MasterChef

Gordon: Previously on "MasterChef"...

You are the top 12 dynamic duos.

- Let's go! - ...the dynamic duos took on

a dinner party challenge.

- Make sure you get that sear. - I know.

- He's still rolling pasta. - Let's go. Let's go.

- We going fish? We going meat? - We're your vegan team, Gordon.

- Medic! - You go, Ryan Kate. Keep doing the dough.

- Bro, I'm sorry. - It's okay.

Whoo! This is the most stressful cook I've ever done.

I'm feeling that restaurant quality dish.

Tonight's winning duo is Michelle and Zach. Congratulations.

And you're going to receive a huge advantage in the next challenge.

This tastes like pasta that was sautéed in leftover popcorn and butter.

It's a bit of a letdown on the burger.

This dish is an epic fail. There's no teamwork here.

The duo leaving "MasterChef" tonight is Kevin and Trey.

Tonight, the first mystery box of the season.

One box is sweet, one spicy.

Michelle and Zach, since you won the challenge last time round,

you get to select a protein for each duo.

- All right! - As a vegan, this is my worst nightmare.

- Let's go! - I cannot believe I'm freaking cooking a chicken.

- Get a grip. - I'm sweating today.

It's really clear who they're gunning for.

- That means they're afraid of us. - Yeah.

- Game on. - Oh, that's good.

I think it's your worst performing dish.

We can't digest that.

You're going home. What a shame.

- This is exciting tonight. - Tiffany: Can't wait.

Their very first mystery box challenge of the season.

- Yes! - Two is better than one.

- We are in for a treat. - Whoo!

- (cheering, laughing) - Oh, man.

- Yeah! - Good evening, everyone.

Yeah, baby!

- (cheering) - Mystery boxes!

Two of them.

Mystery boxes!

And two of them this time.

Oh, my gosh.

The elusive mystery box.

What's underneath the box? Is it the same thing? Is it something different?

You have no idea what to expect, but, bravo, MasterChef.

- Yeah. - Keep on throwing those curveballs.

- Oh, my God. - Ooh.

- I wonder what's underneath. - I know.

Well, as you can see tonight,

you face your first mystery box challenge of the season.

And there's two of you, so we figured

we'll give you two mystery boxes.

Tonight, it's your job to take whatever ingredients

are under your individual boxes

and combine them into one cohesive MasterChef quality dish.

Both: Okay.

Right, shall we?

- Yes. - Yes.

On the count of three.

Oh, my God.

- One. - I'm scared.

Two.

Three! Lift.

- Ha, ha, ha! Yes! - Oh!

- Ooh! - Aww, hell, yeah.

It's totally spicy and sweet.

Gordon: Right. In front of you,

one box is sweet and one box is spicy.

Under the sweet box, there are ingredients

like maple syrup, fresh cherries, and chocolate.

The spicy box has ingredients like horseradish,

- mustard greens, and even Carolina Reaper peppers. - Oof.

Even though those ingredients may seem worlds apart,

it's your job to take at least two of those ingredients

from each box and make them seem like they're natural partners.

Okay. Okay.

Now, I'm sure you notice that those boxes

- are missing a protein. - Yeah.

So please come down to the front and take a look

- at the selection of proteins. - Oh, my God.

We just barely survived the last elimination.

- Oh, no way! - (laughing)

Darce: And now Gordon and Joe are rolling out

that mystery table of meat?

- Octopus. - So as the vegan team,

this is probably my worst nightmare.

In front of me are eleven unique proteins.

We got fresh snapper caught first thing this morning.

Incredible prawns.

Octopus. Come on!

Cod. Scallops.

Incredible chicken legs.

Pork tenderloin.

Venison loin.

Beautiful duck breast.

Take a look at those short ribs.

And of course, that Rolls-Royce cut, that filet mignon!

- (whistling) - Ooh.

Right, Michelle and Zach,

since you won the challenge last time round,

- now you have a huge advantage tonight. - Aah!

