Masterchef (2010–…): Season 11, Episode 2 - Curtis Stone - Auditions Round 2 - full transcript

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NARRATOR: Gordon's back, and
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GORDAN RAMSEY: This is
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JOEL MCHALE: Did you
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Gordon: Previously on
"MasterChef Legends"...

Welcome to the incredible
MasterChef kitchen.

...the search for America's
next MasterChef began.

This is "MasterChef Legends."

Every week we are bringing in



the biggest names
in the industry.

Please welcome Emeril Lagasse.

[Crowd cheering]

- That's my idol.
- Emeril: Have fun.

Cook from the heart.

Only 15 of you
will earn an apron.

- Yeehaw!
- Just like at home.

And with the help of
our first legendary guest...

I like it.
I think you delivered.

I don't know if I want
another bite or hug you.

Unfortunately, the dish?
Completely messed it up.

...we awarded just six
coveted white aprons.

Joe: Wow.
Perfect medium rare.

It's the best dish
I've tasted all night.



- This here...
- Yes, Chef?

...is food of love.

[Cheering]

Mom, Dad, I got the white apron!

Tonight, the "MasterChef"
auditions continue...

Two nos and you're out
of this door with no apron.

...with another
culinary legend.

For the very first time,
Curtis Stone.

- Four judges...
- Your execution was perfect.

Excellent dish.
No negative comments.

You've got heart, finesse,
passion. I can taste that.

...one chance...

That is one of the worst dishes
that I've ever tasted.

For me, I'm sorry, it's a no.

...to earn one of the few
remaining white aprons,

- and a prized position...
- I think you've nailed it.

...in the final 15.

The level that
they're cooking at already,

- you guys are in for one hell of a season.
- Yeah.

[Indistinct chatter]

- This is a big day.
- Take a deep breath, all right?

- Yes.
- Nothing compares to this feeling right now.

This is, like,
a big freaking deal.

The "MasterChef"
auditions continue...

I cannot wait
to get an apron today.

...as the next round
of home cooks

get ready for the cook
of their lives.

Woman:
Oh, my God.

[Cheering]

Welcome back to the "MasterChef
Legends" auditions, everybody.

- Oh, yeah!
- Now just by being here,

you decided to follow
your dreams,

which has to be the most
important step of all.

Some of you will prove
that you deserve a shot

at the title, the trophy,

and a cool quarter
million dollars.

Now, this season, there are
only 15 aprons to give out.

We've already given out six,

so there are
just nine aprons left,

and two nights of auditions
still left to go.

It's a tough one.

Tonight, we continue
this season of legends

with another iconic guest.

This legend is a wonder
from down under.

He is a Michelin
starred-winning chef.

He and I both trained
in a legendary kitchen

of the infamous
Marco Pierre White.

He's written numerous
best-selling cookbooks

and this chef has become
Hollywood's king of meat.

All of you please welcome...

- Curtis Stone.
- Whoo!

Whoo!

Curtis Stone, I am so
excited that he's here.

This chef has
a Michelin-starred restaurant.

He's a legend, and I cannot
wait to present for him.

- So good to see you.
- Good to see you, mate.

And welcome to the most
incredible kitchen.

I can't think of a better legend

to kick off tonight's auditions.

- Congratulations on that Michelin star.
- Thank you.

- Thank you very much.
- Amazing.

Now, tell us, how did this
journey begin with food?

I started cooking
when I was a kid

with my mom
and then my grannies.

Then I did my apprenticeship
when I was 18 years old.

I moved to London because
of Marco Pierre White.

I read his book
and I got obsessed.

And I got on a plane
and went and knocked

on the back door
hoping to get a job.

And here I am.

Your food is simple, delicious,

and the ingredients
speak volumes.

What are you going to be
looking for tonight?

Look, I think what's important
is to make sure that

the flavors
are really streamlined.

You know, you don't want
to over complicate a plate.

You want to make sure
everything's seasoned really perfectly.

And some authenticity.

It's gotta mean
something to you,

and we'll taste the difference,
that's for sure.

All of you tonight
will have 45 minutes

to cook us your exceptional
signature dishes.

And if you want that apron, give us
everything you've got on that plate.

And don't forget you need
to convince three of us four

that you are worthy
of a white apron.

Here to help you through
those audition jitters

we have last year's winner,
the lovely Dorian.

Our finalists from last year,

we have Sarah,
and of course Nick.

Welcome back. Nick, one
of the youngest competitors,

one piece of advice from your
experience across this journey,

- what would it be?
- Be creative. And last five minutes, remain calm.

You'll get a little shaky, but make
sure you leave time for plating

and just put it all down
on that plate.

