Gordon: Tonight on "MasterChef,"
we're down to the final four
after losing two home cooks last week...
Subha, Shari, I'm sorry to say,
tonight was your last performance in this competition.
...and head to the English countryside
for an epic semifinal cook-off.
Welcome, everyone, to the amazing Hatfield estate.
With surprise...
You'll be cooking for culinary royalty.
Nigella Lawson.
...after surprise...
Stop the clock! There's one more thing.
- I knew it. - ( bleep )
- Aw, jeez. - ...and a fight...
Here we go.
...for one of the three spots in the finale.
- ( bleep ) - Sarah, you've got to start plating.
You're making me very nervous.
Not going home today.
Visually, it's certainly artistic.
Food shouldn't be plate decoration.
Ay, Dios mío.
( music playing )
- Oh, my God. - Wow.
This is so much faster than I thought.
I know. So crazy.
Dorian: I never in a million years
thought that I would be in the semifinals
of "MasterChef" season ten.
When I first started in this competition,
I wasn't confident.
And here I am now thinking,
"You can be in the finale, Dorian."
I know for a fact that I don't belong in a carpet mill.
This is where I'm supposed to be.
Look at the deer!
- Noah: Oh, my gosh. - It's a herd!
Look over there.
( fanfare playing )
- Noah: This is unbelievable. - Dorian: Look how pretty it is.
- That's the biggest house... - Dorian: I've ever seen.
I feel like a princess!
Taking me to the ball.
I feel like I'm in a fairy tale.
I'm so excited, and also kind of terrified,
because I know that we have something
really intense around the corner.
- I got ya. - Thank you.
Thank you.
Noah: Oh, my gosh.
They look so cute.
- Good morning. - Good morning, Chefs.
Welcome, everyone, to the amazing Hatfield estate.
This is one of the finest, most famous
country estates in all of England.
Now, listen carefully.
Kings and queens have lived on this incredible estate.
King Edward VI, Queen Elizabeth I,
- and Queen Mary. - Wow.
This place is living history.
And today, you talented four will make history
as you embark on the incredible semifinals
of "MasterChef" season ten.
Guys, we brought you halfway around the world for this very moment.
There are three spots up for grab in the finale.
There are four of you. Do the math.
I don't like those aprons.
Please, all of you, put on your black aprons.
Let's be gentlemen. Ladies first.
We're in England.
One of you standing before us
will be America's next MasterChef.
Gordon: And today you'll be cooking for royalty.
Culinary royalty.
She is the queen of British cuisine.
Please welcome my dear friend Nigella Lawson.
- Oh, my... - Well, hello!
Welcome.
I cannot believe Nigella Lawson is here.
She is a renowned food critic. Her palate is phenomenal.
She is the person who makes home cooking look elevated.
Hello!
It's really nice to meet you all.
She is going to be dissecting
every single element of our dishes,
so I need to make sure that my flavor profiles are on point.
Finally! It's taken you ten years to be here.
We're so grateful and honored.
I'm very pleased to be here.
Sarah, I saw your face light up
when I mentioned Nigella's name.
I think I'm dreaming. I'm pinching myself.
But I love you. It's really amazing to...
to cook for you.
I'm looking forward to eating all of your food, too.
You know, for me it's really exciting.
And you've come so far in the competition,
so I know I'm getting a particular treat.
You know the history behind this incredible building.
Nigella: For centuries, royalty has hunted here,
especially the prized deer
that still roam freely in the woods.
That's why in this challenge
we want you to make a venison dish
using venison that came straight from these majestic grounds.
You have one hour to make us a venison dish
that you could feed to a king or a queen.
Dorian: Being that it's the semifinals,
I knew it wasn't gonna be easy,
but I just hoping it wasn't venison.
I've never had venison. I've never cooked venison.
But no matter how hard the protein,
I'm going to give the judges my very best.
Today, you guys will be cooking
in the original Victorian kitchen of this estate.
Guys, you can practically taste the history and flavor
of the food that's been made in this kitchen.
So you have incredibly high standards to live up to today.
Nigella, would you please do the honors?
Try and go in with a smile.
You have 60 minutes,
and your time starts now.
- Let's go, guys. - Come on. Good luck.
Good luck. Noah, don't knock anything down over there, please.
- Yes, Chef. Heard, Chef. - It costs a fortune.
- Oh, my... - Oh, my God.
Oh, my gosh.
Dorian: This is so crazy.
- They have all kinds of stuff. - Okay, risotto.
- Oh, my God, fresh morels. - Oh, wow.
