Masterchef (2010–…): Season 11, Episode 16 - Legends: Semi Final: 3 Chef Showdown/Semi Final Pt. 2 - full transcript

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Gordon: Previously
on "MasterChef Legends"...

This is the semi-finals.

Tonight's challenge
is a culinary triathlon.

Nyesha, I'm gonna let you
take it from here.

- Let's go.
- Wow, you're moving fast.

- Look at the chef, please.
- Push, push.

- Keep up and listen.
- Let's go, guys.

Oh, fudge.
I put the potatoes in it.

- She put the potatoes in the milk?
- Oh, my gosh.

- Dear, oh, dear.
- [bleep]

You made a major mistake
this evening.



- The butter's broken.
- Ooh, it's rare.

- That's rare.
- Oh, my God, it's boiled.

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

I loved that caramelization
and crust on your steak.

- Well done.
- Thank you.

The first spot in the finale...

Kelsey, well done.

Remember, the dishes
get harder every round.

She's one of only three
female chefs in America

to hold 2 Michelin stars.

The grand dame of Italian
cuisine, Suzette Gresham.

Tonight,
the semi-final continues.

Risotto going in. Bam.

- Alejandro, drain your squid.
- No!



With only two spots left
in the finale,

it's a fight to the finish.

Aarón: I'm taken back by the way
that you cooked that rice.

Joe: It lights
your palate on fire.

It makes you want to eat more.
Top notch.

And the final legendary chef.

He has restaurants
in six continents.

With 16 Michelin stars.

- Please welcome...
- Aah!

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.

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.

This is the semi-final.

Prove to us
you can work at the speed

of a professional chef.

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

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

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

It's the semi-finals,
and 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.

I really want
to impress the chefs

because I do not want
to cook again

in a crazy challenge like this.

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 heck 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.

There's a lot of pressure on me,
especially being Italian.

I'm going up against
a Burmese and a Cuban.

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

Risotto is something that I make
at home probably every week,

but doing it on a time crunch
in the semi-finals

is super scary,
super intimidating.

I just hope I can pull this off.

This is going to be followed by
the shallots, and lastly, the garlic.

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 about you?

Are you there? Hope you are.

It's very stressful,
but it's also very fun.

I get this bird's eye view
of a legend

cooking this masterful dish.

But I'm glad I'm watching
from the balcony.

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.

Suu: Do I start putting
the red onion?

Look at her.
Don't look at her.

- 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 I'm a little worried.

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?

Psst! Rice. Rice!

That's why
it's called a risotto.

- What's he doing?
- Jeez.

I cannot get my focus
where I have to.

Wooden spoon, my favorite tool.

This spoon is meant
to get in the corners.

- Oh, wow.
- My normal self would say

cook this risotto
the way you know it

and make it look like hers,
but that's not the challenge.

And now my next step,
white wine.

Not stock. White wine.

The challenge is to do
what the chef says

and mimic that dish 100%.

- That's almost impossible.
- You should hear something

when you add this. Ahh!

Hearing is one of
the most important things.

I have to maintain discipline
between watching the chef

and making sure that my stuff
doesn't go over or under,

- otherwise I'm done.
- Good job, guys.

So while that's cooking,
I'm going to start

to prep the items
that'll be on top,

keeping my board clean and
keeping my calamari for last.

I'm gonna start
my mise en place.

Tomato filettos
are your garnish.

On the board skin side up.

Make sure
you cut through the skin,

'cause if you don't,
you'll be sorry.

Next, chopping parsley,
and I'm slicing.

May look like I'm chopping,
but I'm not.

Rock and roll.
Nice little long juliennes.

- Wow. Speed.
- Oh, listen.

What's going on over here?
Anything?

Are you ready for
your first addition?

This process
by adding stock slowly

and coaxing that starch
out of the grains

- is what makes a beautiful risotto.
- Yes, Chef.

Now, remember,
most risottos in America

are finished with
a lot of butter and cheese.

But I'm not gonna
hide there today.

You get no cheese at all
because it's a seafood base

- and you're going to add butter and mascarpone.
- Yes. Yes, Chef.

Keeping up with chef Suzette
it is a very difficult task.

It is such a tall order.

If you were to look at mine, you'd
see a natural inherent sauciness.

It's creating its own sauce.
That's what I want.

I want the spot
in the finale so much,

and I'm just trying
to clear my mind

and focus on the task at hand.

- Suu, it looks great.
- Thank you, Kels.

- Shh. Watch this.
- Here is the lethal ingredient.

Squid ink. Very unassuming,
sitting here with a little tiny spoon,

but believe you me, it's not
only salty, it's concentrated.

