13x07 - Trial by Fire: Field Challenge

[bunniefuu]

Gordon: Previously
on "masterchef,"

It was the first mystery
box of the season.

Apples! Kyle, you get to pick

- What region cooks sweet or savory.
- I'm powerful.

Dessert's definitely
not in my wheelhouse.

Did you put salt instead
of sugar on them?

- I've got my bags packed.
- I made an apple spice cake.

The cake's delicious. Congratulations,
jennifer.

- Oh.
- Oh, my--

- I owe jennifer one.
- You'd definitely be the one going home tonight.

Richie: I made apple
spice homecakes.

These things have
the density of a rock.

- Gordon: You've cremated the scallops.
- This is wrong.

The home cook leaving the
masterchef kitchen is richie.

- Tonight...
- Oh!

...The first team challenge of
the season kicks off with a bang.

Today all of you will
cook for firefighters.

And you, jennifer,
will decide which regions are teaming up.

We want to pair
up with the midwest.

Do you think that's
a good decision?

We're two people down,
so we gotta communicate.

- Here they come, guys.
- How long? Tell me how long.

- Two minutes.
- We don't have two minutes.

Everything cooked
to your liking?

- It's completely raw.
- Gordon: That's terrible.

- I want them done perfectly.
- Okay.

- Gordon: Raw new york strip.
- We're out of potatoes.

- We're gonna burn 'em.
- Gordon: How is this still happening?

This is the first time we've never
served an entire dining room.

- This is embarrassing.
- I want to die.

- I see firefighters.
- All right.

Well, kyle,
I think I know who we're cooking for today.

- Yeah!
- Sarah: I am excited to be

Outside the masterchef kitchen
because it's a beautiful day.

But typically when
you leave the kitchen

It's some sort of
team challenge.

So I think we're
all just very curious

About what's gonna happen next.

I wanna see something on fire.

- That would be awesome.
- Right?

damn! That's crazy!

Yes! Fire!

Oh, my god! We on "911."

What is happening?
This is fantastic.

- Oh, my god!
- Oh!

- Oh, my god!
- Oh, my god.

wow. There's more.

We need somebody
to put this fire out.

fire truck coming.

We got two of 'em!

- Yeah, let's go!
- Whoo!

Oh, oh, oh! Here it goes!

- Yeah!
- Let's go, let's go!

- Whoo!
- I know. That's hot.

- Yeah, it's hot.
- Whoo!

You put that fire out, baby!

Oh, this is, like,
my ultimate dream come true.

Aah! Holy crap!

Yes!

I love firefighters.

That was some michael bay.

- Definitely.
- That was so cool!

- Whoo!
- There it is!

- You guys rock!
- Thank you!

- Oh, my god.
- Yeah!

Yeah!

Thank you. Thank you very much.

All right!

- Whoa!
- Ooh-whee!

- Looking smooth, chef.
- Whoo!

Welcome, all of you,
to your very first

"masterchef: United tastes
of america" field challenge.

This is ventura
county fire academy,

The premiere
fire training center

For all of southern california.

- All: Wow.
- Awesome.

And what you've just seen is
an incredible training exercise

That these men and women do
on a daily basis to keep us all safe.

- That is so dope!
- Respect.

So today,
all of you will cook a phenomenal lunch

For 101 firefighters and
other emergency personnel.

- Yeah.
- Whoo!

You will be cooking in two
teams with two regions per team.

- Yes!
- The winning team will be safe from elimination today.

But if you're on the losing team,
you could be going home.

- We gotta do this, south.
- Now, jennifer, you won our last challenge,

So you are safe
from elimination,

And you've also got
a big advantage today.

We need to make two teams,
and you, jennifer,

Will decide which
regions are teaming up.

- Got it.
- Jennifer, huddle up with the south

And decide which other region
you will be teaming up with.

Okay, come on,
bring it in. What do you think?

- The northeast.
- I say midwest.

The northeast has
some very talented cooks.

You have nina, who has been
in the top four of the competition.

You have ryan,
who's so good on a grill.

The west has james,
who was in the top four.

They have kennedy,
who's also been in the top four.

I think the midwest
is the strongest

And we could put both
juggernauts together.

And the midwest still
has five people left,

With heavy hitters on
the grill like grant and kyle.

- Everybody, stand behind me.
- Yes, ma'am.

This is a very
difficult decision

Because someone
could get eliminated today.

So there's a lot here at stake.

Right, jennifer, decision time.

We want to pair
up with the midwest.

We know that they have
strength when it comes to the grill,

And so I feel like
together as a team

We're going to
win this challenge.

Here we go.

South and midwest,
you guys are the red team.

- Thank you, aarón.
- Here you go.

Which means the west and
the northeast are the blue team.

Jennifer gave herself
the upper hand.

The red team is fully stacked.

They have ten cooks,
very strong cooks.

The blue team,
we're down to eight,

So I'm a little nervous
about that dynamic today.

So now we need
some team captains.

Deciding to be a team captain
is an extremely strategic decision.

You could carry
your team to victory

Or you could go down in flames.

- Talk it out. Let's go.
- Circle up.

Hey, guys, I'd like to lead,
if that's okay with you all.

- You got it.
- It's gotta be brynn.

Yeah,
it has to be brynn. The most vocal.

- Yeah.
- Go, red!

Yep. All right. Whoo!

Reagan, tell me who you've
nominated as a captain and why.

It was unanimous. We
want jennifer to lead us.

She is a mom of six people.
She can definitely do this.

- Yes.
- Lizzie, captain is who and why?

