Masterchef (2010–…): Season 12, Episode 11 - Winners Mystery Box - Christine Ha - full transcript

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(Female announcer)
Tonight the moment has arrived.

Four contestants remain.

All with one dream in mind--

becoming America's
first ever MasterChef.

Lee, a bartender
from Los Angeles.

Second place
is not an option.

(Female announcer)
Was always a contender.

(Joe) All of you should
come up here and try this.

This is really
propelling Lee

to MasterChef level.

(Female announcer)
Sheetal, a teacher from Chicago



struggled with
family traditions.

I've never killed anything
in my life.

(Female announcer)
But came out on top.

(Gordon) I don't know
if you've cooked venison,

but that tastes as if you've
cooked it a thousand times.

(Female announcer) David,
a software engineer from Boston.

Some people call me cocky.

I prefer "overconfident."

Ah, yes!

(Female announcer)
Proved that despite his antics,

he is a force
to be reckoned with.

I want to keep on eating this.

Please feel free.

(Female announcer)
And 22-year-old Whitney
from Mississippi



put school on hold
to pursue her dreams.

(Joe) You're young.
You're sweet.

Are they gonna eat you alive
and spit you out?

(Gordon) The most difficult
pastry to cook ever.

Well done.

I am the pastry princess.

(Female announcer) Tonight
the journey comes to an end.

The first ever
MasterChef final.

(Female announcer) America's
four best amateur cooks

will face off in their
toughest challenge yet

and cook the most important
dishes of their lives.

My God.

Oh.

She dropped the chicken.

You smell that?
That's good.

Wow.
Pretty [Bleep].

(Female announcer) In the end,
only one will walk away

with $250,000,

a cook book publishing deal,

and above all else,
cooking's most coveted title.

The winner of America's
first ever MasterChef.

Aah!

♪ MasterChef 1x12 ♪
Original Air Date on September 15, 2010

(Female announcer)
The remaining four contestants

are about to go head to head

to win a spot
in the ultimate showdown,

the MasterChef final.

(Sheetal)
My initial reaction

when I walked into the
MasterChef kitchen today

was, "this is it."

It's empty.
There's two work stations.

Yes. Final Four.

It's the make it
or break it.

It's the end all or be all.

Look at all four of you.

You are the four most talented

amateur cooks anywhere
in America today,

and one of you
will become MasterChef.

That comes with $1/4 million

your very own cook book,

and this could be the start

of building
your very own empire.

(Female announcer)
To win a spot in the final,

there will be two
head-to-head cook-offs.

The contestants have to make
three dishes in two hours.

First, Gordon
needs to draw names

to decide who's cooking
against whom.

First name...

David Miller.

You're going up against...

Ha ha! Sheetal.

Bring it.

(Lee)
Sheetal going against Dave,

I'm going against Whitney,

and I don't think
she's intimidated.

Maybe she is, but she's doing
a hell of a job

of not showing it
to anybody.

I'll be extremely honest.

I'm afraid of her.

How does that feel?

I got what I wanted,
so, uh,

I fished my wish.

You fished your wish.

I fished my wish.

He is a cocky
son of a bitch.

Don't discount
my presence here.

I'm still here for a reason.

(Female announcer)
The semi-final cook-offs are...

David versus Sheetal,
then Whitney versus Lee.

Boston software engineer
David's exuberant character...

Blam!

And classic cooking has made
a big impression on the judges.

I want to keep on
eating this.

Please feel free.

Amazing.

(Female announcer)
His risk taking

has often raised questions.

I have a New England style
bouillabaisse.

A great bouillabaisse takes
two days to make. Minimum.

I've got it in an hour.

(Female announcer)
But his signature style

of classic with a twist
and attention to flavor

always win out.

(Gordon)
The seasoning is perfect.

"The butter-poached fish
was a huge success."

"Incredible."

David Miller, you were
the hero of that team.

(Female announcer)
David is a clear frontrunner

for the MasterChef crown.

I think it's good.

That is why
you are David Miller.

(Female announcer)
Chicago teacher Sheetal

has risen
to constant challenges

well outside of her
cooking comfort zone.

I've never killed anything
in my life.

You've never what?

I don't think
i can kill the crab.

(Female announcer)
And while her time management

has occasionally
let her down...

[Bleep].

It's not right.

Her exotic flavor combinations

have seen her dishes
get better and better.

Honestly,
first mouthful,

close my eyes,
I'm in India. Delicious.

That tastes amazing.

The winner of the last
mystery box challenge,

Sheetal.
Well done.

Making her a quiet contender
for the MasterChef title.

One of you will
advance through to the final,

and one of you
will be going home.

I'm sure you're dying
to get started,

but today
there's a big surprise.

Because behind that door,

there are some
very excited faces

dying to see you both.

[Screaming]

I'm so excited to share

this kind of experience
with my family.

(David) First person I see
is my fiancee,

who I haven't seen
since all of this started.

It was just a wonderful treat.

(Female announcer)
For this challenge,

our three judges
will ask each home cook

to make them
a classic dish to order.

Joe, what is the first
real, stunning, delicious dish

you want to see?

Be nice.

I'm gonna go
back to my roots.

It's a Northern
Italian classic,

and something that can
certainly distinguish

a great Chef
from an amateur hack.

That dish
is veal milanese.

That is a tall order.

Graham, what would you
want to see?

I think
there's one true dish

that absolutely represents
Americana at its finest.

I want to experience
the greatest slice

of American apple pie.

Because apple pie is so
badass in its simplicity

and deliciousness, right?

I wanna take a piece
of apple pie,

and rub it on this stomach,

while I'm eating
with the other hand.

That's what I want to do.

And I am not afraid to do it
in front of all of you.

And my dish, I suppose
it's the heartbeat

of American classics.

It's something that has
incredible, fond memories

of my first ever trip
to the States.

I'm gonna ask both of you
to make...

Clam chowder.

[Laughs]

New England.

Boston.

Clam chowder's
made all over America.

It doesn't have
to just come out of Boston.

And whether it's a twist
of your interpretation

or your homage
to your ethnic background,

it doesn't matter.

You can make a stunning
clam chowder your way.

Mm, crap.
Double crap.

And, "oh, apple pie."
I got the apple pie.

You're cooking for a spot
in the final.

Okay. Clearly the Chef
with the most votes

will go through
to the MasterChef final.

We've got three dishes.

The first person to two,
that's it.

You're in the finals.

(Gordon)
Your time starts from now.

Off you go.

[Cheers and applause]

Two hours.
Three stunning dishes.

Your time starts...

Now.
Off you go.

[Cheers and applause]

(Sheetal)
I heard clam chowder.

I heard veal milanese.

And I panicked
for about a split second,

and then I realized
I know how to do this.

I can completely do this.

This is not
gonna be a problem.

(David)
There's no middle of the road.

There's no bottom three,
there's no top three.

You win or you lose.

Sheets, I'm sending you
home to Chicago,

so, uh, pack your bags.

This is it.
It's game time.

(Gordon)
One of you's going home.

One of you's going into the
first ever MasterChef final.

You got it. You got it.
You got it.

All right.

I've never made
an apple pie before.

And having to do so
in front of my mother,

who can cook 14 in 5 hours,

blindfolded with one hand
tied behind her back,

I'm a little nervous
about it.

What are you gonna
put in there?

What are you flavoring
the apples with?

Oh, I'm using star anise.
Star anise. Nice.

A little lemon juice,
Brown sugar.

You know, the apples
for apple pie,

it's a simple dish,
and it has to speak for itself.

And also with the pastry,

is it a buttery pastry
you've made, or very rich?

It's buttery,
but it's not too buttery.

'Cause if it's too buttery,

it's very difficult
to work with.

But it's buttery.

It's definitely not
a low-fat dessert.