I'm taking a small
little tip of my spoon.

You can always add more, but
you can never take it back out.

- Well said.
- What color are you looking for, Chef?

You should be looking
for a color

almost like dark charcoal.

- There you go.
- Let's get a tasting spoon

and put a spoonful in our mouth.

You're going to your back molar

and you're gonna crunch down.

Still feeling two
distinctly different levels.

Not there yet.

Next, calamari.

Watch, watch, watch.
This is crucial, guys.

Once again, cut through.

And now I'm moving
to the sauté pan.

I have a lot of experience
with risotto,

but I have no experience
cooking calamari.

Calamari is going in.

- Gordon: Hear that noise?
- That's what you want.

My only experience
is I know it just takes,

like, two seconds in the pan.

Suzette:
Jumping, jumping, jumping!

- Do we put in the tentacles, too?
- Gordon: Yes.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Whatever you cut, whatever you cut.

Definitely trying to focus
on not over-cooking that.

That could ruin the dish.

Kelsey: Autumn,
you know this dish.

- Trust your instincts.
- Tiny bit of kosher salt.

Pepper.
Fresh is always the best.

A little bit of a pinch of dry red
chili flakes... peperoncino rosso.

The lemon wedges
and your extra virgin

will be used to stop
the cook on the calamari

so that it doesn't fry hard.

That is your goal.
We do not fry it hard.

- Last thing, parsley in.
- Is it parsley, Chef?

Yes. Chef, I'm less
than 60 seconds away

- from plating.
- Wow, okay.

I'm going over here
and drain my calamari.

Gordon: This is where we
get the momentum, guys.

Let's go.
Taste everything.

Don't serve undercooked rice.

Chef, where do you put
the calamari?

I drained it into
your strainer in your bowl.

She's still sitting there. She's
still steaming. She's warm.

Guys, we're
60 seconds away to plate.

Butter. One little cube.

Gordon:
Alejandro, drain your squid.

Drain your squid.
Alejandro, it'll be rubber.

No!

Alejandro, you just took Suu's.

- Is that Suu's?
- Suu: Oh, that's mine! Why are you doing...

- Why are you doing that?
- I'm sorry. My bad.

I'm moving around.
I grab the strainer.

I pour the calamari in.

All of a sudden, I realized
Suu's calamari is right under.

- Sorry, sorry. Sorry.
- Quick, get your sieve.

I have to find a solution to this
and I got the chef screaming at me.

- No, get your sieve, young man.
- Give it to me.

This is not good.

- Is that Suu's?
- Suu: Oh, that's mine!

- Why are you doing...
- I'm sorry. My bad.

As I'm trying to pay my
full attention to the risotto,

Alejandro comes out of nowhere

and he tossed away my calamari

and he put his calamari
into my strainer.

- No, get your sieve, young man.
- Give it to me.

- So sorry.
- Why did you do that?

Unbelievable.
You're not fine.

There's a lot
on the line tonight

for my plate to be presented

as identical as Chef Suzette,
and I cannot lose my calamari.

Excuse me, look at me. You
can't just dump yours on top of hers.

- Sorry, I did not...
- You can see that in there.

Open your eyes.
It's unfair.

Dear, oh, dear.
Unbelievable.

Coming up with my bowl.
Mascarpone, half a teaspoon.

Looking for that creamy
finish. Time to plate.

We want a two
Michelin star risotto, guys.

Grabbing my pot.
Loading my spoon.

Vertical.
Center of the bowl.

As Chef Suzette starts plating,

I taste my risotto and it just
needs about one more minute.

I need one more second on this.

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

but the last thing I want to do
is serve her undercooked rice.

Quick, quick, quick, quick.
This is it.

Next, your tomato sofrito.

At least three dollops.

Next, your filetto of tomato,

charred side up,
red side twisted around.

- Tentacles...
- Suu, let's go!

...standing up for
some height and color.

Candied lemons,
sometimes a twist,

sometimes a little bit
of a flower.

Let your eyes fill in the space,

decide where the balance is.

Last thing on
will be the oregano.

Come on. She's almost
done, guys, come on.

- Final touches.
- Come on.

- Last leaf.
- Beautiful.

- Chef, done.
- Right, ten seconds.

Here we go.
Give it everything, guys.

Trust me, you really don't want
to be cooking in round three.

Five, four, three, two, one.

- That's it.
- Hands up!

- Well done.
- Whew!

- Nice job, guys.
- Chef, well done.

- Thank you.
- I'm sorry about the sieve...

No. Don't worry. Don't worry.
Don't worry.

Don't worry. I'm not mad.

Throughout the cook,
it was very fast.

She moves very quickly, so
that was a little intimidating.

