MasterChef Finale

Well, I never thought I’d be here again, but as our good friend Alanis Morissette says, life has a funny way of helping you out when you think everything’s gone wrong, and everything blows up in your face.

It’s no secret that much of this season of MasterChef was a chore for me to write about, as many of the episodes were uninteresting, and I literally quit right as we were getting near the end of the season. Now, I feel that I need to explain why I made that decision. 

As some of you might know, two months ago, I broke my toe, and on August 20, a month after it happened, I had an appointment with a physician’s assistant. On that same day, I also planned on going to the pool twice, and I was going to meet with my therapist, and I just knew that there was no way I was going to be able to meet my personal deadline of having the blog post ready by Friday, which was the very next day. I also looked at the upcoming episode listings on the internet, and I was not looking forward to the possibility of writing about them. If I’m being completely honest, my favorite part of all the cooking shows I watch is the creativity that goes into all the dishes that the chefs make, and in seeing what the upcoming episodes were going to be, I knew that there was not going to be a single creative dish in either episode, so I just gave up on writing about the show.

However, I just watched The Finale, and I loved what I saw so much, that I just have to write about it!

In order to make things easier for myself, I will not be going over every individual detail of all two hours of the show, as that is just way too much for me, so I’ll just go over what I feel are important details. Does that sound good to you guys? I’m glad you agree, so let’s get started!

So, first, I’m going to share the three contestants that made it to The Finale.

First was Heidi, a yacht charter broker who was representing South Africa. 

Next was Peter, a former banking consultant who was representing Nigeria.

Last was Jake, a pharmacy technician who was representing Mexico.

Now, I’m going to explain to you all how The MasterChef Finale works. Basically how it works is that the remaining home cooks have to make a Three Course Meal, with an Appetizer, an Entree, and a Dessert.

Now that I have explained all the important information to all of you, let’s get into how it all played out!

Up first was The Appetizer Round!

Peter presented his Appetizer first, which was Steamed Red Snapper with Crispy Skin, Pepper Soup Broth, Red Pepper Glaze, and Yam Dumplings. I’m not too sure if I would want to try this dish, because I’m not the biggest fan of Fish, but I would be willing to try some of the Garnishes. Here’s an image of what the dish looked like.

Chef Ramsay immediately said that the dish looked refined, he loved the textures and the color on the Dumplings, but the flavor of the Broth needed to punch through. Upon actually tasting it, he said that the Red Snapper was cooked beautifully, and when he was eating the Crispy Skin, you could seriously hear the sound of him eating it, and it sounded like he was eating Chips. You know, just Chips with maybe one little nugget of Meat on there. A million points to anyone who understands that reference.

Chef Tiffany then said that the Fish was really nicely cooked, and the Dumplings with the Broth were nice, and she loved the Crispy Skin. 

Joe then said that the poach on the Fish was very elegant, and he then described the dish as a refined version of a very humble Nigerian dish. 

Chef Ramsay then told Peter that he loved the effort he put in, the Fish was cooked beautifully, but he felt that the Broth was a touch salty.

Here’s an additional fun fact: They invited many of the past eliminated contestants to stand on the balcony and cheer them on, but because some of them were eliminated so long ago, I literally remember nothing about them. Like seriously, I can’t remember a thing about Camilo, Ted, and Daniel. In fact, I even had to go to the internet just to make sure that I spelled Camilo’s name correctly. 

Heidi then presented her Appetizer, which was a Chili-Marinated Black Cod with Mango Salsa, Fennel Salad, and Peri-Peri Cream Sauce. Yet again, this is a Fish dish that I don’t think I would want to try because Fish. Here’s an image of what the dish looked like.

Chef Ramsay immediately said that the dish looked beautiful, and he loved the colors.

After sharing his concerns with her cooking the Black Cod early, he cut into it and said that it was cooked beautifully. Unfortunately, that seemed to be the end of the praise that all three judges had for the dish, as Chef Ramsay said that the Black Cod got lost inside the julienne of the Carrot and the Slaw, Chef Tiffany said that it felt like a Salad with Fish, and Joe described it as a strange strategy to take on The Finale, as she had basically made a Well-Dressed Salad. After I heard these criticisms, I knew that either she wasn’t going to win, or she still could, but she had a lot of ground to make up.

Jake then presented his Appetizer, which he called “Kraken,” and it consisted of a Ruby Prawn & Octopus Taco with Avocado Crema and Aguachile Rojo Sauce. I know that I have already said so many times that I am not the biggest fan of Fish, but I would strongly consider trying this dish. Here’s an image of what the dish looked like.