Gordon: Thank you.

You three, please make
your way down here.

You guys cooking, good luck.

Gents, should we get
our palates ready?

- Let's do it.
- Thank you.

Curtis, welcome.
So glad you're here, bud.

- I'm excited, you guys.
- Whoo-wee!

We have been
very selective this year.

We only have nine aprons left

and two nights
to give out those nine.

- The quality has to be super high.
- Yeah.

I can't wait to see it.
I can't wait to taste it.

All right,
your 45 minutes starts now.

Go, Anne!

- Go!
- A little New York City with a little Alabama swag.

Come on, Mish.
This is it, girl.

I am representing
Miami, Florida.

I'm bring the heat to L.A.
and to MasterChef kitchen.

- Yes!
- That Latin flavor, baby.

- Go, Anne!
- Yes!

- Go, Anne.
- Anne: My name's Anne.

I'm 39 years old.
I'm from Kalamazoo, Michigan,

and I'm a small business owner.

I have a very supportive husband

with two amazing little boys
who are funny and naughty

at the same time,
and I love them so much.

They're six and they're nine.

Those boys will be
so proud of their mama.

- You're gonna rock it.
- I'm following a dream.

And I am here on "MasterChef"
and I'm gonna get that apron.

- There you go, Anne.
- Let's go!

My biggest inspiration in the
kitchen is always gonna be my father.

Growing up, my dad taught me
everything I know about cooking.

That's the way that we bonded.

Unfortunately my dad did pass
away from early-onset dementia,

and this is why I'm here.

This is a dream
becoming a reality.

And life happens once, and
once you're gone, you're gone.

You don't get another shot.
I know that now.

And so I'm taking this step
to do something

that I've always wanted to do.

And also,
I'm doing this for my dad.

- How are you?
- Hello. What a pleasure.

- Likewise. First name?
- Anne.

- Can't look at either of you.
- Why? What's happened?

- I mean, my whole life I've waited to meet you.
- Oh.

You are my legend. And,
Curtis, well, I've seen you, too.

But this is a dream come true,
and I'm going to get an apron today.

Fingers crossed. Tell us about
the dish. What are you doing?

- So what I'm doing is duck à la cherry.
- Difficult, right?

Yes, it's a very
difficult meat to cook.

Yes, but you know what? Listen,
I'm gonna be the next MasterChef.

Right.
This confidence, I love.

How are you intending
to cook the duck?

Are you going to cook it
medium rare? Do you have...

I'm going to go 140 degrees.

Juicy on the inside.
Nice pink color going through.

- And crispy skin?
- Cris... oh, yeah.

This passion of food.
Where does it come from?

My mom made really good
reservations,

and my dad made everything else.

- True story. True story.
- I love that.

And so my love
and my passion, really,

is from my dad,
and I'm doing this for him.

This is what
I'm supposed to be doing.

- Sounds amazing.
- Thank you, guys.

- Good luck.
- Man: Yeah!

Anne: Duck is, you know,
a beautiful dish,

but easy to mess up.
Yes, I'm nervous.

20 seconds.
You got this, you got this.

But this is a season of legends,

and that's the only way
I'm going to win

is by taking these risks.

Crowd: Five, four, three,
two, one.

[Cheering]

This dish is so important
because it represents my family.

I know my dad is with me today,

and I pray that I did enough
to get that apron for him.

- Hello, welcome.
- Hi.

Can you tell us your name,
where you're from?

- Yes.
- And the title of your dish?

My name is Anne Hicks.
I'm from Kalamazoo, Michigan.

And I made you
a duck à la cherry

with smashed potatoes
and bok choy.

Why is this dish
so significant to you?

I lost my dad four years ago
to early-onset dementia.

My dad loved anything fatty,

and we didn't have a ton
of money growing up,

so to him, duck was wonderful.

Let's go.

So is there sauce
that you want to finish?

Yes, sir.

Joe: There's only one thing
that really matters here

is when I cut
that duck breast in half,

how is the fat rendered
and what's the cook like.

That will make or break
the dish, quite frankly, so...

- Man.
- Does that look right?

It looks perfect.

Gordon: I hope it tastes
as good as it looks.

Duck's cooked beautifully.
Really beautifully.

Big issue here with
the undercooked bok choy.

It's raw, so this whole stem,
it's a mess.

- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Curtis: I tell you what.

If one of my line cooks put up
a piece of duck like that,

I'd be very, very happy
with them. Good job.

- Thank you.
- It's a big compliment.

There's times when a dish has such
a compelling element that's done well,

it makes you overlook
some of the imperfections.

The cooking of the duck
is that good.

