14x02 - Baby Boomers Auditions

[bunniefuu]

Gordon: Previously on
"Masterchef: Generations"...

Welcome to the
masterchef kitchen!

...The auditions began
with the millennials...

We're moving food in
a new exciting direction.

Millennials know how to learn, they know
how to innovate, and they know how listen.

What's the millennial
twist on this thing?

Instead of serving
it traditionally,

I'm gonna air fry them.

Is that a millennial thing now?

...As the first five white
aprons were handed out.

The herbs, the freshness,
I could eat this every day.

There are three
certainties in life,

Death, taxes,
and you getting an apron right now.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

Delicious. Really delicious.

In true millennial style,
should we do a selfie?

Absolutely.

Tonight the auditions continue
with the oldest generation,

- The baby boomers...
- Go, boomers!

Please welcome my
mother lidia bastianich.

...As more home
cooks compete...

I'm a baby boomer
blooming in the kitchen now.

- I smell something. Is that okay?
- You burned the venison.

These recipes that we're
cooking are from a heritage cooks.

I'm gonna show them
what the old folks can do.

...For a coveted white apron.

The chicken, crispy,
and the flavor is excellent.

The dish is good. I like
you. I like the energy.

This is a perfectly
ex*cuted dish for children.

- [ music playing ]
- [ cheering ]

- Season 14!
- Baby boomer!

This is unbelievable, isn't it?

This is gonna be so exciting.

- Right.
- At all.

I may be old,
but age is just a number.

We taught the young
kids how to do it.

I'm gonna get down in this kitchen and
show them what the older folk can do.

- Yay!
- [ laughs ]

I'm ready. Ready or not,
here I come. I'm ready.

Yeah, it would be great if
I won. I'd be really happy.

I'm not scared at
all. You know why?

Experience, wisdom,
and knowledge.

I'm gonna show chef ramsay this a


Oh, my gosh. Here it goes.

- Oh, my god.
- [ cheers and applause ]

- Whoo!
- [ laughing ]

Yeah!

- Woohoo!
- Whoo!

- Whoo!
- Yeah!

- Wow.
- Wow!

Thank you so much, and welcome
back to "masterchef: Generations."

- [ cheering ]
- yeah!

Now,
so far we've seen the millennials,

And there are three
more generations to go.

Tonight five more
talented home cooks

Will earn their spot
in this competition.

Now,
the generation cooking tonight

Is the baby boomers!

All: Boomers, boomers, boomers!

- Yeah!
- Boomers, boomers!

Okay, boomers,
listen up. You're all over 59 years young.

I mean,
you've seen vietnam. You've seen the '60s.

Your recipes have been
passed down through generations,

And without a doubt,
taste delicious.

- Yeah!
- Whoo!

Okay, guys,
to acquire that coveted apron,

You need three
judges to say yes.

And we have a special
fourth guest judge

Joining us this evening
from your generation.

She's a great chef,
she's a cookbook author,

- She's a restaurateur.
- Wow.

Joe: But her greatest
accomplishment of all,

She raised me.

- [ laughs ]
- oh! Mom!

Please welcome my
mother lidia bastianich.

Welcome back.
So good to see you.

Thank you.

Hello.

Aww, joe.

Welcome back to the
masterchef kitchen.

It's a pleasure and an
honor to have you back.

Oh, my pleasure being here.

Honestly,
you have done it all in the world of food.

You've cooked
alongside julia child

And hosted several amazing

Emmy-award winning food shows,

Not to mention your hugely
successful restaurant empire.

Literally, truly,
living legend of italian cuisine.

- Come on.
- Thank you, thank you.

[ all cheering ]

Being a legendary baby boomer,
lidia,

What advice would you give
these baby boomers tonight?

We, I think, are the basis,

The roots,
the stability of home cooking.

So don't think about
the other generations.

Just go to your base and
do what you can do best.

Yes. Wonderful.

Right, don't forget,
all of you talented baby boomers,

There are only five aprons up for
grabs tonight for your generation.

Make sure you get your
hands on one of them.

Now your time starts
when that clock starts.

The very best
of luck to you all.

We'll see you in
the restaurants.

- [ all cheering ]
- yeah!

So tonight, baby boomers.

They started everything for us,
right?

We laid the ground for you guys.

What do you wanna see tonight?

You know, I think that they're
gonna respect the product,

- Not wasting anything...
- Yes.

- ...And simple preparations.
- Aarón: I agree.

