Gordon: Previously on "masterchef junior"...
- The magic castle! - We're here!
You will be split up into two teams
And you will each have to feed all of the magicians.
- What? - No!
- Get them going, let's go! - Whoo!
- I just need the carrots. - Gordon: How long for the carrots?
- Ten minutes. - Right, alfred, wake up. Let's go.
Lilo's just standing there. She has to get involved.
- How's the food tasting? - Mine is raw.
Oh, my goodness. You're not joking.
All these filets are on me.
The winning team is...
- The blue team! - Yeah!
Red team, the person going home is miles.
- Bye, miles. - Good boy. Take care, bud.
Tonight...
Welcome to your nightmare challenge.
- What? - Lift!
- Ooh! - Gross!
You have to turn the ingredients you hate
Into something delicious on a plate.
I hate tomatoes!
- They call it to-mah-toes. - Okay, to-mah-toes.
- Go, go, go, go! - But as the top seven battle to face their fears...
Did you taste as you went along?
- I'm not gonna eat it. - Disgusting.
- Let me get a barf bag just in case. - ( imitating retching )
...One young cook will be sent home in a shocking upset.
- ( gags ) - it would have been the star dish of this evening.
Gordon: What a shame.
Here we go. So nice to be back.
- Wow. - They are in for a shock tonight.
Now this challenge is gonna give these kids a few nightmares.
- Welcome back! - ( overlapping chatter )
- Daphne: Top seven! - It's a mystery challenge.
There's boxes.
I feel amazing to be in the top seven.
- But I see the mystery boxes. - What is this?
...And I'm like, I know there's been some really crazy things,
Just nasty stuff.
So I don't know what's gonna pop out of that mystery box.
Like, I'm super duper scared.
Right. Welcome back. You guys are the top seven.
Come on. Give yourselves a big round of applause.
All: Yeah!
As you guys can see, tonight is your next mystery box challenge.
Any ideas what might be under those boxes?
- No idea. - No!
On the count of three, everyone lift your boxes.
I'm scared!
Judges: One. Two.
Three. Lift!
- ( groaning ) - oh, no!
- No! - Bleu cheese?
- Yes! - Why?
What?
- Mushrooms? - I hate tomatoes.
No! My least favorite! Bleu cheese! Why?
It smells terrible, bruh.
- What did you get? - Oysters.
Oysters look like the nightmares under my bed,
And those are really scary.
( growling )
Now, in front of you, have have a plate that you hate.
- Eww! - ( groaning )
We've done a little snooping,
And we've learned everyone's least favorite ingredient.
- No. - Welcome to your nightmare challenge.
- Eww! - Oh, I hate this.
- Wah! - So tonight, your challenge is use that ingredient
That you hate and incorporate it into a beautiful dish.
No! I don't want to touch it.
Okay. Alfred. Tell us what's on the plate you hate.
- Bleu cheese. - Oh, I love bleu cheese, especially the smell.
( coughs )
Bleu cheese is so disgusting,
The first time I ever had it, I ran to the bathroom
And I went-- ( imitates retching )
No!
Bleu cheese is basically like cow poop,
But bleu cheese is worse.
- Gordon: Right, michael. - I got mushrooms.
They make me want to gag 'cause of, like, the texture, I just hate them.
Mushrooms are delicious, young man.
It's a "fun guy," just like aarón.
( groaning )
Wa-dump bump.
Do you have a mushroom dance?
- Yeah, it's like... - Yeah.
Oh, no.
Right, jordyn, what's the ingredient?
Kale. I don't like kale.
'cause it looks like the grinch's brain.
- Girl, you don't know what you're missing. - Bryson.
I hate lima beans. Ugh!
- Gordon: Asher. - Anchovies. Ugh!
- Lilo. - Oysters.
I want to take one of those right now and eat it.
- You can have it. - Remy.
Tomatoes because of the texture.
Really? First of all, they're called to-mah-toes.
- Ugh. - Okay, to-mah-toes.
- Oh, the sass. - I love that.
All right, kids, no professional chef
Ever gets to only use ingredients that they like.
So, try out new cooking techniques or even pair them
With ingredients that you already love to eat,
Like when I put spinach inside tilly's cupcakes.
All: Eww!
To be honest, guys, they were actually pretty tasty.
Ugh.
You guys will have one hour to turn the plate you hate
Into a restaurant quality dish.
Right, listen up. Whoever cooks the best dish tonight
Will win an incredible prize.
A stunning set of e-bikes for the whole family!
- Look at those! - All: Whoa!
- Oh, my gosh. - Aarón: Man!
Gordon: How cool are they?
- Insane. - Cool.
But remember, whoever cooks the worst dish tonight will unfortunately be going home.