Joe: I think I disagree
with you guys.

The duck, for me, is overcooked.

The bok choy tastes like
dirty water, quite frankly.

Anne, tonight you need to
convince three of us for an apron.

Tough call. Curtis?

Because you've executed
that duck just how I like it,

- I'm gonna give you a yes.
- Oh, my gosh.

You cook from a very sweet
and tender place.

I just think it needs to be backed
up with some professional technique.

And I'm excited to see you
go on that journey,

- so I'm gonna say yes.
- Bless you. Oh, my gosh.

That's two. You know, it's a tough
year, because we have 15 aprons.

Perhaps if it were last season
and I had 20 aprons to give,

I'd give one.
This year, it's no.

I'm sorry. Gordon?

Two yeses and a no puts me
in a tough position.

Anne...

Two yeses and a no puts me
in a tough position.

Anne...

...you do have an apron.

Aah!

Congratulations.
Come over here.

- Let's get this on you.
- Oh, my gosh.

Up. Great job.
Well done.

- You deserve it.
- Here we go, here we go.

[Cheering]

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

- You made it!
- I just got my apron!

Anne: Joe might have
given me a no right now,

but I guarantee
by the end of this season,

he's gonna say,
"What was I thinking?"

So, that's seven aprons down,
eight to go.

I've gotta say so far,
the standard is very high.

It's "MasterChef Legends,"
so there's a high bar to get over

in order to get
their hands on that apron.

Man: Ooh, man. You got this.
You cook this in your sleep.

I do, I do, I do.

I'm going to do
my ginger right in there.

And my turmeric,
I'm done with you.

I can't wait to meet Gordon
and show him what is

the real Mexican food, right?
There you go.

Brit: The person I'm most
excited to cook for is Curtis.

Curtis.

Hands down the most amazing
iconic chef

I can ever think about
looking up to.

So the fact that Curtis
is here today

is making me a little shaky.

Tell us about you, the dish,
and why you're doing this dish.

Um, well, my name is Brit.

I am a model from
Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

And I am doing Thai mahi curry
because it reminds me of home.

Why Asian flavors?
Do you love Asian food?

I just do. I feel like it's really,
like, nice, light, and healthy,

but also packs a lot of flavor.

- Can't wait to see it. Good luck.
- Thank you. Thank you.

Come on!

You got this.
Steady hands.

Just make sure you see those
mahi chunks on top. That's beautiful.

Yeah, that's what
I'm looking for.

Crowd:
Nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four,

three, two, one!

Today I made for you
Thai mahi curry.

And the love of food
comes from where?

I grew up with
no family recipes.

I was raised off McDonald's
and frozen food.

- Wow. Good for you.
- So I taught myself how to cook.

Please tell me you made
a fresh paste

with ginger, garlic,
galangal, lemongrass.

I did not, but I added
fresh ginger to it.

- Right.
- You used a paste?

Mm-hmm.

And what's the cream?
Is that coconut cream?

- It's coconut milk.
- Coconut milk.

I quite like the spice level. I
think that's really quite pleasant.

I'm just a little bummed
that it was out of a jar.

- Yeah.
- When you take coconut milk

and you flavor it
with the paste,

it's more like
a curry milkshake.

This is "MasterChef Legends,"
11th season.

I just expect a little bit more,
quite frankly.

Bernardo: I'm feeling really confident
in what I did with the green mole.

I know that the pork is right.

I know that the sauce
is perfect.

I am here for a reason.
This is my time. It's my moment.

- Hello.
- Oh, my God.

- Welcome.
- Oh, my...

Take a breath.
Pull yourself together.

Oh, yeah. Okay.
Well, hello.

My name is Bernardo,

and I cooked today green mole

with white rice
and caramelized onions.

So what kind of protein
did you use in the green mole?

I used pork loin.

Curtis: The pumpkin
seeds that you used,

I feel like maybe
you put a little too much.

Maybe just a little
overbearing for me.

When you shred meat, it's
with fat as well at the same time,

which gives it that texture.

Doing it with a pork tenderloin,
there's no fat in there,

so it's the wrong cut
of pork in there.

Listen, these are the legends
of American cuisine.

And I think I could speak
for all of us when I say

that this is not the level
we're looking for.

Oh, man.

[Cheering]

- Aww.
- [chattering]

Aww, it's all right.

Let's see what we got.

- Aww. It's okay.
- I love you so much.

- I love you.
- It's all good.

I'm just gonna
call it like it is.

That is one of the worst dishes
that I've ever tasted.

- That was terrible.
- Joe.

That was terrible.

Here we go!

I'm doing my rendition
of a Brazilian taco.