I think they're gonna pay
homage through their dishes

To the traditions of
grandmother's kitchen.

- Yep.
- Here we go.

[ all cheering ]

- Let's do this!
- Whoo!

I didn't come all the
way to lose to people

That weren't even born
when I started cooking.

The boomers are well-seasoned
and gen z's undercooked.

[ laughter ]

- You got it, pumpkin.
- You know, I'm a mama bear.

I love these young kids. But, man,
I tell you what. I'm gonna kick their butt.

I love being a boomer.
Boomers are amazing.

We know how to be mean,
we know how to be soft,

And we know how to win,

And I think we can
do it pretty graciously.

I'm 63 years old,
I have five kids,

Eight grandchildren,

But I have a lot of
dreams and goals.

Being in the masterchef
kitchen is really exciting.

It's super scary.

But this is the top of the pack.

I'm ready to go.

- All right, gordon, let's go do it.
- Shall we?

- [ crowd cheering ]
- hi, guys.

- Whoo!
- Let's go.

- How are you? Hi, I'm rebecka.
- Nice to see you. Welcome.

- What are you cooking?
- I'm cooking a pork chop with sour cream mash,

A brussels sprout
hash right here.

And what's the deal
with roux right here?

What are you gonna do with that?

So I'm gonna make my
famous jalapeno white gravy.

- Nice.
- This is a super boomer dish.

- So traditional. I love that.
- Yeah.

What separates the baby boomers

From the millennials,
for instance?

So these recipes that we're
cooking are from heritage cooks.

You know, I'm trying to
elevate things for this generation,

Teach them, love them,
and then kick their butts.

- Yeah!
- I love that. I love that.

And you're not frazzled.
You're talking back to him.

Usually, he's very intimidating.

- Stop it.
- I'm not afraid of anybody.

I got no fear. I'm
gonna have some fun.

You gotta be careful
what you wish for.

He transforms into somebody
else in a field challenge, all right?

- Hey, I'm ready.
- A pencil comes out, and all things go backwards.

He has not seen a mother
with a wooden spoon.

Oh!

Orale! I love it.

Noted. Very best of
luck. Don't mess this up.

- Oh, [ bleep ].
- Exactly!

- 4 1/2 minutes.
- Rebecka: Okay.

Pork chops are really tough

Especially deep
frying or frying in a pan.

You never know
what you're gonna get

Unless you're really
paying attention.

I hope that it comes
out really good.

All: Five, four,
three, two, one.

- [ all cheering ]
- whoo!

I have given so much in my life

Working day and
night for my family.

And so now it's time for me,
me, me,

To be the person
who's in the forefront.

This is my time to shine.

- Welcome!
- All right. And you are?

My name is rebecka. I'm from castle rock,
colorado. I'm 63 years old.

- And I am so thankful to be here with you today.
- What's your day job?

Well, I'm retired now, but when I
was young and thin and all of that stuff,

- I sang professional opera.
- Both: Wow.

What do you got?
Let's hear something.

[ vocalizing ]

[ continues vocalizing ]

- Wow.
- That was amazing. That's beautiful.

- Excellent.
- Okay, what's the dish, please?

I made for you a
deep-fried pork chop,

Sour cream mashed potatoes,

Brussels sprouts,
cranberries, and bacon,

And creamy jalapeno gravy.

- Wow.
- We served heavy plates when we were growing up.

I wanna learn finesse.
That's why I'm here.

You have come to the top notch
culinary school in the world then.

The question is,
do you have what it takes to compete

With gen x, millennials, gen z?

Well, I have a lot of energy
and I'm super aggressive.

- All right.
- And I'm not afraid of anything.

- Right. Shall we?
- Let's check it out.

Okay.

Ah, whew, dear. Yeah.

Presentation-wise,
it does look a bit dated, right?

I said elevate.

I didn't mean pork chops
suspended from the ceiling.

And I'm not being rude,
I'm just being honest.

It's like you've dressed
this dish in the dark.

Um...

Ah, whew, dear. Yeah.

Presentation-wise,
it does look a bit dated, right?

And I'm not being rude,
I'm just being honest.

It's like you've dressed
this dish in the dark.

Um...

But ultimately,
it's down to the taste, okay?

Shall we dig in?

Let's see the cook on
the pork chop as well.

- Lidia: Nice. Beautiful.
- It's cooked beautifully.

- Right on.
- Thank you.

Lidia: So are you gonna dig in,
too?

- No, you go ahead.
- Yeah? You want me to cut it for you?

