Masterchef (2010–…): Season 11, Episode 4 - Chef Morimoto - Monkfish Challenge - full transcript

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Gordon: Previously on
"MasterChef Legends"...

This year, we aren't the only
people you need to impress.

Please welcome Emeril Lagasse.

[cheers and applause]

- Curtis Stone. Paula Deen.
- Oh, my God.



This year with legends, you need
nerves of steel in the MasterChef kitchen.

The toughest "MasterChef"
audition rounds ever...

You are on hallowed ground
with the egg yolk ravioli.

I quit my job to be on the show.

You quit your job to come here?

...with just 15 aprons
up for grabs.

I'm tired of being a home cook.

This is the American dream,
you know?

- Hands up.
- Whoo!

Woman: Everything is
at stake for me right now.

- Where are you from?
- I used to live in Romania.

I'm from Boston.
I'm a bartender.

- I am an on-air radio host.
- I'm a lifestyle coach

helping couples
reconnect sexually.



Oh, dear.

That is truly something special.

Incredible.

It's bloody delicious.
Great job.

Profound immersion
into Burmese cuisine.

- I love what you've done.
- It's definitely yes.

- Yes.
- You've got an apron.

Congratulation. Welcome.

[cheering]

Curtis: The level that
they're cooking at already...

You did it!

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

- Let's go!
- Tonight...

You are the top 15.

- a guest legend who is one of a kind.
- Morimoto!

Anne: I cannot believe Chef
Morimoto is in front of my face.

- Like, this is freaking nuts.
- [speaking Japanese]

And we're throwing the home
cooks in at the deep end...

- Oh, my Lord.
- You guys ready?

...with their first
elimination challenge.

- You okay, Tay?
- I don't even have boiling water.

I've never cut open a fish.

I don't even want
to touch a fish.

- I do not want to eat a soggy diaper.
- Flipping do-dah.

- Season 11.
- Gentlemen.

- Top 15.
- Here we are.

- "MasterChef" season of legends.
- Joe: Let's do this.

- Whoo!
- Let's go.

- Welcome.
- Let's go!

Top 15, dude? Let's go!

I'm a black redneck
from Omaha, man.

I live a simple life.

So, like, walking into
the MasterChef kitchen

with all the stoves
and all the stations,

this is, like...
you are in the game now.

- Wow.
- Good to see you all. Make your way down.

Please line up.
Let's go Mary Jayne.

- Let's go, darling.
- I'm coming, I'm coming.

I'm always bringing up
the rear, Chef.

Mary Jayne:
If you had told me last year

when I was sitting at home
with the dogs in the recliner

that I'd be standing here
with a flippin' apron on,

I would have told you you'd
lost your ever-loving mind.

Hello, and welcome
to "MasterChef Legends."

You are the top 15.

I did leave my job in order
to be in this competition,

but it's proven that I'm obviously
going down the right path

because I got this apron
with my name on it.

Now, this is
"MasterChef Legends."

This season we are bringing

the culinary world's
biggest names right here.

Whoo!

Tonight's guest...

owns over a dozen restaurants

across six countries.

His signature fusion
of Japanese techniques...

- Oh, yeah. Yes.
- ...and Western flavors

has helped him earn
an incredible James Beard Award,

a Michelin star,

and a spot
in the Culinary Hall of Fame.

Oh, my gosh.

All of you, please welcome

the legend that is Morimoto.

[cheering]

- I am in complete awe.
- Oh, my God.

My first TV introduction to food
was watching "Iron Chef."

- Welcome, Chef.
- Thank you, thank you. Thank you, guys.

I'm just a working mom
from Indianapolis,

so seeing Morimoto in the flesh
is just incredible.

Gordon: Chef, absolute
pleasure. Welcome back.

Looking as cool as ever.
Happy with that photo?

All: Yeah!

Now, you've inspired millions
across the planet.

Who inspired you?

The palate.

Legendary chefs like Morimoto
are master craftsmen

who make expert techniques
look like child's play.

Joe:
So, Chef Morimoto has a very,

very special
demonstration for you.

- Oh, my goodness.
- Oh!

I look up and all of a sudden,
I see this beast

descending in a cloud of smoke.

- Ooh.
- Nice.

And then all of a sudden,
I see fins. "What is that?"

And then he starts to
get uglier as it progresses.

Oh, monkfish!

- Chef, take it away.
- Thank you very much.

I've been watching
Morimoto for years.

I've always been in awe
of his skill,

especially when it comes
to filleting a fish.

This is how you prepare it
in the restaurant, Chef?

- That's crazy.
- Michael: Being a vegan,

I am a little disgusted
by the monkfish.

Today's challenge, I don't
know what it's going to be...

Oh.

But I also know I'm gonna do it

because I want
to win "MasterChef."

