Gordon: Previously on "MasterChef"...
This is "MasterChef Generations."
...so far 15 cooks from the Millennials...
I'm only gonna say one thing-- yes.
- ...the Boomers... - Joe: Exceptional.
- Thank you so much. - It's a yes.
- ...and Gen Z... - I think you crushed it.
- Oh, my gosh. - I'm, like, feeling your energy.
...have earned their "MasterChef" aprons.
This means the world to me! This is crazy.
Gordon: I didn't know they were gonna be that good.
This is a finale worthy dish.
We haven't even started the competition yet.
( all cheering )
Tonight it's the final round of auditions
with Generation X...
- Please welcome Christine Hà. - Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
For Gen X, we strive under pressure. So just bring it.
We didn't really have the internet to find recipes.
...as more home cooks battle it out...
We're the generation that's supposed to be seen and not heard,
but you're gonna hear from me today.
I forgot to put flour in this.
( bleep )
Oh, ( bleep ).
...for the last five aprons.
I like the different textures in here.
Shrimp are cooked beautifully. It's got the right amount of heat.
- Thank you. - This is a great example
of frying something the wrong way.
( music playing )
We got this. We got this. We got this.
- You got this. - All right, let's go! Yeah! Whoo.
I am a Generation X. We may be the forgotten generation,
but I am here to show that we are here, and we're present, and ready to represent.
- I just need to nail it. - I'm ready for this competition to get started.
I'm excited. I've been waiting for this moment.
That's what I'm here for, and we're gonna put it down today.
- Whoo! Here we go. - ( music playing )
- ( cheering ) - Oh, we got fireworks.
- ( cheering continues ) - This is it!
Yeah!
Welcome. Amazing.
Wow.
Welcome back to "MasterChef Generations."
Now, so far we've seen the Millennials,
the amazing Baby Boomers, and Gen Z cook.
We've handed out 15 aprons. Now we're down to the final five.
Trust me, there is not a lot of room for error.
Now the generation that will be cooking tonight
is one that we three know quite well because we're all part of it.
Yeah!
Auditioning tonight is Gen X.
If you're Gen X, you're in your early 40s to late 50s.
We've seen the birth of the internet,
we've seen the fall of the Berlin Wall,
and we watched a lot of MTV.
- Yes, we did. - Whoo!
And 'cause there's not enough Gen Xers already up here,
we're bringing in one more special judge
- from our generation. - Crowd: Ooh!
She's a renowned chef, a James Beard Award finalist,
and most importantly, she won the toughest cooking competition in the world.
Please welcome "MasterChef" season three winner
Christine Hà.
( cheering )
Amazing!
( cheering continues )
- ( muted chatter ) - Hi.
It's her. She's so amazing! She's so amazing!
Oh, my gosh. I am so excited that Christine is here.
I watched the season twice when she won,
and every single time, I cried.
I am so honored and humbled that she's here
and that she's actually going to try my dish.
So, Christine, I'd like to take this moment
to congratulate you on everything.
The incredible cookbook, the restaurants.
And no question about it,
you are a true star of your generation.
- Thank you. Yes. - You were born in the late '70s.
In your mind, what is the Gen X food world all about?
Well, I think growing up in our generation,
we either learned from our parents, grandparents, cookbooks-- reading print.
We didn't really have the resource of the internet to find recipes.
- Yeah. - So I feel like it was a lot of cooking
- from the soul, I would say. - Gordon: Love that.
Now, all of you will have 45 minutes to cook your signature dishes tonight.
Remember, if you want to represent Gen X
and earn one of the final five aprons,
you need three out of the four of us to say yes tonight.
- Oh, wow. - Oh.
Now, the very best of luck to you all.
Your time starts when the clock starts.
Do Gen X proud. We'll see you in the restaurant.
- Woohoo! - Man, they are pumped, aren't they?
Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh!
Oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my gosh, oh, my...
- Gordon: Okay, here we go. - Christine, welcome back.
- Thanks for having me. - So good to have you on the right side of the law here.
I still remember like it was yesterday coming in to be judged.
You don't know who chose the right dish.
You don't know what the judges--
- if they're gonna be mean or nice. - Come on.
We were always nice, weren't we?
I mean, you were the most intimidating one.
- Yeah, no. - 100%.
Yeah, because I'm the one who knows the most.
I think this is gonna be one of the most exciting generations
because it's our generation. So I want sparks.
I want flavor profile like never before tonight.
Mm-hmm. I agree. They say that Gen Xers are the hardest working.