- No, no. I cut it myself.
- Like I used to?

[ laughing ]

- When you were little.
- Both: Choo-choo!

- Who's a big boy?
- How 'bout an airplane? [ imitates whooshing ]

- [ laughing ] - you guys
are easily amused. I love that.

- We all did it for our kids, no?
- No kidding.

- That's the truth.
- Okay, I'm gonna start off with the positives.

- The pork's cooked beautifully.
- Thank you.

And there are so many
amazing flavors there,

But we need to give
your plate a facelift.

- Yeah.
- It just needs to be brought into the modern world.

- Yeah. Wonderful. Thank you.
- But the pork is exceptional.

- I feel like this dish is giving me a hug...
- Oh!

...Like my abuela or my
mama would give me a hug,

- Which is a huge complement.
- Oh, yeah.

- Delicious.
- Thank you so much, yeah.

The flavor is excellent.
Delicious on every single element.

- This is really tasty.
- Thank you so much.

I'm not really sure
what to say here.

Um, this dish is, um...

Exceptional.

Just honored. Thank you.

Okay, you need three yeses
to go through. You know that?

Right. Yeah.

[ music playing ]

Shall we?

- Judges: Yes!
- Yeah!

- You deserve the four.
- Oh, thank you so much.

- I really am honored.
- Congratulations.

- Thank you so much. Thank you.
- Really well done, rebecka.

I'm just honored.
Thank you so much.

[ music playing ]

[ all cheering ]

Congratulations.
Very proud of you.

I just won a masterchef apron.

This is such a validation. It feels,
like, not real.

- Can you believe it?
- That's awesome. I do believe it.

- I don't believe it.
- I've always believed in you.

- I love you.
- I love you, too.

If she has the stamina and
persistence to cook like this throughout...

- Oh, my god.
- ...She could really be a contender.

- Wow.
- Lidia: She has the potential.

Gordon: That's one
apron down. Four to go.

- Great start.
- Joe: Excellent.

Derak: Let's hear
some noise back there!

I know about gen x,
gen z. I raised them.

I changed their diapers.
So I'm here for it.

I'm gonna show
them how to do it.

Hi,
I'm derak green. I am 59 years old.

I have six kids. I
have 15 grands.

- I have two great-grands.
- Yeah!

They're keeping me young.

I'm making sticky pork belly,
creamy smoked gouda grits,

With a quail egg on top.

Breakfast for dinner.
But you know what?

I like to push the envelope.
I'm that grandfather

That's gonna make it happen,
all right?

All: Five, four,
three, two, one.

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

I made my breakfast for dinner.

Asian sticky pork belly over
some smoked gouda grits,

An over-easy quail egg,
a little crispy shell.

Joe: Shall we taste?

So, visually,
it doesn't look like a baby boomer's dish.

You've sort of gone all a
little bit millennial on me.

- Yes, I did.
- Look, it has everything

Going for it visually
to be a tasty dish.

Let's hope it lives
up to its looks.

All right. We'll find out.

Pork belly is good. It's
seasoned beautifully.

The big issue I've got here
is the gumminess of the grits.

And I'm not too sure if gouda
is the right cheese for that.

- Okay.
- Derak, I think for me, it kind of registers

Like a quick service
chinese restaurant,

And that's not
necessarily a good thing.

I think that the
flavor of the pork

And the spices is very good.

- I enjoyed it very much.
- Look, it's, um-- it's good,

But is it good enough
for a very competitive

Multi-generational
masterchef kitchen?

I'm not sure.

[ crowd groans ]

I didn't get an apron this time,
but I came here to learn.

And always remember,
food is a vehicle for love.

Be better and make
the world better.

You know what's funny? I
don't feel like a boomer...

Till I get up in the morning.

I'm gonna show them
what the old folks can do.

I'm here to get that apron.
Later I'll get the trophy.

My name is warren,
I am a young 70 years old.

When I was young
I loved to cook,

And I was a flight attendant.

For 27 years,
I was able to taste the foods of the world

And it really
developed my palate.

No matter where I went,
I would find myself cooking.

- Just a touch of olive oil.
- [ muttering ]

- Yeah!
- Whoo!

It was great experience,
and it's all made me who I am.

[ humming ]

I need some of this wine.

Now that I'm retired,
I'm ready to start something new.

So here I am in the
masterchef kitchen.

Hello!

[ laughing ] can I say that?

All right. Come on,
joe. Show me the kitchen.

