Masterchef (2010–…): Season 11, Episode 18 - Finale Pt. 2 - Michael Cimarusti - full transcript
Chef Michael Cimarusti guest judges as the finalists try to impress with their entrée and dessert dishes; the winner is crowned.
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Gordon: Previously on
"MasterChef Legends"...
- Joe: Three finalists, all women.
- Gordon: First time ever.
Congratulations on all three of
you for making it to the grand finale.
Please welcome Curtis Stone.
Ladies, stop! It's time
for one final legendary twist.
This is now a four course menu.
- [groans]
- But no pressure!
On top of the appetizer,
entrée, and a dessert,
we have to make canapés
in 30 minutes.
I'm feeling a lot of pressure.
- What am I doing, what am I doing?
- Ahh!
Winning MasterChef
will change my life.
This is going to be bold
and bombastic flavors.
Ooh, I'm shaking in my boot.
Guys, I look down and I can
tell we're in the finale.
You have raised the bar to where I
haven't seen it before in "MasterChef."
- Autumn's canapé.
- Gee, was it well done.
- Kelsey.
- I thought the ravioli was really spot on.
Right now, the saving grace for Suu is that
she's still got two more courses to go.
I want this title
and I want it so bad.
Two courses down,
two courses remaining.
- Tonight...
- The title is still up for grabs.
Our final legend has earned
two Michelin stars.
Please welcome
Michael Cimarusti.
- This is a three-chef race.
- All: Yes, Chef.
And right now
the difference is miniscule.
You guys ready for some action?
Anne: They are women
on a mission.
...with just two courses
left...
- Whoa!
- That's her worst nightmare.
- Oh, my God.
- [sighs]
- ...until we find out...
- I love what I cook!
...who is America's
next MasterChef.
Joe:
100% satisfaction.
- That's a show stopper.
- Worthy of Michelin stars.
Visually, it's stunning.
The winner of
"MasterChef Legends"
is...
Gordon:
Ladies, so far, so good.
Autumn, Suu, Kelsey,
you've all impressed us so far
with those incredible canapés.
And then on to that, beautiful,
delicious appetizers.
Two courses left on the menu.
Right now it's anybody's game.
- Understand that.
- All: Yes, Chef.
In just a little bit,
we will officially know
which one of you three
will become
America's next MasterChef.
The title, the trophy,
and a quarter of a million
dollars is still up for grabs.
So, just to finish this
season of legends,
we've brought in one
final legendary guest.
Ladies, our final legend,
his mastery of seafood
has earned him
an amazing James Beard Award,
followed with
two Michelin stars.
Please welcome the legendary
Michael Cimarusti.
- What a pleasure and what an honor.
- How are you?
- Good to see you.
- Good to see you, Michael. How are you?
- How are you, Joe?
- Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.
- Thank you so much.
- You've come in at the most perfect time.
I just want to go back
to the beginning.
Your journey has
been incredible.
You trained for years with
titans like Wolfgang Puck.
Now you earned those
two Michelin stars
at L.A.'s renowned
restaurant Providence.
What would you look for
in a great cook?
You have to be committed
to your own ideas.
And you've got to execute
under pressure, which,
you know, you're under
a lot today for sure.
Now, ladies, before
we kick things off,
Autumn, give us an insight
to your entrée for this evening.
For my entrée, I'm gonna
be making a broiled miso cod,
over a sea urchin risotto,
with some fried maitake
mushrooms, grilled Tokyo scallion,
- and some burdock root chips.
- Wow.
If you can pull it off, it
sounds like it'll be amazing.
- Thank you.
- Suu, give us an insight
to the sort of Burmese feel
across this entrée tonight.
So, I'll be making
banana-wrapped grilled sea bass,
coconut rice, banana ketchup,
grilled shishito peppers,
and an herb salad.
- Joe: Ooh.
- It sounds amazing.
- Gordon: Kelsey.
- Yes, I'm going to be doing
a crispy-skin duck breast.
There's gonna be
a honeynut purée,
a bigarade sauce with cherries.
And then some caramelized
endives, some onion petals,
- all plated really nicely.
- Delish.
All right. You'll have just 60
minutes to cook your entrées.
But let me tell you,
this is a three-chef race,
and right now
the difference is miniscule.
Right, your 60 minutes start...
- Right now.
- Let's go.
Come on, girls!
- Let's go. Let's get our...
- All right.
Going into the entrée round,
I'm feeling very nervous
and disappointed in myself
because the judges
loved Autumn's canapés
and Kelsey's appetizer.
I have to catch up
and cook my heart out
for the entrée and dessert round
because my main purpose
has always been
to put Burmese cuisine
more and more on the map,
and that's why I really,
really want to win MasterChef.
- Come on, ladies!
- Let's go!
- I got you, love.
- You're a good man.
- Go break a leg, Autumn.
- Thank you, Aarón.
No, I'm not breaking
any more legs.
Going into the entrée round,
I'm feeling fired up.
Winning MasterChef, it's more
than just a competition.
It could be a real
turning point in my life
for me as a person
and as a chef.
- Anne: Check your oven if you're using it, guys.
- We got this, guys.
- Suu: We got it.
- Joseph: What's in that can, Suu?
Coconut milk for
the coconut rice.
They're moving fast,
aren't they? Lightning speed.
They've really committed
to doing a lot, a lot of work.
Gordon: Yeah, history in the
making. Three amazing women
- in tonight's finale.
- Whoo.
Michael, you should know
that we have basically
three culinary themes going on.
You have Autumn,
and she cooks really
authentic Japanese flavors.
You have Suu, who comes
from a Burmese culture.
She thinks there's
a world where there could be
a Michelin-starred
Burmese restaurant.
- Why not?
- Kelsey, on the other hand,
very, very technical cook.
Probably more in the modern
European, Italian, French world.
So, three different strategies
in the finale tonight.
Ladies, 10 minutes gone.
We're down to
50 minutes remaining.
- Keep it going, guys.
- Great job, y'all!
- Kelsey, how are we doing, young lady?
- Hi.
We're doing good. I'm getting
all my prep work out of the way.
So, for me, when you
have duck preparations,
I think the biggest
pitfall potentially...
Having too much sweetness.
Kelsey: Yes,
so this honeynut purée,
definitely runs a little bit
on the sweet side,
but I'm adding a lot of assertive
flavor with some espelette pepper.
I'm also adding the endive
which adds a really nice bitterness
- to it at the end when you eat it.
- Of course.
So, it eats very balanced.
How do you feel about your
competitors' dishes? What do you think?
I'm almost glad that I'm the
only one with a non-seafood dish.
Yep, you're gonna stand out. Make
sure it has the right acidity and spice.
- Yes, Chef, I'm feeling good.
- All right. Good luck.
- What do you do next, Kels?
- I'm gonna start on my sauce now.
- I like it, girl. You're looking great.
- Feeling saucy.
- Okay.
- 40 minutes left, ladies.
- 40 minutes left.
- Thank you.
- Suu is flying.
- Wow.
- Okay, Suu.
- Hello, Chefs.
- How do we get flavor into that sea bass?
- I have ginger, lemongrass,
galangal, shallots, garlic,
lime leaves, fish sauce.
- Gordon: Like a paste.
- Yes.
- Okay, good.
- I'm going to grill it first
so that it infuses
all the flavors,
and I'm going it
finish it in the oven.
And then I'm going to brush it
with the banana ketchup sauce.
Banana ketchup,
where did this idea come from?
Banana ketchup
is a Filipino recipe.
- I've actually had banana ketchup before.
- Same here.
This will be a little different
because it will have curry infusion in it.
What are you worried about? Is it
the cooking of the fish inside that leaf?
Definitely the fish,
especially when you are here.
- Just cook with love. It'll make it taste good.
- Yes, Chef.
- Dish sounds amazing.
- It does.
I'm excited to try it.
Good luck.
- Thank you very much.
- So clean, Kelsey, so clean.
I'm scared for Autumn because
you'll shoot yourself in the foot
- by trying to cook risotto in an hour.
- Anne: But she is Italian.
- You good, Autumn?
- Doing good.
Explain the dish to me again.
It's an Italian risotto
with uni butter.
Then I'm gonna grate
some fresh uni in at the end.
So you're playing the risotto
game, which is high stakes.
When are you gonna
start the risotto?
I'm gonna start the risotto
around the 30 minute mark.
So you're all in with that,
because there's no turning back.
If you start it at 30 minutes,
you're either gonna
nail it or you're not.
And the goal is to nail it.
Is it gonna feel more like an
Asian dish or an Italian dish?
I think it's gonna be
very fusion-y.
I'm going very Asian
with the black cod,
'cause I'm doing
a miso marinade on it.
Love that. Go and nail it.
All right, good luck, kid.
I'm gonna give you
perfect risotto, Joe.
Alejandro:
Oh, look at Suu folding.
- How beautiful.
- Dang, man.
Great technique, Kelsey.
That's great technique.
Ladies, 30 minutes gone.
30 minutes remaining.
- Halfway.
- Come on, ladies!
Let's go, guys.
Let's go.
Oh, she's doing
the banana ketchup.
Is it just banana
and tomatoes in there?
- Suu: Yeah, and a curry paste.
- Wow.
- That looks so good, Suu!
- Banana ketchup on the way.
So, guys, Suu is doing a
banana leaf wrapped sea bass.
And then she's doing
a banana ketchup,
with almost, like,
a curry sauce.
It's very strong flavor.
I just hope that fish
can stand up
and not be drowned
in those aromatics.
Yeah, but also
she's cooking blind.
She's wrapping the fish
in banana leaf.
And, so, undercooked,
we're in trouble.
Overcooked,
it's gonna fall apart.
Suu's gotta be careful
with that fish.
All right, guys, it's fire time.
[cheering]
- How is Kelsey?