- I mean, look at all of us. - Does Gen X have America's next MasterChef?
- We're about to find out. - Joe: Indeed.
Crowd: Three, two, one!
( cheering )
- Yeah! - Let's go!
This is great. This is awesome.
This is what I live for. We're Gen X.
We strive under pressure, so just bring it.
I'm feeling great. Very excited.
Got a great dish planned for tonight.
I've been cooking my whole life.
I was a latchkey kid.
Played all of the sports growing up.
Whenever I came home, I was always starving after practice,
so it was out of necessity.
My name is Scott, I'm 54 years old,
I live in Southlake, Texas, and I'm a business consultant.
I'm gonna come in here. Should be a beautiful golden brown.
Cooking is my passion. It's in my blood.
My great-grandfather is Billy McKinnon.
He was restaurateur from about 1914 until about 1930.
So he kind of built a little empire there in Houston and Dallas.
Actually, McKinnon Street in downtown Dallas is named after him.
- You show that meat. - Gotta make that meat taste good.
My dream is to bring the McKinnon family restaurant heritage back
and to open McKinnon's Family Restaurant on McKinnon Street
in honor of my great-grandfather.
So this really matters to me.
- Don't cry with the onion. - I'm not gonna cry. I'm having too much fun.
( cheering )
- Yeah! - Whoo!
- Right, young man. - Hello.
- Yes, sir. How are you? - When was the last time you were called a young man?
- Come on. - It's been a bit with this crew.
Ladies, welcome. This is your family?
- My beautiful wife Kim. - Hello. Nice to meet you.
- Likewise. Welcome. - My daughters Macy and Molly.
- Hello! - Macy and Molly, welcome, welcome, welcome.
- And how did you guys meet? - Scott played football at TCU.
- Gordon: Okay. - And I was cheerleader, and we met in college.
- I love that. Love that. - Such classic Texas couple story.
- Scott: I know, right? - Tell me the dish. What are we doing?
- So I'm doing a mustard-fried venison backstrap... - Wow.
...and a kick-ass Southern creamed gravy.
Why did you choose to do venison?
Scott: This dish was the perfect Gen X dish.
This was a meal my father and I and family, we had for many years.
This backstrap, it's a really tough protein to get right.
And you know if that's not cooked properly, it's gonna be tough as old boots, right?
Heard. I've got a good method to handle it.
Okay. You've got this, bud. Yes? Come on.
- Yes, sir. Let's go. - Come on.
- Oh, yum. - The hardest part of cooking venison,
especially the backstrap, it's the thicker cut of the tenderloin of the deer.
But if you know how to work with it,
the flavor profiles are just tremendous.
- You got it. - Let's go, Dad. 20 seconds.
- 20 seconds. - 20 seconds.
- You got it. - You got it.
All: Five, four, three, two, one.
- Yay! - ( all cheering )
Let's go, Dad!
Scott: This apron would mean everything to me.
It would validate
that cooking is in my blood,
the skills are there,
and I know I've got the passion.
- Welcome. - My name is Scott McKinnon.
I made a mustard-fried venison backstrap,
mashed potatoes, green beans, and a Southern cream gravy.
- All right, guys, shall we taste? - Mm-hmm.
Gordon: So, Christine, visually, it's beautifully breaded.
It's appetizing. I love the color.
But this backstrap is one of the most difficult slices to cook.
- Did you marinate it? - I did. So--
- Lightly tenderize it? - Yes, sir.
Yeah, at the end of the day, this is a deep-fried venison,
which is either really smart or really stupid.
I don't know which one. I'll tell you when I taste it.
- Scott, shall we get in there? - Scott: Yes, please.
In terms of the temperature, what are we going for in the middle?
- Where are we? - A medium.
( music playing )
Gordon: Beautiful. It is medium.
Scott, listen, I love the texture of the actual breading.
It's very hard when you've got such a huge slab of venison.
It could've done with being seasoned before dredging.
That's just a little bit bland on my palate for that,
- but venison's cooked beautifully. - Thank you.
And for that reason, I'm a yes.
Thank you so much. It means everything.
Okay, that's a yes from Gordon. That's a good start.
One yes. You need two more.
For me personally, I don't think the venison
actually worked in this dish particularly.
I'm getting sort of this mealy texture.
And I feel like Southern creamed gravy,
usually you're gonna get a lot of that savoriness.
And I'm not really getting that so much with this.
- So I'm sorry, but for me it's a no. - Okay.
