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00:02Previously on MasterChef, the competition intensified and the heat went up in the MasterChef kitchen.
00:09It better be good, yes?
00:11Family man Farouk failed to impress the judges.
00:15That is about as Chinese as my mom, and she's from Glasgow in Scotland.
00:20Others skillfully established themselves as frontrunners.
00:23The youngest competitor, 22-year-old Whitney.
00:26I'm like a butterfly, I'm seeing like a bee.
00:28...has so far shown expertise far beyond her years.
00:32You've nailed it. This dish is something I would love to serve in a restaurant.
00:36Congratulations, Whitney. Well done.
00:40Mike, a server from Los Angeles, has also shown real flair.
00:44This is top of the heap. High five, man.
00:48For three home cooks, their journey ended.
00:51This is the problem.
00:54It's boring. It's not the spirit of what we came here to do.
00:58As 14 competitors became 11.
01:01It looks like a throwaway dinner from a gas station.
01:05It was kind of like a salad gone bad.
01:07Please take over your apron and leave the MasterChef kitchen.
01:11Tonight, they'll receive a visit from a surprise chef.
01:16Who will offer them the chance of a lifetime.
01:19If your dish is better, you catapult yourself to the final four.
01:24Hot damn!
01:25Some will rise to the challenge.
01:27This is my moment where I'm going to go from the bottom to the top.
01:30Others will reach their breaking point.
01:32I just started to crumble.
01:34No, this is not happening.
01:36It was like an absolute nightmare.
01:3811 amateur chefs remain.
01:40The last contestant standing will receive $250,000.
01:44A cookbook publishing deal.
01:47And above all else, become the first American MasterChef.
02:06Let's go, guys.
02:07How are we doing?
02:08I'm still kind of blown away by the fact that I'm actually here.
02:11It's been a total whirlwind since the beginning.
02:13Like, 11 people left.
02:15It's a trip.
02:15It's crazy.
02:16I'm loving every second of it.
02:17Okay, welcome.
02:20New day.
02:21Here's the good news.
02:22From tens of thousands of you, amateur cooks across America,
02:27we're down to just 11 of you.
02:29But there can only be one MasterChef, right?
02:34First, you have to make it through today's test.
02:42Another mystery box challenge.
02:46As with every mystery box challenge,
02:48the contestants have to prepare, cook,
02:50and present one incredible dish
02:52using the ingredients inside the box.
02:58Jake, what would you want under there?
03:02Anything.
03:02Anything, seafood, maybe sauce-oriented.
03:05Seafood.
03:06Sure.
03:06Tracy, what would you want under that box?
03:09I'd like some eggs, some flour, and some sugar.
03:14I want to bake something.
03:15That's my thing.
03:16Baking is what I do.
03:20Gently.
03:21On the count of three, lift the boxes.
03:24One.
03:26Two.
03:29Three.
03:31Oh, my God.
03:34No!
03:36So I lift the mystery box, and they're poof.
03:40I'm a brick right now.
03:42I'm like, I don't like to bake.
03:43It's not my thing.
03:45For today's mystery box challenge,
03:47all of you are going to be making the most amazing cupcakes.
03:50A cupcake challenge, money, cash, money in the bank.
03:58This is my competition.
04:00Now, of course, cupcakes are all the rage right now.
04:03There's cupcake shops.
04:03There's cupcakes in restaurants.
04:05You are all going to be starting with the same basic ingredients.
04:10Okay.
04:11Brace yourselves.
04:13Take a look at this.
04:21On this table, you have everything in the world you could possibly need to make a great cupcake.
04:27You have chocolate, peanut butter, peanuts, fruits, everything in the world.
04:31Just look at what's in front of you.
04:32Everything on this table helps to take it to a completely different level.
04:36Now, we're only going to be tasting three of the cupcakes,
04:41and the person that wins this challenge will have a huge advantage in the next stage of the competition.
04:48Got it?
04:49Yes, chef.
04:50Excited?
04:51Yes, chef.
04:5245 minutes starting now.
04:57Off you go.
05:00A perfect cupcake is a challenge for any chef,
05:03but to bake it and decorate it in 45 minutes is almost impossible.
05:10There's cooks and there's bakers.
05:12Baking is a whole other realm.
05:14It's like mathematics, a little bit of science.
05:16It's very linear, very by the numbers.
05:19I'm not really a baker.
05:23Okay.
05:23First thing, batter made.
05:25Yes.
