Masterchef (2010–…): Season 13, Episode 3 - Regional Auditions - The West - full transcript

Are you wondering how healthy the food you are eating is? Check it - foodval.com
---
Gordon:
Previously on "masterchef"...

This is united tastes
of america.

We wanna find out
where in america do
the best cooks come from?

- Please welcome graham elliot!
- Daphne oz!

The caliber of contestant
and home cook is amazing.

So far, ten cooks
have earned an apron

- From the northeast
and the midwest.
- What do you think?

Girl, you are on your way.
It's a definite yes from me.

That burst of flavor is there.

For me, it's an absolute
resounding yes.

- Let's go!
- It's symbolic of the midwest.



I love this dish.
I'm a yes.

( crowd cheering )

Let's go, baby!

Tonight, on "masterchef"...

Please welcome susan feniger.

The regional auditions
continue...

Everybody knows westside's
the best side.

I like that, that sass!

...As the best from the west

Battle it out
for a white apron.

I am here to fight
for that apron!

( music playing )

You're exactly what
we're looking for.

Absolute resounding yes.



This very much
speaks california.

I think everyone in the west,
we're just a little weirder.

- Wow.
- It's pretty obvious
that it's a big no.

I promise you I can do this.

I just don't think you're ready.

( crowd cheering )

- This is my station right here!
- Yeah!

- ( cheering continues )
- ( indistinct shouting )

Thousands of people
have fought to get here,

But I am here, and I am here
to fight for that apron.

- The next masterchef
is in this room.
- Right?

- Which is crazy.
- I know.

I just wanna make you proud.

I wanna see where gordon at.
Where he at?

( cheering )

Wow, thank you.
Thank you so much!

Welcome back,
everybody, to "masterchef:
United tastes of america."

Come on!

Amazing.

Tonight another region
will prove

That they have what it takes
to compete at the highest level.

The best of the best
will earn a masterchef apron.

If you can show us that you're
the shining star of your region,

You'll put yourself
one step closer to the title,

The trophy, and a quarter
of a million dollars.

Yeah! Let's go!

Now, one of my favorite parts
of "masterchef"

Is getting a great insight
to america's culinary diversity.

And this season we are truly
celebrating that diversity,
let me tell you.

Now we've seen the northeast
and the midwest.

It's time for another
regional round of auditions.
You guys ready?

( cheering )

Tonight's lucky region is...

The west.

Now, representing
the west tonight,

We have another guest judge.

One of the most beloved chefs
across southern california,

She has six
best-selling cookbooks,

And multiple james beard
nominations.

Please welcome
the amazing susan feniger.

Oh, my god.

- Good to see you. Welcome.
- Thank you.

Welcome to
the masterchef kitchen.

- Thank you.
- What an absolute pleasure
having you here.

- Congratulations on everything.
- Thank you.

Now, you've called l.A. Home
for so long.

Your iconic restaurants
have really helped shape

The l.A. Landscape
for over 40 years.

How would you say that the west
helped shape your empire?

Oh, I mean,
the west is everything.

We just-- we love the west!

We've got
this amazing agriculture.

We've got the ocean.

There's such great
diversity here.

I think because of that,

It gives you the opportunity

To be incredibly creative.

What do you wanna see tonight

From these phenomenons
from the west?

To me, the most important thing
is every ingredient

That you put on
has to really stand out.

You know,
it should look pretty, for sure,

But flavor's
the most important thing.

Amazing, amazing.
Now, listen carefully.

To get your hands on
those white aprons tonight,

You'll need at least
three yeses from the judges.

All of you,
the very best of luck,

And more importantly,
do the west proud.

- We'll see you
in the restaurant.
- ( cheering )

It's taken us ten years
to get you here,

- But thank you, honestly.
- Finally!

I'm so excited to be here.

It is an incredibly
exciting night tonight
with the west.

Being a cook in the west
is probably like being a painter

With the greatest palate
of colors to have

Because you can draw
from the ocean, the mountains,
the plains, the deserts.

- You have everything.
- Electrifying west coast.

- Yep.
- Brace yourselves.

( cheering )

Okay, honey, you got this!

- We're gonna make this happen!
- Whoo!

I am from fairbanks, alaska,

I am passionate
about where I live,

And I could not be more excited
to rep my state today.

I'm lizzie, I'm 29 years old,

And I am a preschool
teacher's aide.

Living in alaska is wild.
It's exciting.

In the summer because of
the extreme sunlight,

We get to do so much outdoors,

But in the winter
we have darkness all the time.

So that's why
I started cooking.

- You got this.
- I got this.