So make sure you use your mystery box ingredient wisely in your dish.
Right, are you magnificent seven ready?
All: Yes, chef!
Your 60 minutes starts now!
Go, go, go, go, go, go!
Let's get it. Let's go!
Let's go! Come on, bryson.
You got it!
- Okay. - Mushroom.
Where are the carrots?
- Ah, right here. - Onion!
I think I need a little bit more kale.
- Eww. - Where is the minced garlic?
- They're in here. - I hate anchovies so much.
The first time I ate them, it was disgusting.
- What are you looking for? - Minced garlic.
The only way I'm eating anchovies
Is if I can't see them in the dish.
And that's why I'm making pasta with anchovy tomato sauce
And anchovy garlic bread.
- Here they come. - Speed up.
Ooh, disgusting.
The biggest challenge of this dish
Is if I throw up while I'm doing it.
- Blech. - Whew.
Gordon: Let's go!
- Come on, come on. - Perfect.
So I got tomatoes, the worst thing in the world.
I'm making fried green tomato eggs benedict
With a cherry tomato arugula salad on it.
It doesn't look too bad because I'm not eating it,
So it's not that gross to me.
But when I eat a raw tomato, I can't do it.
- You're gone. - I hate kale. Eww!
Lilo: Oysters are disgusting.
To me it just doesn't taste good and I don't like it,
But at the family's restaurant, we make oysters a lot.
So I am making oyster three ways.
Fried oysters, baked oysters, oysters raw.
I'm making lots of sauces to make my dish even better with all the oysters.
I'm really messy.
This is one of the most exciting challenges we've ever had.
- We've never done this before. - We've never done this.
The ingredient they grew up hating...
- Remy: Nasty! - ...They now have to transform into a delicious dish.
Oh, they smell terrible!
This is every parent's dream though
Is where you can force your kids to give it a chance.
- Sure. - Just try it.
Try it a way you might think you like it.
Work something you don't like into something you know you love.
- Exactly that. - But I do also think
When you actually have to cook it yourself,
You have a new respect for it, and then that leads you to liking it.
- Like, I never used to like tomatoes, - daphne: Really?
Then I started cooking them, and I started really liking them.
It's almost like overcoming their fears, right?
- Absolutely right. - We are ten minutes down. We have 50 minutes to go.
I want to see all of you tasting the ingredients that you hate.
- Alfred, let's go. - ( gulps )
- Alfred, yes! - Yes, alfred!
Yeah, alfred!
Lilo, come on, girl. You can do it. Yeah!
- Yeah! Nice, lilo! - Yes!
We're changing people's lives here. This is amazing!
Jordyn: Okay, I think this is really the hardest challenge yet
Because how do I make this thing that's ugly and gross
Turn into something restaurant quality?
I know I'm supposed to be tasting something while I cook,
But I'm not gonna eat it. I'm not gonna eat it.
- Jordyn, you got this, girl. - Oh, no.
Get that little taste of kale.
- Come on, you can do it. - Gordon: Come on.
You can do it!
Why did chef gordon do this to us?
This is the worst thing ever.
- Oh! - Ugh.
We have 45 minutes remaining to turn the ingredients you hate...
- Lilo: Disgusting. - ...Into something delicious on a plate.
Eww!
- Oh! - Bryson, what are you working with there?
I'm working with lima beans.
Michael: Eww, nasty. I hate lima beans.
- See, I'm not the only one. - Exactly.
Let's go, guys, come on.
- Bryson: Ugh! - So, bryson, you have got the lima beans.
Talk to me about them.
I do not like lima beans because my school ruined it.
I mean, they serve them every single week.
They would be soaked in butter. It was terrible.
Seriously. Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
- Well, in the south, lima beans are really known. - Yes.
- And why not do a succotash? - Love it.
Because lima beans are the main thing for them.
And I'm also making a lamb roast.
Right, lamb, it's gonna rest as well,
- So all those roasting juices travel, right? - Yes, chef.
Right, I've got to see this. Are you gonna go like that
- And taste one of these lima beans? - Come on, kid.
- Oh, my goodness. - Come on, bryson. You got this.
- Let me-- no. No, no, no. - Yours will be much better.
Let me get a barf bag just in case, okay?
- I'll be behind you. - You got this, bryson.
Wait, wait, wait. Just in case. Just in case.
He may barf! I want to catch it.
Take your time. There's only one lima bean.
Come on, you got this.
- You got this. - Come on, bryson.
Go on, go on, go on, go on! Go on, buddy. You've got this.
- He's gonna spit it out! - Okay, spit it out!
Oh, man!
- Bryson! - Sorry. Man!
- I got this. - Eww.
