Masterchef (2010–…): Season 12, Episode 3 - Back to Win: Audition Battles: Part #3 - full transcript

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

We only have 20 aprons
this year.

This is like the all-stars
of "MasterChef."

the returning cooks
battled it out...

I'm back to win.
I'm not taking no prisoners.

...for a coveted white apron.

We can only judge you
on what you put on that plate.

- Yes, Chef.
- Stay calm.

You know as well as I do
that that's wrong.

What's the first thing
you wanna do

when you take a bite of that?



- Take a second.
- Thank you.

- [CROWD CHEERING]
- Man, I am excited.

It's time to play
with the big dogs.

Tonight...

All of these ex-contestants,
they're back with a vengeance.

the pressure is on as the
audition battles conclude...

- Are you back to win?
- 100%.

with only six aprons left
to claim a spot...

- I hope y'all like it spicy.
- ...in the top 20.

- Where's Fred gone?
- I think this is done.

Your seasoning here is really
what's bringing this to the next level.

Now I'm treating you like I would
talk to a cook in my restaurant.

Because that's
the level we're at.

There is so much going on here.



I don't know if I need a chair
or a sick bag.

Right, this is a season
like no other.

14 aprons down.
Just six aprons remaining.

Now when we call your name,

please make your way down
to your battle stations.

Felix, season three.

Bri and Fred from season ten.

And Olivia, season six.

Let's go.

Now, last time you four
were in this kitchen,

you showed
that you were stellar cooks

and plated food
with such finesse.

Master platers.

So bring that again tonight.

You've got 45 minutes to cook us

one amazing comeback dish.

Your 45 minutes start now.

Let's go.

Right, Joe and Aarón,
all of these ex-contestants,

they're back with a vengeance.

They have a lot of attention
to the aesthetic of their food,

and I think that's gonna push
each other to a higher level.

- Yeah.
- Fred, you're flying, bro.

Trying my best.
Trying my best.

Fred is a really great
pastry chef.

I think he might be doing
a dessert tonight.

- I see chocolate.
- Tofu.

I'm definitely
gonna bring the tofu.

My name is Fred,
I was on season ten,

and I'm probably best remembered
for my audition.

I made a chocolate cake
that was so tasty

Gordon Ramsay himself picked
up the plate, licked it clean,

- and threw the apron at my face.
- There's no debate.

So when I got eliminated
at season ten,

it was a sad moment
for all but a second.

I'm gonna personally call
Christina Tosi

and see if I can get you
in there to go and work with her

- inside her bakery.
- Thank you, Chef.

I did take up Gordon's offer to work
with Christina Tosi at Milk Bar in L.A.

And right after that
I started a food blog

where I post recipes
three times a week.

So I am ready
to fight my butt off

to get an apron and get back
in that kitchen

and continue my food journey.

This is so much fun, you guys.

15 minutes gone.
30 minutes remaining.

Keep it going.

- Right, welcome back, girl.
- Thank you.

- How have you been?
- I've been good. It's been ten years.

I'm Felix. I made it to the
top seven in season three,

and a lot has happened
in the past ten years.

- Aah!
- I've done catering events, food styling,

pop-ups with friends,
and also some food shows.

My biggest regret
from season three

is the fact that I didn't cook
any Chinese or Taiwanese food.

I want to express me and my culture
through the dishes that I make this time.

How's this dish gonna get you
an apron? What is it?

Pork belly and cabbage dumpling.

And I'm doing
the dough from scratch.

I'm grinding the pork
from scratch.

And what I really
want to shine through

- are all the natural flavors.
- You are going all out.

You've got just 27 minutes
to nail these dumplings.

- Thank you, Chef. Thank you.
- Welcome back. Good luck.

Eye on the prize, Bri.
Let's get that apron.

Let's do this.

Mom, you're supposed
to be watching my sauce.

I'm watching the sauce!

- How you feeling?
- I'm good.

- Excited?
- I'm so excited.

I'm Olivia Crouppen
from season six.

Wow. Clearly it's one of the
prettiest plates out there tonight.

OLIVIA: Thank you.

The judges really liked
my plating,

but the flavors basically
got ripped a new one.

I wanted to taste the beef.
You've just forgotten the hero.

I came in eighth place,

and "MasterChef"
changed my life.

I basically have my dream job.
I'm a food stylist.

I've produced cookbooks.

I came here to prove to
the judges my flavor is there,

- and I'm so ready to win.
- The dish, what are you doing?