Cooking has completely
changed my life.

I'm involved in
so many different things.

In the evenings
I get to help make pizza dough
at a local pizza place,

And on the weekends
I get to teach cooking classes.

It's really good.

At this point in my life,
I am ready to completely

Involve myself
in the culinary world,

And I know that "masterchef"
can help me do that.

Guys, it's gordon ramsay.

Man, good evening.

- Hello! Hi!
- You okay?

- I'm fine.
- Amazing. Name is?

- Lizzie from alaska. Yes.
- Lizzie from alaska.

- Love that.
- What's the dish?
What are you doing?

Yeah, I'm doing
an oven roasted halibut

With a cauliflower purée,

Pan-seared mushrooms,
and a fresh herb oil.

Mmm. That sounds amazing.

- And is it alaskan halibut?
- It is alaskan halibut.

- Are you roasting this?
- I'm a little nervous
about that,

- But it's gonna happen.
- Were you practiced on
before you got here?

- It's very good.
- And what would you give it
on a scale of ten?

- A 20.
- That's-- wow.

- A 20.
- Okay, okay, yeah.

- Do not overcook that halibut.
- Yes, sir.

- It smells delicious.
Good luck.
- Thank you.

It's so good to meet you both.

- Great to meet you.
- Good to see you.

All right,
got four more minutes.

Five maybe.

Whoo!

Oh, yeah!
Guys, it's pretty!

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

This is the most important dish
I will ever make in my life.

I am not leaving
without that apron today.

Welcome.

My name is lizzie,
I'm from alaska,

And this is
roasted alaskan halibut,
cauliflower purée,

Pan-seared mushrooms,
and a fresh herb oil.

Right, whereabouts in alaska
do you live?

I'm in fairbanks
right in the center.

We're quirky, we're fun,
we have a beautiful culture.

- It's incredible.
- Shall we?

- Come on.
- Okay.

Right, visually, joe,
what do you think?

I think it looks top notch.

I love the cook
on the halibut.

It looks all balanced
and done right.

- Thank you.
- The roasted mushrooms
look gorgeous.

That little bit of lemon
and the sprig of thyme,

I love the way this looks.

- This is exactly
my kind of food.
- Gordon: Dig in?

- Susan, how was that for you?
- I love the flavor of the oil.

I love the earthiness of the
mushrooms with the cauliflower,
which just tastes great.

So I have to say
it's a yes all the way for me.

Okay, thank you.

For me, I just love the
confidence of the mushroom.

They're earthy and bold and
they stand up to the halibut.

When you do things like that,
it makes me wanna say yes.

- Thank you.
- Fine start. Two yeses.

You only need three.

I think you've done yourself
a bit of an injustice.

White on white
I'm not a big fan of.

The purée underneath, sublime.
I mean, really delicious. Joe?

Yeah, I--
I'm a little bit dumbfounded.

I've never tasted halibut
that tasted quite like
that dish makes it taste.

- Okay.
- And that is
a really good thing.

I'm gonna say yes,
which gets you an apron.

And I'm gonna give a compliment
that I don't give usually.

- Okay.
- This dish is meritous
of being copied.

- It's that good.
- Thank you.

- Very good job.
- Yeah.

I'm excited to see what
you can do in this competition.

- It's a very solid yes from me.
- Thank you.

- Come over.
- Very good.

- That's awesome.
- Congratulations.

- ( overlapping chatter )
- oh, my god. Okay, okay.

- Oh, my gosh. Okay.
- Congratulations. Come on.

- Thank you, guys.
You guys are incredible.
- Hold it together.

Great job. Four yeses.
Congratulations. Well done.

I'm so happy!
I just got my apron!

I'm so proud
to represent alaska.

We have a strong region
in the west.

Those other regions
better watch out.

Everyone's rooting
for you back home.

You've got this.
You are a baking daddy.

Tyson:
It is beyond important
to rep my region.

I think I'm the only one
here from utah.

- I've gotta do my state proud.
- ( cheering )

I eat salmon every single day,

And the dish I'm making
is a spicy salmon tostada.

The tostada shell
is actually salmon skin,

And it is going to blow
the judges' minds
'cause it blows my mind.

You make that dough.
Go and make it!

I am making what
utahans refers to as scones,
which are flatbreads,

Along with a raspberry,
lemon, vanilla compote

And a basil lemon cream
to go with it.

This is a bite of utah, 100%.

- Whoo!
- Come on, miss salmon queen!

- Ooh, that's hot.
- Crowd: Five, four,

Three, two, one.

- Hello. Welcome.
- Hi!