- Daphne: Michael. - Michael, what's shaking, buddy?
- Hello. - Look at you calm, cool, and collected over here.
Always with the hair looking coiffed.
I think you're the only guy that has more product in their hair than I do, okay?
Remind us what your least favorite ingredient was.
The mushrooms. I hate mushrooms.
- Ahh. - Mushrooms.
So, I'm gonna do a mushroom rubbed ribeye
- With a mushroom callaloo... - Oh, nice.
...Because my dad is from the caribbean,
And he talks so much about the callaloo,
And I've been wanting to make it for a good time.
It's basically like a reduced down stock with coconut milk and chicken stock.
- Greens, mushrooms. - Yeah.
So why don't you like mushrooms? Was is it about them?
Because my dad's made mushrooms before
And I just absolutely hated the way he cooked them.
- You're throwing your dad under the bus? - Yes.
- It's 'cause of him! - I hate them because of him!
The mushrooms are gonna soak up all that wonderful coconut milk
And the aromatics and it's just gonna be a burst of flavor.
- Yes. - So look at them as little sponges, michael,
Not something you don't like, okay?
- Little sponges. All right. - Of flavor.
And how would you feel taking home this gorgeous collection of e-bikes?
That would be so cool 'cause in florida, carrying all my fishing stuff's really heavy.
- It would be so nice. - Aarón: I have to say
For somebody that doesn't like the ingredient,
We really respect that you're going full steam ahead, my friend.
I think because the world of mushrooms is so bri-- no, I want to ride the bike!
- That's my bike, gordon! - Gordon: Let's go!
- Oh, my goodness. - Let's go. 35 minutes to go.
- ( laughing ) - whee!
- I love it. - Oh, no.
- Whee! - Stay focused.
Don't let these antics distract you.
- Exactly. - Whee!
He cannot control his self.
- Two more minutes. - Olive oil.
( humming )
Jordyn, what's going on over here?
Well, I'm making fried sole with--
I just don't want to say it-- kale bacon stew.
That's why I stopped 'cause I don't want to say it.
And you got some of these "unh" chips, right?
Yup. Yeah. My grandma loves kale.
And I tried it before and I thought it was disgusting.
I almost went to the bathroom and throwed up.
I think she'll be very proud of you for making it your dish tonight.
- Yeah. - It is so good for you.
And think you're seeing it here. You're doing the kale chips.
You'll make it crispy and beautiful. You'll do it stewed here.
- I think it's gonna be a marvelous combination. - Thank you.
Okay, you've got 25 minutes to fry this fish. Let's get that going.
Watch it carefully. Don't need to go too long.
Aarón: All right, young lady.
And then start thinking about putting all of it together
- Once you get that fish in there, okay? - 'kay.
Hmm. That much, right? Yeah.
Right, lilo, there's a lot going on here.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I am making three-way oysters.
- Pretty cool. - That is super cool. Tell me the which-way.
- So? Nice. - So first I'm doing an oyster tempura with vegetables,
Raw oyster with a vinegar sauce,
Baked oysters, and I'm gonna put yuzu and miso on there, too.
That's a lot to do. Okay? Be careful.
- Make sure that batter is nice and crispy. Okay? - Yes, chef.
- Right, good luck. - Thank you.
Okay, let's go. We're down to the final 20 minutes, guys,
- To turn the hate on a plate... - Ugh!
...Into deliciousness beyond belief.
- ( beeping ) - oh, that's mine!
I'm gonna taste this mushroom.
So michael doesn't like mushrooms and he has his dad to thank for that.
It's a lot better than how my dad makes it.
He's gonna do this seared ribeye and that's gonna be crusted with powdered mushroom,
- Wow. - And then he's gonna do this callaloo, which is basically
A mixture of aromatics, coconut milk.
It also is gonna have mushrooms inside of there as well.
He's utilizing mushrooms in many different ways.
Great idea, rubbing that ribeye with that porcini.
- Yup. - Beautiful.
Daphne: So, jordyn is cooking kale in two ways.
I think of all the ingredients that the young cooks got,
I thought that kale was the easiest to kind of interpret.
- Oh, no. - And the softest one.
Oh, I think it's one of the most difficult for a young kid to love kale.
Daphne: But I want her to get excited about the possibility
That she might be expanding her horizons
And learn to love something like kale.
So lilo's got oysters three ways.
My only worry there with lilo is if those oysters are overcooked.
- They're gonna be like rubber. - Done.
Gordon: And so this is a tough one.
Do we think oysters three ways is too much for lilo?
Daphne: The reality is we're down to the top seven, right?
If you're gonna do something elegant and beautiful,
It should be diverse like what she's doing here.
It's ambitious though, right?
Get it right and it's a showstopper.