I'm ready to get this apron.
This apron is mine.

My name is Josey.
I'm 30 years old.

I'm from Atlanta,
and I'm a senior IT tech.

I love my job. I work for a awesome
company, but it's just not me.

And I decided that cooking
is my passion,

and you have to be willing
to channel that.

So I'm excited
to meet Aarón Sánchez.

In 2007, my roommate,
she put on the TV.

He was there. Ever
since then, I followed him.

So I'm very excited to meet
him and, like, I... oh, wow.

This is like a dream come true.

I mean, you have a black girl
making a taco,

so it's definitely a lot of pressure,
especially with Chef Aarón Sánchez.

But I think if you're not willing to
go all in, then why are we here?

Go big or go home.

And as we can see,
I like to go big.

So let's get it.

Crowd: Five, four, three,
two, one!

- Hands in the air.
- [cheering]

My name is Josey. I'm 30.
Those are Brazilian tacos.

Wow. And what's the day job?

I am a senior IT tech,
but let's trade out.

I'd rather get in here.
This is where my heart lies.

And who inspired you
to get into cooking?

Aarón is the reason
why I got into cooking.

- He inspired you to get into cooking?
- He did.

- I just love his swag.
- Ah, there you go, baby!

- I love it.
- Should we have a closer look, gents?

- Let's try it.
- Tacos. Amazing.

What's the heat in there?

You have some jalapeños
in there.

I also pickled
and kind of candied

the jalapeños and the onions.

I've got a lot of heat
in mine, which I love.

What it needs is more protein.
Be generous with that protein.

But the big issue with the
tortilla is that it's a little bit pasty.

It tasted like
the shell was raw.

Tastes like a raw pancake.
Raw flour.

Yeah, I've got this... it stuck
to the roof of my mouth.

- But the heat I love.
- Okay.

It has resulted in it just
feeling, like, a little too dense.

But I did think there was
a really nice balance of flavor.

Love the meat, love the salsa.

The onions are
a little aggressive.

Next time, put a little bit
of lime juice and salt

on those red onions
and let them sit

so it takes off some
of that abrasiveness.

- Sure.
- Some of the flavors are good,

but you missed the mark on a
couple of the really important things.

I love your spirit.
I love your energy.

But it's a no for tonight.
Curtis?

Just wasn't quite right.

So for me, I'm sorry, it's a no.

Sadly, two nos. Unfortunately,
that's where it ends.

Aarón, what did you think?

I'm gonna tell you
what I'm gonna say yes to.

I'm gonna say yes to opening
my doors at the restaurant,

so you can come
and cook with me,

and 'cause Atlanta's really
close to New Orleans, right?

- Yes.
- So you can come over there and visit with me.

- Absolutely.
- And then I'll be able to work with you

and develop that skill with my
chefs and everybody in New Orleans.

I think that
will benefit you a lot.

Thank you.
You're gonna make me cry.

You know, I think there's always gonna be
disappointment if you don't get the apron,

but I get the opportunity to
work one on one with Chef Aarón.

And, you know, that...

I mean, just priceless.

Priceless.

- Curtis Stone is here.
- That's crazy.

And I am just absolutely in awe.

These guys are extremely lucky to have
these legends be able to taste their food.

Normally in the auditions,
you're already stressed enough.

- Right.
- You're not looking for that extra sort of set of eyes

- to keep pushing on you and everything.
- Yes.

So it's a really tough time
to throw legends

into the mix here.

- Ooh, wicked knife skills.
- I want to eat this.

My name's Abe. I'm 22 years old,
and I'm a student.

I'm currently going to NYU.

I'm actually studying
food studies.

But what my real passion is

is when I'm in that kitchen
and I'm cooking.

And now just having the opportunity
to cook for these famous judges

who will taste the food
is just... it's amazing.

- Hello! How are you, handsome lad?
- Hi.

- Good, good, good.
- What's your name?

- Abe.
- What are you cooking?

A pico de gallo
with a red snapper,

avocado puree, and some
deep fried tostados, basically.

Wow, so you're going to bring some Mexican
flavors for me in particular, right?

Served with a little bit
of a French fusion.

The competition this year,
intense.

Do you have what it takes?

I think I can bring
different things

that I've learned
over the years.

All right, well, we look forward
to it. Thanks, man. Good luck.

Thank you, Chef.
Thank you, thank you.

- Abe, those are beautiful.
- Abe, those are fantastic.

Abe: My mom's a diplomat.

So because of that,
every two to three years,

we'd go to a different country,
which was awesome.

That's where I think the love
of cooking sort of started.