- Kelsey has a beautiful pan-seared duck breast
with a cherry bigarade sauce,
and then that really luscious and
creamy butternut squash purée.
The biggest concern
I have for Kelsey,
is how does she balance all the inherent
sweetness in some of the elements?
- Maybe a little vinegar.
- That always goes well.
- Yup.
- Autumn, are you going for a creamier risotto?
- What are you doing?
- It's gonna be nice and creamy.
- Beautiful, Autumn.
- Autumn is doing a half Japanese, half Italian.
So it's a miso-glazed black cod
served over an uni risotto.
The risk is obviously
twofold in this dish.
Risotto we know
is very difficult.
She started
with 30 minutes left,
so she's putting all
her chips on the table.
Tay: I don't know why,
but cooking rice
in this kitchen
was always difficult.
And the miso-glazed black
cod has to be moist, sweet, salty.
If that fish isn't perfect, all four of
us are gonna immediately know it.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Right, you three,
we're down to 15 minutes.
The most important 15 minutes
of your time here
in the MasterChef kitchen.
- Whoo! Okay.
- Keep it going. Come on.
- Autumn, is your fish in the oven?
- Yes, it is.
Have you checked on it?
My broiler stopped working.
It's not working.
So, I check on my black cod
and there's just, like,
no caramelization on it.
I'm losing my mind.
I'm going around frantic.
- Oh, my God.
- My oven does not work.
This is, like, probably the most
important day of my life.
I wanna win this so badly,
and right now, I'm trying to
figure out what to do with my cod.
Autumn's momentum, it kind of
came to a halt right now.
- What's going on?
- So, that's a tough one,
because she needs
to finish that in the oven.
And if she doesn't do it,
that dish is not
gonna come together.
I hope she can figure it out
and find a Plan B...
Freaking out!
...because it's not
looking good right now.
My broiler stopped working.
It's not working.
So I open the oven
to check on my fish
and I am just getting
no color on it.
Autumn, is your oven working?
- No.
- Oh, my God.
So, I'm just trying to,
you know, think on my feet.
Hey, Autumn. Mine.
Here, mine.
I don't need it.
Kelsey was really nice.
She said I could use her oven.
- Broil?
- Yeah.
- Got it. I'll watch it, okay?
- Okay.
- I'll just come over...
- It's turned on, okay?
So, I just slap it in her oven
and I hope for the best.
Keep it moving, Autumn.
Keep it moving.
Yeah, Autumn,
you're doing great.
Right. Young lady,
how you feeling?
- Frazzled.
- Frazzled. Why?
I just wish I had
a little more time.
Kelsey's oven
is a meter behind you,
so we're in great shape.
- That risotto looks beautiful, by the way.
- Thank you.
You've got plenty time,
young lady, you know that.
- Yes. Thank you.
- Let's go.
That risotto's coming
together nice, Autumn.
- How's that duck coming, Kelsey?
- Good, just resting.
Oh, your fish, Suu,
is it still in the oven?
It is. Trust me!
- Ten minutes to go. Come on, ladies.
- Ten minutes, ladies!
[cheering]
Wow. Amazing stuff.
- Alejandro, this is intense.
- Chef, it is.
Three incredible dishes. Which
one's looking like they're nailing it?
Autumn, she hasn't taken her eye
off the risotto, so that looks great.
Kelsey's duck looks real
good from here. It's resting.
And Suu is just moving
like lightning,
so it's gonna be
a tight one, Chef.
- Kelsey, I'm going to come check my fish.
- Yes.
- Good?
- It's looking good.
Gordon:
Five minutes to go, ladies.
Five minutes to go.
Come on.
- Very hot.
- Five minutes, Suu. You got this.
- How does it look, Suu?
- Good!
Suu's fish coming out
of the banana leaf.
They're so composed,
all three of them.
- Make sure there's enough sauce on there, Kelsey.
- Ahh!
- Butterfingers.
- Make those perfect plates. This is what counts.
- Cod's out.
- Yeah, it looks good.
- Doesn't it?
- Suu, I want to eat that.
- That looks awesome.
- Oh, yeah.
Thank you, guys.
Thanks for the great support.
That risotto looks
perfect, Autumn.
- Ooh.
- Autumn, come on.
Gentle when you lift
that cod up.
Slow and steady, Autumn.
Good job.
One minute remaining.
This is where it counts, guys.
Let's go.
- Last minute, come on.
- Come on, you guys!
- Be gentle with it.
- Concentrate, you got this.
- Whew!
- Where's my tweezers?
- Come on, Suu.
- Aarón: Let's move, Autumn.
Four identical plates, let's go.
Aarón: Make sure everything's
sauced perfectly.
Oh, my God, here we go.
Gordon:
Give 'em some love.
Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- And stop! Well done.
- [cheering]
- Wow.
- Whoo!
- Good job, y'all.
- Good job, ladies.
Well done, ladies. Please, make your
way around to the front. Here we go.
Anne: Whoo, whoo, whoo!
Come on, girls!
- Good job, ladies.
- Gordon: That was phenomenal.
- An amazing 60 minutes.
- Impressive. Very impressive.
Great job. Please, Kelsey,
bring your duck dish down.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Tonight, I have prepared for
you a crispy skin duck breast
with a honeynut purée,
a bigarade sauce with cherries,
caramelized endive,
and pearl onions.
Visually, it's absolutely
stunning. It's like a piece of art.
I think what
I'm most impressed with
is this crispy skin.
Beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, I think it looks great.
I think the purée
is absolutely beautiful.
The whole thing shows
a real level of sophistication.
- Thank you.
- Gents, shall we dig in?
Kelsey,
duck is cooked beautifully.
Let's get that absolutely clear.
The eye-catching part
of this dish is the purée,
- but it is so under-seasoned.
- Really?
It's so frustrating,
I could scream.
For me,
all the charred elements,
from the endive to the onions
add such a beautiful backdrop.
I think what's frustrating to me
is you kind of
over-reduced that sauce,
and then you have these little
chunks of shallots and garlic in there.
But you nailed the duck,
which is the hardest
thing to do, so good work.
I like all the elements
except for the purée.
Had you gone with
a traditional pomme purée
or something with a little bit
more of a defined starch base,
- you'd have a more successful dish.
- Okay.
- Thanks, Kelsey.
- Thank you.
- Great job, Kelsey.
- Your duck was great.
- Suu, you want to bring us your dish?
- Yes, Chef.
Thank you.
Thanks, darling.
I have for you banana leaf
wrapped grilled seabass,
coconut rice, banana ketchup,
grilled shishito peppers,
and an herb salad.
Suu, your dish looks beautiful.
It's Burmese cuisine
from the heart.
- The smell coming off that plate is amazing.
- Mmm.
I was worried.
Halfway through
the cook tonight,
you started putting those
fish back in the oven.
I just hope they're
not overcooked.
Shall we?
Suu, can you just
come over please?
Just see that for a minute.
What does that mean?
Suu, can you just
come over please?
Just see that for a minute.
See how shiny
that fish is there?
What does that mean?
- It's moist.
- It's beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Mmm.
- Wow.
- Suu, that's delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.
Bass, it's a sort of a heavy
fish, and you've lifted it.
Ketchup, delicious. Get that
thing in a bottle and sell it, okay?
- Yes, Chef.
- 'Cause you're gonna send the whole country
into banana ketchup meltdown.
But what you have to get used to
with Burmese cuisine is the heat.
So, less paste on that fish
because it
obliterates the palate,
and you dive into that pool
of ketchup to cool down.
Yes, Chef. Thank you.
For me, the rice needed a little bit
something else to make it more interesting.
You could put toasted coconut in there
just to kinda bring it to that next level.
- But great flavor all the way around.
- Thank you very much.
- I think it was...
- I'm so sorry.
- He's struggling with the heat still.
- So sorry. I am.
But he's British. They don't
eat a lot of spicy food there.
I think the fish was cooked
pretty well, maybe a little bit over.
But I loved that salad and I
thought it brought a level of acidity
and balance to the dish because of
the sweetness of the banana ketchup.
It's pretty impressive and I'm
happy I got a chance to taste this.
- Thank you very much.
- In your vision to teach America about Burmese cuisine
- and that culture, you have student number one here.
- Aww.
- I really enjoyed this dish.
- Thank you very much.
- Thanks, Suu. Good job.
- Thank you very much.
Autumn, can you please
bring your dishes up?
- Autumn.
- Thank you.
Autumn, what have you made?
Today, I made a broiled miso cod
with uni risotto,
burdock root chips,
fried maitake mushrooms,
and grilled Tokyo scallion.
- Autumn, it looks stunning.
- Yes.
Here's the thing, the one
slight issue I've got here
is I've got the center of
the rice kernels bright white,
and that dictates there's
insufficient cooking time.
- But I can't wait to taste it.
- Thank you.
Autumn, cod, absolutely nailed.
- Thank you.
- You seasoned it beautifully. Delicious.
Rice does need cooking. That for
me is 90 seconds to two minutes away.
And it would have been
honestly a perfect dish,
like, worthy of Michelin stars,
- because that fish was perfect.
- Thank you.
I think for me, you have all the elements
there for something that is beyond reproach.
- It just needs to be integrated differently.
- Okay.
I know it's not traditional
Japanese culture to add acid,
but it needs a punch of something to
wake it up. It's very creamy and rich.
The cod, I agree with them,
is cooked perfectly.
The uni has its own texture,
perfectly creamy.
The mushrooms and
the grilled scallions,
- you didn't need them.
- Okay.
- Thanks, Autumn.
- Thank you.
After the tasting, you know,
I definitely am disappointed.
The stakes are so high right now
and everyone's bringing their A-game,
so I just have to
nail this dessert.
Right. Well done.
Fourth and final course.
With three courses down,
it's truly anybody's game.
Guys, this dessert course could
make or break your entire menu.
Steady your nerves.
Stay focused.
Autumn, give us a little
insight to your dessert.