Nick: Coming off that last challenge, I failed as a team captain.
So I need to make something that really stands out here
and shows that I deserve to be in that top three.
And with this dish, I'm doing a lot.
I'm trying to pack a ton into this 60 minutes,
but it's a risk that I have to take.
Behind. Excuse me.
Right, the most important cook-off so far. Four remain.
One, sadly, is going home. Three are going straight to the finale.
This is the first time we've actually cooked venison in this competition.
Jeopardy beyond belief. Do you think they would've been averse
in terms of understanding how delicate you need to cook venison?
Well, it's a hard one 'cause it's so simple to cook,
- but so easy to overcook. - Yeah, absolutely.
And also they have to be careful with what they pair it with
because the meat is actually quite sweet.
They need to show all of the beautiful lessons and techniques
- that they've learned throughout this journey. - Sure. Absolutely.
It should be smart, flavorful, and well-balanced.
It needs to be a dish worthy
of the semifinal of "MasterChef" season ten.
Sarah: I've never cooked venison before,
but I feel very confident in my ability
to cook proteins in this competition.
So, I'm just gonna focus on getting the perfect cook on it
and hopefully it'll come through.
Somebody got the white wine?
Dorian: I'm a little nervous about cooking with the venison.
I've never cooked with it before.
I've come a long way,
both on myself and on my form of cooking,
and this is a dish that I'm gonna be able
to show the judges that growth
and be able to go into the finale.
Right, Dorian.
- Hello. - Yes, Chef.
- How you feeling? - We've come to interrupt you.
- I'm nervous, Chef. - Now give us an insight
- to what you're doing. - That smells good.
- What's the dish? - I am doing cocoa buttered
rack of venison with mixed greens
and herb fingerling potatoes
- with rhubarb and currant compote. - And what have you added
to the rhubarb and currant?
I am boiling them down in a nice white wine.
How much wine did you add?
Probably about a cup and a half. Maybe.
Very good. I love the idea of that tartness.
- How you feeling? - I feel really good about it.
I always say that you are only as good as your competition.
- Yes. - So for me to get into the finale means
- that I've gotten there by beating the best. - That's great.
- Think what you've done. - Yes.
Think of service you've been through.
Remember that one? Now it's just one stunning plate.
Just one plate.
Gordon: Right. Noah.
- Hey, Chef, how are you doing? - What are you doing?
I'm doing a test real quick.
- Yes. - Never done venison like this.
I'm gonna be doing a peppercorn
encrusted venison loin.
It's gonna be topped with a red wine demi-glace
and then it'll be served over the top of a morel mushroom risotto.
- But the hero is the venison, right? - Yes, absolutely.
The risotto sounds like a separate dish.
- Sounds ambitious. Good luck. - Yes, Chef. Thank you, Chef.
- Thank you, ma'am. Thank you so much. - Good flavors.
Noah: I could play this really, really safe,
but that's not who I am.
I'm gonna be throwing down some big, bold flavors
in a castle kitchen.
I feel very, very confident that I'm not gonna be going home.
Well, it's very calm so far.
- Aarón: Yes. - Early days.
Gordon: Fascinating dishes. Dorian?
I love the idea of her flavors of doing
the red currant and rhubarb.
But what slightly made me anxious
is that she has added a cup of white wine.
And of course, rhubarb gives off so much liquid
- when it cooks... - Yeah.
...that I think it's gonna be waterier than a compote.
She might be able to turn it into some sort of gravy.
Gordon: And Noah, there's two dishes going on here.
He's making a morel mushroom risotto with a loin of venison.
Joe: A risotto by definition is flavored by the protein.
So, if you're making a venison risotto, you need a venison stock
- to cook the rice in. - Yeah, but he's doing a mushroom risotto.
Which is a little bit all over the place.
Nigella: I don't think his focus is going onto the venison.
Guys, 15 minutes gone, 45 minutes remaining.
I just want to point out
we've got 45 minutes to go and Noah's cooking his risotto.
Risotto, you know better than anybody,
- takes 22 minutes from start to finish. - Right.
Hopefully that's just the trial one,
and in a half hour he'll start a new risotto to serve us.
He just made an egregious mistake.
He just put cold stock into his risotto.
Gordon: No.
( music playing )
Gordon: Guys, there's 40 minutes remaining.
Don't cook that venison too early,
but make sure you give it sufficient time
- to rest properly. - Okay, got it.
Nick: I've cooked with venison before.
My great grandmother lived in upstate New York
where they'd always hunt deer,
so I think I do have a pretty good understanding
of how to work with it, how to treat it properly.