But I'm just worried she's taking on too much.
Whisk. Whisk.
I feel pretty nervous because I have to get everything perfect step by step.
I have to put the oysters down and tell them who's boss.
It's me, so you are going to get fried, baked, and eaten
In gordon ramsay's mouth! You hear me?
Gordon: 15 minutes remaining.
Concentrate.
Open oven!
Let's go, guys, come on.
Alfred? Alfred?
Anyone seen alfred? Oh, there you are.
Oh, what?
Spider-man.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
So I'm making a new york strip with a bleu cheese compound butter.
Love that. So what is it about this bleu cheese you don't like?
It tastes like rat poison.
- What? Seriously? - Oh, my goodness.
- Yes. - This dish sounds amazing, by the way.
That steak needs a really good sear on there.
You're gonna get the really seriously hot pan and get that really nice crust on there.
Just be careful. You don't want to overcook it, right? Okay.
Are you going to mix the butter in there already?
- Do you have butter in there? - It's in the fridge.
Smart. Love this idea.
Come on, man, you've got this. Yeah? Let's go.
You've got this, alfred.
- Looks good. - Daphne: Asher.
- Hello. - All right, asher, so you've got the despised anchovy.
- How did you incorporate it? - So I'm making pasta
In an anchovy tomato sauce and anchovy garlic bread.
- Aarón: Nice! - I incorporated it like a salt almost.
Think it's kind of amazing, right?
To see you don't need as much salt when you add ingredients
Like capers, like olives, like anchovies.
All right, now that you've come this far,
I think you can have one taste of actual, just normal anchovy.
- I'm gonna have one with you. - Come on, we'll all do it together.
- Okay. - Give that to asher. Okay, ready, guys?
- Okay. - One, two, three.
- ( aarón groaning ) - you--
You-- yes! I'm so proud of you.
Come on. It's not so bad.
Looks good.
Asher: I wanna eat one of those so bad.
- Right, remy. Remy's ingredient was... - Tilly: Tomatoes.
No, don't pull a face like that, girl.
Blistering the tomatoes makes them sweeter.
- It does? - Come on. Yes!
'cause you roast them, it intensifies the flavor.
- Oh! - So what's the dish
And where did the idea come from?
So I'm from the south and we love fried stuff.
So I am making eggs benedict with a hollandaise sauce.
And I'm just adding a fried tomato instead of an english muffin.
- Right. Love that. - Ooh.
I love that. And what about the eggs?
They gonna be nice and runny in the middle?
- Yes. - Well done.
- Come on. Keep this going. - Good luck, remy.
Gordon: Five minutes to go.
Five minutes, ooh!
- Oven open. - Alfred, how you doing?
- Good. - Behind you.
So alfred's got this new york strip.
He's gonna roast that new york strip and take that bleu cheese
That he hates and turn that into a compound butter, which sounds interesting.
That bleu cheese butter really does have to stand out tonight.
- It's got to be spot-on. - You're absolutely right.
He's got to make sure he tries it as well,
Make sure it's seasoned well. It's quite a tricky one for him.
Also, the steak needs to be spot-on, right?
- In just a little bit. - So, asher, he's got the anchovies.
Daphne: Absolutely. He's doing a beautiful pasta dish
With an anchovy tomato sauce.
Masking it the way that he is is actually gonna be very helpful.
Let's be honest, anchovies as an eight-year-old,
It's salty, it's disgusting, it's too strong.
Daphne: But he's using anchovies as a salt substitute.
It's a really clever idea. He understood that these anchovies can season his dish.
- So smart. - Really smart.
And I'm hoping it's not too salty.
60 seconds to go.
Remember, someone, sadly, is going home.
Make sure it's not you. Let's go!
- Tidy up those plates. - Aarón: Vámonos!
- Gordon: Let's go, remy. - Jordyn, finish the garnish
- With the chips, honey. - Come on, bryson.
Get that lamb sliced, my man. Let's go.
Daphne: Make sure everything ends up on the plate, guys.
Don't leave something on the side.
Gordon: Okay, alfred, let's go.
Make that plate a plate that we do not want to hate.
- Nicely stacked, lilo. - Ahh.
Aarón: Restaurant quality plates, everyone!
- Gordon: Come on, guys! - Judges: Ten, nine,
Eight, seven, six,
Five, four, three, two, one.
And stop! Hands in the air.
Well done.
Lilo: I did taste an oyster,
And I don't really like it.
I don't think I'm ever gonna like it.
But I do like my dish.
Remy: I'm pretty sure this is the winning dish because it looks pretty,
It tastes really good-- except for me.
I just didn't particularly like it,
But I think the judges will.
I do believe the taste is great. It's a little bit not, um...