I'm going to do a Japanese
jiggly yuzu cheesecake,
with some yuzu curd and a
little bit of strawberry coulis.
- Good. Right. Suu.
- I will have roast flan cake,
saffron cardamom ice cream,
pistachio tuile,
pistachio dust,
and a little surprise.
Love that. Sounds amazing.
Kelsey, where are we going?
The dessert is going to be a
blueberry and lavender panna cotta,
with a lemon curd,
some lemon sablé crumbles,
and then a lemon
whipped cream as well.
Wow. Sounds good.
Ladies, get that dessert
absolutely spot on,
and your hands are gonna
be on that trophy,
and of course,
a quarter of a million dollars.
- You guys ready?
- All: Yes, Chef.
Good. Your 60 minutes start...
- Right now.
- Let's go.
- Joseph: Let's go, ladies.
- Tay: Great start. Great start, ladies!
- Come on, ladies!
- Alejandro: It all comes down to this.
- They are women on a mission.
- This is it, fourth and final dish.
- Those desserts sound amazing, right?
- Cimarusti: They do.
- You guys got this.
- And let's not forget, desserts is chemistry.
You need to be precise,
but more importantly,
this is the highlight
of the dinner, right?
- Cimarusti: I agree.
- Joseph: You guys are doing great.
- You guys are doing amazing.
- Gordon: Check your ovens.
Make sure your temperatures
are set. Autumn, please.
My oven is warm.
My biggest risk with the dessert
is just making sure that
my cheesecakes are set fine.
Let's get those ready.
This dessert is the only thing
that is standing between me
and that MasterChef trophy.
- Ooh!
- Autumn, your technique is great on those egg whites.
Thank you, Joseph.
Whoa!
Good catch, Suu, good catch.
Making this dessert is already
a lot of pressure for me,
because there's a lot of
components in it.
The flan could go wrong,
the ice cream could go wrong.
So I hope everything works out perfectly
for me to win that trophy tonight.
- Anne: Ah!
- Looks good, Suu.
- Abe: You go, Kelsey.
- Anne: Look at her just fly through this.
- She's kind of scary how quick she is right now.
- I know.
Going into this dessert round, I
honestly think it's very neck and neck.
I've made panna cottas
in the past,
and I've often failed in
getting them to set.
So this dessert literally is the
last thing standing between me
and the title of MasterChef.
Blast chiller, blast chiller.
I love how determined
Kelsey looks.
- 18 minutes gone, 42 minutes remaining, guys.
- Come on, girls!
- How you feeling, Kels?
- Hoping things are happening in that blast chiller.
- Right, young lady.
- Yeah.
I make panna cotta at home. I
take all night to set the frickin' thing.
- You're trying to do it in 60 minutes.
- I know.
Is the lavender in
the panna cotta?
The lavender is in
the panna cotta.
It's also gonna be dusted
on top of the sablé cookie.
- Sounds amazing.
- Sounds great.
When you turn round and
cast your eyes on that trophy,
- what does it do to you?
- I think it just motivates me even more.
It just sets that fire
inside me.
This has been a long journey,
so I have to perform
- and have to get this right for you guys.
- Good luck, young lady.
- Thank you.
- Gordon: Thank you.
- Michael: How you feeling, Suu?
- Feeling good.
Making ice cream,
so I should be happy.
- Oh.
- Joseph: You're killing it, Autumn.
- All right, Autumn.
- You're doing great, girl.
All right, Autumn, talk to me
about what you're making.
Right now I just put my
jiggly cheesecakes in the oven
and I'm gonna get
started on my yuzu curd.
The idea of yuzu, it's a very
strong, very fragrant Japanese citrus.
Yeah, Japanese flavors are always just
very light, so I didn't want to overpower,
'cause I had such a rich entrée.
So I want to make sure I keep it
really light for the dessert.
What are some of the elements
that could potentially go awry?
- Definitely making sure that the yuzu's not too strong.
- Make sure you're tasting.
- Absolutely.
- There's really not a lot of places to hide
on your dessert, Autumn, okay?
- Not at all, so it has to be perfect.
- Good luck.
Alejandro: I just think she looks in a
hurry 'cause she's only got a limited time.
- Keep working, Suu.
- Okay, Suu.
We're all puzzled
with this dessert
because we don't have
a reference for it.
Is it one of these new, trendy
southeast Asian desserts?
It is.
It's usually served in a jar.
It has ice cream cake
and it also has custard in it.
So I am reconstructing it
on a plate.
All right, I'm excited. And you
got us each a rose. That's so sweet.
- It's a little surprise.
- Aww, it's so nice. I love that.
- And what are you doing with these?
- Uh, you'll find out.
- And I might need your help.
- What do you think?
- It doesn't go with the suit, man.
- Doesn't go with the suit.
- So, how you feeling?
- I'm feeling a little behind, but I know I can catch up.
- Looks good.
- Yes. I can't wait for you to taste it.
Gordon: Ladies, we're coming up to
halfway. We're now down to 30 minutes.
That's all that's left between you
becoming America's next MasterChef.
- Oh, my God.
- You're halfway home.
- [cheering]
- Anne: Girls!
Ooh, hot.
Ooh, hot, hot, hot.
Now, Kelsey's lavender,
blueberry panna cotta...
- Lavender is not one of my favorite flavors.
- I feel the same way.
- I love lavender in my soap.
- Cimarusti: Yeah, exactly.
My big worry, will they set
in time for it to turn them out?
Okay.
Those are good for plating.
- Gordon: Autumn's?
- She's going with this jiggly cheesecake
and then she's doing
this yuzu curd.
- The cheesecake's cooked?
- And it has to set.
- Oh, man. Wow.
- Praying for the best.
- You guys ready for some action?
- Anne: Whoop, whoop!
- Oh!
- Alejandro: Ooh, look at the ice cream.
- Aarón: And then Suu?
- I saw the flan molds go in the oven.
I saw the caramel go in there. But
the egg custard goes on top of that.
- But where's the sponge going?
- I think she cuts it out...
- Right.
- ...and has it set together.
Right now, I don't know if Suu
will get this thing finished.
There's so many elements
going on her dish.
But I tell you what, this has to be
three of the most exciting desserts
- I've ever seen in this competition.
- What's she gonna do?
Alejandro: Oh, we're going
scientific. We're going molecular.
She's in a science lab
right now.
15, y'all! 15 minutes!
All right, guys. So the jiggly
cheesecake is out from Autumn's oven.
- Whew!
- Suu's taking her flans out.
- Suu, are they set?
- Yes, Chef.
- Good.
- Just to be make sure it's pretty
- when I flip it.
- This is crazy.
Aarón: Guys, Autumn,
her hands are shaking right now.
- Wouldn't yours be? Mine would be.
- Oh, man.
Relax, relax, relax.
Those cheesecakes look great.
Whew.
[gasps]
I'm so excited.
- Oh-ho-ho-ho!
- I love her reaction.
Ladies, we're coming down
now to our last five minutes.
Kelsey's struggling a little bit
turning out those panna cottas.
Come on, little guy!
- Wow.
- That's her worst nightmare.
- Torch the bottom.
- It won't come out. Uh-oh.
Oh, oh, oh.
Kelsey: If I don't nail this,
it's all over for me,
I'm not winning the title
of MasterChef.
Kelsey's struggling a little bit
turning out those panna cottas.
Joseph: Get it, Kelsey.
Ooh, man.
- Kelsey! Yes!
- Beautiful, Kelsey.
Happy dance!
Happy dance!
Relax, relax, relax.
- Joe: Wow.
- Oh, man.
- That is amazing.
- That's pretty sophisticated right there.
- That is magic on a plate by Suu.
- Suu!
You're killing it, Autumn.
- Abe: All right, Autumn.
- Anne: You're doing great, girl.
Come on, look at
the precision of her hand
- right now with that yuzu.
- Yeah.
- 60 seconds remaining.
- Finish strong, finish strong.
- Last minute! Come on, ladies!
- There it is!
- My blood pressure is through the roof!
- [cheering]
- One minute, bro.
- Those desserts look absolutely incredible.
- Come on, ladies.
- I got this. I got this.
Kelsey with the tweezers.
Amateur home cooks, Michael.
Beautiful, Kelsey.
Awesome precision.
Autumn, as well with the
tweezers. Look, I love it!
- Gordon: Amazing.
- I am literally so proud of all of you.
Let's go, guys. Come on.
Ladies, please!
All: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two, one.
- And stop. Well done.
- Hands in the air.
[cheering]
Oh, my God! Oh, my God.
We did it, we did it, we did it.
I was so nervous going into this
cook, and I didn't know if I could do it.
It's the last meal we're going
to cook here in the kitchen,
and it's probably the plate
I'm most proud of.
So I just feel really
good about it.
Autumn: I thought that
my first audition dish
with that banana cake was the
most important dessert of my life.
But this now is definitely the
most important dessert of my life.
Such a bittersweet moment.
This is my final cook in
this MasterChef kitchen.
I'm very proud of
everything on this plate.
May the best girl win tonight.
- Okay, Suu, please bring your desserts forward.
- Yes, Chef.
- For you, Joe.
- Thank you.
Gordon: Wow.
Describe your dessert please.
Chefs, I have for you
rose flan cake,
saffron cardamom ice cream,
pistachio tuile, pistachio dust,
and a little surprise roses
in front of you.
What we supposed to do
with these?
Chef, will you please do the honor
and dip it in this liquid nitrogen?
- There you go, and...
- Joe: Wow.
...high up on my dessert.
- Are you ready?
- Yes.
One, two, three!
- Wow!
- [cheering]
Cimarusti:
I love that.
- Let's do this.
- Lovely.
[cheering]
- Nice.
- That's so fun!
- Good job, Suu.
- Gordon: That's a show stopper.
Let's begin.
Suu, the ice cream is top notch.
