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"...
This year, we aren't the only people you need to impress.
Please welcome Emeril Lagasse.
[cheers and applause]
- Curtis Stone. Paula Deen. - Oh, my God.
This year with legends, you need nerves of steel in the MasterChef kitchen.
The toughest "MasterChef" audition rounds ever...
You are on hallowed ground with the egg yolk ravioli.
I quit my job to be on the show.
You quit your job to come here?
...with just 15 aprons up for grabs.
I'm tired of being a home cook.
This is the American dream, you know?
- Hands up. - Whoo!
Woman: Everything is at stake for me right now.
- Where are you from? - I used to live in Romania.
I'm from Boston. I'm a bartender.
- I am an on-air radio host. - I'm a lifestyle coach
helping couples reconnect sexually.
Oh, dear.
That is truly something special.
Incredible.
It's bloody delicious. Great job.
Profound immersion into Burmese cuisine.
- I love what you've done. - It's definitely yes.
- Yes. - You've got an apron.
Congratulation. Welcome.
[cheering]
Curtis: The level that they're cooking at already...
You did it!
...you guys are in for one hell of a season.
- Let's go! - Tonight...
You are the top 15.
- a guest legend who is one of a kind. - Morimoto!
Anne: I cannot believe Chef Morimoto is in front of my face.
- Like, this is freaking nuts. - [speaking Japanese]
And we're throwing the home cooks in at the deep end...
- Oh, my Lord. - You guys ready?
...with their first elimination challenge.
- You okay, Tay? - I don't even have boiling water.
I've never cut open a fish.
I don't even want to touch a fish.
- I do not want to eat a soggy diaper. - Flipping do-dah.
- Season 11. - Gentlemen.
- Top 15. - Here we are.
- "MasterChef" season of legends. - Joe: Let's do this.
- Whoo! - Let's go.
- Welcome. - Let's go!
Top 15, dude? Let's go!
I'm a black redneck from Omaha, man.
I live a simple life.
So, like, walking into the MasterChef kitchen
with all the stoves and all the stations,
this is, like... you are in the game now.
- Wow. - Good to see you all. Make your way down.
Please line up. Let's go Mary Jayne.
- Let's go, darling. - I'm coming, I'm coming.
I'm always bringing up the rear, Chef.
Mary Jayne: If you had told me last year
when I was sitting at home with the dogs in the recliner
that I'd be standing here with a flippin' apron on,
I would have told you you'd lost your ever-loving mind.
Hello, and welcome to "MasterChef Legends."
You are the top 15.
I did leave my job in order to be in this competition,
but it's proven that I'm obviously going down the right path
because I got this apron with my name on it.
Now, this is "MasterChef Legends."
This season we are bringing
the culinary world's biggest names right here.
Whoo!
Tonight's guest...
owns over a dozen restaurants
across six countries.
His signature fusion of Japanese techniques...
- Oh, yeah. Yes. - ...and Western flavors
has helped him earn an incredible James Beard Award,
a Michelin star,
and a spot in the Culinary Hall of Fame.
Oh, my gosh.
All of you, please welcome
the legend that is Morimoto.
[cheering]
- I am in complete awe. - Oh, my God.
My first TV introduction to food was watching "Iron Chef."
- Welcome, Chef. - Thank you, thank you. Thank you, guys.
I'm just a working mom from Indianapolis,
so seeing Morimoto in the flesh is just incredible.
Gordon: Chef, absolute pleasure. Welcome back.
Looking as cool as ever. Happy with that photo?
All: Yeah!
Now, you've inspired millions across the planet.
Who inspired you?
The palate.
Legendary chefs like Morimoto are master craftsmen
who make expert techniques look like child's play.
Joe: So, Chef Morimoto has a very,
very special demonstration for you.
- Oh, my goodness. - Oh!
I look up and all of a sudden, I see this beast
descending in a cloud of smoke.
- Ooh. - Nice.
And then all of a sudden, I see fins. "What is that?"
And then he starts to get uglier as it progresses.
Oh, monkfish!
- Chef, take it away. - Thank you very much.
I've been watching Morimoto for years.
I've always been in awe of his skill,
especially when it comes to filleting a fish.
This is how you prepare it in the restaurant, Chef?
- That's crazy. - Michael: Being a vegan,
I am a little disgusted by the monkfish.
Today's challenge, I don't know what it's going to be...
Oh.
But I also know I'm gonna do it
because I want to win "MasterChef."
- [speaking Japanese] - Wow.
Jeez.