I am gigi, also known
as the salmon queen.

- You're the salmon queen?
- Oh, yeah.

I eat eight to ten pounds
of salmon a week.

Eight to ten pound a week?
That's a whole freaking
salmon a week.

- Oh, yeah.
- What?

- I don't have my glasses.
What does that say?
- It says "salmon."

I have a tattoo in my mouth
that says "salmon."

- Why did you do that?
- Because I always have
salmon in my mouth.

- What?
- Okay.

Give us an insight
to the dish.

Gigi: I made some spicy
salmon tostadas,

But the best part
is the tostada shell

Is actually crispy salmon skin.

I'm wondering why
there's nothing cooked.

You're a salmon queen,
but you're not cooking salmon.
You're frying the skin.

Um, it's almost like a snack
or a canapé.

- 'cause it's not a dish is it?
- It's not a full on dish, no.

No. The tastiest thing on
that board is the actual skin.

Joe:
This dish is pedestrian.

It does everything except
exalt the magnificence

Of salmon as an ingredient.

- I don't taste
the salmon at all.
- Okay.

This dish would have potential,

But it needs just to be
balanced a bit more.

I think it's pretty obvious
that it's a big no.

It's definitely not
good enough for an apron.

My name is tyson. I am 38.
I am from taylorsville, utah.

This is what utahans
know as a scone,

With a raspberry compote

And a lemon basil whipped cream
to go with it.

On its own, I think this could
have a bit more flavor.

Every dough needs salt,
whether it's puff pastry,
short pastry,

Because it just tastes
like fried bread.

Not salting
a fried dough like that

- Is a real amateur mistake.
- Okay.

- For me it's a no.
- I appreciate the passion

And the heart behind it,
but I'd have to say no.

Tyson, unfortunately,
that's two nos. What a shame.

- Thank you very much
for the opportunity.
- Thank you.

- ( applause )
- I'm sorry.

It's okay.

( crowd groans )

I'm proud of you.

You can't overlook
the fundamental mistakes.

- No. Crucial.
- You know, salting
and things like that.

We just really have to hold
the standard high.

- Yeah, let's go, amanda!
- Whoo!

- Whoo!
- I'm amanda,

I'm a stay at home mom
in sherman oaks, california.

Ooh, it smells good.

I'm a california girl,
I'm a california native,

And I love california.

I have three kids.

I spent my life making sure

They're well taken care of
every single day.

I love being a mom.

But cooking is my passion,

Obsession,
and now it's my time.

Let's go, babe!
You got this!

20 seconds.
Man, you're cool under pressure.

Wow. Looks amazing.

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

"masterchef" is the ultimate
opportunity of a lifetime,

And I want that apron bad.

- Welcome.
- Thank you.

My name is amanda,

And my dish is
an herb crusted halibut

With sautéed tomatoes
and fennel

And pickled purple
cauliflower.

Shall we? Right. Okay.

Listen, it looks like
it's a really nicely cooked
piece of halibut.

Yeah, I appreciate your approach
to the freshness,

But I'm just concerned.

With the amount of olive oil,

- It's gonna be too much.
- Shall we?

- You have fennel pollen
on top, right?
- Yes.

I think I better steal that
so I can see how that is.

Um...

The halibut's cooked
beautifully.

- Oh, my god.
Thank you so much.
- It's seasoned beautifully.

The fragrance of the fennel,
it's exceptional.
It's a perfect harmony.

A little bit longer
on the quick pickling for
the cauliflower. Big deal.

I am an absolute resounding yes.

- Really good job.
- Thank you so much.
Thank you.

To me, this very much
speaks california,

With the olive oil,
the tomatoes, plenty of basil,

And the flavor from the fennel.

- I'd have to give you a yes.
- Thank you so much.

- Ooh. Uh-oh.
- Two for two. Aarón?

I stand corrected
as far as the oil.

I think it actually needs it.

With that being said,
I think it's too many onions.

I think the sweetness
of the tomatoes is too much.

And the fennel pollen
is just so aggressive.

It's completely
dominating my palate,

So for me, it's a no.

Gordon: Wow.

Amanda, that's two yeses
and one no.

You need three
to land an apron.

Joe, it's in your hands. Please.

I'm in a difficult position here

Because we're looking to give
out a coveted west coast apron.

I promise you I can do this.

I was a stay at home mom
because I had three kids

And it was important for me
to be there with them.

But now this is important
for me to do for myself.

Joe, yes or no?

Amanda, that's two yeses
and one no.

You need three
to land an apron.

Joe, yes or no?

I will work hard.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you so much!