We're already 20 minutes in. I have a lot left to do
and I haven't even touched the venison yet.
So I need to get on that because this is one dish
where you have one chance to put it all on the line.
This is not the time to mess up.
- How you doing, Nick? - This is incredible.
I mean, it's an honor just to be cooking in here.
So, we have to do that justice,
and I'm trying to knock this venison dish out of the park.
- Talk to us about your dish. - A little bone marrow, I see.
- I'm making a bone marrow crusted venison rack... - Joe: Wow.
...with a pomme purée, a currant and red wine reduction,
and some lightly sweated garlic and watercress greens.
That's a good idea,
although, a bone marrow crust could be tricky
because it really just acts more like a glue.
As long as the bone marrow doesn't dominate, makes it soggy,
I think you'll be in good shape there, okay?
How you gonna present? Are you gonna cut it in half?
I'm gonna have a pretty cool presentation.
I'm gonna have it sort of sitting up.
Nice!
Joe: Sarah, what's the plan?
So, you got some potatoes boiling in cream or milk.
Parsnips and apple.
And then I'm gonna infuse some cream
with some thyme and rosemary
to do the parsnip and apple purée.
And I'm gonna do the venison rack roasted Romanesco
with a pan sauce reduction.
Joe: Early on in this competition,
you suffered with finesse and plating.
And then you turned it on a little bit
in the last couple of weeks.
Are you gonna be able to keep that streak going
and really present us a beautiful dish that pops?
- Can you do that? - I think so.
Yeah, that's the plan. I'm gonna have a lot of nice colors
on there for you and I'm definitely gonna try
and, you know, break out the tweezers.
Good luck.
One of us is gonna be eliminated at the end of this challenge,
and I'm going to fight my way as hard as I can
to make it into the finale.
I'm doing this to prove to my kids
that there's never a wrong time to go after your dreams.
And that means absolutely zero room for error in this dish
'cause the stakes are so high.
- Gordon: Nick, what's nick up to? - All right,
so he's doing a dish that has a lot of promise.
He's very aware that the venison is void of fat.
So he wants to introduce that in the crust
- with bone marrow and herbs. - Bone marrow crusted? Smart.
And he's gonna put a potato purée with that,
and then he has a beautiful currant reduction.
Joe: Okay, so he's really risking a lot.
Not much to hide behind. Hopefully, he gets it right.
Aarón: And then Sarah is actually gonna be really focusing
- on parsnip and an apple purée... - Gordon: Nice.
...to be the foil for her venison.
I would have thought celeriac could have been
more interesting than the parsnips.
- 'Cause it's so sweet, parsnips. - Right.
But she's doing it the right way. She's cooking it in cream,
- which is the right way to do it, you know? - Nigella: Yes.
Sarah, be mindful of time. There you go, Nicholas.
Nick: There's a lot to do for this dish.
It's ambitious.
Venison is something that can be difficult to work with.
You could overcook it. You could undercook it.
You could not let it rest long enough. It could be too tough.
So there's a lot of little details there that you have to be aware of.
This is the most stressful situation we've had yet.
Aarón: Nick's really cooking, bro. I like this.
Yeah, yeah, it's the real deal.
He's got those racks in the oven.
Think of your timing, Dorian.
They saved the hardest thing for last.
Venison is not something that I am familiar with.
It is very technical, it is not an easy meat to cook,
and I am praying and hoping that it turns out right.
Good job, Dorian.
Let's go. Keep moving, okay.
- How you doing, Sarah? - Good. How are you doing?
- Awesome. - Are you?
Noah: I have some world-class risotto
almost ready to go,
and I haven't started cooking my venison loin yet,
but I've cooked venison multiple times.
I'm confident when I nail the venison cook,
I'll have my ticket punched to go to the finals.
You know, I do think what would be really great
is a proper English dessert.
- Dessert? - I'd go for a trifle.
It's kind of suicidal, I think, throwing in a trifle right now.
Well, I'm not trying to be mean, but it is the semifinals.
I agree. Season ten, let's go big.
Right, stop the clock. You four look up, please.
We're halfway through.
There's one more thing that we've just decided.
Do you know what would go great with a venison dish?
I knew it.
( chuckles )
Stop the clock. You four look up, please.
There's one more thing.
Do you know what would go great with a venison dish?
- A trifle. - I knew it.
- Yes, Chef. - A trifle.
- It's sponge
soaked in liqueur,
fruit, custard, and cream,
and decorated as you wish.
