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Masterchef Season 5 Episodes
Season 5 Episode Guide
19 Episodes 2014 - 2014
Episode 1
Top 30 Compete
Mon, May 26, 201442 mins
Host award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay, along with fellow judges restaurateur Joe Bastianich and acclaimed chef Graham Elliot return for Season Five, putting the latest group of contestants through a series of challenging elimination rounds and turning one home cook into a culinary master.
Episode 2
Top 22 Compete
Mon, Jun 2, 201442 mins
In the first mystery box challenge of the season, the Top Finalists will have 90 minutes to prep and cook a unique and impressive dish, using mainly dessert ingredients. The winner of the mystery box will have a significant advantage in the next round, deciding which classic American dish the remaining contestants will have to prepare in the elimination round. Find out who will rise to the occasion and whose dream of becoming America's next MASTERCHEF will come to an end.
Episode 3
Top 20 Compete
Mon, Jun 9, 201442 mins
It's the ultimate culinary war when the remaining 20 home cooks compete in the biggest field challenge in MASTERCHEF history: feeding an army of 500 servicemen and women on a desert army base. In their first team challenge, the contestants will split into two teams - the red team and the blue team - to create a hearty meal including one protein and two side dishes. Tempers flare as both teams struggle with consistency, and every dish counts as the troops will vote for their favorite dish and determine the winning team. Later, the losing team will face an intense pressure test featuring the all-American classic, blueberry pie. Find out whose dessert will prove to be a victory and who will be sent home.
Episode 4
Top 18 Compete
Mon, Jun 16, 201441 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: The judges announced that Gordon had withdrawn from the competition due to illness. The 18 remaining contestants were required to cook using a collection of live seafood. The top three dishes were Francis B.'s, Ahran's, and Christian's. Ahran's was declared the best, winning her the challenge. Withdrew: Gordon Houston. Challenge Winner/Immune: Ahran Cho. Elimination Test: Ahran was allowed to choose the theme for the next challenge, which was based around sweet treats; she chose donuts. The others had to cook twelve donuts and present them in a box. After the challenge ended, Ahran was given a third advantage; picking a further contestant to be immune. She chose Francis B. The two best boxes of donuts were Leslie and Francis L., giving them the role of Team Captains in the next team challenge. Courtney, Cutter and Kira were announced as the bottom three. Immune: Francis Biondi. Winners: Francis Legge and Leslie Gilliams. Bottom three: Courtney Lapresi, Cutter Brewer and Kira Novak. utter was sent to safety, then Kira was eliminated. Eliminated: Kira Novak.
Episode 5
Top 17 Compete
Mon, Jun 23, 201442 mins
Team Challenge: The contestants were brought to a beach in southern California for a wedding party of 120 guests. Leslie captained the Red Team and chose Christian, Francis B., Tyler, Daniel, Christine, Ahran, Jordan and Jaimee. Francis L. picked Willie, Courtney, Cutter, Victoria, Elizabeth, Dan and Elise for his Blue Team. The teams had to cook a scallop starter and a sea bass entrée, which they had two hours to cook. The Blue Team were named the winners. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Courtney Lapresi, Cutter Brewer, Dan Wu, Elise Mayfield, Elizabeth Cauvel, Francis Legge, Victoria Scroggins and Willie Mike. Pressure Test: The nine members of the Red Team were told that six of them would be saved from the pressure test, and the judges would choose the three chefs who would not be saved. Gordon selected Leslie, Graham selected Jordan, and Joe selected Francis B. Ahran, Christian, Christine, Daniel, Jaimee and Tyler were therefore sent to safety. Leslie, Jordan and Francis B. had to cook a portion of steak frites, with the steak's temperature being medium rare. Leslie had the best steak frites and advanced. Immune: Ahran Cho, Christian Green, Christine Silverstein, Daniel McGuffey, Jaimee Vitolo and Tyler Viars. Bottom two: Francis Biondi and Jordan Kaminski. Francis B. was sent to safety and Jordan was eliminated. Eliminated: Jordan Kaminski.
Episode 6
Top 16 Compete
Mon, Jun 30, 201441 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: Under the Mystery Box was 52 unlabeled aluminum cans containing various processed vegetables, fruit, meat and seafood. The cooks were tested on their ability to elevate cheap canned ingredients to restaurant-quality dishes. The top three were Elizabeth's, Victoria's, and Ahran's. Elizabeth was chosen as the winner and received the advantage in the next challenge. Challenge Winner/Immune: Elizabeth Cauvel. Elimination Test: Season 4 winner Luca Manfè and MasterChef Junior Season 1 winner Alexander Weiss returned to the MasterChef kitchen, each bearing one of their signature dishes. Luca presents a veal dish, while Alexander had made a passion fruit panna cotta. For her advantages, Elizabeth selects who cooks which dish. Elizabeth assigns the panna cotta to Cutter, Christian, Jaimee, Christine, Ahran, Francis B., Victoria and Tyler, leaving Courtney, Dan, Daniel, Elise, Francis L., Leslie, and Willie to cook Luca's veal. When Tyler is called on to present his panna cotta, Gordon reveals that he took Jaimee's third panna cotta out of the blast chiller rather than his own. Tyler is immediately disqualified for not serving his own meal to the judges. Disqualified: Tyler Viars. No bottom three is selected. Courtney is declared to have cooked the best meal and gets an advantage in the following episode. Winner: Courtney Lapresi.
Episode 7
Top 15 Compete
Mon, Jul 7, 201442 mins
Team Challenge: The judges informed the contestants that they will be working in pairs. The bottom two pairs would then have to face the Pressure Test. Courtney had the advantage of choosing the teams and was also safe from elimination. Courtney paired up: Christian and Francis B., Cutter and Dan, Jaimee and Elizabeth, Willie and Daniel, Victoria and Christine, Ahran and Leslie, and Francis L. and Elise. The pairs had to cook a surf and turf dish with one hour of cooking time. Christine and Victoria's dish was deemed best of the night. Christian/Francis B. and Cutter/ Dan were named as the bottom two teams and were therefore sent into the Pressure Test. Every other team advanced. Immune: Courtney Lapresi. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Christine Silverstein and Victoria Scroggins. Immune: Ahran Cho, Daniel McGuffey, Elise Mayfield, