
Are you confident?

I'm all right. How are you?
Enjoying your view?

- You should be.
- [laughs]

Joseph is up in the balcony
and critiquing us

like he's one of the judges.

And, honestly,
it's a little annoying.

He's not a judge
and I don't need to hear it.

Grate that cheese.

Right now, my focus
is to drown him out

and get this meal on the plate.

Just over 21 minutes remaining.

Anne, how are you doing? Tell
me about the dish. What is it?

I'm doing good.
I'm making a fried quail,

so I'm just amping up
a little what I...

- Fried quail? Why?
- Well, this reminds me of my family.

What's the breading?
'Cause that's the secret.

So, it's corn starch,

all-purpose flour,
tons of aromatics.

How would you feel if you were
to leave the competition tonight?

I would be [bleep]
devastated, so...

- Would you?
- Yeah. Yeah, I would.

The fact is, I want this
more than anything.

I would love to sit and talk more,
but I have so much more to do.

I don't want to go home
because I talked too much.

- Let's open a bottle of wine.
- Oh, my God, I'd love that.

I love you.
You're awesome.

- All right, young lady. Come on, let's go.
- Bye. [bleep].

Oh, boy.

- You good, Abe?
- Yeah, yeah.

- Abe.
- Hello, Chef. How you doing?

What's the dish?

So, this is gonna be
a shepherd's pie.

- Who's the legend?
- Actually, my parents.

It was the first dish that I made for
them when I got back from London.

I finished the last two years
of high school there,

and then I decided
to take a couple years off

and got my wine degree from LCB.

- You have a wine degree from LCB?
- I do, yes, Chef.

Is there any wine
in this dish? Just beer?

- Uh, yes.
- All this wine talk.

So, I didn't want
to put any wine

because I wanted to keep
it more of like

a meat and potatoes simple dish.

Think you could be
going home tonight?

- No, I don't think so, Chef.
- No?

You think this dish
has got the stuff?

I think it does.
I think it does.

It's got a lot of crunch,
texture, and personality to it.

- Burn the alcohol out of that beer.
- Okay.

Okay, got it. Yes, Chef.

I'm definitely feeling nervous.

I need to get
that shepherd's pie

in the oven
as quickly as possible

so it stays enough
to reduce a little bit

and you get a nice crust
on the potatoes.

- Looks good, Abe.
- Thank you, thank you. It's going in now.

Gordon: 17 minutes to go.
Come on, guys. Speed up!

- Lexy?
- Hello.

- Tell me about the dish.
- I'm making fried chicken wings.

How are you gonna elevate
a chicken wing?

Um, I'm not supposed
to tell you.

It's actually
a family secret, but...

- Okay, whisper in my ear.
- Okay.

- So, I coat them in...
- Right, okay.

And then this is what
they're dredged in.

They sit in that,
and then I put them in here.

- Right, okay, so it's a family secret.
- Yeah, it's my aunt's.

She's the only one that went
to culinary school in my family.

Right. Elevate those wings
and get yourself in the top eight.

- Yes.
- Good luck.

Okay, thank you.

Joseph:
Suu, 15 minutes.

Yep. Thank you, Joseph.

- Hi, Suu.
- Hello, Chefs. Hello, Joe.

- Hi. Who's your legend?
- It's my grandmother.

She gave me
this love for cooking.

My very first food memory
is actually

extracting coconut milk
from scratch.

So I'm making
a coconut panna cotta

with passion fruit coulis
and a fortune cookie.

I already filled the panna cotta and
it's already setting in the blast chiller.

I just hope it sets in time.

Passion fruit, one of
my favorite ingredients.

- Very nice, yes.
- This has that very strong acidity,

but also a tartness
that is unequaled.

How are you going to balance it
when it comes to a coconut panna cotta?

Oh, it's going to be a coulis
with a little bit of sugar.

- I may put some mint.
- You know what "panna" means?

- No, Chef.
- Cream.

- Do you know what "cotta" means?
- No.

- Cooked.
- Oh, okay.

Panna cotta
is simply cooked cream,

so you are making
something very simple.

Tonight's elimination.

I hope you are channeling
such love and energy

for your legendary grandmother
because this dish has to be perfect.