OLIVIA: I'm doing a pistachio crusted
lamb, white bean and feta purée,

a fennel pomegranate slaw,
and a pomegranate molasses.

- In 45 minutes?
- Yeah.

- Are you back to win?
- 100%.

- Unh! Thank you.
- Good luck, girl. Well done.

MAN: You're doing great.
You're doing great, sweetie.

Bri, happy to be back?

Very happy, very happy.
Very... a lot of emotions.

You may remember me
from season ten

where I made it
to the top eight.

One thing that
is definitely confirmed,

you have a future in food.

Prior to "MasterChef"
season ten,

I was a cocktail server
in a bar.

And then after that, I was
able to hit the ground running

doing pop-up dining events.

I recently have been focusing
on the social media world

and I do a lot
of food photography contests.

Talk to me a little bit
about what you're making.

My comeback dish is a seabass

with a fennel purée,
a tomato water,

and then I'm adding
a little bit of spice

with the pickled serrano pepper.

You have a lot
of liquidy things.

- Right.
- Is that gonna be the enemy of crispiness and texture?

- Right, that is true.
- Just think about that.

The fish has to bring
the crispiness, yes.

Exactly, we're expecting a lot of big
things out of you, especially the plating.

- So stick with it, okay, young lady?
- Thank you so much.

ALL: Bri!

- Fred, Fred, Fred!
- Whoo!

Oh, my God. 15 minutes.
This is so stressful.

- Fred, Fred, Fred.
- Mr. Bastianich.

- What's your comeback dish?
- It's a take on a phoenix rising from the ashes.

- You know me with my theatrics.
- Is that you?

Are you rising from the ashes
with another dessert?

This is literally me coming back and
showing you guys how much I've grown.

So it's a tofu
and dark chocolate mousse

with kinako crumble, black
cacao ash, and kumquat purée.

This is a bit
of a risky game to play.

If you're off by one degree,
that chocolate just won't harden.

- 100%.
- So I heard that you and Bri

have been doing
dinners together.

Yes, we've been doing
a lot of pop-up dinners.

On top of everything else
that I got from season ten,

definitely the biggest prize I
got was my friendship with Bri.

We traveled the country
together, and it was a ton of fun.

- Are you a better cook than Bri?
- I won't say that I'm better.

I would just say that we each
have our strengths and weaknesses.

I think we both
complete each other.

- But you're not a team. Today you are competitors.
- But, I mean...

The best case scenario is you both
get an apron, and you walk through.

- Yep.
- Exactly.

The worst case scenario
is you both don't get an apron,

and you both go home.

You got a lot on the line here.

I wish you two the best.
Good luck.

Thank you so much, Joe.

We're down to
that last ten minutes.

Ten minutes to go.
Come on, guys.

So, Bri wants to do this
tomato water sort of liquidy broth.

JOE: Tomato water was a trend
in the early '90s

where you would slowly allow
tomatoes in cheese cloth,

the water to come out.

Is she gonna be able to
pull that off in 45 minutes?

It's tough.
I mean, that takes time.

GORDON: Felix, she's playing to
her strengths making wonton wrappers.

And that filling, she seems way
more confident than she was years ago.

Olivia is really looking good.
Look at her station.

- She's working perfectly.
- But she has a lot of ambitious elements planned for her dish.

- I just hope she can pull it all off.
- How are you feeling, Fred?

I'm not sure if the temper
will be good or not,

but I'm gonna just
try my best to focus.

- Oh, gosh.
- Oh, my God, I am so nervous.

- I'm so stressed for his chocolate right now.
- I am so nervous right now.

- Tempered chocolate is the hardest thing.
- You got this, Fred.

If I don't do it correctly, I'm gonna
look like a giant jackass though.

I think Fred might be
in some jeopardy of time.

- He's tempering chocolate.
- I know.

Come on. Get to 120.

WOMAN:
Oh, it's okay, Fred!

Steady hands. You got this!

Unless that chocolate's tempered
properly, this whole thing could break down

and he can kiss
that apron goodbye.

MAN: You got it, Fred!
Stay focused! Come on!

JOE: Fred might be
in some jeopardy of time.

- He's tempering chocolate.
- I know.

Unless that chocolate's
tempered properly,

this whole thing
could break down.

Come on. Get to 120.

- There we go.
- Yes.

You got it, Fred.

- That chocolate looks perfect.
- FRED: Thank you.

These are gonna be tempered
dark chocolate feathers.

- BOTH: Wow.
- Genius!