- Thank you.
- It's smooth. It's delicious.
The brittle,
pistachio dust, amazing.
There's just hardly any flan
there because it's been absorbed.
- It deserves more flan, less custard.
- Yes.
- It's delicious. Congratulations.
- Thank you.
The ice cream is
absolutely delicious.
And of course, what you did
with the rose, it wasn't just show.
It added something to the dish and
reinforced the flavors you already had here.
And I feel like you are
the person that could put
Burmese cuisine on the map,
so congratulations.
- Thank you. Thank you.
- Suu, I was a little concerned when I saw the rose
'cause I thought it was gonna
be gimmicky. I stand corrected.
It's really a beautiful exercise in
texture on multiple levels and I like that.
- Thank you, Chef.
- The ice cream and pistachio crumble were fantastic.
What happened with the cake is basically
the flan becomes almost like a topping...
- Yeah.
- ...for the cake.
- Yes.
- It's a nice idea.
- I think it needs evolution.
- Thank you, Suu.
- Thank you very much.
- Nice job, Suu.
- That was awesome.
- Good job, Suu.
Right.
Next up, Autumn, please.
Present your desserts.
Thank you.
Come on, Autumn!
The dessert I made is a
Japanese jiggly yuzu cheesecake,
with some strawberry coulis,
yuzu curd,
and then it's topped
with some strawberry
and a little bit of gold flake.
Visually, it pops.
It's got a beautiful
color combination.
- Definitely restaurant quality. Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
Your cooking is, like, straight
out of Japan, which is very cool.
Visually, it's beautiful.
I like the simplicity of it,
- and I can't wait to try it.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Shall we?
- Yes.
Autumn, I love it.
It's delicious. It's light.
It's nowhere near as dense
as the traditional cheesecake.
The yuzu curd is
just absolutely spot on.
I would've taken the hole out the
middle and piped that yuzu curd in there
- because it's delicious.
- Yeah.
So when you cut through,
it's, like, splat.
- But great job.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, I think it's wicked good. I loved it.
- Thank you.
I think it has that beautiful
citrus zing that only yuzu has.
It's the most unique fruit
in the world
and it's so perfectly
harmonious with strawberries.
- I thought it was really, really good.
- Thank you, Chef.
This is eggy, it's fluffy,
it's airy.
But I think the most memorable
part of this is the curd.
And I don't know if that's
a good thing necessarily.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Autumn, I think the execution of everything on this plate
is really spot on, but I wish it
had more flavor in the cake itself.
It needs a little bit more.
- Thank you, Autumn.
- Thank you, Chefs.
- Woohoo!
- Boston!
- Good job, Autumn.
- Way to go.
- Kelsey, would you please bring us your desserts?
- Yes.
It's beautiful.
I have a blueberry and lavender
panna cotta, with a lemon curd,
lemon sablé, and then a crumble
of the sablé cookie around.
Visually, it's stunning.
A piece of art.
I'm just hoping tastes as good as
it looks because it's breathtaking.
- Thank you.
- Gents, shall we?
Right, young lady, the hero,
the panna cotta, it's delicious.
It's soft,
it's smooth, it's silky.
But the sablé, they could be
a little bit softer.
- They're a little bit too crisp.
- Okay.
So my big question is
did you half fill the molds
on purpose to get it set,
slightly nervous
that it wouldn't be done?
I filled them purposely that
full because I would rather
make sure I give you
a composed dish than soup.
- So you played it safe.
- Yeah, I did.
- That's all I wanted to know. Thank you.
- Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Look, I'm not going to take you to
task on the amount of panna cotta.
I'm just happy I got it
well constructed and well done.
Maybe some of the crumble's a bit
dry, but everything else on this dish
- is firing on all cylinders.
- Thank you.
It worked I think exactly
the way you wanted it to.
I think it's a lot to pull off in
an hour, so congratulations.
- It's a beautiful dish.
- Thank you.
The panna cotta, it was a perfect
balance between creamy and firm.
It's the kind of dish that I
would look for and aspire to have
- in my restaurants every night. Good job.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, guys.
- Good job!
- Finally Joe said something nice to someone.
- I know. The whole time.
Ladies, what
an amazing way to finish.
Now we need to judge
the entire meal,
and then determine from that
America's next MasterChef.
Ladies, what an amazing
way to finish.
Now that we've tasted,
we need to judge the entire meal
and then determine from that
America's next MasterChef.
- Michael, we'll see you shortly.
- Thank you, Chef.
Go and meet our fellow
contestants. Let's go, gents.
- Oh, boy. It's gonna be tough.
- Aarón: A lot going on.
Okay, this is gonna
be difficult.
- Aarón: Indeed.
- Let's start with Autumn, shall we?
She came in the gate strong with
that incredible scrambled egg and uni.
Aarón: Yeah, that canapé,
great flavor.
You know, you really have
to be smart to come up with
- something like that on the fly.
- Yeah, exactly that.
Then she went straight
to those dumplings.
I think she got a little bit nervous
and it was a bit over-seasoned.
Yeah, the saltiness,
it was a little bit too heavy,
especially leading to that
risotto with the black cod.
I think that her entrée was
better. She was more relaxed.
The black cod
was executed perfectly.
The unfortunate part is the
under-cook on the risotto.
Gordon: Yeah.
Then finally her dessert.
The jiggly cheesecake,
yuzu cream was a standout.
- I thought it was perfection.
- But did the menu work?
I think she did a good job of
infusing her love of Japanese food.
Gordon: Kelsey. Now, for me,
not the most appetizing canapé...
- A raw beef tartare.
- Joe: Over-seasoned.
Had she just done that with
tuna and kept is simple,
- we'd be having a different conversation.
- Gordon: Absolutely.
- Appetizer from Kelsey.
- Very strong.
Gordon: For me, the ravioli delivered
the best flavor across all the appetizers.
- Aarón: Yeah.
- Main course with the duck.
Joe: The purée of honeynut
was a mistake for me.
I disagree. I think
it added a sweetness
that needed to contrast
the richness of the duck.
But the duck's cooked beautifully,
guys. Seasoned beautifully.
- A technical entrée.
- Joe: Her dessert?
Very strong, but I would prefer
that she filled those things up.
It was crumbly but sweet.
Creamy.
It was 100% satisfaction.
- Gordon: What about Suu?
- Let's start with the canapé.
I thought it was
the wrong choice.
She came in really hard
with that rich beef and potato.
It just wasn't sort of to Autumn's
standards, anywhere near as good as.
- But it was tasty.
- Then the appetizer.
We got excited about
the crispy chickpea tofu.
- The octopus spoiled it.
- Yeah, but the dish was good.
There was spice in there. There
was heat. It was very, very interesting.
- Yeah, then her bass?
- Aarón: I think it's so challenging to be able
to balance those very strong
flavors of the galangal,
the ginger, the lemongrass,
and be able to do that
where there's a synergy and
there's a harmony and balance.
Thought it was going to be
overcooked, but it was cooked beautifully.
- The dessert?
- Interesting. Very interesting.
Gordon: Yeah, it's almost
sort of out there.
I liked the courage of doing something that
has no standard for me. It was very good.
I have to pay respect for her staying
true to her Burmese foundation.
- Aarón: Me, too.
- I totally respect it.
Three exceptional menus.
We've got the title and a
quarter million dollars at stake.
I think we all agree that Autumn
clearly had the best canapé.
- I agree.
- And Kelsey, we all know she had the best appetizer.
- Mmm.
- I think it's safe to say that Suu had the best entrée.
And tonight, in my opinion, she cooked
better than she ever had in the competition.
- They put us in a tough spot.
- Gordon: Very tough.
- Good job, guys.
- All: Thank you. Thank you, Chef.
- As good as it looked, huh?
- Yeah, all of them. They did not look like amateurs.
- I feel like everyone put it all on the plate.
- Yeah.
- I'm so proud of everyone.
- I'm so proud of you guys. Get over here.
Are we happy with our decision
as America's next MasterChef?
Yes.
Shall we?
Autumn, Suu, and Kelsey,
only one of you will become
America's next MasterChef.
And only one of you will win
a quarter of a million dollars.
Woohoo.
And only one of you
will be able to proudly
place this trophy
in your own home kitchen.
This season,
for Joe, Aarón, and myself,
picking the winner has been
the most difficult decision
we've ever had to make.
America's next MasterChef is...
- Kelsey!
- [cheers, screaming]
- Alejandro: Yeah!
- Suu: You did it!
- You did it!
- [screaming]
Kelsey, come over here!
[squeals]
This is crazy! I am the winner
of "MasterChef Legends."
I fought for it and I did it.
It is a literal dream come true.
Oh, my God!
And it's awesome to get to
share it with all of my peers
that went through
this entire journey with me.
- You did it!
- There was never any doubt.
So proud of you, man.
You deserve it.
Do we get free refills
on these or what?
I'm a little bit disappointed.
I really wanted to win.
But I never thought
I would make it this far,
so I am just really
proud of myself regardless.
I'm so proud of Kelsey.
She definitely deserved it.
- You did it! You did it! You did it.
- I'm feeling so happy.
I feel like
I've accomplished so much.
I'm so, so happy for Kelsey.
Kelsey has always been consistently
good, and I'm so happy for her.
All of you raise your
glasses to Kelsey. Come on!
[cheering]
- You did it!
- Congratulations, Kelsey!
Hi, Mom. I did it.
- No!
- Yeah, yeah. No, I won.
[both laughing]
Thank you so much for
supporting me the entire time.
- You've been awesome.
- You're the best.
- Honey, I love you so much.
- I love you, too.
Your dad's so proud of you,
I know that.
[cheering]
What an incredible end
to this season of legends.
Thank you so much for watching.
And congratulations again
to Kelsey. What a night.
Next season of "MasterChef"
is just around the corner.
Goodnight, and see you soon.
- Well done, guys.