05:27Cupcake in, and then you start working on the decoration.
05:29Right.
05:29Absolutely.
05:29The first thing is the batter, yes?
05:31Yep.
05:32What would you do?
05:33I would riff off a classic.
05:34I would do, like, a bananas foster cupcake or a strawberry shortcake or a Boston cream pie.
05:39I'd go for a different kind of frosting.
05:41Uh-huh.
05:41Nothing too sort of dark and heavy looking.
05:44Inviting.
05:45Cocoa powder.
05:46Cocoa powder.
05:47I have no idea what I'm doing.
05:48I have no idea how to make a damn cupcake.
05:51So everything can go wrong.
05:53Right, Sharon.
05:54So you've never made a cupcake before, no?
05:56No.
05:57And who normally makes the cupcakes at home?
05:58My wife.
05:59Your wife.
05:59My wife is a dessert queen.
06:00So have you ever watched your wife make a cupcake before?
06:02I have.
06:02I have.
06:03She makes this amazing cream cheese frosting.
06:05Cream cheese frosting.
06:06And I'm going to whip in some crushed hazelnut and some Nutella into it, too.
06:09Okay, good.
06:13Whitney, how are we doing?
06:15What flavors are you going with?
06:16I'm going with a coconut and lemon curd filling.
06:19Do you make a lot of cupcakes at home?
06:21Cupcakes.
06:22Cakes.
06:23Everything.
06:24Everything.
06:24Great.
06:24Good.
06:27Lee, how are we doing?
06:27What are you making?
06:28I'm doing Irish coffee.
06:30Irish coffee cupcake?
06:31Cupcake.
06:32So you're working with the Breville stand mixer on this.
06:34That scraper beater means better mixing.
06:36It's doing exactly what I want it to do, so I'm happy with it.
06:40Good part of trying it.
06:41All right.
06:41All right, Tracy, what are you doing?
06:42Carrot cupcake.
06:43Carrot cupcake.
06:43Carrot cupcake.
06:44I know you're reverting back to your cookbook, mom's cookbook.
06:47I am.
06:47You are.
06:47I'm taking it straight the way she taught me.
06:49This is a slam dunk.
06:50I'm going to make my carrot cake recipe that my mom and I perfected that I know cold.
06:59What are you doing with the frosting?
07:00I'm going to do a cream cheese frosting.
07:02Cream cheese frosting.
07:03Yes.
07:03Wow.
07:04Wow, wow, wow.
07:05What do you got, Jake?
07:05What are you making?
07:06I'm looking for just like some cocoa powder.
07:08I love chocolate.
07:09I'm a chocolate freak.
07:10It's going to be fruit.
07:11It's going to be chocolate.
07:12It's going to be a little party in your mouth.
07:14Okay.
07:14First off, two unique contenders already.
07:16Whitney and Tracy.
07:17I can't wait to try the carrot cake cupcakes.
07:20Yeah, the cream cheese frosting is going to be great.
07:22Sharon was using all these different nuts in his recipe and it sounded good.
07:26Candied nuts?
07:27Yeah.
07:29Yeah, Whitney looks together.
07:31It's so crucial, especially with the time limit that we had, to get the cupcakes into the oven.
07:36It needed 20 minutes to cook and then you want to be able to pull them out early enough
07:41to where whatever topping you're going to put on them doesn't just completely melt away.
07:45There's only 20 minutes left.
07:46Everybody's cupcake should be in the oven by now.
07:50And if they're not, you're going to struggle to get them cooked in time.
07:53What the remaining 11 contestants do not know is that the winner of this challenge will be given the chance
08:00to take themselves directly into the final four.
08:04Farouk, they've got to go in the oven.
08:08I think I wasted a lot of precious time just getting prepped and getting ready to make the cupcakes.
08:2010 minutes left, everyone.
08:24I've never made a cupcake before.
08:26I've got my finger crossed behind my back.
08:29They look like cupcakes.
08:30How they taste, I don't know.
08:33Whitney's looks amazing, even from here.
08:36God, she's so smart, that girl.
08:39I can win this challenge.
08:41In this part of the competition, I want the advantage.
08:44I think my cupcakes are going to be really tasty.
08:46Okay, five minutes to go.
08:48I'm, you know, top three material at least.
08:51Oh, wow.
08:51It's time to separate the boys from the men.
08:54Every challenge that goes down is so much more heightened and more important for me.