If I have a thing
that's a dessert,

it's apple pie,
so I was very, very confident.

(Gordon)
90 minutes left.

Good job. Good job.

[Cheers and applause]

The fact that Sheetal's
got the bottom

already lined, she's working
on the top right now,

perfect.
There we go.

The apples are cooked,

they're all in the shell

and they're gonna be
going in the oven,

and that you're still having
trouble making the first--

the first layer is...
It scares me.

You guys know I don't bake.

No, but that--
you got to figure this out.

Yep.
You're in
a tailspin now.

(Gordon)
Sheetal and David,

those pies should have been
in the oven by now.

[Cheers and applause]

There's no way
I'm gonna be MasterChef

without putting something
resembling an apple pie

on a plate.

So, you know,
I took my broken crust,

and I formed it
in a little ramican,

put about an apple's worth
of apples in the middle,

did the same crumb top
that my mother always does.

Looks great from here.

And my little, little tiny,
little apple pie

is pretty much done.

Yay, Dave.
Good job. All right.

Right.
One hour gone.

One hour left.

Three stunning dishes.

One of you will be
leaving MasterChef.

One of you will be going

straight through
to the MasterChef final.

Make sure you've got a stunning,
delicious clam chowder.

(Female announcer) While Sheetal
seems to have the advantage

with the traditional
apple pie,

she'll need to win
two of the three dishes

to move on to the final.

(Gordon) On the three dishes
that you've got to do,

what's the weakest element?

What one are you
most worried about?

I think
the clam chowder.

Clam chowder?
Yeah.

The one that you
have to taste.

If there's one piece
of advice to both of you,

don't underestimate the
saltiness of the clam naturally.

Okay.
Just be careful
of the seasoning.

Seasoning.
Yeah.

(Joe)
All right, Miller.

You got three dishes

that separate you from
going on to the final,

and ultimately $1/4 million

and the title
of MasterChef.

How are you feeling
about that?

I am good.
I have everything I need.

What's the story
with the chowder now?

The chowder? I'm just
cooking the potatoes down.

Okay.

That's the liquid
from the clams?

Yeah.
That's really nice.

Oh, if there's anything
I know how to do right,

it's clam chowder, so...

Okay, I hope so.

There's no way
I'm gonna lose.

It's New England
clam chowder.

Okay, so, clams,

what's the strategy on those?

You gonna steam them?

Yes, with--
in wine and water.

Actually, um, what do you
think of this idea?

I was going
to for the stock, um,

use shrimp shells
for some flavor?

Fabulous. Smart.

Yeah? Okay.

From Joe, you know,

you learn these little
tricks of the trade,

like to put fish bones
or shrimp shells in,

to season that stock,
to flavor that stock,

and when I told him
that that was my plan,

I could see that he was like,
"good girl."

Sheetal, David,
taste, taste, taste, yes?

That's good.

There's only 20 minutes
to go, yes?

Keep it going, guys, yes?

Make sure your pan's on.

Get that pan nice and hot

to get a good sear
on the veal.

Come on, Sheetal.
Come on.

Don't stand there
boiling veal.

A completely different taste
on a veal milanese.

I decided to go with
the absolute traditional way

of cooking this veal,

which is you pound the veal,

you bread it, you pan-fry it.

That is veal milanese.

(David)
At this stage in the game,

you really want to show
the judges

all of the skills,
techniques,

and real knowledge
of master cookery.

(Female announcer)
Attempting to wow the judges,

David breaks tradition
and take a huge risk

by cooking his veal
in the oven.

Oh, my God.
What in the world?

Yeah.

Wow.
That is pretty [Bleep].

I'm that badass.

Either that,
or out of your mind.

You score it appropriately.
That's all I ask.

It's completely
untraditional.

And you could do it.

You'd have to be
a very skilled cook

to be able to cook it through

browning the outside.

You know, you'd lose
the whole essence of it,

but it's a big,
big bold move.

Bold.

You da man.

How do you know
you've got that crisp

when you cook it like that
in the oven?

And, more importantly,
it's not pounded.

It looks like a veal chop.

For one of you,

this is your last
three minutes now

inside MasterChef kitchen.
Come on.

Make it count.

God.

Sheetal,
these last minutes,

normally the most
disastrous for you.

Yes.
Stay calm, composed,

but more importantly,
use those minutes wisely.

Come on, Sheetal.
Come on.

(Female announcer)
In this semi-final,

timing is everything.

All three dishes must be
completed and served together.

Look at that.

Whoo!

Come on, Sheetal.
Come on.

I mean, there's a strong
possibility

Sheetal might be able
to sneak in and steal it.

I mean, she's cooking
the veal perfectly,

the right amount of time.

Yeah? You can hear
the sizzle in the pan.

[Pan sizzles]

All right, Dave, you're--
you're looking golden.

David,
you're golden, Buddy.

It's pretty.
It's pretty.

It's good, Sheetal.
It's good.

You got no time.

You got less
than a minute.

Sheetal, you have
to plate your dessert.

45 seconds to go.

Sheetal, you've got
to get in here.

Go, go, go, go, go.

Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six, five, four,

three, two, one...

Come on. Plate, plate,
plate, plate, plate.

Come on, guys.

The veal, the apple pie,
and the clam chowder

is all going head to head.

The first one
to two out of three

will be going through
to the MasterChef final.

Ten, nine...

Sheetal, you have
to plate your dessert.

Five, four, three,
two, one, and stop.

[Cheers and applause]

Well done.

Very well done.

[Cheers and applause]

Guys, you just spent
the last two hours

looking like
professional Chefs.

Absolutely amazing.

And, just think,
in previous challenges,

we've had one dish
with 90 minutes.

Today, three dishes
in two hours.

Well done.

Thank you, Chef.

Okay, first up, give me
your best bowl ever

of clam chowder.

Being from Boston,

I'm thinking there's no way
I'm gonna lose.

New England clam chowder.

Otherwise, they're not even
gonna let me go home.

This would be a huge upset.

Little girl whose
parents are from India,

her clam chowder takes down
New England boy's clam chowder?

Oh, my God.

Okay,
what I'm looking for

is a rich, sumptuous,

delicious, creamy,
chowder.

Clams cooked perfectly.

Sheetal.
Yes.

What is it
that's unique to you?

What have you done to it?

When I was making the broth,

i put in some shrimp shells

to give it
some additional flavor.

I put some chopped parsley

and a little bacon garnish.

David, what should I
be experiencing

on your modern Twist
of a clam chowder?

It should be a traditional,
New England style clam chowder.

I've used red potatoes, which
should be cooked perfectly.

And is that
tradition in Boston?

That they drizzle
extra-virgin olive oil

on top of a clam chowder?

No.
That's my own spin on it.

Is that a combination of
too much time on your hands,

or are you that [Bleep]
To mess with tradition?

Let's go with the latter.

I'm gonna start
with the one

that looks
the most traditional.

Yours, Sheetal.

For me,
the seasoning is exact.

It's precise. You got that right
amount of heat just in the back.

That's good.

Really good indeed.

David, what should I
be tasting in yours

that I didn't taste
in Sheetal's?

The heat from mine will come
from red pepper flakes.

It will be creamier,
yet it'll still be light.

The red potatoes,
as a contrast to the russets,

I think
are a little earthier,

and that's why
I used the olive oil.

Okay.

The texture of yours
is a lot thinner.

Clams are cooked
absolutely perfectly.

Thank you, Chef.

Damn.

This is a very
difficult choice.

They're both delicious.

The winning chowder...

David Miller.
Well done.

Absolutely delicious.

[Cheers and applause]

Here's why.

There's more of a clam texture
and flavor running through,

but you've managed
to not make it too thick,

so it's so enjoyable,

and it's not three
mouthfuls you want.

It's three
bowlfuls you want.

It tastes
absolutely phenomenal.

Well done.
Well done to you both.