- [speaking Japanese]
- Wow.

Jeez.

Wow. Watching Chef
break down this fish

right in front of me
is absolutely amazing.

Just to see the man with
this knife skill like a ninja,

it is jaw-dropping.

- That's amazing.
- I'm from the west side of Chicago,

so I have never cooked
with monkfish before.

But, hey, there's
a first time for everything.

The liver?

Oh, my gosh, no.

I think Mary Jayne's going
to be sick. You okay, darling?

Would you like a bag?
You all right?

I don't know, Chef.
I'm trying.

The only thing going through
my head is, "Check, please."

- Oh.
- Beautiful.

- There's the good stuff.
- Looks like tenderloin.

Gorgeous.

- Wow. Amazing.
- Amazing.

Just effortless.

- No, Chef.
- No.

- Only eaten.
- Morimoto: Okay.

Gordon:
Really beautiful. Thank you.

That's how a MasterChef legend
fillets a monkfish.

- Thank you.
- Excellent.

- Amazing.
- Thank you.

- I could have done it a little bit better, but...
- Very impressive.

- You can do that. You can do that.
- You're learning.

Tonight, all of you will cook us
a stunning monkfish dish

using those incredible filets
prepared by Chef Morimoto.

- That we can do.
- You will have the full

MasterChef pantry
at your disposal.

and we even have a fresh
herb garden right over there.

Gordon:
Now here's the good news.

The winner
of the best dish tonight

will get an incredible
dinner for two...

- Oh!
- Ooh!

...at the beautifully elegant

Morimoto Las Vegas restaurant.

[cheering]

- Amazing.
- But there's some bad news, too.

The home cook tonight that doesn't
meet our standards will be eliminated.

- Make sure it's not you.
- Yes.

Knowing that one of us
is going to leave

at the end of the night,
it is a lot of pressure.

My purpose in MasterChef kitchen

is to bring pride
to my Burmese culture,

so I don't want to be the
first one who just has to go

right after getting the apron.

Now, you all have one hour

to cook us a stunning
monkfish dish.

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

Your 60 minutes starts...

[speaking Japanese]

Now! Let's go!

- The doors!
- Carts to the left.

Take your time, darling.
Watch that little step.

- Yes, Chef. I got it.
- Baskets!

- What are you looking for?
- Chicken stock.

Where's white pepper?

- Need these potatoes.
- Mushrooms.

Being the MasterChef pantry
is like walking into heaven.

- Oh, my God.
- Here I come from Cuba.

Never been around this much
food in my life.

- The colors, the smells.
- Cumin.

It's unreal. It's almost like
if you have one chance,

and you want to grab
as much as you can.

Let's rock and roll, baby.

Guys, we're three minutes in.
Let's go.

I've never shopped so fast
in my life.

Oh, my gosh.
I'm out of breath.

All right. Today I am making
a blackened monkfish

Bánh mi sandwich.

It's almost like a Po' Boy,

but still has
that Asian flair to it.

I've never made monkfish before,
but I think the judges

are gonna love the flavors
in this dish.

Okay.

Today I'm doing
a pan-seared monkfish

with some pickled pearl onions,
an egg yolk,

and doing
a buttermilk sauce as well.

This is sort of like an easy breakfast
in Romania that we used to have,

minus the fish, and hopefully
it'll turn out okay.

I was born in New York, but raised
for the first six years in Romania.

So this is a great opportunity
to represent who I am

and my Romanian culture.

I am making
a drunken monkfish taco

with a chipotle lime dressing
and a pickled cabbage slaw.

This is my first time
cooking with this thing.

When you think of fish,
you think of something tropical,

so I immediately thought
of tacos.

Being a first generation
Mexican-American,

I want to show the world that
Mexican cuisine can be very delicious.

We use a lot
of tilapia mojarra fish,

and typically
we take the whole fish

and fry the entire thing,
and that's how we eat it.

So this is a bit different,
but I think I can taco this.

I'm making a Baja fish taco with some chips
on the side and then a spicy mayo aioli.

I usually use cod,
but I'm using monkfish today.

I'm trying my best to get
this monkfish together,

put it in a taco.
Everything will be great.

I've never cooked
this fish before,

so my strategy is to stay
in my comfort zone.

We fish fry on Fridays
at our home.

It's something
we do all the time,

so it just reminds me
of my family.

My daughters and my husband,
they're everything to me,

- so I gotta make 'em proud.
- Okay.

Being from New England,
everything's clam chowder,

lobster rolls, and all this.

- But I hate seafood.
- Hmm.

And I'm really stressed
because I'm really afraid of fish.

Oh, jeez.
I've never cut open a fish.

I don't even
want to touch a fish.

This is my first time to be
in the MasterChef kitchen,

and I'm just hoping
I don't go home.