08:59And I'm looking at my dish, and I'm looking at a couple dishes around me, and I'm like,
09:02well, yeah, I think I got a pretty good chance of getting up in the top three again.
09:09Two minutes, guys.
09:11Oh, my .
09:14They're frosting mouthy, too, Mike.
09:1990 seconds to go.
09:22I don't want to take them out.
09:23They're not ready.
09:24I don't want them to be raw.
09:28One minute left.
09:30The judges will only taste the three most delicious-looking cupcakes,
09:34so the final seconds of decoration will be the difference between success and failures.
09:39Not done.
09:40It's not cool.
09:41They're not done.
09:4215 seconds left.
09:45I'm going to have a melted mess on my hands.
09:4910, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and stop.
10:02Oh, my God.
10:05My cupcake is horrible.
10:20What the final 11 don't know is that the winner will be given the chance to propel themselves straight into
10:27the final four.
10:285, 3, 2, 1, and stop.
10:33Oh, my God.
10:37But that's looking unlikely to be Tracy.
10:40Tracy, I could hear my mother just going, what are you doing?
10:46Like, what is that?
10:48And that's when I just started to crumble.
10:57Tracy, what's the matter?
10:59My cupcake is horrible.
11:10My cupcake is horrible.
11:16I didn't have the time to cook and the cupcake was too warm.
11:21It just looks horrible.
11:23I mean, so it's a horrible cupcake.
11:26Well, presentation, zero.
11:31Now, ready?
11:34Graham, Joe, and myself have considered the top three in no particular order.
11:44First up, Jake, congratulations.
11:57Let's go, big boy.
11:59I can speak in road racing terms because I'm a motorcycle road racer.
12:04And any time you can finish in the top three and get on the boxes, you've done something.
12:08That's how you win championships.
12:10You surprise us all.
12:12Clumsy, like a bull in the china shop, and yet you come up with a handsome cupcake.
12:16The idea behind it, what was it?
12:18Not to overcomplicate it, incorporate some fresh berries and lots of chocolate.
12:23I'm a big fan of the chocolate.
12:25You can tell just by slicing in half with the pressure of the knife on or off how light it
12:29is and how easy it goes through.
12:47What I've done with that, a few chocolate pistols running through the center, do you have a little
12:51bit more sort of oozing chocolate, make it even more moist.
12:55However, 45 minutes, you've produced the goods.
12:59Well done.
13:04This could be a dessert that you could put on a plate in the restaurant.
13:07It's almost kind of an ode to a flourless chocolate cake.
13:12Joe, my agenda is to not let you guys down.
13:15A couple weeks ago, my new friend Graham gave me a chance, an opportunity to prove myself,
13:19you know?
13:20Whoa.
13:22That's all I've ever asked anybody, man, is an opportunity.
13:24And I got that opportunity, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you guys down in here.
13:28Yeah, good job.
13:29Very good job, indeed.
13:32So, second person up.
13:42Sharon.
13:43Well done.
13:44Let's go.
13:45Let's go.
13:46Let's go.
13:46Let's go.
13:47What?
13:49How did you do that?
13:50Why didn't you call my name?
13:51I've never made a cupcake before.
13:53I've got to tell you, I was proud of myself.
13:55I know it looks good, and I just hope it tastes the best, too.
13:59I flavored it with Nutella.
14:01I melted some dark chocolate, some milk chocolate.
14:03I toasted hazelnuts, pistachios, to give it a little crunch and texture in there.
14:07So here's the bizarre news.
14:10You've never made a cupcake in your life.
14:12I'm a 28-year-old man, and this is the first cupcake I've ever been.
14:16The secret behind a good cupcake is the excitement that draws you into the top, and the moist
14:23inside.
14:25Right.
14:28You can just feel with the ease of the knife running through.
14:43It's absolutely brilliant.
14:45Good job.
14:46Thank you, chef.
14:51Cream cheese is rich.
14:53It's good.
14:54This is quite an accomplishment.
14:59It's also visually, I think, the prettiest one we've seen.
15:01So thank you.
15:02Well done.
15:03Thank you, chef.
15:03Well done, well done, well done, well done.
15:06Good job, man.
15:07Good job.
15:08Right.
15:09One more cupcake in the final three.
15:14Looking at everybody else's cupcakes around me, I definitely thought my cupcake shone.
15:19The overall product was something that I was really pleased with.
15:23I thought I had put out a pretty good cupcake in there.
15:25It had some pretty good flavor, you know, with the cookie in there and the peanut butter.