Wow. Watching Chef break down this fish
right in front of me is absolutely amazing.
Just to see the man with this knife skill like a ninja,
it is jaw-dropping.
- That's amazing. - I'm from the west side of Chicago,
so I have never cooked with monkfish before.
But, hey, there's a first time for everything.
The liver?
Oh, my gosh, no.
I think Mary Jayne's going to be sick. You okay, darling?
Would you like a bag? You all right?
I don't know, Chef. I'm trying.
The only thing going through my head is, "Check, please."
- Oh. - Beautiful.
- There's the good stuff. - Looks like tenderloin.
Gorgeous.
- Wow. Amazing. - Amazing.
Just effortless.
- No, Chef. - No.
- Only eaten. - Morimoto: Okay.
Gordon: Really beautiful. Thank you.
That's how a MasterChef legend fillets a monkfish.
- Thank you. - Excellent.
- Amazing. - Thank you.
- I could have done it a little bit better, but... - Very impressive.
- You can do that. You can do that. - You're learning.
Tonight, all of you will cook us a stunning monkfish dish
using those incredible filets prepared by Chef Morimoto.
- That we can do. - You will have the full
MasterChef pantry at your disposal.
and we even have a fresh herb garden right over there.
Gordon: Now here's the good news.
The winner of the best dish tonight
will get an incredible dinner for two...
- Oh! - Ooh!
...at the beautifully elegant
Morimoto Las Vegas restaurant.
[cheering]
- Amazing. - But there's some bad news, too.
The home cook tonight that doesn't meet our standards will be eliminated.
- Make sure it's not you. - Yes.
Knowing that one of us is going to leave
at the end of the night, it is a lot of pressure.
My purpose in MasterChef kitchen
is to bring pride to my Burmese culture,
so I don't want to be the first one who just has to go
right after getting the apron.
Now, you all have one hour
to cook us a stunning monkfish dish.
- You guys ready? - All: Yes, Chef.
Your 60 minutes starts...
[speaking Japanese]
Now! Let's go!
- The doors! - Carts to the left.
Take your time, darling. Watch that little step.
- Yes, Chef. I got it. - Baskets!
- What are you looking for? - Chicken stock.
Where's white pepper?
- Need these potatoes. - Mushrooms.
Being the MasterChef pantry is like walking into heaven.
- Oh, my God. - Here I come from Cuba.
Never been around this much food in my life.
- The colors, the smells. - Cumin.
It's unreal. It's almost like if you have one chance,
and you want to grab as much as you can.
Let's rock and roll, baby.
Guys, we're three minutes in. Let's go.
I've never shopped so fast in my life.
Oh, my gosh. I'm out of breath.
All right. Today I am making a blackened monkfish
Bánh mi sandwich.
It's almost like a Po' Boy,
but still has that Asian flair to it.
I've never made monkfish before, but I think the judges
are gonna love the flavors in this dish.
Okay.
Today I'm doing a pan-seared monkfish
with some pickled pearl onions, an egg yolk,
and doing a buttermilk sauce as well.
This is sort of like an easy breakfast in Romania that we used to have,
minus the fish, and hopefully it'll turn out okay.
I was born in New York, but raised for the first six years in Romania.
So this is a great opportunity to represent who I am
and my Romanian culture.
I am making a drunken monkfish taco
with a chipotle lime dressing and a pickled cabbage slaw.
This is my first time cooking with this thing.
When you think of fish, you think of something tropical,
so I immediately thought of tacos.
Being a first generation Mexican-American,
I want to show the world that Mexican cuisine can be very delicious.
We use a lot of tilapia mojarra fish,
and typically we take the whole fish
and fry the entire thing, and that's how we eat it.
So this is a bit different, but I think I can taco this.
I'm making a Baja fish taco with some chips on the side and then a spicy mayo aioli.
I usually use cod, but I'm using monkfish today.
I'm trying my best to get this monkfish together,
put it in a taco. Everything will be great.
I've never cooked this fish before,
so my strategy is to stay in my comfort zone.
We fish fry on Fridays at our home.
It's something we do all the time,
so it just reminds me of my family.
My daughters and my husband, they're everything to me,
- so I gotta make 'em proud. - Okay.
Being from New England, everything's clam chowder,
lobster rolls, and all this.
- But I hate seafood. - Hmm.
And I'm really stressed because I'm really afraid of fish.
Oh, jeez. I've never cut open a fish.
I don't even want to touch a fish.
This is my first time to be in the MasterChef kitchen,
and I'm just hoping I don't go home.
Our first big challenge. Only 15 aprons.
