Tonight on FOX Masterchef returns with an all new Wednesday, August 30, Season 8 episode 14 & 15 called, “A Mexican Tag Team Challenge; The Great Outdoors,” and we’ve got your MasterChef recap down below! On tonight’s MasterChef Season 8 episode 14 & 15 as per the FOX synopsis, “The top nine must create a dish that is reminiscent of their favorite family breakfast, using Nutella as the key ingredient. In the second half, the top eight head to Big Bear Lake to cook fresh fish.”
So make sure to tune in between 8 PM – 10 PM for our MasterChef recap. While you wait for our recap make sure to check out all our Masterchef spoilers, news, videos, pics & more, right here!
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MasterChef Season 8 Episode 14 ‘A Mexican Tag Team Challenge’ Recap Part 1
MasterChef is on for two-hours tonight beginning with “A Mexican Tag Team Challenge.” The Top 9 home cooks head to their stations, where they are welcomed to the MasterChef kitchen by Chef Gordon Ramsay, Chef Christina Tosi and Chef Aaron Sanchez.
The Mystery Box challenge tonight is all breakfast ingredients and at the center of it all they have Nutella. They have to create a MasterChef worthy breakfast starring Nutella; they have 1 hour to create a breakfast they would make for their own families. Gordon, Christina and Aaron talk about how difficult it could be to elevate. When time is up, the Chefs call the best dishes forward.
Chef Aaron calls forward Gabriel, first time in the top 3 since the competition started. He made doughnut holes with blueberry glaze, hazelnuts and espresso syrup. Chef asks where this has been hiding, loves the freshness and fantastic flavor; he tells him he is happy to see him stepping up in the competition and if he continues to do this he will go far.
Chef Gordon says he would only add more filling to the doughnuts but says he respects that Gabriel had the guts to make them in 60 minutes; saying he may be 19 but definitely deserves to be in the Top 9.
Chef Christina asks Jason to bring up his dish. He created Hazelnut Torte with Nutella icing, caramel sauce and blood orange supremes. Christina says this is the most gorgeous dish she has ever seen in MasterChef ever. She is “wowed”, she says the frosting is just a bit thick but she is just nitpicking as its a true masterpiece. Chef Aaron says its fun to eat and unbelievable but appreciates the blood orange the most.
Chef Gordon says the third talented home cook used Nutella in several ways and asks Cate to come forward. Gordon says visually its breathtaking. She created her mom’s cheesecake with Nutella-yogurt whipped cream and Nutella ganache. He says respect to her mom because its delicious, light and creamy but would have loved to see a touch more Nutella. He says if she keeps cooking like this she could be in the finale. Christina tastes it and says its good, sweet and nutty and loves the personal connection; loving the crust.
The person who won the Mystery Box challenge is Jason! Jason meets with the Masterchefs and the rest are called down to the front. Jason is safe from elimination tonight and will be making a number of decisions that could send a number of people home tonight and he gets to pick the teams of two for tonight’s challenge. This challenge separates the cooks from the chefs in the difficult tag-team challenge.
Jason says Cate is his number one competitor and pairs her with Dino. The next team is Yachecia and Eboni. Third team is Jeff and Caitlin, leaving Daniel and Gabriel as the final team. Jason heads up to the balcony.
MasterChef Season 8 Episode 14 ‘A Mexican Tag Team Challenge’ Recap Part 2
The home cooks learn they will be creating the perfect platter of Mexican food. Chef Aaron shows them the platter and tells them they need to perfectly replicate it as Chef Christina says they will not be cooking together, one will cook while the other stands at the end of the counter and they need to remember to start strong but end stronger.
The home cooks are given 60 minutes with Jeff, Daniel, Dino and Yachecia starting for each team knowing their partner will be the one to end it. Chef Ramsay is most worried about Daniel and Gabriel because Daniel looks completely lost and stuck in his head; Gabriel sees their team is falling behind. Chef Ramsay talks to Gabriel because he works in a fast-food Mexican restaurant and shouldn’t be making these mistakes. He screams at them to wake up!
