NARRATOR: Gordon's back, and he's brought the world's best.
GORDAN RAMSEY: This is "Masterchef Legends."
NARRATOR: All new Wednesdays.
And watch other Fox shows like, "Crime Scene Kitchen."
JOEL MCHALE: Did you make the right dessert?
NARRATOR: "Hell's Kitchen" and "Lego Masters" on Fox.
Gordon: Previously on "MasterChef Legends"...
Welcome to the incredible MasterChef kitchen.
...the search for America's next MasterChef began.
This is "MasterChef Legends."
Every week we are bringing in
the biggest names in the industry.
Please welcome Emeril Lagasse.
[Crowd cheering]
- That's my idol. - Emeril: Have fun.
Cook from the heart.
Only 15 of you will earn an apron.
- Yeehaw! - Just like at home.
And with the help of our first legendary guest...
I like it. I think you delivered.
I don't know if I want another bite or hug you.
Unfortunately, the dish? Completely messed it up.
...we awarded just six coveted white aprons.
Joe: Wow. Perfect medium rare.
It's the best dish I've tasted all night.
- This here... - Yes, Chef?
...is food of love.
[Cheering]
Mom, Dad, I got the white apron!
Tonight, the "MasterChef" auditions continue...
Two nos and you're out of this door with no apron.
...with another culinary legend.
For the very first time, Curtis Stone.
- Four judges... - Your execution was perfect.
Excellent dish. No negative comments.
You've got heart, finesse, passion. I can taste that.
...one chance...
That is one of the worst dishes that I've ever tasted.
For me, I'm sorry, it's a no.
...to earn one of the few remaining white aprons,
- and a prized position... - I think you've nailed it.
...in the final 15.
The level that they're cooking at already,
- you guys are in for one hell of a season. - Yeah.
[Indistinct chatter]
- This is a big day. - Take a deep breath, all right?
- Yes. - Nothing compares to this feeling right now.
This is, like, a big freaking deal.
The "MasterChef" auditions continue...
I cannot wait to get an apron today.
...as the next round of home cooks
get ready for the cook of their lives.
Woman: Oh, my God.
[Cheering]
Welcome back to the "MasterChef Legends" auditions, everybody.
- Oh, yeah! - Now just by being here,
you decided to follow your dreams,
which has to be the most important step of all.
Some of you will prove that you deserve a shot
at the title, the trophy,
and a cool quarter million dollars.
Now, this season, there are only 15 aprons to give out.
We've already given out six,
so there are just nine aprons left,
and two nights of auditions still left to go.
It's a tough one.
Tonight, we continue this season of legends
with another iconic guest.
This legend is a wonder from down under.
He is a Michelin starred-winning chef.
He and I both trained in a legendary kitchen
of the infamous Marco Pierre White.
He's written numerous best-selling cookbooks
and this chef has become Hollywood's king of meat.
All of you please welcome...
- Curtis Stone. - Whoo!
Whoo!
Curtis Stone, I am so excited that he's here.
This chef has a Michelin-starred restaurant.
He's a legend, and I cannot wait to present for him.
- So good to see you. - Good to see you, mate.
And welcome to the most incredible kitchen.
I can't think of a better legend
to kick off tonight's auditions.
- Congratulations on that Michelin star. - Thank you.
- Thank you very much. - Amazing.
Now, tell us, how did this journey begin with food?
I started cooking when I was a kid
with my mom and then my grannies.
Then I did my apprenticeship when I was 18 years old.
I moved to London because of Marco Pierre White.
I read his book and I got obsessed.
And I got on a plane and went and knocked
on the back door hoping to get a job.
And here I am.
Your food is simple, delicious,
and the ingredients speak volumes.
What are you going to be looking for tonight?
Look, I think what's important is to make sure that
the flavors are really streamlined.
You know, you don't want to over complicate a plate.
You want to make sure everything's seasoned really perfectly.
And some authenticity.
It's gotta mean something to you,
and we'll taste the difference, that's for sure.
All of you tonight will have 45 minutes
to cook us your exceptional signature dishes.
And if you want that apron, give us everything you've got on that plate.
And don't forget you need to convince three of us four
that you are worthy of a white apron.
Here to help you through those audition jitters
we have last year's winner, the lovely Dorian.
Our finalists from last year,
we have Sarah, and of course Nick.
Welcome back. Nick, one of the youngest competitors,
one piece of advice from your experience across this journey,
- what would it be? - Be creative. And last five minutes, remain calm.