( sighs )
I'm worried about my steak
'cause I know the judges like it cooked medium rare.
So I'm nervous about potentially going home.
I am so scared. No, no, please.
Now tonight, each of you had to turn the ingredients you hate on your plate
Into an elevated dish that looks as good as it tastes.
Now we're gonna take a much closer look at all your dishes
To see who's got the goods and who missed the mark.
Let's go. Okay.
Remy, did you taste as you went along?
- Yes. Yes. - All of it?
- Are you happy with that? - Yes.
Thank you.
Hey, michael, how did you want your steak to be cooked?
Medium rare.
You confident that you got that?
- Yes. - Thank you.
Bryson, was this the cook you were going for on your lamb chops?
- Yes, ma'am. - Nice.
And how about those lima beans?
I boiled them and them put them in the succotash
With a little bit of vinegar.
Thank you very much.
Alfredo, how are you doing, buddy?
- Good. - How you feel about the cook on that steak?
I like my steaks done, so hopefully it's done.
Well, let me ask you a question. How do you think we like our steaks?
- Well, it's juicy. Yep. - Juicy, okay.
And how do you feel about the bleu cheese? Did you use enough of it?
Did it come out in that butter?
- Yes. - Okay. Thank you.
Okay, jordyn, so your ingredient you disliked was kale.
Mm-hm. Did you taste as we went along?
I had that baked piece when y'all told me to, but I'm still not a fan.
Right, and why are the potatoes so greasy?
- I think I put a little too much oil on it. - Yeah.
Thank you.
So, asher, did you taste your dish?
- Mm-hmm. - Are you happy with how it turned out?
- Yes. - Did you start to like the anchovies?
- Mm-hmm. - Nice. Thank you.
And, lilo, oysters three ways.
How do you feel about oysters right now?
I'm feeling pretty good because I think I did everything right.
And you think the ones that are cooked are cooked properly?
- Yes. - Thank you very much.
Gordon: It's a tough one, this one. Cracking dishes.
Well, especially consider they are dishes they hated at first.
- I know, I know. - You know?
There are four strong dishes, right?
- We all in agreeance? Yeah? - Yeah.
Okay, tonight we'll be tasting all of your dishes
And there are four dishes that we felt were at the top of the class.
- Four? - So the first young home cook
Showed great flair and smartly used the ingredient they disliked.
Please step forward...
Asher.
I feel great about my dish because it's a high quality dish
That I would serve in a restaurant.
But I will never eat a whole anchovy ever again.
Okay, asher, describe your dish please.
My dish that I made today is pasta with anchovy tomato sauce
And anchovy garlic bread.
So, visually, it looks awesome.
I was excited when I saw you hand rolling that pasta,
And so I can't wait to taste it.
- Thank you. - Shall we?
And what was going through your mind when you stated tasting
The anchovies inside the tomatoes?
I thought it was delicious.
'cause it's more used as a salt in my dish.
Tilly: Asher, I thought it was delicious.
And I have to say, I'm so impressed with the way you've rolled that pasta.
And it's cooked perfectly, and that's quite hard with fresh pasta
Because it cooks a lot quicker.
So personally, I think you nailed it.
- Thank you. - Daphne: Yeah, asher, I got to tell you,
It's the garlic crostini for me.
Because you reminded me how buttery anchovies can be.
I think the combination was really well-executed.
- It's not overpowering. Nice job. - Asher, it tastes good.
It's got that really nice little bit of heat there with the chili flakes.
Capers are there, olives are there.
The only thing you need to be very careful of
Is that olives, capers, and anchovies--
- Are all salty. - Would you like to come stand here?
Come and stand here. Yeah. Thank you, yeah.
Anchovies, capers, and olives are all salty.
So why'd you put them on the dish?
'cause they don't only have salt, but they have other flavors, too.
- Love that. Buddy! - Love that.
I think it's fair to say that over the last 60 minutes,
I think you've fallen in love with anchovies.
- A little bit. - Really well done.
- Thank you. - Good job.
- Yeah, really good. - Daphne: Impressive.
Very impressive. I would have preferred to see a little bit more
Of that fresh basil running through there,
- Get rid of that saltiness. - Yeah, I got you.
- Gordon: Really good. - Nice job, asher.
The next dish that we think was a contender tonight
Had some beautiful plating.
Please come forward...
Remy.
- Nice job, remy. - I'm so excited that I'm in the top.
This challenge has changed my opinion a little bit about tomatoes.
Because it used to be like "bleh," to "eh."
So, remy, please describe your dish.
I've made eggs benedict with a fried green tomato,
Arugula and cherry tomato salad with a hollandaise sauce.
Visually, I think it looks very, very good.