The captain is brynn.
She has a voice.

She's not afraid to call us out.
I'm excited she's the captain.

Love that. Jennifer,
why step up to be the captain today?

I manage a busy household,
so I'm wanna take that leadership skill

And apply it to the
team. I'm ready to go.

Love that. Brynn, these esteemed
guests want something stunning.

Can you deliver that
from the blue team?

I can do that. I can
keep standards up.

We just need to give
'em the best we've got,

And I think we're all
invested in doing that.

Okay, you will have 75 minutes

To cook before
our guests arrive.

We wanna make sure that everything
is cooked to the masterchef standard,

So we wanna see a sample
plate in about half an hour.

- We can do this.
- Best of luck. Your time starts now.

- Off you go.
- These are not my running boots.

- Yeah!
- Let's go, guys!

- Let's go! Come on, red!
- Go, red!

- Let's go, red!
- Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Okay, guys, a few group norms. One,
don't talk over each other.

Two, let's be respectful.
I want everyone to shine.

I want everyone to
voice your opinions.

- What are we thinking?
- Bacon potatoes.

Coming from iowa,
I gotta put pork in there.

- New york!
- New york strip.

- We gotta do steaks.
- All right, so raise your hand

If we're good with the
new york steak. Got it.

- Good.
- Let's do it. Let's do it.

We have a lot of big personalities
in the south and in the midwest.

I'm thinking red wine
balsamic reduction,

Garlic, shallots,
stuff like that for the steak.

I actually think there's room for a bright,
acidic chimichurri.

- Let's make it a garlic white wine sauce.
- No.

It's red meat. You can't have
white wine with a steak, yeah.

But I want everyone to
feel like they're being heard.

Who cooks a really good potato?

I'm really,
really good at doing mashed potatoes.

I don't know though. Do
we need you on the grill?

If you want me on the grill,
I can be on the grill.

We got some good
grillers in the house though.

We got kendal, we got kyle.

I just hope they can come
together and follow my lead.

Okay, everyone,
we win together, we fail together.

So if you need someone else on your job,
tell it like it is in the south.

You holler, and I'll be coming!

All right, we're looking at proteins.
What are we thinking, guys?

If I know anything
about the south,

They're gonna stick
to potatoes and steak.

They're gonna
stick to the basics.

We don't need nothing basic.

These are the firemen,
so let's give them something hearty.

- Pork chop.
- Pork chop. You wanna do that?

I think that's great for flavor,
and that's what you're here for.

Since we're doing a firefighter challenge,
we should really bring the heat.

We should do a corn poblano
and a black-eyed pea salad.

So we do need
one more vegetable.

- Let's look at the cabbage.
- I mean, a slaw is just a go-to.

We have a lot of
flavor happening.

- We have eight people.
- Facts.

We're picking too many things.

We gotta have a simpler plate,
and we gotta nail it.

Listen, the biggest thing-- we're two
people down, so we gotta communicate.

- Sometimes less is more, you feel me?
- Exactly.

- Are we in?
- Let's go, blue team.

- Go!
- Go, blue team!

Go red!

We're just taking this
whole thing. Is that okay?

- Yeah.
- I'm gonna start peeling avocados for you.

So, kolby,
biggest thing on these potatoes

Is that you have several
pots going at once, okay?

- Right, yes.
- Listen, first big challenge.

- Yep.
- They're not in the comfort

Of the beautiful
masterchef kitchen.

- The wind is blowing bad.
- They've never done anything like this,

Cooking for 101 firefighters.

Joe: I think this is our chance
to really see them in action,

See who can really talk the talk

And who can
really walk the walk.

Hey, guys,
go bigger than you think on our portions!

Let's talk about jennifer's position and
the fact that she had the immunity pin.

She's also the captain, so irrespective
of what the outcome is today,

- She's not going home.
- I was really surprised

That she nominated herself
to be captain of the team.

Gordon: Honestly,
I think she really wants to gain

Another advantage
in the next challenge.

Yeah, that might be her tactic.

Let's go, red! Let's go!

Hey, md, let's try and
keep it light on the rosemary.

I think it's a good flavor,
but I don't want it to overpower.

- Md: I agree.
- Gordon: So, blue team, are we surprised

With the choice of
brynn as a captain?

I think brynn is one of
the most creative cooks.

- I think she's fearless.
- Joe: Brynn is a person who has spent time in restaurants,

In both the front and
the back of the house.

I think that gives her a
bit of an advantage today.

- Brynn, you're so smart and talented.
- Stop, stop.

- I love you guys.
- Joe: She's got a smaller crew to run.

I'm looking at this
challenge now,

I'm thinking maybe I'd
rather have eight than ten.

Gordon: I'd rather have a smaller
brigade and more powerful cooks.

It's not about staying in your lane
today. It's about owning your lane.

I'd rather have
a bigger brigade.

If someone goes down,
you have somebody watching

- That can potentially step in.
- Jennifer: How we doing, team?

We're doing good. We're doing
good. About to stretch the bread.

I'm about to put our first
pot of potatoes boiling.

- These pork chops are gonna take a while to cook.
- Okay.

So then we gonna have
to start getting them on.

Yeah,
I'm taking the rest out of the fridge.

Captain or no captain,
we know in this challenge

That the grillmaster drives the pace,
right?

Gordon: Yeah,
they've got these amazing grills,

And these things are absolutely up to 450,


You're talking about
a massive six-foot grill

Which you have to season,
caramelize, cook,

And then the big thing is you
have to hold these to temperature

And serve them while they're
still hot and flavorful. Very difficult.