- You wanna go? Let's go.
- All right.

[ cheering ]

- Hello, sir.
- Buongiorno, buongiorno!

- What's your name?
- I'm warren.

- So what are you making for us?
- I'm making my version

Of a chicken piccata,
and I'm doing a purée

Of potatoes with garlic,
and I'm just star struck looking at you.

- [ laughter ] - no,
no. Take your time. Take a deep breath.

Roasted asparagus and
a lemon fennel vinaigrette.

So a classic italian dish. So,
piccata's dish

That definitely comes from
the baby boomer generation.

And who are these lovely ladies?

- This is the niece squad.
- The niece squad.

- Niece squad!
- Let me ask these ladies. Is this the real deal?

- Can he really cook?
- The real deal.

- He's our masterchef.
- They won't let me out of the kitchen.

- No.
- All right, well,

We'll look forward to seeing it.

- Good luck.
- All right.

- Nice to meet you.
- Thank you.

- Thank you.
- Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

- Chicken piccata.
- Some interesting things.

- Let's see.
- Yes. Fantastic.

- Warren: Time to plate.
- All right. Looks so good.

All: Four, three, two, one.

Okay, I gotta go.

I'm so glad that I'm
getting the opportunity

To cook in the
masterchef kitchen.

Even at 70, life doesn't stop
just because you've retired.

So I've put all the love I can
into my plate to get that apron.

- Welcome, welcome, welcome.
- Oh, my god.

Tell us your name,
and what's the dish, please?

I'm warren, I'm 70 years old.

I made a chicken piccata
with purée of mashed potatoes,

Pan-roasted asparagus,
and a lemon fennel vinaigrette.

- As a baby boomer, you look great for 70.
- You look great.

- Lidia? Seriously? I mean, he looks good.
- Yeah, absolutely.

When I was younger,
my body was a temple.

- Wow.
- Now it's the temple of doom.

- [ laughter ]
- shall we?

Okay, right.

Joe, please, visually?

It looks like that
kind of classic dish

You would expect from a boomer.

You got your veg,
you got your starch,

You got your protein.
It's very responsible.

- I hope it works for you.
- Okay.

- Interesting. Lidia?
- What I'm looking for is a little sauce.

It was drizzled on top.
There's no sauce underneath.

Oh, here it is. All right,
looks good.

- Thank you.
- Shall we dig in?

Ay-yi...

Right, warren, as you know,

You need three
yeses for an apron.

I love the smoothness
of that mashed potato.

- The chicken's cooked beautifully.
- Thank you.

The dish is good. I like you,
I like the energy,

And for 70 years of age,
you're quite rare.

I'm excited about you kicking
other generations up the backside.

- Mm-hmm?
- So it's a resounding yes.

- Oh, god.
- Aarón, please.

Yeah,
I just love the tenderness of the chicken.

I love the fluffiness
of the potatoes,

- And I know there's a lot more in you.
- Okay.

And I'm excited to see that. For me,
it's an absolute yes.

Two yeses. Uh, joe, please.

This is a well-conceptualized,

- Perfectly ex*cuted dish...
- My god.

- ...For children.
- Oh!

Wow.

This is a well-conceptualized,

- Perfectly ex*cuted dish...
- My god.

- ...For children.
- Oh!

This dish for me is too
simple. Unfortunately, it's a no.

Gordon: Wow. That's two yeses,
one no.

You need three yeses to
get your hands on that apron.

Lidia?

- Uh, the dish is good.
- Thank you.

Love the potatoes. But
you need a little bit of acidity.

Okay.

So, um, I'm going to say...

- [ crowd groans ]
- I tried.

I got it.

[ all cheering ]

[ laughing ]

I'm over the moon.

It just shows,
always try something new.

You're never too old to keep going on,
you know?

Watch the hair.
This is so cool! Yay!

- Warren!
- I cannot believe it.

- Yeah.
- You are going to be the next masterchef.

- I'm gonna try.
- Yay!

- Joe, it's good.
- What is the matter with you guys?

There's good techniques
here. There's a lot of potential!

Okay, you cook good techniques
for kids. This is "masterchef."

- No, no.
- Don't be a snob in front of your mother.

- Sorry, lidia.
- Aarón: Yeah.

Show some gratitude, young man.

- Aarón: Come on.
- I'm sorry, lidia.

- I created a little...
- Monster.

Lidia: I can handle.

Two aprons down, three to go.

- [ cheering ]
- go, brazil!

Easy-peasy, man! 'ey!