Eboni and Yachecia are two very strong women with loud voices which could be their downfall. Jeff and Caitlin are communicating but Jeff is controlling. Chef Christina is worried Cate is too controlling and Dino won’t take direction. Chef Ramsay tells Dino they need to make decisions together and not just stand there and encourage her. Gabriel and Daniel are finally being vocal and things seem to be running smoother for them. Caitlin keeps allowing Jeff to control her and Christina talks to Eboni about her clashing with Yachecia.
The last switch happens and the last 5 minutes is all about the assembly; Eboni and Yachecia are nowhere near being on the same page while Caitlin and Jeff are still making tortillas when they should be creating their platter, with 3 minutes to go.
Cate and Dino present their platter first; she says there was a lot to do and things are not perfect but they managed to work well together. Chef Aaron Sanchez says the food is delicious, just needed some lime, the meat is well flavored, and its well-balanced and chirros are cooked to perfection. He says it wasn’t easy but they did a great job and made Mexico proud!
Jeff and Caitlin come forward with their platter; they have everything on the platter and Chef Ramsay says that Jeff was overpowering the whole time. Caitlin makes excuses and rates their platter a 3 or 4, while Jeff says its a 7 because everything is there. Ramsay decimates their platter saying the lamb looks like dog food, he won’t even look at the tacos, and 4 of their chirros would equal 1. He even spits out the food, he looks at the chicken and says his gran’s flipflops have more texture! He says the only thing he loves is the china they served the food on.
Daniel and Gabriel come up, feeling they had mistakes at the beginning but bounced back, communicated and worked as one cook. Christina says its a good looking platter, she says things are flavorful, great seasoning, crispy and loves the salsa. She tries the chirros and says they are great and was impressed how they worked together and the best looking platter.
Yachecia and Eboni come forward and Eboni says she had to do everything herself. Chef Ramsay says their platter is a mess. Yachecia says they were really communicating but Eboni says it came down to the last 5 minutes and she had to do half the tray by herself. They argue in front of Gordon Ramsay and Eboni calls Yachecia the “new Jeff”. Ramsay chastises them saying there is no harmony between them and has never seen two people more distant from each other and two individuals who couldn’t put their egos aside to get over the line.
He picks up the tortilla, there is an empty bag, asking if its a magic trick if he shakes the bag and a rabbit will come out. He opens the taco and says he’s seen more appetizing diapers. He asks Yachecia to say a prayer while he tastes the food; he spits it into the bag, thanks them for his sick bag and says its disgusting. He tells them Jason did good work by putting them both one foot out the door.
Chef Aaron says Cate and Dino made a platter he would be honored to serve in one of his restaurants and they head up to the balcony. Chef Christina sends Daniel and Gabriel upstairs, feeling they earned the top 8. Chef Gordon sends Eboni and Yachecia upstairs leaving Jeff and Caitlin in front of them. He reminds them that Jeff was overbearing and Caitlin’s voice disappeared willing to take the back seat.
Caitlin is sent home!
The Top 8 arrive at Big Bear Lake, greeted by the chefs/judges who are flying through the lake on a boat. Today, they will be working in 2 teams of 4, serving some of the most intimidating, experienced and definitely most guests they have ever had for a team challenge…. Gordon, Aaron and Christina.
Cate and Dino are team captains. Red Team is Cate who chooses Jason, Eboni, and Gabriel; while Blue team is Dino who picks Daniel, Yachecia, and ends up with Jeff as last man standing. They will be working with rainbow trout; each team is responsible for creating two entirely different dishes with the only thing being the same is the protein. There is no MasterChef kitchen so their kitchen is a camp ground and are given 60 minutes to complete them.
Cate is ordering her team what to make but Gabriel wants to push it to be more elevated but Cate brushes him off. Jeff is not happy with his team’s decisions either and hopes the other dish can be their saving grace as the first one sounds childish.
The MasterChefs feel Cate feels more comfortable here fileting fish out in the wild than working in a kitchen. Ramsay learns Cate wants to put cornmeal on the fish and when Gabriel said he disagreed with that, Ramsay tells him he needs to speak up and Cate to smarten up. Cate continues to tell him they are making potato salad and he says they are not on a picnic, and Gabriel says he told her that and now its biting her in the ass. Gabriel wants to take over as team captain as she is horrible.
Chef Tosi and Chef Aaron listen as Dino explains the dish and Christina says it sounds child-like. She reminds them that they may be cooking in a campground but they are not expecting camping food. Daniel has Jeff help him remove the pin bones as they race against the clock. Gabriel is happy the team is meshing but isn’t too sure about the flavors.
