Masterchef (2010–…): Season 12, Episode 18 - Semi Finals - full transcript

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GORDON: Previously on
"MasterChef: Back to Win,"

the top six faced the notorious
restaurant takeover.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Wolfgang Puck!

You're going to put the
reputation of Spago on the line.

Feeling the pressure.

But in the fight
to reach the semifinals...

Where's the duck?

Just put it down.
Come on, Emily.

Get your [BLEEP] together!

Uh-oh. It's [BLEEP] raw.

What you trying to do,
close down Spago?



- [BLEEP]
- ...one cook didn't make the cut.

That person is Willie.

- Tonight...
- [SCREAMING]

...it's the fire
and ice semifinals.

You'll be competing
in two challenges tonight.

Unfortunately, we only have room
for three of you in the finale.

All of you will be preparing
an iconic dessert.

- Baked Alaska.
- Fire and ice, baby.

Your next challenge will be
replicating one of my signature dishes.

Oh, God.

Left to right, right to left,
and push.

What are we doing,
a TikTok dance?

MICHAEL: I'm doing whatever
it takes to get in that finale.

I will not go home today.



- [BLEEP]
- This is insanity.

- What?
- Whoa.

- That's awesome.
- Oh, my God.

SHANIKA: Is it snowing
in the MasterChef kitchen?

It looks amazing.

Look at this!

- Wow.
- Oh, my God.

There's snow falling
in the kitchen.

What in the hell do these judges

have up their sleeves today?

- Whoo.
- Oh, boy.

- [SCREAMING]
- Oh, my God!

CHRISTIAN: Can't stand the heat,
get out of the kitchen!

- Fire and ice, baby.
- Right.

Welcome to the fire
and ice semifinals.

- Yes.
- Unbelievable.

Tonight, if you keep your cool,

you will be one step closer
to being up there...

part of "MasterChef" history.

Okay, guys, there's five
of you here right now,

but unfortunately we only have
room for three of you in the finale.

That means tonight two of you
will be going home.

- Wow.
- You will competing in two separate challenges

in the semifinals tonight.

- Oh, my God.
- And in each of tonight's challenges,

whoever cooks the worst dish
will be immediately eliminated.

- Oh, man.
- My heart is beating.

I know. This is crazy.

Now for your first
challenge tonight,

all of you will be preparing
an iconic dessert

that is the perfect merging
of fire and ice...

an incredible...

stunning baked Alaska.

It's one of the most technically
difficult ice cream desserts to master,

requiring a lot of time
and ingredient management.

- Oh, God.
- Oh, my goodness.

Oh, [BLEEP].

So, baked Alaska.
Have I ever made it?

Abso-freaking-lutely not.
Are you kidding me?

We're pairing something cold
with something hot

which are natural opposites
of one another,

so every component of this dish
needs to be technically accurate

in order for it
to come together.

Oh, my God.

Now when you order
a baked Alaska at a restaurant,

it's flambéed tableside.

- Lights, please.
- Ooh.

GORDON: Making it
the ultimate showstopper.

- BOTH: Wow.
- Oh, my God. Insanity. It's beautiful.

GORDON: That flambé caramelizes
that Swiss meringue.

Oh, my God.
This is gonna be hard.

GORDON: Now look at that.

Decadent layers of sponge cake,

delicious ice cream,
and Swiss meringue.

- Mmm.
- Wow.

Each layer must be prepared

with the ultimate perfect timing

or else it'll all fall apart.

Yeah, it'll melt into a puddle.

JOE:
You'll each have 75 minutes...

Ooh.

...to prepare your very own
baked Alaska.

Oh, my gosh.

GORDON: But to pull it off,
you need precise control

over all the tools
in your kitchen,

like those incredible
Viking Ranges...

a chef's dream.

At the end of the challenge,

four of you will move on
to the second phase

of the semifinals.

It's time to get fired up.
Everybody ready?

ALL: Yes, Chef.

Your 75 minutes start now.

- GORDON: Let's go.
- Go, go, go, go, go.

I'm going, I'm going, I'm going!

Baskets! Baskets.

- Okay.
- Here, here.

- I got it.
- Where's the buttermilk?

- All right, give me this.
- Okay, flour.

EMILY: Come on.

It should be ready.

SHANIKA: Perfect.

Baked Alaska is not something
I'm familiar with.

It's known to be one of the most
complex desserts possible.

There's a lot of components. We got
ice cream. We got to do a perfect cake.

This is like
three desserts in one.

Getting everything right here

without skipping a beat,
this is not gonna be easy.

I'm doing whatever it takes
to get in that finale.

I will not go home today.

Oh, yeah.
It smells so good.

I'm making a peach ice cream
with a raspberry swirl

and a vanilla sponge cake.

I've made baked Alaskas
multiple times

and I understand the processes.

So this is a chance for me
to show the judges my technique,

but also that I'm able to manage
time and work under pressure.