I was the automotive
industry for 36 years.

Time to cook? Never.

I'm a baby boomer
blooming in the kitchen now.

Age is just a number.

My name is horacio.
I'm originally from brazil.

Currently leaving in nashville,
the party place.

I'm 62 years old, going 63,

But in general I
don't feel my age.

Put me in the party,
I'm the first one to start to dance.

Oh!

But I get the right nowadays

To have a nap in the afternoon,
okay?

I love to cook brazilian food,

Which is rich in
flavor and color,

But I'm not very
much a picasso plater.

I am more like...

Whoo! Whoo!

Hardest part of this dish
is to blend the spices.

The flavors are not right,
it's gonna be just another stew.

All: Six, five, four,
three, two, one.

I nailed it!

What I'm nervous about,

The judges are
the top of the galaxy

In the culinary industry.

You have to nail it,
otherwise, you're done.

- Bienvenido, señor.
- Gracias, señor.

- All right.
- I am horacio.

Today I bring you one
of the most traditional

Historical dishes in brazil.

This is a moqueca with shrimp,
rice, and a lot of peppers.

- So, shall we?
- Okay, let's do it.

Enjoy.

Listen, visually,
it looks a little bit old fashioned.

The rice in the ring mold is very
evident of the baby boomers, right?

- From the '70s.
- Yeah.

Did you take the
skins off the peppers?

- No.
- It's so easy to remove the skin.

It improves the flavor
and the texture threefold.

No, but the peppers, if you're gonna take
off the skin, you give up the crunchiness.

- But who wants to eat crunchy peppers, really?
- Both: I do.

- I don't.
- Oh, okay.

- Shall we?
- Aarón and lidia: Yeah.

Gordon: What
seasoning did you use?

Basil, thyme, coriander,

Cumin, and then salt and pepper.

Aarón: All right, horacio,

You need three yeses
in order to get an apron.

- Lidia, you're up first.
- Lidia: All right.

The flavor is good,
and the shrimp is cooked to perfection.

- For me, it's a yes.
- Thank you so much.

Yeah, the basic flavor is good, but there's
a lot of details that are unattended to.

For me,
the peppers are incomplete.

The parsley cut is a
little bit amateurish.

So I'm gonna disagree
with my mother

And I am going to say no.

- Aarón, please.
- Aarón: Yeah, this is loaded with flavor.

You chose a huge
array of spices,

But not one is
dominating the other.

So that leads me to believe that
you know how to balance flavor.

- So for that reason, it's a yes.
- Thank you.

So what have so far is one no,
two yeses,

And it's left in the hands
of chef gordon ramsey.

Gordon: Listen,
the shrimp are cooked beautifully.

- Rice is delicious.
- Thank you.

But I just nice the spices to
cook out so they're just not so raw.

I think you're a very
passionate home cook.

- But can I teach an old dog new tricks?
- Absolutely.

Please.

I think you're a very
passionate home cook.

- But can I teach an old dog new tricks?
- Absolutely.

Please.

I like your confidence.

It's a yes.

[ gasping ]

- Thank you so much.
- Aarón: Good job, horacio.

- All right, horacio.
- Congratulations.

- This is unbelievable. Thank you so much. Thank you.
- Congratulations.

Horacio: This is unbelievable.

I am ready to kick all the
other generations out of here.

I'm gonna walk through and...

Joey,
really? Seriously? Skin on a pepper?

- Absolutely.
- What's happened to you?

If you like crunch,
you leave the skin on.

It's not about crunch. It's just
the right way to eat a pepper.

Wow. Okay.

Three aprons down, two to go.

[ all cheering ]

I am super excited! Look at me!

I'm a boomer that
knows how to cook!

Everyone thinks that a baby
boomer needs to cook very unhealthy.

A lot of creams,
a lot of butters.

But I don't live like that.

My name is chris,
and my friends call me geags.

I'm 60 years old, and I'm very,
very into health and fitness.

When I was growing up,
I played baseball and hockey and football,

And I have been a personal
trainer for over 30 years.

I eat very healthy, and I'm not a
typical baby boomer type of cook.

Awesome.

- [ all cheering ]
- hey!

Whoo!

- Good evening. How are you?
- Hi, chef.

- Your name, sir?
- Hi, chef. Chris geagon.

- They call me geags.
- Both: Geags!

- Geags. I'm a personal trainer.
- You look fantastic.

- I'm 60 years old.
- Out of two judges,

- Which one spends the most time in the gym?
- You know something?

