Masterchef (2010–…): Season 11, Episode 15 - Legends: Semi Final -- 3 Chef Showdown - full transcript

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Gordon: Previously,
on "MasterChef Legends,"

a challenge like no other.

- Very exciting.
- Yes, Chef.

Please welcome
the legendary Dominique Crenn.

Niki Nakayama.

All of you will be cooking
for four world-class chefs.

A modern master, Ludo Lefebvre.

You and a partner will cook
identical dishes

on opposite sides of the wall.

It's boys versus girls.

- Yes!
- Let's do it!



Clocks.

- This challenge has two rounds.
- [bleep]

- I'm blown away with this.
- The flavoring really came through.

I would put this on
the menu of my restaurant.

- [coughs]
- This is raw.

I would never put
that on the plate.

- This is your worst performing dish.
- I'm going home.

The person leaving
"MasterChef" is Joseph.

Anne. Abe. Michael.

Good luck, guys.

Tonight...

Congratulations.
This is the semi-finals.

Tonight's challenge
is a culinary triathlon.

...the final four fight
for a spot in the finale



in the ultimate
cook-along challenge.

Please welcome Nyesha Arrington.

- Suzette Gresham.
- Please listen, look, and cook. Here we go.

Gordon: You must duplicate
their every move.

Baste, baste, baste, baste.

I'm done. How 'bout you?
Are you there?

- Keep up and listen.
- It's getting hectic.

Chef is moving at
a million miles an hour,

- but I have to catch up.
- [bleep]

Gordon: That doesn't sound

like "MasterChef Legends"
finale worthy.

This is the most beautiful
plate I've seen tonight.

The home cook earning the
first spot in the finale is...

- Top four.
- Tonight is the semi-final.

And the challenge is gonna
be all about timing,

- speed, efficiency.
- High pressure.

Yeah, but get this right tonight, and you
have propelled yourself into the finale.

- Welcome.
- Ready?

It is so exciting.
I made it to the top four.

Right. Come on down. Line up.

But right now my next goal
is the finale.

I'm so close
that I can taste it.

Kelsey, Alejandro, Suu, Autumn,

congratulations on making it
to the semi-finals

of "MasterChef Legends."

All four of you have really
cooked with your heart and soul.

And if you keep cooking
with that passion tonight,

you are well on your way to
becoming America's next MasterChef.

Alejandro, young man, you finally
won your first challenge last week.

- Are you believing more about yourself now than you were?
- Yes, Chef.

It's been a rough ride for me
and I just feel

that I'm getting better
every day.

Kelsey, last week was your
first time down in the bottom.

- How are you feeling right now?
- I understand where I kinda lost my way in the challenge

- and I'm feeling fine.
- I respect your honesty.

Remind us, Kelsey,
the food dream is what?

- I wanna be the female version of you.
- Of me?

- I wanna make a name for myself in the food world.
- Good.

Autumn, you're the only
home cook who that has never

appeared in the bottom
of any challenge.

- How you feeling right now?
- I'm feeling really good.

I'm just hoping to keep
that momentum up,

- and hopefully make it into the finale.
- Yeah?

Suu, last week you showed us
that you're adapting as a cook.

- Are you feeling stronger?
- I'm feeling more confident.

I think I'm really getting
comfortable with taking risk.

- Good.
- I think it's time to get to business. Shall we?

Tonight's challenge
is a culinary triathlon.

- A what?
- Gordon: Listen carefully.

You're being introduced to
three incredible legends.

And you will be cooking one of
their stunning signature dishes.

But the catch is,
you must cook alongside them

at their speed.

- Oh.
- You must pay close attention

and duplicate their every move.

- That's hard.
- That's a lot of pressure.

This is your introduction
to the fast-paced world

of the professional kitchen.

Now, here's the good news.

Whoever comes closest
to perfection every round,

will head up to the balcony and
claim their spot in the grand finale.

One of you will be going home.

[bleep]

I think it's safe to say that
this is the ultimate test.

- All: Yes, Chef.
- I've never seen this before.

I think I'm the most nervous
I've ever been.

If I'm gonna get in the finale,

it's definitely not
gonna be easy.

I'm gonna have to fight.

Now, the first legend

that you will be cooking
closely with tonight

is a true southern
Californian original.

This legend has cooked in some
of the world's best restaurants.

And two restaurants of her very
own were named by the "L.A. Times"

- as the best in Los Angeles.
- That's crazy.

All of you, please welcome one of
SoCal's brightest young culinary stars,

the legendary Nyesha Arrington.

- What a presence.
- Gordon: Nyesha!

- Oh, my goodness me. Welcome.
- Thank you.