Hot,
hot. Reagan hot. Whoo! That wind!

The wind, you know, is absolutely
gonna make that so much more intense.

They can't control the wind,
they can't control the power of that grill.

- Absolutely.
- Yep.

I cook outside all the time,
but I live in the woods.

So to be in an
open space like this

With this amount of wind

Is not something
I was ready for.

Right now I'm
thinking 35 minutes.

- Per-- - yeah,
these things are thick.

If we go lower than that,
we're gonna burn 'em.

The heat on that
argentinean grill,

You can't really slow-cook them

The way you want
to without burning.

You gotta cook those through.

They're about
four inches thick,

And pork is something
that you cannot be under.

You don't have the ability to serve
rare pork like you do with steak.

So it's definitely something
to be worried about.

We're checking every pork
chop that comes out of here

- With that probe.
- Yeah, definitely.

Every single one.

Is it is light-years
easier to cook 100 steaks

Than 100 pork chops
at this thickness.

Gordon: Red team, blue team, wanna see
those example dishes in 15 minutes from now.

I'm starting to think going with the
pork chops might be a huge mistake.

Gordon: Red team, blue team, wanna see
those example dishes in 15 minutes from now.


let's get in there, shall we?

- Joe: Let's go.
- Let's go.

Blue team, brynn,
give me an insight.

- What are we doing?
- We are doing pork chops.

For our sides, we are doing black-eyed
peas with roasted poblano and corn.

- Gordon: Good.
- And then we are doing a crispy slaw with apple celery

And red cabbage so there's
something a little fresh on the plate.

- Gordon: Love that.
- And then we're doing

A cornbread with
a little honey on top.

Gotcha, and then the sauce,
how are we gonna lift this thing?

- What are we doing with that?
- It's an avocado crema sauce.

We're getting a lot of
heat on the pork chops,

So we something a little
bright and refreshing to go on it.

Smart. How are we
gonna divide this?

Because there's eight
of you in this blue team.

- Right.
- Who's on the grills?

Well, I have ryan and james.

And then probably nina.

She also is fantastic
with cooking with fire.

We're gonna have md
and lizzie with me up here

Plating and wiping, and probably
have purvi helping me grab stuff

- From the back if they need it.
- Yeah. Um, 101 protein.

- Yep. Yeah.
- Tall order, yeah? Super easy to dry out.

Super easy to undercook. So just make
sure that you got the timing set on that.

Every 10 or 15 minutes, check in,
make sure everyone's on the same page.

- Yeah, thank you so much.
- Thank you.

What's going on
with this pork here?

I'm seasoning it and
moving over to tray to temp.

Just sat in the sun like that,
not smart.

If you're gonna season them,
get them in the fridge.

- Yes, chef.
- Okay, so yeah.

Yes,
chef. They're taking a little longer

Than a half hour to cook right now,
so--

- Just be smart with each other, please, yes?
- Appreciate that.

Aarón: Jennifer,
talk to us a little bit about the dish.

- Come on, we need some intel.
- Absolutely.

We are doing a new york strip.

We've got a chimichurri
that will pair with that.

We've got creamy
beautiful potatoes.

And then we have a roasted
carrot with a beautiful glaze.

Jennifer,
how is this steak supposed to be cooked?

- We're gonna do medium rare.
- Yep.

- And you're gonna let it rest, right?
- Yes.

- Remember that.
- Thank you. Thank you, chef.

- We're there. Appreciate it.
- All right.

Joe: Ooh-la-la.

Yeah, it is muy caliente.

Aarón: So here's the deal.
You guys are from the south.

- I'm expecting big flavors.
- Yes, sir.

No offense on the midwest,
but we got the seasoning

- Down in the south, right?
- Yes, chef.

I think you're really
going to enjoy it.

Well, that's being bold,
and I like that. Thank you.

Let's go, mid-southwest.

Joe: Okay,
we're getting ready to taste, guys.

Right here.

Joe: Bring the components
of this dish together.

Brynn: Gentlemen,
do you have a pork chop that I can have?

I can take it off now. It's
not gonna be fully cooked.

Well,
how long till it's fully cooked?

So just 45 minutes until
those diners come in.

Blue team, they've gone down
the beautiful pork chop route.

- Aarón: Nice.
- Joe: Ryan only has one pork chop on now.

What's gonna be like
when he's got 40 on?

- Exactly.
- We're good, brynn.

- You're good? You're sure?
- I'm at 150.

- Okay, yeah.
- More salt, right?

- More salt and pepper.
- More pepper, okay?

Joe: So the red team has
this new york strip steak

With mashed potatoes
and a chimichurri.

But mashed potatoes? Did you
expect mashed potatoes in this today?

They're definitely going
more the traditional route.

We'll see if it comes together.

Do me one swoop. Okay.

Shall we, guys?

Blue team! Brynn, please.

So just give us a description of the dish,
please.

Sure. So we have an
ancho-rubbed pork chop

With an avocado crema,
a citrus slaw,

Black-eyed pea and roasted corn salad,
and then a cornbread muffin.

- Gordon: Ryan cooked this?
- Ryan did cook this.

- Joe: This pork chop's over-seared.
- Heard.

Slightly burned. What was the
temperature that was cooked to?

He said 150. I think
we could go a little less.

It's all in the resting. Get it to


The crema's a great idea, but sitting
underneath and it just goes into this sort of...

I know. But I also
don't wanna put it on top

- And have it melt all over everything.
- Listen to me.

Just slow down and
listen. I'm trying to help you.

