Announcer: Previously on "MasterChef"...
We're gonna be filling the restaurant
with local ingredient purveyors.
- ( sighs ) - Oh, boy.
Announcer: In a challenge where the ingredients
took center stage...
You're cooking with their product.
Announcer: ...the Blue Team stole the spotlight.
( cheering )
Announcer: ...and sent the Red Team into the dreaded pressure test.
We're looking for six perfect cannoli.
Announcer: ...where Brien's MasterChef journey...
Brien: I failed to put six in the box, Chef.
Announcer: ...came to an end.
Tonight...
- Please welcome Shaun! - ( cheering )
Announcer: ...a champion's mystery box...
Whoo! Hallelujah!
Announcer: ...takes the competition...
It's game day.
Announcer: ...to a new level.
You really are upping your game.
Announcer: And a mysterious ingredient...
( bleep )
Announcer: ...pushes some home cooks...
What can I do? What can I do?
Announcer: ...to their breaking point.
- I can't do it. - What is Jeff doing?
Jeff: My bags are packed.
( music playing )
- Welcome, guys. - Come on down, guys!
- Yes! - Whoo!
A couple months ago, I was just teaching a bunch of little kids in Boston.
Here I am now in the top 13.
I started out a little quiet,
but I definitely feel like today's gonna be my day to shine.
I want to show the judges what I'm made of.
Welcome back, everybody.
Tonight, we have an incredible chef
joining us in the MasterChef kitchen.
A name I promise you all know.
Their palette is phenomenal.
Their presentation skills are out of this world.
This person is one of the most talented chefs ever
to have graced the MasterChef kitchen.
Please welcome America's MasterChef reigning champion...
- Shaun! - ( cheering )
- Shaun! - ( whoops )
- How you doing? Chef! - This is so bad ass.
- It's Shaun. - Great to be back.
We're seeing real live proof that you can win this thing.
What's up, everybody?
We have a winner here. This is very inspirational.
- Welcome back to the MasterChef kitchen. - Thank you very much, Chef.
What have you been up to? Tell me.
I've done some amazing things since winning "MasterChef."
I've been traveling the world, been on the MasterChef cruise.
But the most exciting thing I've done
is I have released my very own cookbook,
and it is available right now, Chef.
I really wanted to elevate home dining.
It's got to taste amazing, it's got to look amazing,
and, you know, you can blow your friends and family away
just by a couple little techniques.
Awesome.
Do you know what makes me even happier?
Seeing your cookbook next to mine on the shelf.
What an amazing book, congratulations.
Thank you, Chef.
All right, guys. it's time for your next mystery box challenge.
Now, are you ready to find out what's under Shaun's mystery box?
All: Yes, Chef!
- Shaun, you won three mystery boxes yourself. - Yes.
Christina: Why don't you do the honors?
On the count of three, lift those boxes.
One, two, three, lift!
- Whoo! - Yes.
- Ooh-wee. - Beautiful.
I've put together some of my favorite ingredients from my cook book.
Forelle pears, parsnips, butternut squash,
and the protein that won it all for me, venison tenderloin.
( laughs ) Yes!
All right, everyone, you are all in for an incredible treat
because tonight Shaun will be cooking alongside all of you.
( cheering )
That's awesome, that's awesome.
It's absolutely incredible to have Shaun in the kitchen
because he's been there.
- Head to your station. - Yes, Chef.
Jeff: And I liken his journey a little bit to my journey.
I've been in the top three more than anybody,
so seeing him right here, right now,
Shaun is motivating me to just bring it.
Oh, yeah.
- Aarón: All right, everyone. - Whoo!
You will have 60 minutes to make us a spectacular dish
- using ingredients that Shaun has selected. - Oh, my God.
To help bring your dishes to life,
you'll also find that staple pantry box.
Remember to use those ingredients wisely tonight.
- Is everyone ready to cook? - All: Yes, Chef!
Your 60 minutes starts...
now.
- Let's go. - Whoo!
Guys, how incredible is it to have Shaun back in the MasterChef kitchen?
So exciting. How elevated has this guy gone
from an amateur home cook, former DJ, to a pro?
He's right there behind them, cooking the same basket.
That must be such a source of inspiration for these home cooks.
Whew.
Shaun, it's so good to have you back in the MasterChef kitchen.
- What does it feel like? - It feels like I never left.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I'm doing an eight-spice venison loin.
I'm gonna serve it over a parsnip garlic puree,
and I'm actually doing a balsamic pear puree
just to give it a little bit of sweetness.