You'll get a little shaky, but make sure you leave time for plating
and just put it all down on that plate.
Gordon: Thank you.
You three, please make your way down here.
You guys cooking, good luck.
Gents, should we get our palates ready?
- Let's do it. - Thank you.
Curtis, welcome. So glad you're here, bud.
- I'm excited, you guys. - Whoo-wee!
We have been very selective this year.
We only have nine aprons left
and two nights to give out those nine.
- The quality has to be super high. - Yeah.
I can't wait to see it. I can't wait to taste it.
All right, your 45 minutes starts now.
Go, Anne!
- Go! - A little New York City with a little Alabama swag.
Come on, Mish. This is it, girl.
I am representing Miami, Florida.
I'm bring the heat to L.A. and to MasterChef kitchen.
- Yes! - That Latin flavor, baby.
- Go, Anne! - Yes!
- Go, Anne. - Anne: My name's Anne.
I'm 39 years old. I'm from Kalamazoo, Michigan,
and I'm a small business owner.
I have a very supportive husband
with two amazing little boys who are funny and naughty
at the same time, and I love them so much.
They're six and they're nine.
Those boys will be so proud of their mama.
- You're gonna rock it. - I'm following a dream.
And I am here on "MasterChef" and I'm gonna get that apron.
- There you go, Anne. - Let's go!
My biggest inspiration in the kitchen is always gonna be my father.
Growing up, my dad taught me everything I know about cooking.
That's the way that we bonded.
Unfortunately my dad did pass away from early-onset dementia,
and this is why I'm here.
This is a dream becoming a reality.
And life happens once, and once you're gone, you're gone.
You don't get another shot. I know that now.
And so I'm taking this step to do something
that I've always wanted to do.
And also, I'm doing this for my dad.
- How are you? - Hello. What a pleasure.
- Likewise. First name? - Anne.
- Can't look at either of you. - Why? What's happened?
- I mean, my whole life I've waited to meet you. - Oh.
You are my legend. And, Curtis, well, I've seen you, too.
But this is a dream come true, and I'm going to get an apron today.
Fingers crossed. Tell us about the dish. What are you doing?
- So what I'm doing is duck à la cherry. - Difficult, right?
Yes, it's a very difficult meat to cook.
Yes, but you know what? Listen, I'm gonna be the next MasterChef.
Right. This confidence, I love.
How are you intending to cook the duck?
Are you going to cook it medium rare? Do you have...
I'm going to go 140 degrees.
Juicy on the inside. Nice pink color going through.
- And crispy skin? - Cris... oh, yeah.
This passion of food. Where does it come from?
My mom made really good reservations,
and my dad made everything else.
- True story. True story. - I love that.
And so my love and my passion, really,
is from my dad, and I'm doing this for him.
This is what I'm supposed to be doing.
- Sounds amazing. - Thank you, guys.
- Good luck. - Man: Yeah!
Anne: Duck is, you know, a beautiful dish,
but easy to mess up. Yes, I'm nervous.
20 seconds. You got this, you got this.
But this is a season of legends,
and that's the only way I'm going to win
is by taking these risks.
Crowd: Five, four, three, two, one.
[Cheering]
This dish is so important because it represents my family.
I know my dad is with me today,
and I pray that I did enough to get that apron for him.
- Hello, welcome. - Hi.
Can you tell us your name, where you're from?
- Yes. - And the title of your dish?
My name is Anne Hicks. I'm from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
And I made you a duck à la cherry
with smashed potatoes and bok choy.
Why is this dish so significant to you?
I lost my dad four years ago to early-onset dementia.
My dad loved anything fatty,
and we didn't have a ton of money growing up,
so to him, duck was wonderful.
Let's go.
So is there sauce that you want to finish?
Yes, sir.
Joe: There's only one thing that really matters here
is when I cut that duck breast in half,
how is the fat rendered and what's the cook like.
That will make or break the dish, quite frankly, so...
- Man. - Does that look right?
It looks perfect.
Gordon: I hope it tastes as good as it looks.
Duck's cooked beautifully. Really beautifully.
Big issue here with the undercooked bok choy.
It's raw, so this whole stem, it's a mess.
- Oh, I'm sorry. - Curtis: I tell you what.
If one of my line cooks put up a piece of duck like that,
I'd be very, very happy with them. Good job.
- Thank you. - It's a big compliment.