- Thank you so much!
Oh, my gosh.
- Well done.

Bye, amanda.
Don't let me down.

- That was a big investment.
- I won't.

I will not let anybody down,
I promise.

( cheering )

I just got a masterchef apron.
I am so excited.

I will spend the rest
of the season

Proving to joe
that I deserve this apron.

Joe: This is some of
the best cooking I've seen.

This is an amazing level
we're at this year.

Sure.
Two aprons down in the west
and three to go.

Absolutely.

There it is!
There it is!

I am here at "masterchef"

To show what the west
is made of.

Whoo!

My name is megan,
I'm 41 years old,

I live in cokeville, wyoming,
and I'm a motel owner.

Really wish
I was a judge right now.
This would be delicious.

A year and a half ago,
my husband and I,

We found this motel that
just happened to be for sale
that was a fixer.

So we moved
from seattle, washington,

And we kinda jumped
right into it.

The motel is a family affair.

It's 15 rooms.
All of us get involved.

It entails a lot,
but we have the support
of our family and each other.

- Oh, yeah. Espresso is in.
- You got this.

Everybody's here supporting you.

Cokeville, wyoming,
is the true old west.

It's a town
of about 500 people.

We don't even
have a grocery store,

And so I've had
to get really creative

In cooking just by necessity.

Whoo! How's it taste?

- Taste good?
- It tastes good.

Oh, gordon's here.
Gordon's here.

- Hello.
- Hi.

- How are you?
Nice to see you.
- Hi.

- What is that you're doing?
- I am making

An espresso custard,
and I'm serving it

In a dark chocolate cup
with caramel whipped cream
on the top.

- I do like caramel
and chocolate.
- Sounds good.

And I like that combo together.

Where's the idea come from?
Where did it start?

I'm from seattle originally,

And there's a coffee shop
on every corner.

You got enough time to get it
done within 45 minutes?

- I do, I've done it.
- Love that.

- Is mum gonna do it or not?
- Yes.

I didn't even like coffee,
and this made me love it.

Well, fingers crossed.
High-five.

- Good luck.
- Thank you.

Get that chocolate
in the mold.

Doing a dessert is a risk

Because custard
is kind of technical to make.

Same with the chocolate.
You have to temper it.

It's a brave dish to take on,

But I think I can do it.

All right, make it look pretty.

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

( cheering )

You gotta go win!

My whole life
I have taken leaps,

And today that's what
I'm here to do.

I wanna see what I can do
in the masterchef kitchen.

- Gordon: Welcome.
- Thank you.

Wow. Hi.

My name is megan, I live
in cokeville, wyoming.

I'm from seattle,
washington, originally.

So this is an espresso custard

Served inside
of a dark chocolate cup

Topped with caramel
whipped cream.

- Shall we?
- Yeah.

Okay. Wow.

Susan, visually,
how does that look?

Susan: It's beautiful and
certainly really well done,

- And you made that cup?
- I did.

- Oh, you make the cup yourself?
- I did.

Did you make the espresso too?

I used espresso powder.

Look, I think it looks fancy,
you know?

It looks like you could serve it
in a roadside motel.

As well as a restaurant.
As well as a restaurant.

- Yeah.
- Yeah, I mean it's got
the wow factor.

- Shall we?
- Susan: Yeah. Let's do it.

Okay, megan, you know,
three yeses from four judges.

Susan?

I think the flavor of it
is really quite delicious.

The garnish is not exactly
what I would do.

- I like more based on the
chocolate and the espresso...
- Okay.

...And the caramel itself.
But the flavor is quite nice.

- Thank you.
- It's a yes for me.

- Ooh.
- Right away.

Gordon: Aarón?
I'm shocked that you're able

To get that much flavor
in that custard, to be honest.

That is the obvious
star of this dessert.

For me, I think
there's enough flavor here,

Enough of that sort of passion
for your dessert making

That I'm gonna say yes.

Thank you.

Two yeses. Joe, please.

I'm having a little more
difficulty with this dish

Because for me,
it's really about tasting
the bitterness of coffee,

And I don't feel
that this dessert
has that component.

I think the custard
tastes goopy,

Kinda like elmer's glue
with coffee syrup in it.

- So for me it's a no.
- Okay.

You have two yeses, one no.

I guess it's
all up to you, gordon.
What do you think?

Visually,
it had that wow factor.

It does need a sponge
to lighten the load

- Because it's very sweet.
- Okay.

I would've dropped that caramel.
It didn't really need it.

It needs more bitterness.
It's a tough one.

Come on.

( crowd groans )

Good job, babe.