- Sure.
- Just go on the side.

That felt sloppy to me,
but I'm happy to do that.

Into the bottle, pipe on the side,
and it stays there on its own.

Aarón: And I don't think
it's gonna look sloppy, brynn.

- Not at all.
- Okay, heard.

This pork chop, in my opinion,
is a bit dry and overcooked already for me.

- Okay.
- Gordon: Yeah, I think this dish has great potential.

I think the crema's
a great idea.

It lightens up the richness.
Black-eyed peas, delicious.

Slaw nice. A little
bit finer on the cut.

It just needs to come together.
It just feels a bit fragmented.

- Okay.
- Yeah?

Ryan really has your
destiny in his hands.

Cooking this pork chop is gonna be very,
very difficult.

- So you might wanna really watch that.
- Brynn: Okay.

Gordon: It's got the
makings of a good dish.

Get your team together
and dictate what you need.

Okay? You're the captain. Prove it,
yes?

- Thank you so much, chefs.
- Good luck.

The pork chop I'm
definitely worried about.

The cook hasn't come out right.

You know this one
was a little charred?

It needs to come off
about ten degrees earlier.

- Okay. Perfect.
- So that it's resting, 'cause this was too overdone.

- So, pull 140. Okay, got it.
- I would pull at 130, 135.

Everything else is okay. I need to
work on some plating issues a little bit.

The crema, we love. We're gonna
get it in a piping bag or squeeze bottles

- And just hit it on the side at the end.
- Okay.

We're gonna find
you a mandoline.

Everything was delicious. They just
want the cut to be more professional.

All manageable. Everybody
else had it under control.

- Fantastic.
- Jennifer: Let's go, south!

Let's go,
"mid-rest!" let's go, red!

I heard how hard it was for you to say,
"let's go, midwest,"

And I appreciate you
getting that out of your mouth.

Jennifer: Oh, no,
we are all team red today!

Okay,
jennifer. Two dishes. Smart.

- One sliced and one not sliced.
- Gordon: Slicing that for 101?

- That's 750 slices. Forget it.
- Jennifer: Yes. Yes.

So just give us a description of the dish,
please.

Jennifer: So we
have a new york strip.

We have a chimichurri
sauce on the side.

We have glazed carrots.

We have a creamy
yukon gold mashed potato

Along with a compound butter.

- Gordon: A smear of mashed potato, you know...
- Joe: Yeah.

Gordon: ...For a firefighter?
You're over-finessing it

As opposed to the rustic charm.

The cook on the
steak is beautiful,

But the mash,
it just looks lumpy as anything.

Joe: This mash is not
only lumpy. It's raw.

Who is responsible
for the raw potatoes?

Grant is on the potatoes. It
was a very quick turnaround.

No, no. Look, look, look. So,
it's not a quick turnaround.

That's 44 minutes. The
mashed potato's undercooked.

So you have to be
real with your team.

- Don't blow smoke up their a*s.
- Absolutely.

Serving you undercooked mashed
potatoes is not good enough.

- Absolutely. Yes, chef.
- Okay.

- The mashed potatoes are shocking.
- Aarón: Yeah.

I have to say, jennifer,
just between you,

It's disconcerting that you would
even serve us the mashed potatoes.

- You didn't taste them?
- No, no, I tasted the mashed potatoes.

And you didn't
think they were raw?

Yes, I knew that they were not perfect,
chef.

And you still decided
to serve them to us?

- I wanted to give you-- - you
think that's a good decision?

- It looks like it wasn't.
- Oh, my gosh.

The mashed
potatoes are shocking.

Serving undercooked mashed
potatoes is not good enough, okay?

- Absolutely. Yes, chef.
- Aarón: Yeah.

- Zero seasoning.
- You didn't taste them?

Yes,
I knew that they were not perfect.

And you still decided
to serve them to us?

I wanted to give
you a full picture--

You think that's
a good decision?

- It looks like it wasn't.
- Gordon: No.

You don't put a smear of
undercooked mashed potatoes

On the table. You
know this stuff,

- But that's substandard.
- Okay.

Half the amount of chimichurri
and you're good, okay?

Gordon: Have a meeting with
your team. Be straight with them.

- Do that now. Thank you.
- Yes. I will take care of this.

- Great cook on the steak.
- Thank you for your feedback.

Everybody, pause! Team meeting.

Grant,
the potatoes were undercooked.

They have to be
absolute perfection.

- They need to be smoother, okay?
- I hear ya.

The fact that these
potatoes are the worst part

Of the dish right now
just pisses me off.

- We have to get this right, okay?
- Yes, ma'am.

I don't wanna use the
elements as an excuse,

But these winds
are howling at us,

And I'm not able to get
any water boiling right now.

I haven't had a chance to get
anything up to cooking time.

- Are they cut real tiny?
- They're cut very tiny.

If I don't get these
potatoes fixed soon,

I don't know that the
red team's gonna win,

And that's gonna
be all my fault.

Grant? What if we
remove some of that water?

That's what's been trying
to do the whole time, yeah.

Red team, blue team,


Brynn,
two bottles would be good?

- As much as you can. We have to do 100 plates.
- Okay.

We still got a whole load of chops
we need to salt, pepper, and oil.

So, blue team, I thought ryan would
know how to nail those pork chops, but--

He has all these
probes in the pork chops

As he's not even confident about touching
the meat and understanding the cook.

- Joe: You don't probe every steak.
- Never.

You probe one, you touch it,
you see how it feels,

Then you know the
other ones feel the same.