So, Chef, we're expecting a super high standard.
Monkfish is the kind of fish with rules.
- Yeah. - It's not like a red snapper or a branzino,
do whatever you want with it, poach it, fillet it.
Monkfish doesn't want to be grilled.
Probably wants to be floured. It wants acidity.
It wants fat. It needs a lot of stuff.
- Gordon: Absolutely. - Yeah, and here's my concern.
Because they're novices, I feel like they're going to undercook it.
It's very dense, and it needs longer in the oven than you think.
Gordon: Absolutely. Also, there's a lot of water in monkfish,
so you need to get a hard sear on it.
Guys, ten minutes gone. Just over 50 minutes remaining.
Gotta nail the fish.
- Mm, Michael! - This is Michael the muscle man.
Tell us about the dish. What are you doing?
I have breadcrumb and parmesan encrusted fish,
lemon garlic kale with seasoned rice.
It sounds good. Now, I know you're a vegan,
but are you going to taste this thing now?
- I have to taste it. - Vegan?
He turned vegan a few years ago and he gives expert advice.
Will you explain to Chef what you do, please?
Yes, I'm a lifestyle and relationship coach.
People are having problems in their relationship, food's a common ground.
We're trying to get them to connect through food.
- He's a sexpert. - I see, I see.
Yeah? Ever been to one?
- Do you need one? - No comment.
Okay, this sounds incredible. Don't overcook that monkfish.
- Taste everything, okay? Good luck. - Thank you so much.
Almost done. I am making monkfish bento plate.
I know how to cook fish really well because I cook it a lot.
I'm hoping to impress Morimoto.
I want to show all the different things you can do with a monkfish.
Hi, Kelsey. What's the plan for the monkfish?
I'm gonna just pan-sear it, baste in a little lemongrass and ginger.
And then it's over a cauliflower puree.
Got fried cauliflower on top that's tossed with a bunch of cilantro, mint shiso.
Definitely the flavors are going to be outside
my comfort zone. I don't experiment a lot with Asian flavors.
I live in Indianapolis. so I'm Midwest girl used to Midwest flavors.
- Did you try to cook a piece yet? - Yes. It tastes great.
- Do you see how much water it lets out? - Yeah. Yeah.
I didn't let it rest as long as I should have.
Kind of a general rule of thumb
is however long you cook something,
you allow it to rest the same amount, right?
- All right, Kelsey, good luck. - Thank you guys.
This one's the garlic.
I am making an herb-crusted monkfish
with baby potatoes and leeks.
So I'm bringing those all together and I'm gonna do
a champagne vinaigrette white wine reduction.
This meal makes me feel like being home with my husband,
so this is just kind of an ode to my marriage.
- Miles. - What's up, gentlemen?
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I'm gonna do a honey-glazed monkfish with a sauce supreme,
And then I' m going to do a petit pois a la Francaise.
- What are these for? - The fondant potatoes,
I'm going to place the monkfish on top
just so there's a starch on the plate.
There's a lot going on here, Miles.
- We'll see what I can do. - Sound complicated for you?
- I gotta impress Morimoto, and you, of course. - We'll see, we'll see.
Cook some of that monkfish off and reduce the flavor.
That for me is way more important than what you're doing right now.
Okay, good. 40 minutes to go. Come on, guys.
Miss Elyce, what do you got going on?
Today I'm making a Baja fried fish taco.
I usually use cod, but I'm gonna switch it up
and try to use a little monk and see how it tastes.
Cod is similar to monk. Monk's a little bit firmer.
Think that's enough at this point?
We've given you a monkfish, very rarified fish.
You think we want to see maybe more than that?
I'ma make the spicy mayo and some homemade chips with it.
- Okay. - I'll set it on a bed of the cabbage
- with a little lime sauce. - Well, you know what?
- if it tastes delicious, you never know. - Okay. Thank you.
- Miss Suu. - Chef, Joe, how are you?
- What are you making? - A ginger and kumquat glazed monkfish.
And I'm gonna make a butternut squash puree with some roasted garlic.
I like the way that you're going to go full steam ahead with big flavors.
Is this flavor profile in the Burmese kind of vernacular?
More Pan-Asian. So I'm going to celebrate my Asian heritage
as well as celebrate Chef Morimoto's Asian heritage.
- Well, thank you, Suu. Appreciate it. - Thank you very much.
- Wow. There's a lot going on. - I like the energy. I like the intensity.
- The focus is definitely here. - Yeah, exciting.
Chef, one of the toughest challenges
to kick off this season... monkfish.