15:29I felt I would have been up for consideration in the top three.
15:39Congratulations.
15:42Whitney, well done.
15:44Great job.
15:46Describe it to me.
15:48It's a coconut cupcake with a lemon glaze.
15:51I always love lemon glazes because my grandmother always makes a glaze for her cupcakes.
15:56Explain the topping.
15:57Okay.
15:57The topping is toasted coconut.
16:00Yep.
16:00Because it really brings out the sweetness and I like the crunch it gives.
16:22It really tastes of coconut because you've toasted it.
16:25It's good.
16:26It's very good indeed.
16:27Well done.
16:31You're going to guess that you're really playing the game too.
16:34You want to win and you're being smart and you're using everything you can to your advantage.
16:40You know, plating to ingredients that are going to show well.
16:43And I admire that.
16:50I love the coconut lemon interaction.
16:54It's really good.
16:54It gives a lot of flavor.
16:55It pops.
16:56It's a very smart cupcake.
17:05Okay.
17:07In front of us are three stunning cupcakes.
17:10The winner of this challenge.
17:16Congratulations goes to...
17:26Here we go.
17:27In front of us are three stunning cupcakes.
17:31The judges have to make a delicious decision.
17:35Will they choose Chiron's hazelnut and pistachio cupcake?
17:38I like my odds.
17:39I like my presentation.
17:41Fingers crossed behind my back.
17:43Jake's chocolate lover's delight?
17:45If it's my name, that's great.
17:46I've got an advantage going into the next challenge.
17:48I'm going to rock it.
17:50Or Whitney's coconut cupcake.
17:52I looked at my cupcake, and I was definitely satisfied.
17:55And I'm just praying, like, please, please,
17:57let it be my cupcake that makes it.
17:59OK.
18:00The winner of this challenge, Chiron, well done.
18:08Well done.
18:09Really well done.
18:11Great job.
18:13Absolutely phenomenal.
18:14Never in my wildest dreams would I ever think I won a cupcake challenge.
18:20I respect him as a fellow cook.
18:22He works hard.
18:23He goes for it.
18:24But as a person, I don't like the dude.
18:27He likes the, OK, how can I gently put this, kiss ass a lot.
18:31And I think he feels like it's going to get him ahead in this competition.
18:34And I think he's sadly mistaken.
18:36Chiron, you have a huge advantage in the next stage of the competition.
18:40Ready to see what it is?
18:41Absolutely.
18:42Let's go, big boy.
18:43This way, Dan.
18:44Let's go.
18:45Chiron is in control of the next challenge, where one competitor will be going home.
18:50He has no idea that a surprise is about to be revealed in the pantry.
18:55Under these three domes, normally, there's three ingredients.
18:58Not today.
18:59Because under these domes are three dishes.
19:03These were made by one of the best chefs in America today.
19:08Wow.
19:08And she's here to tell you all about them.
19:11Please say hello to Cat Cora.
19:16Cat Cora.
19:17No way!
19:19Cat Cora is like one of my heroes.
19:21I've been watching her cook since I was a young teenager.
19:25I felt like a 16-year-old schoolgirl seeing Justin Timberlake for the first time.
19:31Oh, my God.
19:32What an incredible experience.
19:33First ever female Iron Chef, recently cooked at the White House for the president.
19:36And the new book, your classics with a twist, right?
19:39That's right.
19:40That's right.
19:40I couldn't have asked for anyone better to come out of that door.
19:44Okay.
19:45Ready to reveal.
19:46Under this first dome.
19:49The first dish is...
19:54This is my truffle halibut with a sweet corn sauvignon and a fava bean salsa.
19:59Smells amazing.
20:00It will rock your world.
20:01Under the second dome.
20:02Under the second dome is...
20:06Beef.
20:07Oh, wow.
20:07This is my basque beef tenderloin.
20:10This is a Spanish rub that I have on there.
20:12It's also got a spicy chimichurri sauce, a little saffron, a couscous.
20:16This is one of the dishes I absolutely think is a perfection on plate.
20:20Okay.
20:20What do you want under that in a perfect world?
20:22In a perfect world.
20:23Yeah.
20:24And if I know Cat, that's gotta be lamb.
20:27Okay, Cat, under the third dome, what is it, please?
20:29Under the third dome is, you were right, lamb.
20:33This is a little more Greek style.
20:35This is my marinated lamb chops, which are absolutely to die for.
20:38My feta salsa verde with some fried, just really nice crisp squash blossoms on top.