Our first big challenge.
Only 15 aprons.

So, Chef, we're expecting
a super high standard.

Monkfish is the kind
of fish with rules.

- Yeah.
- It's not like a red snapper or a branzino,

do whatever you want with it,
poach it, fillet it.

Monkfish doesn't
want to be grilled.

Probably wants to be floured.
It wants acidity.

It wants fat.
It needs a lot of stuff.

- Gordon: Absolutely.
- Yeah, and here's my concern.

Because they're novices, I feel
like they're going to undercook it.

It's very dense, and it needs
longer in the oven than you think.

Gordon: Absolutely. Also,
there's a lot of water in monkfish,

so you need to get
a hard sear on it.

Guys, ten minutes gone.
Just over 50 minutes remaining.

Gotta nail the fish.

- Mm, Michael!
- This is Michael the muscle man.

Tell us about the dish.
What are you doing?

I have breadcrumb
and parmesan encrusted fish,

lemon garlic kale
with seasoned rice.

It sounds good.
Now, I know you're a vegan,

but are you going to taste
this thing now?

- I have to taste it.
- Vegan?

He turned vegan a few years ago
and he gives expert advice.

Will you explain to Chef
what you do, please?

Yes, I'm a lifestyle
and relationship coach.

People are having problems in their
relationship, food's a common ground.

We're trying to get them
to connect through food.

- He's a sexpert.
- I see, I see.

Yeah?
Ever been to one?

- Do you need one?
- No comment.

Okay, this sounds incredible.
Don't overcook that monkfish.

- Taste everything, okay? Good luck.
- Thank you so much.

Almost done. I am making
monkfish bento plate.

I know how to cook fish really
well because I cook it a lot.

I'm hoping to impress Morimoto.

I want to show all the different
things you can do with a monkfish.

Hi, Kelsey. What's the
plan for the monkfish?

I'm gonna just pan-sear it, baste
in a little lemongrass and ginger.

And then it's over
a cauliflower puree.

Got fried cauliflower on top that's tossed
with a bunch of cilantro, mint shiso.

Definitely the flavors
are going to be outside

my comfort zone. I don't
experiment a lot with Asian flavors.

I live in Indianapolis. so I'm
Midwest girl used to Midwest flavors.

- Did you try to cook a piece yet?
- Yes. It tastes great.

- Do you see how much water it lets out?
- Yeah. Yeah.

I didn't let it rest
as long as I should have.

Kind of a general rule of thumb

is however long
you cook something,

you allow it to rest
the same amount, right?

- All right, Kelsey, good luck.
- Thank you guys.

This one's the garlic.

I am making
an herb-crusted monkfish

with baby potatoes and leeks.

So I'm bringing those all
together and I'm gonna do

a champagne vinaigrette
white wine reduction.

This meal makes me feel like
being home with my husband,

so this is just kind of
an ode to my marriage.

- Miles.
- What's up, gentlemen?

Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing?

I'm gonna do a honey-glazed
monkfish with a sauce supreme,

And then I' m going to do
a petit pois a la Francaise.

- What are these for?
- The fondant potatoes,

I'm going to place
the monkfish on top

just so there's
a starch on the plate.

There's a lot
going on here, Miles.

- We'll see what I can do.
- Sound complicated for you?

- I gotta impress Morimoto, and you, of course.
- We'll see, we'll see.

Cook some of that monkfish off
and reduce the flavor.

That for me is way more important
than what you're doing right now.

Okay, good. 40 minutes
to go. Come on, guys.

Miss Elyce,
what do you got going on?

Today I'm making
a Baja fried fish taco.

I usually use cod,
but I'm gonna switch it up

and try to use a little monk
and see how it tastes.

Cod is similar to monk.
Monk's a little bit firmer.

Think that's enough
at this point?

We've given you a monkfish,
very rarified fish.

You think we want to see
maybe more than that?

I'ma make the spicy mayo
and some homemade chips with it.

- Okay.
- I'll set it on a bed of the cabbage

- with a little lime sauce.
- Well, you know what?

- if it tastes delicious, you never know.
- Okay. Thank you.

- Miss Suu.
- Chef, Joe, how are you?

- What are you making?
- A ginger and kumquat glazed monkfish.

And I'm gonna make a butternut
squash puree with some roasted garlic.

I like the way that you're going to
go full steam ahead with big flavors.

Is this flavor profile in
the Burmese kind of vernacular?

More Pan-Asian. So I'm going
to celebrate my Asian heritage

as well as celebrate
Chef Morimoto's Asian heritage.

- Well, thank you, Suu. Appreciate it.
- Thank you very much.

- Wow. There's a lot going on.
- I like the energy. I like the intensity.

- The focus is definitely here.
- Yeah, exciting.