Not one of them have cooked a monkfish before.
Now, Miles, in one pan he's got potato fondant.
In another pan he's got petits pois a la Francaise.
And then in another pan he's got the monkfish that he's roasting
and is going to finish it in honey. He's a little bit lost there.
- Miles, do not overcomplicate it. - Yes, Chef.
- The monkfish is the hero. - All right.
Kelsey is going a very interesting route. Lots of aromatics.
Some ginger, some shallot, some chile as well.
Joe: She's from the Midwest,
so she's going way out of her comfort zone
with those Asian flavors.
- So Elyce is going to fry the monkfish. - Really?
She's going to go the taco route and just do
chips and fried monkfish with a chili base mayonnaise.
Have you ever seen monkfish in a taco, Aarón?
- I have not. - Monkfish is a knife and fork kind of fish.
- Absolutely. - Yeah.
Steady hands.
- Oh, that's spicy. - We are halfway.
30 minutes gone, 30 minutes remaining.
Sadly for one of you, your last 30 minutes inside the MasterChef kitchen.
Come on. Speed up. Let's go.
- Tay. - Yes, sir. How you doing?
- Tell us about the dish. What are you doing? - I'm going to do
a blackened monkfish Bánh mi sandwich
with a sriracha dill aioli.
- About five minutes each side. - Have you tasted it?
- I have not. - Taste it.
- Need a little more salt on there. - See how watery that is?
- Mm-hmm. - And you're considering putting that in a sandwich?
I do not want to eat a soggy diaper.
First big challenge. Just be smart how you conceptualize this, okay?
- Okay. - Regroup and think again.
- Okay. Thank you. - Good man.
Oh, damn. Gordon says, "I don't want a soggy sandwich."
I gotta abandon this idea or I'm going to be going home.
In the back of my mind, it's just like
I'm putting my apron on the counter right now!
I never worked with monkfish before.
I don't know what I'm gonna do.
[bleep]
- See how watery that is? - Mm-hmm.
And you're considering putting that in a sandwich?
I do not want to eat a soggy diaper.
- Yeah. Okay. - Regroup and think again.
Oh, damn. Gordon says, "I don't want a soggy sandwich."
I scrap everything that I'm doing. I head back to the pantry.
That fish had the density of almost a chicken.
What if I do a jerk monkfish with Jamaican rice and peas and a habanero hot sauce?
Some jalapeños.
I come back from the pantry.
I'm like, cool. Game plan ready to go.
I look up at the clock and it says 24 minutes.
And now I'm starting from scratch.
I don't even have boiling water on the stove.
In my head, I'm just like, "Come on, Tay. Chill out. Clear the work area off."
I've gotta finish this dish.
22 minutes remaining, guys. Keep it going.
Make sure you've got your monkfish cooked in the next five minutes,
which gives it at least eight to ten minutes to rest.
Autumn, tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
So I'm going to do a pan-seared monkfish with a teriyaki sauce.
And I'm going to make, like, a gingery rice with some sautéed bok choy
and some pickled fried cauliflower.
Yeah, it sounds very Japanese.
How are you cooking the monkfish?
I'm marinating it and then I'm going to pat it dry before,
that way I get a sear on it, and then a couple of minutes in the oven.
- Have you cooked it before? - No, I've never cooked it. I've never eaten it.
I don't eat any seafood, actually.
- No! - How do you know these Japanese flavors so well?
I go to Japan all the time. I love Japan.
I've been to Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo.
- Amazing. Dish sounds great. - Thank you.
It sounds like you know Japanese cuisine almost like the back of your hand.
I'm super intimidated of seafood, but I'm hoping my Japanese flavors
will save me from elimination tonight.
- Sounds delicious. Good luck. - Thank you so much.
Good luck.
- Hello. I'm doing good. - How are you?
- Green tomatoes, yum. - What do you got going on? Please explain your dish.
I'm making some drunken monkfish tacos with a citrus pickled coleslaw
and a chipotle lime dressing.
Remember, a great taco has three components.
The tortilla, the filling, and then the salsa/garnish.
Those three elements need to be firing on all cylinders.
- Where's the tortillas? - I'm going to make them by hand.
Whoa. You should have a back-up in case you don't have enough time.
- Yes. - Joe: Remind me, what do you do for a living?
I used to be a legal assistant at a personal injury law firm,
but I quit that job to finally pursue my passion, which is cooking.
So your life ambition relies on this taco. I'd be nervous.
Well, when you put it that way.
- Alejandro. How are you feeling? - Chef.