- Mom, I'm taking it out.
- Whoo-hoo, whoo-hoo, whoo-hoo!

I think this is done.

GORDON:
Five minutes remaining.

Five minutes to go, guys.
Come on.

- Come on, ladies. Last push.
- Do I need more fennel?

Breathe, breathe.

You can tell already by looking
at those lamb chops,

the aesthetic
is gonna be top notch.

The question is,
is there flavor?

Aarón:
I'm concerned about Bri.

That's a very dense
piece of fish,

and then you roast it
in the oven?

- It might be raw.
- It might be under.

You got it, Fred.

Wow, that's pretty.

We're coming down
to 60 seconds remaining!

Last minute, guys!

- Where's Fred going?
- Where's he going?

GORDON:
What's he doing? Fred!

Look at Olivia
dust those lamb chops.

Amazing.
And what is Fred doing?

Come on, Fred! Fred, come on!

Let's go, Fred!
Make sure you're happy with it.

ALL: Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one.

- Wow.
- Holy [BLEEP].

- Plating queens, okay?
- Please, all four of you, follow us. Thank you.

Felix,
please bring us your dish.

FELIX: This is a pork belly
and cabbage dumpling

made with a chili oil
that's my dad's recipe.

Well, the aesthetics
are beautiful.

They have
the perfect swirls on them.

They look plump and fluffy.

The dumplings themselves
and rolling the dough out by hand

is something that
I would learn with my mom.

Felix, delicious.

Very hard getting that pork cooked
within that dough. You've nailed it.

The one issue I have
is your dough.

It's just a touch too thick
because it lingers.

Apart from that,
it's a really good dish.

JOE: The execution
is impeccable.

It's flavorful, it's clean,

the dough
is slightly under salted.

But now I'm treating you like I
would talk to a cook in my restaurant

because that's the level
we're at.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Good job, Felix.

Bri, can you please
bring up your dish?

BRI: You have in front of you
a seabass with a fennel purée

with a tomato medley
on the side,

pickled serrano peppers,
and a fresh tomato water.

The dish, it's bright,
it's vibrant.

It's like something
on the cover of a magazine.

Dying to get in there.

Bri, the fish is cooked
beautifully. Absolutely spot on.

Nitpicking, when you make your
fennel purée, it needs to be smooth.

I don't like that slurry
going into that tomato water,

and it affects the actual
contrast of the dish.

Bri, I have to say, this dish
is firing on all cylinders.

The aesthetic
I think is perfect.

The tomato water gives it
a great acidity,

and you've got the consistency
of it spot on.

I think your seasoning here is really
what's bringing this to the next level.

That little chili serrano
really wakes it up.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, Bri.

- Really good job. I'm so proud of you.
- Thank you.

Fred, please.

FRED: Tonight I made a
dark chocolate and tofu mousse

with a kumquat purée,

black cacao ash,
and kinako crumble.

Um, let's just talk about the
elephant in the room, shall we?

I'm talking about the tofu.

99.9% of pastry chefs anywhere

in the country tonight
would avoid tofu.

I hope it tastes
as good as it looks.

So this is vegan and dairy-free?

- FRED: And gluten free, yes.
- And gluten free.

JOE:
That's very challenging, no?

Fred, you're walking
the high wire here

because you have salt,

acid, sweet, bitter.

You have all
the most difficult things

to balance in a dessert.

This dish is flying
across the high wire.

- Bravo.
- Thank you.

Yeah, I love your courage, and I thought
it was gonna be dry, and it was not.

- Fred, this is exceptional.
- Thank you.

You know, it's hard to believe you actually
accomplished that within 45 minutes.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

I never thought in my wildest dreams
that tofu could be that exceptional.

Olivia, please step forward.

OLIVIA: This is
a pistachio crusted lamb

with a white bean
and feta purée,

a fennel pomegranate slaw,

and a port
pomegranate reduction.

Aesthetically, beautiful.

Did you season the meat
before your crusted it?

I believe so?

In an ideal world, I would have?

- Better answer.
- Yeah.

It's so ambitious
that I think that perhaps

some of the technique
of seasoning

are bringing it down
a little bit for me.

The purée is delicious,

but should I be
focusing on the purée

as opposed the lamb chops?

GORDON:
Here's the thing about this.

When you've encrusted

those lamb chops throughout,

what you don't do
is then sit them

in a puddle purée,

because I go crispy on top,
soggy underneath.

But I love the dish.
I think the dish is beautiful.

- Good job.
- Thank you all.

- Good job, Liv.
- Right, give us a moment.