There's times when a dish has such a compelling element that's done well,
it makes you overlook some of the imperfections.
The cooking of the duck is that good.
Joe: I think I disagree with you guys.
The duck, for me, is overcooked.
The bok choy tastes like dirty water, quite frankly.
Anne, tonight you need to convince three of us for an apron.
Tough call. Curtis?
Because you've executed that duck just how I like it,
- I'm gonna give you a yes. - Oh, my gosh.
You cook from a very sweet and tender place.
I just think it needs to be backed up with some professional technique.
And I'm excited to see you go on that journey,
- so I'm gonna say yes. - Bless you. Oh, my gosh.
That's two. You know, it's a tough year, because we have 15 aprons.
Perhaps if it were last season and I had 20 aprons to give,
I'd give one. This year, it's no.
I'm sorry. Gordon?
Two yeses and a no puts me in a tough position.
Anne...
Two yeses and a no puts me in a tough position.
Anne...
...you do have an apron.
Aah!
Congratulations. Come over here.
- Let's get this on you. - Oh, my gosh.
Up. Great job. Well done.
- You deserve it. - Here we go, here we go.
[Cheering]
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
- You made it! - I just got my apron!
Anne: Joe might have given me a no right now,
but I guarantee by the end of this season,
he's gonna say, "What was I thinking?"
So, that's seven aprons down, eight to go.
I've gotta say so far, the standard is very high.
It's "MasterChef Legends," so there's a high bar to get over
in order to get their hands on that apron.
Man: Ooh, man. You got this. You cook this in your sleep.
I do, I do, I do.
I'm going to do my ginger right in there.
And my turmeric, I'm done with you.
I can't wait to meet Gordon and show him what is
the real Mexican food, right? There you go.
Brit: The person I'm most excited to cook for is Curtis.
Curtis.
Hands down the most amazing iconic chef
I can ever think about looking up to.
So the fact that Curtis is here today
is making me a little shaky.
Tell us about you, the dish, and why you're doing this dish.
Um, well, my name is Brit.
I am a model from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
And I am doing Thai mahi curry because it reminds me of home.
Why Asian flavors? Do you love Asian food?
I just do. I feel like it's really, like, nice, light, and healthy,
but also packs a lot of flavor.
- Can't wait to see it. Good luck. - Thank you. Thank you.
Come on!
You got this. Steady hands.
Just make sure you see those mahi chunks on top. That's beautiful.
Yeah, that's what I'm looking for.
Crowd: Nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four,
three, two, one!
Today I made for you Thai mahi curry.
And the love of food comes from where?
I grew up with no family recipes.
I was raised off McDonald's and frozen food.
- Wow. Good for you. - So I taught myself how to cook.
Please tell me you made a fresh paste
with ginger, garlic, galangal, lemongrass.
I did not, but I added fresh ginger to it.
- Right. - You used a paste?
Mm-hmm.
And what's the cream? Is that coconut cream?
- It's coconut milk. - Coconut milk.
I quite like the spice level. I think that's really quite pleasant.
I'm just a little bummed that it was out of a jar.
- Yeah. - When you take coconut milk
and you flavor it with the paste,
it's more like a curry milkshake.
This is "MasterChef Legends," 11th season.
I just expect a little bit more, quite frankly.
Bernardo: I'm feeling really confident in what I did with the green mole.
I know that the pork is right.
I know that the sauce is perfect.
I am here for a reason. This is my time. It's my moment.
- Hello. - Oh, my God.
- Welcome. - Oh, my...
Take a breath. Pull yourself together.
Oh, yeah. Okay. Well, hello.
My name is Bernardo,
and I cooked today green mole
with white rice and caramelized onions.
So what kind of protein did you use in the green mole?
I used pork loin.
Curtis: The pumpkin seeds that you used,
I feel like maybe you put a little too much.
Maybe just a little overbearing for me.
When you shred meat, it's with fat as well at the same time,
which gives it that texture.
Doing it with a pork tenderloin, there's no fat in there,
so it's the wrong cut of pork in there.
Listen, these are the legends of American cuisine.
And I think I could speak for all of us when I say
that this is not the level we're looking for.
Oh, man.
[Cheering]
- Aww. - [chattering]
Aww, it's all right.
Let's see what we got.
- Aww. It's okay. - I love you so much.
- I love you. - It's all good.
I'm just gonna call it like it is.
That is one of the worst dishes that I've ever tasted.
- That was terrible. - Joe.