You know, I'm just hoping
it's good enough.

Right, you three, well done.

What an exceptional
demonstration.

- My pleasure.
- Thank you, Chef.

- My pleasure.
- Suzette's risotto is exquisite.

The question is were you able
to keep up with her standards?

Well, let's find out. Alejandro,
please bring your dish down.

As a good cook that I am,
I'm beginning to perceive

that my risotto needed
a little more time.

I'm hoping that the chefs
approve of it.

I don't wanna go home. I want to
go to the finale and I want to win it.

Gordon: Right, Alejandro,
visually the colors pop.

Let's get that absolutely clear.

But my one concern with you,
young man, tonight,

you sort of started out
on the back foot.

You started adding the stock
much later than everybody else.

You put it over two pans.

So it was a bit of a fumbling
awkward start for you,

but you finished strong.

I'm just hoping it tastes
as good as Chef's.

Yes, Chef.

Unfortunately, the risotto
isn't cooked as fully.

It isn't expanded.
The salt-pepper is light.

The calamari does not seem to
have much seasoning of its own.

The lemon comes through, the tomato
comes through, but it's not cohesive.

- And that's a big thing with risotto is being cohesive.
- Yes, Chef.

Alejandro, I think you've got the
right amount of squid ink in there

and it's got that really
nice salty flavor,

but the incorporation of
the stock has been missed here.

That stock was boiling too fast,

which screams someone's
out of control.

But if you actually look at
the bottom of the plate here,

it's greasy where
the butter separated.

With the fat separating,

- I just got grease on my lips now.
- I understand.

Aarón: Yeah, I think if there's
a positive outlook on your dish,

I think you toasted
the rice well.

There's a little bit
of nuttiness to it.

The flavors are good,
but some of the techniques

where you could've
had an impact...

Seasoning those
calamari in the pan,

cooking the rice properly...

Are a little bit below
the standard

- of the rest of the dish.
- Yes, Chef.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

I am so disappointed because
this is not the way I cook.

In making the risotto, which is
the number one important thing,

- it wasn't captured.
- No.

I do not want to cook
the next challenge

because I know it will
be even more difficult.

I don't know.
It's not looking very good.

- Suu, can you please bring up your dish?
- Yes, Chef.

I am desperately in need
to secure a spot in the finale.

Unfortunately,
I forgot the tomatoes

and I hope this won't cost me
the competition.

I think that you did
an incredible job,

- but I have to talk to you about plating.
- Yes, ma'am.

Even though the risotto
looks correct,

you're very "tangen-gential,"

that means lines,
lines, and lines.

Risotto is a fluid dish.

You wanna see for heights,
levels, colors, contrast, motion.

- Yes, ma'am. Thank you for your advice.
- Gordon: Shall we?

- Did you not put the filetto di pomodoro on it?
- I missed that one.

All right, I was just
looking for the tomatoes.

- Suu, the risotto...
- Yes.

- ...the rice is cooked beautifully.
- Thank you very much.

The sweat on the onions and the
shallots and the garlic, beautifully done.

The calamari is flat.

There's insufficient
seasoning on there,

so it's just watery.

But the foundation's there.
Good job.

- Thank you so much.
- For me, your dish is a little sweet.

I'm not quite sure
if it was a lesser quantity

of wine or a little less
with that under-seasoning.

But the risotto,
I will agree with you.

Yeah, for me, I think
the rice is cooked well

to a point where all the starch
has been released,

it's actually absorbing
the squid ink and the stock.

- Thank you, Chef.
- This dish is just too sweet

and it's sweet because
a lot of the components

that were given to you,
ingredients,

were sweet by nature
and you have to be able

to counterbalance that
with acidity

or other flavors in the dish.

- Thank you, Suu.
- Thank you very much.

- Thank you.
- I don't think that she added enough wine.

I don't think there's
enough salt-pepper.

He mentioned
the filetto was missing,

so the acidity
is not there either.

I put everything I have
in this risotto,

but the comments from the
judges were not very good.

I feel like like my chances
to get to the finale

are slipping through my hands.

Right, next up, Autumn, please.

I watched chef Suzette
the whole entire time.

I got every single
component on my plate.

I want to get to the finale
so bad and, you know,

I'm really hoping that this
risotto is the dish to get me there.

Young lady, I think
that's the most composed

you've been in this competition.

What I love about your tenacity

is the fact that you focus

and you really do concentrate.

And you're trying
to cook on one leg.

So, visually,
it looks beautiful.

All the elements are there,
which is good news, pleasing.

What I'm studying
is the dark charcoal take

on that squid ink,
and I think you've got

that level of finesse
absolutely spot on.