Out of all the desserts in the world, why a trifle?
It is not an easy thing to do.
To get those layers all stand alone,
but when you spoon down deep
they all come up together and make sense?
This trifle is a headache and I haven't even started yet.
Guys, there's 30 minutes remaining.
We're starting the clock now. Let's go.
Moving and grooving, baby. Moving and grooving.
Here we go.
- Sarah. - Yes, Chef.
Sarah, get that venison in the oven.
- In the oven. - In the oven.
Sarah: I don't even have my venison in the oven.
I should've seen something coming.
But throwing the trifle in there with 30 minutes to go...
( bleep )
...it's seeming like an impossible feat.
( bleep ), I need another pan. Where's the pans?
Gordon: 28 minutes remaining.
Noah: I've never tasted a trifle.
I really can't even say that I've seen it on a menu before.
But whatever Gordon Ramsay is telling me to do, I'm gonna do,
because that's how a winner acts.
Sugar, sugar.
- Heavy cream. - Let's go, guys.
Let's get the patissiere cream dispatched.
- Noah: Where's the vanilla bean? - Gordon: 25 minutes remaining.
Hello. Tell me about your trifle.
I don't make desserts a ton, but when I do, you know,
I like to try something creative, interesting,
and I think this looks pretty good.
Nick: After having a couple desserts in the past
that didn't work out well, this is a pretty huge curveball.
But I can't possibly go home
for such a simple English dessert.
I have to nail it. There's no other option for me.
Gordon: What fruits are you gonna use?
I'm gonna just macerate these blackberries.
Just little sugar, little water.
And then I think I'm gonna soak these in champagne.
I think that'll taste kind of interesting.
Careful of the champagne inside that trifle.
You don't want to make it too bitter.
You know, the alcohol should be
like a rather delicious hit.
It shouldn't make you wince.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
- Right, Sarah. - Hi, Sarah.
Your cream is nearly boiling, by the way.
- Thank you. - Gordon: Okay, you got that.
Right, how you feeling?
Uh, trying to recompose after that.
- Yep. - Tell me about your trifle.
I'm gonna do a ladyfinger and raspberry liqueur
- raspberry trifle. - Fabulous.
- Looks good. - Thank you.
Chef, does that consistency gotta go more?
I'd cook it a little bit more.
- Bring it up to a boil. - Yes, Chef.
Think of it as being like a sweet version of mayonnaise.
Okay. Thank you so much, ma'am.
Dorian, I can see there are blueberries here.
Yes, blueberries. That's gonna be for my trifle.
I'm gonna cook these blueberries down
and then I'm mix it with some fresh blueberries
- so that I don't lose that texture. - Yes.
- And what alcohol you putting? - Um, I'm not sure yet.
I think I might even use that Chardonnay that I have.
- Think about a richer... - Something rich...
- You know... - I'm not much of a alcohol person. I don't drink.
I'm a strong baker, yes,
but I'm so far behind in making my venison dish.
And I have to give it all the attention that I can,
because there is no hiding a bad cook on venison.
It has to be cooked properly.
Don't boil that. It's gonna split, remember?
- Whisk it. Let's get it cooler. - Whisk, whisk. That's it.
If it does start splitting, it's too lumpy, pass it through a sieve.
- But you should be able to do it in one. - Okay.
- Thank you. Thank you. - Good luck. Well done.
We have 20 minutes remaining.
Perfect, perfect, perfect.
Sweet baby Jesus, we're rolling.
Guys, 20 minutes to go and Noah hasn't even started cooking his venison yet.
Well, he's focusing on his trifle.
Mmm. Oh, that's nice.
- I can't open it. Noah, can you open this for me? - I gotcha. I gotcha.
Don't... Don't... Don't waste your time.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
- Gordon: Noah. - Yes, Chef.
- Get that venison in the oven. - Yes, Chef. Heard, Chef.
- Heard, Chef. - The resting should be as long as you cook it.
- Okay? So be smart. - Yes, Chef.
We're rolling. Not going home today.
Not going home today.
- ( bleep ) - I'm worried about these custards.
- Oh, my God. - Nigella: Nick.
- Yeah? - You can't leave a custard
on the flame without stirring it.
- It'll split. - Thank you.
- Do not overcook your custards, guys, okay? - Got it.
We have some extremely anxious home cooks down there
and they're completely frazzled.
Nick's overcooked his custard, now he's put it through a sieve.
- Which will still work, incidentally. - Yes.
Dorian, why are you using a hand whisk?
- Ma'am? - Are you gonna get that whisked in time?