I want this so badly.
I'm so close to the finale.

I know what it feels like
to be in the finale.

So I just want to get there.

EMILY: Oh, perfect.

CHRISTIAN: Let's go, baby.

SHANIKA: All right, go-time.

GORDON: Our first ever
baked Alaska challenge.

Even the most talented of pastry
chefs in America fear this dessert.

JOE: There's so many
components to this

that are technical
and scientific

that you never know
who's gonna rise to the top

on this kind of a challenge.

- This is literal insanity.
- This is complicated.

You got sponge, you got ice cream,
meringue. What's the first step?

- The first one is the sponge, okay?
- AARÓN: Yeah, the cake.

- GORDON: You've got to get that in the oven.
- SHANIKA: Yes, cake.

And then ice cream?

Listen, we've got the fast track
to make an ice cream

with that liquid nitrogen,
which is incredible.

But it's all about how you
flavor this ice cream tonight,

because the more
ingredients you have,

it's gonna be hard
for the ice cream to set.

Therefore, the potential danger

is for that Swiss meringue
to fall off.

DARA: Here we go.

GORDON: 60 minutes remaining.

Sponges should be in the oven.

EMILY:
All right. We're in.

Right, Shanika,
tell me about this baked Alaska.

- I'm doing a strawberry lemon
basil ice cream... - Wow.

- ...with a classic vanilla sponge.
- Sounds delicious.

Just be careful. That lemon
juice can separate that ice cream.

- Heard, Chef.
- Now get that ice cream in the freezer.

The more that sets in there,
the better.

- Yes, Chef.
- You've got this, yes?

- I got it, Chef.
- Come on, girl.

Come on, man.

DARA: We got this.

- Emily, what's happening?
- Joe!

What's the plan, Emily?
What do you got?

For the baked Alaska,
I'm gonna do a chocolate base,

topped with a goat cheese
cherry ice cream,

- perfect Swiss meringue.
- JOE: Ooh-la-la.

I've never heard of putting
a savory, strong stinky cheese

like goat cheese
in a baked Alaska.

- EMILY: No?
- You think that's risky?

I like the flavor combination,
but it is a weird one.

- AARÓN: Thank you.
- All right, good luck, Emily.

Thank you.

- DARA: That's it.
- CHRISTIAN: Perfect.

MICHAEL: This is good,
this is good.

GORDON:
45 minutes remaining.

Heard, Chef.

Guys, you've got to set
that ice cream in the freezer

for at least 15 minutes.

- Say a little prayer.
- Whoo.

SHANIKA: Halfway through
this bake, I start panicking

because it seems
that I am behind.

Everybody else has their
ice cream started already.

DARA: It's almost there.

- GORDON: Shanika, you've got
to start the ice cream. - Heard, Chef.

You're gonna have no time
in the freezer,

- and it'll be melting.
- Heard, Chef.

The most important thing in a
baked Alaska is the ice cream.

So if you don't have the ice cream,
you don't have a baked Alaska.

I wouldn't be putting another flavor in my
ice cream now 'cause it's just not gonna set.

Heard, Chef.

This is the shot at
the finale right now,

and I am not gonna let
ice cream take me down.

MasterChef gods,
be with me tonight.

GORDON:
40 minutes remaining.

Guys, you've got to set
the ice cream in the freezer.

The more that sets in there,
the better.

MICHAEL: Beautiful.

- Have to freeze.
- Here we go.

- Ooh. - Everybody else
has their ice cream

in the freezer right now, and I am
still over here adding liquid nitrogen.

That's it. But I don't have
any choice but to push through.

Shanika, you got to get moving
and get that into a mold.

- Let's go. Come on!
- SHANIKA: Yes, Chef.

GORDON: Quick.
In the freezer.

Yes, Chef.
I need my spot in that finale.

To the freezer you go.

Yes. There you go.

30 minutes remaining.
Last half an hour, come on.

Start working
on those meringues.

This is where
it's made or broken.

Okay.

Whew!

- Christian.
- Yes, Chef.

All right, so talk to us
about what you're making.

I'm making a praline pecan
baked Alaska.

So what's the flavor
in your sponge?

CHRISTIAN: It's a vanilla.
Simple vanilla cake.

All right, so what's going on
with your meringue?

CHRISTIAN:
It's looking good right now.

AARÓN: Last thing you need
to do is pipe and assemble.

- Right. - Don't underestimate how long
that process is gonna take.

- I'm not. I got you.
- JOE: Good luck.

Gorgeous.

Right, young man,
how you feeling?

You know,
I'm feeling pretty good.

I got ice cream already
molded in the freezer,

cake's already cooled,
meringue's already whipped.

Good.
Tell me about the ice cream.

What kind of flavor
you got going on in there?

I am doing a bananas Foster
ice cream.

- Mm-hmm.
- And I'm doing my beautiful

bananas Foster drizzle that I'm
gonna actually rub on this cake

- with the liquor.
- Right.