- [cheering]
"MasterChef" is back
with the season of legends.
---
Gordon: Previously on
"MasterChef Legends"...
- Joe: Three finalists, all women.
- Gordon: First time ever.
Congratulations on all three of
you for making it to the grand finale.
Please welcome Curtis Stone.
Ladies, stop! It's time
for one final legendary twist.
This is now a four course menu.
- [groans]
- But no pressure!
On top of the appetizer,
entrée, and a dessert,
we have to make canapés
in 30 minutes.
I'm feeling a lot of pressure.
- What am I doing, what am I doing?
- Ahh!
Winning MasterChef
will change my life.
This is going to be bold
and bombastic flavors.
Ooh, I'm shaking in my boot.
Guys, I look down and I can
tell we're in the finale.
You have raised the bar to where I
haven't seen it before in "MasterChef."
- Autumn's canapé.
- Gee, was it well done.
- Kelsey.
- I thought the ravioli was really spot on.
Right now, the saving grace for Suu is that
she's still got two more courses to go.
I want this title
and I want it so bad.
Two courses down,
two courses remaining.
- Tonight...
- The title is still up for grabs.
Our final legend has earned
two Michelin stars.
Please welcome
Michael Cimarusti.
- This is a three-chef race.
- All: Yes, Chef.
And right now
the difference is miniscule.
You guys ready for some action?
Anne: They are women
on a mission.
...with just two courses
left...
- Whoa!
- That's her worst nightmare.
- Oh, my God.
- [sighs]
- ...until we find out...
- I love what I cook!
...who is America's
next MasterChef.
Joe:
100% satisfaction.
- That's a show stopper.
- Worthy of Michelin stars.
Visually, it's stunning.
The winner of
"MasterChef Legends"
is...
Gordon:
Ladies, so far, so good.
Autumn, Suu, Kelsey,
you've all impressed us so far
with those incredible canapés.
And then on to that, beautiful,
delicious appetizers.
Two courses left on the menu.
Right now it's anybody's game.
- Understand that.
- All: Yes, Chef.
In just a little bit,
we will officially know
which one of you three
will become
America's next MasterChef.
The title, the trophy,
and a quarter of a million
dollars is still up for grabs.
So, just to finish this
season of legends,
we've brought in one
final legendary guest.
Ladies, our final legend,
his mastery of seafood
has earned him
an amazing James Beard Award,
followed with
two Michelin stars.
Please welcome the legendary
Michael Cimarusti.
- What a pleasure and what an honor.
- How are you?
- Good to see you.
- Good to see you, Michael. How are you?
- How are you, Joe?
- Welcome to the MasterChef kitchen.
- Thank you so much.
- You've come in at the most perfect time.
I just want to go back
to the beginning.
Your journey has
been incredible.
You trained for years with
titans like Wolfgang Puck.
Now you earned those
two Michelin stars
at L.A.'s renowned
restaurant Providence.
What would you look for
in a great cook?
You have to be committed
to your own ideas.
And you've got to execute
under pressure, which,
you know, you're under
a lot today for sure.
Now, ladies, before
we kick things off,
Autumn, give us an insight
to your entrée for this evening.
For my entrée, I'm gonna
be making a broiled miso cod,
over a sea urchin risotto,
with some fried maitake
mushrooms, grilled Tokyo scallion,
- and some burdock root chips.
- Wow.
If you can pull it off, it
sounds like it'll be amazing.
- Thank you.
- Suu, give us an insight
to the sort of Burmese feel
across this entrée tonight.
So, I'll be making
banana-wrapped grilled sea bass,
coconut rice, banana ketchup,
grilled shishito peppers,
and an herb salad.
- Joe: Ooh.
- It sounds amazing.
- Gordon: Kelsey.
- Yes, I'm going to be doing
a crispy-skin duck breast.
There's gonna be
a honeynut purée,
a bigarade sauce with cherries.
And then some caramelized
endives, some onion petals,
- all plated really nicely.
- Delish.
All right. You'll have just 60
minutes to cook your entrées.
But let me tell you,
this is a three-chef race,
and right now
the difference is miniscule.
Right, your 60 minutes start...
- Right now.
- Let's go.
Come on, girls!
- Let's go. Let's get our...
- All right.
Going into the entrée round,
I'm feeling very nervous
and disappointed in myself
because the judges
loved Autumn's canapés
and Kelsey's appetizer.
I have to catch up
and cook my heart out
for the entrée and dessert round
because my main purpose
has always been
to put Burmese cuisine
more and more on the map,
and that's why I really,
really want to win MasterChef.
- Come on, ladies!
- Let's go!
- I got you, love.
- You're a good man.
- Go break a leg, Autumn.
- Thank you, Aarón.
No, I'm not breaking
any more legs.
Going into the entrée round,
I'm feeling fired up.
Winning MasterChef, it's more
than just a competition.
It could be a real
turning point in my life
for me as a person
and as a chef.
- Anne: Check your oven if you're using it, guys.
- We got this, guys.
- Suu: We got it.
- Joseph: What's in that can, Suu?
Coconut milk for
the coconut rice.
They're moving fast,
aren't they? Lightning speed.
They've really committed
to doing a lot, a lot of work.
Gordon: Yeah, history in the
making. Three amazing women
- in tonight's finale.
- Whoo.
Michael, you should know
that we have basically
three culinary themes going on.
You have Autumn,
and she cooks really
authentic Japanese flavors.
You have Suu, who comes
from a Burmese culture.
She thinks there's
a world where there could be
a Michelin-starred
Burmese restaurant.
- Why not?
- Kelsey, on the other hand,
very, very technical cook.
Probably more in the modern
European, Italian, French world.
So, three different strategies
in the finale tonight.
Ladies, 10 minutes gone.
We're down to
50 minutes remaining.
- Keep it going, guys.
- Great job, y'all!
- Kelsey, how are we doing, young lady?
- Hi.
We're doing good. I'm getting
all my prep work out of the way.
So, for me, when you
have duck preparations,
I think the biggest
pitfall potentially...
Having too much sweetness.
Kelsey: Yes,
so this honeynut purée,
definitely runs a little bit
on the sweet side,
but I'm adding a lot of assertive
flavor with some espelette pepper.
I'm also adding the endive
which adds a really nice bitterness
- to it at the end when you eat it.
- Of course.
So, it eats very balanced.
How do you feel about your
competitors' dishes? What do you think?
I'm almost glad that I'm the
only one with a non-seafood dish.
Yep, you're gonna stand out. Make
sure it has the right acidity and spice.
- Yes, Chef, I'm feeling good.
- All right. Good luck.
- What do you do next, Kels?
- I'm gonna start on my sauce now.
- I like it, girl. You're looking great.
- Feeling saucy.
- Okay.
- 40 minutes left, ladies.
- 40 minutes left.
- Thank you.
- Suu is flying.
- Wow.
- Okay, Suu.
- Hello, Chefs.
- How do we get flavor into that sea bass?
- I have ginger, lemongrass,
galangal, shallots, garlic,
lime leaves, fish sauce.
- Gordon: Like a paste.
- Yes.
- Okay, good.
- I'm going to grill it first
so that it infuses
all the flavors,
and I'm going it
finish it in the oven.
And then I'm going to brush it
with the banana ketchup sauce.
Banana ketchup,
where did this idea come from?
Banana ketchup
is a Filipino recipe.
- I've actually had banana ketchup before.
- Same here.
This will be a little different
because it will have curry infusion in it.
What are you worried about? Is it
the cooking of the fish inside that leaf?
Definitely the fish,
especially when you are here.
- Just cook with love. It'll make it taste good.
- Yes, Chef.
- Dish sounds amazing.
- It does.
I'm excited to try it.
Good luck.
- Thank you very much.
- So clean, Kelsey, so clean.
I'm scared for Autumn because
you'll shoot yourself in the foot
- by trying to cook risotto in an hour.
- Anne: But she is Italian.
- You good, Autumn?
- Doing good.
Explain the dish to me again.
It's an Italian risotto
with uni butter.
Then I'm gonna grate
some fresh uni in at the end.
So you're playing the risotto
game, which is high stakes.
When are you gonna
start the risotto?
I'm gonna start the risotto
around the 30 minute mark.
So you're all in with that,
because there's no turning back.
If you start it at 30 minutes,
you're either gonna
nail it or you're not.
And the goal is to nail it.
Is it gonna feel more like an
Asian dish or an Italian dish?
I think it's gonna be
very fusion-y.
I'm going very Asian
with the black cod,
'cause I'm doing
a miso marinade on it.
Love that. Go and nail it.
All right, good luck, kid.
I'm gonna give you
perfect risotto, Joe.
Alejandro:
Oh, look at Suu folding.
- How beautiful.
- Dang, man.
Great technique, Kelsey.
That's great technique.
Ladies, 30 minutes gone.
30 minutes remaining.
- Halfway.
- Come on, ladies!
Let's go, guys.
Let's go.
Oh, she's doing
the banana ketchup.
Is it just banana
and tomatoes in there?
- Suu: Yeah, and a curry paste.
- Wow.
- That looks so good, Suu!
- Banana ketchup on the way.
So, guys, Suu is doing a
banana leaf wrapped sea bass.
And then she's doing
a banana ketchup,
with almost, like,
a curry sauce.
It's very strong flavor.
I just hope that fish
can stand up
and not be drowned
in those aromatics.
Yeah, but also
she's cooking blind.
She's wrapping the fish
in banana leaf.
And, so, undercooked,
we're in trouble.
Overcooked,
it's gonna fall apart.
Suu's gotta be careful
with that fish.
All right, guys, it's fire time.
[cheering]
- How is Kelsey?
- Kelsey has a beautiful pan-seared duck breast
with a cherry bigarade sauce,
and then that really luscious and
creamy butternut squash purée.
The biggest concern
I have for Kelsey,
is how does she balance all the inherent
sweetness in some of the elements?