- Nice, good luck. - You got it.
I've never made venison before.
Growing up in Boston, we don't do a lot of huntin',
but I'm gonna try and do a pan-seared venison,
some roasted Brussels sprouts,
and a blackberry in balsamic reduction.
I haven't been in the top three yet,
but I'm thinking today might be my day.
I'm gonna do a pan-seared venison,
but I don't know what that is, that is, that is, or that is.
I come from a small town in Texas
and I don't even think we sell this stuff in our grocery stores.
I might not know what nothin' is,
but it'll taste good when I get done.
20 minutes gone, 40 minutes remaining, guys.
- ( pot hissing ) - Ah, shut up, pot.
- You all right, there? - Mm-hmm.
I'm just watching you.
- Dino. - How you doing, Chef?
The look on your face when Shaun walked into the kitchen,
priceless.
Oh, my God, I'm star struck.
So, what are you making tonight?
I'm doing a herb ravioli.
It's gonna be stuffed with a Portobello,
butternut squash, and venison,
and I'm gonna finish it off with a honey mustard cream sauce.
It's very unorthodox, but I think the taste
is just gonna blow your brains out, you know?
- Yep. - All right, Dino, keep on it, good luck.
Gordon: 30 minutes remaining!
- Yachecia, tell me about the dish. - Yes, Chef.
- What are you doing? - Okay, so I'm doing a pan-seared venison
with a blackberry sauce,
and then a parsnip and butternut squash puree.
- Nice. - I've never cooked with venison before,
so I'm praying all the way through this, of course.
- Wow, okay, great. Good luck. - Thank you, Chef.
- All right, Cate. - Yes, Chefs.
Christina: I can't imagine that's the first piece of venison
- you've seen in your life. - Absolutely not.
I grew up hunting venison with my whole entire family in Illinois,
so I'm in my wheelhouse.
So tell me the dish, Cate.
I am making a chili and cinnamon rubbed venison,
and then I did a little reduced balsamic, pinot noir,
and parsnip puree that I'm gonna finish with a little bit of nutmeg.
Winner of this mystery box gets a huge advantage.
- Good luck. - I am so excited. Can't wait.
Gordon: Just under 20 minutes remaining.
Let it shine, guys. Let's go.
- All right, Miss Caitlin. - Hi, how you guys doing?
What are you making tonight?
I'm making a spice rubbed venison tenderloin
with butternut squash puree, crispy Brussels sprout salad,
and a blackberry compote as the sauce.
Have you cooked venison tenderloin before?
Back in Pittsburgh, we're huge into deer hunting,
so I'm familiar with the flavors, I'm familiar with the taste,
and I think I'm really gonna nail this dish tonight.
Wow us and wow Shaun 'cause he's judging your dish, too.
- Caitlin: So amazing. - Good luck.
Thank you.
Gordon: Just over five minutes to go, guys.
I'm glad that those who've never cooked with venison before
are coming out of the park strong.
Yachecia, she is more adventurous tonight than ever before.
She's serving this incredible-sounding seared venison loin,
so I'm expecting great things from her.
All right, all right.
I think Cate has the ability of making a beautiful dish.
She has all these ingredients that will pop on the plate.
- 90 seconds remaining. - Christina: Gotta push.
Aarón: Ooh, that's beautiful.
Gordon: Finesse, let's go, Newton, come on.
Christina: Taste, taste, taste.
Gordon: You've got to start plating.
Christina: Guys, you want this advantage. Make those dishes shine.
- Here we go. - Push, guys!
- Gordon: Ten... - Judges: Nine, eight, seven...
six, five, four, three, two, one...
- Gordon: And stop! - Hands in the air!
Yachecia: Whoo!
Well done, everyone. Tonight, you all had to make us a spectacular dish
using the ingredients that Shaun selected.
Shaun, as always, an absolute pleasure tonight to watch you work.
- Thank you, Chef. - And confirm your status as the reigning MasterChef.
Please bring that amazing-looking dish up to the front, thank you.
- Newton: Looks good. - ( clapping )
Gordon: Wow, amazing.
Right, describe the dish, please.
Shaun: So I have eight-spiced rub venison
with parsnip and garlic puree.
Then I did a little spin on a chimichurri
with smoked arugula.
There's also a pear puree with balsamic vinegar.
Unbelievable, Shaun.
Gosh.
Shaun's dish looks amazing.
Shaun, you have outdone yourself.
The delicate-ness of his deep fried pears,
the ruby redness of his venison.
Aarón: You have the perfect combination
of the creaminess from the puree,
and the spices have really blossomed.