That was terrible.
Here we go!
I'm doing my rendition of a Brazilian taco.
I'm ready to get this apron. This apron is mine.
My name is Josey. I'm 30 years old.
I'm from Atlanta, and I'm a senior IT tech.
I love my job. I work for a awesome company, but it's just not me.
And I decided that cooking is my passion,
and you have to be willing to channel that.
So I'm excited to meet Aarón Sánchez.
In 2007, my roommate, she put on the TV.
He was there. Ever since then, I followed him.
So I'm very excited to meet him and, like, I... oh, wow.
This is like a dream come true.
I mean, you have a black girl making a taco,
so it's definitely a lot of pressure, especially with Chef Aarón Sánchez.
But I think if you're not willing to go all in, then why are we here?
Go big or go home.
And as we can see, I like to go big.
So let's get it.
Crowd: Five, four, three, two, one!
- Hands in the air. - [cheering]
My name is Josey. I'm 30. Those are Brazilian tacos.
Wow. And what's the day job?
I am a senior IT tech, but let's trade out.
I'd rather get in here. This is where my heart lies.
And who inspired you to get into cooking?
Aarón is the reason why I got into cooking.
- He inspired you to get into cooking? - He did.
- I just love his swag. - Ah, there you go, baby!
- I love it. - Should we have a closer look, gents?
- Let's try it. - Tacos. Amazing.
What's the heat in there?
You have some jalapeños in there.
I also pickled and kind of candied
the jalapeños and the onions.
I've got a lot of heat in mine, which I love.
What it needs is more protein. Be generous with that protein.
But the big issue with the tortilla is that it's a little bit pasty.
It tasted like the shell was raw.
Tastes like a raw pancake. Raw flour.
Yeah, I've got this... it stuck to the roof of my mouth.
- But the heat I love. - Okay.
It has resulted in it just feeling, like, a little too dense.
But I did think there was a really nice balance of flavor.
Love the meat, love the salsa.
The onions are a little aggressive.
Next time, put a little bit of lime juice and salt
on those red onions and let them sit
so it takes off some of that abrasiveness.
- Sure. - Some of the flavors are good,
but you missed the mark on a couple of the really important things.
I love your spirit. I love your energy.
But it's a no for tonight. Curtis?
Just wasn't quite right.
So for me, I'm sorry, it's a no.
Sadly, two nos. Unfortunately, that's where it ends.
Aarón, what did you think?
I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna say yes to.
I'm gonna say yes to opening my doors at the restaurant,
so you can come and cook with me,
and 'cause Atlanta's really close to New Orleans, right?
- Yes. - So you can come over there and visit with me.
- Absolutely. - And then I'll be able to work with you
and develop that skill with my chefs and everybody in New Orleans.
I think that will benefit you a lot.
Thank you. You're gonna make me cry.
You know, I think there's always gonna be disappointment if you don't get the apron,
but I get the opportunity to work one on one with Chef Aarón.
And, you know, that...
I mean, just priceless.
Priceless.
- Curtis Stone is here. - That's crazy.
And I am just absolutely in awe.
These guys are extremely lucky to have these legends be able to taste their food.
Normally in the auditions, you're already stressed enough.
- Right. - You're not looking for that extra sort of set of eyes
- to keep pushing on you and everything. - Yes.
So it's a really tough time to throw legends
into the mix here.
- Ooh, wicked knife skills. - I want to eat this.
My name's Abe. I'm 22 years old, and I'm a student.
I'm currently going to NYU.
I'm actually studying food studies.
But what my real passion is
is when I'm in that kitchen and I'm cooking.
And now just having the opportunity to cook for these famous judges
who will taste the food is just... it's amazing.
- Hello! How are you, handsome lad? - Hi.
- Good, good, good. - What's your name?
- Abe. - What are you cooking?
A pico de gallo with a red snapper,
avocado puree, and some deep fried tostados, basically.
Wow, so you're going to bring some Mexican flavors for me in particular, right?
Served with a little bit of a French fusion.
The competition this year, intense.
Do you have what it takes?
I think I can bring different things
that I've learned over the years.
All right, well, we look forward to it. Thanks, man. Good luck.
Thank you, Chef. Thank you, thank you.
- Abe, those are beautiful. - Abe, those are fantastic.
Abe: My mom's a diplomat.
So because of that, every two to three years,
we'd go to a different country, which was awesome.
That's where I think the love of cooking sort of started.