One point Dave.

Zero points for Sheetal.

Sheetal.

If he wins the next one,
you're leaving MasterChef.

How are we doing, guys?

Doing real well.

All right.

We are heading
to grandma's house.

Apple pie time.

Round two.

The apple pie.

You guys will go
with the traditional dish,

or my take on it,

which is not traditional.

(Sheetal)
If I don't have this apple pie,

I'm going home.

And apple pie is my thing.

What apples did you use
in your pie?

All granny Smith.

See how it's just
flaking apart on its own?

I mean, you look at it
wrong and it breaks.

You know?

It's like
it feels me coming.

It's so
completely unadorned.

It's--it's kind of...
Yeah.

Beautiful
in its simplicity.

That crust is amazing.

Great job on that.

Thank you.

David, the fact that this
isn't even an apple pie,

this has better be
the most delicious,

orgasmic experience ever.

It's almost like a...

It's like
an apple cupcake.

Mm.

Look at this.

Crust is a little thick.

A little thick?

It's, like,
a half an inch thick.

Look at the thickness
of that crust

and the thinness
of that apple.

The crumble on top...

It's delicious.

Really good job on that.

So, David,
you have one point.

You need one more to win
and go forward.

Sheetal, you need one point to
stay alive in this competition.

[Sighs]

It's tough.

The apple pie that I want
to have another piece of...

Is Sheetal's.

Well done.

You should be super proud
with that.

That's a delicious, all-around
great American apple pie.

Thank you.
Well done.

The apple pie.

Sheetal completely
destroyed me on it.

I'm back in it.
One, one.

It's tied.

It's a tied game.

Okay, David, Sheetal,

serve me
two perfectly executed

veal milaneses.

Yes, sir.

(Sheetal) It's a traditional,
authentic dish.

You pound the veal,
you bread it,

you pan-fry it.

That is veal milanese.

You think of Italian
and you think of Joe,

and you know he's very deeply
rooted in his traditions.

Just Joe.

One guy gets me
into the finals.

Uh, or sends me home.

Sheetal, what went
through your mind

when we asked you to cook
this Italian classic?

The first thing
i needed to do

was to make sure that
the veal was pounded

so that it cooked evenly.

I think that's tricky
when it's on the bone.

David, a veal milanese
is traditionally pan-fried.

How did you cook this?

It's actually--
it's pan fried,

and then
finished in the oven.

Sheetal,
a traditional milanese,

it would be the inside
to a perfectly medium-rare.

Sheetal,
yours is cooked...

Almost perfectly.

It's very,
very finely seasoned.

David.

You know this is a very
unorthodox approach.

A milanese
[Speaks Italian]

As they would say, thick,

is not
a traditional milanese.

Was that an intentional,

strategic move on your part,
or by accident?

It was intentional.

This is a truly
difficult decision.

A traditionally executed
plate that's well done

against one that takes
the spirit of the dish

and interprets it
in a kind of innovative way.

Like, are they gonna give it
to her 'cause it's flat,

or are they
gonna give it to me

'cause it's absolutely
cooked perfectly?

The veal milanese
that I will choose...

I'm like, "just [Bleep] Say
what you're gonna say.

Tell me what's gonna happen."

With $250,000 on the line,

the cookbook,
the title of MasterChef,

this is a decision
that really weighs on me.

The veal milanese
that I will choose

that will take either of you
into the final round...

Is the one that shows
tradition...

Combined with technique
and innovation.

Bravo, David Miller.

Congratulations.

[Cheers and applause]

Congratulations.

Sheetal.

Thank you.

David,
congratulations.

Thank you, Chef.

Sheetal,
you've been amazing.

From the first instant when
you walked through those doors,

you had my vote.

That level of love,
passion,

that you have with food
doesn't end here.

You must continue
that journey.

My experience here
at MasterChef

has been life-changing
for me as a cook.

These are the flavors,

these are the spices
of my childhood.

I felt like I was
in India tasting that.

I have grown
leaps and bounds.

Sheetal, come here.
Two seconds. What's the matter?

I've never killed
anything in my life.

Now, you can do this.

(Joe)
Congratulations.

I'm sure that crab
was very, very happy

to give its life
for this dish.

There are not enough words

to convey how proud I am

to have been part of such
an amazing creative process.

I've definitely
grown as a cook,

so I'm taking that with me.
Definitely.

Sheetal,
you've been amazing.

Thank you.

Don't take your apron off.
You deserve to keep it.

Thank you.
Well done.
Thank you.

Ready for round two.

Please, Lee and Whitney,
let's go.

Good luck, guys.

(Whitney)
I have two hours to cook

the best three dishes
of my life

so that I can position myself
into the finals

against Dave.

(Lee) Whitney is gonna
go down first.

Dave is gonna go down second,

as far as I'm concerned.

I'm sure you're dying
to get started,

but more importantly, who's
gonna be watching you cook?

Because behind that door,

there are some
very excited faces

to see you both.

[Cheers and applause]

I've never been away from
my family as long as I have,

and just to see
my family's faces,

it was just amazing.

Lee, happy to see
your girlfriend?

I love you.

I love you.

And my best friend
since we were 12 years old.

There's one
missing ingredient,

and someone very special,
close to your heart.

Say hello to Hannah,
your mom.

All the way from Israel.

She has made the trip
to be here

to wish you all the best
in your semi-final.

I've last seen my mom
nine months ago.

I didn't imagine
that she would come here

all the way,
but here she is,

and I'm speechless.

I'm so happy that she's
here for this.

Now the pressure
is really on.

You're about to face
the toughest two hours

ever so far in MasterChef.

Give your ladies
a kiss good-bye.

Whitney, say good-bye.

Your mother and father
are only going up there.

You'll be fine, okay?

Oh, God.
Love you.

Now that everybody's here,
even your mother,

are you ready?
Absolutely.

Whitney,
are you ready?

Yes.

(Female announcer)
At just 22 years old...

I'm like a butterfly
and sting like a bee,

and I'm ready
for the competition.

Mississippi student Whitney
is the youngest semi-finalist.

I'm looking to win.

While some of her savory dishes
have been inconsistent...

This could be the first time
you're showing your age.

Her brilliant desserts

have earned her the nickname
the pastry princess.

Your souffle was...
Perfect.

Absolutely perfect.

And the winning dish, Whitney.
Well done.

(Female announcer) And made
this young cooking prodigy

a serious candidate
for the title

of America's
first MasterChef.

(Gordon) I mean,
it's cooked by an angel.

(Female announcer)
California bartender Lee

has only been cooking seriously
for a year.

The first American MasterChef,

that's what I'm here to do.

(Female announcer)
His bold flavor combinations,

elegant technique and
sophisticated plating style...

That's gorgeous.

You've set the pace
in MasterChef.

(Female announcer)
Have wowed the judges enough

to win him
several challenges.

Lee, back to back.

It's never happened before.

(Female announcer)
But could his over-ambition...

It's not popping for me,

and I just expect that you can
come up with something exciting.

Cost him
the MasterChef crown.

Second place
is not an option at all.

Joe.
Yeah.

What are you gonna
challenge them to make you?

Today you're gonna make
a chicken parmesan.

A unique dish.

And don't underestimate
the simplicity

of a great chicken parmesan.

Graham,
what would you want?

The dish that I want you
to cook for me

is a perfect Eggs Benedict.

It's a very difficult
dish to do.

Techniques
of an Eggs Benedict

is very, very sophisticated.

I'm looking for something
with a wow factor.

I challenge both of you

to make me
the most delicious...

Cheesecake.

[Laughs]

That's right.

I'm terrified of
the cheesecake right now.

Really?

Whitney,
is it something

that you could do
with your eyes closed?

Um, I actually barely,
rarely make cheesecake.

Thank God.

Are you ready?