The negative space that he uses on his place...
Look at that, the black and the white.
...he's an art master.
He's operating on a whole new level.
Now that's how a MasterChef perfects a loin of venison. Well done, Shaun.
Thank you very much, Chef.
Now we've had the chance to watch you cook
and taste elements from each of your dishes as you put them together.
Three dishes in particular stood out to us
that we can't wait to take a closer look at.
First dish we want to bring forward
is from a home cook who they were able to turn their ingredients tonight
into a gorgeous dish that made us quite proud.
Step forward, please, Caitlin.
Caitlin: I'm so excited.
I've never been in the top three of a mystery box challenge.
I'm ready to show everyone else in this competition
that I'm a threat and this proves it.
Miss Caitlin, let's get down to this dish.
So, today we have pan-seared venison loin
with a butternut squash parsnip puree,
crispy Brussels sprout and shallot salad
with a sauce incorporating blackberries, ginger, and pears.
Christina: The cook on the venison, a beautiful mid-rare.
I love what you did with the Brussels sprouts-- great complexity,
and that parsnip butternut squash puree,
it's luscious, it's deep.
I think it'd look even more stunning on a white plate,
but I like that you're really upping your game.
Thank you, Chef.
- Hey, Caitlin. - Hi, Chef.
So, it looks beautiful.
And it tastes amazing.
- Thank you. - The venison's great.
I mean, look at that. That's a perfect cook.
The sauce, I think it works beautifully with the venison.
Your puree could be a little bit more pureed, but it's a great dish.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- ( clapping ) - Nice job, Caitlin. Nice job.
So, the second dish that we'd like to examine further,
this home cook really cooked her venison to perfection.
Let's see if a higher power was watching over her.
Yachecia, please come forward.
Whoo, hallelujah! I'm in the top three one more time.
Being recognized is just even more fuel for the fire.
Everybody behind me better look out.
I didn't come to this kitchen by myself.
I know that God is on my side,
so I got some steam and some real muscle behind me.
Miss Yachecia, can you explain your dish real quick?
Yachecia: It's a pan-seared venison
with butternut squash and parsnip puree
finished with a blackberry sauce and Brussels sprout slaw.
Whoa, there are so many high marks in this dish.
The flavor of the venison itself, the coating, the crust, it's delicious.
Thank you, Chef.
Aarón: I think the puree's kind of confused.
It doesn't know if it's butternut squash puree or parsnip.
But we always screen with meats that are very aggressive in flavor,
that are assertive like venison,
a relief, and this slaw, something that's acidic,
definitely brings you there,
And that, for me, is what makes this memorable.
Yes, Chef.
The flavor on the venison is delicious.
The sauce is just sweet enough.
The slaw is absolutely amazing.
You've got just enough acidity in there.
What I'd change about it is work on a little bit of finesse,
maybe get one of the pastry brushes and a nice swoop
with a pastry brush across the plate.
- All in all, it's delicious. - Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you. - Thank you, thank you.
- Nice job, Yachecia. - Good job, Yachecia.
The third and final dish we'd like to take a much closer look at,
it's from someone who went bold,
and this individual has definitely confirmed
it is ladies' night in the MasterChef kitchen tonight.
Please set forward, Cate.
Yay! Finally!
Finally top three in a mystery box challenge.
If there's any box for me to win, it's this mystery box.
I need to show the judges that I have what it takes to be in Shaun's shoes one day.
Describe the dish, please.
Cate: This is a spice rubbed venison,
celery root puree with some caramelized shallots,
glazed Thumbelina carrots with parsnip chips and a blackberry sauce.
I grew up hunting and fishing. I have my deer permit already for this year,
so it's definitely something I'm familiar with.
Mm.
Like it?
Visually, it's like art.
One of the best-tasting dishes of the night.
Venison's like butter.
I think you got the composition right in terms of the quantity
'cause it shows restraint.
It's a dish I'd put on a tasting menu of mine.
- Great job, well done. - Thank you so much.
It tastes a lot like my finale dish.
Venison's cooked great. I mean, look at that.
The bright red in the middle and then the brown ring on the outside.
I love the caramelization on the carrots,
and the sauce is delicious.
What personally would I do different?
I'd be a little more smooth with the puree,
get a little paper towel and just go around the edge and give it that smooth edge.
But it's delicious and you knocked it out of the park.
Thank you so much.
- ( clapping ) - Good job.
Thank you and congratulations.
What's the best dish of the night for you, out of the three meals?