Everywhere I went, I would be in the kitchen helping the grandma out.
Growing up, we lived in Mexico, Romania.
And now I'm living in New York City,
and I think all those different cultures
have really influenced the person I am today.
Woman: Looks great, sweetie. Awesome.
- Beautiful, Abe. - Finishing touches?
- Yeah. Just a little bit of cheese on top. - Awesome.
- Going on the fish? - Yeah. A little bit on the fish, too.
I always love cheese with fish.
Slow down a little bit. Make sure it doesn't get on the sides. You're good.
- Come on, Abe. - Crowd: Five, four, three, two, one.
So, walking in, feeling a little bit nervous,
but also excited to see what they think.
This tasting is going to affect the rest of my life.
Tell us your name and tell us what you've cooked for us.
My name's Abe, and here we have a red snapper
with an avocado puree,
and then a deep fried tostado pico de gallo,
and just topped off with a little Mexican cheese.
- Where are you from? - I used to live in Serbia and Romania and Portugal,
and London, actually, for a few years.
- You're a citizen of the world. - Exactly, yes.
Joe: Excellent.
Gordon: What did you season the fish with?
Salt and pepper, Chef.
- Any citrus there? - Uh, no.
All the citrus is in the pico de gallo and the avocado puree.
So I thought that would be enough,
especially if it sat on the avocado puree.
Fish is cooked beautifully. Pico de gallo, delicious.
Not 100% certain of the cheese. Doesn't need that.
- Okay. - But seasoned beautifully. I like it.
- Thank you. - I think the fish is cooked really nicely.
The pico de gallo is seasoned really well.
It's beautifully balanced. I thought it was wonderful.
- Thank you. - I'm confused why you would put cheese on it
to sort of nullify the crispiness of that skin.
- Sure. - So that's a little confusing.
And frying flour tortillas? That's not something you really do.
- You fry corn tortillas. - Right.
Because that's gonna be saturated with oil.
The big pitfall with you potentially
will be mixing all these influences
from your travels and your upbringing
and then not having a clear focus with your food.
Joe: I disagree. I like the dish.
It has acid, it has fresh, and it has fish.
It's just missing that umami,
like that next thing that says, like, "Wow."
I'm not in college in a dorm
eating a piece of fish that I sautéed in a pan.
I'm eating a dish that's complex and evocative.
Gordon: We have two more nights of auditions to go
in this toughest season yet.
Only eight aprons up for grabs.
Two nos are you're out of this door with no apron.
- Aarón, yes or no, please. - There's a lot of conceptual elements of this dish
- that just don't jibe with me. - Yeah.
So, for me, it's gonna be a no.
- Okay. - Joe?
- I want to see more. I'll say yes. - Thank you.
- Curtis? - Your job as a cook is always to bring together
the elements that make a dish sing.
And I don't think they matched up well,
I think they matched up brilliantly.
- So it's a yes from me. - Thank you.
Your fate and apron is in the hands of Mr. Gordon Ramsay.
[Crowd cheering]
Thank you, guys.
I'm ecstatic.
And even though I got that no from Aarón,
I feel like I just want to even push myself
and try to impress him even more now
and prove to him that I actually belong here.
Guys, that's the eighth apron we've given out.
- Only seven left. - I don't think the level has ever been this high.
- Super high. - We gotta be really careful with the last seven aprons.
- There's a lot of really good cooks out there. - Mm-hmm.
All: Three, two, one. Fish!
My name is Joseph Manglicmont, I'm 32 years old,
I'm from Houston, Texas,
and I'm an environmental engineer.
A million years to graduate college
to become an engineer,
and I'm on "MasterChef" cooking fish.
I can't shake my desire to cook. This is my passion.
This is what I'm meant to do.
My food dream is to win "MasterChef,"
open up restaurants nationwide, worldwide,
and just take it as far as it can go.
This is a great opportunity for me to represent, like, my culture.
- Yeah, Philippines! - Joseph: So this is Houston.
This is Filipino. This is southeast Asia. This is all of it.
- That's 15 minutes gone? - Yep.
Does that blow your mind?
- You got it, Joe. - I'm not worried.
- Good evening. - Gordon. Pleasure to meet you.
- How are you? - Very nice to meet you.
Joseph, tell us what you're cooking and why.
I am cooking a ginger green onion steamed fish
in a soy sauce rice wine ginger sauce.
That dish is simple, so it's going to deliver on that wow factor.