Two hours to cook
three stunning dishes.

And your time
starts from now.

Off you go.

(Female announcer)
In the second semifinal,

the rules remain the same--

three dishes,
two hours, one winner.

This is probably
the highest level of pressure

I've been through since
this competition started.

I won't lie.
I'm a little nervous.

Whitney is fierce.

She's come a long way.

Now she's the head
of the competition,

and I need to watch
my back at all times.

Lee has great creativity,

and that's something
I think that the judges

are really gonna look at

is his creativity
versus my creativity.

[Cheers and applause]

(Lee) I just jumped
on that cheesecake right away.

Whitney's
a strong dessert person.

I am very weak at dessert,

but I'll just do my best.

(Gordon)
Right, Lee.

Now what's the flavor
of the cheesecake?

Cheesecake
has vanilla in it,

and also gonna caramelize
some rhubarb

with some butter,
some sugar, and some ginger.

Make like
a rhubarb compote.

Rhubarb puree on top of
cheesecake sounds delicious.

Right, Whitney?
Yes?

Talk to me
about the cheesecake.

I'm doing
a no-bake cheesecake.

So a no-bake
cheesecake, yeah?

Could turn out to be
a nightmare,

in order for it to set.

You're not baking it,

so, therefore, it's gotta
set in the fridge.

Whitney, as ever,
adventurous, dangerous.

Yeah? Good luck.

Thank you.

Whitney and Lee,
one hour gone.

One hour to go.

One of you will be
going through to the final

to face David Miller.

One of you
will be leaving MasterChef.

Keep it going, guys.
It smells amazing.

[Cheers and applause]

Let's do it, guys.
Come on.

Pump it up.

(Lee) I knew that
the two savory dishes

that we were
gonna have to make,

I have to nail
absolutely perfectly.

What's the bacon for?

The bacon's gonna
go into the...

The chicken roulade.

Aren't we making
chicken parm?

We're making chicken parm.

There's gonna be
plenty of cheese in there.

Sounds confusing.

Taking a simple dish,
and you're mucking it up.

Why don't you make
what I asked for?

You know, I'm
just trying to infuse

some more flavor in there.

I think you're trying to win
is what you're trying to do.

You're trying
to make something better

that's been around
since the beginning of time.

So that's a tall order.

(Gordon)
Tell me about the chicken.

I'm putting
a little twist on it.

I thought you'd
put a twist on it, yeah?

Surprise, surprise.

I'm filling it with a mixture
of mozzarella cheese and...

Filling?

Normally, a chicken
parmesan is flat.

When you say filling,
you're rolling it?

I'm not rolling it.

I'm just gonna make
a little pocket and fill it.

I'm gonna keep
some of the tradition,

but add my own spin.

They're definitely
out there taking risks

with interpreting
the recipe.

I would understand
if one went rogue

and one was consistent,
but they're both off the path.

Which is the reason why
they're called classics.

Lee, Whitney,
20 minutes to go.

Start to visualize
those dishes on the plate.

(Female announcer) With two
of the dishes well underway,

both contestants
have to tackle

a perfectly timed
Eggs Benedict.

How we doing
on my Benedict?

The Benedict
is gonna go over

instead of an English muffin,
which I find boring,

it's gonna go over
a...Like, a latke,

or a potato pancake.

And then the egg
and the hollandaise.

I think it's
gonna go well.

(Gordon)
Eggs Benedict.

What's the
Twist on that?

'Cause there's bound
to be one now.

Yes. I'm gonna do
a grit cake.

A grit cake,
as opposed to the...?

As opposed
to the muffin.

I took a Southern Twist
to it,

and I made a grit cake,

and I did
an andouille sausage,

which pulls to my, like,
cajun background.

(Gordon)
Hollandaise sauce.

When was the last time
you made a hollandaise?

Never.
Never.

[Laughing]

Never, ever, ever.

But, I mean, that's kind
of the spin on everything,

'cause I haven't made a lot
of things since I've been here,

and it's all usually
came out pretty well,

so I'm not so nervous.

That-a-girl.
Way to be.

[Applause]

Is this your first egg
going in?

Yes, it is.

Whoa, look
at that technique. Nice.

She uses the swirl,
the convection.

That is impressive.

I'm gonna do more than one
just so I have a backup.

One hour, 50 minutes gone.

Last ten minutes.

The most
important ten minutes

since you've been here
at MasterChef.

Make it count,
Whitney, Lee.

(Lee) My mom,
the fact that she's present,

honestly, to me, means
more than anything.

And I'm ready to bring it.

I am not giving up till
I get this title under my belt.

Three minutes left.

Come on!

(Female announcer)
For Whitney,

it's time to find out if
her cheesecake had enough time

to set in the fridge.

Yeah!

That is
a very modern cheesecake.

Good job!
Good job!

Smart
and incredibly confident.

No-bake cheesecake setting
within that time in the fridge.

Very courageous.

Good. Lee starting
to put things on a plate.

Thank God for that.

Aah.

(Graham) Oh, no,
whitney, your egg.

Oh, jeez.

(Male announcer)
With only seconds to go,

Whitney must cook
and re-plate her final dish.

15 seconds to go!

Whitney, you've got
to get the egg on the plate!

Oh, lord.

(Gordon)
Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six,

five, four, three...

Sauce it. Sauce it.
Two...

One!

15 seconds to go!

Whitney, you've got
to get the egg on the plate!

Oh, lord.

(Gordon)
Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six,

five, four, three...

Sauce it. Sauce it.
Two...

One, and go!

Stop!

[Cheers and applause]

One of you
will be joining

David Miller in the final
of MasterChef,

the first ever
final of MasterChef.

Good luck to you both.

All right,
let's do it.

Whitney,

why don't you describe
your dish to me real quick?

It's a Southern take
on an Eggs Benedict.

I made a grit cake,
pan fried it,

then I added a little bit
of cajun and bouille sausage.

A Lady after my heart

with the whole Southern
flare kind of thing.

Lee, why don't you
walk me through yours?

So there's a latke
on the bottom

as the starch component,

the prosciutto on top,

and the beautifully
poached egg

with some, uh,
coriander seed

and cayenne hollandaise.

(Graham)
It's very unique.

You went out on a limb.

You decided to change
the actual vehicle

for the Benedict,
the English muffin.

It's a dangerous move,

because it needs
to be really thin

to fry and get crispy
all the way around

like a nice
little hash Brown.

Let's see if we get
some ooze action.

That's a pretty
sexy poached egg,

I must say.

The egg is cooked
perfectly.

All of it combines to make
a really delicious dish

that I'd be psyched
to order in a restaurant.

Yes.

Whitney...

You ready?

Pretty beautiful.

Really nice cooked egg.

Grit cake, Hmm.

All the elements
are prepared correctly,

but the grit cake
is so big,

it's like an 86-ounce
truck-stop grit cake.

I think at
the end of the day,

I gotta go with my heart

and what looks best,
what tastes best,

and what has shown
the most technique.

And, Lee, that is yours.
Congratulations.

Thank you.
Great job.

That's one-nothing to Lee.

Whitney, if you lose
this next plate,

you're leaving MasterChef.

Okay, Whitney, Lee,
serve me chicken parmesan.

(Whitney) I looked at Lee's,
I looked at mine,

and I knew that I had
to get this point to make it.

And, I mean, Joe,
he is a tough, tough judge.

I wanted to have
the gooeyness of the mozzarella

on the inside, instead of
on the outside,

and did a little bit
of a different take

on the marinara.

And, uh, Lee.

I made a great, uh,
tomato sauce,

and over that chicken
that's actually rolled,

stuffed with some mozzarella
on the inside,

and a mushroom duxelle.

All of that was breaded,
some parmesan on top,

give 'em a try.

Lee, your dish
is, um...

Is, I think,
impressing me.