Chef, one of
the toughest challenges

to kick off this season...
monkfish.

Not one of them have
cooked a monkfish before.

Now, Miles, in one pan
he's got potato fondant.

In another pan he's got
petits pois a la Francaise.

And then in another pan he's
got the monkfish that he's roasting

and is going to finish it in
honey. He's a little bit lost there.

- Miles, do not overcomplicate it.
- Yes, Chef.

- The monkfish is the hero.
- All right.

Kelsey is going a very
interesting route. Lots of aromatics.

Some ginger, some shallot,
some chile as well.

Joe: She's from the Midwest,

so she's going way out
of her comfort zone

with those Asian flavors.

- So Elyce is going to fry the monkfish.
- Really?

She's going to go
the taco route and just do

chips and fried monkfish
with a chili base mayonnaise.

Have you ever seen monkfish
in a taco, Aarón?

- I have not.
- Monkfish is a knife and fork kind of fish.

- Absolutely.
- Yeah.

Steady hands.

- Oh, that's spicy.
- We are halfway.

30 minutes gone,
30 minutes remaining.

Sadly for one of you, your last 30
minutes inside the MasterChef kitchen.

Come on. Speed up.
Let's go.

- Tay.
- Yes, sir. How you doing?

- Tell us about the dish. What are you doing?
- I'm going to do

a blackened monkfish
Bánh mi sandwich

with a sriracha dill aioli.

- About five minutes each side.
- Have you tasted it?

- I have not.
- Taste it.

- Need a little more salt on there.
- See how watery that is?

- Mm-hmm.
- And you're considering putting that in a sandwich?

I do not want to eat
a soggy diaper.

First big challenge. Just be smart
how you conceptualize this, okay?

- Okay.
- Regroup and think again.

- Okay. Thank you.
- Good man.

Oh, damn. Gordon says,
"I don't want a soggy sandwich."

I gotta abandon this idea
or I'm going to be going home.

In the back of my mind,
it's just like

I'm putting my apron
on the counter right now!

I never worked
with monkfish before.

I don't know what I'm gonna do.

[bleep]

- See how watery that is?
- Mm-hmm.

And you're considering
putting that in a sandwich?

I do not want to eat
a soggy diaper.

- Yeah. Okay.
- Regroup and think again.

Oh, damn. Gordon says,
"I don't want a soggy sandwich."

I scrap everything that I'm
doing. I head back to the pantry.

That fish had the density
of almost a chicken.

What if I do a jerk monkfish with Jamaican
rice and peas and a habanero hot sauce?

Some jalapeños.

I come back from the pantry.

I'm like, cool.
Game plan ready to go.

I look up at the clock
and it says 24 minutes.

And now I'm starting
from scratch.

I don't even have
boiling water on the stove.

In my head, I'm just like, "Come on,
Tay. Chill out. Clear the work area off."

I've gotta finish this dish.

22 minutes remaining, guys.
Keep it going.

Make sure you've got your monkfish
cooked in the next five minutes,

which gives it at least
eight to ten minutes to rest.

Autumn, tell me about the
dish. What are you doing?

So I'm going to do a pan-seared
monkfish with a teriyaki sauce.

And I'm going to make, like, a
gingery rice with some sautéed bok choy

and some pickled
fried cauliflower.

Yeah, it sounds very Japanese.

How are you cooking
the monkfish?

I'm marinating it and then
I'm going to pat it dry before,

that way I get a sear on it, and
then a couple of minutes in the oven.

- Have you cooked it before?
- No, I've never cooked it. I've never eaten it.

I don't eat any seafood,
actually.

- No!
- How do you know these Japanese flavors so well?

I go to Japan all the time.
I love Japan.

I've been to Kyoto,
Osaka, Tokyo.

- Amazing. Dish sounds great.
- Thank you.

It sounds like you know Japanese
cuisine almost like the back of your hand.

I'm super intimidated of seafood,
but I'm hoping my Japanese flavors

will save me from
elimination tonight.

- Sounds delicious. Good luck.
- Thank you so much.

Good luck.

- Hello. I'm doing good.
- How are you?

- Green tomatoes, yum.
- What do you got going on? Please explain your dish.

I'm making some drunken monkfish
tacos with a citrus pickled coleslaw

and a chipotle lime dressing.

Remember, a great taco
has three components.

The tortilla, the filling,
and then the salsa/garnish.

Those three elements need
to be firing on all cylinders.

- Where's the tortillas?
- I'm going to make them by hand.

Whoa. You should have a back-up
in case you don't have enough time.

- Yes.
- Joe: Remind me, what do you do for a living?

I used to be a legal assistant
at a personal injury law firm,

but I quit that job to finally pursue
my passion, which is cooking.

So your life ambition relies
on this taco. I'd be nervous.

Well, when you put it that way.