Aarón: Yeah, I mean, there's something very comforting about this dish.
What you have here with that gravy and the cooking of the venison
I think is a very pleasurable bite.
- I believe in you, so I'm gonna say yes. - Thank you so much.
So that's two yeses, one no. I guess it's up to me.
You know, this is a difficult thing for me
because this is a very competitive year.
And I like the dish, and I like the gravy.
There's a lot of things that are good about it.
But that lack of salt on the venison before you breaded,
it kind of takes the wind out of the room.
It's like a fatal, fatal mistake.
Joe, not many professional chefs go anywhere near that backstrap.
And so as an amateur, it takes a certain individual
to have the guts and the determination to cook in front--
- I don't know. - This means everything to me.
- I get it. I get it. - Everything.
I'm trying to bring my great-grandfather's restaurant
back to McKinnon Street.
Nothing has been more important to me
than this minute right now today.
I'll make you proud, Joe.
( music playing )
- Yeah. - Come on, Joe.
( music playing )
That lack of salt,
it's like a fatal, fatal mistake.
I'm sorry. It's a no.
- Gordon: Oh. - Oh, my God.
Joe: Good luck to you. Thank you for coming.
Thank you.
Oh!
You're our MVP. You're our MVP.
There's a lot more I had to give, and a lot more I had to prove.
( cheering )
This is just a bump in the road, and I'm gonna keep going.
- Joe... - Guys, listen.
The guy was super sweet, super likeable, but I'm a judge here.
I can't give aprons to people who don't salt food. It's just the way it is.
- You got it, Mom. That's good. - You got this.
I'm so excited to represent Gen X.
We are independent. We are creative.
We didn't have the internet.
We had to find our own fun in life.
My name is Kimberly, I'm 52 years old,
and I'm from Auburn, California.
I've been a teacher for 29 years.
I always say I'm a teacher by trade and a garden cook at heart.
I'm on the search for some cherry tomatoes.
I really love gardening because I love the idea of being sustainable.
I grow all kinds of vegetables, herbs, and fruits.
- Oh, check it out. - Okay, these babies are coming out.
- Good job, Mom. That looks great. - ( crowd cheering )
- Hi! Hi! - Hi, guys.
- My name's Kimberly. Hi. - Kimberly, hi.
- Both: Nice to meet you. - Yes.
You have us talking like you. We're like, "Hello!"
- Whoo! - Joe: What are we making?
I'm making an herb-crusted panko cauliflower steak
with some garden beans and tomatoes.
- What's the protein? - There's no protein.
So the cauliflower's the protagonist.
Yes, my dish is based out of what I grow in my garden.
- I have a big a garden. - Aarón: Nice.
- Well, look, we're looking forward to tasting your dish. - Thank you.
Remember, in the MasterChef kitchen, you have to have a big voice.
I have a big voice. I'm squeaky, but I can be a boss.
- Aarón: Okay. - Joe: Good luck.
Both: Thank you.
Kimberly: All right, guys. Magic going here.
- Oh, you got five minutes. You're good. - It's all right.
- Don't stress. - I am making this dish to show the judges
vegetables can be sexy and they can stand alone
against some of those protein plates.
- You got it, Mom. Good job. That looks great. - You've got time.
- Set it on there. - Five, four, three, two...
- You got this. You got this. - ...one!
My name's Kimberly, I'm 52 years old,
and I made an herb panko-crusted cauliflower steak
with garden beans and tomatoes
and a tarragon chimichurri sauce.
These are all ingredients that I grow in my own garden at home.
- Are you a vegetarian? - I'm not a vegetarian,
but I'm really health conscious, and that's one reason I garden,
to teach healthy habits to my daughters.
- Shall we dive into that steak? - Yes, let's do it.
I can't believe I'm saying that with a cauliflower.
I think it looks delicious.
I love the crispy topping
on the top of that cauliflower steak.
Did you braise this in a vegetable stock?
I did not.
I seared first in an olive oil
and then I roasted it in the oven.
My problem with this kind of dish,
if I'm gonna commit to having a cauliflower steak
- as an entrée, I want it to feel like an entrée. - Okay.
And I think this feels a little bit more like a side veg.
Shall we dig in?
- What's in the chimichurri? - Tarragon, parsley, garlic, vinegar, and lemon zest.
Kimberly, I think this dish really showcases your love for vegetables.
I feel like I could learn a thing or two from you.
I also feel like tarragon is an underused, underrated herb,
so I really like how you incorporated that in here.
