It as the battle for the Top 12 last night and the pressure to earn the title of the best home cook in America could just be enough to make someone faint.
Thirteen home cooks entered the MasterChef kitchen last night and were met with a large box standing behind the judges. Standing at their stations confused, the judges asked for them to lift the cover of their personal mystery boxes to see what their challenge for the day would be. Except when lifted, a sole knife was revealed and then the large mystery box was unveiled to display fourteen hanging four hundred and fifty dollar worthy salmon fish. These fish were live caught from Alaska and would be remodeled into a stunning dish. The chefs ran quickly to claim their own piece and with one remaining the judges informed them that while they cooked, so would the judges. More specifically Gordon would filet the fish, Graham will cook it and then Joe would eat it. It was amusing to watch the judge’s work while the contestants scrambled as Ramsey finished his work in five minutes and Graham finished cooking way before time was up. It reminded everyone that while the home cooks are indeed talented, they have a long way to go before reaching a five star restaurant standard.
During the challenge one chef fell to the pressure as Elise called out for a medic and was then escorted from the kitchen after beginning to faint. A few minutes later, she returned to the kitchen and while Ramsey did tell her she did not have to finish cooking, Elise decided to plow through and get something onto her plate with the time remaining. After time was called moments later, the judges did their usual look through at the dishes and I still believe there are several contestants that must be thankful a mystery box very rarely eliminates anyone because after Elise’s breakdown and the horror that was Christine’s filleting skills, the only major dissatisfaction shown throughout the challenge, it is a godsend for them.
image courtesy of Dara Kushner/INFphoto.com
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The top three dishes were announced and they belonged to Christian, Courtney and Elizabeth. At this point in the competition I was not surprised at all about these three being the lucky winners as Courtney has been strong all along but Christian and Elizabeth have been growing each week as more and more people are eliminated. All three dishes shined as Courtney served a seared salmon with broccolini and couscous and Elizabeth with a daring baked salmon with cauliflower steak and relish. Ultimately it was Christian’s blackened salmon with tomato puree and vegetables that won him his first mystery box win and the upper hand of the rest of the episode.
Following his victory, Christian was escorted into the pantry with Gordon, Joe and Graham where he was informed of his first prize, the typical ‘you don’t have to cook tonight’, and then that he would be picking what everyone would be cooking tonight. What he ended up choosing was one of three baskets, which were filled individually by the judges with ingredients they like to cook with. Joe’s basket was filled to the brim with wine, cheese and everything Italian. Graham’s looked like he had just left a farmers market and Gordon played homage to the UK with his basket. A hesitation in decision making led to Christian choosing the basket he felt would be the most interesting and complex to cook with, and with that he returned to the balcony to watch as the judges had the contestants enter the pantry to find their own basket waiting for them. The moment the first person saw the wine everyone knew it was Joe’s inspiration coming through.
As they returned to their stations to await the clocks start, the judges announced there was one final advantage that Christian had yet to learn. The option to choose one person who would not be allowed to start cooking for a half hour, splitting their cooking time in half. Even I was shocked as this was something I had never seen in the show and Christian himself looked flabbergasted. He had the opportunity to take an already weak cook and ruin them but instead he went for a strong chef whom he felt would buckle under the pressure, Courtney.
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An hour later it appeared that Christian made the wrong choice though as Courtney dazzled the judges with her spaghetti with mushroom ragu and artichokes cooked to perfection in thirty minutes. Christian remained unimpressed and I can easily see the two going head to head soon in a challenge, as I would love to see who would come out on top.
Cutter serves a small pizza that Gordon felt looks like only took ten minutes to cook when he had sixty and Joe gets into another argument with Cutter and throws out his dish. Disappointment continued as Elise, who was already rocky from the previous challenge, brought up mushroom ravioli with red wine tomato sauce that tasted like she had given up to Chef Ramsey. My heart ached for Elise throughout the episode as she blubbered about her disappointment in herself and her cooking. Sometimes the lights shine too bright on some and when they do, they leave a burn that some just cannot bounce back from. Finally Willie even left a sour taste in the judges mouth with his tomato soup with fried egg and flatbread that was not the worst thing ever tasted, but a blow to his style.
Some did shine though as Ahran’s savory tiramisu with mushroom prosciutto sauce and Elizabeth’s breakfast lasagna with artichoke heart salad earned the two ladies the top two dishes and the opportunity to be the next team captains in an upcoming challenge. Although Elizabeth won the top dish of the night, both women felt a sense of pride and there is something in me that is secretly hoping for Ahran’s championship.
There was only a bottom two this week with Cutter and Elise and finally I felt confident that Cutter would be going home. How much longer could he mouth off and provide below par food before being sent home? Apparently one more week as Elise was sent packing to regain her confidence. I may want Cutter gone but the judges did make the right choice in sending Elise back to her roots. Rest up girl and get back in the kitchen once you’re healed.