- GORDON: Just be careful
not to go too sweet. - Absolutely.

- Have you tested your meringue?
- I've tested it.

Right, and in terms of volume, is that
enough in there? That's all you've got?

That's it.
I think it'll be enough.

So you have to be sparse
with that.

Make sure the ice cream
is set, okay?

- Good luck, young man.
- You got it.

CHRISTIAN: Oh, yes.

Yes.

Please freeze, please freeze,
please freeze, please freeze.

- Hey, Dara. Good.
- Hi, how are you?

You keeping it steady today?

Yeah, my meringue is whipping.

My sponge, I'm gonna cut it out
right now and prepare it.

So I'm feeling
really good on time.

Are you gonna soak this
with anything or no?

I am. I have a vanilla
simple syrup here.

I really want to highlight
those peach melba flavors...

peach, raspberry, and vanilla.

Did you learn this
at culinary school?

In my restaurant pastry class,

the dessert that I created
was a baked Alaska.

So you don't think anything
can go wrong at this point?

Something can always
go wrong, Joe.

- All right. Good luck, Dara.
- All right. Thank you, Dara.

Thank you.

My cake.

MICHAEL: Oh, yes.

- Exciting stuff out there.
- Yes, absolutely.

- Who's got an edge?
- Come on, build.

What you taking so long for?

Shanika's going down
quite an exotic route...

a strawberry lemon basil
ice cream.

- I like that.
- Wow.

GORDON: But desserts have never
been her strong point,

and this is a technical
challenge tonight,

so I'm hoping she is cooking
with precision

'cause you cannot guess
a meringue.

You cannot guess an ice cream.
It needs to be exact.

Come on, build, build.
Come on, volume.

- Okay.
- Dara has the technical skills

as a baker and pastry chef
to really win this challenge.

- DARA: You got this.
- The issue is that at times

she gets in her own head
and collapses.

Oh, heavy breathing, man.
Heavy breathing.

- We can do this. - Emily's playing
a very aggressive game today.

Chocolate cake,
goat cheese, cherries...

Come on, man.

I've never tasted goat cheese
in a baked Alaska.

I cannot tell you
the amount of jeopardy.

If the ice cream is not set,

this whole thing can melt.

This combination of flavors
is very risky.

She's either gonna hit it
out of the park

or fall flat on her face.

GORDON:
20 minutes to go.

All right, deep breaths.
20 minutes.

All my components are prepared.

I'm ready to put it together,
but I go get my ice cream

and I can just see
that this is not set.

No. What's going on?

Freezing doesn't happen quickly.

Got to firm up.
Got to firm up.

But I don't have hours to let
my ice cream sit in the freezer.

I've got minutes.
All right, I have ten minutes.

It's got to come out
in ten minutes.

It's a little bit like déjà vu.

I know what it's like to go out on
a temperature control challenge

- when it doesn't go your way.
- Come on.

But I don't want
to repeat history,

so today is literally
the most pressure

that I have felt
in the kitchen thus far.

This is insanity.

GORDON: We're down to the last
ten minutes. Come on.

Keep it going, please.

This is insanity.

SHANIKA: Hell yeah. Gorgeous.

Yeah, I think that's it.

DARA: You got this.

- GORDON: Less is more, Christian.
- CHRISTIAN: Yes, Chef.

- GORDON: Take your time, Shanika.
- SHANIKA: Yes, Chef.

Deep breath. Come on.

Oh, come on.
It's melting on the bottom.

All right, everyone,
five minutes! Five minutes.

- Let's go.
- Yes, Chef.

AARÓN: Come on, Christian.
Move it, move it.

EMILY: It is sliding
off the cake.

Why is this happening?

MICHAEL: Oh, shoot.

Guys, Michael has run out
of meringue.

- JOE: What? - GORDON: Look at that.
He's now just using the palate knife

over the egg whites
to smear it on.

That's not the way to do it.

- GORDON: Wow.
- MICHAEL: Oh, my God.

GORDON:
Two and a half minutes to go.

- Come on, start torching.
- Come on.

You want a nice color on
that egg white, okay? Let's go.

Oh, my God.
It looks terrible.

Down to the last ten seconds!

Ten, nine...

JUDGES: Eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one.

- AARÓN: Hands in the air.
- GORDON: Well done!

Oh!

GORDON: Oh, my goodness me.

MICHAEL: Whew,
that was a close one.

That was a really stressful
75 minutes.

EMILY: Oh, damn it.

GORDON: First of all, well done.
That's a very tough challenge.

First up, Dara.

I'm really happy with how
my baked Alaska turned out,

but I'm not gonna know what
it looks like on the inside

or tastes like until the judges
cut open that cake.

Now describe
that beautiful baked Alaska.

So tonight I prepared
a peach melba baked Alaska

with a vanilla sponge cake
and a peach ice cream

with a raspberry swirl.

GORDON: Shall we, gentlemen?