Chef Nyesha is here, and she
has all these amazing accolades.

Her restaurant was voted
one of the best in L.A.,

which is a huge accomplishment,

and definitely gives me
motivation to say,

"That's what I want
to be like one day."

- Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.
- Happy to be here.

You and I have
something in common.

We both got the most
amazing chance

to work for, God bless him,
the amazing Joël Robuchon.

You were in Vegas.
I was in Paris.

But I'm fascinated because
you have an incredible resume.

Opening the restaurants you did,

what's been driving
that passion?

Whenever I pursue something,

I wanna be
the absolute best at it.

So, working in those
Michelin-starred kitchens,

you have to be
so detail-orientated,

so focused almost, that you have
an athlete's mentality.

- Absolutely.
- And those ultimately drive my life mise en place

- to be successful.
- Amazing. What a legend.

Words of advice for tonight.
What would it be?

I think it's very important

to cook with intention from
your soul and from your heart.

- Amazing. What a pleasure having you here.
- Thank you.

- Right. You four, are you ready?
- All: Yes, Chef.

- Nyesha, I'm gonna let you take it from here.
- Go for it!

It's very terrifying knowing
that I'm about to cook alongside

such a legendary chef.

This is the hardest thing that
we are going to have to do

- so far in this competition.
- So, Nyesha,

what will these four talented
individuals be cooking tonight?

They will be cooking
a pan-seared rib eye steak,

served with a
green peppercorn sauce,

with an elegant
fines herbes salad,

and a whipped pomme purée...
or mashed potato a la Robuchon.

- Wow.
- Chef, absolutely stunning.

You've got that finesse there with
the Robuchon mashed potatoes.

Now, we know to make these potatoes
smooth, silky, is difficult to perfect

- and it is true Robuchon style.
- There's nothing like it.

- But there's an art to that.
- Yes, this is an amazing dish.

It's not easy. It might be easy on
the eye, but this is full of technique.

And lots of
responsibility ultimately.

Right. You four, remember,
you must keep up with Nyesha

every step of the way,
because once she finishes,

you'll have just 10 seconds

- to plate your food.
- 10 seconds?

- 10 seconds.
- Thank you.

Just cooking with a legend
and at their speed,

and putting out a plate
as good as theirs,

is just very hard to begin with.

So I'm just gonna try
to focus the best I can

and follow instructions exactly

so that I don't make
any mistakes.

- Now, top four, are you guys ready?
- All: Yes, Chef.

Nyesha, are you ready?

- I'm born ready. Let's do this, guys.
- Let's do it.

All of you, get to your
stations please. Let's go.

I'm nervous,
because out of all four of us,

I think I have the least
experience cooking steak.

And now I have to cook
exactly as Chef Nyesha,

- and it's going to be crazy.
- Okay, guys, you ready?

Let's do this.
All your pans out.

Make sure those pans
are getting hot

so that I'm not
waiting for the heat.

The heat is waiting on me.

- Smart.
- We need a pan for your steak.

Pan for mashed potatoes.
Let's go. Push, huh?

I cook steak at home.
I'm from the Midwest.

We cook steak and potatoes.
This is on a different level.

We wanna get this potato peeled.

Get that diced up and bang them

into your pot of water, okay?

- Nyesha: Yes?
- All: Yes, ma'am.

So, I am going to stay
on track with Chef Nyesha

by being focused
and by staying organized.

You want your potatoes and your
milk heating at the same time, okay?

We need to make sure
the milk is hot

when we're ready to
address those potatoes.

- Suu: Do we put in all the milk, ma'am?
- Nyesha: Yes.

Gordon: Listen to the chef.
Watch the speed she's doing.

You want to make sure your potatoes
are diced just into smaller pieces

to get them cooking
more quickly.

Gordon: The cut on these
potatoes are super important.

Cut evenly, cook evenly. Cut
unevenly, they cook unevenly. Let's go.

- Potatoes diced.
- Suu: Yes, ma'am.

Gordon: Good.
Job one done. Good.

- Nyesha, wow. You're moving fast.
- Let's go.

Put your potatoes in. Let's
get your pot of water salted.

- Aarón: Come on, Suu.
- Suu: Chef Nyesha is moving back and forth

from this pan to that pan,
from that pot to this pot.

- We want that seasoned.
- Gordon: Watch the salt.

Look at the salt.
Look the chef, please.

I cannot keep up with her speed.
She is just fast.

Potatoes should be
dispatched, guys. Let's go.

- Focus, Suu. Let's go.
- Yes, Chef.

Okay, potatoes are cooking.
Let's get this steak seasoned.

We want a room temperature
beautiful steak, yes?