- For me it is a yes. - Thank you so much.
Joe: Actually a little bit surprised, but it tastes good.
This is a dish that you can really tell that it's someone who connected to the produce.
It has a very Italian sensibility to it.
- So, for me it's a yes. - Oh, thank you.
For me, I think the green beans are undercooked,
and that was a little disappointing.
And I can't believe I'm saying this,
but it's a little excessive with the chile.
While I think the mission is admirable, for me it's a no.
I'm sorry. That's two yeses and one no.
I guess it's all up to you, Gordon. What do you think?
I just wanna say thank you for coming in and cooking
a delicious vegetarian dish without any protein.
I appreciate that you took a risk,
but I don't get all the green beans.
- Green beans are your neutral veg. - Okay.
It's not my go-to. However, the steak is delicious.
This is a tough one for me.
Out of 365 days a year, how many days do you spend in your garden, Kimberly?
Every day.
So this is gonna be harsh,
but I'm gonna be honest...
It's a...
Out of 365 days a year, how many days do you spend in your garden, Kimberly?
- Every day. - So this is gonna be harsh, but I'm gonna be honest.
It's a no for the first time in your life not attending to your garden,
- but it's definitely a yes to "MasterChef." - Thank you so much.
Congratulations. You took a big risk cooking a vegetarian dish.
- It's paid off. - Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much.
( crowd cheering )
They did? Oh, my God. Oh, yeah!
Kimberly: I'm just so blessed and overwhelmed.
But tiny but mighty came through.
I'm super excited. Oh, my gosh!
I love this dish. She's intellectual. She's thoughtful.
I'm sure there's a lot she can do,
- so it's good she got an apron. - Gordon: Yeah.
Joe: One apron down and four to go, guys.
- ( cheering ) - Come on, baby!
Thanks, Buggy. I'm representing Generation X!
My name is Arthur, I'm 49, and I'm the founder
and a managing partner at an ad agency.
I'm creative day in and day out for my work,
and when I cook, I can be creative in my own right.
Look at that.
I'm almost 50 now. I feel like I've done
everything that there has to be done in advertising.
And now is the time where I'm thinking my passion for cooking that I've had,
maybe it's time to transition into the culinary world.
- Oh, my God. That smells really good. - You can't say, "Oh, my God."
You're right.
I have a four-year-old, and she's like my biggest critic.
But I love cooking for her and my wife.
They mean everything to me.
That's good. That's really good.
( crowd cheering )
Good evening. Good to meet you. First name?
- Arthur. - Both: Arthur.
An honor to meet you guys.
- Welcome to all of you. - Thank you.
- Tell us about the dish. - I'm making an olive oil
poached sea bass with a crispy bok choy.
And then I'm gonna have a light dashi underneath
with an oolong tea foam on top.
- Love that. - Oolong tea foam?
You've gone all Millennial/Gen Z.
- You're doing a foam? - Yeah, yeah.
The dish sounds complicated. There's a lot to pull off here.
You don't wanna just take it a touch simpler
- or you going all out? - Yeah, that's my approach.
Always looking at doing creative things.
- Dish sounds good. Thanks, Arthur. - Good luck, Arthur.
- Arthur: Thank you. - ( cheering )
A minute, babe. One minute.
- Wow. Baby, it looks so good! - That looks beautiful.
- Doesn't it look beautiful? - All: Three, two, one!
( cheering )
If I do get an apron, it's validation to me
that maybe I do have what it takes
to actually be successful in the culinary world.
- You got this! - Hi, guys.
- Welcome. - My name's Arthur,
and I'm a managing partner of a creative ad agency.
And this dish I made for you today
is an olive oil poached sea bass
with ginger and garlic crispy bok choy,
dashi, and an oolong tea foam.
Four years ago when my daughter was born,
that's when, you know, when--
when I started being inspired. And food was it, you know?
I wanted to make the best dishes for her. It gives me so much joy.
That's beautiful.
Shall we dive in to this sea bass?
Christine: Yes.
Gordon: It's an interesting presentation.
It looks like it was done by a guy who does ads for a living.
'Cause it's captivating, right?
I think you've attempted something really difficult tonight
to pull it 45 minutes,
But as you know, it's all about the taste, right?
- Yeah. - Now let's get in there.
How long did you cook the sea bass for?
Just under ten.
Arthur, I feel like a lot of times in auditions of "MasterChef,"
people are really going over the top,
trying to impress the judges
with a lot of different things going on.
But altogether, I think it's a pleasant dish.