It's very delicate, very soft,

and it works with the creamy
softness of the ice cream.

Very good.

AARÓN: The ice cream is really
what catches my palate.

Peaches are so floral, and the idea
of raspberry being in there as well,

I just think it's amazing.

Slightly too heavy
on the sponge.

But I think you've hit the
jackpot on the Swiss meringue.

- Good job.
- Thank you, Chef. Thank you.

Right, next up,
Shanika, let's go, please.

I was scared that I wouldn't
get my ice cream finished,

but I got it done,
and it looks good.

So now I'm just hoping
that my flavors are there

because I need to get
to the finale.

Today I have a strawberry
lemon basil baked Alaska

with a traditional
vanilla sponge cake.

GORDON: Beautiful.

JOE: The sponge tastes good.

It's a little bit dense
for my liking,

not quite as elegant
as I would've hoped.

But the flavors
of the ice cream make sense,

and altogether it works.

Yeah, for me, I think that
your meringue is very aerated.

It's really well done.

Shanika, sponge way too thick,
so the ratios are wrong.

But what's good about this
is the flavor of the ice cream.

The lemon, it's fragrant.
It's delicious.

- Good job.
- Thank you, Chef.

Okay, Christian, please bring us
your baked Alaska.

I'm nervous. There's two
of us going home tonight.

And I'm just hoping and praying

that my baked Alaska is enough

to get me through
to the next round.

I've prepared for you tonight

a praline pecan baked Alaska
with a vanilla cake

and bourbon flambé.

AARÓN: Nice.

JOE: Ooh-la-la.

There's something magic about
pralines and bourbon, right?

It has a real Southern flair
to it, and the dish is delicious.

AARÓN: Yeah, Christian, I think you
overcooked half of that sponge cake.

But the ice cream, for me,
is well executed,

and the texture with
the pralines in there

is something that keeps
your palate going

and wanting another bite.

Young man, you're playing
to your strengths.

You know,
the praline, delicious.

Here's the issue.
Your sponge is dry.

But a near perfect baked Alaska.
Really good job.

Thank you.

Right, next up, Emily, please.

Bringing my baked Alaska up to
the judges is definitely nerve-wracking

because what happens when you
mix cheese into an ice cream,

the ice cream can melt
a little bit faster.

And at this point, I know
that this is a huge mistake.

This is a goat cheese
cherry baked Alaska

- with a chocolate cake.
- JOE: Cream's melting.

Well, it's gonna be a puddle
if we don't hurry up and eat. Please.

What I'm really concerned about
is everything's just melting

- to a puddle of ice cream.
- It's all over here.

It just... it didn't have the right
construction. It's falling apart.

But I do appreciate the flavor
of the goat cheese

because it gives
a savoriness to it

which I really think
works well with the vanilla

going through that ice cream.

Good news is that
the contrast of flavors is good.

The bad news is that this
is not an ice cream dessert.

This is a cream,
and you can't serve

an ice cream dessert
with a cream.

Thank you, Emily.

All right, Michael.

MICHAEL:
I'm petrified right now.

The meringue, I ran out of
and had to spread it out,

which caused it to kind of
get a little grainy,

but the flavors are there.

Let's hope it's enough

to keep me in this kitchen.

Today I've made
a bananas Foster baked Alaska

with a brown butter cake.

Sponge cake's
a little bit dense,

but the fact
that you soaked it helps.

My question is,
is it good enough?

Yeah, the Michael, the idea
of bananas I think worked well,

but the ice cream for me is
really overpowering and sweet.

- Okay.
- Michael, visually, the egg whites

are nowhere near as smooth
and silky as they should be,

and then you used them sparingly.

So ice cream tastes good, but
it's sweet on sweet on sweet.

Thank you.

All of you, make your
way down here. Thank you.

[BLEEP]

Okay, five talented cooks
stand before us.

Only four of you
will move forward

to the next stage
of the semifinals.

We all agree that Christian
and Dara's baked Alaska

was the best of the night. Congratulations.

Head up to the safety
of the balcony.

Great job.

The next person
moving forward is...

Shanika.

SHANIKA: Mine wasn't the
best, but it wasn't the worst.

And now I have to mentally
prepare myself for the next challenge.

Emily and Michael,
Joe, Aarón, and myself agree

the person not moving forward

to the second stage
of the semifinals,

that person is...

Emily.

Michael, say good-bye to Emily
and head upstairs.

You're amazing.

Tonight, the hero of that
baked Alaska was the ice cream,

and your ice cream wasn't set.

But you're one phenomenal cook
that I know deep down inside

we haven't heard the last of.

Come and say good-bye, please.

Jeez.

EMILY: I walked back into
the MasterChef kitchen

really not expecting
the journey that I've had.

This competition really pushes
you outside of your comfort zone.

JOE:
This dish is top, top notch.

I mean, what can I say?
It's textbook.

I tried things that maybe
I wouldn't have tried,

cooked things maybe
I wouldn't have cooked.