Red Team has Panko crusted rainbow trout with sauteed kale and potato hash and then a pan seared rainbow trout with caramelized carrots and tomato relish. While the Blue team presents a rainbow trout pinwheel with roasted potatoes, asparagus and edible flowers as well as a pan seared rainbow trout with fennel, basmati rice, asparagus, Italian squash and carrots.
Chef Ramsay says there is a twist, they only want to taste one stunning dish from each team and wants them to pick which one they want the judges to eat. The red team immediately pick which one they want but the blue team isn’t totally in agreement.
Dino brings the pan seared rainbow trout with fennel, basmati rice, asparagus, Italian squash and carrots. Its not the most visual plate, its the flavor. Chef Ramsay says the whole dish is missing acidity, making the dish dull. Chef Aaron says the high point is the squash. Chef Christina says her dish is okay but every bite of rainbow trout had bones in it. Jeff brings the second dish forward, they taste it without comment.
Cate brings the pan seared rainbow trout with caramelized carrots and tomato relish. He tells her to be quiet and let him cut into the dish, it is cooked lovely and didn’t enjoy the carrots. Christina says her fish was definitely overcooked, but the skin was crispy and delicious. Aaron says the fennel just dissolved in his mouth and a great dish in this competition.
The judges deliberate while the home cooks catch some fresh air. Chef Ramsay says it was a close race and the winning team, that will not face the dreaded pressure test is Cate’s Red team, meaning, Cate, Eboni, Jason and Gabriel are safe tonight, while all 3 judges felt this was the Blue teams weakest dish ever and the dish they left behind was outstanding.
Jeff sits and complains, acting like a 5-year-old and Daniel calls him out on his attitude causing Jeff to walk away as the red team enjoys some time on the water in Gordon’s boat.
Back in the MasterChef kitchen, the Blue team stands in front of the judges and Jeff wonders if he even has it in him to do this pressure test right now. Chef Christina Tosi presents them with a box of her favorite chocolate truffles. There are 9 in total, three are dark chocolate with a honeycomb exterior, three are milk chocolate rolled in cocoa powder, with a little smoked salt and bourbon inside as well as pecans; the final three are white chocolate with white chocolate and cherry center. She gives them 60 minutes to replicate them and it will not be easy.
Chef Ramsay says this is the most technical and feared desserts as Christina explains what they have to do and in which order. Jeff is moving so slow, seems lost in his own head and says again he can’t do this, falling apart and giving up. Eboni tries to encourage him, tells him to focus and has a son that counts on him and he cannot give up because his baby boy and fiancee believe in him.
Everyone brings their truffle boxes to the front and Chef Christina Tosi sees Jeff’s box first. Visually its not perfect but when she slices into the truffle says its smooth but sad its missing the honeycomb exterior. He nails the ganache in all 3 truffles, she says he failed in the presentation and composition and isn’t sure its enough for him to stay.
Chef Aaron Sanchez approaches Dino’s truffle box, he says visually he excelled but now he slices open the ganache and says its perfect; when he tastes it he says its delicious and very close to Christina’s. He says its well-balanced and the consistency is unreal, telling him good job!
Chef Gordon Ramsay says its not good enough that Yachecia is proud of only 2 of her truffles, when he opens her box he tells her she may as well untie her apron saying it looks terrible and asks her what it is and if she has bitten it. The other two need to be immaculate for her to stay. He slices into the dark chocolate saying they are smooth and delicious, he cuts into the milk chocolate one, tastes it and tells her it is also delicious but now he has no where to go as she only has 2 instead of 3.
Daniel tells Chef Christina he is happy with what he accomplished in 60 minutes. She tastes the white chocolate, saying it looks like a great ratio, the flavors are there but its not smooth. The dark chocolate, when she cuts it open has a chunk of chocolate inside it and that is a #1 no-no in making truffles.
After the Chefs speak they decide that Dino did a fantastic job and tell him to head up to the balcony. Jeff, Yachecia and Daniel are there for good reason; Yachecia and Jeff are told to step forward by Chef Gordon Ramsay who tells them to say goodbye to Daniel as he is finished his time in MasterChef kitchen!
END!