This is a tough decision.

So, four exceptional dishes.

JOE: Two for me were perfect.

- GORDON: It's a tough one.
- AARÓN: Yeah.

- You guys in agreement? Yeah?
- We got it? Yeah.

JOE: Let's do it.

Right, this first apron
goes to a dish

that showed an amazing
amount of confidence.

And it was exceptionally
good looking dish,

but it actually tasted
better than it looked.

And I think this person
is definitely back to win.

The apron goes to...

- Fred.
- Thank you.

Thank you so much, Chef.

- Great job.
- Thank you.

Absolutely amazing.

So we have three great dishes
from three great cooks

across a decade
of "MasterChef."

This is a difficult one,
but this last apron goes to...

This last apron goes to...

[MURMURING, GASPING]

- Yeah!
- [CHEERING]

I just got a MasterChef apron
for the second time with Fred!

We're so excited.

OLIVIA: Even though
I didn't get an apron,

I feel so glad to have
had the opportunity

to be back in
the MasterChef kitchen at all.

FELIX: Maybe it was
a risky dish to do,

but it was amazing to just
be able to come back

and make something that
was taught to me by my mom.

And I wouldn't take
anything back.

[CHEERING]

We are 16 aprons down.

Just four remaining aprons.

Ready for the next battle?

So are we.

Samantha, season nine.

Jaimee, season five.

- Alejandro, season 11.
- Yeah!

Finally, Keturah, season 10.

Please make your way down.

Welcome back, all four of you.

- Alejandro.
- Chef.

- GORDON: So happy you're back.
- I'm Alejandro.

You may remember me
from season 11.

Yeah! Come on!

I almost made it to the finale.

GORDON:
The third and final individual

heading into the grand finale,

Suu.

Last time I was in
the MasterChef kitchen,

I had a very hard time
editing myself

because growing up in Cuba,
we did not have much food.

So I hard time
putting things behind.

Like, I just wanna, like,
cook everything at once.

So just think about
what you got going on here

- and start to edit that.
- Yes, sir.

Make sure it all goes together.
Don't overcomplicate it.

And so many opportunities
have come my way

since I've been
in the MasterChef kitchen.

I've been able to become
a private chef,

but I feel that I have
unfinished business.

I need to get that trophy
in my hands

and go to sleep next to it
and know that I am the champion.

Right, your 45 minutes
start now.

Let's go. Come on, guys.

What a lineup, by the way.
Four amazing cooks.

They all need to exceed
our expectations.

We wanna see their growth
since we last saw them here

in the MasterChef kitchen.

Jaimee from season five

faced with some
serious bumps personally,

but we fell in love with Jaimee.

I think I might pee my pants.

Seven years ago,

I had a lot of muscle spasms
all of the time.

Okay? Come on,
you can do this.

- Come on, baby. You got it.
- Let's go.

- Don't give up.
- I'm so sad.

- Come on.
- After "MasterChef,"

I got diagnosed with a
neurological disorder called dystonia,

which affects essentially
my whole body.

But it hasn't stopped me
from cooking.

I'm also running
my own cake business now,

and I am back to show the world
who I am now.

- How are we feeling, young lady?
- Good.

Tell me about the dish.

JAIMEE: So I'm doing
pan-seared rainbow trout,

salt and vinegar chips, and
then a tomato honey gastrique.

- Man, you're back with a vengeance, aren't you?
- Oh, yeah.

You seem to be taking this pressure just
literally like water off a duck's back.

[BLEEPING]

- That's not my choice is it?
- Yes, it is.

That's down to the dish, girl.
Yeah? Good luck.

[BLEEP] hell.

Showmanship doesn't win shows.
I'm not fazed.

- Come on, baby!
- Come on, Keturah!

- You got this.
- Right, Keturah. Welcome back.

- Hi, Chef.
- How you feeling?

My anxiety's trying
to come back,

but I'm not going
to let her win today!

My name's Keturah. You'll
remember me from the tenth season.

- Hey, do not crumble under pressure, yeah?
- Okay. Thank you, Chef.

I definitely struggled
with my anxiety.

- Keturah's in meltdown.
- [BLEEP]

I didn't really believe
in myself.

But this time around, my anxiety
is not going to get the better of me.

I'm here to win. No one
deserves it more than me this time.

So I'm making a fusion
of West African and East Asian.

Wow, and the dishes are...
in terms of ingredients?

It's a seafood pasta,
noodles from Korea,

and then we also have
some uni loaves.

We have a caviar
to top it off with.