Um, at first,
i was kind of jarred

and quite surprised that
you would take such a risk,

but on further inspection
and on eating it,

it kind of works in a way
on my palate that I like,

although, kind of
a strange interpretation.

[Exhales]

Whitney, your dish,
although in appearance

seems to be kind of rogue,

i'm getting
the melted cheese,

the breaded fried chicken,

and the fluffy
tomato sauce.

Lee, I have to say that...

I gotta give this one
to Whitney.

Congratulations.
Excellent.

[Applause]

(Whitney) When Joe announced
that my dish won,

I was like, "yes! You know,
I still have a chance,"

and I know I'm gonna rock
with dessert.

(Gordon)
Lee and Whitney,

that's one-one.

Next, it's the battle
of the cheesecakes.

Lee, have you done enough

to take down
the pastry princess?

I've done the most
I've ever done

with, uh, pastry
and baking,

and it's right
in front of you,

and I think
it's delicious.

Let's go, Lee and Whitney,
please.

[Applause]

(Whitney) It was
all down to a cheesecake.

Whoever was going
to win this

is going to the finals.

Lee, that looks
a classic baked cheesecake,

New York style,

topped with
a rhubarb compote/puree.

What else
is inside the rhubarb?

There's, um, butter
and sugar, obviously,

and infused, um, ginger.

Whitney, explain
the blackberries

around the outside.
What have you done with them?

The blackberries
have been cooked

in a little sugar
and just let them stew

on the stovetop.

The topping, I let sugar kind
of almost come to a caramel,

kind of like a brittle.

Why did you choose
not to bake a cheesecake

and go with something
that was just set in a fridge?

I like the fluffiness
that it kind of adds

to this take on it
versus the baked.

What are you looking for
inside that cheesecake?

It's gonna be creamy,

and then you have
the texture.

You have the texture
on top,

and then you have
the berries

that will give us
just like a contrast of flavors,

but they'll all work
really well together.

It's incredibly fragrant.

There's a fresh
vanilla bean in there.

Right, Lee.

What are you hoping for
inside that cheesecake?

Well, it'll be lighter,
definitely sweet,

and some citrus hints
from some lemon juice

and a little bit
of grand marnier.

One bite of cheesecake

is the difference separating
you both right now.

It's actually
a lot lighter than it looks.

The base
is done perfectly.

You've pulled that off.

And it complements
the tart sweetness

of the cheesecake.

Honestly, Lee and Whitney,
this is the closest

i've ever had to judge
two dishes,

and to nominate
one winning dish,

because they both
taste superb.

The person joining
David Miller

in the final
of the first ever MasterChef...

Congratulations to...

Whitney.

[Cheers and applause]

That cheesecake
is unique.

Texture, flavor,

and with that modern
interpretation,

you took a huge risk
and it worked.

I'm definitely
feeling proud of myself.

Here I am now
going into the finals

of America's
first MasterChef,

and this means
the world to me.

Lee, you've gone through
one hell of a journey.

That is
an amazing cheesecake.

You know damn well

you hold a future
in this industry.

That is a dish
to be proud of.

Can I have my mom
just come and try my food?

Please. Having spent
so long on an airplane,

traveling 7,000 miles,
I'd love you to come down.

[Applause]

Hannah, what'd you think?

Amazing.
I don't know where he--

can you join
the judges maybe

for the fourth vote?

No problem, no problem.

Mmm!

(Lee) I came out
a winner today

because I had the opportunity
to cook for my mom.

[Sighs]

[Sniffles]

[Exhales]

And all, you know,
competition aside,

that, to me, means more
than anything,

and it just tells me

that I am doing
the right thing with my life.

Mmm, I'm so proud
of you, sweetheart.

Lee, it's been
an amazing journey.

Yes, it has, Chef.

I promise you, you hold
the most amazing future.

Grab it with both hands

thank you so much.

[Applause]

Let's go, ladies.

This whole experience
just strengthened my belief

that I did find
my calling in life.

I think this dish
delivers on multiple levels.

(Gordon)
You talk like a Chef.

You're very passionate.

Congratulations.

(Lee) It showed me
that I have the potential,

that I have the talent
to really grab it

and make the most of it,

and that's exactly
what I'm gonna be working on.

You have gone
from down here

to jumping up
to the top.

You're a force
to be reckoned with.

(Gordon)
This is the best

and the most unique dish

in the history
of MasterChef.

[Cheers and applause]

(Lee) The education that I got
from this whole experience

is worth just as much
as $1/4 million.

(Female announcer)
Coming up next,

it's David versus Whitney

in the grand finale.

(Gordon)
These next two hours

are the most important
of your lives.

(Female announcer)
The Massachusetts gourmet...

I think I'm gonna be
America's first MasterChef.

(Female announcer) Versus
the down-home Mississippi girl.

That title is mine.

(Female announcer)
They are about to cook

the three most important dishes
of their lives,

but only one will win
$250,000,

a cookbook publishing deal,

and the title of America's
first MasterChef.

Amazing!

(Female announcer)
It's David versus Whitney

in the grand finale.

(Gordon)
These next two hours

are the most important
of your lives.

(Female announcer)
They are about to cook

the most important dishes
of their lives,

but only one will become
America's first MasterChef.

Amazing!

♪ MasterChef 1x13 ♪
Original Air Date on September 15, 2010

Welcome to the MasterChef
main event.

It began
with tens of thousands

of amateur cooks
across the country,

hoping
for a unique opportunity

to be crowned America's
first ever MasterChef.

We're now down
to our final two.

Whitney,
a 22-year-old student,

who's become a force
to be reckoned with.

Can the pastry princess
become MasterChef?

I might be small,
I might be young,

but I'm fierce
in the kitchen.

That title is mine.

And David,
a software engineer from Boston,

who shed his arrogance

and has blown us away
with his dishes

to become a true contender
for the title.

It comes down
to one final battle,

and, uh...And I'm
coming out on top.

I will be America's
first MasterChef.

One of these two finalists
will win $1/4 million

and be given
a unique opportunity

to publish
their very own cookbook

and earn the distinction

of becoming the first ever
American MasterChef.

And it's all happening
tonight!

Whitney and David,
please go to your stations.

[Cheers and applause]

Okay, these next two hours
are about to become

the most important
of your lives.

You're about
to propel yourself

into a league of super Chefs.

(Female announcer) In this,
the grand finale,

David and Whitney will make
their best three dishes,

a mouthwatering appetizer,

perfect entree,

and delicious dessert.

After tasting, Gordon,
Graham, and Joe

will decide which amateur cook
will be crowned

America's first MasterChef.

(Gordon) Whitney,

give me an insight
to your best ever appetizer,

your most
sought-after entree,

and one of
the most delicious desserts

you've ever cooked.

My appetizer would be
a crispy corn cake,

topped with
a black-eyed pea puree,

a shrimp, and
a turnip-green Pesto.

The entree would be
a country fried chicken

atop creamy collard greens.
Wow.

And then the dessert
would be

a twist on a classic
bread pudding,

and it's a white chocolate
bread pudding,

but it's pureed,

and so it's a light,
fluffy texture,

with a white chocolate sauce
and raspberry coulis.

Dave?

For the appetizer,
it would have to be

a scallop ceviche,

served with a cream
of fresh pea and mint soup.

For the entree, you know,

I've got to go
with the beef Wellington.

Wow.

That's one
of my signature dishes.

Uh, I'm well aware.

A tall order,

and it took me
a good few years

to perfect.

If it's done right,
it's fantastic.

[Laughter]

I love your confidence.

You know,
I absolutely love it.

And for dessert?

For dessert, um,

I have to go
with nectarine crepes.

(Gordon) Wow.

Again, another one
of my favorite dishes.

All six dishes
sound amazing.

You've already beaten
a lot of deserving individuals

along this journey.