- It's okay. It's almost done. - You only need a couple of spoons on top.
Don't go crazy.
You should be starting to assemble your trifles,
but don't neglect your venison.
I am very, very worried about the trifles.
Aarón: Think about what's in the oven.
Give ample time to rest your meats.
- Yes, Chef. - I'm worried that Nick's got his venison
in the oven for at least 10, 15 minutes now without being looked at.
- It might be overcooked. - I'm feeling very stressed.
Seven minutes to go.
Four super talented home cooks down there, Nigella,
the boldest, the most competitive.
- Behind. - Nigella: Yeah, I can see.
Their journey has been nothing short of a miracle.
Noah, keep stirring that risotto!
- Come on, Noah. I'm slightly concerned. - Got it.
Noah's been cooking that risotto for the better part of an hour.
Noah: If I execute my plan,
I should be the first person
from north Georgia as a finalist.
Not going home today.
Go big or go home.
That's what my MasterChef journey has been about,
and to see it end would be absolutely devastating.
So, I can't fail here.
- Come on, Noah. You got this. - Yes, Chef, I do.
Four minutes remaining. Start thinking of plating.
Aarón: Go through the bone. There you go, Dorian.
Dorian: I came into this competition as an underdog.
There's a lot of ingredients that I had never seen before
because I wasn't able to afford those kind of things.
- That's enough on there, Dorian. - So, for me to come in
with those types of handicaps
and to get to this place now,
I am so proud of myself.
Make sure you taste everything.
- Mmm! - Nice.
He's going avant-garde. I like that.
Nick: I've put a lot of thought into this plating.
I mean, I don't like to go along with convention.
So, it's a risk, but for me
to take off the time from school
and chase this dream,
I need to make it worthwhile.
And for me that means making it into the finals.
I have to put it all on the line
- because that's why I'm here. - Last two minutes.
Sarah, you've got to start plating.
Get your garnish on there, slice your venison last.
- Yes, Chef. - Let's go.
Sarah: There are two minutes left in this.
I have nothing on my tray right now.
You need to get it on the plate, you know? You're making me very nervous.
I feel like I'm not breathing.
I'm known for last-minute plating,
but there is way too much on the line.
I need to get something on my tray.
90 seconds to go, guys.
Gordon: Oh, no, look at Noah's cream.
- His pastry cream is liquid. - Oh, jeez. Here we go.
Season that venison once you slice it.
- Where's salt? - Gordon: Good, Nick.
Make sure the string is off.
- 60 seconds remaining, guys. - Aarón: Here we go.
- This is it. - Final minute, everyone.
Knife, knife, knife.
Where's my tongs? Tongs?
Gordon: Come on, Sarah.
Be positive what you're doing.
That's the potato in the plastic squeezy bottle.
Oh, I see, he just wants to do, like, buttons.
- Aarón: Make sure it's on the tray, Sarah. - Watch that tray, Noah.
It's hanging off the edge of the table, please.
Aarón: Here we go. 30 seconds, everyone.
Trifles out. Sprinkle them with nuts on top, dusted sugar.
Pecans.
- Come on, guys. - Come on, make sure you get it all on.
Judges: Ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, one.
- That's it. Hands in the air. - ( bleep )
- That was hard. - That was hard.
That was a challenge for the ages.
Now, who will make history?
We'll find out when we taste your incredible looking dishes.
We'll see you in the grand dining room. All of you, well done.
- Thank you so much, guys. - Nigella: Thank you.
- Thank you for visiting us. - Thank you very much.
- Whoo, that was intense. - Nigella: It was.
That is, Sarah, perfect.
You like that? I finally nailed a protein.
I'm just overwhelmed.
That had to have been the hardest cook that I've done
in "MasterChef" yet.
So, at this point it's really up to the judges.
Sarah: Everything that I do is for my family
and for our dream of that restaurant.
And it's all here on this tray in front of me.
Noah: The journey here has been the greatest journey of my life.
I just know that I have unfinished business to do.
I know that I gotta get that finale.
I want to show everybody how much I've grown
from day one to where I'm at now.
Nick: I started in this little illegal dorm kitchen,
and now I'm walking into this tasting that's gonna lead
either into the top three or going home right before.
I don't feel like I'll have completed my journey
if I don't make it to the finals.
That was an extraordinary 60 minutes.
There's four of you in front of us
and there are only three spots in the finale.
Seriously, all of you, well done.
Now for the most exciting part...
how it tastes.
- First up, Dorian, please. - Let's go, Dorian.