You get to select a protein for each duo.

- All right. - Whoo!

Both of you, step forward please.

Having this advantage is huge.

We have a leg up on everybody else,

so we need to make sure we're using it wisely,

and we're prepared to do that.

Right, let's start with Courtney and Darce.

What are you thinking?

They don't cook with meat that often.

So instead of giving this protein to others

who are more familiar and are able to do something amazing really easily,

- we're going to give them chicken. - Okay. I'll take it.

- Okay. - They don't do it often, so we figured

they'll be the ones to screw it up.

Gordon: Wow. Chicken for the vegan team.

For Javier and Azu, we're gonna give them the venison.

Oof. That's a tough one.

- Okay. - Okay.

Venison has to be medium rare.

But if you overcook it, you are in trouble.

So this is tricky.

Zach: We wanted to keep them away from the seafood,

so venison was one to give them that they might struggle with.

- Gordon: Absolutely. - Now, the competition definitely has started.

Both: Game on.

Next, Tonna and Cait, what are you thinking?

Well, they're a little landlocked out there in South Dakota.

So we're gonna give Tonna and Cait the scallops.

- Okay. - Wow.

Our strategy is to give them things that we know

- that they're less familiar with. - Gordon: Pork tenderloin.

Or contestants that we know tend to overthink a little bit

and give them something simple.

Gordon: Joel and Adam, cod.

They're just gonna overcomplicate it.

Ricky and Ashley made steak last week,

so we're going to give them the filet again...

- Thank you. - ...because I'm wondering,

can they continue to impress with steak or not?

- Gordon: Wow. - Do it, baby.

Great. Julio and Rachel, what are you thinking?

We think they're tough competition,

so we're gonna give them some octopus.

- Julio: Thank you. - We knew it.

- We're happy with this. - Yes.

Gonna be the best octopus of your life.

Gordon: Right, next?

We're gonna give Jesse and Jessica the prawns today, Chef.

- Okay. - We are elated.

- Wow. - We cook shrimp every other day, honestly.

I'm not sure that Zach and Michelle know that we're from New England.

I'm not sure if they've heard our accents.

If they think we're from Jersey or New York or whatever.

But, you know, we're from Boston, and the water's right there.

- So we're so excited about this. - Can I redo that?

Yeah.

Definitely. 1,000%.

- Okay. - Michelle: Aivan and Tina,

short ribs are difficult with a short amount of time,

so we're gonna give them the short ribs.

Tina, when was the last time you worked a pressure cooker?

I don't use the pressure cooker at all.

There's no way they're gonna cook in 60 minutes

- without a pressure cooker. - Okay, sir.

Okay, I'm not asking. I'm telling you.

- They need to go in. - Okay.

Pressure cooker, pressure cooker,

pressure cooker.

I don't want to use

that pressure cooker.

I don't know how.

And finally, Kayla and Ryan Kate,

we've got the difficult duck breast or a delicious snapper.

- Which one do you want? - Either way you put us, we're gonna kill it.

- You get the snapper. - Gordon: Happy with that?

- I'm happy. - Well done.

That leaves you with a duck.

Duck is something we've been cooking a lot lately.

You can do so much with the honey and the cherries,

you know, to make a nice sauce for that.

Good job. Really good job.

Okay, guys, you will have one hour

to take the ingredients from your mystery boxes

and make them come together in harmony.

Tiffany: The duo that cooks the best dish will receive

a special advantage in the next challenge.

Whoever cooks the worst dish will be eliminated tonight.

- Heard. - Right. Excited?

- Yes, Chef! - Good.

Then your time starts now!

- Let's go. - Whoo!

I love the way they still hold hands.

Tiffany: I know! They're so cute.

Gordon: It's like Joe and I after 15 seasons.

- Trying to make sure we have enough potatoes. - Yeah.

- Is this kale? - We're actually pretty pumped for the mystery boxes

because this is the way we cook at home.

Adam: Sometimes you just open the fridge, see what's in there,