Aarón: Alejandro, you gotta
see what she's doing.

Keeping up with
Chef Nyesha is insane.

Salt liberally on both sides.

But I have to pay attention to every
single detail of what she's doing,

but at the same time, I'm gonna
use some of my intuition.

Then we are going to start
rendering that beef fat.

- Allow that to sear.
- So I'm going to use both of my steaks,

not one, in case something
goes bad or I drop the steak.

Because if I blow one step,
this dish will be a disaster.

Now, let's start picking
the herbs for my herb salad.

- Aarón: Watch how much she's doing, guys.
- Very important.

We want no stem, okay?

- Just the leaves?
- Yes, just the leaves.

- Listen, yes?
- All: Yes, Chef.

Now, potatoes are cooking.
Your milk should be heating.

- Alejandro: Yes, Chef.
- Your steak should be searing.

Your milk should be
simmering, guys.

- Oh!
- Suu, turn it off.

It's already warm, your milk.

- Chef, I put the potatoes in it.
- Suu!

Gordon: Nyesha didn't put
it in the milk.

She put the potatoes
in the milk?

I'm actually freaking out.
I have to fix this right now.

But I can't keep up.
It's a lot to multi-task,

and I hope this won't cost me
getting to the finale.

- Dear, oh, dear.
- Oh, my gosh.

Your milk should be heating.
Your steak should be searing.

- Oh!
- Suu, turn it off.

It's already warm, your milk.

- Chef, I put the potatoes in it.
- Dear, oh, dear.

This semi-final is such
a tough challenge.

Chef Nyesha put the potatoes
into a boiling water.

But I accidentally put it
into a pot of milk.

Once that fat starts to
render out of the steak,

we're gonna toss in
a little bit of butter.

I don't want to miss a step,

so I'm going to cook
the potatoes in the milk.

I hope it turns out fine.

Butter, oil, thyme.

- Garlic in the pan.
- Gordon: Nice.

This is gonna start building
flavor, start building color.

Gordon: Game faces on.
Like any talented chef,

- there is no room for error.
- Autumn: Yes, Chef.

- Okay, now, flip that steak and get it in the oven.
- Alejandro: Yes, Chef.

So it should go in for
about three minutes.

Very, very important that the rib
eye stays pink all the way throughout.

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

Your steak is cooking.
Let's get these shallots chopped

- for our sauce, okay?
- Yes, ma'am.

Kelsey, you're just going rogue.
You gotta see what she's doing.

We want these shallots diced
to a nice, beautiful brunoise.

We want shallots in the pan
sweating down.

- Keep it going. Come on.
- We're gonna start to build the sauce.

Toss in my green peppercorns.

- Okay?
- Suu: Yes, ma'am.

Deglaze with brandy.

- You put the green peppercorn first, then deglaze?
- Let's go, Chef. Listen up.

- Come on, Suu.
- Listen.

Green peppercorns in first.
Deglaze the pan. Tilt the pan.

- Gordon: Come on, Alejandro.
- Mine needs a little bit more heat, Chef.

- Whoo.
- There you go, Autumn.

Pull that steak out.
Time to get that resting.

And do not throw away that
butter. That's delicious flavor.

- Listen, guys, steaks out.
- Nyesha: You've gotta baste.

- Gordon: Come on, guys.
- I want caramelized crust on the outside of that steak.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Baste, baste, baste.

- She's fast.
- I know. She's moving at a rampant pace.

Nyesha: Very important.
Color is flavor.

Gordon: Guys, you're working
at a pro speed now.

Baste, baste, baste.
Out of the pan. Nicely resting.

- Add some of that butter to your sauce.
- Yes, Chef.

Now, touch of demi-glace here.

Veal demi.
We're building flavor.

I'm sorry, Chef. After the
butter, what do you put?

- Veal stock?
- You've gotta listen, Suu.

Yes, after the butter,
veal stock.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Think about what you're doing.

Sauce needs to be
reducing nicely.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Yes, Chef.

Potatoes should be cooked, yes?

- Almost there.
- Mine are not ready.

Mine are not ready, either.

Autumn's potatoes
look as big as chunks.

Home purée. We will need
a ricer. You will need a tamis.

Tamis card. Ricer, tamis,
tamis card. Let's go, guys.

You need to strain these
potatoes out. Strain off your water.

Don't drain your potatoes
unless their cooked. Come on.

The potatoes are not cooked
enough. It's getting hectic.

Chef is moving at a million miles
an hour, but I have to catch up.

We are going for the most
beautiful, elegant potato.

This is no regular
mashed potato, guys.

This has many, many, many steps.

So much better.

- We're double-straining your potatoes.
- Suu, come on.