Dorian: I've worked so hard to get here
and I'm proud of the plate.
You don't need bells and whistles to make good food.
All you need to do is make good food.
But this is season ten,
so you either put up or go home,
and hopefully I put up enough to keep me here.
Describe the dishes, please.
I have a cocoa butter-basted rack of venison
with bitter greens and herb-roasted fingerling potatoes
with a rhubarb and currant compote.
- Did you slice any venison off and taste it? - Yes, I did.
I loved it. It was my first time tasting it.
It doesn't look like it's the first time you cooked it.
It's cooked beautifully. I love the sear.
- Yeah. - All right, shall we?
- Smells wonderful. - Actually slicing this through there like that,
it's actually cutting like butter.
- Look at that. - That's perfect.
That's cooked beautifully.
Thank you.
Great job. That cocoa powder lifts it
and helps that sort of gamy flavor disappear
- and get a little bit more bitterness in there. - The potatoes are neither
one thing nor the other. They're not crisp.
You need something with a bit more depth to bring it together.
Dorian, this dish speaks of you.
You're consistent with your style.
And I think you're one of the rare cooks
able to transfer your emotion, your actions
into dishes that truly reflect who you are.
- Thank you, Joe. - Gordon: And your trifle?
My trifle is a blueberry compote custard and whipped cream
garnished with pecans and mint.
So...
what was the alcohol for the sponge?
- What'd you put in there? - I used the sweet sherry
- and... yes. - Nigella: Very traditional.
And I squirted the blueberries with just a little bit of lemon
just to add some more acidity.
So, I love it.
I want another spoon. I like that drunken fruit flavor.
Nigella: I like the fact that you brought a bit of America
to a very British classic with the pecan.
Perhaps a bit more texture on top.
I'm not as big of a fan, especially from you.
I think that this is an important moment.
You know, we're in the semifinal.
Look at the other trifles that are there.
The flavor is okay.
- Hopefully it'll be enough. - Hopefully.
- Thank you, Dorian. - Thank you.
I came in here feeling like I didn't even belong.
- Good job, Dorian. - Good job, Dorian.
And where I look at where I came from...
Thank you.
...and where I am now,
it lets me know that I belong here
just like anybody else does.
Noah, please bring yours forward.
Noah: I've never been more proud of the finished result.
So now it's make or break with the judges.
If they like it, I'm stoked and I'm on to finals.
If they don't like it,
I'm very proud of the dish still.
I'll just be extraordinarily disappointed.
Noah, please describe your dish.
We have a red and black pepper crusted venison loin
over the top of a morel mushroom and lemon risotto
with asparagus on the side.
And then we have red wine and venison demi reduction.
I love the color you got in the risotto.
It immediately looks like it's very rich.
You did seem to start cooking it very early on,
and I feel like a risotto needs about 20 minutes to cook.
So, if you started it right at the very beginning,
that it's gonna be quite pudding-y.
Gordon: I just love your ambition.
The fact that you're cooking for a spot in the finale
and you're prepared to do a risotto and a loin of venison.
It's one of the most temperamental proteins anywhere on the planet.
Joe: It's a lot.
That being said, a lot can be good
- if everything's delicious. - Gordon: Shall we?
- You're happy with the cook, Noah? - Yes, Chef.
I tested one. I seasoned it.
I tried it again. Then I cooked another one.
I was very happy.
Joe: Noah, you chose to execute a risotto,
which is the most unforgiving,
the most difficult, the most time-sensitive carb.
And you chose to execute a loin of venison,
which is the most difficult, unforgiving protein.
One of the two let you down.
( music playing )
Noah, you chose to execute a risotto
and you chose to execute a loin of venison.
One of the two let you down.
The risotto was not properly cooked.
The rice kernels themselves
are a little bit granular and mushy,
which means at some point when you added too much liquid, you boiled them.
And when you boil them they explode,
and that is a dramatic technical error making a risotto.
For me, Noah, I think you executed the venison beautifully.
I love everything about this dish minus the rice.
You know, you got two big dishes going on.
You got that loin venison and the risotto.
I want one stunning dish.
So, man, it's... it's a tough call this one.
- Aarón: Should we try the trifle? - Gordon: Thank you.
The trifle is a cake underneath soaked in a raspberry liqueur,
a raspberry and blackberry compote with the Anglaise custard,
and then toasted coconut to give it some texture.
Aarón: I love it. From the snappy parts
of the fruit and the seeds to the coconut shavings on top,
it's firing on all cylinders when it comes to texture.