It's almost on par with Chef's,

so I hope it tastes
as good as it looks.

- Yeah.
- Thank you, Chef.

Let's dig in and taste,
shall we?

Autumn, the rice is delicious.

The risotto has absorbed,
it's been that sponge.

The stock has gone in
at the right time

and the balance of that
squid ink is absolutely spot on.

The calamari
is slightly overcooked.

It's a little bit
too lingering in my mouth.

But, young lady, I think it's a
really strong, delicious risotto.

I'm excited because I actually
think I taste the stock

and I think I taste the wine,
and I feel like

you've got some presence
with your seasoning.

I wanted to see
what you brought to the dish,

- and, Autumn, you're here.
- Thank you so much, Chef.

I mean, Autumn, I'm taken back
by the way that you cooked the rice.

It's very difficult to see
the way that Chef put in

just that right amount
of squid ink.

The minerality, the salinity
could take this risotto

to a really bad direction,

and you were able
to show restraint,

- and it's evident in the flavor.
- Thank you, Chef.

You made risotto, because
when you put in your mouth,

you get the salinity,
the acidity,

it lights your palate on fire.

It makes you want to eat more.

This is a real risotto

that I would be proud
to serve in any restaurant.

- Top-notch.
- Wow. Thank you so much.

- Thank you, Autumn.
- Thank you.

- Good job, Autumn.
- Spot on.

- It's a really good job.
- You know what I mean?

- The acidity and the salt.
- Yeah? Yeah.

Put in your palate,
it's like, "Boom!"

That's why I think everything else
tasted like dessert compared to this.

Well, they just didn't have
enough in the risotto.

There wasn't enough stock.
There wasn't enough wine.

There wasn't enough salt-pepper.
There wasn't anything.

- This is good.
- That's really good.

- It's clear we have a winner.
- Yep.

You three, after tasting and
examining all of your dishes,

we all agree that one of them

was a cut above the rest.

That home cook earning
the second spot in the finale...

Congratulations goes to...

- Autumn!
- Good job!

There you go!
There you go!

Congratulations.
How do you feel?

I feel absolutely incredible.

I'm Sicilian,
and if I was losing this one,

I was gonna be
a little embarrassed.

Congratulations, young lady.

Please make your way carefully
up to the balcony.

- Well done.
- Thank you.

- Awesome!
- Woohoo!

I can't believe
I made it to the finale.

This is like a dream come true,

and especially doing it
with an Italian dish

just means a lot to me.

I'm just so happy right now.

Right, one more challenge to go.

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

to this extraordinary legend,
Suzette.

- Thank you.
- Thank you so much for traveling

- all the way from the bay.
- Thank you all.

- Continued success.
- Thank you, thank you.

If there's any parting advice

to these two phenomenal
home cooks, what would it be?

Remember, this is a stepping
stone. Rome was not built in a day.

This is just something to
remember, and learn from, and grow.

- It was an honor.
- It was our honor, Chef. Thank you very much.

- Thank you. Take care.
- Off into the sunset.

Thank you. Wow.
What a wonderful experience.

Right, two final contestants
in the last cook-off.

Only one of you will make it
all the way to the end,

but you better
keep your wits about you.

Are you guys ready to meet
the final legendary chef

that you guys are going to
have to keep up with?

- Both: Yes, Chef.
- Now, listen closely.

He's one of the most recognizable,
important chefs in the world.

He has over 30 years
of cooking experience,

and he has restaurants
in six continents

and two Guinness world records.

Not to mention
16 Michelin stars.

- The real deal.
- Please welcome...

- Me!
- Aah!

Oh, my...

Are you guys ready to meet
the final legendary chef

that you guys are going to
have to keep up with?

- Both: Yes, Chef.
- Please welcome...

- Me!
- Aah!

Alejandro: We get to cook
with Gordon Ramsay.

I've been idolizing the guy
and his style of cooking

ever since I immersed myself
in the world of cooking.

I hope I can wow the chef
with my dish and keep up.

- Let's go.
- That's right.

You two are gonna cook
one of my signature dishes.

- Ooh!
- Now, this dish is unique

because it's featured
at my flagship restaurant

- with 3 Michelin stars.
- Ooh!

Guys, all you have to do
to make it into the finale now

is to keep up
with Gordon as he cooks

every single step of the way.

- Piece of cake, right?
- Right, you two,

- come and have a look.
- I'm very nervous.

I'm very anxious.

We are done with
two rounds of cooking,

and I'm still down here
fighting for the final spot,

and now I have to cook
alongside Chef Gordon Ramsay.

So this is going to be
the toughest cook of my life.