Christina: Ladies, you made the four of us so proud.
Three MasterChef-quality venison dishes.
But there can only be one winner tonight.
And the home cook with the best dish is...
I'm gonna pass the honors over to you, Shaun.
Congratulations...
The home cook with the best dish is...
I'm gonna pass the honors over to you, Shaun.
Congratulations...
Cate.
- Thank you so much. - Good job, girl.
Now, I would like all of you to join us in thanking our current MasterChef
for leaving the bright lights of Vegas to be here
to light up this incredible kitchen.
- Thank you, Shaun! - Thank you, guys!
To have Shaun back here, it was so exciting.
To see his journey come full circle,
it's such an inspiration.
- Good luck, everybody! - Gordon: Thank you, Shaun.
Cate, please come stand here, thank you.
Now, first of all, Cate, you are safe from elimination.
But that's not all.
The entire competition is about to be placed in your hands.
You don't get to choose the ingredient,
but you will get to decide what kind of dish each home cook has to make.
Every home cook tonight will be cooking
with an ingredient that the culinary world
holds in the highest regard.
From curries to cakes, there are endless possibilities
with this delicious, magical ingredient.
The almighty coconut.
- Coconut! - ( woman gasps )
Tonight, you all have to make an incredible dish starring...
the beautiful coconut.
I'm so excited it's coconut.
Coconut goes in every Indian dish, every Jamaican dish,
every African dish I cook at home for my family.
Coconut is in everything.
All right, you know what you're cooking with,
but one decision is not yours.
And that's what type of dish you'll be making.
Is it savory or sweet?
That is a decision Cate will be making for you.
If Cate hands you a savory basket,
you will have to make a savory dish.
On the other hand, if Cate hands you a sweet basket,
you'll have to make a sweet one.
The home cook who fails to conquer this coconut challenge
will be going home.
Everyone, line up for your baskets.
Jeff, I'd love to make your decision for you.
I think you've already made the decision already.
You know that I would love to go with something...
- Savory. - Absolutely.
So, because I want to sabotage you...
( laughs )
I'm gonna go with this sweet pink basket that matches your shirt.
Why, thank you.
Jeff, head into the pantry.
Yachecia, what are you feeling tonight?
- Savory. - I'm gonna give you this sweet basket.
My strategy for this advantage is to just give
my toughest competitors the basket that I think is going to trip them up.
I would definitely go with sweet.
You're gonna get the savory.
Eboni, what basket speaks to you more?
Savory.
- If looks could kill... - I'd be dead.
- ...you'd be dead right now. - Yeah, for sure.
Thank God you don't live in Chicago.
- Wait, I do live in Chicago. - Right.
- I'm gonna give you savory. - Thank you, Cate.
Some of the other competitors...
I really want the sweet basket.
- ...I'm not worried about... - Thank you, dear.
so I just want to give them a basket that they want.
- Thank you, ma'am. - Thank you so much.
- Get it, girl. - Final basket.
Jason, you're so good at savory and finesse
that I want to see you trip up and choke on this sweet basket.
I'm really hoping that my strategy pays off.
Cate, well done. Now, head on up to the safety of the balcony.
This is a competition and there only can be one winner,
so to get a good chef out of the way is my goal today.
- Oh, God. - You see milk?
I'm looking for coconut oil. Where is it?
Oh, my God. Everything you can think of is coconut.
Coconut flour, coconut flakes, coconut milk,
coconut sugar. Coconut, coconut, coconut, coconut.
I'm gonna nail this.
Coconut oil's over here.
My daughter makes a cream cheese pie.
So I'm probably gonna take inspiration from that.
I'm gonna make a coconut lime tart
and I'm gonna finish that off
with some coconut rum in raspberry sauce,
and I see everything that I need to make it happen.
Aarón: Whoa, look at those baskets filled to the brim.
Good luck, everyone.
Okay.
You all will have just one hour
to make us one incredible coconut dish.
- Now, is everybody ready? - All: Yes, Chef.
Your 60 minutes starts...
now.
Let's go.
Jeff: Cate gave me the sweet dish.
Now, this Tampa boy is gonna be doing a coconut cupcake
with coconut flour, a coconut rum raspberry chocolate ganache,
and candied chopped-up almonds.
I'm not a big baker, so this one is gonna be a tougher one for me,
but I'm gonna do my best and just see where it goes and takes me.
So Cate assigned me to be a savory dish
starring coconut, which I'm super excited about.
I'm doing shredded pork butt over coconut rice pilaf
and a side of broccolini tossed with some coconut vinegar dressing.