Everywhere I went, I would be in
the kitchen helping the grandma out.

Growing up,
we lived in Mexico, Romania.

And now I'm living
in New York City,

and I think all
those different cultures

have really influenced
the person I am today.

Woman: Looks great, sweetie.
Awesome.

- Beautiful, Abe.
- Finishing touches?

- Yeah. Just a little bit of cheese on top.
- Awesome.

- Going on the fish?
- Yeah. A little bit on the fish, too.

I always love cheese with fish.

Slow down a little bit. Make sure it
doesn't get on the sides. You're good.

- Come on, Abe.
- Crowd: Five, four, three, two, one.

So, walking in,
feeling a little bit nervous,

but also excited
to see what they think.

This tasting is going to
affect the rest of my life.

Tell us your name and tell
us what you've cooked for us.

My name's Abe,
and here we have a red snapper

with an avocado puree,

and then a deep fried tostado
pico de gallo,

and just topped off
with a little Mexican cheese.

- Where are you from?
- I used to live in Serbia and Romania and Portugal,

and London, actually,
for a few years.

- You're a citizen of the world.
- Exactly, yes.

Joe: Excellent.

Gordon: What did you
season the fish with?

Salt and pepper, Chef.

- Any citrus there?
- Uh, no.

All the citrus is in the pico de
gallo and the avocado puree.

So I thought
that would be enough,

especially if it sat on
the avocado puree.

Fish is cooked beautifully.
Pico de gallo, delicious.

Not 100% certain of the cheese.
Doesn't need that.

- Okay.
- But seasoned beautifully. I like it.

- Thank you.
- I think the fish is cooked really nicely.

The pico de gallo
is seasoned really well.

It's beautifully balanced.
I thought it was wonderful.

- Thank you.
- I'm confused why you would put cheese on it

to sort of nullify
the crispiness of that skin.

- Sure.
- So that's a little confusing.

And frying flour tortillas? That's
not something you really do.

- You fry corn tortillas.
- Right.

Because that's gonna be
saturated with oil.

The big pitfall
with you potentially

will be mixing
all these influences

from your travels
and your upbringing

and then not having
a clear focus with your food.

Joe: I disagree.
I like the dish.

It has acid, it has fresh,
and it has fish.

It's just missing that umami,

like that next thing
that says, like, "Wow."

I'm not in college in a dorm

eating a piece of fish
that I sautéed in a pan.

I'm eating a dish
that's complex and evocative.

Gordon: We have two
more nights of auditions to go

in this toughest season yet.

Only eight aprons up for grabs.

Two nos are you're out
of this door with no apron.

- Aarón, yes or no, please.
- There's a lot of conceptual elements of this dish

- that just don't jibe with me.
- Yeah.

So, for me, it's gonna be a no.

- Okay.
- Joe?

- I want to see more. I'll say yes.
- Thank you.

- Curtis?
- Your job as a cook is always to bring together

the elements
that make a dish sing.

And I don't think
they matched up well,

I think they matched up
brilliantly.

- So it's a yes from me.
- Thank you.

Your fate and apron is in the
hands of Mr. Gordon Ramsay.

[Crowd cheering]

Thank you, guys.

I'm ecstatic.

And even though
I got that no from Aarón,

I feel like I just
want to even push myself

and try to impress him
even more now

and prove to him
that I actually belong here.

Guys, that's the eighth apron
we've given out.

- Only seven left.
- I don't think the level has ever been this high.

- Super high.
- We gotta be really careful with the last seven aprons.

- There's a lot of really good cooks out there.
- Mm-hmm.

All:
Three, two, one. Fish!

My name is Joseph Manglicmont,
I'm 32 years old,

I'm from Houston, Texas,

and I'm an environmental
engineer.

A million years
to graduate college

to become an engineer,

and I'm on "MasterChef"
cooking fish.

I can't shake my desire to cook.
This is my passion.

This is what I'm meant to do.

My food dream
is to win "MasterChef,"

open up restaurants
nationwide, worldwide,

and just take it
as far as it can go.

This is a great opportunity for
me to represent, like, my culture.

- Yeah, Philippines!
- Joseph: So this is Houston.

This is Filipino. This is
southeast Asia. This is all of it.

- That's 15 minutes gone?
- Yep.

Does that blow your mind?

- You got it, Joe.
- I'm not worried.

- Good evening.
- Gordon. Pleasure to meet you.

- How are you?
- Very nice to meet you.

Joseph, tell us what
you're cooking and why.

I am cooking a ginger
green onion steamed fish

in a soy sauce rice wine
ginger sauce.

That dish is simple, so it's
going to deliver on that wow factor.

