MasterChef

Gordon: This season on "MasterChef," we are making history...

- Oh, my God! - ...because for the first time ever,

we'll have partners in the kitchen.

Husbands and wives, mothers and daughters,

- best friends, even divorced couples. - Give her a nice kiss.

- This is "MasterChef: Dynamic Duos." - We're here, baby!

This season we will crown two MasterChefs.

- We have the best chemistry. - We are here to take the title.

- And who's in charge? - We fight over that a little bit, but--

- Me! - Joe and myself will be joined by a brand new judge...

Tiffany Derry! Oh, yes!

This competition is going to be fierce.

...to find out if two cooks really are better than one.

They are like synchronized swimmers.

- Come on. - The dynamic in this duo has disappeared.

Was not my call, Chef. It was his call.

You need you need to own your partner's decision.

I'm doing my best. Just calm down.

We are doubling the difficulty with new challenges...

This is only possible as a dynamic duo.

Ten minutes, ten minutes, ten minutes, ten minutes. Sold!

We're gonna play recipe telephone.

Me and Kayla are telepathic twins.

Come on! Sauce!

Time for the big swap. Are you ready?

Cait, the sauce!

- Lift! - ...and some familiar favorites.

The return of the dreaded pressure test.

- Get it, get it, get it. Where is it? - You grab it. Right there.

- Wow, the wall. - We want identical plates.

- Do you hear me? - I can't.

- Jess, two piece asparagus! - I can't hear you!

- (whistle blowing) - Oh, my God!

It'll take all they've got to stay on track...

- We have to start plating! - We got an overcooked duck.

- Oh, my God. - This is a freaking train wreck.

- Holy (bleep). - Whoo!

...and weather every storm.

- This weather is crazy! - We're not (bleep) around.

- I want to get off this ride. - You're going home.

- Oh, hey, medic! Medic! - (wheezing)

But the duo that proves they're dynamic enough...

- This is Michelin star chef's plating. - Yes!

- This is explosive. - Thank you so much.

I really see the dynamic duo.

You've got the marriage right here. A bit like you two.

...will share the ultimate culinary prize.

- Together you're cooking like pros. - Oh, my God.

- As a duo, this is the level you need to be at. - Thank you, Chef.

- This is better than some of my restaurants. - Oh, Joe!

You may kiss the bride.

This is "MasterChef: Dynamic Duos."

I don't like cooking without you.

MasterChef! Here we are!

- There it is! There it is! - Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Let's go!

Oh, my gosh.

- Oh, wow. - It's so pretty.

- We're here! Can you believe it? - I can't believe it.

- Let's go! - Come on!

- We're here. - Oh, my God!

- I feel so emotional. Can you believe it? - I know.

We love cooking together. So when we found out that this season

- we're gonna be together... - It was like the dream come true for us.

I can't believe that we're here.

This is my partner in life and in the kitchen.

- This is what we've been training for. - We're cooking all off.

And this is what we want to do for the rest of our lives.

- Dude, I'm just happy to be here doing this with you. - This is gonna be awesome.

- Yeah, man. You, too. - Inside those doors is our dream.

- Mm-hmm. - I'm like, where's Gordon?

- (shrieking) - Whoa.

Gordon: Let's go.

- (cheering continues) - Gordon: I'm excited.

Oh, my goodness me.

Welcome, everybody,

to our incredible 15th season of "MasterChef."

- Yeah! - (cheering)

- Oh, my God. - But listen up.

"MasterChef" has always been about finding

- America's best home cook. - Oh, yeah.

But this year we want to highlight the power of partners in the kitchen.

For the first time in "MasterChef" history,

we will crown not one, but two MasterChefs.

- How cool is that? - Baby, right here!

This is "MasterChef: Dynamic Duos."

- Yes! Yes! Yes! - Whoo!

We have brought the best duos from all across America

here to the amazing MasterChef kitchen.

And trust me, we have everything from husbands and wives.

- Yeah! - To mothers and daughters,

- aunts and nieces. Yes? - Yeah!

Best friends.

- Even co-workers. - Whoo!

Amazing!

We even have a divorced couple?

- Happily! Happily! - Amazing.

Look at the distance between you two still.