- Alejandro. How are you feeling?
- Chef.

I started out pretty ambitious,
I'm gonna be honest with you,

and now I'm, like,
a little bit nervous.

Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing?

I'm making a pan-seared monkfish

with a cream of leeks and potato
and two types of asparagus.

A lot going on. You're torching the
cucumber. That's a first in my career.

I think it adds, like,
toastiness to it.

But you're toasting the seeds,
the watery bit in the middle.

- Yes, sir.
- Right. So just think about what you got going on here

and start to edit that. Start
thinking about that composition.

- Yes, sir.
- Make sure it all goes together.

Don't overcomplicate it.
Good luck.

You never know. This might be my
only chance in the MasterChef kitchen

to show my skill,
and I would hate to go home

by not showing
everything that I can do.

I just hope I don't do too much.

So I pulled a pretty risky
move changing up my dish,

I'm praying that it pays off
because I'm not trying to go home,

be the first one to go home.
The hot sauce is done.

I'm tasting the rice and beans.
The fish is resting.

So if it call comes together,
it'll be perfect.

- How are you doing?
- I'm good, and you? Hey, how are you?

There's a lot going on here,
young lady.

Tell us about the dish.
What are you doing?

I'm doing a Baja fish taco with some chips
on the side, and then a spicy mayo aioli.

- Tell us about the breading. What flavor is that?
- Panko, breadcrumbs, flour.

What's the seasoning there?
What are you putting in there?

Cumin, Cajun seasoning,

chili powder, onion powder,
garlic powder.

- Morimoto: Spicy.
- Right. 15 minutes to go.

- Both: Good luck.
- Thank you.

Guys, 50 minutes have gone.
Ten minutes to go. Come on.

- [bleep]
- A little frazzled.

Plating, less is more.
Plating, less is more.

- How are you making out over there? Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm doing good.

I'm just hoping
to get it all finished.

Wow. It's gone up a notch.

- Aarón: Yeah.
- Incredible.

- Mango. All right.
- My big concern is Tay.

Tay was discussing almost like
a monkfish sandwich.

- You okay, Tay? Changed direction a bit?
- I'm good, I'm good.

- Yes, sir.
- Good man.

- Okay.
- Autumn, she's marinating hers.

- I saw that.
- Yeah, teriyaki sauce,

and so very Japanese-infused.

Gordon: But the dish sounds
nice. A little bit complicated.

I just hope that she edits that
down and focuses on that flavor.

Everything's looking good.

I have five minutes left, and I
thought I was going to go with the route

of doing homemade tortillas,

but the masa came out
a little grainy.

It was nothing close to any
tortilla that I've ever made

or my grandma
has ever taught me.

I was just like, "Really, Annai?

You come from
a very Mexican family.

You can't even make
a single tortilla?"

So I need to use those other
store-bought tortillas.

Hopefully my mom
doesn't get mad at me.

Aarón: And then of course,
Annai, our Mexicana from Dallas,

she's going to go by way
of Baja style fish tacos.

A taco, if even excellent,
can it be enough?

- It could be successful.
- We are...

If she can manipulate it in such
a way where she cuts it thin...

- Sure.
- ...she might be able to get away with it.

These are nasty-ass
corn tortillas.

- Come on.
- 60 seconds remaining!

- Let's go, guys! Come on!
- Last minute! Come on!

Let's go.

30 seconds remaining.
Come on.

- Ah!
- You got this. You got this.

[groans] Come on.

Gordon:
Come on, please. Let's go!

Come on, guys. Ten!

Judges:
Nine, eight, seven,

six, five, four,

three, two, one.

- Stop. Hands in the air.
- Hands in the air.

- Hey!
- Well done.

- Oh, God.
- Yeah!

- [bleep]
- Guys, we're done with the first challenge.

Flippin' do-dah.

- Look at mine. It looks like [bleep].
- You're fine, you're fine.

If it tastes amazing,
you'll be okay.

- Does it look okay?
- Looks real nice.

I switched up dishes, like,
halfway through, bro.

- Did you?
- I'm not gonna lie, yeah.

This is me on the plate,
and I'm very proud,

and I really hope
all the judges love this.

You did your thing, girl.
Give me some up top.

This is a dish that
I'm not too proud of, so...

I think what threw me off was the masa
not coming together like I wanted it to.

I kept pouring water, let it
rest for a bit, came back.

It was still kind of grainy.
And then I had to think quick.

I was like, "Okay, I'm gonna
have to use store-bought tortillas."

With the plating
and how it's composed,

I think there's a big possibility
that I might be going home.

Tonight you each
had to make a dish worthy

of the incredible
legend himself, Morimoto.

Now we'd like to take
an even closer look.

Let's go.

Annai, what happened
to the homemade tortilla?