We were saying how great the plating is.
- Mm-hmm. Shall we? - Yes.
- Daphne: Dig in. - Now the secret of a great benedict,
Is the egg runny?
- Aarón: Mm! - Daphne: Wow!
- Gordon: Beautiful. - Tilly: Looks pretty perfect to me.
- Gordon: Beautiful. - Daphne: Remy.
Remy, I love the fact that you blistered tomatoes,
But they just need just a little bit of salt.
But I have to say in new orleans where I live,
We served a lot of fried green tomatoes,
And those are better than some that I've had in our restaurants.
- That's how good they are. - Thank you so much.
Yeah, remy, very impressive. For someone who doesn't like tomatoes,
The thing on this plate that's working so beautifully
Is the meatiness of the fried green tomato underneath,
Plus the juiciness of the blistered tomatoes on top.
The acid of the tomatoes breaks up that richness
Of the hollandaise sauce and the eggs.
The only thing I think I'm missing is a little bit of salt
And a little bit of lemon zest.
I would have liked just that acid in the tomato.
- But I agree, magnificent. - Thank you.
Overcoming your fears cooking tomatoes tonight
And making a hollandaise and poaching eggs,
Honestly, young lady, you've done something pretty majestic tonight.
Tomatoes may not be your thing, but this dish confirms you know how to cook them.
- Thank you. - Thank you, remy.
- Well done. Eggs cooked beautifully. - Oh, so good.
- Mm-hmm. - So good.
- You did so good. - Thanks.
Okay, the next dish that wowed us
Was extremely well-seasoned and had great flavors.
Please come forward...
- Michael. - Yes.
This is my third time in the top.
I'm feeling really good about this.
But I'm worried about just the cook on the meat.
I really hope that that cook
Is just absolutely beautifully medium rare.
Okay, please describe your dish.
I made a mushroom-rubbed ribeye with a mushroom callaloo
And sweet plantains.
Michael, this looks like a hearty meal,
And I know it's packed with flavor,
And I'm excited to try your mushrooms.
- Thank you. - We'll see. Shall we?
Okay, and the cook will be?
- Medium rare. - He says medium rare.
- Ooh. - Well done, young man. Good job.
Wow!
Yeah, michael, I think the magic in this dish is the mushroom callaloo.
It's so profound in flavor,
And it has that beautiful citrusy heat.
And you didn't shy away from mushroom.
So for an ingredient that you don't like,
- You surely embraced it. - Oh, thank you.
Michael, I really loved the way
You used your caribbean flavors and heritage on the plate
And kind of showed us what you enjoy at home.
- That was really special. - Thank you.
The seasoning's spot on. The cook is lovely.
Little bit more freshness on the plate.
That's all. But the callaloo is my favorite,
And that's you through and through.
- Just get the balance right. - All right.
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
Sometimes that mushroom powder makes things better.
This thing tastes delicious, by the way.
Good job.
So the final cook in the top tonight
Took food that they hated and turned it into something really delicious.
Please come forward...
All righty, the final cook in the top tonight
Took food that they hated and turned it into something really delicious.
Please come forward...
Bryson. Come on, buddy!
It feels amazing to be in the top.
I feel really good about my dish,
And I'm hoping to really, really wow the judges.
All right, mijo, what did you make us?
Bryson: I've made a lamb with a parmesan crust
And a lima bean succotash.
Visually, I like the courage to slicing that down and letting us see it.
- That shows a lot of confidence, young man. - Thank you.
- Shall we? - Let's dig in.
What spice did you use in the succotash?
So with the succotash, I only used salt, pepper,
And then I added a little bit of vinegar.
Bryson, it's cooked beautifully by the way.
- Thank you. - And you've made the lamb the hero of the plate
As opposed to the lima beans, but succotash needs a bit more heat.
- Mm-hmm. - It's just on the verge of being a little bit dull.
Bryson, believe or not, I'm one of the few chefs that doesn't like lamb.
And you've made me a believer of lamb.
You showed a lot of finesse.
You didn't do that kind of rustic backyard cooking.
This showed a lot of technique.
- So good job. - Thank you.
This is like garden fresh, vibrant,
And I love that you hit it with vinegar.
That would've been the only miss for me
Is if this dish didn't have a little bit of acid on it.
And you really nailed that cook on your least favorite,
But maybe now signature lima bean dish.
- Nice job. - Thank you.
- Thanks, bud. - Nice work.
Nice job, bryson.
- Oh, man. - Really nice.
Really good.
Right, asher, remy, michael, and bryson.
Tonight you did wonders with that a plate you hate.
But only one of you can go home with tonight's incredible prize.
Those e-bikes.
Right now we need a moment. Please, excuse us.