I think what you've got to
understand is that you should be using

more of these
ingredients more often.

Ultimately,
my goal was to make it

farther than I did season nine,

and I made the top five.

So I'm leaving
the MasterChef kitchen

with my held high,
and I am proud as hell.

First challenge
of the night done.

Your next challenge tonight

will literally seal your fate
into the finale

and be your biggest
trial by fire yet.

But I need to change into
something a little more comfortable.

Excuse me.

Everyone, please come down here.

Chef Ramsay leaves to go put
something more comfortable on?

We just made baked Alaskas
in 75 minutes,

so I know that
whatever's coming next

is definitely not gonna be
easier than that.

- You ready?
- Ready as I'll ever be.

All right, you've got one
challenge left in the semifinals.

JOE: Guys, the only thing
standing between you

and the top three is...

Oh, my God.

What is about to happen?

The only thing standing between
you and the top three is...

- Oh, shoot.
- Oh, my God.

What is about to happen?

- Oh, my...
- I knew it.

- Chef.
- That's the comfortable outfit?

- Don't want to be you guys.
- Uh-oh.

Now, tonight all of you
will be replicating

one of my signature dishes.

But you'll be cooking this dish
at the same time as me.

- Wow.
- Whoa.

GORDON: All of you will be
keeping up with me

as we cook...

...a stunning
three Michelin star

lobster tortellini
with a fresh tomato purée

and a basil purée.

And I'll show you exactly
how it's done.

And if you fall behind,

your spot in the finale
could go up in smoke.

- Wow.
- Oof.

Once I'm done,
you'll have an extra 30 seconds

to plate your dish.

Now, all of you, are you ready?

ALL: Yes, Chef.

Our time starts now.
Let's go.

MICHAEL:
Go, go, go, go, go.

First off, the pasta.

Two whole eggs,
four egg yolks into a bowl.

Let's go.
Crack those eggs in.

I want no shell
in that pasta, okay?

- Yes, Chef.
- Two whole eggs, four egg yolks in.

SHANIKA: All right. Perfect.

Right, from there, flour in,
a nice pinch of salt,

a little drizzle of olive oil.
Let's go.

SHANIKA: Pasta is what took
me out of this competition last time.

I'll be damned if I'm gonna let
pasta take me out a second time.

Now fold your eggs in gently,

and we crumb
that mixture together.

Got it.

GORDON:
Now lightly flour your surface.

Flour your hands,

and just start crumbing
your mixture.

SHANIKA: Yes, Chef.

GORDON: Bring it out
in a really nice beautiful ball.

But sure it's not too wet 'cause
it won't go through the machine.

CHRISTIAN: Yes, Chef.

And more importantly make sure
it's not too dry.

MICHAEL: Oh, my gosh.

I have, like, wet sand.
This is not right.

Come on, Michael. Keep up.

- CHRISTIAN: Oh, yes.
- Now we're kneading the dough

into a nice smooth ball.

DARA: Even though I'm
the youngest competitor here,

I definitely feel like I have
a little bit of an advantage

because I went
to culinary school,

so I know how to take direction.

I just have to continue
to keep up with Gordon's pace

and I got this in the bag.

- You got this.
- Now wrap it.

And what that does now,
just stops that from oxidizing.

CHRISTIAN: Yes, Chef.

Right, let's focus
on the beautiful sauce.

Take three shallots,
four cloves of garlic.

Shallots thinly chopped.
Let's go.

The idea is to caramelize
these shallots.

DARA: All right.

And then from there,
slice the garlic, okay?

- MICHAEL: Yes, Chef.
- GORDON: Nice and thin.

Now from there, shallots,
garlic in, guys.

Yes, Chef.

Now tomatoes into the hot pan
and let them blister.

Alongside that,
five leaves of basil.

Run the knife through the basil

and sprinkle the basil
on top of the tomatoes.

- Yes, Chef.
- Nice.

Basil, shallots, garlic,

it's a really nice, rich,
beautiful sauce.

- AARÓN: Christian is cool as a cucumber.
- Let's get it.

- I'm really concerned about Shanika.
- SHANIKA: Come on.

AARÓN: Her knife skills seem to be a
little bit slower than everybody else's.

Stay up with me, Shanika, yes?

Yes, Chef. Trying.

Right, we're gonna start now
with the basil purée.

Take your basil, big handful in.

We're gonna cook this basil
for literally 60 seconds, okay?

CHRISTIAN AND DARA:
Yes, Chef.

Multitasking is such
an essential tool

to be a great chef.

You have to be able to have

a lot of different things
on the fire.

Now take your basil out,
drain off that water.

You lightly season that basil

and you drizzle some
beautiful olive oil over it.

DARA: Yes, Chef.

From there, take your blender.
Basil goes in and on.

And then you blitz that till it's a
beautiful, fine basil purée, heard?

- Yes, Chef.
- Heard.