The dish under this cloche

is all that stands
between you and the finale.

Tonight, you'll be cooking...

- Ooh.
- Oh, wow.

...a stunning
pan-roasted turbot,

made with a beautiful
ricotta gnocchi

with sautéed spinach,
sautéed mushrooms,

and finished with
a delicious beurre noisette

and a beautiful sautéed shrimp.

Now, I'll show you
exactly how it's done,

and you two
will have to follow me

every step of the way.

- Try to keep up.
- Yes, Chef.

Once I'm done, you'll have
15 seconds to finish your dish.

Do not get left in the dust,

otherwise, I'm sorry to say
it'll be your last time

inside the MasterChef kitchen.

Now is the time to hunker down

and give everything you have.

Suu, Alejandro,
are you two ready

for the toughest cook
of your lives?

- Both: Yes, Chef.
- Right, you two, the best of luck.

Our time starts now.
Let's go.

Right, pans on.
Get the pans on.

I want to see six pans.
I want them all lit.

- You've both seen turbot before, yes?
- Yes, Chef.

Good, because tonight
we'll be filleting our turbot.

- Ooh.
- Whoa.

Oh, my gosh.

We have to fillet a turbot

that is three times bigger
than my face.

Gordon:
Let's go. Sharp knife.

I'm starting to feel nervous,

but Chef Gordon
doesn't wait for anybody.

Turbot has four fillets.
1, 2, 3, 4.

First of, get the knife,
come across the top,

and the line,
the middle of the turbot,

follow that line
all the way down.

Come underneath.

- Fillet number one.
- Wow.

Watching Chef Ramsay
fillet this turbot

is really, really, really,
really intimidating.

Fillet number three.

He does not allow for mistakes,

he does not allow
for slowing down.

You have to stay at his pace.

Empty carcass.
1, 2, 3, 4 fillets, yes?

- Yes, Chef.
- Yes, Chef.

Good luck to them.
I'm glad I'm safe.

Now, to skin.

Knife down, get the skin.

With your thumb, pull and let
the knife do the work.

- Skin off.
- It's not coming off.

Pull the skin, Suu.
Pull the skin.

- Yes, Chef.
- Then from there, take the chain off

that outside piece
and literally trim.

And there you go,
we have our beautiful fillet

- ready to cook.
- Good job, Suu.

We're gonna make gnocchi.
Fresh gnocchi. Let's go.

Open up your oven.
Get your potato out.

- Let's go.
- Potato's in the oven, Chef?

- That's right. Let's go, guys.
- Found it, Chef.

Cloth in your hand, and
literally start peeling that potato.

- Peel, peel, peel.
- Peeling it off, Chef.

- Alejandro is still on the fish.
- A little bit behind.

The best way of making the most
amazing gnocchi is with a baked potato.

Now from there, get your ricer

- and stick that potato in there.
- Yes, Chef.

And then squeeze gently.

- Stay tidy, guys, yes?
- Yes, Chef.

From there, we go in
with a touch of salt.

Now, get your egg.

Make a little well in the
middle. Put the egg in.

- Get your ricotta. Put that in.
- Ricotta.

Take your flour and sprinkle 2/3
of your flour in there.

- All of ricotta, Chef?
- All of the ricotta.

I've weighed them out
personally for you.

- Flour. Leave some back.
- Flour, you said...

- Listen to me. You're talking over me.
- Sorry, Chef.

- Wow.
- Now, get a spatula and start mixing that up.

Now, lightly sprinkle the flour
in there and bring that together.

If it's too wet, it won't color.

- It it's too dry, it'll crumple, okay?
- Both: Yes, Chef.

Now, take the gnocchi out.

From there cut that ball in half

and then start rolling.

Lightly season with the flour.

What I'll do now is a really
nice cigar shape, okay?

Just like that. From there,
just down, down, down.

You're looking for about
an inch long gnocchi.

- Heard? Anybody there?
- Yes, Chef.

Thank you.
Stay with me, please.

Then get your thumb,
stick your thumb in the flour,

and just go through the center
of those little pillows.

That hole is imperative
because that's what's gonna keep

all that amazing
beurre noisette.

Now, turbot and gnocchi done,
time for the mushrooms.

Get the trumpet and cut them
in half and start scoring them.

That allows them
to absorb all that oil.

Gets the water out
when we sauté them.

And more importantly, yes?
We get color.

- No color, no flavor, right?
- Yes, Chef.

From there,
the maitake mushrooms,

open them up nice and gently.

Now, we got mushrooms,
turbot, and gnocchi.

- The great base.
- Both doing good.

Now, your pans. One for the
mushroom, one for the turbot.