- Closer together. - Give a nice kiss.

It's gonna be interesting watching you two cook.

And, young lady, you are hyperventilating-- in the yellow, yes?

- Yes, that's right. - Why now?

We've said forever that that once there was a partner season

that we would be there. So here we are.

Glad to hear it. And who's in charge?

- We fight over that a little bit. - Me, me!

- Wow. - Well, here's the thing, guys,

even though you're competing as a duo, we're not going to be judging as a duo.

This season we'll be joined by a new judge.

- Wow. - Ooh!

Someone that is no stranger to the MasterChef kitchen.

- She... - Oh, it's a woman!

...is a decorated chef with nearly 30 years of culinary experience.

Oh, my God. Who's that?

And like us, she has her own culinary empire.

- Now, are you ready to meet her? - Yes!

- Here she comes. - Oh!

Wow!

Oh, my God.

- Who's it gonna be? - Please give a warm welcome

to the amazing...

- Tiffany Derry! - (cheering)

Tiffany is an incredible, world-renowned, award-winning chef,

a celebrated restaurateur,

and a true culinary icon of the South.

We are so lucky to have her join the MasterChef family.

- Oh, man! Good to see you, darling. - How are you?

- Welcome. - Oh, my God!

Wow. How cool is this to have Tiffany Derry as our new judge?

- Come on, give it up. - Yeah!

- (cheering) - Yeah!

- Tiffany, welcome to the MasterChef family. - Thank you.

What a pleasure and an honor to have you here.

Now tell us a little bit how you worked your way

through the culinary ranks.

Give us an insight to the beginning of that journey.

I started as a server. At 16, I was managing.

And now to be able to own your own,

I think is one of the most beautiful things about spreading love and great food.

- Love that. Love that! - (cheering)

Right. On to the reason why you're all here.

Listen up because at the end of this competition,

the best duo will earn the title, the trophy,

and a quarter of a million dollars.

Right here! You've got the winners right here.

But you may think that competing as duos could be easier.

But trust me, this season is gonna be twice as tough.

Because tonight, to earn your spot in the competition,

you'll face off in a battle against another duo.

- Ooh. - It's a battle you need to win

to get your hands on two of these.

- Woohoo! - That's right.

The incredible MasterChef apron.

- Whoo! - Yeah!

My name on it.

In these audition battles, two duos will enter the MasterChef kitchen,

- but only one duo will leave with aprons. - Oh.

And you're gonna have just 30 minutes on the clock.

- Oh, man. - Gordon: Right.

It's time for our first duos to battle it out

to get their hands on that coveted MasterChef apron.

All of you, the very best of luck.

- We'll see you in the kitchen. - Thank you.

Wow, this is gonna be so exciting.

- I cannot wait to cook. - Oh, my God.

- I need my apron, Javier. - Ah!

- If you don't give me my apron, Javier-- - Yes. No, no, no.

- You got it. Don't worry. - Half of us are getting an apron.

- That's insane. - Gordon on PA: Right.

First up, Jesse and Jessica...

- Oh! - Oh!

...versus Michelle and Zach.

J-Squared!

Oh, my God.

- Oh, my God! - Jesse: We don't want to live

that straightforward 9 to 5 life anymore.

Once we get the apron, we're not looking back.

We are here to be the next MasterChefs.

- Come on down. Come on down. - Hi!

Now tell us who you are and what the relationship is between this dynamic duo.

I'm Zach. This is Michelle.

We're from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

- We've been married for four years. - Yeah.

- Watching "MasterChef" for 15. - Yes.

Big, big, big fans of "MasterChef."

It essentially brought us together

and probably why we're married today.

- Love that. - And?

We're J-Squared. My name is Jesse.

This is my beautiful partner Jessica.

- And we are New England foodies. - Nice.

Okay, you are now fighting for a spot

in the MasterChef kitchen, guys.

- We're ready. Yeah. - Let's go.

Okay, your 30 minutes starts now.

- Whoo! - Let's go.

- Let's go, baby. - All right. Ingredients.

- All right, we're heating oil. - Yup.

- Doing it baby. We're doing it. - We're doing this.

What are we looking for in this season of duos?