I got excited about you
making them. What happened?

I jumped the gun and tried to do
homemade tortillas, but it quickly failed.

Have you ever seen monkfish
in a taco before?

- No.
- Thank you.

- Mary Jayne, are you happy with the dish?
- Yes, Chef.

I really tried something
that I've never tried before.

Just be careful
when you glaze that.

It burns quickly because
the high sugar content.

Yes, Chef.
I learned that today.

Kelsey: I think people
are very scared

to really let ingredients
shine for themselves.

- This is a curry of some sort?
- Yes. It's got five spice,

and I finished
with yuzu and butter.

I did the cucumber for
freshness, and then I torched it.

They think they have to add
so much flavor,

so many different techniques
to their dish to impress,

especially when we're cooking
for these judges.

And really the best technique
sometimes is showing restraint.

Joseph, four ways monkfish.

I wanted to take you on a journey of
different flavors and textures of monkfish.

Let me give you
a little advice, Joseph.

Next time you go on a
road trip, put gas in the car,

and salt in the rice.

Being able to just season
your food well, cook it properly,

I think the judges
really appreciate that.

- Kelsey, how did you feel that 60 minutes went?
- I think it went pretty well.

I let it rest for about
15 minutes and sliced it. Yeah.

- Hello, Miss Elyce.
- How you doing?

Those big chunks of cabbage
have kind of taken over.

You know that we have many
different tools to cut things smaller.

- Did you do that by hand or with a mandolin?
- I did it by hand.

- Okay.
- Thank you.

- What's the red spice on the monkfish?
- Paprika.

- What's this?
- That is a sauce supreme.

45 minutes ago when we came around
to you, you were all over the place.

- Yes, sir.
- I said edit. It's gotta make sense,

and that looks beautiful.

- Tay, you switched direction.
- Yes, I went with the plan B.

So we have
a Jamaican jerk monkfish

on a bed of Caribbean style
rice and peas.

I'm glad you pulled it back
from a sandwich.

I think you can go individually

and I'm sure everything will
blend together beautifully.

- Thank you.
- Thank you so much.

Autumn, tell us
a little bit about it.

I marinated it, and then I patted
it dry so that it would get a sear.

Thank you, Autumn.

You happy with the way
your curry came out?

I am happy with the way
the curry came out.

Gordon: I just love the fact
you made the paste.

You're not just gonna go lazy
and get a paste.

But don't flood a dish.

It's the season of legends,

- and it's gonna be super tough.
- Yes, Chef.

Interesting.

- Some interesting ones. Yeah, really good.
- Mm-hmm.

- Her style, the finesse...
- Very clean.

She really took and embraced
the idea of monkfish whole.

- It's difficult to pinpoint his style.
- Right.

But it came together at the end,
and the dish looks restaurant quality.

Now, well done, all of you.

As a reminder,
unfortunately tonight,

somebody will be leaving
the MasterChef kitchen.

But first, we've got three
dishes that we'd like to highlight.

And the best of these
three dishes will win

an amazing dinner for two

at Morimoto's
Las Vegas restaurant.

The first dish we'd like to taste had
a sauce that stood out from the rest.

It was sophisticated.
It had a great flavor profile.

Please step forward...

- Kelsey. Thank you.
- Whoo!

I am in complete awe
that I'm in the top three.

Especially because Asian
flavors are not my strong suit.

But I feel very confident
in my cook on the monkfish,

so I'm really excited
for them to taste this dish.

Kelsey,
describe the dish please.

My dish is a pan-seared monkfish
over a cauliflower puree

with some crispy cauliflower,

and I'm going to pour
a fish sauce caramel over top.

Gordon:
Now what is that sauce?

Kelsey:
It's a base of a caramel sauce

and then added fish sauce
once it came together.

And then also simmered it with
lime zest, ginger, and some shallots.

So...

- Thank you.
- I think what makes this dish for me

is that cauliflower puree.
Cauliflower's 30% water.

You've made it creamy and
delicious without being too fatty,

- which is a very hard task.
- Thank you.

Where the genius
in this dish lies is the fact

that you were able to lighten up

a very big, bold fish.

It tastes just like it looked...

a very well-executed,
thoughtful dish.

You first big challenge,
by no means intimidated.

It looks stunning,
and it tastes great.

Thank you very much.
I appreciate it.

Thanks.

The second dish
that we would like to taste

featured a pan-seared monkfish

and some really delicious
Asian flavors.

Please come forward...

- Autumn.
- Hey.

I'm having a little
panic attack on the inside

because I never cook fish,

and Morimoto was about
to try my food.

I can't believe this.
It's crazy.

Autumn,
describe the dish please.

It is a pan-seared monkfish

with teriyaki glaze,
a ginger rice,

with some garlic sautéed
bok choy

and some pickled fried
cauliflower with a sriracha aioli.