One for the gnocchi,
one for the beurre noisette,

one for the spinach,
and one spare, okay?

Always have a hot pan
up your sleeve.

- Trust me.
- Yes, Chef.

In with the olive oil
for the mushrooms.

As that starts to smoke,
two cloves of garlic

lightly crushed,
and in she goes.

A nice little sprig
of thyme, okay?

And then from there,
mushrooms in.

- You put the garlic in and thyme?
- I did.

- You're right in front of me.
- Yes, Chef.

I just said,
"Garlic in, thyme in."

Pan number one is working, yes?

- Mushrooms, mushrooms.
- Did you put... did you put...

I'm asking a lot of questions.

I am hoping that
I'm not annoying Chef Ramsay...

Don't turn those mushrooms.
No butter in there yet.

...but I don't want
to miss a single step

because I'm gonna start
feeling frantic again

and I don't want
that Suu to come out.

We're gonna start a gnocchi.
Pan number two.

Now this is a difficult one because
these things need to puff up.

Crisp on the outside,
a nice soft pillow inside.

- Yes, Chef.
- Pan nice and hot.

We're not gonna turn them yet.
Turbot, here we go.

Lightly season
that fillet of turbot.

Grab two of your
beautiful red shrimp.

- Season them as well.
- Yes, Chef.

Turbot goes into the pan.

Give it one minute,
we'll add our shrimp.

Go back to the gnocchi now.

Take a spoon,
turn the gnocchi over.

Once you've turn them,
butter in there.

That's going to give that really
nice flavor to the gnocchi.

Right, gnocchi is coloring
beautifully, yes?

- Yes, Chef.
- Right, pan number four.

- Take your spinach and lay it into the pan.
- Oh, my God.

Gordon Ramsay cooks
at lightning speed.

Sautéing beautiful.
It takes literally seconds.

I got the color on the turbot.
My shrimp go in.

Next to that, I'm gonna put
some butter in the mushrooms.

I can only imagine
the pressure that they feel.

Fish, off the heat.

Turn the shrimp
and turn the turbot.

It's anyone's game
at this point.

Put your butter in there.

That butter's gonna burn
beautifully,

get that nice
beurre noisette flavor.

Then from there, squeeze
some lemon juice over there.

- Really important.
- Lemon on the...

On the fish, you doughnut.

Where else please
you're gonna put lemon on?

I didn't know if it was
on the shrimp, Chef.

Pan too hot.
Stay in control.

This is by far
the fastest challenge

of the "MasterChef"
season of legends.

I don't know why he's taking
the turbot out of the pan for.

- I took the fish out, sir.
- Why?

- I thought you said...
- Wow. I got more to do in there.

- Okay, sorry.
- Chef is moving at a million miles an hour.

A very complex dish.

I don't even know what to do,

but I have to catch up.

[groans]

Right, mushrooms,
beautifully colored.

- Gnocchi is working, yes?
- Yes, Chef.

Now we are moving.
Let's go, guys. Quick.

What is he doing?

- Oh, hi.
- Who's in front?

Um, I think Suu's
more in control.

Are they ready
for pan number five?

Kelsey:
I think they've caught up.

Yeah, I think they're
catching up right now, Chef.

You are mad, Chef.

Come on, let's go. Ay!

- Right, spinach, sautéed, yes?
- Yes, Chef.

The final thing, the one
that is really important,

it's called the beurre noisette.

How high is the heat
for the butter?

- Hot. Burnt butter.
- Very hot?

Capers in. Parsley in.

Watch that pan carefully.
Keep it frothing.

And don't you dare put
that lemon in too early.

- Check your butter. Check your butter, guys.
- Ooh!

And now we start to plate.
This is your canvas.

Spinach into your hand,
lightly squeeze,

and place that on to your plate.

That's our centerpiece.

From there we go
into the gnocchi.

This is so hot.

I want the hole side up, okay?

Those little holes are gonna
hold the beurre noisette.

Come on. Let's go!

We've come on to the mushrooms.

Sit them on top
of your beautiful gnocchi.

Lovely. Mushroom is done.

Now, for the masterpiece,
the beautiful slice of turbot.

That's gonna sit
right in the middle.

Now, take one of those
shrimps out and sit that on top.

And now I'm gonna go in and fill

my beautiful little gnocchi
with that beurre noisette.

And then take
your beautiful little herbs

and just sprinkle them
around very carefully.

And then finally, a touch of
vinegar just for the acidity.

And there you go.
Your 15 seconds start now.

Come on, come on.
Let's go! Go!

- Let's go, everyone.
- Go, come on.

- Gordon: Let's go, guys.
- Aarón: Shrimp.