Make sure you got all those components right, that balance.
- Tell me what fish it is again. - Red snapper.
You're not worried about it? Because steaming fish
is a delicate, dangerous thing to do in a competition.
Gordon: Be careful. It's the season of legends.
Tough competition, 15 aprons only.
Yeah, good luck, young man. See you in the restaurant.
- Thank you very much. - Wow. Tough one.
Woman: Go, Joseph. Get that fish on!
Woman 2: You got it, Joseph. Let's go!
After hearing all these comments from the judges,
I'm nervous inside. I'm dying inside.
My ass is on the line. This dish needs to be perfect.
What's time looking like?
You're at 30 seconds.
Woman: That fish looks good.
I'm really praying that it's not overcooked.
- Man: Come on, Joe. - Woman: Let's go, Joseph!
Crowd: Nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four,
three, two, one!
[Crowd cheering]
This is the most important moment of my 32-year life.
All right.
- All right, make room, make room. - Whoo.
If they don't like this dish, my entire plan for my future
has gone down the drain.
Woman: Ah, you got this.
- Ooh, look at that concentration. - Very concentrated.
You look like a bad guy in a James Bond movie, bro.
- Like, you know? - Why don't you tell us about the dish?
Joseph: My dish is a ginger green onion steamed red snapper
in a soy sauce rice wine sweet sauce
with a southeast Asian herb salad.
And this dish means the world to me,
and that's why I really wanted to make it for you guys.
This year is severe. Why this year for you?
I'm an environmental engineer. It's a meaningful job.
It's just this is my passion.
- I think it's time to taste it. - Let's taste it.
- Yeah, I agree. - Yeah.
Visually, I think it's sophisticated and elegant.
But there's two things on the plate,
there's the fish and the greens.
That is it. So, fingers crossed.
- Mm. - Shall we?
If it's properly cooked, it'll just peel right off.
Aarón: Oh, that's going enough. Absolutely.
- Tell me about the salad. - It's a Vietnamese herb, rau ram,
cilantro, basil, julienned green onions.
Joseph, I think you took a really big risk here
because it's a very, very simple dish,
and you're relying 100% on your execution being perfect.
The good news is your execution was perfect.
I think people take for granted how hard it is to steam a fish.
It can go sideways on you quick.
And I think the fact that you're able to do that
with such skill shows a lot.
It's beautiful. I mean, really beautiful.
It just oozes confidence, and I think that's the magical,
sort of, ace card you've got up your sleeve.
You're calm. You're very cool.
But you cook with such poise, and I can taste it.
- Good job. - Thank you.
What you have here, for me, is a trifecta.
Perfect fish, perfect sauce, perfect salad.
Excellent dish. No negative comments.
- Thanks. - Bravo.
All: Aww.
- [Cheering] - Yes! Yes! Yes!
Joseph: I still don't know if this is real.
I don't... I'm not sure what's going on.
[Cheering]
What this means is that I'm good enough to compete
with the best in the world,
and this is just the beginning.
- Oh, my God! Woohoo! - Whoo!
Curtis, what do you think of the level?
I mean, I can't believe that these guys are amateur cooks.
The level of the cooking that they're at already,
you guys are in for one hell of a season.
Six aprons left. Aarón, six aprons.
- Are you ready? Are you ready for the future? - Thank you, Joe.
- Yes, it looks very bright. - Love that.
- Beautiful. - Jeez.
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All these ingredients are gonna come together.
I'm doing what makes Jamesha happy,
and cooking makes me happy, so it just feels so good.
I'm so honored.
- Do you think I need more cauliflower? - I think we're good.
A little bit more. That's fine. Go, Nayha!
Go, Nayha, go!
My name is Nayha, and I'm a high school student
from Greenville, South Carolina.
- Salt or pepper. - I learned how to cook
like any child born in the 2000s,
from, like, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube.
I'm making Gobi Manchurian, one of my favorite Pakistani dishes.
Our family is a little bit more adventurous,
so we make, like, Pakistani Chinese kind of fusion food together.
So this is a batter-fried cauliflower
with an Indian Chinese spice sauce
over a bed of fried rice.
This dish speaks to my culture.
Use those bold flavors.
It's a big risk for me 'cause I'm taking a break from my education
to pursue this culinary endeavor.
Look at that color!
I'm only 18, but I don't want to hesitate
when it comes to chasing after my dream.
Don't worry. I'll fix it.
