The two-hour return of MasterChef on Fox ended with two cooks going home. First, they had to serve restaurant-quality dishes to 25 California firefighters. Later, a Pressure Test based on pasta and a Mystery Box Challenge involving food scraps took place.
By the end of the night, there would only be six people left competing for the title of MasterChef 2018. Who would survive this gauntlet and who went home on MasterChef tonight?
Sea Bass at Peterson Ranch for the Team Challenge
The home cooks were split up into teams to cook for 25 California firefighters. Cesar Cano and Bowen Li were named as the team captains due to how well they performed in the last episode. A coin flip would be used to decide whether one of the captains picked the teams or picked the protein.
Bowen won and chose the protein, which was the sea bass. His Red Team also had Shanika Patterson, Samantha Daily, and Ashley Mincey. Cesar and his Blue Team of Gerron Hurt, Farhan Momin, and Julia Danno had to prepare the rack of lamb.
Which team do you think won? #MasterChef
— MasterChef (@MASTERCHEFonFOX) August 30, 2018
The Blue Team of Cesar, Gerron, Farhan, and Julia ended up winning the Team Challenge after the firefighters picked their dish as the best one.
Whose pasta can’t pass the Pressure Test?
Chef Joe Bastianich gave a class on how to prepare three different types of pasta. He then revealed that Bowen, Shanika, Samantha, and Ashley had to do the same. Samantha ended up preparing the best dishes, showing how comfortable she was cooking with pasta.
Penne for your thoughts, @JBastianich? #MasterChef pic.twitter.com/WI20WAWQz6
— MasterChef (@MASTERCHEFonFOX) August 30, 2018
It came down to the struggles of Bowen and Shanika that were highlighted by the judges. Basing their decision only on this Pressure Test, Shanika Patterson was sent home.
Leftovers test home cooks during Mystery Box Challenge
The top seven home cooks had to take part in a Mystery Box Challenge to open the second hour of the MasterChef night. Inside the boxes were traditional leftovers, which the home cooks had to use to create an elevated dish.
The top home cook from this challenge was Cesar, who prepared chicken liver skewers with beet tops, mushroom stems, and broccoli-cauliflower stems. The judges loved his dish and declared that he was safe for the night.
A THREE COURSE MEAL FROM SCRAPS?! ? #MasterChef pic.twitter.com/6RtkQiHtqs
— MasterChef (@MASTERCHEFonFOX) August 30, 2018
Who went home on MasterChef tonight?
Six home cooks took part in the Elimination Challenge, which involved using whole pieces of the leftovers they had prepared in the earlier challenge. The goal was to elevate a dish even further than before. Cesar was given an advantage for winning the Mystery Box Challenge and he got to pick someone to be safe from elimination. He saved Gerron.
If only smell-o-vision existed! #MasterChef pic.twitter.com/Wxk7SVct1c
— MasterChef (@MASTERCHEFonFOX) August 30, 2018
The final judging came down to the dishes of Julia and Farhan. The judges just weren’t impressed by her roasted chicken breast with cauliflower couscous and beet-carrot puree. They decided to eliminate Julia.
On the night, home cooks Shanika Patterson and Julia Danno were sent home.
MasterChef airs at 8/7c each Wednesday night on Fox.