Coconut is a super healthy form of fat and other nutrients,
and as a dancer, I'm always looking
for the best way to fuel what I love, which is dance.
Get it, girl.
Coconut is so diverse.
Christina: These home cooks know that to be a true MasterChef,
you have to master both the sweet and the savory.
- It's a great barometer... - Sure.
...to see how these home cooks are progressing
and learning through this process.
That's some kinda good right there, boy.
Cate gave me savory,
so I'm gonna do a pan-seared coconut crusted snapper.
Then I'm making a coconut kaffir lime beurre blanc
and avocado, pineapple, habanero sauce
with a little bit of coconut in it.
I'm confident. I'm not going home tonight.
This is not working out.
Smells good already.
- Right, Daniel. - Yes, Chef.
- Cate gave you... - The savory basket.
Right, what are you doing?
I'm going to be making a coconut seafood stew.
- Okay. - I saw the lobster.
It's very New England. I know how to handle the lobster.
- Love that. - I got some beautiful vegetables.
I got some pepper, some carrots, and some corn,
give it a little bite, a little bit of crunch.
And in the middle, I'm gonna do a little bed of coconut rice
with a little bit of shaved coconut in there.
- Wow. - Coconut definitely not one of my favorite ingredients.
The most familiar I am with it is, uh, you know,
when my girlfriend rubs it in my hair for me to get the tangles out.
- Wow, good luck. - Thank you very much, Chef.
Miss Eboni, you got a savory basket from Cate.
- Yeah. - Now what's going on with that?
I'm gonna make a homemade spicy curry.
I'm doing coconut lobster and shrimp over coconut rice.
I'm doing coconut fried plantains
and I'm gonna do cabbage and carrots with coconut water on top.
Do you make curries quite often?
Where does this inspiration come from?
All the time. My husband. He's Indian and Jamaican,
so I was taught how to make curry from his grandmother and all his aunts.
- Really? - So, if I was to crack right now,
it'd be a serious problem.
- Best of luck to you. - Thank you, Chef.
Gordon: Less than 30 minutes to go, guys.
Remember, elimination is on the line.
- Reba, how you feeling? - I feel good.
- Cate gave me savory. - Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I am doing a coconut battered shrimp
with coconut-flavored asparagus and a coconut sauce.
Okay, great. Let's go home.
- Husband's name? What's his name? - Wayne.
When's the last time you and Wayne went shopping for coconuts?
Never.
- Have you ever cooked a dish with coconut? - Nope.
The most we've done is...
one time we had a drink served in a coconut.
- Oh, you had a drink served... - Yes. It was good.
I drunk it and kept the coconut.
I still got the coconut shell at the house.
- Good luck. Can't wait to taste it. - Thank you, sir.
( Jeff sighs ) Son of a bitch.
These cupcakes suck. ( bleep )
Jeff: I'm screwed right now. My cupcakes aren't rising.
My cupcakes don't look like a cupcake.
I don't know what I'm gonna do.
( sighs, bleeps ) What can I do? What can I do?
- What is Jeff doing? - Christina: Jeff seems like he's given up.
I can't do it. I can't do it.
Jeff can't bake.
( bleep )
Same thing happened last challenge.
His cannoli was terrible.
He looks like he has one foot on that plane back home to Tampa.
- Newton: Don't worry, Jeff. You got it. - I don't. My bags are packed.
Thank you.
( Jeff sighs ) Son of a bitch.
These cupcakes suck. ( bleep ).
- Pack the bags. - What is Jeff doing?
Christina: Jeff seems like he's given up.
I'm looking at my cupcakes in the oven right now.
They don't look like a cupcake.
What can I do? What can I do?
Jeff: I'm freaking out right now because there's no chance
that this cupcake is salvageable right now.
( sighs )
- All right, Jeff, talk to me. - Hi.
- What do you got going on here? - These cupcakes stink.
Let's talk. Cake gone awry is no problem.
It's just about changing direction.
The batter's great, it's just not coming all together and baking.
Think about how you'd plate a savory dish
- and plate a dessert like that. - Okay.
- But you gotta start making decisions, yeah? - Yeah, exactly.
So, what are we doing here?
I'm gonna put the, uh...
- I'm gonna actually do a deconstructed cupcake. - Okay.
Still weave all the ingredients that I was going for,
- kind of just build upwards to it there. - Okay.
Have a nice little bit of that layer of the chocolate
to it there so it kind of absorbs,
almost like a glue for the toasted coconut,
and then that nice candied almond to it there.