I started out pretty ambitious, I'm gonna be honest with you,
and now I'm, like, a little bit nervous.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I'm making a pan-seared monkfish
with a cream of leeks and potato and two types of asparagus.
A lot going on. You're torching the cucumber. That's a first in my career.
I think it adds, like, toastiness to it.
But you're toasting the seeds, the watery bit in the middle.
- Yes, sir. - Right. So just think about what you got going on here
and start to edit that. Start thinking about that composition.
- Yes, sir. - Make sure it all goes together.
Don't overcomplicate it. Good luck.
You never know. This might be my only chance in the MasterChef kitchen
to show my skill, and I would hate to go home
by not showing everything that I can do.
I just hope I don't do too much.
So I pulled a pretty risky move changing up my dish,
I'm praying that it pays off because I'm not trying to go home,
be the first one to go home. The hot sauce is done.
I'm tasting the rice and beans. The fish is resting.
So if it call comes together, it'll be perfect.
- How are you doing? - I'm good, and you? Hey, how are you?
There's a lot going on here, young lady.
Tell us about the dish. What are you doing?
I'm doing a Baja fish taco with some chips on the side, and then a spicy mayo aioli.
- Tell us about the breading. What flavor is that? - Panko, breadcrumbs, flour.
What's the seasoning there? What are you putting in there?
Cumin, Cajun seasoning,
chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder.
- Morimoto: Spicy. - Right. 15 minutes to go.
- Both: Good luck. - Thank you.
Guys, 50 minutes have gone. Ten minutes to go. Come on.
- [bleep] - A little frazzled.
Plating, less is more. Plating, less is more.
- How are you making out over there? Are you okay? - Yeah, I'm doing good.
I'm just hoping to get it all finished.
Wow. It's gone up a notch.
- Aarón: Yeah. - Incredible.
- Mango. All right. - My big concern is Tay.
Tay was discussing almost like a monkfish sandwich.
- You okay, Tay? Changed direction a bit? - I'm good, I'm good.
- Yes, sir. - Good man.
- Okay. - Autumn, she's marinating hers.
- I saw that. - Yeah, teriyaki sauce,
and so very Japanese-infused.
Gordon: But the dish sounds nice. A little bit complicated.
I just hope that she edits that down and focuses on that flavor.
Everything's looking good.
I have five minutes left, and I thought I was going to go with the route
of doing homemade tortillas,
but the masa came out a little grainy.
It was nothing close to any tortilla that I've ever made
or my grandma has ever taught me.
I was just like, "Really, Annai?
You come from a very Mexican family.
You can't even make a single tortilla?"
So I need to use those other store-bought tortillas.
Hopefully my mom doesn't get mad at me.
Aarón: And then of course, Annai, our Mexicana from Dallas,
she's going to go by way of Baja style fish tacos.
A taco, if even excellent, can it be enough?
- It could be successful. - We are...
If she can manipulate it in such a way where she cuts it thin...
- Sure. - ...she might be able to get away with it.
These are nasty-ass corn tortillas.
- Come on. - 60 seconds remaining!
- Let's go, guys! Come on! - Last minute! Come on!
Let's go.
30 seconds remaining. Come on.
- Ah! - You got this. You got this.
[groans] Come on.
Gordon: Come on, please. Let's go!
Come on, guys. Ten!
Judges: Nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four,
three, two, one.
- Stop. Hands in the air. - Hands in the air.
- Hey! - Well done.
- Oh, God. - Yeah!
- [bleep] - Guys, we're done with the first challenge.
Flippin' do-dah.
- Look at mine. It looks like [bleep]. - You're fine, you're fine.
If it tastes amazing, you'll be okay.
- Does it look okay? - Looks real nice.
I switched up dishes, like, halfway through, bro.
- Did you? - I'm not gonna lie, yeah.
This is me on the plate, and I'm very proud,
and I really hope all the judges love this.
You did your thing, girl. Give me some up top.
This is a dish that I'm not too proud of, so...
I think what threw me off was the masa not coming together like I wanted it to.
I kept pouring water, let it rest for a bit, came back.
It was still kind of grainy. And then I had to think quick.
I was like, "Okay, I'm gonna have to use store-bought tortillas."
With the plating and how it's composed,
I think there's a big possibility that I might be going home.
Tonight you each had to make a dish worthy
of the incredible legend himself, Morimoto.
Now we'd like to take an even closer look.
Let's go.
Annai, what happened to the homemade tortilla?
I got excited about you making them. What happened?
