Join or Sign In
Sign in to customize your TV listings
By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
Masterchef Season 3 Episodes
Season 3 Episode Guide
20 Episodes 2012 - 2012
Episode 1
Auditions #1
Mon, Jun 4, 201243 mins
The search begins for America's best amateur cook.
Episode 2
Auditions 2
Tue, Jun 5, 201243 mins
The search continues for America's best amateur cook.
Episode 3
Top 36 Become 18
Mon, Jun 11, 201243 mins
The auditions ended with Stacey and David gaining aprons. Afterwards, the top 36 contestants were tasked with cooking a ground beef dish. After inspection, the contestants were divided into three groups of twelve. The first group was eliminated, the second, consisting of Becky, Felix, Frank, Helene, Josh, Michael, Mike, Ryan, Samantha, Scott, Stacey, and Tali, advanced automatically. The third group: Anna, AJ, Bubba, Christine, Courtney, Dave, David, Monti, Nandini, Rami, Sheri, and Tanya, had their dishes tasted. The first group to be tasted were Anna, AJ, Dave and Tanya. Dave, Tanya and Anna advanced. The second group consisted of Bubba, Christine, Monti and Nandini. The judges advanced Monti and Christine. The last group consisted of Courtney, David, Rami and Sheri. After eliminating Courtney and Sheri, the judges gave David the last spot and eliminated Rami.
Episode 4
Top 18
Tue, Jun 12, 201243 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: The top eighteen had to cook items out of their Mystery Boxes. Ryan, Samantha, and Scott were called forward for having the worst dishes, with the judges announcing that they had revised the rules and anyone could be eliminated at any time during the competition. Bottom three: Ryan Umane, Samantha De Silva and Scott Little. Scott was the first to be sent to safety, leaving Ryan and Samantha facing elimination. Samantha was eliminated. Felix was then declared the winner of the challenge. Eliminated: Samantha De Silva. Challenger Winner/Immune: Felix Fang. Elimination Test: Felix got to choose the subject for the first Elimination Test, the theme being the dishes that intimidate the judges the most. Felix chose the risotto. Felix was also exempt from competing. David and Frank had the best two dishes, making them team captains for the first team challenge. Winners: David Martinez and Frank Mirando. Bottom three: Dave Mack, Helene Leeds and Tali Clavijo. Helene had the best risotto of the bottom three. Dave was then eliminated. Eliminated: Dave Mack.
Episode 5
Top 16
Mon, Jun 18, 2012
For the first team challenge, the remaining 16 contestants were divided into two teams and were required to cook an entrée for 201 Marines. After tasting both entrées each Marine would vote and the team with the most votes would win the team challenge.
Episode 6
Top 15
Tue, Jun 19, 201243 mins
Guts are tested as the remaining fifteen contestants are challenged to create a unique dish using unconventional - and unappetizing - cuts of meat. The contestants who are most resourceful and think outside the box will make the cut and continue to the next round.
Episode 7
Top 14
Mon, Jun 25, 201243 mins
The judges plan a surprise trip for the amateur cooks, but the contestants are in for a rude awakening when the judges split them into teams to prepare hearty breakfast meals for hungry hotel guests. The teams must be organized and work efficiently, but tempers reach a new high during room service. Later, the losing team must prove they deserve to remain in the competition in an emotional elimination round.
Episode 8
Top 13
Tue, Jun 26, 2012
Mystery Box Challenge: The contestants found a T-bone steak among other ingredients inside their mystery boxes. The best three dishes were Frank's, Tanya's, and Becky's. Tanya won. Challenge Winner/Immune: Tanya Noble. Elimination Test: The theme was the judges' favorite desserts. Along with immunity, Tanya got to choose who made which dessert. Tanya gave Gordon's English trifle to Becky, Josh, Monti, and Stacey; Graham's strawberry shortcake to Christine, Mike, Scott, and Tali; and Joe's tiramisu to Anna, David, Felix, and Frank. Stacey had the best dessert, making her a team captain for the next challenge. The bottom three were Felix, Scott, and Becky, who had the worst tiramisu, strawberry shortcake, and trifle, respectively. Winner: Stacey Amagrande. Bottom three: Becky Reams, Felix Fang and Scott Little. After Becky was saved, Scott was eliminated. Eliminated: Scott Little.