You know the
temperature they're at.

so, the red team,

Cook on the steak was
great. Hats off to kyle.

- Great job. Great job.
- We got this. We got this.

Great job, team! Great job, red!

I think grant did a major
disservice to his whole team

By putting up mashed
potatoes that were raw.

That's a no-no. You just say,

"I don't have 'em yet.
They're not done yet."

I'm gonna try to do it shallow.
Try to get this up to heat,

- And just get as many potatoes in as I can.
- Okay.

All right, friends,
how's the bread looking?

Good job. Sarah
deserves the credit.

- Good job, friend!
- Whoo!

Jennifer's a good figurehead,

And I think she
represents the dish well,

But I think she's not holding
each person accountable.

But also jennifer's accepting
their standards, not hers.

- And I think she wants to be everyone's friend.
- Yeah, that's right.

I'd rather have
no friends and win.

- Exactly.
- Absolutely.

- Yeah, red team!
- Let's go, red!

Red team, blue team,
five minutes until our firefighters arrive!

Here they come, guys.

Guys,
here come our guests! Let's push!

Hey!

Fire truck coming through!

- Yeah!
- Yeah!

Let's go,
let's go! How we doing?

Seeing all the firefighters and their
family come through is a little surreal.

It just gives you an idea
of just how much food

You're about to prepare
in a short amount of time.

Yeah,
y'all gonna get full off of this!

Ryan: As far as me
and james up on the grill,

I think we'll be okay,
but I'm just worried

About the cook
times on these chops.

James: Y'all better eat all this,
okay?

- Good to see you.
- Thank you so much, guys.

- Gordon: Likewise. Enjoy.
- Appreciate it.

- I'm gonna taste them while you do that.
- Please.

- They definitely don't have
enough salt in them yet, so-- - no.

Okay, red team, blue team,
we're starting to serve!

- Let's go, y'all, blue team!
- All right, let's go!

- Let's go!
- Joe: Here they come, guys. Come on, hurry up!

- Red team, first six, let's go.
- Let's go! Come on!

- I need steaks. I need mash.
- Table one, please. Let's go.

- Six mash. Let's go.
- Right here. Thank you.

Just give me a pan
to put steaks on.

Hey, young man,
you can't shout, "I need a pan!"

- Get the steaks over there. Come on.
- Here they come.

Y'all got everything y'all need?

Do y'all have
everything y'all need?

Hey,
sarah. Sarah! Earth to sarah.

- Just touch that. No, no. Just touch that.
- Yes, you're right.

No, just touch it. They're
firefighters. They're not eskimos.

- It's ice cold. Ice cold, okay?
- I'll grab a new one.

- Hi, guys. Are you hungry?
- Hello! Yes!

- 30 seconds, please.
- We've been working our butts off.

Two seconds. Come
over here. Look at me.

They're serving ice cold carrots,
and I'm not very happy with that, okay?

- So just focus on your job.
- Got ya.

- This cook is a whirlwind.
- Kyle, I know we're cooking for firefighters,

But don't blow smoke up my a*s.

I just want them
served a decent dish.

Yes, chef!

We have really,
really cold carrots,

And it is truly a
spectacle to be that close

To a very,
very upset gordon ramsay.

You got more cooks in here
than firefighters having lunch.

Hot carrots.

Those just came out of the oven.

That's it. Thank you, guys.

Sorry about the wait.

We hope you enjoy this.

Thank you so much
for all that you do.

- Welcome.
- Hello, how are you?

- Enjoy.
- Thank you so much. Thank you.

Thank you so much.
These are ancho pork chops.

Aarón: Let's go, guys.

We still have a lot
more people to go.

- Super good.
- Mmm.

Hello, everyone. Hi, I'm joe.

Welcome,
welcome. How's the lunch?

- Steak's good.
- Really good.

The pork not cooked all the way.

Joe: Oh, you have a raw pork. Okay,
I'll take that back.

Anyone else pork undercooked?

Another one? Okay,
sorry about that.

Brynn, come here,
please. Just touch it.

They should be dropped on the grill for


- Yes, chef.
- Not just stuck in a hot cup.

All right, guys,
we have some raw pork chops.

Like,
really raw. Sent back from the first table.

This one's completely raw,
cold in the middle.

This is a problem,
guys. You gotta fix this. This one, too.

- Right, look at me.
- We gotta care a bit more.

- That's on me, chef.
- It's only six at a time!

Six perfect pork
chops at one time!

That's it!

Joe: All right, guys,
we have some raw pork chops.

Like, really raw. Like,
cold in the middle.

This is a problem,
guys. You gotta fix this. This one, too.

That is not good enough.
We gotta care a bit more.

Let's not ruin the
first table. Come on.

I think james and ryan are
both struggling with the fact

That they are
struggling at all.

This is a much harder challenge,
I think,

Given the cut and the conditions
than they were expecting.

Ryan: James,
you're gonna finish the chops, all right?

All right.

The grill, with all that wind,

It's hard to keep heat
direct in any one area.

We're gonna have to temp. What
are the rest of these temps at?

- Do you want me to check the temperature here?
- Yeah.

- Where's the temp thing?
- Right here.

So,
now it's all hands on deck helping to temp

And organize those chops.

I need those as soon
as they are done.

- I need those in my hands, okay?
- Yeah.

I'm worried about
my team falling apart.

I am worried about
finishing service.

I am worried about getting
one more chop sent back.

Thank you,
chef. I'll be right back.

Thank you. I appreciate you.

Gordon: My apologies,
joe. Please.

- Thank you, joe.
- Right, six more, guys.