Make sure you got all those
components right, that balance.

- Tell me what fish it is again.
- Red snapper.

You're not worried about it?
Because steaming fish

is a delicate, dangerous thing
to do in a competition.

Gordon: Be careful.
It's the season of legends.

Tough competition,
15 aprons only.

Yeah, good luck, young man.
See you in the restaurant.

- Thank you very much.
- Wow. Tough one.

Woman: Go, Joseph.
Get that fish on!

Woman 2: You got
it, Joseph. Let's go!

After hearing all these
comments from the judges,

I'm nervous inside.
I'm dying inside.

My ass is on the line.
This dish needs to be perfect.

What's time looking like?

You're at 30 seconds.

Woman:
That fish looks good.

I'm really praying
that it's not overcooked.

- Man: Come on, Joe.
- Woman: Let's go, Joseph!

Crowd:
Nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four,

three, two, one!

[Crowd cheering]

This is the most important
moment of my 32-year life.

All right.

- All right, make room, make room.
- Whoo.

If they don't like this dish,
my entire plan for my future

has gone down the drain.

Woman: Ah, you got this.

- Ooh, look at that concentration.
- Very concentrated.

You look like a bad guy
in a James Bond movie, bro.

- Like, you know?
- Why don't you tell us about the dish?

Joseph: My dish is a ginger
green onion steamed red snapper

in a soy sauce rice wine
sweet sauce

with a southeast Asian
herb salad.

And this dish means
the world to me,

and that's why I really
wanted to make it for you guys.

This year is severe.
Why this year for you?

I'm an environmental engineer.
It's a meaningful job.

It's just this is my passion.

- I think it's time to taste it.
- Let's taste it.

- Yeah, I agree.
- Yeah.

Visually, I think
it's sophisticated and elegant.

But there's two things
on the plate,

there's the fish and the greens.

That is it.
So, fingers crossed.

- Mm.
- Shall we?

If it's properly cooked,
it'll just peel right off.

Aarón: Oh, that's going
enough. Absolutely.

- Tell me about the salad.
- It's a Vietnamese herb, rau ram,

cilantro, basil,
julienned green onions.

Joseph, I think you took
a really big risk here

because it's a very,
very simple dish,

and you're relying 100%
on your execution being perfect.

The good news is
your execution was perfect.

I think people take for granted
how hard it is to steam a fish.

It can go sideways on you quick.

And I think the fact
that you're able to do that

with such skill shows a lot.

It's beautiful.
I mean, really beautiful.

It just oozes confidence,
and I think that's the magical,

sort of, ace card
you've got up your sleeve.

You're calm.
You're very cool.

But you cook with such poise,
and I can taste it.

- Good job.
- Thank you.

What you have here,
for me, is a trifecta.

Perfect fish, perfect sauce,
perfect salad.

Excellent dish.
No negative comments.

- Thanks.
- Bravo.

All: Aww.

- [Cheering]
- Yes! Yes! Yes!

Joseph: I still don't know
if this is real.

I don't... I'm not sure
what's going on.

[Cheering]

What this means is that
I'm good enough to compete

with the best in the world,

and this is just the beginning.

- Oh, my God! Woohoo!
- Whoo!

Curtis, what do you think
of the level?

I mean, I can't believe that
these guys are amateur cooks.

The level of the cooking
that they're at already,

you guys are in
for one hell of a season.

Six aprons left.
Aarón, six aprons.

- Are you ready? Are you ready for the future?
- Thank you, Joe.

- Yes, it looks very bright.
- Love that.

- Beautiful.
- Jeez.

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All these ingredients
are gonna come together.

I'm doing what makes
Jamesha happy,

and cooking makes me happy,
so it just feels so good.

I'm so honored.

- Do you think I need more cauliflower?
- I think we're good.

A little bit more.
That's fine. Go, Nayha!

Go, Nayha, go!

My name is Nayha,
and I'm a high school student

from Greenville, South Carolina.

- Salt or pepper.
- I learned how to cook

like any child
born in the 2000s,

from, like, Instagram,
Snapchat, YouTube.

I'm making Gobi Manchurian,
one of my favorite Pakistani dishes.

Our family is a little bit
more adventurous,

so we make, like, Pakistani
Chinese kind of fusion food together.

So this is
a batter-fried cauliflower

with an Indian Chinese
spice sauce

over a bed of fried rice.

This dish speaks to my culture.

Use those bold flavors.

It's a big risk for me 'cause I'm
taking a break from my education

to pursue
this culinary endeavor.

Look at that color!

I'm only 18,
but I don't want to hesitate

when it comes to
chasing after my dream.

Don't worry. I'll fix it.