We're gonna go and blitz
the tomato purée now.

And we start to blend
our second sauce.

- Yes, Chef.
- CHRISTIAN AND MICHAEL: Heard.

GORDON: Let's go, guys.

Sauce number two,

a fresh roasted tomato purée.

Right, lobster, crack the top

of that tail gently.
Peel it back.

From there,
thumb on the end, push,

and that should
just literally slide out.

CHRISTIAN: Oh, wow.

GORDON: Second, the claw,

get your knife on the top,

on the bottom, and twist.

Off, little finger in, push,
and slide out.

Now we start the filling.
You take your tail,

- and then we dice this lobster beautifully.
- CHRISTIAN: Yes, Chef.

GORDON: So we're gonna marinate
this now with our herbs.

Now take a half
a tablespoon of mascarpone.

Take some basil, some tarragon,
and some fresh chives,

salt, and pepper.

See the jeopardy here is
the consistency of the filling.

Put too much mascarpone, it's
gonna hit the water and it might burst.

From there,
zest one whole lemon.

Now, we're using both the zest
and the juice here.

Yes, Chef.

I think that Dara really
looks like she's in control.

She has the most
attention to detail.

She's the only one that's adding
both lemon juice and the zest.

GORDON:
Now for the most important part.

We're gonna start
rolling our pasta.

Let the rolling pin
do the work first.

Now this is where
the magic starts, okay?

- Let's go, Michael.
- [BLEEP]

What should I do?

I can tell you right now,
Michael's too dry.

Now, into your machine,
and then we start rolling.

- Let the machine do the work, guys.
- DARA: Yes, Chef.

- GORDON: Hurry up, Michael, please.
- MICHAEL: Come on, baby.

My pasta is not coming together.

Gordon's rolling it.

Everybody to my side
is rolling it.

Meanwhile,
I still have a problem.

- It's too dry.
- What's wrong with the pasta?

- It's a little dry.
- Get a little bit of moisture on there then.

- No more flour.
- I have moments to figure this out.

Look at the length.
Show me your length.

The aeration is important,
really important.

MICHAEL: My fate is resting
on this pasta dough.

This is what determines
if I'm in the finale.

I have to fix this right now
or I'm going home.

Breathe, breathe, breathe.

What should I do?

My pasta is not coming together.

- What's wrong with the pasta?
- It's a little dry.

Get a little bit of moisture
on there then. No more flour.

My pasta is too dry.

I have to fix this right now
or I'm going home.

And look at the length of this
thing now. The more you roll now,

the more chance you've got
at success.

I got this.

MICHAEL: Come on, baby.

I'm cranking as fast as I can.

I'm getting my pasta
thinner and thinner.

I am not gonna lose focus.
I'm not gonna get flustered.

I can save this.

GORDON: That's it, Michael.

Don't pull it so you stretch it.

Let it roll through the machine.

Oh, my God.

I think Shanika might be
falling behind a bit.

SHANIKA:
This is not what I need yet.

There's a technique
to rolling pasta,

but I'm fumbling right now
because trying to make it perfect

and keep up with Gordon
ain't going together.

- Don't panic, Shanika, okay?
- I'm not, Chef.

Now for the exciting part.
We start the cut, okay?

Cut them out
with a large cutter.

Look. Beautiful.

Be careful with that cut,
guys, okay?

DARA: Just keep going.
We got this.

GORDON:
Right, here we go, the filling.

You take your mix,
and you put a teaspoon of mix

- in the center of your disk.
- ALL: Yes, Chef.

Now you've got to move quickly.

If it dries out,
it'll crack as it cooks.

MICHAEL: Yes, Chef.

GORDON: Christian,
too much mousse in there,

you're gonna burst
the tortellini.

I said a teaspoon.
Really important.

- Yes, Chef.
- GORDON: And now from there,

the most difficult part.

- Come on, Shanika.
- GORDON: Look at me, please.

Fold it over into the hands.
Got to move quickly.

Left to right, right to left, use your thumb,
push down, and open up your tortellini.

- JOE: This is a very difficult
technique to master. - AARÓN: Yeah.

This is where you can lose pace.

- AARÓN: Let's go, Dara.
- Oh, my gosh.

- GORDON: Christian, let's go, please.
- Yes, Chef.

This is my first time folding
a tortellini.

Again, up and over,
half moon shape,

left to right, right to left.

"Half moon, push it left,
push it right."

Open like a lobster pinch.

"Use your hand like a lobster."

Left to right, right to left,
thumb down, and push.

What are we doing,
a TikTok dance?

I'm lost.

Now we start to cook
the tortellini.

SHANIKA: Come on.

GORDON:
Water up into a rolling boil.

Nicely seasoned. In we go.

And we've got literally
60 seconds to cook this pasta.

- MICHAEL: Yes, Chef.
- AARÓN: Come on, Christian.

- Put your tortellinis in.
- Let's go, let's go.