Six more in my hand.
What do we got?

So, we recooked your pork chops,

And we cut them open this time

To make sure they're
perfectly cooked

To prevent any other
errors from happening.

Enjoy the rest of your
meal. I'll be back. Thank you.

Do you need me to bring
some more potatoes up?

We have enough for the next service,
and then we're gonna need more.

- We got them in the oven. We
got 'em-- - awesome, beautiful.

Just stop. I'm
just done. Taste it.

Come on,
taste. It's all lumpy now.

Gordon is on a whole
'nother level right now.

Gordon: So we started off with
the first two tables beautifully done.

Now it's like we don't care. Well,
I care.

I'm not trying to hear him, but I am
trying to hear him at the same time,

Because he is the boss man right now,
and whatever goes, goes.

- Gordon: Is that the best you can do?
- No, chef.

- It's mashed potatoes, young man, okay?
- Yes, sir.

The mash is now
lumpy and gloopy.

Come on, guys. Fix it, fix it.

You know, I'm pissed. I know
how to make mashed potatoes.

This is not an example of how
I can make mashed potatoes

Or how I am as a cook.

Grant. Grant, fix that,
and I need 'em hot.

- One minute.
- We have to start doing--

- Let's just try it.
- So, there's really only one solution right now

To make a smooth
potato with what we've got,

And that's gonna be
doing a stick blender on it.

Great idea by kolby.
We're gonna give it a shot.

- Jennifer: Okay, are we ready for the mash?
- Two minutes.

- No, not two minutes. We don't have two minutes.
- How much time you need?

- 30 seconds.
- 30 seconds. We got you.

These potatoes,
I have to get 'em done.

I can't go home because
of mashed potatoes.

- I'm taking these guys.
- What about these ones? No.

No, just keep fixing those,
please.

- We got it.
- We're ready. I need those steaks.

And then we're gonna need
six more right after super-fast.

- Right now!
- We gotta catch up.

Both: Thank you.
Sorry about the delay.

- Thank you.
- Six more. Let's go.

James: Come on, y'all,
let's get organized.

There's too many people
over there. Spread out.

- Ryan! Who's leading the pork?
- I am, chef.

- You've heard the expression, "too many cooks," right?
- Yes, chef.

One, two, three, four,
five. You're cooking pork now.

- There needs to be a system.
- All: Yes, chef.

James: So the ones that are done,
y'all put those in the warmer?

- Yeah.
- Gordon: Nothing goes in the warmer!

They dry out. They go
on the grill to finish them!

Yes, chef. Yo,
what we doing with those pork chops?

Okay, listen,
no more pork chops. No more pork chops.

When he calls six,
then we need to do six.

- Fresh. Two minutes.
- Ryan: We're good. We're good.

It's really embarrassing that gordon
has to tell us what we have to do.

Everybody's poking
holes in pork chops

And letting all the
juice and flavor go out.

Brynn needs to get us together.

Brynn, 30 seconds. We've served 42 guests,
and there's 20 minutes to go.

- Yes.
- So we need to change gear now.

Just numbers. Understand,
we only got an hour to serve.

We've got 20 minutes to
go. We've served 42 guests.

- Okay. Okay.
- So, we're not even halfway.

I'm excited to eat. I'm hungry.

- Everything's exceptional.
- It really is.

- It is very good.
- Hi, folks.

Welcome to the masterchef
first field challenge of the season.

The red team cooked
the new york strip,

And the blue team
cooked the pork chop.

Who prefers the steak from
the red team at this point?

Four. And pork chop? Two.

- Four steaks, two pork chops.
- This is the best pork chop I've ever had.

- Wow. Enjoy.
- All: Thank you.

Touch that.

That does not--

- Not again.
- No, it looks okay.

- Just, just. Let's go.
- It looks okay.

Go, go, go, go.

The red team's steak is
awesome. It's really good.

I'm really enjoying
the chimichurri.

You guys like
chimichurri? Awesome.

Then you're gonna love this.

I need hot mashed potatoes,
guys. Let's go.

The potatoes,
they've got really good flavor.

And the carrots,
they got a little kick.

Off we go. Excellent.

- Thank you, sir.
- Thanks for waiting, guys.

- Let's go. Go.
- Joe: So everyone who's tried both,

Can I see a show of hands,

Who preferred the
red team's steak?

Three. We have a
draw. Three to three.

So, james,
there's no pork in the...

- In the warmer? Nope.
- No. Good.

Ryan, I'm about three
minutes to pass these to you.

All right,
I got room for 'em. I got room for 'em.

All right.

Jennifer: Need those steaks!

Has anyone checked these?

- So, that's raw.
- Jeez. It's not even close.

Red team,
come over. Charles, that's you!

Raw new york strip.
I am lost for words.

- Just touch it. It's ice cold.
- Yes. It's cold. It is cold.

- Ice cold.
- I can't help you on this.

One, two, three, four, five,

Six, seven, eight,
nine, ten of you.

- Yes. Yes.
- Somebody care! Please?

Oh, my god.

Red team, I am lost for words.

- Just touch it. It's ice cold.
- Yes. It's cold. It is cold.

- Ice cold.
- I want to die.

I cannot believe he's cut
into the steak and it's raw.

I put the south and
the midwest together

'cause these guys are
supposed to be the grillmasters.

I need somebody checking the
doneness before they come to me.

I have never been this stressed.

I know that I have
the immunity pin,

But I don't want to
lose this for my team.

Cooking undercooked
steaks? I'm done.