I feel like it was
a great dish.

Two of the judges
really liked it.

I'm not gonna stop cooking.

I'm gonna keep going.

- We're proud of you.
- Thank you.

We're expecting a lot
from these west coast cooks.

It's a tough one.
At this point, we have to be
really selective.

Yeah.

- ( cheering )
- ( overlapping shouts )

- Let's go, buddy.
- Come on, baby.

- Come on, buddy.
- Come on!

- You got this, man.
- You got this.

- Whoo!
- You got this, buddy.

I cannot wait to show people

What hawaiian food
has turned out to be.

- Yes!
- I think a lot of people
underestimate hawaii

Because they think it's
just super chill, too relaxed.

Like, they don't
take us seriously,

We're just
a vacation destination.

- But that's not true.
- Yes.

So I'm really excited
to represent.

Aloha.
My name is madame donut.

I'm 48 years old,

And I'm from maui, hawaii.

I'm the queen of donuts.

I really am!

About ten years ago,

I started a donut shop.

I make everything from scratch.

I even make my own sprinkles.

However, it's time
to show everybody

That I'm very multi-layered

And I can do so much more
than doughnuts.

So today I'm making
an ahi tuna musubi,

With crispy sushi rice,
and the soy gastrique.

I want to show the world
how elevated

A convenience food can be.

Here we go.

- Aloha, chef. Aloha.
- Hello, how are you?

- How's it going? Aloha, joe.
- Joe: Aloha. How are you?

- Great to meet you.
- Whoa, what are we making here?

I came here to represent maui,
so I'm making a musubi.

- A hawaiian staple, yeah.
- Convenience food. Exactly.

Traditionally
it's made with spam.
I'm using ahi.

Okay, do you think
you have enough elevation

- To get you one
of those coveted aprons?
- 100%.

You're cooking against maybe
cooks from southern california,
portland, oregon.

And then you have hawaii,
which is cool,

But it's not the first place
I think of

When I think of food,
quite frankly.

- Yes. Joe, look at this.
- ( crowd cheering )

Aarón: Orale!

Uptown! Excellent!

I like that, that sass!

I'm here to change your mind.

- All right, good luck.
- Yeah, I like the fact
that you're tasting.

- That's awesome. Cool.
- Thank you. Thank you, chef.

All right!

Madame donut: My dish has
a lot of components.

The rice, for sure,
has to be cooked right.

The fish has to be
cooked right.

I don't want to
overcook the fish.

And also just representing all
the colors of the ingredients

That I brought in.

Come on.

One minute!

You got this! You got this!

I closed my donut shop
to be here

Because I want that apron.

- 20 seconds.
- Come on.

Oh, my god, I don't know
where to put these.

Crowd: Seven, six, five,

Four, three, two, one.

I didn't-- I didn't get
everything on there.

My dish turned out 90%
of how I wanted it to be.

Some components
I didn't get on the plate--

The dragon fruit dressing
and the pickled ginger.

But I'm really hoping
that the judges will really
see the potential

And the magic on this plate
to give me the apron.

- Welcome.
- Aloha, chefs.

- Joe: Aloha.
- Gordon: You look amazing.

Give an insight to your name,
where you're from.

- I'm madame donut.
- Madame what?

- Donut.
- Donut?

- Yeah, like a donut.
- Madame donut.

I literally changed my name.

Normally I'm calling
individuals donuts.

Now you're being asked
to be called a donut.

It's not a compliment
when he says it, right?
You know that?

I know, I know,
and I don't mind.

Okay, what's the dish, please?

I live on maui,
and I'm representing
hawaii on this plate.

So this is an ahi musubi
with crispy sushi rice

And soy gastrique
to go with it.

Okay. Right.

I love how this dish
represents you.

- Yes.
- It's colorful, it's vibrant.

I know there's gonna be
a little bit of spice

And a little bit of that
sort of sassiness in flavor.

I'm curious
about the negative space.

You left half
of the plate empty.

I wanted to put pretty dots
of the dragon fruit dressing.

- You ran out of time?
- Yes. Sorry.

It's kind of like
I'm on hawaiian time

And I'm trying to kick my butt
to kind of get into gear.

- You're on mainland now.
- Let me tell you something.

You gotta make it happen
in the 45 minutes that you have.

- I know.
- Shall we?

Mmm.

Um, you'll need three yeses

To get your hands on an apron.

Um, that's a tough one.

You'll need three yeses
to get your hands on an apron.

Um, let me tell you something.

- Tuna's cooked beautifully.
- Thank you, chef.

Rice needs to be
a little bit more crispier,
if I'm honest.