It's got some finesse. Things marry well together.
So it is a yes from me.
- Ooh, la, la. - Thank you. Thank you.
I think something that's really magical is the idea of that garlic
that kind of crisp up on the bottom end of that bok choy.
It has that nuttiness that I really think helps
the actual broth and brings it to another place.
And the sea bass is so beautifully cooked,
- and that's why I'm giving you a yes. - Oh, thank you.
Uh, listen, technically, it's good.
Broth, super fragrant, delicious.
Sea bass is a fish that's robust, it's intense.
And it's got that skin, so poaching it is adventurous, but it's paid off.
So for me it is a big resounding yes.
Welcome to "MasterChef." Congratulations.
- Thank you guys so much. - Great job. Really good.
- Christine: Thank you, Arthur. - Really good, indeed.
- Thank you. - Congrats.
- Joe: It would've been a yes. - Thank you, guys.
( music playing )
- Yeah! - ( cheering )
( muffled chatter )
- Arthur: What is this? - What did Daddy get?
- Apron. - That's right.
- Do you get to bring it home? - Hopefully.
- Oh, my God. - I know.
- ( music playing ) - ( cheering )
( cheering )
Come on, Sunshine!
- You got this. - I love representing Gen X
because I was raised by Boomers and I've been raising Millennials,
and I think that give us a really good advantage.
Go, Sorn.
This is so hard. Wow! Okay.
- ( crowd gasps ) - ( bleep )
- It's okay, it's okay. - I don't got this.
( bleep )
Mm-mm. I can't do this.
It's okay, Sorn. You got this.
- ( Sorn groans ) - Almost there, almost there.
- Sorn: God. - Crowd: Three, two, one.
( crowd cheering )
My name is Sorn,
I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
I'm 42 years old, and I'm a fashion designer.
This dish, it's a Filipino stuffed milkfish
stuffed with ground pork and vegetable
with a fish sauce and garlic and rice.
To be very honest, I think the fish got away from you a little bit.
- It looks a little beat up. - Yes.
- It just looks bizarre. - Joe: Let's give it a try.
Gordon: Shall we?
That's a tough one. Gen X, I think, is one of the most competitive generations.
I think dish is a step too far. All the elements are there.
It just needs to be constructed better
'cause it's sort of discombobulated.
It's fallen apart.
It's a shame because the actual skin isn't crispy.
Unfortunately, for me it's a no.
Look, I'm gonna tell you, and I think you know this,
- this dish is a bit of a mess. - Yes.
This looks like a scrambled egg omelet.
It looked like it went through a blender.
So I'm gonna have to say no. I'm sorry.
- That's two nos, unfortunately. - Aarón: Sorry.
- Christine? - I think this was a valiant effort.
The fact that you made it all the way here to auditions
still says a lot about you and your potential.
Whoo!
Hey.
Okay, babe. 18 minutes, 30 seconds. Looking good.
- Perfect. - My name is Sunshine.
I am 50 years old, and I'm from Portland, Oregon.
I'm Hunkpapa Sioux, so I'm Lakota Sioux.
My mother was born on Standing Rock reservation,
so I grew up participating in powwows
and learning about our people and our culture.
The other thing we're gonna add to this is some fresh avocado.
When I cook, I don't waste any of the ingredients,
and that definitely comes from my heritage,
as we use every part of the animal.
There's nothing that goes to waste.
That's something that's been ingrained in me,
and so it comes out when I cook.
- Come on, babe. - Where am I at on the clock?
- 14 minutes, 30 seconds. You are rocking. - Perfect. Okay.
- ( music playing ) - ( cheering )
Hello, hello. Welcome. Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi.
- Hi. What's your name? - My name is Sunshine.
- Hi, Sunshine. - Hi.
- So what are you cooking today? - I am cooking creamy polenta
with a summer succotash and a pan-seared halibut.
- It's a nice idea. Halibut's tricky, right? - Yes.
Because it can get mealy if you overcook it,
but you definitely want it cooked through.
- Yes. - Are you gonna finish it in the oven?
- No. - No? That's interesting.
- You're gonna cook all the way in the pan? - Sunshine: I am.
Joe: Risky. If it's raw, it's gonna be a disaster.
Wow. I like the boldness.
Joe: So, Sunshine, what do you do in life?
Sunshine: I'm a yoga instructor.
Food, breath, life, mind, meditation.
- Holistic. - Yes.
Let's just try a little while we're here.
Yeah, I mean, I could do downward dog.