20:44Think carefully.
20:46You're gonna choose the one dish that everybody else cooks.
20:52Which one?
20:53I think that based on the intricacy in making that dish...
21:01I'm gonna go it.
21:07Sharon got to choose what everybody else will be cooking.
21:13But he didn't just get to choose the main ingredients.
21:17He got to choose the dish.
21:23Sharon chose, for all of you, a stunning halibut dish.
21:35I've cooked fish before.
21:37I didn't really know all the intricacies of the dish just yet, but I was feeling pretty good.
21:42When we found out that it was a fish, that it was a halibut, I was like, I got this
21:46in the bag.
21:47Never ate halibut in my life.
21:49I'm like, ah, .
21:50All of you are gonna have to cook this dish properly.
21:55It's the exact specification of that dish.
21:58Because the one individual that comes up with the worst-tasting-looking halibut dish will be eliminated from MasterChef.
22:07Lucky for all of you, the person who cooked this dish is here today to show you how to do
22:12it.
22:13Please say hello and a warm welcome for Kat Cora.
22:29She's one of the top world-class chefs.
22:31It was just like a star-struck moment for all of us.
22:34She's a slender, small lady, but don't let that fool you because she knows how to throw down in the
22:38kitchen.
22:39So great to be here with all of you, and you look excited and inspired.
22:43It's a fantastic dish. Challenging, but you all look up for the challenge, right?
22:48Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
22:50It's your own.
22:50Yeah, sure.
22:51Everybody else is cooking to save themselves from elimination.
22:55You're going beyond that, because today you're gonna be cooking against Kat Cora.
23:02What?
23:03If your dish tastes better than Kat Cora's dish today, you will get catapulted to the final four in MasterChef.
23:16That's right. That means for the next couple of weeks you can just sit on the beach and forget every
23:20other challenge until the final four.
23:22That is a very privileged position to be in. So, my question to you.
23:31Can you beat Kat Cora?
23:41So, my question to you. Can you beat Kat Cora?
23:48I will do every single thing I can and put my heart into that plate. That I can promise you.
23:54As much as I love Kat, as much as I'm absolutely obsessed with her, I need to find a way
24:01to beat her.
24:02Kat is now gonna demonstrate how to cook this halibut dish.
24:06Please watch carefully.
24:08The individual who comes up with the worst halibut dish will be eliminated.
24:13So, we were all competing against elimination while Sharon is competing against Kat for, you know, a free ride to
24:22the final four on the back of a cupcake challenge.
24:28Okay, Kat, ready to start the demo?
24:30Yes, I'm ready.
24:31All right.
24:32All right, everybody.
24:33Gather round, gather round.
24:37All right.
24:37Now, this is gonna all be about watching for technique because that's the most important thing when you're cooking.
24:44As Chef Kat Cora demonstrates the dish, contestants must keep in mind that today's challenge is about observing and replicating
24:51her dish without a recipe.
24:54The person who makes the most mistakes will be going home.
24:57These take about literally a minute.
25:00And remember, you guys are under the clock.
25:01I was watching her prepare that dish like a hawk.
25:05It's her dish.
25:07Yes, she can do it with her eyes closed, but I gotta beat her.
25:10The secret to cooking a great piece of fish is you want to smoke in hot pans, and when you
25:14put it down, you get that really beautiful caramelization on your fish.
25:17So important to flavor, okay?
25:21Okay, first thing I took away from Kat's demonstration was how she sampled her oil in the pan to see
25:25how hot it was.
25:26Immediately, technique, first thing, the deal with the fish, I'll use it for the rest of my life.
25:32Still looking for a really beautiful color there.
25:35Now what I'm gonna do is I'm just gonna turn my fire off.
25:38My fish, you can notice, is still cooking and the fire's off.
25:40That's why you want to be really careful with halibut and overcooking.
25:44It's definitely a balancing act watching Chef Kat Cora go because you're like, wow, this is Chef Kat Cora.
25:49Like, I can't believe this.
25:51But at the same time, you gotta be like, hey, I got a job to do.
25:54I don't want to go home.
25:55I gotta just focus on what she was doing.
25:57Take this cream.
25:58I'm gonna pour it into the blender.
26:01Do a little puree.
26:02You want it really nice and pureed.
26:04Blend it up really good.
26:06Strain it right into my double boiler.
26:08You guys heard what I said?
26:10The double boiler.
26:12And we'll start plating.
26:18Ready to taste?