I jumped the gun and tried to do homemade tortillas, but it quickly failed.
Have you ever seen monkfish in a taco before?
- No. - Thank you.
- Mary Jayne, are you happy with the dish? - Yes, Chef.
I really tried something that I've never tried before.
Just be careful when you glaze that.
It burns quickly because the high sugar content.
Yes, Chef. I learned that today.
Kelsey: I think people are very scared
to really let ingredients shine for themselves.
- This is a curry of some sort? - Yes. It's got five spice,
and I finished with yuzu and butter.
I did the cucumber for freshness, and then I torched it.
They think they have to add so much flavor,
so many different techniques to their dish to impress,
especially when we're cooking for these judges.
And really the best technique sometimes is showing restraint.
Joseph, four ways monkfish.
I wanted to take you on a journey of different flavors and textures of monkfish.
Let me give you a little advice, Joseph.
Next time you go on a road trip, put gas in the car,
and salt in the rice.
Being able to just season your food well, cook it properly,
I think the judges really appreciate that.
- Kelsey, how did you feel that 60 minutes went? - I think it went pretty well.
I let it rest for about 15 minutes and sliced it. Yeah.
- Hello, Miss Elyce. - How you doing?
Those big chunks of cabbage have kind of taken over.
You know that we have many different tools to cut things smaller.
- Did you do that by hand or with a mandolin? - I did it by hand.
- Okay. - Thank you.
- What's the red spice on the monkfish? - Paprika.
- What's this? - That is a sauce supreme.
45 minutes ago when we came around to you, you were all over the place.
- Yes, sir. - I said edit. It's gotta make sense,
and that looks beautiful.
- Tay, you switched direction. - Yes, I went with the plan B.
So we have a Jamaican jerk monkfish
on a bed of Caribbean style rice and peas.
I'm glad you pulled it back from a sandwich.
I think you can go individually
and I'm sure everything will blend together beautifully.
- Thank you. - Thank you so much.
Autumn, tell us a little bit about it.
I marinated it, and then I patted it dry so that it would get a sear.
Thank you, Autumn.
You happy with the way your curry came out?
I am happy with the way the curry came out.
Gordon: I just love the fact you made the paste.
You're not just gonna go lazy and get a paste.
But don't flood a dish.
It's the season of legends,
- and it's gonna be super tough. - Yes, Chef.
Interesting.
- Some interesting ones. Yeah, really good. - Mm-hmm.
- Her style, the finesse... - Very clean.
She really took and embraced the idea of monkfish whole.
- It's difficult to pinpoint his style. - Right.
But it came together at the end, and the dish looks restaurant quality.
Now, well done, all of you.
As a reminder, unfortunately tonight,
somebody will be leaving the MasterChef kitchen.
But first, we've got three dishes that we'd like to highlight.
And the best of these three dishes will win
an amazing dinner for two
at Morimoto's Las Vegas restaurant.
The first dish we'd like to taste had a sauce that stood out from the rest.
It was sophisticated. It had a great flavor profile.
Please step forward...
- Kelsey. Thank you. - Whoo!
I am in complete awe that I'm in the top three.
Especially because Asian flavors are not my strong suit.
But I feel very confident in my cook on the monkfish,
so I'm really excited for them to taste this dish.
Kelsey, describe the dish please.
My dish is a pan-seared monkfish over a cauliflower puree
with some crispy cauliflower,
and I'm going to pour a fish sauce caramel over top.
Gordon: Now what is that sauce?
Kelsey: It's a base of a caramel sauce
and then added fish sauce once it came together.
And then also simmered it with lime zest, ginger, and some shallots.
So...
- Thank you. - I think what makes this dish for me
is that cauliflower puree. Cauliflower's 30% water.
You've made it creamy and delicious without being too fatty,
- which is a very hard task. - Thank you.
Where the genius in this dish lies is the fact
that you were able to lighten up
a very big, bold fish.
It tastes just like it looked...
a very well-executed, thoughtful dish.
You first big challenge, by no means intimidated.
It looks stunning, and it tastes great.
Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Thanks.
The second dish that we would like to taste
featured a pan-seared monkfish
and some really delicious Asian flavors.
Please come forward...
- Autumn. - Hey.
I'm having a little panic attack on the inside
because I never cook fish,
and Morimoto was about to try my food.
I can't believe this. It's crazy.
Autumn, describe the dish please.
It is a pan-seared monkfish
with teriyaki glaze, a ginger rice,
with some garlic sautéed bok choy
and some pickled fried cauliflower with a sriracha aioli.