I think we should try some push-ups,
and we'll know then.

All right, you go for it,
gordon. I'll see you soon.

- Come on, man. Come on.
- Wait a minute. You gotta warm up.

- We gotta warm up first.
- Ready?

- Right. Great. Love that.
- Do ten.

- Ten, yeah. You okay?
- Yeah.

Medic, medic!

- Yes! Yes!
- Four, three, two, one.

All right, ready? Here we go.

- Okay!
- Come on! Ready? Go!

[ grunting ]

- Pick it up. Ready?
- [ grunting ]

- You okay?
- [ laughing ]

- Whoo-ee!
- Right.

Come on, gordon,
put your coat back on.

Man,
tell me about the dish. Where are we going?

I love the fact that
you're cooking the salmon

- Skin side down.
- Gonna do some sautéed spinach

- And some jasmine rice.
- Love that.

- Love that.
- So, healthy.

Yes. You've got
literally minutes to go.

Don't forget to
season the salmon.

- Good luck.
- Thank you.

Thanks, gordon. Hey,
I'm hurting right now.

[ gordon laughs ]

Yeah!

This is like the greatest
time of my life right now,

And I just feel like
I got the energy

To win this whole competition.

All: Five, four,
three, two, one.

This dish does represent

Who I am and what I'm all about.

To be honest,
that's what I'm nervous about.

Did I make this
dish too healthy?

My name's chris,
they call me geags,

And the dish is
pan-seared salmon

With a mango chutney,

And sautéed spinach
over jasmine rice.

Right,
shall we take a look at this salmon dish?

Okay.

Visually, it looks simple.

So how long did you
cook the salmon for?

Geags: About eight minutes.

- What seasoning did you use?
- Salt and pepper, chef.

Okay. It looks good.

- Listen, the salmon's cooked beautifully.
- Thank you, chef.

Problem I've got is there's
no seasoning on there.

Lots of pepper, but no salt.

Rice is also under-seasoned.

- Being so healthy sometimes...
- Yeah.

...I tend to under-spice
with the sodium.

No, look, I mean, there's ways of
making healthy food very delicious.

With that being said,
everything's technically sound.

- Thank you, chef.
- The mango and the salmon are good enough taste for me

Where it's gonna
make me remember it,

And the cook on the salmon

Gives me enough
confidence to say yes.

- Thank you, chef.
- I'm gonna be honest,

I don't like the dish
because it's too simple.

And for that reason,
it's a no from me.

- Lidia?
- I would say, um,

- I like it.
- Thank you.

There's good elements.
I like the flavoring.

And you brought it
sort of from the boomers

Into more contemporary
just by the mango chutney.

- So I will say yes.
- Thank you, chef.

That's two yeses, one no.

Your fate lies in joe's hands. Joe,
please.

Hmm.

So this dish,
I think it's a lot like you.

It's kind of honest. Clean eating,
obviously.

So the question becomes
then is this dish just simply bland

Or is it simply
perfect for what it is?

I promise you,
I won't let you down.

So this dish,
I think it's a lot like you.

It's kind of honest. Clean eating,
obviously. You look good for your age.

So the question becomes
then is this dish just simply bland

Or is it simply
perfect for what it is?

I promise you. I
won't let you down.

I won't let you down either.

- It's a yes for me.
- Yes.

- Happy?
- Ecstatic.

Go out there and
do 100 push-ups.

- [ laughs ]
- it looks good on you.

[ music playing ]

[ all cheering ]

I got an apron.

I'm gonna be moving
mountains to show chef ramsay

That this new England man
can cook some good food.

You better watch out.

All you, buddy. All you.

Boomers are the best
generation because

We've got life skills,
and we've seen it all,

And we've learned from
human beings and not the phone.

- You got this.
- Woohoo!

- Well, hello there!
- It looks like we got a cowboy here.

Yes, sir! My real name's alan,
but everyone calls me cowboy al.

- Cowboy al.
- Hi.

- Ma'am.
- How you doing?

Pleasure to meet you.

What are you making?

I'm doing a roast venison

With a cumberland sauce,

Heirloom tomatoes, asparagus,

And whipped mashed potatoes.

Now venison can be very tricky,
right?

'cause if you overcook it,
it's kind of mealy and iron-y.

- Leather.
- You know the risk you're taking here, right?

- Yes, sir.
- When you cook, you use all of your senses.

I smell something. Is that
okay? Do you smell-- is it over?