- I could do, like-- - We'll just do a little breathing.
- We'll just do a little bit breathing. - Okay, all right.
- Okay, let's breathe. - Just exhale out all your stale air
and stand strong. Take a deep inhale.
- Hands over head. Brings your palms together. - Ow.
Exhale. Your hands to your heart. Bow your head.
Take a moment to set your intention, and release.
- ( sighs ) - Well, good luck to you and nice to meet y'all.
- Thank you. I will. - Be careful with that halibut.
Come on, Shine. Finish it up strong. Finish up strong.
- ( cheering ) - Here we go, babe.
- Sunshine: Gonna start plating now. - Get your yoga on.
Crowd: Five, four, three, two, one!
Hey! Whoo, whoo, whoo!
- Good job. - Okay. I love you.
I love you, too.
This dish is definitely indigenous born
from the ground up.
I brought the roots of my people
on the plate.
My name is Sunshine, I'm from Portland, Oregon,
and I made a pan-seared halibut on top of a summer succotash
with a creamy polenta.
Succotash is actually an indigenous word.
It means broken pieces of corn.
So this is an elevated dish to honor my ancestors.
Gordon: Amazing.
- Let's do it. - Let's try it.
Gordon: Visually, it's popping, Sunshine.
I'm slightly nervous about the halibut being a little bit dry
because it's really seared.
Is there any heat inside the succotash?
No heat. Just very full of flavor. Very homey.
This is a very interesting dish 'cause it's simplistic
and it's also very complex at the same time.
The amount of work that you put into that succotash
and the deepness and richness of flavor in such an abbreviated time
shows that you know how to handle ingredients.
- So, it's a yes for me. - Thank you.
Sunshine, I think this dish was well-balanced.
It was really a celebration of corn.
The fish was cooked well. So, for me it's 100% yes.
- Thank you so much. - So, sadly, my bit of halibut was slightly dry.
And then polenta, it just needs to be a little bit more richer.
Just a touch on the bland side. But I love the succotash.
But I'm not in love with the way you cooked the fish.
So, for me, I'm a no.
So that's two yeses and one no. You need one more.
- So, Joe? - Joe: Well...
( clicks tongue )
The halibut is aggressively cooked,
but I like the crust.
I thought the dish was awesome.
So, for me it's a yes. Congratulations.
- Here's you apron. Good job. - Thank you.
- ( cheering ) - ( chanting )
I am a ball of explosive sunshine right now!
I'm just super elated. I'm honored to be here.
It's time to kill it. It's time to win the MasterChef trophy.
- "MasterChef!" - ( cheering )
- ( music playing ) - ( cheering )
- Let's go, babe. Kill it, babe. - Let's go, Mom!
You got this. You got this.
( cheering continues )
Dad, go, go!
- Daddy-- - No, you can't tell him what to do.
- Let's go, Mom. - Thanks, baby.
I'm Marie, I'm 43, from Westminster, Maryland, and I am a proud Gen Xer.
- I think Xers are underestimated and overlooked. - Spicy.
We're the generation that's supposed to be seen and not heard,
but you're gonna hear from me today. Let's go, Gen X!
I'm making soft-shell crabs with balsamic beets. So good.
When I was 20 years old, I joined up for the military,
and I met my husband in the Army.
We were both soldiers at the time.
My passion for cooking really took off
when I had a family of my own to provide for.
I wanted to make sure that we were the family
that sat together at the dinner table.
- Whoo! - Lock in, Mom.
- Marie: I'm locked in, baby. - Ooh, that looks great, Mom.
Ooh, look at that! Babe, that looks excellent.
- That looks good. That looks-- - Crowd: Five, four, three,
- two... - You are a queen. Yes!
- ( cheering ) - Let's go!
Welcome.
I'm Marie Triplett, and today I have prepared for you
soft-shell crabs with roasted balsamic beets,
beet greens with bacon and shallots,
and a roasted red pepper and horseradish aioli.
- Amazing. Shall we? - All right. Let's give it a try.
Drum roll, please.
So, usually when you think about fried soft-shell crabs,
you think about something light brown.
This is a dark brown, so I don't know
if that's because of what you crusted them with
or if you overcooked them.
Mm-hmm. Shall we?
I feel like there's a little bit too much batter on the soft-shell crab.
For me, this dish didn't necessary work.
- So, I'm sorry. For me it's a no. - Thank you, Chef.
Frying properly is one of the most difficult things to do, and very few get it right.
This is a great example of frying something the wrong way.