- You have no net here.
- Yes, Joe. I understand that.

- You realize that?
- Yes, I realize that.

- Do you think that's a wise bet?
- Yes.

- Joe: Good luck.
- Aarón: I like that confidence.

Thank you.
Thank you very much.

- Autumn: How you doing, Mike?
- I'm good, I'm good.

We are 50 minutes gone,
10 minutes remaining.

- Is that lamb in the oven, Kelsey?
- Yes, it is.

- Fat side down, yes? Good.
- It's a waiting game.

I gotta tell you guys,
this is a great challenge

because I can really feel the passion for
these legends coming out in these dishes.

They're cooking with their hearts,
and they're putting it all in the plate.

The last challenge we had,
I had great reviews,

but I also had
not great reviews.

And I want to prove to them
that I deserve to be here.

So it means a lot to me
that I step up.

Mmm, that's so good.

Look, Lexy's already plated.
And it's a wing, guys.

It's a chicken wing.
Is that enough?

Pray for me that it sets.

Suu is the only home cook
that's actually doing dessert.

She's gonna make a beautiful
coconut panna cotta.

- Wow.
- Okay, but it's cooked cream with gelatin in it.

- Like, how hard is it?
- Yeah, the texture is a difficult one to get right.

It has to be perfect.

We're coming down to the
last five minutes. Let's go, guys.

- This is where it counts.
- I have less than five minutes.

I'm just setting up the salad
and waiting for the, um,

the shepherd's pie to get
a nice crust on it.

On that note...

Joe: So, Abe's making
a shepherd's pie?

This is a dish
that he cooked for his parents

when he came back from London.

Where are the blow torches?

First of all, it's done
with ground lamb.

- Right, he's got that.
- So, really important.

A little touch of red wine,
a little touch of beef stock.

- You cook that out.
- He did it with beer instead, but, okay.

You don't put beer in a dish
called shepherd's pie.

Well, that's what he's doing.

Oh, [bleep].

It sunk. Uh-oh.

All right, guys, two minutes.
This is go-time.

You should be plating.
All the elements there.

Look at Michael,
just being stoic.

Keep it there until
the very last minute, Michael.

Last minute remaining.
Let's go.

Aarón:
Don't overdo it, Alejandro.

- 30 seconds remaining!
- Where is my parsley?

It's out. Michael's got it out.
15 seconds to go.

Oh, my God, Michael's...
Michael's right on the edge.

- Ten, nine...
- You got it, you got it.

...eight, seven, six,

- five, four, three...
- Oh, boy.

- ...two, one.
- Aarón: That's it. Hands in the air.

- Joseph: Good job, guys.
- Gordon: Well done, guys.

- Well done.
- Whoo!

I really think my grandma
would be very proud of me.

Looks like it came out
the way I would hope it would,

and, um, I can't wait... I wish I could
dig into it, to tell you the honest truth.

- How'd we look up there, Joe?
- Amazing.

I was worried about Anne
in the middle

because she had this
frantic look on her face.

It's a controlled,
in my mind, chaos.

I wish I had a little more
broccoli on there,

but, um, timing
got the best of me, so...

I don't think I'm going
home with this one.

That's the only thing
I'm concerned about right now.

My dad would be
so proud of this dish.

Uh, I'm not feeling
very positive about this dish.

Um, it's supposed to have
more of a crust on top,

and the mashed potatoes
sort of just sunk in.

Obviously, the mixture
was too loose.

Looking around, some of these
dishes are just wonderful.

There's a very high chance that
I might be going home tonight.

I don't know, man, it's...

...not the best.
Not the best.

Now, tonight, we asked
you all to cook a dish

inspired by the most important
legend of them all,

your own personal legend.

Now, to determine who'll be
leaving the MasterChef kitchen

and not advance
into the top eight,

Joe, Aarón, and myself, we're
tasting every one of your dishes.

Let's kick off with...

- Kelsey!
- Come on, Kels!

Kelsey: Looking at my
dish, I'm really happy

with what I see right now.

Get 'em, Kels.

My dad would be
beaming with pride.

He would tell me that he knew
I could do this all along.

Please describe
the dish, Kelsey.