It's like a glazed duck. It looks stunning.
Thank you.
Yeah, I just reduced it down by half until it got, like, a little thicker.
Monkfish is cooked beautifully. It looks so attractive.
I love that little smear with the brush on the plate.
- You're showing some great skills. - Thank you so much.
- That cauliflower's delicious. - Perfect.
Professional restaurant quality dish.
- Well done. - Good job. Thank you.
- Thank you. - Good job, Autumn.
Good job, Autumn.
Okay, guys, the final dish that we want to taste
used a flavorful glaze as well,
and did not overcomplicate the dish.
Please come forward...
- Suu. - Whew!
- Good job, Suu. - Thank you. Thank you.
Suu: To be part of the top three best dishes of the night,
it's so amazing.
So I have here a ginger and kumquat glazed monkfish
with butternut squash puree and sautéed oyster mushrooms
and sugar snap peas.
The fish is cooked beautifully. You've nailed that.
- Absolutely beautiful. On point. - Thank you very much, Chef.
I'm most impressed by how the mushrooms are cooked so well
that they mimic the actual texture of the monkfish.
And I like the sesame seed on top.
I think it really shows a lot of your understanding
of big, bold, Pan-Asian flavors.
Loved it because none of the flavors were muddled.
They all were very clear and brilliant.
Chef, how was that for you?
- I'm so sorry, Chef. - Good job. Thank you, Suu.
Thank you very much, Chefs.
Amazing, amazing. So, Chef, three pretty good dishes.
I'm a big fan of Kelsey's dish.
That fish caramel, it was so well-balanced.
Yeah, Autumn's fish, the way it was cooked and sliced was amazing.
And in the right portion, and then... you know.
Suu had a good dish, too, you know?
She also had that texture with the sesame seeds on the outside.
It was the perfect combination.
Gordon: Very hard to separate.
- Happy? - Yep.
Hold my hand.
Kelsey, Autumn, Suu, well done, all three of you.
Only one of you can win dinner for two at Chef's incredible restaurant.
Now, we discussed, and ultimately,
we believe that the best dish belongs to...
Kelsey, Autumn, Suu, ultimately, we believe that the best dish belongs to...
Kelsey. Well done.
While Kelsey is the individual having won that incredible dinner at Morimoto's,
congratulations goes to all three of you
because you are all safe from elimination tonight.
Ladies, head up to the safety of the balcony, please.
Thank you guys all very much.
It feels amazing to win the first challenge,
especially because I stepped outside of my comfort zone
with these Asian flavors,
and now I get to eat at Chef Morimoto's restaurant.
I will treasure that moment, for sure.
Now those dishes certainly did rise above the rest,
but there were a few dishes tonight
that did not meet our standards.
The first dish we'd like to taste...
this dish, we witnessed significant changes late in the game,
and those changes were not enough to keep them out of the bottom three.
Please step forward Annai.
I'm a bit disappointed in myself.
I just hope that the coleslaw and the dressing in my taco
overpowers and makes you forget
that you're eating a store-bought tortilla.
Describe the dish, please.
It is a drunken monkfish taco with a citrus pickled coleslaw
and a side of chile rojo salsa.
Visually, it looks like you ran out of time.
I know you panicked because it wasn't working with the fresh tortilla.
- Shall we? - Yes.
Okay.
You have a couple saving graces here. That slaw is delicious.
I want so much more of it.
And that salsa, playing off of the tomatillo using green tomato,
I thought that was really clever.
- And it has good spice. - Thank you, Chef.
The salsa is delicious.
The rest of the dish feels like second choices.
First of all, you cooked the monkfish beautifully, okay?
Which is very hard when it's dipped in such thick batter.
Let's get that absolutely clear.
You have to be careful when you conceptualize
these dishes at the beginning.
If you're going to do a taco, you have to ask yourself,
"Can I produce the best taco in the country tonight?"
- Right. - If you can't, move on,
conceptualize another dish.
- Thank you. - Thank you, Chef.
The next dish that we'd like to taste
belongs to a home cook from the South...
...who missed multiple marks on their dish.
Please come forward...
Alejandro.
I'm terrified. I have this dish that I put my heart and soul.
I tried to show a million different techniques.
Somehow my ambition shot me in the foot.
I hope and I pray that I'm not going to go home tonight.
Describe your dish, Alejandro.
We have a five spiced pan-seared monkfish
over a cream of potatoes and leeks.
We have mussels in champagne sauce,
broccolini and asparagus two ways,
topped with baby mushrooms.
Just when you say that, doesn't it sound complicated already?