26:21Kat, that looks fantastic.
26:22Well done.
26:23Absolutely amazing.
26:2418 minutes.
26:25Absolutely brilliant.
26:26You've all got one hour to cook this halibut dish.
26:29But there's two games going on here.
26:31Sharon, you're cooking against Kat Cora to potentially beat the chef to catapult you into the final four.
26:39And you guys here are cooking to avoid elimination.
26:44One hour, one stunning halibut dish.
26:46Sharon and Kat, we won't even see you guys cooking because you'll be sectioned off.
26:52Bring in the wall, please.
26:59Are we ready?
27:00Yes, chef.
27:01Yes, chef.
27:01On your marks.
27:04Get set.
27:05Go.
27:06Off you go.
27:08Let's go.
27:12In my head, I'm thinking, what can I do to beat Kat Cora at her own game, at her own
27:19dish?
27:22I got one hour that's going to decide whether I can jump to the final four.
27:28Do you think he's going to copy her, or do you think he's going to go down his own?
27:30I think that he is stupid and proud enough to try to do something to distinguish himself differently.
27:36And that's going to be a big risk.
27:37Yeah.
27:37Yeah.
27:37He's got the safety net to think that he's actually not going home.
27:41Right.
27:41I've got nothing to lose.
27:42Go for it.
27:42You've got nothing to lose.
27:43Exactly.
27:45You already got those fava beans in?
27:47Yeah, they're done, babe.
27:48Oh, man.
27:50Now, Kat sautéed her corn and her red onions in olive oil.
27:55Maybe I can butter up these judges just a little bit and use butter instead of olive oil.
28:01And I thought maybe with some shallot, as opposed to that red onion that's a little sweeter,
28:06I can sweeten up the judges a little bit as well.
28:09While Sharon is battling Kat Cora for a spot in the final four, the remaining ten are fighting to keep
28:15their MasterChef dreams alive.
28:20Farouk, how's it going?
28:21Doing pretty good, Chef.
28:23Yeah?
28:23First thing she said from day one, get your pan nice and hot.
28:25Your gas is not even on yet on the pan.
28:27Oh, this one right here?
28:28Yeah.
28:29Never ever start in a cold pan.
28:30Have you cooked halibut before?
28:31Yes, I have, Chef.
28:32You have, yeah.
28:32Good.
28:33So you know how easy it is to overcook it.
28:35Yes, Chef.
28:35You've got to take your time with it.
28:36You've got to take your time.
28:39Jake, how's it going?
28:40It's going fine.
28:41Yeah, first of all, very tidy.
28:43Yeah.
28:43You've got everything set up first.
28:44Absolutely.
28:46Halibut, you've cooked before?
28:47Yes, I've done a lot of fish and caught a lot of fish.
28:49Pretty familiar with fish, so.
28:51Okay, good.
28:51Yeah.
28:52Okay.
28:55Whoo, that's the slope.
28:57This isn't a competition about creativity, and so I think it's going to be really, really crucial
29:01to see who seasons and tastes their food every step of the way.
29:05They've got to replicate that dish now to prevent them from going home.
29:08And for me, the biggest disappointment is we get a dry piece of halibut.
29:12Yeah, we should be able to hear it as soon as that fish hits the pan.
29:18All right, Mike.
29:19What's going on, bud?
29:21You've got both fish in, huh?
29:22Yes, Chef.
29:23Yes, Chef.
29:23So no safety net.
29:24You're playing without a net now.
29:25You went all in.
29:26All in, yeah.
29:27Remember, you're looking for that cornflake kind of golden shine to it, you know?
29:34Oh, crap.
29:38Okay, Whitney?
29:39Yes.
29:40What went in there?
29:41Um, I forgot to put the cream.
29:44Oh, really?
29:44So I put it in the pan first.
29:45Well, if you're going to add cold cream to a puree, you've got every chance of splitting
29:49it, so be careful.
29:55Mmm.
29:56That's nice.
29:59You dropped your fava beans yet?
30:01Yeah.
30:02They're in.
30:02I'm watching them like a hawk.
30:04I know she's an iron chef for a reason, and that's because she's always winning.
30:09I've made this a dish at least a thousand times.
30:12Oh, my goodness.
30:12Or more.
30:13And she's an ultra-competitive person, just like myself.
30:17So I'm not expecting any freebies here.
30:19All right, Kat, here's my trick.
30:21What's your trick?
30:22I'm using shallots instead of red onion for the, uh, sauté.