It's a kalamata olive
crusted lamb chop

with a celery root and
chickpea purée, Swiss chard,

roasted baby carrots, and then there's
a red wine reduction to pour around.

The inspiration comes
from my dad and my aunt,

and this really represents the
food I grew up with on a plate.

But obviously it's a little
bit of an elevated version.

For me, this is a perfect
example of a classic dish

with all the elements
done correctly.

I think that what I can taste
in here is, you know,

your love and your passion
for your dad and your aunt.

- Excellent.
- Gordon: That lamb, you've nailed.

Delicious. And with the olives
like that seeping through?

- You know how to finesse.
- Thank you.

- Thank you guys so much.
- Come on, Kels.

Good job, Kelsey.

The next dish we'd like
to taste is from Miss Anne.

Anne: The judges told me that
using quail was a risky move.

But I'm here to risks. I'm not sitting
in the comfortable passenger seat.

I want to win "MasterChef."

Anne, can you
please describe the dish?

So, I made for you guys
a buttermilk,

pickle-brined fried quail

with root vegetable purée,

pickled radishes,
and green beans.

We used to bring fried chicken
to my grandma on Sundays.

I wanted to do something that
was a little more elevated.

- Joseph?
- Yes, Chef?

- How does that look from up there?
- Battered.

Battered.
Yeah, you're right.

The dredging on that's
so intense.

I've never seen
a quail that big.

Looks like quail on steroids.

Quail is a light, gamey,
wild bird

that doesn't need
that heavy a coating.

Okay.

So, we just, like, cut it?
How do you even do this?

- Get right in there.
- Yeah.

The actual quail tastes nice.

It's nowhere near
as overcooked as it looks.

The ranch dressing, delicious.

The problem I've got
is the breading.

It doesn't work.
Purée's nice,

but it's the wrong dish
for the purée. It needs a slaw.

You don't sit that crispy bottom
into something wet and puréed

'cause it just destroys
the texture on that.

So I wish you'd dredged it once,

shook it intensely,
and then lightly fried it.

- Yes, Chef.
- For me, that doesn't scream legendary status.

We've gone back a couple feet.

You mummified the quail.

This is the first time
you did this with quail?

- Yes.
- You think that was a good idea?

I mean, I'm here
to take risks, you guys.

- So, that's why...
- This is not a...

That's not a risk.
This is a mistake.

Because you took a protein

and treated it completely
the wrong way.

- Okay.
- Is it good enough to keep you here?

- Tonight, I'm not so sure.
- Sure, okay.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Anne.

- It's okay, Anne.
- The quail actually tastes quite good.

[no audible dialogue]

- Why so thick?
- Aarón: You don't double dredge that.

Right, Alejandro, please
step forward. Thank you.

Alejandro: I've been in the
bottom three three times,

and I do not want to find
myself there for the fourth time.

And today I was
the most nervous I've been

because I want
to make the chefs proud,

especially Gordon Ramsay.

I just hope that my cook
of the venison

is what they're looking for.

Gordon:
Describe the dish, please.

Today, we have
a pan-roasted venison loin

with potato fondant, fire
roasted garlic eggplant purée,

with a cabernet, juniper berry,
and chocolate demi-glace reduction.

Who is the legend
you're cooking for?

Right here.
That's a good one to have.

I've grown up watching
Gordon Ramsay cook,

and I always aspired to be,
like, the greatest.

And in my opinion,
he's the greatest.

- What a kiss-ass.
- [laughter]

I'm joking. Come on.

Cooking venison,
now we're talking about real

professional chef stuff,
right, guys?

- This meat is very lean, very unforgiving.
- Yes. Yes.

And how do we want
the cook on the venison?

- Pink.
- Aarón: Yeah.

Medium rare at the maximum.

Joe:
No more than medium rare.

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How do we want
the cook on the venison?

- Pink.
- Yeah, medium rare at the maximum.

Joe: And you nailed it.

- That's beautiful.
- Wow.

- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.

- Jump in there?
- Yeah, of course.

Wow.

Can I meet you?
What was you name?

Alejandro.

I've never met the cook
who made a dish like this.

Where do you come from,
Alejandro?