And the fusion together
is really, really lovely.

- Good luck.
- Thank you so much.

Oh, these nails.

So, 22 minutes remaining.
Halfway. Come on, guys.

Alejandro, what's up, baby?
How you feeling?

- What's up, Joe?
- So what are you making?

I'm making coffee rubbed elk
tenderloin with a bourbon demi.

Now, elk's tricky right?
Because it's pretty lean.

My trick for this meat
is I'm starting early.

- I'm letting it rest.
- Are you gonna slice it or serve it whole?

- I'm gonna slice it.
- Make sure you season on the inside.

- Yes, Chef.
- What kind of Alejandro are we gonna see today?

A lot more thoughtful
and a lot more refined.

All right, my man.
Good luck.

- You got this, Sam.
- Come on, Sam. Just like at home.

- Welcome back, girl.
- Thank you.

- How have you been? Love that.
- Good.

Tell me about the dish.
What are you doing?

SAM: I am making
egg yolk ravioli.

Right, so that egg yolk
needs to be runny.

- Needs to be runny. Pasta cooked.
- Pasta super thin.

- Yep.
- Last time round,

you weren't handling
pressure well.

I wasn't, no. But I was
also only 20 years old.

I'm Samantha. I was on
season nine of "MasterChef."

I was young,
I was new to the industry.

Oh, no.
The gelatin didn't go in.

But I made it to the top four.

Samantha, promise me
you're gonna continue.

Of course. First thing I'm gonna
do is enroll in culinary school.

I studied at the
International Culinary Center,

and I graduated with my degree
in professional pastry arts,

with all of the honors,
of course.

- Welcome back. Good luck. Good to see you.
- Thank you, Chef.

- Good to see you.
- Come on, Sam!

Go, Keturah! Go!
Go, girl!

She's massacring those noodles
with those tongs.

- Keturah.
- Yes, Chef?

JOE: Easy on those noodles
with those tongs.

- Delicate.
- It's my way of focusing.

Those noodles have been cooking
for a very long time.

Oh, [BLEEP].

Come on, come on, come on.

All right, hurry up,
hurry up, hurry up.

Those noodles have been cooking
for a very long time,

and they've been sitting
in water.

- So that has the potential of being very soggy and gummy.
- Soggy.

Five minutes remaining.
Come on.

Two aprons up for grabs.
Keep it going, guys, yes?

AARÓN: Coming down to it.
Think about all the elements.

Oh, look, Samantha's putting
the eggs in the ravioli.

It's a very delicate point.

Come on, Jaimee.
Good job.

Let's go, baby!
Bring that energy, Alejandro!

60 seconds to go!
One minute!

Let's go! Let's go!

That a girl. Good?

Get the sauce in there!
Let's go, Sam!

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

And stop! Well done.

Right, all of you,
please pick up those dishes

and follow us through
to the MasterChef restaurant.

Thank you.

Okay, let's begin with Samantha.
Please bring us your dish.

Today I made for you
a raviolo al huevo,

so it is the egg yolk ravioli

with a brown butter sage sauce.

A known classic here
in the MasterChef kitchen.

All right, let's give it a try.

So obviously the jeopardy
in this dish

is always to make sure
that the yolk is still runny.

We'll give the traditional cut,
and there we have it.

- Perfection.
- Oh, it's beautiful.

What can I say?
Perfect dish.

A dish that I would happily
serve in my restaurant

- anywhere in the world. Brava.
- Thank you.

The egg is runny, the sage is
perfectly infused in the beurre noisette.

It speaks to everything that is
beautiful about Italian cuisine.

- Thank you, Chef.
- I know you can go down

one more notch on that pasta
and go a bit thinner,

but it's a very solid dish.

- Thank you, Chef.
- Great job.

Jaimee.

I did a pan-seared rainbow trout

with a brown butter lemon garlic
sauce, salt and vinegar chips,

and a cherry tomato
and caper relish.

I like the presentation. The
color combinations are great.

I know there's gonna be
freshness and acidity here.

But it's very simple,

so everything has
to be perfectly done.

Jaimee, I like it.

Rainbow trout cooked nicely.

Trout nice and crispy.

Absolutely perfect.
Good job.

JOE:
So the dish is super clean.

You taste all
the individual ingredients.

My question is
is it a little too everyday

- for this circumstance?
- Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, Alejandro, please.

I have a coffee-rub
elk tenderloin

with a bourbon demi-glacé,

a sweet potato purée,

wilted spinach,
and white asparagus.