They would give
absolutely anything today

to be standing
in your shoes right now.

But don't take
my word for it.

Take theirs.

Oh.

Yeah!

[Cheers and applause]

Say hello to
your former competitors.

With the exception
of Dave and Whitney,

please, everybody, up there.
Let's go.

Wish them luck!

[Cheers and applause]

[Laughing]

The best dishes you've ever
cooked in your entire lives,

a stunning appetizer,

a phenomenal entree,

and, finally,
a unique dessert.

Three dishes, two hours,

one winner.

Let the MasterChef final

begin. Off you go.
Good luck.

[Cheers and applause]

Let's go.

I'm rooting for the girl
who took me down, Whitney.

(Jenna)
I'm rooting for Dave.

He was the person I was
putting more stock into.

I'm rooting for that
Mississippi girl, Whitney.

(Tracy) Whitney is
gonna bring it

for the girls
down South.

Dave is gonna be the one.

(Sheena) I'd like
to see Whitney win.

(Jake) I was rooting
for Whitney.

(Whitney) Nothing
is gonna get in my way.

That title is mine.

I think
I'm gonna do it.

I think I'm gonna be
America's first MasterChef.

[Cheers and applause]

[Cheers and applause]

We've totally squared off

in the big cook-off here,

between
a restaurant-style menu

and a home-cooked menu.

Home-style, but done
with a modern twist.

(Graham) Right.

(Female announcer)
Whitney will prepare

a corn cake appetizer,

topped with
a black-eyed pea puree,

shrimp,
and turnip green Pesto,

followed
by country fried chicken

on a bed of collard greens,

and ending with
a white chocolate bread pudding

with raspberry coulis.

(Graham) If he
underestimates Whitney,

he's got
another thing coming.

It's bitten everybody
in the backside before.

(Female announcer) David will
prepare scallop ceviche

with fresh pea
and mint soup appetizer,

followed
by beef Wellington,

and ending
with a nectarine crepe.

If he pulls
this menu off

with that level
of intricacy,

he's gonna kick her butt.

Let's get that right.

Let's look
at the appetizers.

I am fascinated to taste

that marinated
ceviche scallops

and the chilled pea soup.

(Joe) Again, there's always
from David Miller

a lot of unorthodox,
untraditional technique

that sometimes
has led to victory.

Let's see
what he does today.

(David) We've got
the scallop ceviche,

bright, spicy...

Alongside this creamy, chilled
fresh pea soup with mint.

You would never
put those two together,

but I will.

Perfect.

(Whitney) My appetizer
is crispy corn cakes

with a black-eyed pea puree,

a turnip green Pesto,

and a shrimp on top.

I mean, that is
so many different things

going on at one time.

The thing with
whitney's appetizer,

even thought is kind
of low country cuisine,

the fact that she's
elevating it

by taking
the black-eyed peas,

making a nice puree
of them,

as well as taking
the turnip green

and making a Pesto,

i've never seen
that done before.

What a great use
of a green

that most people
throw away.

(Joe) It's rustic.

It'll probably be delicious.

My question is,
is she bringing dishes

that will grab our attention
and really say, "wow"?

Does it have what it takes
to win MasterChef?

Uh, good. They're fresh.

If I start keeling over
in pain

halfway through, you'll know the
scallops are no good.

[Laughter]

[Snooty accent]
The scallop ceviche.

He's laughing
and joking now.

Let me know in 25 minutes
what time it is.

Look at the difference
on their faces.

One is so focused
so concentrated.

The other one wants
to play to the audience.

Nice. Can you smell that?

[Laughter]

Uh, listen, one little
piece of advice.

Less talk and more focus.

Forget them.
Shut them down.

She hasn't said
one word to anybody yet.

She's in the zone.

I need you to get
in that zone. Focus.

I know what you're like
when you can focus.

You got it.
Thank you, Chef.

Okay, let's do it.

(Female announcer) With just
half the time remaining,

David and Whitney
move on to their desserts.

[Cheers and applause]

But Whitney seems to be
deviating

from her original plan,

and is now making a souffle.

Why would Whitney change
at the very last minute

and start attempting
to do a souffle,

when a stunning
white chocolate bread pudding

can be the most delicious
dessert anywhere in the world?

I don't understand
why she'd need to risk

everything now over that.

Imagine the irony
if the pastry princess

was taken down
by her dessert.

(Tony)
Stay focused, Whitney.

Go with your gut.
Go with your gut, girl.

Which is the dish
you're most nervous about

out of the three?

Is it the dessert, entree,
or appetizer?

Sadly, my dessert,
because...

Which is the first time I've
ever heard you talk like that.

You've never been nervous

or intimidated
by a dessert.

Is it because
you've turned the dessert

into a souffle now?

Yes.

(Whitney) Souffles are
so temperamental.

They can overcook,
and then you're gonna have

this really yucky texture,

or you could undercook it,

and it'll just be
a big, gooey mess.

If that doesn't work,

it's gonna cost you
$1/4 million.

Oh, man.

(Female announcer)
With 45 minutes left to go,

David and Whitney are
now focused on the finish line

and putting everything
they have

into their entrees.

(Graham) Great thing
about chanterelles

is that they're so firm,

and you have
a great texture,

that when you sear,
yeah,

they get a beautiful
caramelization

and earthiness to them.

Oy vey.

He's taken one
of the most expensive,

delicious, flavorful mushrooms
in the entire world

and put it
into a food processor

and turned it
into a puree.

And lost flavor.

And lost flavor.

(Joe)
Whoa!

That is
a very big mistake.

(Gordon)
Beef Wellington,

i know how many times
that could go wrong

across the cooking process.

Pastry sweating,
beef undercooked.

(Graham)
To wrap it up and not
be able to see it

and kind of cook blind

and then slice into it
and see--

(Gordon)
If that beef is undercooked,
and you slice through,

you can't re-cook that.

David?
Yes, Chef?

Three difficult dishes.

Yes, Chef.
Wellington especially.

What's the one dish
you're most nervous about?

The Wellington for you.

The Wellington?
Yeah, absolutely.

The secret of that
is letting it rest

and not slicing it open
too early.

(David) Anybody
who's gonna serve

a beef Wellington
to Gordon Ramsay

had better know
what they're doing.

(Gordon) You know
how difficult

those wellingtons
are to cook?

Yes, sir.

You picked some of the
most expensive ingredients

anywhere in the world
against Whitney,

who has some of
the cheapest ingredients.

A filet of beef against
a breast of chicken.

Yes, Chef.

You're going all out.

You've got to
make them work.

Yes, Chef.

The chicken,
are you pounding the chicken?

To put into
the marinade, or...?

Yes, I'm doing it like
a country fried steak,

but I'm doing chicken.

(Whitney) My cooking
and Southern cooking

is taking
ordinary ingredients

that don't cost that much,

like collard greens
or turnip greens,

and elevating them
to something so much more.

(Joe) Steak-fried
chicken breasts,

you're talking about
one of the poorest proteins

cooked in the poorest way,
a true Southern tradition.

And she's taking
that tradition and technique

and applying
to her chances to win

the first ever title
of American MasterChef.

Yeah.
Now, that's risky stuff.

(Female announcer) For David,
it's the moment of truth,

as he prepares to slice
into the beef Wellington,

a dish that took Chef Ramsay
years to perfect.

[Exhales] Come on, David,
come on, David.

(Female announcer)
With $1/4 million on the line,

overcooked or undercooked,
there is no turning back.

Ha ha!

How is it, David?

Perfect!

Way to go!

(Gordon)
15 minutes to go.

(David) If there's anything
that's gonna take Whitney down,

it is her time management
skills.

Every competition, she is down
to the last 30 seconds.

(Gordon) We're now
with 10 minutes left

in the first ever final
of MasterChef.

Keep it going, Whitney!

Dave, come on!