This is a whole 'nother level.

You've reinvented
yourself as a cook

or you're an imposter,

because it's not even possible

that the Alejandro
that I know cooked this.

You said one word that I
really enjoyed, which is juniper.

Juniper and venison
have a beautiful marriage.

Young man, visually, the plate's got
elegance. I love the way the colors pop.

You've gone beyond
the comfort zone

and started to really
home in on these skills.

And I think more importantly,
the timing's right to start growing.

You're doing it tonight.
Really delicious. Thank you.

Thank you. I couldn't be
any more excited.

This was the best dish that I've
done in the whole competition.

It's really good.
Really good.

I'm so proud that Gordon Ramsay
loved the flavors.

I am walking in cloud nine.

Next up, Autumn, please.
Thank you.

- Come on, girl.
- All right, Autumn.

- Go get 'em.
- Autumn describe the dish

- and the inspiration, please.
- I did a bulgogi marinated rib-eye with sesame rice,

sautéed broccoli,
and then kimchi picked daikon.

I got the inspiration
from my love for my roommates.

We love eating Korean food,
so I made this dish for them.

Autumn,
it's professionally executed.

The cook on the meat
is perfection.

Those soy-sweet rubs, I love,

and this one kind
of shines right.

The flavors are intense,
and that's you all over.

You're starting to enhance that
level of finesse and the confidence.

It truly is Korean,
but your own style,

and I think that's
what's awesome about it.

- Thank you very much.
- Thank you, guys.

Okay, next dish is Michael's.

- All right, Michael.
- We have Grandma Mary's chicken provolone.

Chicken with a béchamel sauce

with sautéed spinach,
prosciutto.

She's been gone
for quite a few years,

and to do this and hopefully make
her proud will mean a lot to me.

The dish is super comforting.
It's got that rustic charm.

You have to be super careful with
that prosciutto because it's super salty.

I understand the sentiment
behind this dish

because I think
all of us can agree

that grandma's food is the best.

I do love the seasoning to it,

and I love
the abundance of greens.

- But it is a little rich.
- Right.

It's a hard dish
to get past a couple bites.

That said, the flavor's good,
it's just too much.

- Thank you, gentlemen.
- Gordon: Thank you, Mike.

- Suu.
- Come on, Suu! Whoo!

Suu: Tonight, I'm the only
one that made a dessert,

and I'm really happy with it.

But we have eight people
cooking today

and they have crazy talents.

- Looks beautiful, Suu.
- Thank you.

My dessert today,
it only has three components.

But I'm praying the judges

will see my creativity
through it.

Miss Suu, can you please
describe the dish?

Yes, Chef. I have for you
coconut and vanilla panna cotta

with passion fruit coulis
and a fortune cookie

with a little special message
to my inspiration tonight

- who is my grandmother.
- Suu, it's beautiful.

- She made me who I am today.
- Wow.

She instilled this love for cooking
in me since I was six or seven.

- And how old is she?
- She is 100 years old, Chef.

- A hundred?
- She is.

A hundred years old?

I kept her in my mind
while making this

because she's not eating
any solid foods anymore,

so this is something
that she would enjoy.

- "I love you, Granny."
- Aw.

- How beautiful is that?
- Joe: Very sweet.

Thank you. Thank you.

Very rare you see a panna cotta
set in a coconut.

The big question is,
how has it set?

Too firm, it's like eating
the inside of a golf ball,

too liquid, then it becomes
a sort of panna cotta cocktail.

And I'm hoping it's got this
really nice soft texture.

- Suu: Yes.
- Joe: But it has to hold its own.

It has to be separate
from the passion fruit.

Gordon: Beautiful.

Suu, what's granny's name?

Her name is Tan Tan.

- Tan Tan?
- Yes.

I [bleep] love her.

I love Granny Tan Tan.
That is exceptional.

- Oh, my Lord.
- Thank you very much.

And you've got the confidence
to sort of serve it

in half a coconut.

Is that all fresh coconut
in there as well?

It is, Chef.

I love the acidity.
I love the creaminess.

It's fragrant,
but it's not overwhelming.

This is exactly what
we were looking for tonight

when we asked you
to cook for a legend,

and your panna cotta
is legendary.