Good job, guys. Good job.
So, asher, I felt that was a little bit salty,
Especially the olives and the capers. It was a step too far.
- Usually you kind of crush a few and put it in. - But rolled the pasta.
The pasta was cooked perfectly, which is hard with fresh.
- Gordon: And remy? - If you could've maybe seasoned the tomatoes,
- I think it could've been exceptional. - It did need seasoning.
- They needed a little bit of love. - And michael with the callaloo?
I could taste the mushrooms. I could taste the squash.
I could taste the different layers.
Michael cooked a perfect steak.
Yeah. And then bryson?
The succotash was a good format
And a good foundation for the dish.
- It speaks to the south, it speaks to who he is. - Yeah, I agree.
I do like how bold he is though,
Cooking a rack of lamb like that.
- It's not easy. - Gordon: No.
- I'm scared. - Why are we feeling scared right now?
- We're in the top four. - No, I was--
Oof.
Right, asher, remy, michael, bryson, well done.
All four of you are safe from elimination tonight.
- Yes! - Well done.
- Nice job. - Now the young home cook
Who has earned those amazing e-bikes is...
Michael.
- Yes! - Congratulations.
- Good job. - Good job, guys.
Young man, the dish was delicious.
- Thank you. - Congratulations. Well done.
All four of you make your way up to the balcony.
Thank you.
I'm not only safe from this challenge,
I get the e-bikes for me and my family.
I can't wait.
I get one step closer to making it to the finale.
That is three things. I am so excited right now.
Right, lilo, jordyn, and alfred.
We need to take a much closer look and examine those plates.
First up, lilo, please make your way down. Thank you.
I'm really sad I'm in the bottom three,
But I hope that the judges appreciate
That I made oysters three ways.
Not a lot of nine-year-olds can say that.
That is hard.
So, lilo, what's the dish please?
Lilo: I made oysters three ways.
I fried the oysters, I baked the oysters,
And I left the oysters raw with some sauces.
I love the creativity behind this dish.
But it's very difficult frying oysters
Because if they're in there too long, they become rubbery.
Shall we?
Tell me about the sauce in the middle. This is a special sauce, right?
Lilo: Yes, it's a special sauce
That you use to dip with the tempura.
And this is a sauce from dad's restaurant, right?
- Yes. - And what's in there?
- It's a secret. - Okay.
Lilo, I think what's quite hard is oysters are quite salty as they are.
You know, they're from the sea. And the only thing I found with the baked oyster
Was maybe just a little bit less of that miso in that sauce.
- Okay. - So I tasted the fried oyster,
And I did dip it in your special sauce, which was the saving grace.
It was acidic and a little bit sweet and tangy. Really tasty.
But unfortunately, this challenge was about the oysters,
- And I felt the oysters missed a lot of their flavor. - Okay.
Young lady, there's not very many nine-years-olds
Out there tonight cooking oysters three ways.
And so I have to commend the incredible creativity.
The dish looks good. Sadly, it doesn't taste as good as it looks.
As you can see, this oyster has been cooked for so long, it's actually disappeared.
So what is left in there is really rubbery.
So it's such a shame.
The intentions were there, but it's missed a mark.
Thank you, darling.
Yeah, such a shame. I mean, they're really rubbery.
It's okay, lilo. You did really good.
Next up, alfred, please come on down.
Gordon likes his steak medium rare,
And I'm worried my steak might be a bit overcooked from medium rare.
Hopefully my bleu cheese butter
Is enough to keep me in the competition.
So, alfred, please describe your dish.
I've made a new york strip with a bleu cheese compound butter
With roasted romanesco.
Visually, I kind of wish that that butter had melted a little bit more
Over that steak so you know we'll get to taste that bleu cheese throughout.
Did you just add the extra bleu cheese just--
- Just for funsies. - Just for fun.
- Okay. - Shall we?
Now temperature-wise, what have you done?
Um...
Mid-rare? Medium? Earth to alfred.
Uh...
I-- I--
So, alfred, let's see if this is mid-rare.
And...
So, alfred, let's see if this is mid-rare.
And...
...That is slightly mid-well.
Right, the bleu cheese compound butter, that's actually delicious.
Sadly the steak is a touch overcooked.
So the bit you hated, you actually got right.
The bit that I expected you to cook coming from a farm,
I thought you'd cook a new york strip better than that.
Alfred, I agree. I think it was a perfect amount of bleu cheese
And it wasn't overpowering.
I do think a little bit of that butter that you made
In the pan to baste it would really help just bring out that flavor.
But you did manage to incorporate what you hate into that very well,
So I think that was a good job.
Alfred, the romanesco, this is such a yummy side dish.
It really freshens up the plate because it's beautifully grilled.