- AARÓN: Move it.
- CHRISTIAN: Let's cook, baby.

GORDON: Keep it going, guys.
Keep it going.

- AARÓN: Come on, Shanika.
- [BLEEP]

Shanika is still making them.

- This is not good for her.
- AARÓN: This is not good.

And now we get our plate,
and we start to dress.

Five spoons of that beautiful
fresh tomato sauce.

- AARÓN: Here we go, guys.
Come on, focus. - JOE: Let's go, guys.

- Come on, Michael.
- Yes, Chef.

GORDON: Let's go. Your basil
purée in between. Beautifully done.

Now tortellinis
out of the water.

- You're gonna sit that on top of your purée.
- Yes, Chef.

Shanika, get the tortellinis
in the water. Let's go.

- There's a point of no return.
- SHANIKA: These gonna have to work.

If you get a minute behind,
you can't make it up.

And then from there you take your
beautiful lemon oil, drizzle that around.

I've got my little fine herbs,
just press them on there.

Now I'm gonna dust
with a touch of lemon zest

over my tortellini,
and there we go.

And then finally
a beautiful claw.

And now you've got
30 seconds to go!

- [BLEEP]
- Let's go, guys! Come on!

- AARÓN: Dress them, dress them.
- GORDON: 30 seconds, guys.

- Come on.
- Let's go, Shanika.

- Coming, Chef.
- Keep it going, guys.

- Aw, they broke.
- GORDON: 15 seconds to go.

Christian, you've got to plate,
man, you've got to plate.

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

Ten, nine...

- Eight, seven, six...
- MICHAEL: Come on.

- Five, four, three...
- DARA: Oh, my gosh.

- ...two, one.
- JOE: Hands up.

AARÓN: That's it.
Hands up in the air.

[BLEEPING]

I did not get that on there.

I didn't get my garnish
on that [BLEEP].

- [SHANIKA SIGHS]
- GORDON: Man.

That was not easy.

Time is up,
and I am disappointed.

This was the hardest challenge
of this season,

and I see why
they saved it for last.

First up, Michael,
please bring your dish up.

MICHAEL: It's not
a perfect dish for me,

but I feel like
I really bounced back,

so I'm hoping
with everything that I have

that they give me that spot
in the finale.

GORDON: So, visually,
pasta's a lot thicker than mine.

And you can see
the shape of yours,

it's got not nowhere near
the amount of filling it needs.

- Understood.
- GORDON: Shall we?

So, Michael, tomato purée
needs a touch more seasoning.

Did you put
any lemon juice in there?

I did lemon zest.

Yeah, so I put lemon zest
and lemon juice in.

So it's just flat.

Yeah, lucky for you, Michael,

the roasted tomato salsa
has good flavor,

but way too much basil purée.

It should just be a dot,
an accent,

to the actual
roasted tomato sauce.

JOE: I'll sum it up
for you, Michael.

It tastes as good
as it looks bad.

- Okay.
- GORDON: Thank you, Michael.

Thank you, Chefs.

So, yeah, nowhere near
enough filling in there.

AARÓN: Yeah.

Shanika, please bring
your lobster tortellini forward.

SHANIKA: I know that this
is not good enough,

but I'm hoping that
my flavors are there

and then that gets me
to the finale.

So, Shanika, unfortunately,
visually it looks unfinished.

Tortellini's upside down,
no claw.

But I think your saving grace is
you got transparency in the pasta,

which is positive.

JOE: Shanika, aside from
the dish being incomplete,

this is a rare thing, but
they're kind of over-seasoned.

Which never happens,
but they are over-seasoned.

AARÓN:
I disagree with Joe.

I think lobster is like a sponge, and it
needs to be aggressively seasoned,

so that doesn't
bother me as much.

It's just the pasta's dry.

Young lady,
it pains me to say this,

but unfortunately
two of them are burst.

- Yes.
- I think the seasoning is on point,

- but, yeah, you struggled.
- Yes.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Yeah, it's really
a bit of a mess.

It's better seasoned
than Michael's though.

Yeah.

Next up, Dara,
please step forward.

DARA: I'm feeling really proud
of myself and confident

that when I put my plate down

it's gonna look
pretty similar to Gordon's.

GORDON:
Young lady, it looks beautiful.

There's no two ways about that.

You've got the shape right.
It's glazed beautifully.

Claw's there.

Question, Chef,
could we put these two down

at the same table
in the same restaurant?

Let's taste it
and we'll find out.

Dara, I taste all the components
of Gordon's dish.

The filling could be a little
creamier, but that's really all I can say.

What you did,
which is so beautiful for me,

is lemon, lemon, and lemon.
You did it perfectly.

Young lady,
the pasta's rolled beautifully.

The technique there
is immaculate.

It's a really strong dish.
Well done.

Thank you, Chef.
Thank you.

- Good job.
- Thank you.

Christian, please bring us
your tortellini.