A couple little
last details to do.

All:
Seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one.

Ah!

If I keep waiting for,
like, that right time,

that right time
might never come.

It might not ever exist.

- Good evening.
- Hello.

- Aarón: How are you, young lady?
- I'm good.

My dish is Gobi Manchurian.

Cauliflower in an Indian
spiced batter, fried.

I made an Indo-Chinese sauce
over a bed of fried rice.

- How old are you?
- I'm 18.

I'm still a high school student.

I put school on hold to pursue
"MasterChef" right now.

Shall we, guys?
Shall we go and have a look?

Wow, you've elevated it in terms
of giving the Gobi a finesse, right?

Now I've eaten a lot of that, and
it's never been served like that.

- So, what's the sauce?
- The sauce is a soy sauce.

Traditionally, this dish
doesn't have soy sauce in it.

- No.
- Not in Pakistan.

- No, not in Pakistan.
- So why soy sauce?

I also love east Asian flavors.

I think it's so cool
how they're so bold,

yet so balanced.

That's exactly what I tried

to execute on the dish
right there.

- Curtis, what'd you think?
- I love the way you used the cauliflower.

It's really the star
of this dish.

I think it's nicely fried.

To me, it gets
a little confusing

when I'm tasting
that strong note of soy

and I'm thinking Chinese dish,

but then I'm also eating
the fried cauliflower

and I'm thinking, you know, something
more rooted in India or Pakistan.

And it doesn't come together as
a perfectly cohesive dish for me,

but I do like some of
the elements of it for sure.

- Aarón?
- I think your developing of flavor

and your understanding of food,

and developed this young an age,

is really something
that's admirable

and I think
it's something special.

I just think when it comes
to this competition,

"MasterChef Legends," 15 aprons,

this dish, I think
it's a little immature.

- Gordon: Joe?
- It's a little bit unfocused.

But it's tasty. The frying
technique is delicious.

And there's a lot to like,
so, like, I want to eat it.

I'm gonna keep on eating it
'cause I like it,

so, you know, I'm just going
with my gut right now.

Right, young lady.
18 years of age, wow.

Three yeses to get
your hands on that apron.

- Joe, yes or no, please?
- Because I like this dish so much,

and because I think it shows
such great potential,

I'm gonna say yes tonight.

- Gordon: Curtis?
- I think it's really close. I really do.

But there's some elements
on the plate that work

and there's some
that just don't.

I've gotta judge it based on
what you've put in front of us.

And today it's a no,
but I know that in life,

for you, it's gonna be a yes.

Gordon: Young lady,
I love your attitude

and that level of ambition.

I just personally feel
that you're not ready for it.

And why aren't you ready for it?

The soy sauce.
That doesn't go with that Gobi.

That's never gone together.

As much as I love the dish
and elements of it,

I think right now
is not the right time,

so for me, sadly, it's a no.

I see a lot of skill
in this dish.

So feel good about it,
don't stop cooking,

and take all of this knowledge

that you've got today
and keep going.

Aww.

Nayha:
I feel disappointed.

I might have jumped the gun

on taking this
opportunity right now.

I think I need to grow as a
chef and also as a person

and try again later on in life.

Maybe just not right now.

After maybe getting a degree.

Here's the good news, guys.

The future of this country
looks very bright

as long as we have
young kids like that

at 18 years old cooking,
things are great.

- Absolutely.
- She has all the makings.

- She's just not ready for this competition.
- No.

Man: What do you think?
They look good or no?

They need a little bit
more time to cook.

- They're getting there, though.
- There you go, Annai!

- Looking good.
- My name is Annai Gonzalez,

I'm 25 years old
from Dallas, Texas,

- and I'm a legal assistant.
- Ay-yi!

Ah!

My go-to style, comfort foods,

but I try to add
a Latin twist to it.

- Hey!
- Ooh! Ooh!

Being a first generation
Mexican-American influences my cooking,

but I also don't want
to keep it too traditional.

I want to show the world
that Mexican food

can also be quite elegant
and very delicious.

Man: You got this, honey.

- How are you?
- Hello.

- What are you making?
- So I'm frying some rice first.

I'm gonna make a flank steak
filled chile relleno.

So there's many different ways
to make a chile relleno.

You can kind of cook it whole,
batter it.

How is your chile relleno going to be
different from the traditional battered one?

I like to stick to my roots,
but I also like to give it

that first generation Mexican-American
flair, so I'm not deep frying it.

So what is your passion
as a young lady? Do you work?

So, actually, I quit my job
to be on the show.

- You quit your job to come here?
- I know, right?

- Crazy.
- Love that.