30:25Hey, man.
30:26Change it up.
30:27Just hoping that'll be a little sweeter, and that'll give me the edge.
30:32When you tried the dish that Kat prepared for you, what was the first thing that came
30:36to your mind?
30:36What popped?
30:37Light cream sauce.
30:38You think that that's exactly like hers?
30:39It might be a little better.
30:40I think I've got a little...
30:41I added a little more corn, a little more garlic.
30:43Hers is a little on the light-hand side.
30:47Did you taste that recently?
30:48I did.
30:48I don't know.
30:49Don't break his dream, though.
30:50You know?
30:50He's thinking that it's better than Kat's.
30:52It's better than Kat's.
30:53I don't know.
30:54I think it's good.
30:55I definitely think it's good.
30:56That is why you were David Miller.
30:58Better.
30:58That's why.
30:59Watch the cook on that fish.
31:00You got it.
31:05Okay, folks.
31:06We got 15 minutes left.
31:10Sure.
31:11Yes, Chef.
31:12Your competition is trying to catapult yourself into the final four.
31:16Up against Kat Cora.
31:18I've got to be confident, or else I'm not going to win.
31:21Just let the dish talk for itself, you know?
31:24Slim, what's up?
31:26You're already plating, huh?
31:27I already .
31:28That's why.
31:29My sauce was starting to separate,
31:31because I forgot to strain it.
31:32That is one of the most important steps,
31:34because it's the sauce.
31:36You don't screw up the sauce.
31:38Did you make another one?
31:39No, I don't have any more corn.
31:41Ouch.
31:42Yeah.
31:44There's nothing I can do,
31:46and I'm just looking around at other people,
31:49and I'm just like, I'm going home.
32:01Right, four minutes to go, guys, yes?
32:05Sharon.
32:06Yes, Chef?
32:07Your competition is trying to catapult yourself
32:09into the final four, up against Cat Cora.
32:13Everything was coming according to plan.
32:15I was organized, things looked good,
32:18and I keep looking about every 90 seconds to my right
32:22and seeing what Cat Cora's doing,
32:24making sure I'm keeping up with her.
32:27You ready?
32:28I'm just about there.
32:31Sharon, I haven't been able to see you cook
32:34in the last 55 minutes, so it better be good, yes?
32:37I hope so. I hope you're proud of me, Chef.
32:39Put all that bravado and cockiness onto the plate.
32:42Did he say confidence or cockiness?
32:43He said cockiness.
32:4530 seconds to go.
32:49I am proud as hell of this plate right here.
32:54This is my moment where I'm going to go from the start move rising
32:57from the bottom to the top.
32:5910, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and stop, guys.
33:12Well done.
33:14Good job, baby.
33:15Oh, my God.
33:16Good job.
33:16Good job.
33:18The judges couldn't see Sharon or Cat Cora preparing their dishes,
33:22so they don't know which plate on the MasterChef bench belongs to which chef.
33:26It's a true blind taste test.
33:30OK, Sharon, you are in a phenomenal position.
33:33If you have a halibut cooked by you tasting better than Cat Cora's,
33:39you go straight to the final four.
33:44So, visually, right now, I don't know which is which,
33:49because the color of the sauces are identical.
33:52The sear on the fish is identical.
33:56It's glistening.
33:57It's cooked perfectly.
34:01Wow.
34:02That's delicious.
34:14One of these dishes is truly wonderful, but the other one is world-class.
34:24The fish is cooked both perfectly on one plate.
34:26The technique like ours.
34:27Yeah, absolutely.
34:28The plate on the left is silky.
34:29I mean, we all agree it's a better dish.
34:31OK, good.
34:33OK.
34:34Tough call.
34:35But there's a unanimous decision.
34:38Both fishes were brilliantly cooked.
34:41But there's one dish that is accomplished, polished,
34:44and just seasoned to the absolute perfection.
34:48If I beat Cat Cora in this challenge,
34:53I get a free first-class ticket direct to the final four.
35:02You dare see him, bro.
35:04Now, and Geroen, if that is your plate,
35:07you're going straight to the final four.
35:11And is that your plate?
35:19Congratulations, Cat Cora.
35:21Well done.
35:25You're great.
35:27Really well done.
35:28No way he was going to beat Cat Cora.
35:30No way.
35:31He doesn't have the stuff to beat something like Cat Cora.
35:35You know?
35:35It's just not going to happen.
35:36Cat Cora's been doing this for years.