- Maybe a little vinegar.
- That always goes well.
- Yup.
- Autumn, are you going for a creamier risotto?
- What are you doing?
- It's gonna be nice and creamy.
- Beautiful, Autumn.
- Autumn is doing a half Japanese, half Italian.
So it's a miso-glazed black cod
served over an uni risotto.
The risk is obviously
twofold in this dish.
Risotto we know
is very difficult.
She started
with 30 minutes left,
so she's putting all
her chips on the table.
Tay: I don't know why,
but cooking rice
in this kitchen
was always difficult.
And the miso-glazed black
cod has to be moist, sweet, salty.
If that fish isn't perfect, all four of
us are gonna immediately know it.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Right, you three,
we're down to 15 minutes.
The most important 15 minutes
of your time here
in the MasterChef kitchen.
- Whoo! Okay.
- Keep it going. Come on.
- Autumn, is your fish in the oven?
- Yes, it is.
Have you checked on it?
My broiler stopped working.
It's not working.
So, I check on my black cod
and there's just, like,
no caramelization on it.
I'm losing my mind.
I'm going around frantic.
- Oh, my God.
- My oven does not work.
This is, like, probably the most
important day of my life.
I wanna win this so badly,
and right now, I'm trying to
figure out what to do with my cod.
Autumn's momentum, it kind of
came to a halt right now.
- What's going on?
- So, that's a tough one,
because she needs
to finish that in the oven.
And if she doesn't do it,
that dish is not
gonna come together.
I hope she can figure it out
and find a Plan B...
Freaking out!
...because it's not
looking good right now.
My broiler stopped working.
It's not working.
So I open the oven
to check on my fish
and I am just getting
no color on it.
Autumn, is your oven working?
- No.
- Oh, my God.
So, I'm just trying to,
you know, think on my feet.
Hey, Autumn. Mine.
Here, mine.
I don't need it.
Kelsey was really nice.
She said I could use her oven.
- Broil?
- Yeah.
- Got it. I'll watch it, okay?
- Okay.
- I'll just come over...
- It's turned on, okay?
So, I just slap it in her oven
and I hope for the best.
Keep it moving, Autumn.
Keep it moving.
Yeah, Autumn,
you're doing great.
Right. Young lady,
how you feeling?
- Frazzled.
- Frazzled. Why?
I just wish I had
a little more time.
Kelsey's oven
is a meter behind you,
so we're in great shape.
- That risotto looks beautiful, by the way.
- Thank you.
You've got plenty time,
young lady, you know that.
- Yes. Thank you.
- Let's go.
That risotto's coming
together nice, Autumn.
- How's that duck coming, Kelsey?
- Good, just resting.
Oh, your fish, Suu,
is it still in the oven?
It is. Trust me!
- Ten minutes to go. Come on, ladies.
- Ten minutes, ladies!
[cheering]
Wow. Amazing stuff.
- Alejandro, this is intense.
- Chef, it is.
Three incredible dishes. Which
one's looking like they're nailing it?
Autumn, she hasn't taken her eye
off the risotto, so that looks great.
Kelsey's duck looks real
good from here. It's resting.
And Suu is just moving
like lightning,
so it's gonna be
a tight one, Chef.
- Kelsey, I'm going to come check my fish.
- Yes.
- Good?
- It's looking good.
Gordon:
Five minutes to go, ladies.
Five minutes to go.
Come on.
- Very hot.
- Five minutes, Suu. You got this.
- How does it look, Suu?
- Good!
Suu's fish coming out
of the banana leaf.
They're so composed,
all three of them.
- Make sure there's enough sauce on there, Kelsey.
- Ahh!
- Butterfingers.
- Make those perfect plates. This is what counts.
- Cod's out.
- Yeah, it looks good.
- Doesn't it?
- Suu, I want to eat that.
- That looks awesome.
- Oh, yeah.
Thank you, guys.
Thanks for the great support.
That risotto looks
perfect, Autumn.
- Ooh.
- Autumn, come on.
Gentle when you lift
that cod up.
Slow and steady, Autumn.
Good job.
One minute remaining.
This is where it counts, guys.
Let's go.
- Last minute, come on.
- Come on, you guys!
- Be gentle with it.
- Concentrate, you got this.
- Whew!
- Where's my tweezers?
- Come on, Suu.
- Aarón: Let's move, Autumn.
Four identical plates, let's go.
Aarón: Make sure everything's
sauced perfectly.
Oh, my God, here we go.
Gordon:
Give 'em some love.
Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- And stop! Well done.
- [cheering]
- Wow.
- Whoo!
- Good job, y'all.
- Good job, ladies.
Well done, ladies. Please, make your
way around to the front. Here we go.
Anne: Whoo, whoo, whoo!
Come on, girls!
- Good job, ladies.
- Gordon: That was phenomenal.
- An amazing 60 minutes.
- Impressive. Very impressive.
Great job. Please, Kelsey,
bring your duck dish down.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Tonight, I have prepared for
you a crispy skin duck breast
with a honeynut purée,
a bigarade sauce with cherries,
caramelized endive,
and pearl onions.
Visually, it's absolutely
stunning. It's like a piece of art.
I think what
I'm most impressed with
is this crispy skin.
Beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, I think it looks great.
I think the purée
is absolutely beautiful.
The whole thing shows
a real level of sophistication.
- Thank you.
- Gents, shall we dig in?
Kelsey,
duck is cooked beautifully.
Let's get that absolutely clear.
The eye-catching part
of this dish is the purée,
- but it is so under-seasoned.
- Really?
It's so frustrating,
I could scream.
For me,
all the charred elements,
from the endive to the onions
add such a beautiful backdrop.
I think what's frustrating to me
is you kind of
over-reduced that sauce,
and then you have these little
chunks of shallots and garlic in there.
But you nailed the duck,
which is the hardest
thing to do, so good work.
I like all the elements
except for the purée.
Had you gone with
a traditional pomme purée
or something with a little bit
more of a defined starch base,
- you'd have a more successful dish.
- Okay.
- Thanks, Kelsey.
- Thank you.
- Great job, Kelsey.
- Your duck was great.
- Suu, you want to bring us your dish?
- Yes, Chef.
Thank you.
Thanks, darling.
I have for you banana leaf
wrapped grilled seabass,
coconut rice, banana ketchup,
grilled shishito peppers,
and an herb salad.
Suu, your dish looks beautiful.
It's Burmese cuisine
from the heart.
- The smell coming off that plate is amazing.
- Mmm.
I was worried.
Halfway through
the cook tonight,
you started putting those
fish back in the oven.
I just hope they're
not overcooked.
Shall we?
Suu, can you just
come over please?
Just see that for a minute.
What does that mean?
Suu, can you just
come over please?
Just see that for a minute.
See how shiny
that fish is there?
What does that mean?
- It's moist.
- It's beautiful.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Mmm.
- Wow.
- Suu, that's delicious.
- Thank you, Chef.
Bass, it's a sort of a heavy
fish, and you've lifted it.
Ketchup, delicious. Get that
thing in a bottle and sell it, okay?
- Yes, Chef.
- 'Cause you're gonna send the whole country
into banana ketchup meltdown.
But what you have to get used to
with Burmese cuisine is the heat.
So, less paste on that fish
because it
obliterates the palate,
and you dive into that pool
of ketchup to cool down.
Yes, Chef. Thank you.
For me, the rice needed a little bit
something else to make it more interesting.
You could put toasted coconut in there
just to kinda bring it to that next level.
- But great flavor all the way around.
- Thank you very much.
- I think it was...
- I'm so sorry.
- He's struggling with the heat still.
- So sorry. I am.
But he's British. They don't
eat a lot of spicy food there.
I think the fish was cooked
pretty well, maybe a little bit over.
But I loved that salad and I
thought it brought a level of acidity
and balance to the dish because of
the sweetness of the banana ketchup.
It's pretty impressive and I'm
happy I got a chance to taste this.
- Thank you very much.
- In your vision to teach America about Burmese cuisine
- and that culture, you have student number one here.
- Aww.
- I really enjoyed this dish.
- Thank you very much.
- Thanks, Suu. Good job.
- Thank you very much.
Autumn, can you please
bring your dishes up?
- Autumn.
- Thank you.
Autumn, what have you made?
Today, I made a broiled miso cod
with uni risotto,
burdock root chips,
fried maitake mushrooms,
and grilled Tokyo scallion.
- Autumn, it looks stunning.
- Yes.
Here's the thing, the one
slight issue I've got here
is I've got the center of
the rice kernels bright white,
and that dictates there's
insufficient cooking time.
- But I can't wait to taste it.
- Thank you.
Autumn, cod, absolutely nailed.
- Thank you.
- You seasoned it beautifully. Delicious.
Rice does need cooking. That for
me is 90 seconds to two minutes away.
And it would have been
honestly a perfect dish,
like, worthy of Michelin stars,
- because that fish was perfect.
- Thank you.
I think for me, you have all the elements
there for something that is beyond reproach.
- It just needs to be integrated differently.
- Okay.
I know it's not traditional
Japanese culture to add acid,
but it needs a punch of something to
wake it up. It's very creamy and rich.
The cod, I agree with them,
is cooked perfectly.
The uni has its own texture,
perfectly creamy.
The mushrooms and
the grilled scallions,
- you didn't need them.
- Okay.
- Thanks, Autumn.
- Thank you.
After the tasting, you know,
I definitely am disappointed.
The stakes are so high right now
and everyone's bringing their A-game,
so I just have to
nail this dessert.
Right. Well done.
Fourth and final course.
With three courses down,
it's truly anybody's game.
Guys, this dessert course could
make or break your entire menu.
Steady your nerves.
Stay focused.
Autumn, give us a little
insight to your dessert.
I'm going to do a Japanese
jiggly yuzu cheesecake,
with some yuzu curd and a
little bit of strawberry coulis.