- Joe: That's pretty ballsy.
- Aarón: Yeah.

But I'm in the kitchen, and that's
my passion. That's my dream.

- All right.
- Good luck.

- Thank you so much,
- Real pleasure.

Man:
Let's go, let's go!

What I am most concerned
about is my steak.

Medium rare is a hit or miss.
When I did turn it over,

I may have missed it
by one minute,

so it's potentially
a little bit over.

It's definitely nerve-wracking

because I don't have
anything to fall back on.

And if I end up leaving tonight,

I go back to nothing,

and I'll just have to
start from scratch.

All: Five, four, three,
two, one.

- Yeah!
- Hey!

I just hope this dish
is enough to get me my apron.

Why don't you tell us your name
and what you've cooked for us?

My name is Annai Gonzalez.
I am from Dallas, Texas.

And what we have here on the
plate is a flank steak chile relleno

on a bed of arroz pinto
and a tomato sauce

covered in Oaxaca melted cheese
with a Mexican crema.

And what do you do for a living?

Um, I was... used to be employed

as a legal assistant,
but then I quit my job.

I decided, you know,
it wasn't where my passion was.

Let me get this straight.
You quit your job to come here?

Listen, I'm a big believer
in taking a minute to yourself

- and saying, "Am I doing what's right?"
- Exactly.

Good motivation.
Should we have a taste?

- Shall we?
- Let's taste it.

Looks delicious.

Young lady, it's restaurant
quality, let's get that absolutely clear.

I love the finesse.
Great choice of plate.

I think the presentation
is so inviting.

Let's hope
all the flavors deliver.

Gordon: Curtis,
would you do the honors?

Joe:
Hopefully it's cooked right.

That steak's cooked
very, very nicely.

It is medium rare.
And why medium rare?

I personally am a big fan
of medium rare.

It keeps the juiciness
of the steak.

Aarón: Mmm.

Curtis: You know,
when I see chile relleno,

I'm always in love
with the idea of it.

But I never really love
to eat it.

In this,
you really taste the pepper.

You really taste the beef.

- It's a good dish.
- Thank you, Chef.

Yeah, I think the execution
and your interpretation

of this classic
speaks to your background.

All the traditional components,
but that sort of glitz

and glamour from Dallas
is there as well,

which I kind of really dig.

For me, I'm not a fan
of the sauce.

You could have put chipotle
in there, roasted some garlic,

and really made that red sauce
a little bit more vibrant.

Did you slice the flank steak?

- I did slice it.
- Yeah. Be careful.

'Cause when you expose meat
like that, it needs seasoning.

- Yes, Chef.
- The dish is good.

But this is the season of legends,
and you need to be very good.

- Yes, Chef.
- So, as you know,

you need three yeses
to get the apron.

Gordon?

Uh, whew, that's a tough one.

I love what you've done with
the steak. It's cooked beautifully.

It needs more seasoning.
Big deal. We can fix that.

Restaurant quality plating.
That's a big one for me.

I'm a yes.

While there's a couple of things
that I would change,

I'm gonna give you a yes.

That's two yeses.
You need three yeses to pass.

Aarón Sánchez?

Yeah, you know, for me,
it's like I have a responsibility,

an obligation to continue
to promote Mexican food

and make sure that it has the
right appreciation and respect.

And with what you put forward...

you might not have a job...

...but I'm gonna tell you
right now,

- you definitely have an apron.
- Woohoo!

- Thank you, Chef.
- This right here is something special,

it's something coveted, and I
know you're gonna do justice to it.

Definitely.
I will not disappoint.

Mine is a yes, too. I'll have
another if you have time to cook one.

- Definitely. I'll go back right now.
- This is delicious.

Both: Hey!

Come here, baby!

I quit my job
to follow my dream.

And honestly, it was the
scariest thing I ever did.

But winning this apron means
that I'm capable of so much more.

It's exciting to see this new
generation of cooks coming through.

- Joe: Right.
- Definitely restaurant quality, right?

- Yeah.
- I got the skills.

I can whip it up in the kitchen.

Gordon: Next time,
the MasterChef kitchen...

This is it,
the final night of auditions.

...welcomes a culinary queen.

Please welcome Paula Deen.

[Screaming]

I love me some Paula Deen.

With just five aprons
remaining...

It was perfectly delicious.

...the battle is on...

Competition's rife,
and you come in with a burger.

...for one of the last spots...

- This is it. We're down to our final apron.
- [growls]

- ...in the MasterChef kitchen.
- Whoo!

Can I get that body
under my husband's head?

"MasterChef" is back
with the season of legends.

Wednesdays on Fox.