Gordon: Let's go, come on.

- Ten, nine, eight...
- Sauce, sauce!

...seven, six, five,

- four, three, two, one.
- And stop.

- That's it.
- Well done.

Come on, guys.

We did it!

- Oh.
- Well done, both of you.

We did it! Look at this!
Look at that!

Alejandro: I feel pretty
good about my dish.

Hopefully this will cement
my spot in the finale.

I want Suu also to win.

I wish both of us
could go together.

If I'm gonna lose to somebody,
I'll lose to her,

but I'm not planning
on losing tonight.

Chef Gordon was, like,
going at a bullet train speed

and I'm keeping up
with my little bicycle.

But I'm so proud.

I don't know what
the result's gonna be.

I'm praying that
all the flavors are there.

But I'm feeling really,
really good.

Up first, Alejandro, please
make your way. Thank you.

Going into this tasting,
I feel pretty confident.

It was my greatest experience
cooking with Chef Ramsay.

Now it's just up to him
and the rest of the judges

to determine if I earn
a spot in the finale.

Right, visually,
great color on the gnocchi.

There's only one shrimp
on my plate.

You've got three shrimp.
Okay, big deal.

The turbot looks like
it's slightly too golden brown.

I noticed you were doing
one thing that I didn't do,

is that you were
finishing the turbot

with the nut brown butter.

It wasn't done
in a separate pan.

- I might've, Chef.
- Okay.

Listen, the good news is
all the elements are there.

It's all gonna come down
to flavor.

Yes, Chef.

- Shall we?
- Joe: Yes.

Young man, let's get
one thing absolutely clear,

your seasoning is on point

and you got the beurre noisette
absolutely delicious.

Spinach, delicious,
but fish slightly overcooked.

And the problem
I've got with your gnocchi

is that it's a little dense,
so they haven't pillowed up.

And then the mushrooms, they're
slightly undercooked, but great flavor.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Chef.

Aarón:
Yeah, your saving grace here

is the fact that
that sauce is memorable.

It has all the elements
of brininess,

some fat from the butter.

- It's really helping the dish come together.
- Yes, Chef.

Your usage of acid
and seasoning is really helped.

- Have some bright spots in this dish.
- Yes, Chef.

Yeah, I liked it. Everything is
cooked well and abundant and crispy

and chewy and buttery and yummy.

You know, like, good.

But it's like the construction
worker version of Gordon's dish.

- Not bad.
- Well done. Thank you, Alejandro.

- Good job, Alex.
- Good job.

Gave it my best.

- Right, next up, Suu, please. Let's go.
- Yes, Chef.

Walking up to the judges,

I'm feeling really,
really happy with my plate.

I want to get
into that finale so bad.

Right. I love the color
of the gnocchi.

Maitake mushrooms are
beautifully colored as well.

- I could do with a bit more sauce.
- Yes, Chef.

I think you could've done with
20 seconds more color

on the turbot,
but I'm dying to get in there.

Shall we, gents?

- Suu, fish is cooked beautifully.
- Thank you, Chef.

You've actually got more color on the
fish underneath than you have on top,

so be smart with that.

Gnocchi tastes amazing.

What you didn't get right
was that flip

'cause they're unevenly colored.

The good news is
that they puffed up,

- so it got that crisp shell.
- Yes, Chef.

Turbot is a very robust fish

so it needs all that flavor,
it needs all that help.

So you didn't
do yourself any favors

when you left the water
in the spinach

and turned that plate
somewhat soggy.

It's a tough one, this one,

because the fish
was cooked beautifully

and the seasoning was on point.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you.

Thank you very much.

I have to commend you
on the production

and the fabrication
of the gnocchi.

It's not an easy thing to do,

especially if you're not
well adept at doing it.

Something that's very subtle
and very impactful

was the way that
you left the mushrooms

in their integrity,
nice and whole,

'cause you got a beautiful
roast and char on them.

- I just need more sauce.
- Understood. Thank you, Chef.

Look, everything
was cooked at a high level.

Everything was
properly seasoned.

The only thing that I'm missing

is the acidity
and the bitterness.

Like, I don't taste any lemon.

I don't taste the bitterness
of the beurre noisette.

I'm missing those contrasts
to all the delicious,

good, sweet things that
are happening in this dish.

That being said,
everything is perfectly cooked.

- Thank you so much, Joe.
- Thank you, Suu.

Thank you very much.

- Good job, Suu.
- So this is the moment

that we'll find out
who is going home

and who is going
into the finale.

I'm very proud of what I did.

Whatever happens,
this is such a rewarding moment.

Alejandro, Suu, one of you
is going into the finale,

but sadly, one of you
is going home.