It's like a glazed duck.
It looks stunning.

Thank you.

Yeah, I just reduced it down by
half until it got, like, a little thicker.

Monkfish is cooked beautifully.
It looks so attractive.

I love that little smear with
the brush on the plate.

- You're showing some great skills.
- Thank you so much.

- That cauliflower's delicious.
- Perfect.

Professional restaurant
quality dish.

- Well done.
- Good job. Thank you.

- Thank you.
- Good job, Autumn.

Good job, Autumn.

Okay, guys, the final dish
that we want to taste

used a flavorful glaze as well,

and did not
overcomplicate the dish.

Please come forward...

- Suu.
- Whew!

- Good job, Suu.
- Thank you. Thank you.

Suu: To be part of the top
three best dishes of the night,

it's so amazing.

So I have here a ginger
and kumquat glazed monkfish

with butternut squash puree
and sautéed oyster mushrooms

and sugar snap peas.

The fish is cooked beautifully.
You've nailed that.

- Absolutely beautiful. On point.
- Thank you very much, Chef.

I'm most impressed by how the
mushrooms are cooked so well

that they mimic the actual
texture of the monkfish.

And I like
the sesame seed on top.

I think it really shows a lot
of your understanding

of big, bold, Pan-Asian flavors.

Loved it because none
of the flavors were muddled.

They all were very clear
and brilliant.

Chef, how was that for you?

- I'm so sorry, Chef.
- Good job. Thank you, Suu.

Thank you very much, Chefs.

Amazing, amazing. So,
Chef, three pretty good dishes.

I'm a big fan of Kelsey's dish.

That fish caramel,
it was so well-balanced.

Yeah, Autumn's fish, the way it
was cooked and sliced was amazing.

And in the right portion,
and then... you know.

Suu had a good dish,
too, you know?

She also had that texture with
the sesame seeds on the outside.

It was the perfect combination.

Gordon:
Very hard to separate.

- Happy?
- Yep.

Hold my hand.

Kelsey, Autumn, Suu,
well done, all three of you.

Only one of you can win dinner for
two at Chef's incredible restaurant.

Now, we discussed,
and ultimately,

we believe that
the best dish belongs to...

Kelsey, Autumn, Suu, ultimately, we
believe that the best dish belongs to...

Kelsey. Well done.

While Kelsey is the individual having
won that incredible dinner at Morimoto's,

congratulations goes
to all three of you

because you are all safe
from elimination tonight.

Ladies, head up to the safety
of the balcony, please.

Thank you guys all very much.

It feels amazing to win
the first challenge,

especially because I stepped
outside of my comfort zone

with these Asian flavors,

and now I get to eat
at Chef Morimoto's restaurant.

I will treasure that moment,
for sure.

Now those dishes certainly
did rise above the rest,

but there were
a few dishes tonight

that did not meet our standards.

The first dish
we'd like to taste...

this dish, we witnessed
significant changes late in the game,

and those changes were not enough
to keep them out of the bottom three.

Please step forward Annai.

I'm a bit disappointed
in myself.

I just hope that the coleslaw
and the dressing in my taco

overpowers and makes you forget

that you're eating
a store-bought tortilla.

Describe the dish, please.

It is a drunken monkfish taco
with a citrus pickled coleslaw

and a side of chile rojo salsa.

Visually, it looks like
you ran out of time.

I know you panicked because it
wasn't working with the fresh tortilla.

- Shall we?
- Yes.

Okay.

You have a couple saving
graces here. That slaw is delicious.

I want so much more of it.

And that salsa, playing off of
the tomatillo using green tomato,

I thought that
was really clever.

- And it has good spice.
- Thank you, Chef.

The salsa is delicious.

The rest of the dish
feels like second choices.

First of all, you cooked
the monkfish beautifully, okay?

Which is very hard when
it's dipped in such thick batter.

Let's get that absolutely clear.

You have to be careful
when you conceptualize

these dishes at the beginning.

If you're going to do a taco,
you have to ask yourself,

"Can I produce the best taco
in the country tonight?"

- Right.
- If you can't, move on,

conceptualize another dish.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Chef.

The next dish that
we'd like to taste

belongs to a home cook
from the South...

...who missed multiple marks
on their dish.

Please come forward...

Alejandro.

I'm terrified. I have this dish
that I put my heart and soul.

I tried to show a million
different techniques.

Somehow my ambition
shot me in the foot.

I hope and I pray that I'm
not going to go home tonight.

Describe your dish, Alejandro.

We have a five spiced
pan-seared monkfish

over a cream of potatoes
and leeks.

We have mussels
in champagne sauce,

broccolini and asparagus
two ways,

topped with baby mushrooms.

Just when you say that, doesn't
it sound complicated already?