- Good. Right. Suu.
- I will have roast flan cake,
saffron cardamom ice cream,
pistachio tuile,
pistachio dust,
and a little surprise.
Love that. Sounds amazing.
Kelsey, where are we going?
The dessert is going to be a
blueberry and lavender panna cotta,
with a lemon curd,
some lemon sablé crumbles,
and then a lemon
whipped cream as well.
Wow. Sounds good.
Ladies, get that dessert
absolutely spot on,
and your hands are gonna
be on that trophy,
and of course,
a quarter of a million dollars.
- You guys ready?
- All: Yes, Chef.
Good. Your 60 minutes start...
- Right now.
- Let's go.
- Joseph: Let's go, ladies.
- Tay: Great start. Great start, ladies!
- Come on, ladies!
- Alejandro: It all comes down to this.
- They are women on a mission.
- This is it, fourth and final dish.
- Those desserts sound amazing, right?
- Cimarusti: They do.
- You guys got this.
- And let's not forget, desserts is chemistry.
You need to be precise,
but more importantly,
this is the highlight
of the dinner, right?
- Cimarusti: I agree.
- Joseph: You guys are doing great.
- You guys are doing amazing.
- Gordon: Check your ovens.
Make sure your temperatures
are set. Autumn, please.
My oven is warm.
My biggest risk with the dessert
is just making sure that
my cheesecakes are set fine.
Let's get those ready.
This dessert is the only thing
that is standing between me
and that MasterChef trophy.
- Ooh!
- Autumn, your technique is great on those egg whites.
Thank you, Joseph.
Whoa!
Good catch, Suu, good catch.
Making this dessert is already
a lot of pressure for me,
because there's a lot of
components in it.
The flan could go wrong,
the ice cream could go wrong.
So I hope everything works out perfectly
for me to win that trophy tonight.
- Anne: Ah!
- Looks good, Suu.
- Abe: You go, Kelsey.
- Anne: Look at her just fly through this.
- She's kind of scary how quick she is right now.
- I know.
Going into this dessert round, I
honestly think it's very neck and neck.
I've made panna cottas
in the past,
and I've often failed in
getting them to set.
So this dessert literally is the
last thing standing between me
and the title of MasterChef.
Blast chiller, blast chiller.
I love how determined
Kelsey looks.
- 18 minutes gone, 42 minutes remaining, guys.
- Come on, girls!
- How you feeling, Kels?
- Hoping things are happening in that blast chiller.
- Right, young lady.
- Yeah.
I make panna cotta at home. I
take all night to set the frickin' thing.
- You're trying to do it in 60 minutes.
- I know.
Is the lavender in
the panna cotta?
The lavender is in
the panna cotta.
It's also gonna be dusted
on top of the sablé cookie.
- Sounds amazing.
- Sounds great.
When you turn round and
cast your eyes on that trophy,
- what does it do to you?
- I think it just motivates me even more.
It just sets that fire
inside me.
This has been a long journey,
so I have to perform
- and have to get this right for you guys.
- Good luck, young lady.
- Thank you.
- Gordon: Thank you.
- Michael: How you feeling, Suu?
- Feeling good.
Making ice cream,
so I should be happy.
- Oh.
- Joseph: You're killing it, Autumn.
- All right, Autumn.
- You're doing great, girl.
All right, Autumn, talk to me
about what you're making.
Right now I just put my
jiggly cheesecakes in the oven
and I'm gonna get
started on my yuzu curd.
The idea of yuzu, it's a very
strong, very fragrant Japanese citrus.
Yeah, Japanese flavors are always just
very light, so I didn't want to overpower,
'cause I had such a rich entrée.
So I want to make sure I keep it
really light for the dessert.
What are some of the elements
that could potentially go awry?
- Definitely making sure that the yuzu's not too strong.
- Make sure you're tasting.
- Absolutely.
- There's really not a lot of places to hide
on your dessert, Autumn, okay?
- Not at all, so it has to be perfect.
- Good luck.
Alejandro: I just think she looks in a
hurry 'cause she's only got a limited time.
- Keep working, Suu.
- Okay, Suu.
We're all puzzled
with this dessert
because we don't have
a reference for it.
Is it one of these new, trendy
southeast Asian desserts?
It is.
It's usually served in a jar.
It has ice cream cake
and it also has custard in it.
So I am reconstructing it
on a plate.
All right, I'm excited. And you
got us each a rose. That's so sweet.
- It's a little surprise.
- Aww, it's so nice. I love that.
- And what are you doing with these?
- Uh, you'll find out.
- And I might need your help.
- What do you think?
- It doesn't go with the suit, man.
- Doesn't go with the suit.
- So, how you feeling?
- I'm feeling a little behind, but I know I can catch up.
- Looks good.
- Yes. I can't wait for you to taste it.
Gordon: Ladies, we're coming up to
halfway. We're now down to 30 minutes.
That's all that's left between you
becoming America's next MasterChef.
- Oh, my God.
- You're halfway home.
- [cheering]
- Anne: Girls!
Ooh, hot.
Ooh, hot, hot, hot.
Now, Kelsey's lavender,
blueberry panna cotta...
- Lavender is not one of my favorite flavors.
- I feel the same way.
- I love lavender in my soap.
- Cimarusti: Yeah, exactly.
My big worry, will they set
in time for it to turn them out?
Okay.
Those are good for plating.
- Gordon: Autumn's?
- She's going with this jiggly cheesecake
and then she's doing
this yuzu curd.
- The cheesecake's cooked?
- And it has to set.
- Oh, man. Wow.
- Praying for the best.
- You guys ready for some action?
- Anne: Whoop, whoop!
- Oh!
- Alejandro: Ooh, look at the ice cream.
- Aarón: And then Suu?
- I saw the flan molds go in the oven.
I saw the caramel go in there. But
the egg custard goes on top of that.
- But where's the sponge going?
- I think she cuts it out...
- Right.
- ...and has it set together.
Right now, I don't know if Suu
will get this thing finished.
There's so many elements
going on her dish.
But I tell you what, this has to be
three of the most exciting desserts
- I've ever seen in this competition.
- What's she gonna do?
Alejandro: Oh, we're going
scientific. We're going molecular.
She's in a science lab
right now.
15, y'all! 15 minutes!
All right, guys. So the jiggly
cheesecake is out from Autumn's oven.
- Whew!
- Suu's taking her flans out.
- Suu, are they set?
- Yes, Chef.
- Good.
- Just to be make sure it's pretty
- when I flip it.
- This is crazy.
Aarón: Guys, Autumn,
her hands are shaking right now.
- Wouldn't yours be? Mine would be.
- Oh, man.
Relax, relax, relax.
Those cheesecakes look great.
Whew.
[gasps]
I'm so excited.
- Oh-ho-ho-ho!
- I love her reaction.
Ladies, we're coming down
now to our last five minutes.
Kelsey's struggling a little bit
turning out those panna cottas.
Come on, little guy!
- Wow.
- That's her worst nightmare.
- Torch the bottom.
- It won't come out. Uh-oh.
Oh, oh, oh.
Kelsey: If I don't nail this,
it's all over for me,
I'm not winning the title
of MasterChef.
Kelsey's struggling a little bit
turning out those panna cottas.
Joseph: Get it, Kelsey.
Ooh, man.
- Kelsey! Yes!
- Beautiful, Kelsey.
Happy dance!
Happy dance!
Relax, relax, relax.
- Joe: Wow.
- Oh, man.
- That is amazing.
- That's pretty sophisticated right there.
- That is magic on a plate by Suu.
- Suu!
You're killing it, Autumn.
- Abe: All right, Autumn.
- Anne: You're doing great, girl.
Come on, look at
the precision of her hand
- right now with that yuzu.
- Yeah.
- 60 seconds remaining.
- Finish strong, finish strong.
- Last minute! Come on, ladies!
- There it is!
- My blood pressure is through the roof!
- [cheering]
- One minute, bro.
- Those desserts look absolutely incredible.
- Come on, ladies.
- I got this. I got this.
Kelsey with the tweezers.
Amateur home cooks, Michael.
Beautiful, Kelsey.
Awesome precision.
Autumn, as well with the
tweezers. Look, I love it!
- Gordon: Amazing.
- I am literally so proud of all of you.
Let's go, guys. Come on.
Ladies, please!
All: Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two, one.
- And stop. Well done.
- Hands in the air.
[cheering]
Oh, my God! Oh, my God.
We did it, we did it, we did it.
I was so nervous going into this
cook, and I didn't know if I could do it.
It's the last meal we're going
to cook here in the kitchen,
and it's probably the plate
I'm most proud of.
So I just feel really
good about it.
Autumn: I thought that
my first audition dish
with that banana cake was the
most important dessert of my life.
But this now is definitely the
most important dessert of my life.
Such a bittersweet moment.
This is my final cook in
this MasterChef kitchen.
I'm very proud of
everything on this plate.
May the best girl win tonight.
- Okay, Suu, please bring your desserts forward.
- Yes, Chef.
- For you, Joe.
- Thank you.
Gordon: Wow.
Describe your dessert please.
Chefs, I have for you
rose flan cake,
saffron cardamom ice cream,
pistachio tuile, pistachio dust,
and a little surprise roses
in front of you.
What we supposed to do
with these?
Chef, will you please do the honor
and dip it in this liquid nitrogen?
- There you go, and...
- Joe: Wow.
...high up on my dessert.
- Are you ready?
- Yes.
One, two, three!
- Wow!
- [cheering]
Cimarusti:
I love that.
- Let's do this.
- Lovely.
[cheering]
- Nice.
- That's so fun!
- Good job, Suu.
- Gordon: That's a show stopper.
Let's begin.
Suu, the ice cream is top notch.
- Thank you.
- It's smooth. It's delicious.
The brittle,
pistachio dust, amazing.