That's a tough one.

( no audible dialogue )

For me, it's a no.

Yeesh.

...To go back to maui,

But a yes to get an apron
in "masterchef."

- Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
- Susan?

This is exactly
my kind of dish.

It's perfect saltiness.

It's got the right amount
of acidity.

I'm with gordon.
It's a yes for me, too.

- Thank you, chef. Oh, my--
- yeah.

The rice is
the silent star here.

I love the fact
how you transformed the ahi

Into almost a steak texture.

It's kind of robust,
and I think that's beautiful.

- So?
- I believe enough
that this is a yes.

- I'm gonna give you that apron.
- Oh, my god. Thank you, chefs.

- Thank you,
thank you, thank you!
- Aarón: Yes, yes.

- Congratulations.
- Three yeses?

Well, wait. Don't you
wanna hear what I think?

I somewhat do, yes!

All right,
I gotta tell you something.

It's time for the donut queen

To leave the donuts behind
and move on

To restaurant quality
dishes like this.

- It's a yes. Four yeses.
- Yeah, yes.

- Thank you so much. Oh, my god.
- Congratulations.

Miss donut,
we're officially now gonna
give you the title of md.

- That's going on that apron.
- Yes! Md, yeah.

- Congratulations. Well done.
- Md.

I don't even know what to do.

( cheering )

- Yes!
- Madame donut:
This feels, like, unreal.

They all said yes to me.

Like, holy, holy... Beep!

- Oh, my god!
- You deserve it.
You deserve it.

- That was great.
- That was delicious.

- I really liked that.
- I want more of it.

- She did a great job.
- Really good job.

- She challenged herself.
- Why would you turn
your name into a donut?

You should become
gordon wellington.

I'll call you g. Wells
from now on.

- Lord wellington.
- Gordy wellington.

- Fabulous.
- Great dish.

Aarón: Absolutely.

- Yeah!
- Let's go, kennedy!

I got it.

My name's kennedy. I'm 26.
I'm from denver, colorado.

I grew up surrounded
by wildflowers on a farm
on 12 acres.

Whoo!

Absolutely proud
to be from colorado.

I'm a wild girl,
I'm from the mountains,

And it definitely shaped
who I am today.

That was really good.

That's the best
I've ever done it.

- Right.
- Let's go!

Aah!

- Hello. How are you?
- Hello!

- We good? You look amazing.
- I'm good. How are you?

Tell us about the dish.
What are you doing?

I'm doing an elk tenderloin
over rainbow carrots

- With a blueberry compote.
- Love that. Elk.

Nothing more
mountain girl, right?

Gordon: How are you
gonna cook this elk?

I'm gonna sear it
just real quick over top

And leave it in
the oven to finish.

I'm looking for a medium rare.

Why are you toasting
that rosemary?

- I wanna open up the aromatics.
- Yeah.

- Great idea.
- Right. Wow, love this.

Is this the kind of dish
you cook at home?

- I live in a school bus.
- Say that again.

- What? What?
- Did you forget
to drop her off?

She just-- she did
an overnight in the bus?

Me and my girlfriend
renovated a school bus.

We work all around the country
following festivals.

We're just a little weirder
in the west.

We love that!
That's why we love the west.

My motto has always
to been to stay weird.

Just got a little something
different to us.

Susan:
I'm with you, yeah.

Make sure that rests well.

Don't slice that piping hot,
yes? Can't wait to see it.

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

- Now that looks good.
- Kennedy: I'm definitely

Not your normal
cookie cutter kind of girl.

I currently live
and travel full-time
in a renovated school bus.

I have a living room,
I have a bathroom,
I got a kitchen.

But all I have
is a camper stove,

So I really wanna prove
to the world

That a girl who lives
in a school bus

Can still throw down
in a huge kitchen.

- Then you let it rest?
- Yeah, I have to let it rest.

I decided to do
a risky protein like elk

Because you gotta
really know what you're doing
when you work with it.

- It's very easy to overcook.
- That's beautiful.

- Ha, ha, ha, ha.
- That's perfect.

- She be plating!
- My mouth is watering.

Crowd: Seven, six, five,

Four, three, two, one.

Whoo!

Just because I cook
on a school bus,

That doesn't mean
I can't handle bigger things.

All right!

I'm a badass chef,
I'm from the mountains,

I can handle wild game,
and I'm ready to go.

- Welcome.
- Hello!

My name's kennedy,
I'm from denver, colorado,

And today I made for you
an elk tenderloin

Over rainbow carrots
with a blueberry compote.