- Thank you. - Joe: I could taste the berries.
They're cooked well. I taste the sponge.
It's absorbed the liqueur.
What I can't taste is the pastry cream.
I think it's a problem that the cream and custard have melded together,
and I think perhaps a bit more acidity with the fruit.
Gordon: I actually love it. It's moreish.
- Good job. - Thank you all so much.
- Thank you, Noah. - Way to go, Noah.
Noah: I know that I screwed up,
but the flavors came through,
and I did not do a mistake that should cost me going home.
The next venison and trifle
we'd like to taste is that of Sarah.
Come on, Sarah. Come on, girl.
Sarah: It's so surreal to be looking down at this tray of food.
I gave everything that I have to make it to the finale,
and I am just hoping and praying that it's enough.
Okay, Sarah, tell us about your venison dish first.
So, I've made for you a rack of venison.
I have a parsnip and apple purée,
roasted Romanesco, and a port reduction.
I think it looks absolutely beautiful.
It looks restaurant quality and it's cooked beautifully.
This is actually my first time ever cooking venison.
- Wow. - Love that.
I almost feel bad knocking it down, but here we go.
Aarón: Yeah, I think the venison is cooked beautifully,
but I think the Romanesco is boring.
- I think it needs a lot more love. - Sarah: Okay.
- So, the venison is cooked beautifully. - Thank you.
But it just needs more seasoning after basting.
- Okay. - When you're slicing, season again,
because it needs that carry along.
- Purée is smooth, silky, and delicious. - Thank you.
You need to get slightly more of a sear.
- Okay. - The purée is good, but it's quite sweet
given that the venison is quite sweet.
Thank you.
And your trifle?
You have a trifle cake
soaked in a little bit of raspberry liquor,
raspberries, custard, whipped cream,
- and toasted almonds on top. - All right, I'm going in.
I'm slightly worried that the sponge
- isn't soaked enough at the bottom. - Okay.
So I'm gonna have to have quite a profound excavation.
I think that you did need a bit
more booze of some sort at the bottom...
- Okay. - ...so that the sponge was actually soaked.
It's not a perfect trifle,
but you have got a good balance of fresh,
- creamy, and crunchy. - Thank you.
The pastry cream, absolutely spot-on. Nice texture.
And you can identify the difference between the whipped cream
- and the pastry cream. - Okay.
It just needs to be damp underneath
to really absorb all that wonderful liquid
and alcohol and fruit.
- Joe: Thank you. - Gordon: Thank you, Sarah.
- Way to go, girl. - Sarah: I've worked too hard
for too long in this competition
to go home on this dish.
This was either my golden ticket to the finale
or my plane ticket back to San Diego.
Next up, Nick, please. Thank you.
Nick: I think the dish I cooked today
will be the best dish I've put out all season long.
I took a lot of risks and they worked out
and I hope the judges see that.
Gordon: Nick, describe your dish, please.
I have a bone marrow crusted venison with a pomme purée,
a currant and red wine reduction,
and some assorted greens.
So, visually, it's certainly artistic in its plating
and it's very enticing.
I feel food is there to be eaten.
Food shouldn't be plate decoration.
And if it isn't really good, then that becomes pretentious.
- Let's try it. - Mm-hmm.
The string's on.
( bleep )
Seriously?
We'd lose a star if we sent that out to the customer.
- Wow. - Nigella, how did that taste?
I think you cooked the venison well.
The crust was really good, but you have to beware
in cooking this concept cuisine.
You're seeing what could be done, and that's great,
but I think you've got to think like an eater as well.
Let's get one thing clear.
Crust of the night.
The bone marrow, the way you roasted it,
toasted it... absolutely spot-on.
You've way overdosed on venison. I need more pomme purée.
When it's that delicious,
give it to me in abundance.
Maverick dish of the night.
It's like a wild bucking bronco of a dish.
I love that.
I just have a huge, huge problem
with leaving the string.
So, semifinals "MasterChef" season ten.
I have to say that it's like
professionally giving me a punch in the gut.
And the trifle?
For the trifle, I have soaked the sponge
in champagne and sauternes, macerated blackberries,
and then the two creams.
What was the alcohol?
It was a mix of champagne and sauternes.
Was it a lot?
I do like it, but it is actually a creamy cocktail
rather than a dessert.
- You've been asking for it. - I'm not complaining.
Trifle, it only needs one... sauternes or the champagne.
- However, it's moist and it's delicious... - I love it.
...and it's like let's get drunk on a trifle.
This trifle is really reflective of your age, I think,
in a big... in a big way.