I'm going to have nightmares
of chef gordon yelling at me.

kyle, you're checking them all,
right?

- Yes. Yes, chef.
- Gordon: Blue team, ten minutes to go, yes?

- Heard!
- Last ten.

Y'all need help on corn,
anything, let me know.

- I got y'all.
- What do we need for james?

What y'all need from me?

You can get six more on,
six more ready.

These needed another ten degrees
on them before they go to you.

- 15.
- Okay. Me and ryan both at the grill.

I'm starting the pork chop,
he cooks the pork chop,

And then I finish
the pork chop.

We finally have a
system. We gotta stick to it.

- There you go.
- Six. Right there. Hot!

Let's go! Another
six! I need 'em.

Stop. Ryan? I'm gonna show
you how to deal-- come here!

- That's a beautiful caramelization on there.
- Yes, chef.

- And then you give me that there.
- - Yes, chef.

Things are
starting to fall apart.

This challenge is huge. I mean,


More than I've
ever done before.

I'm trying to
adjust on the fly,

But when you're
in the thick of it

And I mean four-inch,
double bone thick of it,

It's definitely
tougher than it looks.

Okay,
I want them done perfectly.

- Understood? Good.
- Yes, chef.

- That is not good enough.
- I think so too, chef.

I agree. Get it out of here.

We have ten minutes,
and this is not coming together quick.

Gordon: We're
barely 60 guests in.

I've never not served
a completed lunch ever.

How long for the next six,
please?

- I've got one ready to go.
- You've got one? Oh, my god.

Y'all,
we have to ration the potatoes. We are out.

- Like, done.
- Let's figure something out.

I'm panicking right
now because we literally

Ran out of potatoes.

Give me mushrooms.
Give me mushrooms.

Kyle says,
"what about the mushrooms?"

He char grills them. I get
them chopped up and seasoned.

Just need some salt.

I'm so glad our
team collaborated

And came up with
this backup plan.

It's absolutely better than
putting nothing out there.

I need a lot more mushrooms,
guys.

Let's keep going. There we go.

Gordon: Why are the
mushrooms going on now?

Because we ran out
of mashed potatoes,

- And this is replacing our mashed potatoes.
- So we're pivoting.

Gordon: How do we run
out of mashed potato?

How is that possible with
ten chefs in the kitchen?

Sorry to keep you
waiting. Thank you.

We've run out of
mash. My apologies.

Thank you. hell.

- Thank you. Enjoy.
- All: Thank you.

- Enjoy.
- Thank y'all so much.

Joe: Wait,
wait. No mashed potatoes?

Did they run out? What happened?

They apparently didn't have
any when we got up there.

But you're the only one
who gets to try them?

- I am.
- Oh, jeez. I'm sorry about that.

The steaks are on.
Okay. Chimichurri.

Everything cooked
to your liking?

I didn't feel like there was
enough flavor on the steak itself.

- Not enough flavor on the steak. Okay.
- Yes.

You agree with that? The
red steak's a little bit bland,

But the pork chop
was seasoned better?

Right seasoning,
and also it's very cooked properly.

It's cooked properly. Early indication,
who liked the pork chop more?

Five for the pork chop,
one for the steak.

Gordon: Red team, blue team,
only a few tables left.

- Come on! Speed up, please!
- Thank you for your service.

- Thank you so much.
- Aarón: Check the seasoning. Mix it.

All that dressing ends
up falling to the bottom.

Jennifer: Y'all,
we're running out of time.

Whoo, it's gonna be close.

The red team's steak
dish was completely raw.

The blue team's pork dish,
the flavor was good.

The multiple sides
which were good.

I had to wait a few
minutes for the blue plate,

But good things take time,
so I was willing to wait.

I'm not enjoying
the blue team's pork.

- It's a little dry for me.
- We need carrots!

Okay, red team,
last table! Let's go!

Got fresh carrots?
Thank you. Thank you.

- Thank you. Thank you.
- Thank you, chef. All right.

Okay, ladies and gentlemen,
once you have finished eating,

Please vote for the team

Whose dish you enjoyed
the most using these axes.

Thank you very much.

They were both great dishes,
and I enjoyed them both.

I think the pork was a little
bit overdone on the blue team.

I will be voting
for the red team.

Well, my pork was actually underdone,
which I was surprised about.

So I will be voting
for the red team today.

My apologies for
the wait. I'm so sorry.

Six portions! Last table,
let's go!

Come on, guys.

It's ice cold and it's raw.

We're done! Time is up!

I am so sorry.
We've run out of time,

And the blue team's pork
chops aren't ready for you.

Please go and enjoy the red
team's plates that you already have.

Blue team,
come over. Your 60 minutes are up,

And it's the first
time in 12 years

That we've never served
an entire dining room.

Your timings today were way off.

You know it,
and I know it. This is embarrassing.

Clear down, please.

- Yes, chef.
- Yes, chef.

Who enjoyed the red
team's steak more?

Full house. I guess the pork
chops are second cut on this table.

- Hey, we finished.
- Whoo!

- We finished.
- Good job, good job.

- Good job, good job!
- We did it.

I liked the red plate
over the blue plate

Because I had to wait for
the pork chops for a little bit,

And it's still a little rare.
Bring it in. That was tough.

We learned so much today.

Thank you each of you
for being a team player.

At the end of the day, the plate
was beautiful, the flavor was there.

- One, two, three.
- All: Go, red!

- They're cheering on their side.
- Well, they finished.

- Ain't bad for a midwesterner.
- Yeah, right?

You're welcome in
the south any time.