Episode 9
Top 12
Mon, Jul 2, 201243 mins
Team Challenge: This challenge consisted of three teams - Red, Yellow, and Blue. Stacey was given the task of forming the teams. Stacey led the Red Team with Tali, Frank, and Becky. She then put Monti, David, Anna, and Tanya on the Yellow Team, leaving Christine, Felix, Josh, and Mike as the Blue Team by default. The Yellow Team elected Anna as their leader, and Josh volunteered to lead the Blue Team. The teams' task was to each operate a food truck at Venice Beach, with the Red Team selling Mexican cuisine, the Yellow Team selling American cuisine, and the Blue Team selling Indian cuisine. All profits made would go to charity. The Red Team won the challenge with $798 in sales, and the Blue Team claimed second place with $756, leaving the Yellow Team to face the Pressure Test after earning only $602. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Becky Reams, Frank Mirando, Stacey Amagrande and Tali Clavijo. Immune: Christine Hà, Felix Fang, Josh Marks and Mike Hill. Pressure Test: The task was to make tortellinis from scratch. David had the best tortellinis. Monti also advanced. Bottom two: Anna Rossi and Tanya Noble. Anna was eliminated. Eliminated: Anna Rossi.
Episode 10
Top 11
Tue, Jul 3, 201243 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: The contestants were tasked with cooking with ingredients including a rabbit leg and forbidden rice. The best three dishes were Frank's, Mike's, and Becky's. Becky was the winner. Challenge Winner: Becky Reams. Elimination Test: Becky was able to choose which piece of equipment she would use to cook her dish and what her competitors would work with. Becky chose the deep fryer for herself and the pizza stone for the rest of the contestants. Monti won the challenge. Winner: Monti Carlo. Bottom three: David Martinez, Mike Hill and Tanya Noble. Mike was eliminated. The judges then announced that there would be a double elimination and eliminated Tanya. Eliminated: Mike Hill and Tanya Noble.
Episode 11
Top 9
Mon, Jul 9, 2012
Mystery Box Challenge: The contestants were each tasked with creating a dish using a live sea urchin, or uni. After a demonstration from Gordon, the contestants were given sixty minutes to prepare their dishes. The top were Felix, Josh, and Stacey. Felix won. Challenge Winner: Felix Fang. Elimination Test: Felix was presented with nine different types of fish and was able to decide who was to cook which fish. Felix selected the halibut for herself, the rock fish for Becky, the salmon for Christine, the yellowtail for David, the catfish for Frank, the sardines for Josh, the John Dory for Monti, the striped bass for Stacey, and the Arctic char for Tali. Frank and Monti had the best two dishes and were selected as the team captains for the next Team Challenge. Winners: Frank Mirando and Monti Carlo. Bottom three: Christine Hà, David Martinez and Tali Clavijo. Christine was safe, leaving David and Tali facing elimination. Tali was eliminated. Eliminated: Tali Clavijo.
Episode 12
Top 8
Mon, Jul 16, 201243 mins
Team Challenge: The contestants were tasked with feeding 101 cowboys and cowgirls. Frank picked Becky, Josh, and Felix for the Red Team, while Monti picked Stacey, David, and was left with Christine on the Blue Team. Frank and Monti were then forced to switch teams. Each cowboy and cowgirl would vote for the dish that he or she preferred, and the first team to 51 votes would win the challenge. The Blue Team was able to secure the win. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Christine Hà, David Martinez, Frank Mirando and Stacey Amagrande. Pressure Test: The judges asked the Red Team to select one cook to be saved from the Pressure Test. The decision effectively fell to Monti and she selected Felix. The other three had to cook eggs four different ways at once. Monti had the best eggs. Immune: Felix Fang. Bottom two: Becky Reams and Josh Marks. Josh was eliminated. Eliminated: Josh Marks.
Episode 13
Top 7
Tue, Jul 17, 201243 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: The contestants entered the kitchen to find a huge mystery box, inside of which was Paula Deen, who would serve as a guest judge. The contestants worked with ingredients from southern cuisine. The three best dishes were Becky's, Frank's, and David's. The judges and Paula declared Frank the winner of the Mystery Box. Challenge Winner/Immune: Frank Mirando. Elimination Test: Frank was shown a sampler of Japanese cuisine. After awarding Frank with immunity, the judges revealed that the other six contestants would be divided into three pairs to replicate the sampler; one team member would cook while the other would direct, swapping roles every fifteen minutes. Frank was able to form the teams. He paired Becky with David, Felix with Monti, and Christine with Stacey. Felix and Monti had the best sampler and Christine and Stacey had the worst. Winners: Felix Fang and Monti Carlo. Bottom two: Christine Hà and Stacey Amagrande. Stacey was eliminated. Eliminated: Stacey Amagrande.