This is such an intense moment

and I'm just trying to breathe
in and breathe out right now.

The moment of truth.

Right, Alejandro, Suu,

one of you is going
into the finale,

and sadly, one of you
is going home.

Right now, we have
no idea who it is.

Please give us a moment.

Who do you think it's gonna be?

Gordon:
Man, this is tough.

Let's talk about Alejandro's.

I thought that he was confused
with some of the techniques,

but he did have a good
coloration on his turbot,

which is a very difficult
fish to cook.

Quite frankly,
some of his aspects,

acidity and the punchiness,
had more flavor than Suu's dish.

His seasoning was incredible.

Seasoning was good,
but the dish was sloppy.

And that turbot was
somewhat undercooked for me.

I thought Suu's turbot
was cooked beautifully.

She did all
the right techniques,

making sure that the shrimp
wasn't mealy and overcooked.

Spinach vibrating bright.

- A little bit watery, though.
- Yeah.

Which let down
that beurre noisette.

Joe: Everything was
good on Suu's dish.

Again, they're just
missing points of acid.

All those rich, sweet proteins

cooked in a lot of butter,

you need something
to contrast it.

- We happy with our decision?
- Yes.

- Indeed.
- Joe: Let's do it.

Alejandro, Suu, that was a
very tough decision to make,

but we have come to a consensus.

There was one dish
that we felt had the edge.

The third and final individual
heading into the grand finale,

congratulations goes to...

Suu.

- Well earned.
- Oh, my gosh.

- Well earned. You deserve it.
- I'll win it for us.

- I promise.
- Suu, how you feeling?

I'm feeling very grateful, Chef.

Very grateful
for the opportunity.

This is going to be the best
day of my life. Thank you.

- You're in the finale.
- Yes, I am. I am.

- Amazing.
- Thank you.

Please say good-bye to Alejandro

and make your way up
to the balcony, thank you.

- Now you gotta win for me.
- I will. Okay.

Alejandro: Go get it.

Thank you, Chef.

I've dreamed about this day

since I entered this competition

and I can't wait to cook
in this finale.

If I can, I want to freeze
this moment and frame it.

- I love you, guys.
- Ladies finale.

Oh, Alejandro.

Young man, tonight
wasn't quite your night.

We felt that the turbot
was overcooked,

and that was the one thing
that set you on the back foot.

But let me tell you something.

You just have this natural
excitement with food,

and I know one day
you'll get there.

- Have you enjoyed yourself?
- Oh, yes, I have.

This is just a blessing.
I have no other words to say.

I'm crying 'cause it's
really joy. I'm not sad at all.

I wish I would be up there,

but to be cooking
in front of you,

that means the most to me.

Um...

and I will carry on.

This is not my end.

This is actually my beginning.

God bless you all
for giving me the opportunity.

Any advice or any help

or any doors
that you need opening,

- you give me a call.
- Thank you, Chef.

Come on.
Come and say good-bye.

- I'll miss you, man.
- Well done, bud.

Even though I'm disappointed
that I didn't make it

to the finale, I am happy.

Now I know where I'm at
and where I have to go

and who I am as a cook.

It's been a long journey
to get here.

It's been one of the most
amazing experiences of my life.

It's humbling just to cook
for the four of you,

to fulfill my American dream,
which is this right here.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you, sir.

- Well done.
- Oh, my God.

- Come on.
- Come on, bud.

Let me put this on you.

- Yeah!
- Yeah!

Yeah!

Coming into this competition,
I was like a meteorite.

I was wild and full of flame.

There's no way of stopping me,

but that damaged me
multiple times.

- You're making it more difficult for yourself.
- Do you hear what Roy said?

You need to listen.

You've got the wrong pasta
with the wrong garnish.

- It's not inviting.
- But through the progression of the competition,

I learned how to hone myself.

Edit yourself, okay?
Don't over complicate it.

And then things
kept on popping up.

I kept on beating challenges.

Gordon: Alejandro, this has been
one of your best creations.

You've reinvented yourself
as a cook or you're an impostor,

because it's not even possible

that the Alejandro that
I know cooked this.

My future beyond
MasterChef kitchen

is gonna be cooking
for the world.

Many more doors will open up
thanks to this opportunity

and I'm so thankful for it.

Gordon:
Take care now.

Kelsey, Suu, Autumn,
all three of you

have truly cemented your place
in what will be

one of most exciting finales in
the history of this competition.

For the very first time, we have three
incredible women competing in our finale.

Congratulations to all
three of you, honestly.

Thank you, thank you.
So proud, you guys.

- Good night.
- Thank you.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you.

I know! We did it.
We did it, we did it.