I will be voting
for the blue team.

I will be voting
for the red team.

I will be voting
for the blue team.

I will be voting for team red.

Only the red team
provided a plate for me.

Blue team came up short.
I was kinda disappointed.

Brynn: I am disappointed,
but it was stacked against us.

They had two extra
hands on deck to finish

What we tried to get done
in the same amount of time,

And I think maybe with
a harder cut of meat.

And we just never
found our flow.

I think it's on me. I
didn't finish the chops,

But it was a great dish,
so we still got a chance.

- A few plates short.
- We didn't feed everybody, but I'm really happy

With a lot of things
that were on our dish.

Our other components were
good. Those chops were a difficult

- Cook and we didn't have--
- but that's our main component.

That was literally
our main component.

So if that's not good,
then it's not good.

Let's just hope the other
team did worse than us.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you so much, indeed.

Honestly, it's been an absolute honor
to serve the ventura county fire academy.

We hope you enjoyed your lunch.

Now please give a
huge round of applause

For the blue team
and the red team.

This was absolutely one of
the toughest days I've ever had,

And I've been working in
restaurants as a bartender

For over half my life.

But I'm still hoping that the
guests who had our food loved it,

And I'm still feeling pretty
good about our chances.

Right, blue team, red team,
well done. That was a tough ask.

Clearly both teams
felt the heat today.

One of these teams will be crowned
the winner of today's challenge

And be safe from
elimination today.

Ladies and gentlemen, you voted.

It's time for the
moment of truth.

The winning team,

The team that will be safe
from elimination today is--

Congratulations goes to...

- Ooh.
- Whoa!

- Oh, my goodness.
- Oh, my goodness.

- Whoa.
- What color is that?

I don't know.

the red team!

Well done!

great job.

- Thank you. Thank you.
- Great job.

Victory feels so good right now.

I came here to
show that I can lead,

And under pressure,
I never lost it on my team.

We had two regions
come together

And really work
together beautifully.

Ladies and gentlemen,
thank you so much for joining us today.

An extra special
thank you for all you do

To keep us safe from
harm on a daily basis.

Enjoy the rest of your
afternoon. Thank you so much.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

- Thank you all.
- Thank y'all.

- Thank you.
- Thank you!

Red team,
let's get one thing clear.

Yes, you won,
congratulations. Learn from those bumps.

- Yes, sir.
- Yes, chef.

The good news is you're
all safe from elimination.

Jennifer,
the good news for you is that you get

Yet another advantage
ahead of the next challenge.

- Congratulations. Well done.
- Thank you.

Now, sadly,
as for the blue team,

The west and the
northeast region,

Honestly,
you guys really missed the mark today.

Brynn,
your team did not even finish service.

Ryan,
at the beginning of the cook,

We got excited when you
were in charge of that grill,

But then it got
the better of you.

James, you were in charge of
those pork chops alongside ryan.

All three of you,
please step forward.

James, ryan, and brynn,
from one of you

The chance of becoming
america's next masterchef

Is about to go up in smoke.

Give us a moment,
please. Excuse us.

aarón: What's the protagonist
of this dish? The pork chop.

But it has to start at the
beginning. Who's controlling this?

Once they'd been turned around,
there were six of them on the pork chop.

We said it from the beginning.
You're gonna be the leader,

And you're gonna be the captain,
de facto,

You're gonna command the
time. You have to own that.

Even the first table,
you came back with a raw pork.

That was the worst ones. I
think some of the other ones

Ultimately were overcooked
and they didn't even know.

For me,
who do you look at as the leader of this?

- You know what I mean?
- Joe: Yeah.

James: I don't deserve to
be on the bottom right now

Because I stayed consistent.

I made sure that I got
nice sear on the pork chops.

I feel like the captain
goes down with the ship.

I feel like brynn
should be going home.

- We got it?
- We in agreeance?

After a difficult conversation,
we've decided...

...The person going
home today is...

Ryan.

Ryan,
at the beginning of this challenge,

You announced
yourself as the leader

In taking control on that grill.

We didn't see it,
we couldn't feel it,

And our guests today
certainly didn't eat it.

- Brynn, james, back with your team, please.
- Yes, chef.

Ryan, you came in like a
whirlwind in this competition.

We fell in love
with the audition,

But today unfortunately
fell somewhat flat.

But I think this competition has proven that
you've got a desire to continue in this industry,

And fingers crossed you're
gonna continue that trajectory.

Definitely gonna continue, chef.

Good. Come and say goodbye, bud.

- Love you, ryan.
- Love you, ryan.

You know,
it sucks to go home. It does.

- Good luck, chef.
- All right, thanks.

- Thank you.
- Ryan. Excellent, buddy.

Ryan: I was finishing
the pork chops.

I took the responsibility,
I knew the risk,

And I didn't deliver.

But it's a blessing to
have made it this far

In the competition.

A few years ago I
was in a dark place,

And to be able
to turn that around

And accomplish so
much is awesome.

This is one more step
for my life for the better,

And the future is
definitely bright for me.

Gordon: Next time
on "masterchef"...

Another mystery box.

...The top 17 face an
unusual mystery box challenge.

There's just one box per region.

- Ooh.
- Jennifer, you get to choose one region

That will start
ten minutes later.

Oh, no.

Let's go. Let's go. Lizzie,
come on, you gotta speed up.

I don't think I've
done it before.

- I hope you've thought this through.
- What is that?

- You played it all wrong.
- Gordon: That is a shock.

We've decided
it wouldn't be fair

To send only one of the
bottom cooks home tonight.