So, I'm sorry. For me it's a no.
Have it, have it, have it.
- Aww. - ( applause )
- Aww, that's crazy. I'm so proud of you. - It's okay. I did my best.
- I'm so proud of you. - Obviously, I'm disappointed.
It wasn't the outcome I was hoping for,
but everyone takes L's in life.
You're doing amazing, Chris.
- Come on, Dad, keep going. You got this. - Thank you, baby.
I'm Chris, I'm 45 years old, I'm from Mobile, Alabama.
I'm a real estate investor and a lover of life.
Dad, how can you keep it on there?
I live in Alabama now, but my roots are from Louisiana.
When I was young, I would spend my summers
at my grandmother's house on the bayou.
I fished all morning,
caught crabs in the crab traps,
and we would be able to eat it that day.
It was amazing. It was always fresh.
It was incredible.
Damn, I'm good.
I'm making jumbo shrimp over smoked gouda grits
with a blackberry gastrique.
- Come on, Dad, you got this. - Thank you, baby.
( cheering )
- So proud of you. You're doing amazing. - ( laughter )
Keep going, Chris. Don't get distracted.
Come on, Dad. Make it perfect.
- Let's go, Dada, let's go! - I'm doing good, baby.
All: Five, four, three, two, one!
( cheering )
When the judges taste my food,
I want them to know that that's me on a plate.
It's all or nothing, and I'm just excited to be in this moment right now.
Welcome. Come on in.
I'm Chris, I'm 45 years old, I'm from Mobile, Alabama,
and today I've made jumbo shrimp
over a bed of creamy smoked gouda grits
and a little blackberry gastrique.
- Shall we? - Come closer, come closer.
So, Chris, visually, listen, I love the look of the shrimp, of the seasoning.
Fingers crossed that it has a heat, it's sweet,
everything that you want from that sort of Cajun style.
'Cause if it doesn't, you're in trouble.
- I think you're gonna love it. - Yeah, I appreciate your confidence.
Um, so the idea of blackberry gastrique
is something that's not traditional,
so hopefully that pays off for you.
- Yeah, but definitely quirky. - Gordon: Shall we?
Joe: Let's try it.
So, Mr. Chris, I'm very pleasantly surprised
that that damn blackberry gastrique worked.
Shrimp are delicate and sweet.
This is a very unique interpretation
of such a Southern classic,
- and that's a yes for me. - Thank you.
- Thank you, thank you. - So listen, the shrimp are cooked beautifully.
But a whole plate of that gouda? Too much.
It just needs to be subtle. But you've got some great flavors there.
I'd like the chance to mold you even better.
It's an absolute yes.
Thank you. Mm. Thank you, thank you.
I like you, I like the dish, but it's all too much.
It's super cheesy. It's super rich.
- I'm gonna say no. Too much for me. - I understand.
- Thank you, thank you. - Wow, okay.
It all lies in the hands of Chef Christine.
Chris, I think you've got a pretty tough judge before you
because I'm from the South, so I've had a lot of shrimp and grits.
I think the flavors are there,
but I think this dish could be a little bit more refined.
For me, I think...
Chris, this dish, the flavors are there,
but I think this dish could be a little bit more refined.
For me, I think it is...
I'm scared, too. Oh, my gosh.
Aww.
- ( all cheering ) - ( laughing )
- Did I surprise you guys? - Yeah.
- Yes! - Chris: I'm gonna win this for my family
because they're amazing, and I want them to know
that anything you put your mind to, you can do.
( cheering )
Incredible. Some great food.
Gen X are bringing the flavor like no other.
Yeah, you go!
Going old-school.
My name is Daniela, I'm from Tehachapi, California,
and I'm a Reiki master.
You got it. You just get in your happy zone.
Daniela: We got this.
Today I have my son Ricky
and I have my wonderful partner Rick.
Whoo!
Rick and I started dating ten years ago. We're best friends.
His my soul. He is the reason why I'm here.
He has supported me every step of the way.
Ah, man. Aww, that smells good.
- Smells perfect. - I making chiles en nogada.
It's a chile relleno that will stuffed with ground pork.
And it also has apples, pears, plantains.
I grew up in Mexico, so this dish is really near and dear to my heart.
I'm still thinking this is a dream.
I actually get to feed chiles en nogada
to Aarón and Joe and Gordon,
and top of everything, to Christine Hà?
Are you kidding me? Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.
You're doing fantastic. You just keep on chugging.