Okay, start thinking about presentation.
Sounds like a plan, I really will.
- Go. - Thank you so very much.
Dino, how you feeling?
Dino: I think Cate thought she was messing with me
by throwing me the pink basket,
but, one, I look good in pink, I look good with pink,
and, two, I do kind of know my desserts.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I'm doing a coconut cream puff
and I made a pate a choux out of the coconut flour.
- Wow. - And I'm filling it with a coconut rum
mascarpone filling.
And I have a chocolate coconut garnish right here.
Sounds amazing. Can you get that pate a choux cooked in that time?
Oh, I'm really hoping. I got it on high heat right now.
Yeah, and then you gotta get it cooled down and then stuffed, right?
- Oh, yeah. - Confident you can win this?
I really hope so. Yes, Chef.
- Good luck. - Thank you, Chef.
Gordon: Just over eight minutes to go.
- Wow. - Aarón: What are you seeing out there?
Gordon: Daniel's doing a seafood curry
using the shells from the lobster.
- Outstanding. - And then getting that amazing flavor
through that coconut spiced broth.
- Christina: Very smart. - Doing good, feeling good.
I gotta say, I'm a little nervous about Jeff.
Gordon: Jeff is down in the dumps.
He's not happy with those cupcakes.
However, he's back on his feet.
This could be the greatest comeback
or the greatest tragedy because Jeff could be going home tonight.
( mumbling )
Gordon: 90 seconds remaining.
You gotta move, Jeff. You gotta finish that dish for me.
Aarón: Come on, Jeff.
- Gordon: Finesse, let's go, Newton! - Aarón: Let's go, Dino.
Christina: Taste, taste, taste.
Let's go now, Eboni.
Gordon: Your last 15 seconds. Let's go!
- 10! - Christina: Make it nice!
All judges: Nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, one.
- Aarón: That's it! - Christina: Hands in the air!
Wow.
Yes.
Now we want to see what all of you potential MasterChefs
did with that simple, versatile ingredient.
First up, Dino, please. Thank you.
- Come on, Dino. - Come on, Dino.
Dino: I'm really hopin' and prayin' that the pate a choux is cooked.
I am literally stressed out right now,
to the point where I am about to have a panic attack.
( exhales )
Cate, up on the balcony, gave you the pink basket.
Yeah.
What-- what is that?
( snickers )
Dino: It's a coconut cream puff
and the filling is a Earl Gray chocolate coconut cream
with a little bit of rum.
Am I right in saying it's sat on a coconut?
And what's all the soil on the outside?
This is a mix, coconut and dark chocolate crumbles.
It looks like the remains of my nana's ashes.
I wanted them to look like ashes 'cause I wanted to make it look sort of like a volcano.
'Cause you think island, you think tropical 'cause of the coconut,
- so I wanted to... - Gordon: Yeah, I can't honestly tell
if this is gonna be absolutely shockingly bad or really light and exciting.
Let's get in there, shall we?
How long were the puffs in the oven?
Just long enough to come out all right.
How did you get the coconut in there?
I made the pate a choux out of two parts AP flour,
one part coconut flour.
Instead of using regular sugar, I used coconut sugar.
Dino...
this dish sums up you.
It's weirdly delicious.
It's got that light, creamy texture.
I mean, really stunning. Restaurant quality.
Great filling, perfect consistency.
It's light, creamy, it's incredibly sumptuous.
The chocolate, it's elevated.
What would I change?
Hollow out a little bit more of the cream puff
and get more of that cream inside.
I don't know, I think there's gonna be a lot of people
after your own creation.
Delicious.
- Chef, thank you. - Honestly.
Thank you.
Dino, you've got this incredible expression
of food as a form of art.
When I was growing up, me and my stepfather
used to hang out at my grandmother's house.
We didn't have television, we didn't have video games like everybody,
so he taught me to draw, so I've been an artist
since I was, like, able to hold a pencil.
- It's delicious. - Thank you so much.
It's baked beautifully. Not too dense, not too light.
Filling's delicious. It's nice and smooth and creamy.
It keeps going in between chocolate and coconut.
It's bitter, it's sweet, it's nutty.
You clearly let your imagination run wild.
Buddy, I'd be scared for anyone else out there.
Thank you.
Nice job. Congratulations.
- Good job, Dino. - Good job, Dino.
( exhales )
Next up, Jeff, please. Thank you.
Jeff: Clearly, that was a tough challenge.
I didn't get a cupcake the way that I wanted a cupcake,
so I went a little abstract.