Alejandro, it looks boisterous.
It's got that attitude.

It's like you're back with such
more confidence this time round.

Alejandro,
here's the thing about this.

The elk's delicious,
but you exposed that protein,

you need to season it between.

So for me,
it's way under seasoned.

AARÓN: I really enjoy this.

The asparagus,
it needs some love,

but that elk and the components
are all well and balanced.

- Thank you, Chef.
- I have to say, I love every component of this dish.

I love the white asparagus.
I love the simplicity of it.

I don't agree with them at all.
I think it's perfect the way it is.

- Good job.
- Thank you.

AARÓN: Thank you, Alejandro.

Keturah, please bring
your dish down. Thank you.

KETURAH: This is a seafood pasta
with some uni layers, caviar,

and then I tailed it
with a tomato salad

pickled with blackberries.

- Visually, for me I'm confused.
- Okay.

GORDON: Because there is
so much going on here.

I'm also worried about
the Hoover Dam style plating

where there's this huge,
you know, vat of sauce.

I don't know if I need a chair
or a sick bag.

I don't know.

There is so much going on here.

I don't know if I need a chair
or a sick bag.

JOE: Should we try it?

Oh.

Look, it's a very ambitious
thing you're trying to do here.

The problem is that it's not
really unified in any kind of way.

I do like the spice.

I think it's something
that's pleasant,

but the noodles are overcooked.

And then just this idea of
blackberries working with caviar

is just a far stretch.

The dish is just too confusing.

I'm as confused as my palate.

I feel let down with this dish.

Thank you very much
for your feedback, Chef.

Thank you, Keturah.

- Well, one's out. So we got three.
- Well...

Look, I think that elk dish shows
that he's got some chops to stand on.

- GORDON: The trout was cooked beautifully.
- That trout was great.

I mean, think about Sam and
the flawlessness in that dish.

Yeah. You good? Happy?

Okay, so this first apron

was clear cut based
on the cooking, the precision,

and the honoring of ingredients.

The apron goes to Miss Samantha.

Here you go.
Well done, young lady.

- Thank you. Thank you, thank you.
- Fantastic work.

- Congratulations, young lady.
- Congratulations.

From here it becomes
a two-horse race.

And quite honestly I'm torn

because I would like
to hand you both aprons.

But we have only one apron
to give, and, uh...

We decided that because
of the complexity of the dish

and the technique behind it,

Alejandro is gonna be
receiving the apron.

Thank you, Chef.

Very difficult decision.

Jaimee, a tremendous,
gallant effort, young lady.

Continue climbing that ladder.

Promise?

- [CHEERING]
- Yeah!

Whoo! I'm in heaven right now.

I still have a lot to prove,
especially to Chef Gordon,

that I can do right
and I can listen.

I'm crying like a baby!

- I just got apron back.
- Yay!

You did good.
You gotta be so proud of her.

- She killed it. They loved her dish.
- Thanks.

I got to hear Gordon say that
I cooked my trout perfectly,

so despite not getting
an apron, it still paid off.

You won't see the last of me.

- Very sad for Jaimee. Like, my heart really...
- Yeah.

I don't... I hope we made
the right decision.

It's all down to this. Our
last two aprons up for grabs.

Right, all four of you,

45 minutes start now.

- I hope y'all like it spicy.
- You got this, Mom.

- Let's go, Gabe! Yeah!
- Come on!

Thank you, thank you!

Ten minutes gone.
Just over 35 minutes to go.

- Shelly, welcome back, girl. We good?
- Yes, Chef.

- Feeling pretty good.
- Congratulations on all the success.

Thank you.
Hey, y'all, I'm Shelly.

I'm back from season six.

Before I came to "MasterChef,"
I was a kitchen assistant,

but I knew that I wanted to
have something that was my own.

So after "MasterChef,"
I went to culinary school

and I started my own business
with my daughter.

I'm coming back
with a vengeance.

My plating is up to par.

I know more ingredients.

I've matured so much more
in the kitchen.

They're not gonna know
what hit them.

I'm so proud
of what you've become,

and that taco business,
tell me about it.

We sell Jamaican tacos, so this is
actually one of our signature items.

- It's a jerked chicken dinner taco.
- 32 minutes to go. Good luck.

- Thank you so much, sir. I appreciate you.
- Welcome back.

- Doing good, Mom.
- Señor Malcolm, how are we?

- Aarón, que pasa, mi amigo?
- You have the makings of a bread pudding.

- Do I dare say that?
- Yes, sir.