A couple little last details to do.
All: Seven, six, five,
four, three, two, one.
Ah!
If I keep waiting for, like, that right time,
that right time might never come.
It might not ever exist.
- Good evening. - Hello.
- Aarón: How are you, young lady? - I'm good.
My dish is Gobi Manchurian.
Cauliflower in an Indian spiced batter, fried.
I made an Indo-Chinese sauce over a bed of fried rice.
- How old are you? - I'm 18.
I'm still a high school student.
I put school on hold to pursue "MasterChef" right now.
Shall we, guys? Shall we go and have a look?
Wow, you've elevated it in terms of giving the Gobi a finesse, right?
Now I've eaten a lot of that, and it's never been served like that.
- So, what's the sauce? - The sauce is a soy sauce.
Traditionally, this dish doesn't have soy sauce in it.
- No. - Not in Pakistan.
- No, not in Pakistan. - So why soy sauce?
I also love east Asian flavors.
I think it's so cool how they're so bold,
yet so balanced.
That's exactly what I tried
to execute on the dish right there.
- Curtis, what'd you think? - I love the way you used the cauliflower.
It's really the star of this dish.
I think it's nicely fried.
To me, it gets a little confusing
when I'm tasting that strong note of soy
and I'm thinking Chinese dish,
but then I'm also eating the fried cauliflower
and I'm thinking, you know, something more rooted in India or Pakistan.
And it doesn't come together as a perfectly cohesive dish for me,
but I do like some of the elements of it for sure.
- Aarón? - I think your developing of flavor
and your understanding of food,
and developed this young an age,
is really something that's admirable
and I think it's something special.
I just think when it comes to this competition,
"MasterChef Legends," 15 aprons,
this dish, I think it's a little immature.
- Gordon: Joe? - It's a little bit unfocused.
But it's tasty. The frying technique is delicious.
And there's a lot to like, so, like, I want to eat it.
I'm gonna keep on eating it 'cause I like it,
so, you know, I'm just going with my gut right now.
Right, young lady. 18 years of age, wow.
Three yeses to get your hands on that apron.
- Joe, yes or no, please? - Because I like this dish so much,
and because I think it shows such great potential,
I'm gonna say yes tonight.
- Gordon: Curtis? - I think it's really close. I really do.
But there's some elements on the plate that work
and there's some that just don't.
I've gotta judge it based on what you've put in front of us.
And today it's a no, but I know that in life,
for you, it's gonna be a yes.
Gordon: Young lady, I love your attitude
and that level of ambition.
I just personally feel that you're not ready for it.
And why aren't you ready for it?
The soy sauce. That doesn't go with that Gobi.
That's never gone together.
As much as I love the dish and elements of it,
I think right now is not the right time,
so for me, sadly, it's a no.
I see a lot of skill in this dish.
So feel good about it, don't stop cooking,
and take all of this knowledge
that you've got today and keep going.
Aww.
Nayha: I feel disappointed.
I might have jumped the gun
on taking this opportunity right now.
I think I need to grow as a chef and also as a person
and try again later on in life.
Maybe just not right now.
After maybe getting a degree.
Here's the good news, guys.
The future of this country looks very bright
as long as we have young kids like that
at 18 years old cooking, things are great.
- Absolutely. - She has all the makings.
- She's just not ready for this competition. - No.
Man: What do you think? They look good or no?
They need a little bit more time to cook.
- They're getting there, though. - There you go, Annai!
- Looking good. - My name is Annai Gonzalez,
I'm 25 years old from Dallas, Texas,
- and I'm a legal assistant. - Ay-yi!
Ah!
My go-to style, comfort foods,
but I try to add a Latin twist to it.
- Hey! - Ooh! Ooh!
Being a first generation Mexican-American influences my cooking,
but I also don't want to keep it too traditional.
I want to show the world that Mexican food
can also be quite elegant and very delicious.
Man: You got this, honey.
- How are you? - Hello.
- What are you making? - So I'm frying some rice first.
I'm gonna make a flank steak filled chile relleno.
So there's many different ways to make a chile relleno.
You can kind of cook it whole, batter it.
How is your chile relleno going to be different from the traditional battered one?
I like to stick to my roots, but I also like to give it
that first generation Mexican-American flair, so I'm not deep frying it.
So what is your passion as a young lady? Do you work?
So, actually, I quit my job to be on the show.
- You quit your job to come here? - I know, right?
- Crazy. - Love that.