- What, you think it's burnt? Turn that over.
- Yes, ma'am.

- You burned the venison. See?
- You've gotta use your nose.

- Use all your senses.
- She knows. There's always another piece, cowboy.

You got enough to rustle
up another venison loin.

- Do it right.
- Yeah, man.

Al: I'm gonna do another one.

- All right.
- Yeah.

Al: I'm behind schedule now.

- Giddy up, and go get 'em, cowboy.
- Okay.

- All right.
- Thank you.

You got it. Yeah.

[ all cheering ]

Al: What's my time?

Eight minutes? What the heck?

Okay.

Come on, buddy. Come on,
al, you can do this.

Just get it on the plate.

- Let's go. Chop, chop.
- Al: All right.

All: Five, four,
three, two, one.

Where's my asparagus?

Aww!

[ bleep ]

It's all right. Whoo!

I had to start my venison over,

But of the farm, they say,

"suck it up, buttercup."

And it turned out excellent.

Welcome.

My name's cowboy al.

Today I've prepared for you

A roast venison with
mashed potatoes,

Sautéed mushrooms,
and heirloom tomatoes.

It's time to taste.
What do you say?

- Lidia: Oh, boy. Let's do it.
- Gordon: Yes!

- Joe: Visuals, gordon?
- The venison looks good.

I love the sear on it,
but I'm a little bit confused.

You've sort of piped those
potatoes like little chocolate kisses.

And then the sliced
raw tomatoes...

- Yes.
- ...It's not the kind of thing

You serve with
a loin of venison.

Um...

No, sir.

So the cook of the venison,
cowboy al,

- What have we gone for?
- I've gone for rare.

- Medium rare.
- Yeah.

Joe: All right, cowboy al,

You need three yeses
to receive the apron.

- Lidia, what do you think?
- The venison is cooked nice.

You know, for me, let me tell you,
I love my tomatoes, but they don't go.

So that's an off-put
for me right away.

The rest,
I would like a little more flavor.

- Joe: Yeah.
- So, for me it's a no. I'm sorry.

Cowboy al, look, I'm from texas,

So I appreciate a cowboy
more than anybody.

But when it comes
down to pure cooking,

I think your lack of experience in
the kitchen is really showing here.

You've made some meat and potatoes
with some very lackluster mushrooms.

There's just enough here,
so I'm saying no.

Unfortunately,
that's two nos. I'm sorry about that.

- Lidia: Thank you.
- Take care.

- All right.
- Take care.

[ music playing ]

Eh!

- Nothing!
- I'm so proud of you.

I really wanted this apron.

And of course it's a
major disappointment,

But isn't the last you've
seen of cowboy al.

So "ma'am" to all the ladies

And "yah-hee!" to
all the gentlemen.

- What a shame.
- Yeah, poor thing.

Joe: It looks like it was
plated off buffet line.

- It's just not the level we're looking for.
- Yeah.

- I feel bad.
- Why do you feel bad?

- What's happened to you?
- He feels for people.

- I'm a latin romantic.
- Keep on being sensible.

- [ muttering ]
- gordon: Oh, my god.

[ cheering ]

Chris, you got it. Yes!

Oh, man, boomers, rock. I mean,
are you kidding me?

We rule the world.

I'm christopher. I'm 59.

I'm just so proud to
represent my generation.

And then have the judges
and gordon taste my food,

I'm terrified,
but I'm looking forward to it.

Christopher: My journey
to the masterchef kitchen

Took a big bump about a year ago

When I was diagnosed
with prostate cancer.

I had to go through
six months of chemo,

But I got my hair back,
so I got my confidence back.

I'm back, baby. Yeah,
this is all about

All kinds of new beginnings,
so it's very special.

[ all cheering ]

Uh-oh. Here we go.

Let's go. It smells good!

- Whoo!
- Welcome. First name?

- Thank you. Christopher.
- Christopher. Good to see you.

- Nice to meet you, señor.
- Nice to meet you.

Welcome. As a baby boomer,
what's so special

About this dish,
and what are you doing?

I'm doing a japanese
fried chicken

And a special rice
that's also japanese

With root vegetables
and shiitake mushrooms.

I'm half japanese.
I was born in japan.

I love the culture.
I love the people.

- I love thank you.
- Would you mind explaining who's with you tonight?

- So I met this man a year ago.
- A year ago?

- His name's rod.
- Rod.

- He's my birth father.
- Birth father?

- Yes. I was in japan when I was in the service.
- Wow.