Please make sure
your potatoes are cooked.

I'd hate for you to get this far
and your potatoes not be cooked.

It would not be good for you.

- Yes.
- [bleep]

When I check the potatoes,
they're still hard as a rock,

so I start freaking out.

- They're not cooked.
- Make 'em ready.

Put the pot on. Turn the
heat up. Get in front of it.

Watch what she's doing, guys.
Keep your eyes on the prize.

I'm watching the chef because
my potatoes are not ready,

so I'm memorizing
what she's doing.

Drain some water out
so it's boiling quicker, no?

- Yes, Chef. You got it.
- There you go, Alejandro.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Very important, when you are tamising your potatoes,

place your potatoes to one side
and pull towards you, okay?

Potatoes are soft, fluffy.

Come on, guys. Just focus.
Keep up and listen.

We want to dehydrate
our potato, okay?

We are evaporating water
and imparting flavors.

So, you have massive
slices in there, okay?

Massive.
They're way, way too big.

- Yeah, way, way too big.
- Sorry, Chef.

Damn.

- Damn, damn, damn.
- [bleep]

I'm really worried. I don't
want to be falling behind.

Just gotta crank that heat up!
and pray to God

that these potatoes
will get cooked in time,

because it could ruin the chance
of me even going into the finale.

- Oh, my gosh.
- Don't get flustered, Autumn. Stay with it.

Listen to what she's saying.

Place your potatoes to one
side and pull towards you.

- Oh, my gosh.
- Don't get flustered, Autumn. Stay with it.

- Listen to what she's saying.
- Yes. Yes, yes, yes.

I'm waiting on the potatoes.
They're undercooked.

And Chef Nyesha is already
ricing her potatoes

and getting them all started.

Pull towards you, guys.
Let's go.

I'm already behind,
and I'm trying to make sure

that I still watch
everything she's doing,

so that I don't fall
extremely behind.

- Now my potatoes are boiling.
- Potatoes in.

I'm evaporating the water
out of the potato.

Imparting flavor.
Seasoning these potatoes.

- Let's go, Kelsey.
- Yes, Chef.

My potatoes are perfect.

I finally cooked the potatoes.

But now I gotta to catch up

- and not lose focus.
- Aarón: Come on, Autumn.

- Adding in butter. Crucial step, right?
- Yes, Chef.

- Nice, Autumn. There you go.
- Whipping, adding air,

incorporating butter,
that is your focus.

Adding in a touch
of hot milk. Hot milk.

- Butter.
- Butter, butter, milk. Let's go.

Whipping and whisking these potatoes and
adding the butter at the right time is hard.

Nd I don't want to risk havingA
to go into another round,

so everything
is riding on this cook.

I just want to get my spot
in the finale.

- Chef, is your pot on?
- Which pot? I have five pots here.

- The pot with the potatoes in it.
- Yes. The pot is on, yes.

- We are cooking, Kelsey, Let's go.
- Yes, Chef.

Alejandro and Autumn, you're
both behind, so just got to speed up.

- Autumn: Yes, Chef.
- We are falling behind.

- Alejandro, come on, let's go.
- Yes, Chef.

Gordon:
Come on, let's go.

Whip it, whip it.

Aarón: Autumn, Let's go.

Potatoes should not be wet,
they should not be broken.

You should have a nice,
beautiful, fluffy mixture.

- Gordon: Come on, guys.
- [bleep]

- Look at Chef's spoon, please.
- Yeah, I over-worked mine.

I feel a little bit flustered.

I over-did my mashed potatoes
with extra milk,

so I have to extract as much
moisture as possible.

- [groans]
- Nyesha: Let's go.

Potatoes, beautiful,
shiny, glossy.

Amazing texture.
Now, strain that herb salad out.

I want everything ready for me
when I'm ready, right?

- Yes, Chef.
- How's your steak?

- Are you on resting steaks?
- Yes, Chef.

It should be cooked through.
Don't serve the judges raw steak.

- Gordon: Listen to the chef.
- Steak in the oven.

Let's get those potatoes hot
and let's finish this sauce.

- All: Yes, Chef.
- Home stretch.

Gordon: 60 seconds to go, guys,
before we start plating.

- Let's go.
- What did she just do?

Steak back in the oven.
Last 60 seconds.

Oh, in the... I didn't...

- I just...
- Gordon: Let's go, guys. Finishing the sauce.

There's a touch of cream
going in there now.

Touch of cream in your sauce.

Those that are behind,
you're gonna play catch up.

Let's go.

Alejandro, use the spatula.

Home stretch, guys.
Get it together.

We are now going to start
plating. Let's go.