- Joe: That's pretty ballsy. - Aarón: Yeah.
But I'm in the kitchen, and that's my passion. That's my dream.
- All right. - Good luck.
- Thank you so much, - Real pleasure.
Man: Let's go, let's go!
What I am most concerned about is my steak.
Medium rare is a hit or miss. When I did turn it over,
I may have missed it by one minute,
so it's potentially a little bit over.
It's definitely nerve-wracking
because I don't have anything to fall back on.
And if I end up leaving tonight,
I go back to nothing,
and I'll just have to start from scratch.
All: Five, four, three, two, one.
- Yeah! - Hey!
I just hope this dish is enough to get me my apron.
Why don't you tell us your name and what you've cooked for us?
My name is Annai Gonzalez. I am from Dallas, Texas.
And what we have here on the plate is a flank steak chile relleno
on a bed of arroz pinto and a tomato sauce
covered in Oaxaca melted cheese with a Mexican crema.
And what do you do for a living?
Um, I was... used to be employed
as a legal assistant, but then I quit my job.
I decided, you know, it wasn't where my passion was.
Let me get this straight. You quit your job to come here?
Listen, I'm a big believer in taking a minute to yourself
- and saying, "Am I doing what's right?" - Exactly.
Good motivation. Should we have a taste?
- Shall we? - Let's taste it.
Looks delicious.
Young lady, it's restaurant quality, let's get that absolutely clear.
I love the finesse. Great choice of plate.
I think the presentation is so inviting.
Let's hope all the flavors deliver.
Gordon: Curtis, would you do the honors?
Joe: Hopefully it's cooked right.
That steak's cooked very, very nicely.
It is medium rare. And why medium rare?
I personally am a big fan of medium rare.
It keeps the juiciness of the steak.
Aarón: Mmm.
Curtis: You know, when I see chile relleno,
I'm always in love with the idea of it.
But I never really love to eat it.
In this, you really taste the pepper.
You really taste the beef.
- It's a good dish. - Thank you, Chef.
Yeah, I think the execution and your interpretation
of this classic speaks to your background.
All the traditional components, but that sort of glitz
and glamour from Dallas is there as well,
which I kind of really dig.
For me, I'm not a fan of the sauce.
You could have put chipotle in there, roasted some garlic,
and really made that red sauce a little bit more vibrant.
Did you slice the flank steak?
- I did slice it. - Yeah. Be careful.
'Cause when you expose meat like that, it needs seasoning.
- Yes, Chef. - The dish is good.
But this is the season of legends, and you need to be very good.
- Yes, Chef. - So, as you know,
you need three yeses to get the apron.
Gordon?
Uh, whew, that's a tough one.
I love what you've done with the steak. It's cooked beautifully.
It needs more seasoning. Big deal. We can fix that.
Restaurant quality plating. That's a big one for me.
I'm a yes.
While there's a couple of things that I would change,
I'm gonna give you a yes.
That's two yeses. You need three yeses to pass.
Aarón Sánchez?
Yeah, you know, for me, it's like I have a responsibility,
an obligation to continue to promote Mexican food
and make sure that it has the right appreciation and respect.
And with what you put forward...
you might not have a job...
...but I'm gonna tell you right now,
- you definitely have an apron. - Woohoo!
- Thank you, Chef. - This right here is something special,
it's something coveted, and I know you're gonna do justice to it.
Definitely. I will not disappoint.
Mine is a yes, too. I'll have another if you have time to cook one.
- Definitely. I'll go back right now. - This is delicious.
Both: Hey!
Come here, baby!
I quit my job to follow my dream.
And honestly, it was the scariest thing I ever did.
But winning this apron means that I'm capable of so much more.
It's exciting to see this new generation of cooks coming through.
- Joe: Right. - Definitely restaurant quality, right?
- Yeah. - I got the skills.
I can whip it up in the kitchen.
Gordon: Next time, the MasterChef kitchen...
This is it, the final night of auditions.
...welcomes a culinary queen.
Please welcome Paula Deen.
[Screaming]
I love me some Paula Deen.
With just five aprons remaining...
It was perfectly delicious.
...the battle is on...
Competition's rife, and you come in with a burger.
...for one of the last spots...
- This is it. We're down to our final apron. - [growls]
- ...in the MasterChef kitchen. - Whoo!
Can I get that body under my husband's head?
"MasterChef" is back with the season of legends.
Wednesdays on Fox.