- Thank you very much, Joe.
- Amazing job.

Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.

- Good job, Suu!
- Good job.

- Okay, Lexy.
- Come on, girl! All right, Lex!

Lexy:
I'm feeling pretty confident,

but the other dishes
are very restaurant quality.

Chicken wings
might not be as fancy

as some of the other ones,
but I'm hoping that my flavors

are enough to keep me
in the competition.

Okay, Lexy,
what legend inspired you

in your life tonight
to make us this dish?

My husband,
but also my entire family.

- Explain the dish for us.
- I have fried chicken wings,

sweet potatoes, cornbread,
and collared greens.

Visually, it looks, um... it looks what I
would expect that you would feed me

if I had the privilege of being
invited to your house for dinner.

Lexy, when you said you were
gonna take that inspiration from home,

I was expecting a chicken,
a drum, a thigh,

or even a breast.
Any sauces?

- Any dipping sauce or hot sauce?
- Um, no.

Gordon: I'm only asking
'cause it all looks dry,

so I'm looking for
Lexy's take on a hot sauce.

There's, like,
a honey-butter glaze

over the sweet potatoes
and cornbread.

And the chicken,
I'm sure it looks dry,

but I know it's juicy
on the inside.

Collard greens, delicious.
I love them.

They're juicy and there's
a really nice braise on there.

The sweet potato and the
cornbread are super sweet.

Something like that only
needs one sweet part to it

so you've got something
to counteract.

And the wings are wings.

That's the bit
I'm struggling with.

I appreciate the fact that you
made homemade cornbread.

I think there's something
very comforting about it,

but what we're asking for
is proof

that you've matured,
seen the growth.

I feel like this
is a step backwards.

Yeah, Lexy, too simple,
too sweet, too bad.

- Thank you, Lexy.
- Thanks, guys.

- It's okay, Lexy.
- To stay in the competition tonight,

I did not expect a wing.

I've been so excited for this
one because this is one dish

that keeps me
feeling less homesick.

Abe, please. Thank you.

This is an elimination
challenge, and I'm really worried.

There are so many components,
and I think I just

- lost track with everything.
- Hello, Chefs.

I'm really unhappy with my dish.

- It's awful.
- Describe the dish, Abe.

This is a shepherd's pie
with a fennel slaw.

The legend behind it
is actually my parents.

It was one of the first dishes that I
made when I was living in the UK.

Joe: I'm no shepherd
pie expert by any means,

but I don't think this is how
it's supposed to look. Is it?

Is the potato
supposed to be firm?

This is kind of a...
it's kind of a mess.

More like shepherd's soup pie.

Joe: I'm no shepherd
pie expert by any means,

but I don't think this is how
it's supposed to look. Is it?

Is the potato
supposed to be firm?

This is kind of a...
it's kind of a mess.

More like shepherd's soup pie.

Gordon:
Why's it so liquid, Abe?

The roux wasn't thick enough,
Chef, I believe,

and then I didn't let it
reduce enough.

Abe, I grew up with shepherd's
pie. It's a big comfort for me.

I'm gonna take you to task.
So, potatoes need to be fluffy.

They need to be forked on top, and that ragout
needs to be a nice, solid, dense ragout.

And you do not serve a slaw
with mashed potatoes.

The saving grace here is
the meat's braised beautifully.

I don't have quite the extensive
knowledge of shepherd's pie,

but I do know that when I
put it all in my mouth together,

I actually liked
the way it tasted.

Abe, you are one lucky guy.

Yeah, your potatoes
need to be fluffier,

but the flavors are so
agreeable in that base,

- it's seasoned well.
- Thank you.

- Thank you, Abe.
- Thank you.

Gordon: Now, we asked you to
cook the most incredible dishes

inspired by
your own personal legends.

We've tasted them. Now we
need to have a very serious chat.

Because, sadly,
there is one of you

that will not continue
in this competition.

- Wow.
- First of all, Lexy's chicken wings,

- I mean, come on.
- You can't be serving chicken wings at this level.

- Gordon: Anne?
- Joe: She totally missed the mark.

She fried the quail
like it was chicken.

Over-dredged.