- Whoo! - The reason that I want to do "MasterChef" right now
is I'm 52 years old, and I've waited way too long to pursue my dreams.
I've been a social media manager.
I've been a Reiki master.
Not that I wasn't passionate about those things,
but this is what lights me up.
Cooking lights me up.
Being here, it's like a reset of the clock.
It means that that page needed to turn,
- and life needed to start again. - You got this.
I got this, I got this. Thank you.
- Ricky: Five minutes. - There you go. There you go.
Perfect. Damn, that looks good.
All: Five, four, three, two, one!
( cheering )
I would love for the judges to feel the heart and the soul
and just all the love that I put into this dish.
Getting that white apron would mean a whole reset to my life.
That's my baby!
Hello!
- Hello! - Hello! Buenos noches.
My name is Daniela,
and tonight I've presented to you
a chiles en nogada with a sherry and pomegranate reduction.
And I used almonds and pine nuts in the white sauce.
It's part of my heritage.
- I'm half Mexican and half Serbian. - Interesting.
So I hope I did nail it, and especially for you, Aarón, and Christine Hà.
I mean, I can't believe that you're going to actually try my chiles en nogada.
- Aarón: Yeah. Yeah, shall we? - Joe: Shall we take a look?
Gordon: Daniela, the colors are stunning.
- You look at the plate, and you just can't wait to dive in. - Thank you.
Are you happy with the chile being cooked properly?
I'm happy with the chiles cook. Yes, sir.
I'm so happy you didn't fry it because a lot of times
people take a shortcut and they'll fry it,
and I like the fact that you roasted it.
It's gonna add another dimension of flavor.
- Thank you, Chef. - Gordon: Shall we?
Aarón: Yeah.
It is packed with flavor, honestly.
- Thank you, Chef. - It's festive. It's a celebration.
It's so fruity and nutty.
And it just needs a touch more seasoning...
- Okay. - ...but it is so delicious.
- It's a big yes from me. - Thank you, Chef.
I'm not familiar at all with this dish, actually.
This is the first time I've had this, so I didn't know what to expect.
I like the different textures in here.
You've got the nuts, there's some crunchiness to it,
and I think this dish celebrates a lot of different ingredients.
- For me it's a yes. - Thank you.
It makes me very proud to be Mexican when I eat this dish.
It really is that magical. It's that special.
For me, it's a sí.
( gasps )
It's an absolute yes. Of course, it is.
( muttering )
- Thank you. Thank you. - Amazing.
- Amazing, amazing. Congrats. - Thank you.
Gordon: Joe, how was that for you?
Daniela, this is a dish
that's really authentic, flavorful, soulful,
and I really like it a lot. So, for me it's a yes.
- Aarón: Make it happen. - Thank you.
- Thank you. Congratulations. - I don't think I've ever
- been this nervous in my life. - No.
- ( cheering ) - Yeah!
Four yeses! Four yeses! Oh, my God!
Of course, they did.
( cheering continues )
Daniela: I'm proud I was able to do this.
I'm blessed that I was supported by these two amazing men.
I can't even put the words together
to tell you how this feels tonight.
Wow. We gave out 20 aprons.
The big question is which generation is gonna become America's next MasterChef?
Honestly, I think it's gonna be one of the most competitive seasons of all time.
- Exciting! - Right.
You're the last person, so we gotta...
- Andale! - ...so that you can kind of address the whole audience.
What?
( music playing )
- ( laughs ) - ( crowd cheering )
- ( music continues ) - ( cheering continues )
- I love you so much. - Daniela: I love you, too.
Yeah! Oh, yeah!
Go win "MasterChef!"
Oh, my gosh.
I just got an apron and I got engaged!
All in one day.
- Gordon: Next time on "MasterChef"... - Welcome to the top 20.
...the generations go head-to-head for the first time...
- We can do this, Baby Boomers. - Go, Millennials!
- Come on, Gen Z. We-- aah! - Gen X magic going on.
I like that. That's progressive.
...in their first mystery box challenge...
- Ooh, I'm scared. - Lift!
- The secret ingredient is you! - Oh, that's awesome!
Use your own memories and make us a super memorable dish.
Someone's gonna win immunity and save themselves and the entire generation.
I don't even know why you invited other generations.
Millennials are gonna win, hands down.
Someone is going home tonight. Make sure it's not you.
Gordon: It's failing on multiple levels.
It literally tastes like spicy baby food.
Gordon: But it's charming and elevated.
The sauce is really where the magic lies.
It's retro and modern at the same time, and that's exciting.