I'm going to make an apple and
dried cranberry bread pudding

with a spiced whipped cream
and a whiskey caramel sauce.

Definitely my inspiration
is my daughter.

She picked this dish. This is
her favorite thing to eat.

- Well, that's beautiful.
- So I lost on a dessert.

- So you're trying to right a wrong?
- Right the wrongs, baby.

- That's what I'm here for.
- I hear you.

You may remember me from
season four. Malcolm. I'm back.

Me losing that cupcake challenge

was almost in a sense
like losing in life.

I was really sad,

so I'm definitely winning
"MasterChef" this year.

You got a lot going on,
my brother.

- Best of luck to you, okay?
- Thank you, brother. I appreciate it.

- Mm. Joe.
- Hello, Sheetal.

- 12 years. I think we look good.
- Yes.

Not bad for my age. My name is
Sheetal Bhagat from season one.

I ended up auditioning
for "MasterChef"

based on just my passion
for food and spice

and went all the way
to the semifinals.

And I earned the title
of Spice Queen,

and I launched
my own tequila brand

which is infused with spice.

This time I'm definitely
back to win.

So what are you
gonna make for us?

SHEETAL: I'm doing
a halibut fish tostada.

I think one of the things
I've learned is less is more.

This is four ingredients,
and obviously my tequila, but...

- That's courageous.
- Yeah.

- Good luck.
- Thank you.

Come on, Gabe!

- Welcome back, bud.
- Hey, glad to be back, Chef.

So good to see.
How you doing?

Oh, I've been fantastic, Chef.
It's been a hell of a couple years.

You may remember me
from season eight.

My name is Gabriel Lewis.

Before "MasterChef," I was
fresh out of high school.

You know,
I was a 19-year-old kid.

Ironically, one of
the highlights of my season

was my elimination.

Young man, it's very rare
we see such raw talent.

You've got the potential
to be huge in this industry.

So I am personally
gonna send you

to culinary school.

- That's amazing.
- Gabriel!

And it legitimately
changed my life.

I've grown from a cook
to a professional chef.

I won Best Chef 2019
in Oklahoma City.

I'm back, I'm here,
and I'm in it to win it.

This dish, Chef, is my port
wine glazed bone in pork chop

with my southern braised
collard greens and bacon

served with
my chipotle corn purée

and some caramelized
pearl onions.

I love that. Welcome back.

Thank you. I appreciate you.

We're coming down to
the last ten minutes remaining

for the final battle.

Two aprons up for grabs.

It's anyone's game.

- Mad good.
- Perfect.

I'm drawing my attention
towards Shelly.

The seasoning on that jerked
chicken taco smells amazing.

She's gonna put coconut rice
in there as well.

Starch on starch,
can that be risky?

- Mm.
- Oh, yeah, that's coming out.

JOE: I have to say,
Malcolm has a slight edge.

When you're playing
for your family,

it's such an emotional
power surge within you

that you don't want
to let anybody down.

- JOE: Right.
- A little longer. We'll let it rest.

I'm looking
at Gabriel's pork chops,

the caramelization,
the color on them.

That's gonna be tough to beat.

GORDON: I'm so proud of him.
I really am.

I just hope he can pull it
out of the bag,

because the competition is rife.

JOE: Sheetal's halibut
looks a little bit white.

Wouldn't you have put a little
color on it in the cooking technique?

Wouldn't you want
a little bit of caramelization?

Yes.

We're coming down to
the last 60 seconds remaining.

- Come on, guys.
- Oh, my God.

Here we go.

GORDON: Look at that caramel
sauce with Malcolm. Look at that.

- Come on, Malcolm.
- Let's go, Gabe.

- Heard, Chef.
- There you go, Shelly. Let's go.

GORDON: Come on, guys.

ALL: Ten, nine, eight,

seven, six, five,

four, three, two, one.

[CHEERING]

That was incredible.

We kept the best till last.

The last two aprons.
Let's go. Thank you.

Gabriel, please bring
your dish forward.

GABRIEL: So today I have a
bone-in port wine glazed pork chop

with some Southern style
braised greens,

a chipotle corn purée.

I can tell that you treated
the pork chop

with a very flavorful rub.

It's evident because of the
caramelization on the outside.

I just hope
it's cooked perfectly.

Otherwise, game over.

Yes, Chef.

I just hope
it's cooked perfectly.

Otherwise, game over.

Yes, Chef.

Young man, it gives me
great pleasure to say

the pork's nailed beautifully.
It's cooked to textbook.