CHRISTIAN: This is the most
nervous I've ever been in this kitchen,

because my dish does not look
the same as Chef Ramsay's.

I put too much filling
in the pasta.

So my tortellini didn't stick.

I can be one foot out the door.

I could be two feet
into the finale.

Christian,
pasta's rolled beautifully.

It's transparent, so I can see
what I'm eating already.

Unfortunately, two or three
of them have lost their shape,

but you've got one
beautifully done here.

Everything else
is nowhere near that quality.

Shall we?

Did you salt the boiling water
for your pasta?

Answer the question.

Did you salt the boiling water
for your pasta?

Answer the question.

I threw a couple pinches
in there.

Not too much... not...
no, not too much,

but I threw some salt in it.

You know, I think the biggest
problem with the taste of this dish

is that the actual pasta itself
is under-seasoned

because there was not
nearly enough salt.

Aside from that, pretty tasty.

There's some cooking flaws, but
the consistency of the pasta's there.

Christian, purée's delicious.

Three of them lost their shape

since you added
too much mixture,

but the filling inside
was delicious.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Good job.

Thank you.

Please give us a moment.
Thank you.

So, Michael's pasta
was a bit dry, right?

- Yeah.
- There's a lot of issues with Michael's dish.

Oh, please.

Um, Shanika's pasta?

Her dish was perhaps
the most incomplete.

- Incomplete.
- Yes.

- Is it clear, our bottom?
- Yeah, yeah.

- For me it is. Shall we?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

There are four of you
that stand before us,

but as you know, there's
only three spots up for grabs.

Dara,
you're the youngest one here,

and at age 20,

you're now the youngest ever

to be in a "MasterChef" final.

- Congratulations.
- MICHAEL: Wow.

- GORDON: Head upstairs with
a big smile on your face. - Oh, my gosh.

DARA:
I'm literally speechless.

The fact that I was able
to get to the finale

when I was 12 years old,
and I'm doing it again,

it's just reminding me
what I came here to do.

I am back to win.

This doesn't get any easier.

Two spots remaining

in the "Back to Win"
MasterChef finale.

Christian, well done.

You're in the finale.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you, Chef.

It's been a long journey.
I mean, I've grown as a chef.

And just to be going
into the finale,

I'm ready to finish
what I came here for.

It's on. I'm ready.

Congratulations.
Head upstairs. Well done.

- I'm proud of you.
- Thank you.

Shanika, season nine.

Michael, season ten.

As you well know,
there's only one spot remaining

in the "Back to Win" finale.

After discussing it,
we all agree

the final home cook
joining Dara and Christian,

congratulations goes to...

Michael.

Michael, last time around,
you didn't even crack top ten.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you so much.

I'm so proud of you.

Coming back here has been
the ultimate redemption story.

Last time,
I only got 15th place,

but here I stand,
the underdog of the season,

ready to fight in the finale.

Shanika, the transformation,
your poise,

your attitude,
and the confidence is exemplary.

Thank you, Chef.

Come and say good-bye, please.

SHANIKA: I was one dish away
from making it to the finale,

but I do feel proud.

Shanika, come get your apron.

Even though the competition
was tougher this time around...

Almost, Bowen. Bowen, almost
[BLEEP] ready. Calm down!

...I have soared
in this kitchen.

I have the earned the respect
of the judges.

That's the attitude we love,
you know that?

Keep it up, girl.

I got to back to back
immunity pins.

I want that pin today.

Shanika, exceptional.

And I cooked with pure passion
this time around.

I feel like you were really
cooking with your heart tonight.

If it takes that kind of
a journey

to create this kind of food,

then I think it's worth taking.

It's been an amazing ride.

If asked, would I do this again?

Hell, yeah. I would.

And again and again.

Y'all, kill it.

- We love you, Shanika.
- You were amazing.

I became one of the top four

of the best of the best
of the best.

I'm a very proud woman
right now.

You would think I won.
Because I did.

I won the hearts of America.
I know y'all love me.

We have our finale.

Congratulations
to our three finalists

of "MasterChef: Back to Win,"

and we can already tell
that this is gearing up

to be one of
the most exciting finales

"MasterChef" has ever witnessed.

Congratulations and good night.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Good night.

- Oh, my God.
- Good job, you guys.

- Oh, my God.
- I'm really proud of you.

GORDON: Next time, it's the
"Back to Win" season finale.

- Welcome, everybody.
- The top three...

Michael, Dara, Christian.

...battle it out
for the MasterChef title.

- Which MasterChef has come back to win?
- Okay, let's go.

- This is gonna be a cook-off
like no other. - [BLEEP]

- What's happening?
- And two familiar faces make a comeback.

- Graham Elliot and Christina Tosi!
- It feels like a homecoming.

Only one cook
will take home the prize.

You're pushing the boundaries.
You're testing our palates.

You left your mark on the plate.

- It's time to see...
- It's just really thought-provoking food.

...who really is back to win.

America's next MasterChef is...