Nick, you know who soaks sponge cake in champagne?
- Who? - Nobody.
- Thank you, Nick. - Thank you.
Nick: I can't believe that in this
most important challenge I've had,
how in the world do I possibly forget
to take the string off of the venison?
I'm definitely disappointed in myself.
There's no excuse for that this late in the game,
and I really hope this doesn't send me home.
( fanfare playing )
Okay, four incredible performances,
- and we have a major decision to contemplate. - It's gonna be hard.
Please, give us a moment. Thank you.
Gordon: This is gonna be extraordinary.
- Aarón: Yeah, there's a lot to process. - Four stunning venison.
Four interesting cooks.
Everybody has ups and downs.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
Nick: I'm nervous. I'm sweating.
And if I'm sent home because of a little string
that was tying a venison rack together,
I'm never gonna forget it.
I think everybody connected the dots.
But, I mean, let's be honest, venison was the true star.
Absolutely. The venison is the hero.
Noah: I've done everything that I could do
to show the judges what I'm capable of doing.
I've fallen short so many times in my life.
Today is not that day.
And they all cooked it well.
Yeah, they all did cook it well.
Gordon: But there were some big mistakes from two of them.
Aarón: Yeah.
I know the cook on my protein was really good,
but everyone brought their A game,
and I'm just hoping that mine was stronger.
- So, do we all agree? - Joe: Yeah.
- I definitely do. - Yeah.
It couldn't be any other way.
We started this competition with literally thousands of applicants.
You guys are the final four.
The cream of the crop. What an incredible journey.
Nick, you know, trifle, it was delicious.
The plating was way too heavy a clump of venison.
No excuse for the string, let's get that clear.
Dorian, your trifle was the most delicious this evening.
Your venison, it was you on a plate,
but potatoes were somewhat a little bit lacklust.
Sarah, trifle, the pastry cream was exceptional.
Your venison, it needed more seasoning.
Noah, we couldn't stop digging in to the trifle.
Come to the entrée,
the risotto was a completely independent dish
and it was overcooked.
Noah, Sarah, Dorian, Nick,
three of you are going through to the finale
and sadly, one of you,
you've cooked for the very last time in this competition.
The home cook that's leaving us tonight is...
Noah.
I'm sorry, buddy.
( sighs )
The venison dish was super ambitious.
And sadly, there was way too much effort on the risotto.
Young man, such a lovable character.
What's confirmed for all of us in this room
is that you have a future in food.
Promise me you're gonna continue.
I promise you, Chef, that I'll do way more than that.
You've been incredible.
- Thank you, Chef. - Think back.
Early on in this competition, you set the tone.
- Gordon: What a burger. - Aarón: I agree.
This is maybe the first time a burger won an apron.
Noah: The journey that I've had getting here to the top four
is substantial in so many ways.
Yeah! I won, baby!
Literally, one day I'm driving a septic truck,
next day, I'm cooking for Gordon Ramsay
and Aarón Sánchez and Joe.
- I mean, it's delicious. - Thank you.
- Thank you so much. - It was a pleasure.
You were awesome.
The amount that I've learned in a couple months
would take years and years to learn.
Thank you so much.
Thanks for everything.
- Thank you! - Thank you, miss.
Even though I'm going home,
I'm extraordinarily proud of what I've achieved.
Thank y'all so much for everything.
It made me a better person,
and I'm truly happy of what I've done here.
It's been an absolute true blessing.
Congratulations to the finalists
of "MasterChef" season ten.
Come on! Man!
There's just one thing wrong with this picture.
You still have those black aprons on.
- Oh. - Get them off!
You're in the finale.
Sarah: I'm so excited I made it
to the "MasterChef" finale.
There's one more special surprise.
Please, follow us.
I'm a mom. I'm a veteran.
This just proves that all of this time
away from my family is all worth it.
Come on! Brilliant!
I'm in the "MasterChef" season ten finale.
I mean, I had to convince all my family, my friends,
my teachers, to let me put school on hold for this.
And now I need to win this thing
to really show that I did this and it was worth it.
You know what lies ahead, right?
The finale of "MasterChef" season ten.
Congratulations, and good luck.
- Come on, guys. - Cheers.
- All: Cheers! - Well done.
Gordon: Lord!
Dorian: I cannot believe it.
I am in the finale.
It is absolutely crazy.
This finale is going to be epic.
I'm in it to win it.
I want that trophy.
- Nick: That's awesome. - ( cheering )
Gordon: Congratulations, well done.
( music playing )
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