Yeah, 100%. I said that I would go all out.
Going all out doesn't mean putting everything in a dish
and every technique you know.
Going all out means presenting the best dish
you can possibly cook
with refinement and sensibility and balance.
This dish is the opposite of balance, visually.
Nice sear on the monkfish.
I hope it's as cooked on the inside
as it is on the outside.
Let's try it.
That's cooked beautifully.
Look, if I eliminate everything else and I just eat the potato cream
with the monkfish, it's actually palatable.
Aarón: This composition is, like, so bizarre.
That's what's most disturbing about it.
Because you have this really beautiful Cadillac of a fish,
and then you cheapened it
with trying to blowtorch a cucumber.
So here's the thing, you got monkfish roasted beautifully,
but you served it in this leek and potato soup.
It's two separate dishes.
Think about your dish, take one-third off,
and then start adding the garnishes at the end.
And then stop. Thank you.
- Thank you. - Gosh.
Joe: The final dish we would like to taste
belongs to a Midwestern home cook.
Please come forward...
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The final dish we would like to taste, please come forward...
Elyce.
I know I stayed in my comfort zone making tacos.
I just hope and pray that my dish is good enough
to stay in the MasterChef kitchen.
Thank you, Elyce. Please describe the dish to us.
I made a Baja fish taco
with a spicy aioli and chips.
Gordon, what do you think visually?
There's some rough cuts going on in the slaw.
I look at chunks like that, and it sort of tells me
a lot of carelessness. Shall we?
- They sound crispy. - The chips are good, yeah.
I don't think I could even qualify that as a taco.
That's fried fish in a shell. It's soggy.
It's a series of big mistakes.
Aarón: I enjoyed the seasoning on the fish.
I think there's something redeeming about that.
- But the aioli has cumin, right? - Yeah.
It's just very aggressive. It's dominating the palate.
Mm-hmm, yeah.
- Yeah. - Thank you, Chef.
Elyce, when you bread fish so thickly,
you have to be careful because the inside of the breading doesn't cook.
So you dredge it, and then you literally shake it very hard
to get the excess flour off there
so when it fries, it gets nice and crispy.
The batter cooks on the inside as well.
- Gotcha. - Thank you.
Thank you.
We got some serious talking to do.
All three of you, please excuse us for one moment. Thank you.
I didn't expect to see a taco tonight from anybody.
Aarón: Exactly.
- And Alejandro's was just straight-up bizarre. - Joe: Weird.
Alejandro: First challenge cooking in the MasterChef kitchen,
and to be in the bottom three,
especially in front of Morimoto of all people,
is very disappointing.
One dish missed on all marks,
and I think we know which one it is.
- I think you're right. - Let's go.
I am praying that they see that I treated that monkfish with respect.
Three lacklust dishes,
underwhelming in flavor and execution.
When you look at the three dishes up on the balcony tonight,
you know, there's a big gap.
We debated,
and the person leaving the MasterChef kitchen...
sadly...
is Elyce.
Annai, Alejandro, please say good-night to Elyce
and head back to your stations.
Elyce, the dish didn't scream exciting, imaginative taco,
and unfortunately, it just fell short.
But keep that head up high.
- Absolutely. Yes, Chef. - Good.
Please place your apron on your station.
- Both: Love you, Elyce. - Elyce: Going home first,
I'm very disappointed in myself,
because I know that I wasn't confident in that dish.
But just to be in this kitchen was amazing.
- Go get 'em, girl. - I learned a lot,
and I'm going to take it with me for the rest of my life.
- Thank you, Elyce. - Thank you.
I will not give up,
and the best is yet to come.
All of you join me in thanking this incredible legend.
- Chef, thank you so much. - Thank you much.
Right, the good news is we've gone from 15 down to 14.
You are all one step closer to an extremely sweet victory.
- Wow. - Good night.
Thank you, Chef.
Gordon: Next time on "MasterChef Legends"...
Please welcome the patron saint of pastries,
Sherry Yard.
It's a bittersweet elimination challenge...
You'll need to cook us a restaurant quality dessert.
that sees some home cooks riding high...
- You made this rich and decadent. - It's delicious.
- I would put this on the menu. - Wow.
- And others... - Black garlic?
It'll be something you haven't tried before.
Wow.
...crumbling under the pressure.
I'd like to get it cooked tonight.
- She's here to help you. - I am royally [bleep].
It was just a recipe for disaster.
I am shocked.
It's good-night.
"MasterChef" is back with the season of legends.
Wednesdays on Fox.