Keep it going!

I am trying
to hurry up and plate,

because I really want
to make sure I have time

to make my plates
look beautiful.

Run, baby, run.

Let's go, whit-whit!

There's a lot riding
on this dish

that I was presenting
to them,

and it had to be amazing.

Oh, crap.
Oh, shoot.

Oh, Whitney.

Ten minutes left in the first-ever
final of MasterChef.

Keep it going.

Way to go!

[Overlapping chatter]

[Cheering]

Oh!
Oh, shoot!

Oh, Whitney.

She dropped the chicken.
She dropped the chicken.

It's okay, it's okay.

I cooked my heart out
for the past two hours,

and put everything in me
into those dishes.

It's okay, it's okay.
You've got it.

(Whitney)
I've left school,
my family,

everything that means
the world to me,

because I wanted
this title.

[Overlapping chatter]

You can do it, baby!

(Whitney)
Somebody was going home,

and I didn't want that
to be me.

Come on, Whitney!

I feel like everybody
that's watching me--

my family, they're all
rooting for me,

and I'm thinking, Whitney,

you're not letting that title
slip through your hands.

It's so close.

I just buckled it up
and went into overdrive.

[Cheering]

Come on, y'all!
Come on!

Come on, Whitney!
Come on, Whitney!

[Cheering]

(Gordon)
You've got five minutes to go.

The last ever five minutes

in the MasterChef final.

Come on, guys.

[Cheers and applause]

Keep it going,
Whitney, Dave, come on.

Whoo!

Good girl!
Good girl!

[Cheers and applause]

(Gordon)
Keep it going!

[Cheers and applause]

All right, you did it,
baby, you did it.

One minute to go!

[Applause]

Come on, Whitney!
Come on, Whitney!

Great job!
Yeah!

Yeah!

Come on, guys.

Yes.

All right, Dave.

Ten, nine,

eight, seven,

six, five,

four, three,

two, one...

Stop!

[Cheers and applause]

Bring it!

Oh!

Yeah, bring it!
Bring it!

Good job, whit-whit!

Whoo!

(David)
Good job.

Come here.

[Cheering]

I'm just saying,
we're done! Done!

Absolutely amazing.

All right, contestants,
families, and friends,

there's one thing
you won't be watching,

and that's us tasting
all six dishes.

Not here, but inside
the MasterChef restaurant.

We'll meet you in there,
both of you,

with your appetizers.

Good luck.
Good luck.

Let's go.

[Applause]

(David)
If you had asked me
six weeks ago

whether or not I'd have the
opportunity to win MasterChef,

I would have said,
not a chance in hell.

Sitting here now,
in the final two,

I think I'm gonna do it.

I think I'm gonna be
America's first MasterChef.

[Cheers and applause]

All right, Dave!

There's a lot riding
on this one dish

that I was presenting
to them,

because I seriously
want that title.

Like, I want it so bad.

(Female announcer)
Whitney and David

will present
their three courses

one dish at a time
for the judges to taste.

The finalist
with the best dishes

will become America's
first MasterChef.

What a phenomenal
two hours.

Well done. To both.
Thank you, Chef.

Good job.
Okay. Appetizers, please.

They smell delicious.

Dave, please, what is it?

We've got
a Sea scallop ceviche

served alongside a cream of
fresh pea and mint soup.

(Gordon)
Wonderful.

David, do you pour
the soup over it or just sip?

Personally, I would not
eat them together.

They're there as a complete
and total contrast, separately.

Sorry. Excuse me.
Just stop there.

You wouldn't
eat them together,

so why are they
on the same plate?

(David)
Um, again, they--

independently,
they don't work.

So it's not an appetizer.

It's two courses
on one plate.

I did it intentionally

so that they would be
separate parts.

Okay, let's go.

[Coughs]
[clears throat]

[Coughs]

Dave, please, what is it?

You've got
a Sea scallop ceviche

served alongside a cream of
fresh pea and mint soup.

[Coughs]

Could you just run through

what exactly you've put in
the bottom of the shot glass

with the scallops?

There's a touch of--

maybe more than
a touch of jalapenos.

[Clears throat]

God, that's hot.

[Clears throat]
Okay.

Whitney,
describe your dish, please.

I have a crispy corn cake,

and on top
is a black-eyed pea puree

with a turnip green pesto
and shrimp.

(Joe)
Do you think
that some of these,

uh, ingredients
that you've put here

are a little bit unorthodox,
kind of the combination,

or does it all
make sense in your mind?

(Whitney)
When you taste it, you'll
taste the different flavors,

the textures, and I think they
all work really well together.

How did you cook the shrimp?

I made almost
like a crab bowl.

Seasoned the water
with salt, added onion,

and then dropped it
in there to add flavor.

I wonder if these shrimp
are actually cooked.

How long did you
boil them for?

Um, I boiled them
for about three minutes.

(Gordon)
Thank you, Whitney.

Thank you, David.

Next, bring us both your entree,
please. Thank you.

Let's start off
with Dave, shall we?

I liked the heat. I mean,
maybe it's a personal thing.

But it's a fabulous contrast
of acid and base.

It's textbook, and that
contrast on your palate

is very, very intriguing
and ultimately very powerful.

Uhh! Hold on. The jalapeno
peppers are way too powerful.

I think the dish
and its presentation

and the concept
really works.

It's like a yin and a Yang,
and it's very powerful.

It stops you in your tracks
and you say, "wow.

"Someone's really thinking
about flavors

for my dining experience
here."

My big question is, why was
he so lacking in confidence

and telling us
not to eat it together,

when he served it together?

I think that
his confidence is a front.

He's an intuitive cook.

He can put it on the plate.

I don't think he could
communicate it well,

and I think in this
high-pressure scenario,

he's breaking,
he's cracking.

That is a better appetizer
than you will get

in most restaurants.

Okay, and Whitney's
black-eyed pea puree,

delicious,
and it's quite a invention

to have the [Bleep]
To puree that.

The corn cake looks
perfectly griddled.

Seasoned nicely.
Seasoned nicely.

This is true
southern food.

She's trying to elevate it
to a different level.

But if the shrimp
had been cooked more,

this could be
a delicious dish.

Both dishes have got
highs, yeah? And lows.

Very tough.

[Cheers and applause]

I am beyond proud
of myself.

It is the most stunning
beef Wellington

I personally
have ever made.

(Announcer) But is Whitney's
seven-minute chicken

cooked to perfection or raw,

which could cost her
the title?

I was very nervous
about whether or not

my chicken
was gonna be done.

I mean, my adrenaline
is pumping like crazy.

Thank you.
Entrees, please.

Okay.

Dave, explain exactly
what your dish is, please.

It is a traditional
beef Wellington beef tenderloin

wrapped with prosciutto,
duxelle mushrooms,

a touch of Foie gras pate,
wrapped in puff pastry

and, uh, baked.

I've made these
a thousand times.

I'm so excited
to taste this.

I want this sort of almost
to melt in my mouth.

Is that my expectation?

Yes, Chef.

(Gordon)
Beef seared beautifully.

Seasoned perfectly.

Here's the thing.

You took the best cut of beef
anywhere in the world

and made your life
difficult with it

in the most pressurized contest
anywhere in America tonight.

And it's not bad,

but it's not perfect.

You had two up your sleeve

and wrapped up
both of them,

and then opened up one,
sliced it,

two more minutes, and then
you're gonna hit perfection.

Help me to understand.

Why would you pick a dish
that took me a thousand times

to get right?

You're good enough
to be perfect.

That's what I tried
to say to you earlier.

I've seen you focus

in a way
that is so admirable.

David, I can see the regret
welling in your eyes.

And don't--don't--
don't do that.

A ton of--a ton of technique
involved in that.

Whitney, talk us
through your dish.

I have a pan-fried
country-fried chicken

over creamed collard greens.