Alejandro: Yes, Chef.

- Gordon: Watch.
- Spray these herbs very delicately, right?

Beautiful vinegar here.
Spray them.

Remember, you got 10 seconds
after Chef. Focus now. Let's go.

- Aarón: Come on, Suu.
- Everything is coming together.

Potatoes go down.

[bleep]

- Everything hot.
- Gordon: Steak is out.

Aarón: There you go.

- Nyesha: Okay.
- Gordon: Steak on.

- Steak. Beautiful.
- Gordon: Good.

- Damn it, my potatoes broke.
- Let's go, Kelsey.

I plate my food.
I put my potatoes down.

And I immediately see butter
oozing on the side of my plate.

I don't know what to do at
this point besides just plate this.

Ugh! This is really frustrating.

Aarón: Come on, Alejandro.

Gordon: Sauce,
sauce, sauce. Beautiful.

- Look at that.
- Beautiful. Nice.

And then finally, herbs,

and that is how a true legend
cooks a steak. Great job, Nyesha.

All of you, you've got 10
seconds starting from now.

- Judges: Ten, nine...
- Nyesha: Let's go, guys.

- Where's my steak? Where's my steak?
- ...seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one.

- That's it.
- Come on, guys! Hands up.

- Well done. Chef, great job.
- Joe: Good job.

- Gordon: Man!
- I feel disappointed.

The consistency of the potatoes,

it's a little bit softer than
what the chef presented,

and that might mean a setback
from making it to the finale.

My potatoes were undercooked,
but I was able to fix it.

I just don't know if it's enough
to get me on the balcony

and go right into the finale.

My potatoes broke.

I just took my eye off of them
and they broke at the end.

There is butter running
all over the plate,

which is not how the dish
is supposed to be.

And I'm just pretty
pissed off with myself.

I am so mad about the potatoes.

Right, you four,

it was an incredible cook-along.

Now you know how
a professional legend moves.

Were you able to keep up with
her standards? Let's find out.

Because for one of you four, you're gonna
be in the finale of "MasterChef Legends."

First up, Kelsey.

Make your way over please.
Thank you.

Bringing this dish
up to Chef Nyesha,

I know I could've done better.

I am very concerned
that these potatoes

are gonna be the reason
I don't get into the finale.

Right, young lady,
visually, first of all,

it looks like you've got
a nice sear on that rib eye.

But I'm deeply concerned
about the mash

because the mash
looks nice and silky,

but the butter's broken.

The most delicious
potato in the world,

- but the most difficult to execute.
- Absolutely.

- We said medium rare.
- Yeah.

As always,
we're gonna get in there.

Move this onto the side.

Okay, it's medium rare.

Very good. Shall we?

When I ate these
flavors together...

...they all really work.

I love that caramelization
and crust on your steak.

- I know we keep coming back to the potato purée.
- Yes.

Definitely needs some more love,

but the sauce was
a delicious flavor profile.

I just wanted a tiny bit more
acid on my greens

to kinda cut through
the richness of everything.

But other than that, great job.

What I'm most impressed upon is the fact
that you got that sauce so well balanced.

'Cause for me, that is
the one compelling element

that brings everything together.

Of the two things
that could've broken,

it would've been worse
if your sauce broke.

The potatoes broke, but
they're still edible. It's good.

Kelsey, you're cooking
with a legend.

20 years of experience and
only 10 seconds separating you.

- Good job. Well done.
- Thank you.

- Good job, Kels.
- Good job.

- Those elements work. That potato's so fine.
- The flavor's amazing.

- Absolutely.
- Yeah.

The feedback was more positive
than I thought it was going to be.

But looking at
my fellow competitors,

I'm pretty sure that
I'm going to have to cook again.

Alejandro, please bring
your dish forward.

If there's one thing that
I've learned from the judges,

it's to always have
a backup plan.

Cooking both steaks
was the right thing to do,

so I'm confident I can secure
my spot in the finale with this dish.

Nyesha: Upon appearance,

the potato looks to be similar
consistency as the sauce

and your greens are wilted.

Gordon: Shall we?

All right, let's see how we did.

- That's rare.
- It's rare.

Solid rare.

Also interesting to note that the
underside of this steak is very grey.

Oh, my God. It's boiled.

[muttering] I left my best one
behind and I put the one that was...

Speak up.
I can't hear you. Sorry?

I left my best one behind and I
put the one that was less cooked.

That doesn't sound like
"MasterChef Legends" finale worthy.

Aarón: That's rare.

Also interesting to note that the
underside of this steak is very grey.

Oh, my God. It's boiled.

I left my best one behind and I
put the one that was less cooked.