It may not be the prettiest dessert,
but coconut was the star,
coconut is shining in my dish.
Cate, when you gave Jeff the pink basket,
did you honestly believe it would be this bad?
Um, no, Chef. He tried to bake with coconut flour.
Coconut flour just absorbs and has no gluten.
It's just-- it looks like it's crumbled and put back together.
Describe the dish, please, Jeff.
Jeff: So, what I have here for you, Chef,
is a deconstructed coconut cupcake
with a toasted and candied spiced almond,
raspberry crumble.
I decided to have the deconstructed cupcake--
Uh, listen.
I'm sick to death of the word "deconstructed"
because it's just a word to cover up the actual mess.
( sighs )
I see what you've done in this competition.
I've seen how determined you are.
And then I taste this. It's just-- I got two different Jeff's tonight.
Yes, you do.
The mix is cooked, but it tastes dreadful.
And the garnish is just confusing.
The potential was there, but that is your worst performance.
Come here.
- Are you done? - Am I done?
I got a lot more to give, and my journey is not gonna be over because of this.
I'm gonna come back even stronger
with a better performance and a better dish.
My problem is, Jeff, I don't think you will have another chance.
Come here.
- Are you done? - Am I done?
I got a lot more to give.
I'm gonna come back even stronger
with a better performance and a better dish.
My problem is, Jeff, I don't think you will have another chance.
I took a chance on coconut flour. That's it.
One mistake can't send me home.
I just hope the judges appreciate that I didn't give up.
Aarón: Next up, please step forward, Eboni.
- Whoo-hoo! - Go, Eboni!
I'm feeling real confident about my dish.
I know the flavors are all there.
This is me and my husband's culture right on the plate.
So, your girl got this.
So, Cate gave you a savory basket, correct?
- Yes, Chef. - Describe your dish, please.
Eboni: I made coconut Indian curry.
I did coconut and lemongrass rice.
I also did a coconut, cabbage, and carrot
and then I made sweet plantains that I salted and fried in coconut oil.
What are some of the seasonings that you used?
I used turmeric, I used coriander,
I used allspice, I used garlic.
I used two different types of curry.
I think the curry is dynamite.
The lobster's cooked perfectly.
The rice is delicious.
It has a beautiful backdrop of the coconut.
And these plantains, textbook. That's how you do it.
But this dish needs a lot more herbs,
squeeze of lime, kind of wake up the dish.
But the curry, dynamite.
I think that the curry is delicious.
There's a great heat to it, which I love.
Plantains, they're full of flavor.
The cabbage and carrots bring down the elegance of the dish
that I think you were going for.
But, overall, really strong effort.
- Thank you, Chef. - Good job.
Good job, Eb.
Next up, Newton, please. Thank you.
Cate gave you savory. Describe the dish.
Newton: Pan-seared coconut crusted snapper
with a sticky confetti rice,
a coconut kaffir lime beurre blanc,
and then I did a avocado, pineapple, habanero sauce
with a little bit of coconut in it.
It looks like I've just rocked up at a $5 buffet table, Newton.
The actual cook on the fish, it's moist, it's glistening.
The mess around the outside is a joke.
Buerre blanc with the Mexico invasion.
Chinese with the sticky rice,
and Katmandu with the coconut crusted snapper.
I'm just-- I'm confused.
You're taking me all over the place.
Thank you, Chef.
Yachecia, describe your dish, please.
Yachecia: A coconut lime tart
with a chocolate coconut cookie base,
coconut baked meringues
and a raspberry and coconut rum sauce.
I love the custard, I love the cookie.
It's beautiful. It looks professional.
I like the freshness of the raspberry.
I'm kind of on the fence about baked meringues.
They just don't really make a big impact on your dish.
People say that you're someone to fear when it comes to savory and sweet,
and you've proved them right again.
Thank you, Chef.
Caitlin.
Cate gave you savory. Describe the dish, please.
Caitlin: Sweet and spicy pork butt over coconut rice pilaf,
mashed sweet potatoes with coconut cream,
and broccolini tossed with toasted coconut and sesame seeds.
That's the bit I'm worried about.
Because you took it out of the pressure cooker,
sliced it whilst it's piping hot,
it's undercooked.
It tenses up like a muscle retracting.
Okay.
It is dreadful. It's like a mouthful of chewy, sinewy meat.
The coconut rice, delicious.
The puree tastes good, but it's the worst dish you've cooked.
- That's it. Nothing else to say. - Thank you, Chef.
Chin up, girl.
Next up, Reba, please. Thank you.
Come on, Rebs!