- Gordon: Wow.
- Sounds good.

Aprons are few and far between.

Elk is one
of the most difficult,

Tempestuous proteins
on the planet.

Why elk on a night
like tonight?

I just wanted to
show you guys a little bit
of who I am as a person.

I'm a mountain girl,
and elk obviously
is from colorado.

And I just wanted
to show my heart.

- I love that.
- Shall we?

- Joe: Let's go.
- Aarón: Indeed.

Susan: Yeah, let's taste.

Visually, it pops.

Elk is absolutely beautiful.

You can see that pink gradient

Of that from the center out.

- Beautifully done.
- The plate is gorgeous.

Kennedy: Thank you, chef.

- Shall we?
- Yeah.

You get in.

The elk is the most difficult
protein being cooked
in this kitchen tonight.

And you absolutely nailed that.

- Really nailed it.
- Thank you, chef.

- Do cook like this
in the school bus?
- I sure do.

Wow, what's one
glamorous ( bleep ) bus.

I could do with one more thing
on there, I think.

Pasta purée. Something
a little bit more earthy

- To get rid of the sweetness.
- Okay.

But it is an absolute
yes from me.

- Thank you so much. Thank you.
- Great job.

I love that you did
a blueberry compote
with vinegar,

And it's got sort of
the perfect combo together.

The carrots are perfectly cooked
and the elk is just delicious.

- Thank you, chef.
- So I think I'd have
to say it's a yes.

Superb handling of the elk.
I love your boldness.

I mean, the fact that
you sliced it to show off

Your confidence in cooking it
says a lot about you.

- Thank you.
- And for me, it allows me

To feel confident
in giving you a yes.

Joe: Excellent dish.

You're exactly
what we're looking for.

An apron for the west coast.

You represent a region
of philosophy, a way of life.
Congratulations then.

- You have an apron.
- Thank you so much.

- Aarón: Great job.
- Susan: Well done.

- Don't lose that.
- All right.

- Amazing. Really good.
- It feels good.

- Gordon: Well done.
- Joe: Congrats.

- Kennedy:
Thank you so much.
- Oh, my gosh.

Oh, my god, she's gonna be--

( cheering )

Yay!

Winning this apron
means everything to me.

It just proves to myself that
I have what it takes to be here.

I mean, I got four yeses.

On a scale of one to ten,
this is literally the best day

Of my entire life.

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

Let's go, buddy.

Oh, yeah!

Everybody knows westside's
the best side.

Get after it, cal.

All right, there we go.

- Hi, bud. You good?
- Hey, how you doing?

- Nice to see you. James.
- First name?

James. Good to see you, bud.
You good?

- Feeling good.
- Susan: Where are you from?

Portland, oregon.
Y'all here for the west.

We the best. I mean, you know?

- I got the...
- ( cheering )

Give us an insight to the dish.
What are you doing? What is it?

- I am doing
a northwest crab cake...
- Right.

- ...With a sautéed squash.
- Oh, I love that idea.

Growing up, was it
mum taught you to cook?
Was it dad? Who was it?

It was my mom.
She taught me how to cook.

Good. I love that.
Is mum here?

No. Unfortunately,
she passed away.

- Oh, I'm sorry.
- Sorry about that.

- So, it just--
- well, let's do this for mum.

- What was mum's name?
- Gloria.

- Both: Gloria.
- Yeah.

What did she teach you
growing up?

- That I could do anything.
- Gordon: Good.

- I love that.
- Good.

I think you should call these

The glorious gloria crab cakes.

- Oh, you know what?
- Yes.

Now they're the glorious
gloria crab cakes.

- Yeah.
- I love it.

- Do her justice.
- Thank you.

- Good to see you, bud.
- I'm gonna give you a hug.

- ( overlapping chatter )
- ( crowd cheering )

Gordon: 20 minutes to go,
james. Let's go.

- You got this, buddy.
- Whoo!

Makes me nervous, like,
he's gonna cut himself.

- Mom, I'm not gonna cut myself.
- Hi, guys.

- Hello.
- Young man, how are we?

- What's up? I'm good.
- First name is?

- Calvin.
- Calvin. Good to see you.

- Young man, how old are you?
- I'm 18.

- Congratulations.
- Wait.

- Thank you.
- Aren't you in school?

I was gonna say,
shouldn't you be in school?

Don't tell my teachers,
all right?

Okay. 18 years of age?
Listen, four years ago,

- You could've been
on "masterchef junior."
- I know.

Was he always excited
about food growing up?

Yeah, he loved eating it,
he loved cooking it.

He was just always
in the kitchen,

- Always right next to me.
- What are you making here?