Chef Ramsay said that the dish was delicious, and it was also one of the poshest and most incredible Tacos he had ever eaten, and he also acknowledged the risk with cooking Octopus, but added that it was tender, and he also liked the lightness of the Avocado Crema.

Chef Tiffany then said that she felt that Jake could have concentrated more on the Tortilla, as it got a little dry, but he did a great job on the char on the Octopus, and she also loved the Salsa Rojo, and she felt that every bite was an adventure.

Joe, for some reason, upon hearing that Jake called the dish “Kraken,” started talking like a sailor with a Scottish accent. No, I am not making that up. He actually started doing that, and even Chef Ramsay and Chef Tiffany were weirded out by it. When he was not doing what is among the weirdest things I have ever seen on this show, he told Jake that he had tapped modern Mexican Cuisine, and the dish was also a great story about the beauty and the bounty of Mexican Cuisine, and that was because of the refinement of the cooking technique, and the complexity of the ingredients.

From there, the home cooks started cooking their Entrees, and the episode ended. No, I’m not making that up. They chose to split The Finale up into two parts, and it would also be over the course of two weeks, for reasons that I assume are because they wanted to air the Nation’s Dumbest Finale on the same night as the literal actual final part of The MasterChef Finale.

At this point in time, I felt that Peter and Jake were in the lead at this point in time, and Heidi had been set back greatly due to her Appetizer.

One week later, it was time for the second part of The Finale, and it was also time for the home cooks to present their Entrees.

Heidi presented her Entree first, which was a Venison Tenderloin with a Madagascar Green Peppercorn Sauce, a Goat Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Blossom, and a Parsnip Puree, which is a dish that I would be willing to try. Here’s an image of what the dish looked like.

Chef Ramsay immediately told her that the dish looked stunning, and upon cutting into it, he said that the Venison was a perfect medium-rare.

Chef Tiffany then told Heidi that the dish felt like her again, which is one of the nicest mean things you can say to someone.

Chef Ramsay then said that the dish tasted as good as it looked, it was tender, and it was seasoned beautifully, and the Goat Cheese inside the Squash Blossoms was “Actually quite nice.” 

Joe then said that the dish reminded him of what you might have in a One-Star Michelin or in a high-end bistro in Paris, and the Cream Sauce was technically perfect. 

Jake presented his Entree next, which he called “Holy Mole,” and it consisted of Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Mole Poblano, Mexican Red Rice, Truffles, and Cilantro Lime Sauce, which is another dish that I would consider trying. Here’s an image of what the dish looked like.

Chef Ramsay immediately said that the dish looked great, and that it was incredibly bold to make a Mole Sauce in 60 minutes, except he didn’t use those exact words. He then said that there was great caramelization on the Duck, but he was concerned about how it was cooked inside. 

Now, here’s a fun fact for all of you reading. Many seasons ago, there was a contestant named Cesar, who made it to The Finale on his season, and his Entree was also a Duck Breast with Mole Sauce. And he nailed the Mole Sauce, but overcooked the Duck Breast. So, I was expecting either the same thing or something similar to happen to Jake at this time.

Chef Ramsay then cut into the Duck Breast and… it was a perfect medium-rare. He then said that the Mole was good, but he criticized Jake for using Truffle, as it made no sense in the dish at all, to which Jake’s girlfriend, who was one of the family members and loved ones in attendance, said that she told him not to put any Truffle in his dish.

Chef Tiffany then told Jake that his Mole was good, the Duck was delicious and nicely seasoned, but the Rice needed ten more minutes of cooking, and with the uttering of that sentence, I figured that Jake’s chances of winning had ceased to exist, they were no more, he was an ex-potential winner. A million points anyone who knows what that reference is from. 

Joe then said that he disagreed with Tiffany, as he thought that the Rice was delicious and rich, and he liked the concentration of Tomato in it, and he felt that the whole thing really worked.

Peter then presented his Entree, which was Suya Spiced Beef Filet with Tamarind Reduction Sauce, Plantain Puree, Plantain Chips, and Scotch Bonnet Relish, which is a dish that I would be willing to try. Here’s an image of what the dish looked like.

Chef Tiffany immediately said that the dish looked stunning, as it was simple but still elegant.

Upon tasting it, Chef Ramsay said that the Beef was delicious and melt in the mouth, and he also loved the tartness of the Sauce, and he told Peter that it was his best course of the night so far.

Chef Tiffany also agreed that the Beef was perfectly cooked, and she also loved the Scotch Bonnet Relish.