Episode 14
The Return
Mon, Jul 23, 201243 mins
Special Mystery Box Challenge: The final six were surprised by being told that they would not have to cook anything this episode, and that instead the eight contestants eliminated prior (Stacey, Josh, Tali, Tanya, Mike, Anna, Scott, and Ryan) would return for a Mystery Box challenge, with the top two getting the opportunity to win back their place in the competition. Josh and Ryan ended up as the top two. Special Pressure Test: Josh and Ryan had to each create a fruit tart, with the six remaining contestants blindly tasting and voting for their favorite. All six contestants voted for Josh's tart, earning him a return to the competition. Reinstated: Josh Marks.
Episode 15
The New Top 7
Tue, Jul 24, 201243 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: The final seven were asked to make a dish featuring prawns, which they would have to fish out of an aquarium they each got. The three best dishes were Becky's, Christine's, and David's. David won the challenge. Challenge Winner: David Martinez. Elimination Test: The theme of the challenge were savoury desserts. David chose the corn as the ingredient and was shown three examples of corn desserts in order to give him ideas. The judges decided the two best dishes were Becky's and Frank's, making them team captains for the next team challenge. Winners: Becky Reams and Frank Mirando. Bottom three: David Martinez, Felix Fang and Josh Marks. Josh was the first of the bottom three to be saved. The judges decided to send Felix home. Eliminated: Felix Fang.
Episode 16
The Top 6
Tue, Aug 14, 201242 mins
Team Challenge: The cooks were brought to Hatfield's restaurant and told that they would be running the kitchen that night, with Gordon expediting, Graham as sous chef and Joe as the head waiter. The Red Team was led by Becky with Christine and Monti, and the Blue Team was led by Frank with David and was left with Josh. The contestants would be taught how to make the restaurant's menu from the owners, who would also be diners for the service. The judges declared the women the winners based on overall feedback. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Becky Reams, Christine Hà and Monti Carlo. Pressure Test: Frank was allowed to exempt a member of his team. He saved himself. David and Josh had to cook three filet mignon steaks: one rare, one medium-rare, and one well done. Immune: Frank Mirando. Josh had the better steaks, meaning that David was eliminated. Eliminated: David Martinez.
Episode 17
Top 5 Battle to Survive
Tue, Aug 21, 201242 mins
The remaining five home cooks select the mystery box ingredients they will need to create a dish that best represents who they are, but the judges surprise the contestants with a game changing twist. Later, in the elimination challenge, the home cooks will have a limited amount of time to conceptualize and recreate one of Graham Elliot's signature dishes that he served to President Barack Obama at his flagship restaurant. Find out whose dish is fit to impress the Commander-in-Chief and who will be sent home.
Episode 18
The Final 4
Tue, Aug 28, 201242 mins
In the most intimidating challenge of the season, the final four home cooks will split into two teams to prepare an exquisite three-course meal for the judges and three world-renowned chefs: Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy. The Michelin-starred guest judges will help critique each course and evaluate each dish's flavor, originality and culinary finesse. The winning pair will earn a spot in the Top 3, while the losing team will compete head-to-head in a heated pressure test featuring souffle. Find out who will rise to the occasion and who will collapse under pressure.
Episode 19
The Top 3
Tue, Sep 4, 2012
Mystery Box Challenge: The home cooks were tasked to cook a signature entree for their potential cookbook in 60 minutes. Christine's was named as the winning dish and Josh came second. Challenge Winner: Christine Hà. Elimination Test:: The test was to cook one of three legs of meat. Christine got the first pick and chose chicken legs. Josh then chose lamb legs, leaving Becky with frog legs. Josh had the best dish and became the first finalist. Winner: Josh Marks. Bottom two: Becky Reams and Christine Hà. Becky was eliminated. Eliminated: Becky Reams.
Episode 20
The Finale
Tue, Sep 4, 201242 mins
THE JUDGES REVEAL AMERICA'S NEXT "MASTERCHEF" ON THE SEASON FINALE OF "MASTERCHEF." The Top Two finalists have one last chance to prove to the judges that they have the passion, skill and drive worthy of the MASTERCHEF title. In their final challenge in the MASTERCHEF kitchen, the two home cooks will conceptualize and prepare the most important three-course meal of their lives.