I love the acidity on there. I think it's really balanced and the cook could've been better,
But I think you surprised yourself at how much you might've liked bleu cheese.
Thank you, alfred.
- Listen, the butter tasted good by the way. - It did. It really did.
- Gordon: Right? - All right, the last home cook is jordyn.
Please come up.
I still do not like kale.
But the thing that I'm nervous about is my fish,
Because I don't want it to be overcooked.
I made a cornmeal fried sole
With roasted sweet potatoes, kale chips, and bacon kale stew.
Jordyn, I like to see that you used the kale twice.
I think that definitely showed a lot of desire to play with the versatility of kale.
I think you have good color on the fish.
I am a little bit nervous just because sole cooks so fast
And it looks like it might be a little bit dry to me.
But I'm eager to try it.
Shall we? How did you cook the fish?
I put it in the pan for about seven minutes.
Daphne: Oh, seven minutes. Okay.
Jordyn, first of all, I love the fact that you did kale two ways.
Sadly the crispy kale is a little bit greasy and it needs seasoning.
The braised kale is actually quite delicious.
Sadly, the fish is way overcooked.
It's really dry. What a shame.
Jordyn, I do think the fish is a little bit under seasoned and overcooked,
But for me my favorite was that stewed kale.
It's cooked really nicely and you've got that good bacon flavor going through it.
- Good job. - Thank you.
I got to say that stew, delicious.
But I wish you would've just removed the fish,
A couple knobs of butter and just lemon juice,
And just give it that little "oomph."
Thank you. Yeah, what a shame.
'cause this thing is just so greasy, the kale.
- Tilly: So crispy, but-- - really crispy.
- Just greasy. - Yeah.
Now, lilo, alfred, jordyn,
Sadly one of you will be going home shortly.
But the four of us right now need to have a very serious chat,
'cause this is gonna be a very tough decision. Please excuse us.
You guys did a good job.
So tonight they all had to cook with ingredients they hated.
Lilo, super creative. Oyster three ways.
But talk about an ingredient you dislike
And it's also probably the most challenging one to get right.
- The tempura oysters, definitely mine was-- - it disappeared.
She should've fried one off, eaten that,
And then seen if she needed to adjust and go again.
If she'd executed it, it would've been the star dish of this evening.
Yeah, I agree. Alfred. Great idea with the compound butter.
You'd say though the star was really the bleu cheese.
The second star, the costar was the steak,
And unfortunately he overcooked it.
A little bit overcooked. Jordyn. The kale.
The crispy one didn't work for me. The braised one did.
Aarón: Yeah, that's right. That's right.
I don't want any of them to go home. All of them are amazing chefs.
- We all in agreeance? - Aarón: Yup.
- Yeah. - Shall we?
Lilo, alfred, and jordyn,
This has been a very difficult decision
And we are absolutely heartbroken
Of this individual leaving the competition.
The young home cook that will be going home is...
Lilo.
Alfred and jordyn, please say goodbye to lilo
And head upstairs please.
Thank you.
Lilo, what a courageous attempt to overcome your fears tonight.
We got excited with oysters three ways,
But three ways is three times harder than one good way.
Lilo, you blew me away day one with those flying noodles.
I've never actually seen anything quite like it,
So it's something I'm definitely gonna remember for a long time.
You did. You brought the magic from day one.
I love how you're showing creativity,
You're showing a willingness to experiment and to play.
And I hope you will always do that because that's how you're gonna reach that pinnacle,
And I can't wait to see what comes next.
Definitely. You've done your family restaurant so proud.
And we know that soon, you're gonna take over those reins, right?
- Yes. - Come and say goodbye, please, my darling.
- Give us a hug, please. Okay? - Well done, lilo.
Love you, girl.
Lilo: I feel pretty sad, but I am happy
Because out of billions of people,
- I made it this far. - Bye, lilo.
- You were awesome! - Gordon: Great job.
Take care, my darling. Good night.
- Bye, lilo! - When I first came to masterchef,
I was just a little helper helping my family in the restaurant.
But now I think my family is gonna finally hire me as a head chef.
- Bye, lilo! - Bye!
Gordon: Next time, things get a little sticky.
( squealing )
We have not one, but two sweet challenges.
- Two? - First up, we're having a pancake race.
We got to pump 'em! Let's go!
- Help, help, help. Michael. - Fix it, fix it.
- How long do we have? - Time is up.
Now you're all gonna have to make ice cream desserts.
- Now time to make the ice cream! - ( thunder )
( laughing maniacally, coughing )
But with elimination on the line...
- Ooh! - This is so stressful.
- Oh, man. - ...It won't all be sugary sweet.
I'm disappointed with this. Say goodbye.