That doesn't sound like
"MasterChef Legends" finale worthy.

Did you see Chef
cook two steaks?

I'm shooting myself
in the foot right now.

I pulled them out with
three seconds to go, Chef,

so I acted out of instinct and
I grabbed the first one I saw,

and I didn't take the extra
second to grab the right one.

It's hard.
Your mind's racing, right?

You have to cook with intention.
That's so important.

- Yes, Chef.
- Yeah.

Alejandro, tonight's dish,
it's missing the love.

The actual mash is lumpy.

That's down to the size
of the cubes you diced.

The steak, actually,
it tastes better than it looks.

But it can go up to another
level with that right sear.

For me, these potatoes
are fairly under-seasoned.

I taste potato.
I taste steak.

I get no crunch or sear
on the outside.

You needed more sauce
on the plate, ultimately.

- Just a little bit more seasoning.
- Yes, Chef.

Yeah, you gotta just
listen and focus.

You weren't paying enough
attention to Chef and it shows.

Yes, Chef.

The bad news is
there's a lot of errors.

But if I were on a plane and they gave
me the little tin, this would be great.

I don't know in business
class if it would pass,

but in coach, you nailed it.

- Fair enough.
- Joe, you've never sat in coach in your life,

so how the [bleep] would you
know what gets served back there?

I prefer to go on your plane,
but, you know...

- Thanks, Alejandro.
- Thank you, Chef.

Gordon: It's just that
there's no color on that.

- Yeah, that needed a lot of love.
- This is true.

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

Yes, Chef.

This challenge definitely
tested how focused I can be.

I would ask a lot of questions,
but it was really,

eally difficult following Chefr
step by step.

- Suu, it looks good.
- Nyesha: Yes, absolutely.

Your sear is beautiful.
Your herb salad looks vibrant.

Here's what I like about
the way you think.

You made a major mistake
this evening.

You threw potatoes in the milk.

- I did.
- But you didn't panic. You just got on with it.

The one issue I have,

is there's a slight pool
of blood under the salad

that confirms to me
it's undercooked.

All right, moment of truth.

So, yeah, it's definitely
a little bit undercooked.

All right, let's try it.

- Suu.
- Yes.

The steak, it's under,
but your herb salad's bright

and fresh and vibrant.

The sauce, it's lacking a
little bit in seasoning for me.

My palate is searching for
a little bit of salt,

- a little bit more depth of flavor.
- Yes, ma'am.

The potatoes look very greasy,
to be honest.

I think you were a little bit
taken back by the technique.

Yes.

The seasoning is
inconsistent throughout.

From the meat to the sauce,
it's just really under-seasoned.

Gordon: Suu, let me tell you
something really important.

This cook-along with a legend,
you need to use your initiative.

And so when Nyesha
takes her steak out,

if your steak is undercooked,
get it back in the oven.

- Is that clear?
- Yes, Chef.

- Thank you.
- Thank you very much. Thank you, Chef.

- If it's not ready, put it back in, right?
- Absolutely.

It wasn't the most perfect dish.

I want this spot
in the finale so much.

I don't want to cook again.

Autumn, please bring
your dish down to us.

After looking
at everybody's plate,

I think that I did enough
during this cook

to make it into the finale.

I know that my potatoes were
a little bit of a struggle for me,

but everything looks perfect,

so I'm just hoping that
verything tastes perfect, too. e

Nyesha: Autumn,
visually, I have to say

this is the most beautiful
plate I've seen tonight.

I love that caramelization
and crust on your steak.

Um, young lady,
I have one observation,

and that is that the steak
is borderline rare,

to sort of potential blue.

Okay.

- Ooh. It's rare.
- That's rare.

Right.

Autumn, the steak,
a little undercooked,

but this sauce is perfect.

You really nailed, for me,
the essence of the pepper sauce.

- Good job.
- The seasoning of the potatoes is great.

I'm not completely sold
on how cooked they are.

I think that you could have gone a
couple seconds longer on the potato.

- Steak, seasoned nicely. Great job.
- Thank you, Chef.

Yeah, I gotta say, for me,

the most impressive
part of the dish

is the similarity
to Chef Nyesha's.

You were the one home cook that got
the concept of dehydrating the potatoes.

That's a stroke
of genius for me.

Thank you, Chef.

Autumn, sauce is just superb.

Hugely undercooked with the
steak, which is a great shame.

I have to remind myself,

for the average cook
to stay up with Nyesha

is virtually impossible,

so I am blown away that
we've got to this standard,

and that's what this
competition is all about.

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

I'm definitely feeling
a little nervous.

Good job, sweetie.

Everyone's dishes
looked really good.