Where I get my excitement
watching you cook,

at the age of 22,

you've got something
that all three of us

can never teach you.

You have an amazing palate,
and that's why you're standing

in the final of MasterChef.

What I'm more nervous about
is pink chicken.

You had seven minutes left,

and you dropped
your original chicken.

Cooking a chicken breast
in seven minutes

is virtually impossible.

Is this one cooked?
Yes.

Because it that's raw,

we cannot taste this dish.

How do you know
that chicken is cooked?

Um, I mean,
I don't know, but--

you didn't even touch it
before it went on a plate.

Cooking a chicken breast
in seven minutes

is virtually impossible.

I'm taking
the thickest end,

and if that's raw,
we cannot taste this dish.

Whitney...

It's cooked perfectly.

(Whitney)
I was freaking out.

I was like, seriously,
you have a chance now, Whitney.

You have a chance.

It's like creamed
textured spinach,

but with the much cheaper,
humble ingredients.

Are collard greens
cheaper than spinach?

Yeah, much cheaper.
They give them away.

(Graham)
Yeah, exactly, they do.

Collards are something
that you have to cook

at a very low temperature
for a long time.

You cut them
extremely thin.

That was really smart.

You've, uh, managed again
to, uh, execute

a very well-cooked
chicken breast.

Thank you.

(Gordon)
Dave, Whitney,

please bring in
your final dishes.

Thank you.

It's fancy versus simple,

at-home gourmet versus
Southern hospitality beauty.

Mm-hmm.

This is something
that you would get

at a diner
in the low country.

And Dave's is something
that you would order

at a very fine restaurant
in New York City.

So again, it is
the culinary civil war.

North versus South.

That dish has got
great potential.

There's no two ways
about it.

He just needs to make
another five at a time

before he perfects it.

Right.

The buttermilk chicken.

Unbelievable.
Unbelievable.

And she did it
with seven minutes to go.

(Graham)
Right.

Ready for dessert?
Yep.
Let's do it.

[Cheers and applause]

I didn't think about
anything else.

Even though I knew
how important this was,

I was like, you're not
letting that title

slip from your hands.

It's so close.

(David)
It comes down to one
final battle, and, uh,

and I'm--I'm coming
out on top.

(Gordon)
Right.

Dave, what is that?

That is a nectarine crepe,
suzette style.

(Gordon)
Talk to me
about the nectarines.

What did you do?

(David)
Sauteed them in butter

and Brown sugar

and flambeed with cognac.

The secret of a good crepe
is in the color

and the thinness
and the texture,

and, of course,
the filling.

The crepe's nice and thin.

That's good.
Really good, indeed.

I think I like the filling
a little better

than the actual crepe
on this one.

Mm-hmm.

[Speaks french]

Very good.

Merci.

Whitney, what is that?

It's a white chocolate
bread pudding,

but I put my own spin on it

and made it more of like
a souffle.

And I have a white
chocolate sauce,

with a little bit
of raspberry coulis.

The first thing I got
taught in Paris was never,

ever turn out a souffle
out of its mold.

Why would you turn out
a souffle?

I wanted it to be able
to eat it with the sauce.

It's a take on somewhat
of a souffle,

but more of
a bread pudding style.

The texture's moist
in the center.

Two very delicious desserts.

Really good desserts.

And now we have some
serious thinking to do.

The next time you see us,

we'll be announcing
the winner

of the first-ever
MasterChef.

Go back through

the kitchen.

Well done.
Thank you very much.

Good luck.

(Gordon)
That ended on a high.

Amazing.
Unbelievable.

Delicious.
Both incredible flavors. Wow.

It's like
they've switched roles.

She's gone for
the sort of David Miller type,

over-ambitious dessert,

and he's played safe
to something charming.

I definitely would have expected
to see that from her.

Yeah. And what was
the method in her madness?

A souffle is hard enough.
Mm-hmm.

Tipping it out
onto a base

of white chocolate sauce
with fresh raspberries,

I mean, is she crazy?

(Female announcer)
Based on their three dishes,

the judges must now decide

who is the first ever
American MasterChef.

I think David really
excelled with the, uh,

with the appetizer course.

Intelligent plating,
real restauranty style food.

Very Cheffy.
Very, very ambitious.

(Gordon)
Very ambitious.

To serve an appetizer
in two shot glasses,

with that kind
of creativity,

you know, only a professional
Chef would attempt to do that.

The thought process behind it
was light-years ahead

of what Whitney put up.

(Joe)
And I think that where
whitney went wrong

is that she went away
from her instinct

and tried to
intellectualize a dish,

taking Southern
ingredients' techniques,

and making
a restaurant-style dish,

and it didn't work.

Yeah. However,
flip over the entree,

and she pulled it off,
because that chicken

was absolutely delicious.

(Graham)
Two things on the plate,

and it sang.

It was incredible.
It was a beautiful duet.

And the chicken,
she nailed it.

Seven minutes. I don't
know if she was lucky.

I have no idea.
How?
But how, in seven minutes?

Both sides though.
It wasn't a flip,

because if you look
over the entire chicken,

evenly cooked.
Yeah.

Gorgeous golden all around.
And dessert.

I mean, two high points
in terms of

a modern interpretation
of a souffle,

and then a classic.

(Joe)
The crepe was excellent.

I couldn't stop eating it.

(Graham)
The crepe was
simply delicious.

Whitney's souffle,

i've got to give her
incredible credit

for attempting a souffle
in the final.

The actually cookery

and technique
that's involved in this,

I thought it was
an amazing example

of taking something and making
it better and more modern.

More modern.

Unfortunately, there can
only be one MasterChef.

Okay, let's go.

(David)
The title of MasterChef

means the title of
lead software engineer

goes out the window.

It is a chance
to break through

into a bright, new,
and exciting world,

and to be fast-tracked
into that position is a dream.

(Whitney)
This is my biggest dream ever.

I'm just a small-town girl,
and my dream

is it really have
my own catering business,

so becoming America's
first MasterChef

will change my life
completely.

[Applause]

(Gordon)
Both of you arrived inside
the MasterChef kitchen

as amateur cooks.

On tonight's performance,

both of you cooked
like professionals.

You now deserve the right
to stand here right now.

Let's go, huh?

Come on.

[Cheers and applause]

Well done to you both.

This has been
a very tough decision.

And the winner

of America's first ever
MasterChef...

It comes with $1/4 million

and a unique opportunity--
your very own cookbook.

It doesn't get
any better than that.

And that person is...

The winner of America's
first ever MasterChef

goes to...

This has been
a very tough decision.

And the winner

of America's first ever
MasterChef...

It comes with $1/4 million,

and a unique opportunity--
your very own cookbook.

[Exhales]

The winner of America's
first ever MasterChef

goes to...

Whitney!

[Cheers and applause]

Amazing!

Absolutely amazing!

[Cheers and applause]

[Laughs]

(Whitney)
I'm so excited,

and I just really
want to tell everybody

that, you know what?

If you have a dream,
go after it.

My dream was the title of
America's first MasterChef,

and I could not be any more
happy than I am right now.

[Cheers and applause]

Whitney,
you're all out of drink.

[Squeals and laughter]

It's just
a dream come true,

not only for
my wife and I,

but for Whitney.

We are just all
so proud of her.

[Laughter]

(David)
I'm beyond proud of myself.

Even having the opportunity
to even cook for these guys,

to show them that I do have
what it takes, you know?

But wow, next to that one,
she puts me to shame

and I know she's gonna
build that catering business

that she's always wanted.

The first ever American
MasterChef, Whitney!

Well done! Amazing!

(Whitney)
This is indescribable.

I don't even know
how to explain

how happy I am right now.

I'm definitely gonna have
my seven minute chicken

in the cookbook.

I am America's
first MasterChef! Whoo!