The sauce, yeah, rich, inviting,

and you've got that heat.

Absolutely spot on.

That is delicious.
Great job.

Thank you, Chef.

Here's something I tell
all my cooks.

When you have
a big piece of protein,

you need to season it
like a pretzel

because the crust has to be
the seasoning for the flesh inside.

You did that. Bravo.

- Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you.
- Thank you, Gabe.

Miss Shelly, can you please
bring up your dish?

SHELLY: This is
a jerk chicken dinner taco

so it has coconut rice, peas,
sweet plantains, jerk chicken,

- and then you have a slaw on top.
- I think it's a bold move

to stick a Jamaican inspired
dish inside a taco,

and then you're putting
coconut rice on top of that.

Let's dive in.

Shelly, this is a special taco.

- Thank you.
- The dish is delicious.

I just don't think
it needs the rice.

But the chicken's delicious.
Well done.

All right.
Thank you, Chefs. Thank you.

Malcolm, please bring
your dessert down.

MALCOLM: So this is a dried
cranberry apple bread pudding,

and I have a bourbon caramel
that you literally just pour on top.

It's festive. That's what I love
about you. You cook with heart.

- So, yeah, can't wait to get in there.
- Thank you.

This is my daughter's
favorite dish.

Look, this is a bear hug
of a dish.

It's sweet, it's chewy, but kinda
crusty and caramely at the same time.

Really nice.

Listen, this thing means so
much to you, and I can taste that.

I think the problem
with this dish

is the three individuals
standing behind you.

- Yup.
- We only have two aprons left,

and it's good,
but is it good enough?

- Thank you, Chef.
- JOE: Thank you.

Sheetal, please bring us
your creation.

I have a tostada that is built
on a corn tortilla.

Halibut is my protein.
I have an avocado crema.

And then I have a special
guajillo sauce that uses tequila.

Let's get in there, shall we?

Sheetal, the first bite's
refreshing. It's good.

My one issue here
is that the actual halibut,

the star, is slightly dry.

Everything else, the components,
the acidity, the heat,

- is delicious.
- Thank you.

It has a lot of great components
to it as far as a traditional tostada.

Beautiful crema.
The tostada's nice and crispy.

The slaw is not over acidulated.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

The unfortunate news is that
we've only got two aprons left,

the last in this competition.

And the first apron we're
gonna give out is to a cook

who we felt had the most
technically complex flavors.

We can see personal touch.

For the reason, we're gonna give
our first apron to...

Shelly.

- Here you go, Shelly. Congratulations.
- Thank y'all so much.

- Thank you.
- Okay, put that on.

- GORDON: Great job, Shelly.
- Thank you.

So what we have left here
is three great dishes.

In any other season, we'd be
giving out three other aprons.

But unfortunately, there can
only be one last winner.

This apron goes to...

Gabriel.

Good job.

- Keep on keeping on, man.
- Will do. Thank you.

- Good stuff.
- Great job. Nice work, y'all.

Good job.

Thank you, Chefs.
This means the world to me.

[CHEERING]

GABRIEL: The second
time around you can expect

a more confident, charismatic,
and talented chef

instead of that home cook that
you witnessed back in season eight.

Congratulations.
Congratulations.

- Congrats, you guys.
- Good job.

I thought that dish
was authentic enough

and hard enough to show
the elevation of my cooking.

I wasn't just cooking for me,
I was cooking for my baby girl,

and unfortunately,
I just didn't get the job done.

- Yes.
- Yes.

"MasterChef" season 12!

And I'm back to win.
Let's go!

[CHEERING]

- JOE: 20 aprons. We did it.
- GORDON: Great job, huh?

- Yes, yes.
- Man.

I think we're on
for one of the best,

the most competitive seasons
in the history of "MasterChef."

- I agree.
- Game on. This is going to be epic.

Next time, the top 20 take on
the first elimination challenge...

Tonight your challenge
is to use the dish

that sent you home
as inspiration for a new dish.

and a trip down memory lane...

Since my elimination,
that dish has haunted me.

...to prove if their skills
have leveled up from last time.

This is definitely
my shot at redemption.

- The standard's up there.
- There we go. There we go.

I got a San Antonio puffy taco.

- Whoa!
- Yeah.

That is redemption in a bowl
beyond belief.

There's texture
all over the place.

That's what truly
makes it memorable.

Your ambition outpaced
your ability.

We'll see if there's something
that's redeeming enough

to overlook the obvious.

Master Chef returns with
former contestants back to win.