It's a fight
for our lives right now

to get into the finale

and I just don't want to be
cooking a second time.

Right, Kelsey,
Alejandro, Suu, Autumn,

quite possibly one of the most
difficult challenges this season.

We got a lot to talk over

because this decision
is crucial.

For one of you four,
you're gonna be

in the finale of
"MasterChef Legends."

All of you had big high points.

All of you have got mistakes.

But who made the least
mistakes this evening?

Please, give us a moment.

I hate waiting.

Oof. Tough one. First of all,
no one's gonna ever, ever again

underestimate how hard steak
and potatoes is, let's get that clear.

- Let's start off with Kelsey.
- It was the best-cooked steak.

- Gordon: Medium rare, wasn't it?
- Yes, it was.

Gordon: It's just off-putting. All
that fat's running out the potato.

Albeit the broken potatoes, the flavor...
I didn't get any rawness in her potato.

- Gordon: No, no.
- No, her potatoes were good.

Gordon: Alejandro?

Yeah, I think
he was trying to fix

a problem with the potatoes.

He added more milk when
it was not necessary,

and it actually compounded the mistakes
that he had made. They were greasy.

- He could have done with a touch more sear.
- Absolutely.

- Suu?
- Had she seasoned everything, it would have been 50% better.

- Nyesha: 100%, yep.
- Her lack of seasoning really brought the dish down.

Absolutely. It's about
learning and then adapting.

- Gordon: But she didn't give up...
- No, she didn't.

- Her heart was in it. You could see it.
- Yeah, heart was in it.

- Gordon: Autumn.
- I think visually her dish was the most stunning.

But I was immediately
followed by disappointment

on the cook of the potato.

- Joe: Raw.
- Yeah, very gritty.

It's misleading
because they're fluffy

- and they're airy and they have height.
- Absolutely.

Gordon: How did she get them
through the tamis and the ricer?

She must have pushed
really hard.

- I love you.
- I love you, too.

I think we have a winner.

- Aarón: Yeah.
- Joe: Very good.

After tasting all
of your dishes,

it's clear to all four of us

that home cook...

earning the first spot
in the finale is...

Congratulations, Kelsey.

- Good job, Kelsey!
- Well done.

Suu: You did it!

Gordon: Well done.

Absolutely brilliant.
Well done.

Seasoning was on point.
Steak was cooked medium rare.

You have a few issues
with your mash,

but the actual flavor of the
mash was just absolutely spot on.

One thing that
is clearly evident,

young lady, you deserve
your spot in the finale.

Oh, my gosh. Thank
you so much! I don't... ah!

Please, make your way up to
the balcony for the last time

because you are in
the finale. Well done.

I am completely shocked.
I'm going to the finale.

Sometimes the chefs believe in
me more than I believe in myself.

This is instant validation
of my skills

and my flavors.

It feels wonderful.

Kelsey, well done.
How do you feel?

I am, like, literally lost
and I'm speechless.

Absolute brilliant job.
Well done.

Round one is done.
Still two more challenges to go.

But before we start that,
we must all say good-bye

to this incredible legend

because it's time to meet
our next legendary guest.

Nyesha,
it's been such a pleasure.

And the speed, the way you work,

the way you execute,
to what you stand for,

you're a credit to the industry.

- Thank you.
- If you've got one piece of parting advice,

- what would it be?
- You guys, continue to improve.

I wish you all the best.
Just cook with confidence.

Put all of your intention
into everything that you do.

- Yes, ma'am.
- You've been amazing.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you very much, Chef.

This was by far the hardest challenge I
have done throughout this competition.

And guess what.
It's only going to get harder.

And I'm feeling the intensity,

but thankfully,
I'm also feeling the fire.

And I'm going to use that fire

and go fight for a spot
in the finale.

- Now that is what I call a legend. Agreed?
- She's awesome.

- Yes, Chef.
- Incredible.

- Now that round was intense, yes?
- All: Yes, Chef.

And you three are still fighting
for your spot in the finale.

- Autumn, how you feeling?
- I'm feeling good. Hoping to get up on that balcony.

- Alejandro, how you feeling right now?
- Feeling good, Chef.

I'm kind of sad
to not do the right job

with the chef, but now
it's time to move it on.

Listen, if you go into this
next challenge defeated,

- I may as well tear that apron off you now.
- No.

Okay, so, bounce back like any
talented chef and give it your all.

- Yes, Chef.
- Suu, how you feeling right now?

- I'm ready to fight another round again.
- That's the spirit.

- That is exactly the spirit.
- Yes, Chef.

Remember, the dishes
get harder every round.