Some of those flavors
were agreeable,

but it was just composed poorly.

Gordon: And Abe's...

That was not a shepherd's pie.
It was sloppy.

The worst one was obviously
the one that wasn't legendary.

- Gordon: I agree.
- Yeah, let's do it.

Now, there were some
exceptional dishes tonight

that were truly outstanding.

And, sadly, there were a few
dishes that weren't so inspiring.

And ultimately tonight,
one more home cook

will be leaving the competition.

Now, I'm going to ask
three individuals

to make their way down here.

Abe. Lexy.

And, finally, Anne, please make
your way down here. Thank you.

Suu, Autumn, Michael,
Kelsey, Alejandro,

you're all safe
from elimination.

All of you make your way
up to the balcony

and put your white aprons on.
Let's go.

Alejandro: Oh, my God.

Heading up to the balcony
feels like a dream come true.

It's my very first time
going up those stairs.

[exhales]

I feel super validated
right now.

I finally accomplished
what I wanted to do.

Congratulations,
all five of you.

Safe from elimination.

Today I feel I was able
to show my flair,

my style, and my skill
on this dish.

I couldn't be any happier.

Now, sadly, you three cooked the
worst dishes in tonight's challenge.

Abe, if you're gonna
nail the shepherd's pie,

then you need to make it
an authentic shepherd's pie.

- Yes, Chef.
- Lexy, the dish felt badly conceptualized.

It needed more passion.

Anne, I thought it was mediocre.

I just wouldn't see
a quail dredged so thick.

Now, we had
a very tough decision,

but the person leaving
"MasterChef: Season Of Legends,"

the most underwhelming dish,

that dish belonged to...

Lexy.

Abe and Anne, could you
say good-bye to Lexy, please,

and make your way upstairs?

Lexy, you've grown and
you've gotten more confident.

Tonight, you went back
to playing safe.

But you've been a beacon,
young lady.

You light up this kitchen.

Promise us you're gonna
continue cooking.

I do promise.

Come and say good-bye, please.

- Yes.
- We love you, Lex.

Love you so much.

Come on. Take care, girl.

I am disappointed
to get eliminated.

You know, the longer you're here, the
more you learn and the more you grow.

But also, I feel like
I've come such a long way.

Gordon:
Now, in your mind, Lexy,

who is gonna become
America's next MasterChef?

I love all of you guys,
but I think Suu.

- Aw. I love you, Lexy.
- Listen, we wish you all the best.

- Thank you.
- Safe trip home and take care.

- Thanks, guys.
- Thanks, darling. Good night.

- Love you, girl.
- Love you, Lexy.

I'm proud of myself
because I have lasted

a really, really long time
in this competition

and I feel like
I've had to wake up

and pinch myself every day.

It is a resounding yes.
Congratulations. Welcome.

- Stop it! Oh, my God.
- Come here. Come here.

The experience, it's like a
fast-tracked culinary school.

- You've made this before?
- No.

- Wow.
- How many times have you ever cooked New York strip?

- None.
- There are some great flavors here,

- but it's dry.
- To go through all of that and to get the criticism

and the feedback that
I've gotten from the judges,

it's shaped me
into a better cook.

You've made this rich
and decadent.

- I love it.
- Thank you.

I love those crispy bits,

and that really got
my attention immediately.

- Wow.
- That's cooked beautifully.

You gotta have
confidence in your food,

- especially when you cook it like this.
- Thank you.

I am leaving here with a stronger
sense of confidence in myself,

which is going to allow me
to really pursue my dreams,

and I'm just really grateful
for this experience.

Gordon:
Bye, darling. Take care.

Gordon: Next time
on "MasterChef Legends"...

Please welcome the legendary
Dominique Crenn.

...the home cooks face
their first team challenge.

I'm mallet-ing my pork.

Joe: You and a partner
will cook identical dishes.

- Coming in.
- Holy [bleep].

Don't forget to season
your cream and stock.

They need to listen
to each other,

so it's all about being a team.

But it will be a tall order
to avoid elimination.

It felt somewhat lacklust.

- Holy [bleep].
- Pray for me.

Damn it!

"MasterChef" is back
with the season of legends.

Wednesdays on Fox.