At first, I wanted the sweet basket
because I know I can do something
with the coconut flavoring for sweets.
But I want to prove myself with savory.
I struggled a little, but when I look at my finished dish,
I'm proud of what I've done. It looks pretty to me.
- Reba. - Hello.
Describe the dish, please.
Reba: It is a coconut battered shrimp
with coconut flavored asparagus and a coconut sauce.
I'm gonna have to be honest.
It looks dreadful.
It looks like something from a Waikiki beach buffet back in 1984.
The shrimp, slightly overcooked,
rubbery, and a little bit chewy.
And, unfortunately, the breading is all falling off.
The asparagus tastes good. And what is this?
It's got parsley and basil and coconut milk and balsamic.
Ugh.
It's sweet as anything.
It's coconut.
You need something really acidic,
something citrusy, not sweet and sickly.
And so it doesn't work.
I'm lost for words, Reba.
- Nice job, Reba. - Nice job, Reba.
Guess who's going home?
Next up, please, Daniel.
Cate: Come on, Daniel.
I haven't really had my chance to shine yet in the competition.
So, you know, I'm really hoping that this is it.
I feel really good about my dish.
I know it's one of the best dishes I've made
since I got here.
I'm just hoping that the judges think
that my plate is as good as I do.
All right, Daniel, now, Cate chose
that savory coconut basket for you to cook with tonight.
Yes.
Talk me through this dish.
Daniel: I have a coconut broth seafood soup
with crab, lobster, and snapper.
Got some fresh vegetables in there.
I added some carrots and corn.
- That lobster and corn's kind of very New England for me. - Christina: Yeah.
The rice is cooked completely in coconut water
with some shredded coconut inside,
and a little bit of the shredded crab meat.
All right, let's do this.
Are you kidding me?
All right, Daniel. Let's do this.
Are you kidding me?
That broth is out of control.
Those flavors, that flavor development.
Stay right there.
Lobster tail is cooked beautifully.
The rice, you nailed it. Dude, what has taken you so long?
I don't know, I don't know.
I'm impressed. Nice job.
- Thank you very much. - Nice work, Daniel.
- Danny, baby! - Good job.
- I needed that. - Swag!
Cate, can you please come down?
Cate: This is a competition, and so I just wanted
to send one my biggest threats home today.
That was my plan, and I think
one of my toughest competitors has one foot out the door now.
There were two standout dishes tonight.
- Congratulations, Daniel... - Thank you.
...and Dino.
- Congratulations. - Thank you, Chef.
Now onto the bad news.
This is an elimination challenge.
We do have to say good-bye to at least one home cook tonight.
Please make your way down to the front, Caitlin...
Jeff...
Reba...
Newton.
Caitlin, Jeff, Reba, Newton,
make no mistake.
Every single one of you performed poorly tonight.
Caitlin, Newton,
get back to your stations and get back in line.
Jeff and Reba,
just one of you will squeeze into the top 12.
Jeff, you light up this kitchen
and your enthusiasm is incredible.
Tonight, the science of your dessert got the better of you.
Reba, you're the mother of this kitchen
and you've worked so hard for everything you've got,
but coconut shrimp, the technical aspect got the better of you.
It was almost like you were lost.
The home cook leaving tonight...
is...
Reba.
Reba, my darling, I am so sorry.
Jeff, back to your station, quickly.
Thank you for being you.
Reba, I'm sorry to see you leave.
There is so much respect for you in this room.
You started work at 15.
15, that's unheard of.
And I think you gave everybody standing behind you an education,
and that is the work ethic.
If you want something in life,
get off your ass and work for it.
We're gonna miss you.
I'm gonna miss you guys.
And I could've never gotten anything better
than to cook in front of you three
and to meet all these wonderful people.
It's been an honor.
Come up here and say good-bye, my darling.
- Thank you so much. - Take care.
Thank you. God bless you.
( sniffles )
All right, you got anything to say to your new family?
I love every one of y'all.
Don't ever forget who you are.
Keep your dreams alive.
Anything is possible.
I'm gonna miss you, Reba.
Gordon: Take care, my darling.
I'm proud of myself and I know my family'll be proud of me.
- I'm so sorry! - ( mumbles )
Reba: I've accomplished a lot.
I've got to meet three of the most amazing chefs in the world.
I've got to meet some amazing people.
I'll miss you.
I got to learn some new dishes
that I would've never thought or dreamed of.
I love every one of y'all.
Reba: It's just too soon to go,
but I'm going home to the best thing in the world
and that's my family.
( applause )
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