Yeah, 100%.
I said that I would go all out.

Going all out doesn't mean
putting everything in a dish

and every technique you know.

Going all out means
presenting the best dish

you can possibly cook

with refinement
and sensibility and balance.

This dish is the opposite
of balance, visually.

Nice sear on the monkfish.

I hope it's as cooked
on the inside

as it is on the outside.

Let's try it.

That's cooked beautifully.

Look, if I eliminate everything
else and I just eat the potato cream

with the monkfish,
it's actually palatable.

Aarón: This composition
is, like, so bizarre.

That's what's
most disturbing about it.

Because you have this really
beautiful Cadillac of a fish,

and then you cheapened it

with trying to
blowtorch a cucumber.

So here's the thing, you got
monkfish roasted beautifully,

but you served it
in this leek and potato soup.

It's two separate dishes.

Think about your dish,
take one-third off,

and then start adding
the garnishes at the end.

And then stop. Thank you.

- Thank you.
- Gosh.

Joe: The final dish
we would like to taste

belongs to
a Midwestern home cook.

Please come forward...

Take your culinary skills
to a whole new level

with MasterChef cookware
and kitchen tools.

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The final dish we would like
to taste, please come forward...

Elyce.

I know I stayed in
my comfort zone making tacos.

I just hope and pray
that my dish is good enough

to stay in
the MasterChef kitchen.

Thank you, Elyce.
Please describe the dish to us.

I made a Baja fish taco

with a spicy aioli and chips.

Gordon, what do you think
visually?

There's some rough cuts
going on in the slaw.

I look at chunks like that,
and it sort of tells me

a lot of carelessness.
Shall we?

- They sound crispy.
- The chips are good, yeah.

I don't think I could
even qualify that as a taco.

That's fried fish in a shell.
It's soggy.

It's a series of big mistakes.

Aarón: I enjoyed
the seasoning on the fish.

I think there's something
redeeming about that.

- But the aioli has cumin, right?
- Yeah.

It's just very aggressive.
It's dominating the palate.

Mm-hmm, yeah.

- Yeah.
- Thank you, Chef.

Elyce, when you
bread fish so thickly,

you have to be careful because the
inside of the breading doesn't cook.

So you dredge it, and then
you literally shake it very hard

to get the excess flour
off there

so when it fries,
it gets nice and crispy.

The batter cooks
on the inside as well.

- Gotcha.
- Thank you.

Thank you.

We got some serious
talking to do.

All three of you, please excuse
us for one moment. Thank you.

I didn't expect to see
a taco tonight from anybody.

Aarón: Exactly.

- And Alejandro's was just straight-up bizarre.
- Joe: Weird.

Alejandro: First challenge
cooking in the MasterChef kitchen,

and to be in the bottom three,

especially in front
of Morimoto of all people,

is very disappointing.

One dish missed on all marks,

and I think we know
which one it is.

- I think you're right.
- Let's go.

I am praying that they see that I
treated that monkfish with respect.

Three lacklust dishes,

underwhelming in flavor
and execution.

When you look at the three
dishes up on the balcony tonight,

you know, there's a big gap.

We debated,

and the person leaving
the MasterChef kitchen...

sadly...

is Elyce.

Annai, Alejandro,
please say good-night to Elyce

and head back to your stations.

Elyce, the dish didn't scream
exciting, imaginative taco,

and unfortunately,
it just fell short.

But keep that head up high.

- Absolutely. Yes, Chef.
- Good.

Please place your apron
on your station.

- Both: Love you, Elyce.
- Elyce: Going home first,

I'm very disappointed in myself,

because I know that I wasn't
confident in that dish.

But just to be in
this kitchen was amazing.

- Go get 'em, girl.
- I learned a lot,

and I'm going to take it with
me for the rest of my life.

- Thank you, Elyce.
- Thank you.

I will not give up,

and the best is yet to come.

All of you join me in thanking
this incredible legend.

- Chef, thank you so much.
- Thank you much.

Right, the good news is
we've gone from 15 down to 14.

You are all one step closer
to an extremely sweet victory.

- Wow.
- Good night.

Thank you, Chef.

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

Please welcome
the patron saint of pastries,

Sherry Yard.

It's a bittersweet
elimination challenge...

You'll need to cook us
a restaurant quality dessert.

that sees some
home cooks riding high...

- You made this rich and decadent.
- It's delicious.

- I would put this on the menu.
- Wow.

- And others...
- Black garlic?

It'll be something
you haven't tried before.

Wow.

...crumbling under
the pressure.

I'd like to get it
cooked tonight.

- She's here to help you.
- I am royally [bleep].

It was just a recipe
for disaster.

I am shocked.

It's good-night.

"MasterChef" is back
with the season of legends.

Wednesdays on Fox.