There's just hardly any flan
there because it's been absorbed.
- It deserves more flan, less custard.
- Yes.
- It's delicious. Congratulations.
- Thank you.
The ice cream is
absolutely delicious.
And of course, what you did
with the rose, it wasn't just show.
It added something to the dish and
reinforced the flavors you already had here.
And I feel like you are
the person that could put
Burmese cuisine on the map,
so congratulations.
- Thank you. Thank you.
- Suu, I was a little concerned when I saw the rose
'cause I thought it was gonna
be gimmicky. I stand corrected.
It's really a beautiful exercise in
texture on multiple levels and I like that.
- Thank you, Chef.
- The ice cream and pistachio crumble were fantastic.
What happened with the cake is basically
the flan becomes almost like a topping...
- Yeah.
- ...for the cake.
- Yes.
- It's a nice idea.
- I think it needs evolution.
- Thank you, Suu.
- Thank you very much.
- Nice job, Suu.
- That was awesome.
- Good job, Suu.
Right.
Next up, Autumn, please.
Present your desserts.
Thank you.
Come on, Autumn!
The dessert I made is a
Japanese jiggly yuzu cheesecake,
with some strawberry coulis,
yuzu curd,
and then it's topped
with some strawberry
and a little bit of gold flake.
Visually, it pops.
It's got a beautiful
color combination.
- Definitely restaurant quality. Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.
Your cooking is, like, straight
out of Japan, which is very cool.
Visually, it's beautiful.
I like the simplicity of it,
- and I can't wait to try it.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Shall we?
- Yes.
Autumn, I love it.
It's delicious. It's light.
It's nowhere near as dense
as the traditional cheesecake.
The yuzu curd is
just absolutely spot on.
I would've taken the hole out the
middle and piped that yuzu curd in there
- because it's delicious.
- Yeah.
So when you cut through,
it's, like, splat.
- But great job.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, I think it's wicked good. I loved it.
- Thank you.
I think it has that beautiful
citrus zing that only yuzu has.
It's the most unique fruit
in the world
and it's so perfectly
harmonious with strawberries.
- I thought it was really, really good.
- Thank you, Chef.
This is eggy, it's fluffy,
it's airy.
But I think the most memorable
part of this is the curd.
And I don't know if that's
a good thing necessarily.
- Thank you, Chef.
- Autumn, I think the execution of everything on this plate
is really spot on, but I wish it
had more flavor in the cake itself.
It needs a little bit more.
- Thank you, Autumn.
- Thank you, Chefs.
- Woohoo!
- Boston!
- Good job, Autumn.
- Way to go.
- Kelsey, would you please bring us your desserts?
- Yes.
It's beautiful.
I have a blueberry and lavender
panna cotta, with a lemon curd,
lemon sablé, and then a crumble
of the sablé cookie around.
Visually, it's stunning.
A piece of art.
I'm just hoping tastes as good as
it looks because it's breathtaking.
- Thank you.
- Gents, shall we?
Right, young lady, the hero,
the panna cotta, it's delicious.
It's soft,
it's smooth, it's silky.
But the sablé, they could be
a little bit softer.
- They're a little bit too crisp.
- Okay.
So my big question is
did you half fill the molds
on purpose to get it set,
slightly nervous
that it wouldn't be done?
I filled them purposely that
full because I would rather
make sure I give you
a composed dish than soup.
- So you played it safe.
- Yeah, I did.
- That's all I wanted to know. Thank you.
- Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Look, I'm not going to take you to
task on the amount of panna cotta.
I'm just happy I got it
well constructed and well done.
Maybe some of the crumble's a bit
dry, but everything else on this dish
- is firing on all cylinders.
- Thank you.
It worked I think exactly
the way you wanted it to.
I think it's a lot to pull off in
an hour, so congratulations.
- It's a beautiful dish.
- Thank you.
The panna cotta, it was a perfect
balance between creamy and firm.
It's the kind of dish that I
would look for and aspire to have
- in my restaurants every night. Good job.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, guys.
- Good job!
- Finally Joe said something nice to someone.
- I know. The whole time.
Ladies, what
an amazing way to finish.
Now we need to judge
the entire meal,
and then determine from that
America's next MasterChef.
Ladies, what an amazing
way to finish.
Now that we've tasted,
we need to judge the entire meal
and then determine from that
America's next MasterChef.
- Michael, we'll see you shortly.
- Thank you, Chef.
Go and meet our fellow
contestants. Let's go, gents.
- Oh, boy. It's gonna be tough.
- Aarón: A lot going on.
Okay, this is gonna
be difficult.
- Aarón: Indeed.
- Let's start with Autumn, shall we?
She came in the gate strong with
that incredible scrambled egg and uni.
Aarón: Yeah, that canapé,
great flavor.
You know, you really have
to be smart to come up with
- something like that on the fly.
- Yeah, exactly that.
Then she went straight
to those dumplings.
I think she got a little bit nervous
and it was a bit over-seasoned.
Yeah, the saltiness,
it was a little bit too heavy,
especially leading to that
risotto with the black cod.
I think that her entrée was
better. She was more relaxed.
The black cod
was executed perfectly.
The unfortunate part is the
under-cook on the risotto.
Gordon: Yeah.
Then finally her dessert.
The jiggly cheesecake,
yuzu cream was a standout.
- I thought it was perfection.
- But did the menu work?
I think she did a good job of
infusing her love of Japanese food.
Gordon: Kelsey. Now, for me,
not the most appetizing canapé...
- A raw beef tartare.
- Joe: Over-seasoned.
Had she just done that with
tuna and kept is simple,
- we'd be having a different conversation.
- Gordon: Absolutely.
- Appetizer from Kelsey.
- Very strong.
Gordon: For me, the ravioli delivered
the best flavor across all the appetizers.
- Aarón: Yeah.
- Main course with the duck.
Joe: The purée of honeynut
was a mistake for me.
I disagree. I think
it added a sweetness
that needed to contrast
the richness of the duck.
But the duck's cooked beautifully,
guys. Seasoned beautifully.
- A technical entrée.
- Joe: Her dessert?
Very strong, but I would prefer
that she filled those things up.
It was crumbly but sweet.
Creamy.
It was 100% satisfaction.
- Gordon: What about Suu?
- Let's start with the canapé.
I thought it was
the wrong choice.
She came in really hard
with that rich beef and potato.
It just wasn't sort of to Autumn's
standards, anywhere near as good as.
- But it was tasty.
- Then the appetizer.
We got excited about
the crispy chickpea tofu.
- The octopus spoiled it.
- Yeah, but the dish was good.
There was spice in there. There
was heat. It was very, very interesting.
- Yeah, then her bass?
- Aarón: I think it's so challenging to be able
to balance those very strong
flavors of the galangal,
the ginger, the lemongrass,
and be able to do that
where there's a synergy and
there's a harmony and balance.
Thought it was going to be
overcooked, but it was cooked beautifully.
- The dessert?
- Interesting. Very interesting.
Gordon: Yeah, it's almost
sort of out there.
I liked the courage of doing something that
has no standard for me. It was very good.
I have to pay respect for her staying
true to her Burmese foundation.
- Aarón: Me, too.
- I totally respect it.
Three exceptional menus.
We've got the title and a
quarter million dollars at stake.
I think we all agree that Autumn
clearly had the best canapé.
- I agree.
- And Kelsey, we all know she had the best appetizer.
- Mmm.
- I think it's safe to say that Suu had the best entrée.
And tonight, in my opinion, she cooked
better than she ever had in the competition.
- They put us in a tough spot.
- Gordon: Very tough.
- Good job, guys.
- All: Thank you. Thank you, Chef.
- As good as it looked, huh?
- Yeah, all of them. They did not look like amateurs.
- I feel like everyone put it all on the plate.
- Yeah.
- I'm so proud of everyone.
- I'm so proud of you guys. Get over here.
Are we happy with our decision
as America's next MasterChef?
Yes.
Shall we?
Autumn, Suu, and Kelsey,
only one of you will become
America's next MasterChef.
And only one of you will win
a quarter of a million dollars.
Woohoo.
And only one of you
will be able to proudly
place this trophy
in your own home kitchen.
This season,
for Joe, Aarón, and myself,
picking the winner has been
the most difficult decision
we've ever had to make.
America's next MasterChef is...
- Kelsey!
- [cheers, screaming]
- Alejandro: Yeah!
- Suu: You did it!
- You did it!
- [screaming]
Kelsey, come over here!
[squeals]
This is crazy! I am the winner
of "MasterChef Legends."
I fought for it and I did it.
It is a literal dream come true.
Oh, my God!
And it's awesome to get to
share it with all of my peers
that went through
this entire journey with me.
- You did it!
- There was never any doubt.
So proud of you, man.
You deserve it.
Do we get free refills
on these or what?
I'm a little bit disappointed.
I really wanted to win.
But I never thought
I would make it this far,
so I am just really
proud of myself regardless.
I'm so proud of Kelsey.
She definitely deserved it.
- You did it! You did it! You did it.
- I'm feeling so happy.
I feel like
I've accomplished so much.
I'm so, so happy for Kelsey.
Kelsey has always been consistently
good, and I'm so happy for her.
All of you raise your
glasses to Kelsey. Come on!
[cheering]
- You did it!
- Congratulations, Kelsey!
Hi, Mom. I did it.
- No!
- Yeah, yeah. No, I won.
[both laughing]
Thank you so much for
supporting me the entire time.
- You've been awesome.
- You're the best.
- Honey, I love you so much.
- I love you, too.
Your dad's so proud of you,
I know that.
[cheering]
What an incredible end
to this season of legends.
Thank you so much for watching.
And congratulations again
to Kelsey. What a night.
Next season of "MasterChef"
is just around the corner.
Goodnight, and see you soon.
- Well done, guys.
- [cheering]
"MasterChef" is back
with the season of legends.