So, if you thought
that round one was tough,

trust me, you need to be a little
bit more on point this time 'round.

Let's see what round two
has in store.

The next legend you'll be
cooking alongside with tonight,

is one of the most influential
chefs in the Bay Area,

and has over 30 years
of culinary experience.

Gordon: She's one of only
three female chefs in America

to hold two Michelin stars.

Please welcome
for the first time,

the grande dame
of Italian cuisine,

the legendary Suzette Gresham.

Autumn: Suzette Gresham
is such an inspiration.

She has a restaurant in San
Francisco where I used to live.

It's just so inspiring to see how
far she's gone as a female chef.

That's where I aspire to be.
I aspire to be a legend.

So, I gotta prove that tonight.

Suzette, welcome to
the MasterChef kitchen.

- Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.
- Let's get one thing clear,

not only have you been dominating the
Italian fine dining industry for decades

at your two Michelin star
restaurant "Acquerello,"

but having mentored
63 interns, brilliantly,

the talent you produced
out of that little mecca

- has been extraordinary, so thank you.
- Thank you.

Take us back to the beginning.

Who was the first
major influence?

I think of the home
and the nonnas

and all of the people who
cook with their souls and hearts.

It's really hard to project that into the
professional world, as you well know.

- Sure.
- And so I try to bring that to the table.

- Right. You guys ready?
- All: Yes, Chef.

- Suzette, we'll let you take it from here.
- Let's go cook.

- Let's go.
- Coming out of the first round,

I'm a little bit drained,
but I have to dig in.

This will be the toughest
challenge yet. Here we go.

Suzette, what will these
three be cooking tonight?

Well, a big surprise in store.

Whoa.

Suzette, what will these
three be cooking tonight?

Well, a big surprise in store.

- Suu: Whoa. Wow.
- Squid ink risotto with fried calamari.

- Beautiful.
- That's gorgeous.

Trying to replicate
a Michelin star dish

from a chef that's been
doing it for 30 years,

is an epic
and tall task for anybody.

This challenge definitely
is gonna be harder.

It's a very interestingly
simple-looking dish,

but the challenge for you today
will be to replicate the flavors.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Right, you three, please pay attention.

You must keep up with Suzette
every step of the way.

And when she finishes, you'll have
just 10 seconds to perfect your dish.

Right, all of you,
get to your stations. Let's go.

Your time starts when
Suzette starts. Over to you.

Please listen, look,
and cook. Here we go.

Top right,
your pot with a ladle.

Please add your stock
and turn on your heat.

You do not want this
to come to a boil.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Where the hell is my stock?

Next, this is your risotto pot.
I'm pulling it to the front.

On goes the heat.
I'm at medium-high.

Psst!

That's your risotto pan.

Alejandro, keep your ears open.

Next, I'm grabbing red onion.
Cut in half.

Sharp knife.
Watch your fingers.

Slice in one, two, three.

Quarter turn.
One, two, three, four.

And try to remember that your goal is
to be no larger than those grains of rice.

- Beautiful.
- This is going to be followed by the shallots

- and lastly the garlic.
- Kelsey: She's got some pretty fancy knife skills, guys.

I'll take that, thank you. I'm not
gonna look up so I don't lose a finger.

Chef Suzette is very intense.

She's almost mechanical
in how she moves and talks.

Here we go, one, two, three,
four, five, six, seven.

I'm done. How 'bout you?
Are you there?

This is butter and olive oil,
first doing a little melt.

Followed now by my shallots.
Onions, garlic, in.

No noise? Good. It is
not supposed to be that hot.

Chef, do I start putting
the red onions and garlic?

- Everything's in the pot.
- Yes, ma'am.

Red onions,
shallots, and garlic.

Yes, ma'am.

I think this challenge is by far

the hardest challenge I have
done throughout this competition,

because I'm cooking something
that I'm not quite familiar with

and I have a Sicilian on my left
and a wild chef on my right.

So, it's a tough challenge.

Keep it going, guys.
Keep it going, come on.

Next, I'm looking to see a few
bubbles coming to the surface.

Indeed, they are.
Risotto going in. Bam.

- Rice in?
- Correct.

Psst! Alejandro. Rice. Rice!

That's why it's
called a risotto.

What's he doing?

Alejandro, per usual,
looks a little flustered.

E just has this nervous energyH

that causes him
to be really frazzled

during this type of challenge.

I'm really worried about him.

This is not
going to come together.

Oh, wow.

Right now,
it's just not looking great

for him to get into the finale.

[bleep] is Alejandro doing?

I cannot get my focus,
but I have to.

The challenge is to do
what the chef says

and mimic that dish 100%.

If not, I fail,
and I would not make the finale.