About a year ago,
my other son found him on 23andme.

- That's amazing.
- So to be able to connect at this time...

- With your son.
- ...It's the most emotional thing that's ever happened.

Congratulations.
And what does it mean

To be here tonight
competing in "masterchef"?

It's surreal. Meeting
you guys is amazing.

- You look much different.
- [ laughter ]

I look much
different? In what way?

You're much
better-looking in person.

Oh, in person? Well,
thank you. This sounds amazing.

- Let's do this justice, okay?
- Absolutely. That's the dream.

- Thank you.
- Thank you so much.

- Oh, how beautiful.
- Oh, my gosh.

Growing up,
I knew who my natural mom was,

But just out of respect
for my adoptive parents,

I never looked for my bio dad.

And the fact that I'm gonna
actually have my dad cheering me on,

I'm just so grateful
to be here today

And be able to
have this opportunity.

That looks so good.

All: Five, four,
three, two, one.

My dish today is
all about my roots

And new beginnings.

Most people don't
get this opportunity,

And I can't wait to show
those guys what I can do.

Welcome, sir.

My gosh.

I'm christopher,
and I've made you a chicken karaage,

Which is a japanese fried
chicken with a yuzu mayo,

- Gomoku rice, and then some pickled red dragon fruit.
- Love that.

- Shall we? Wow.
- Okay.

Visually, it looks traditional.

I love the color of
that fried chicken.

It looks crisp. That takes
me right back to japan.

And the lemon slices just
confirm that you're a baby boomer.

Joe: Should we try it?

Oh, my gosh.

Christopher, you're gonna need
three yeses in order to garner an apron.

- Um, joe?
- Look, I found it to be very, very fulfilling.

I love the crispiness of the chicken,
the richness of the rice.

It's comfort food
that I want to eat.

- So for me, it's easy. It's a big yes.
- Thank you, joe.

Well, I love the rice. I think the rice
could be almost the meal by itself.

- Thank you.
- And the chicken might be a little bit on the bland side.

But crispy and nice
acidity. I enjoyed the dish.

- For me as well, it's a yes.
- I love the bastianiches.

All right, so we have two yeses.

You need one more yes to
garner that incredible apron.

- Gordon?
- Oh, it's a tough one.

Um, listen,
the chicken's crispy.

I'm so glad you used the thigh.

It does need more seasoning,
by the way.

But the rice is delicious.

I've got so much
respect for you,

But the competition
this year is off the charts.

Um, just give a moment,
will you, please?

Excuse me.

- Where's he going?
- [ applause ]

That's a tough one right there.

- Did you taste the dish?
- No.

Chicken's a little
bit under-seasoned,

But the potential
is definitely there.

However,
this is a very tough competition.

This is too much.

Christopher.

Uh, two secs, please.

[ sighs ]

Um, listen,
the dish has got potential,

But the standards this year
are higher than ever before.

- So I've got news for you...
- Yes, sir.

...But it's not coming from me.

[ all cheering ]

Well done.

Congratulations.

Amazing.

If I could describe
this day in one word,

It would be "unbelievable."

Well done. Amazing.

- What happened?
- He convinced you?

- You got him? Aww, man!
- Yes. He's got it.

- Good for you.
- The rice was delicious, by the way.

- The rice was very good.
- I actually preferred the rice over the chicken.

- I like it all.
- Yeah.

I don't know why I'm--

Just, like,
there's just so much going on.

My gosh. This is real.

To new beginnings.

Lidia, what an amazing night.

- Yes.
- Thanks, guys.

- Thank you so much, my darling.
- Thank you.

You know,
I think that the winner might just be

- From the baby boomer generation.
- Wow.

- So be prepared for that.
- Uh-oh.

Gordon: Next time on
"masterchef: Generations"...

Cooking tonight is gen z,
ladies and gentlemen!

- Let's go!
- ...The audition rounds continue...

Please welcome nick digiovanni.

This isn't online anymore. This is
not on your phone. This is real life.

...As gen z battles it
out for a white apron.

To the other generations,
I wanna say I love you, but watch out.

Everything I make, I make for
the camera first and myself second.

- Is it giving chef?
- It's giving chef.

All those flavors are there.
There's no two ways about that.

I think there's so much
more to come from you.

The lamb is the
star of this dish.

Those indian spices that you have in there,
delicious.

There's just some
amateur moves here

That don't give me
a lot of confidence.

Maybe this is just so gen z

That I don't get it.