So I'm making
fried halibut cheek tacos.

- Wow, I like the idea.
- Okay, halibut cheek.

And you're serving a taco
to aarón sánchez? Are you mad?

Calvin: No.

- Can't turn back now.
- Well, no.

- You're absolutely right.
- You're right.

Make sure it's a good one, man.
Good luck, yes?

- Nice to meet you. Amazing.
- Thank you so much.

- A little butter in there.
- James, you got this, baby.
Let's go!

- Let's go, james!
- You know we gonna get it.

- Whoo!
- Good job, cal.

Let's go, cal!
Come on, buddy!

Let's go, cal!

James: Perfect.

- Five, four, three...
- Yeah, boy.

Wrap it up,
you know what I'm saying?
We gonna get this apron!

- ( sighs )
- good job, buddy.

( crowd cheering )

Let's go, cal!

My name is calvin berkeley,
I'm a high school student
from san diego, california,

And I made halibut cheek
fish tacos

With a kiwi watermelon salsa.

- Susan, what do you think?
- One of the things that I love

Is does look like
you made this nice and crisp,

Which is really important
and very challenging to do.

It's all about the flavor
as well, right?

- Yeah.
- Shall we?

Young man,
you need three yeses tonight

To get your hands on an apron.

A taco has three elements
that need to work in synergy.

The tortilla,
you have your protein,
and then you have your garnish.

I think you put way too much oil
in the tortilla,

And then kiwi and watermelon
have no business being there.

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

See how the tortilla
falls apart?

Part of what you need
is maybe a base to hold
some of the juice.

You wanna be able to pick it up,
but you don't want it

- To have it
fall apart like that.
- Yes, chef.

Honestly, you'll get there,
but I'm a no.

Unfortunately, that's it.
Two nos, and I'm sorry.

- Take care.
- Thank you.

( crowd groans )

I love you, buddy.

My name is james,
31 years old from portland.

These are glorious gloria
crab cakes

With tartar sauce
and sautéed squash.

Joe: Where does the passion
for cooking come from?

It came from my mom.

And I have a twin brother.

Unfortunately, he can't be here
because he's handicapped.

- I miss him so much.
- Yeah.

And my brother said,
"hey, I'm holding down the fort.

You can go to
'masterchef' and, uh,

See if you can get an apron."

Wow. I mean, you're
clearly a passionate guy,

- But what's your dream?
- Uh, my dream is to open

A food cart, you know,
serving soups.

- I love making soups.
- Love it. Shall we?

- Joe: Check it out.
- Susan: Yeah.

Uh...

I mean, visually, I love
the color on the crab cake.

- It looks like it's packed
with flavor.
- Thank you.

Shall we?

Overall, I have to say,

The crab cake is
really what's so compelling,

And that's taking over my palate
in a beautiful way.

With that being said,
for me it's definitely a yes.

- Thank you.
- I would've liked the crab cake
a little bit more higher heat

To give a little bit
more crispness,

But the flavor of it,
seasoned really well.

- I'd say yes.
- Thank you.

United tastes of america.

This year
we're going up a level.

James, ooh, man.

That is one of
the best crab cakes
I've ever tasted.

It is an absolute yes from me.

- Thank you.
- Come here. You good?

- Thank you so much.
- There you go, young man.
Get that on.

- There we go. Smile.
- Yeah! You know?

And let's just give
a big moment to mum.

- Congratulations.
- Great job. Great job.

Well done. Good man.

- ( crowd cheering )
- this is for you, mom!
You understand?

This apron means
the world to me.

You know, I'm able to make
my brother proud, my mom proud.

It means I am one step closer
to my passion, to my dream,
and fulfilling that.

Are you surprised
that they're amateurs,
cooking on this level?

Susan: This is what
I think about the west.

You could see tonight some
of the quality that was there.

I feel like
they're cooking better

Than some of the cooks
we have in our restaurants.

Three regions down, one to go.
This is it.

Gordon:
Next time on "masterchef"...

Please welcome tiffany derry.

...It's the last night
of the regional auditions.

- I got the south in the house!
- Let's go!

It's a spicy
southern showdown...

- What are you doing?
- ( laughing )

- Step away!
- ...As the hopeful home cooks

Fight it out
for the final five aprons.

- Whoo!
- If I overcook this steak,

They might kick me out of texas.

This dish takes me
straight back to new orleans.
I'm a big yes.

This is as perfect a medium rare
as we've seen on this show.

- Mm. Mm.
- Oh, damn.

- Tiffany: Broke my tooth.
- Oh.