35:38You know?
35:38This is the dish.
35:40You know?
35:41He has a very good cook.
35:42He has a very good cook.
35:44But he needs to learn modesty.
35:47Now it's time to taste everybody else's halibut.
35:50And on the back of that,
35:51one of you will be leaving MasterChef.
35:55Shereen, well done.
35:56Cat, would you be so kind to come and join us?
35:58Back at the station.
36:00Right.
36:01Slim, please bring your halibut up.
36:03First up, facing the prospect of elimination,
36:0622-year-old Slim.
36:08I think I did pretty well.
36:10It's just I did forget to strain the salibut.
36:12I had a little bit of sauce before I started whisking it.
36:15Yours was the first piece of fish that hit a pan
36:18in this competition.
36:19Why'd you cook it so early?
36:20Every time we had a competition,
36:21I always thought that less time had passed
36:24than it actually did.
36:32You got the color, but it's completely overcooked.
36:38Better luck next time.
36:41Okay, in this point in the competition, in this level,
36:43I'm not going to even eat the sauce
36:45because I don't eat garlic boiled and cream.
36:48Graham said better luck next time.
36:50I'm not sure there will be a next time.
36:56I'm trying to be optimistic, but I'm like, no, I'm screwed.
36:59I know.
37:00I know I , but the thing is,
37:02did somebody else screw up more than I did?
37:05Tracy!
37:06After crying over her cupcakes,
37:08can Tracy's halibut help her to safety?
37:11What I think missed on this dish, on Kat's dish,
37:14there was kind of like this cornucopia of salad,
37:17and it was just kind of like the fish was trying
37:19to break through an ocean of all these delicious tomatoes
37:22and the spinach leaves and the onions.
37:24But I think that the caramelization on the fish
37:27is yellow and brown and nice.
37:29The fish looks like it's cooked very well.
37:31The sauce appears to be a little bit light.
37:41Actually, the fish is excellent.
37:43Perfectly cooked.
37:44Very well done.
37:45I think that's a good interpretation of Kat's dish,
37:48and I think it's a dish that you could serve in a restaurant.
37:50No doubt.
37:51Thank you very much.
37:52Thank you so much.
37:53Definitely. You're welcome.
37:55Okay.
37:56Next up, David Miller.
37:57Let's go.
37:58David has yet to win a challenge,
38:00but he's confident that this dish will change all that.
38:03This is the sauce that's better than Kat Kora's, right?
38:05I liked it.
38:06I thought it was...
38:08I don't know.
38:08You said it was better.
38:11I was hoping it was better.
38:13Oh, okay.
38:14Maybe I misheard you.
38:19No, it's definitely not.
38:20Okay.
38:24Mike, let's go.
38:26Mike Kim, on the other hand, won last week's challenge
38:29and has become a MasterChef front runner.
38:32Mike, how are you?
38:34I'm okay.
38:36You can definitely tell you didn't use all the cream,
38:38and I'll tell you why, because it's very, very thick.
38:40Yeah.
38:43Let's see what your fish here...
38:46Is that done?
38:50It's actually a little raw inside.
38:53I'm seeing that.
38:53It's a little bit raw inside.
38:55I believe.
38:56Um, in the center.
38:59I...I...I...
39:00Mike is not working for me at all, Ben.
39:02I'm sorry.
39:03It's just not.
39:04I mean, I...you know, it's one of those dishes where...
39:06I know you put a lot of effort into it,
39:08but I don't even want to eat it.
39:10I'm sorry.
39:14Mike has been a front runner.
39:15Every single one of his things has just been, like,
39:17blowing my mind, and is he a mess of fish?
39:20You know, it lets you know he's human.
39:22You know, I was thinking that it was not looking good for him.
39:28Next on MasterChef...
39:30Hey, Whitney. How are you?
39:31With three more dishes to be judged,
39:33which one of these contestants will be eliminated?
39:37Then...
39:39The remaining contestants will face a challenge
39:41to satisfy some of the hungriest appetites in the country.
39:46You're gonna be cooking for the backbone of America.
39:49Truckers.
39:50What the hell are you asking for?
39:52Dude, are you doing the burgers, right?
39:54No, you are.
39:55Oh, my God.
39:56I can't serve that dude.
40:00The team that loses will face the dreaded pressure test,
40:03where one more contestant's dream
40:05of becoming America's first MasterChef
40:08will come to a bitter end.
40:15What's going on?
40:16The third is...
40:18Where?