Joe then told Peter that he cooked the best they had seen him cook, as it tasted like a well-executed Filet dish, and everything was spot-on.

From there, it was time for them to make their Desserts. 

Once time was up, Peter presented his Dessert first, which was a Spiced Coconut Mousse with Hibiscus Gel, Chocolate Coconut Husk, and Passion Fruit Gel, which is a Dessert that I would be willing to try. Here’s an image of what the dish looked like.

The judges immediately brought up some of the struggles Peter was having towards the end of the cook time, as he wanted to form a Full Coconut in his Dessert, and what he got on the plate was Half of a Coconut, but they were still hopeful that it would taste good. 

Upon actually tasting it, Chef Ramsay said that it was delicious, as the texture of the Mousse was incredible, and the Passion Fruit Coulis gave it a sweet and sour.

Chef Tiffany then said that she was tasting the Hibiscus, which was really nice with the sweetness of the Coconut, the Passion Fruit was nice and tart, and the Chocolate was bitter, and then told Peter that he got his flavors down.

Joe then said that a Pastry can be an idea, and Peter clearly wanted to tell a story, which is a beautiful thing, and while things did go wrong, he was still tasting the Dessert he had in mind, and it was delicious.

Heidi then presented her Dessert, which was a Mirror Glazed Marula Liqueur Mousse with Brownie Crumble, Raspberry Coulis, and Pistachio Dust, which is another Dessert that I would absolutely be willing to try. Here’s an image of what the dish looked like.

Chef Ramsay immediately said that the dish looked stunning, elegant, and sophisticated. 

Upon actually cutting into it and tasting it, Chef Ramsay said that the Mousse was exceptional, the Mirror Glaze gave it extra sweetness, and he loved the Crumble underneath. 

Chef Tiffany then said that you would think a portion that large would feel heavy, but it felt very light, and she also felt that Heidi played to her strengths, and she did feel South Africa on the plate.

Joe then said that the Dessert was indicative of her journey because she took a big risk, did some professional Pastry techniques, and altogether, it was a dish where the sum was greater than the parts of the whole.

Last up to present their Dessert was Jake, and he made arguably the most bizarre Dessert I have ever seen in my life. Not just on this show, or on any other cooking show, but anywhere in my life. 

His Dessert was a Sweet Corn Profiterole with Blueberry Coulis, Roasted Corn White Chocolate Ganache, Chanterelle Mushroom Ice Cream, and Freeze Dried Corn Soil. No, I am not making any part of this up. This is actually what he made. He did make a Dessert with a bunch of savory ingredients, including MUSHROOM ICE CREAM. In a very weird way, I would almost be willing to try this dish. Here’s an image of what it looked like. 

As soon as he presented the Dessert, I knew that it was either going to be one of the worst things ever made, or miraculously incredible. There was no possibility in my mind of there being anything in between.

Chef Ramsay then said that it looked beautiful, but admitted that he was worried about the amount of CBD Gummies Jake took before he made Chanterelle Ice Cream. 

Upon actually tasting it, Chef Ramsay said there was a lot going on with the dish, and it was absolutely delicious, and he even went so far as to say that it was the best Profiterole he had ever had in the history of the competition, and that he thought the Chanterelle Ice Cream was delicious.

After Chef Tiffany and Joe gave their feedback on Jake’s Dessert, which was even more praise, it was time for all three judges to decide who had won the season.

Now, here’s something that you should all know. Ever since the very first season of the show, the person who wins the season is always the person who is either the first person or the last person to get an apron in their episode. That’s how it worked for all fifteen previous seasons, and I assumed this would be no different. 

So with that in mind, we had Peter, who was the last person in his episode to get an apron, and Heidi and Jake, who were neither first nor last to get aprons in their episodes. So, at this point in time, in fact, even before The Finale had started, I was fully ready for Peter to win, and I was still confident that it was going to happen at this point, even though I thought that Jake made better dishes than him.

So, imagine my surprise when it turns out that they veered away from this tradition, and Jake was announced as the winner of the season! 

Yeah, the person that me and my family were rooting for and felt deserved it the most had won. I was so excited by this happening that it ultimately became the reason that I wrote this blog post that you are reading right now.

Overall, this was definitely a season that had a lot of highs and a lot of lows, and right when it seemed like they were limping to the finish line, they instead finished in the best way imaginable. I only hope that Jake continues to further his culinary career, and that Peter and Heidi do the same as well.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this blog post, and I’ll see you all soon with another one!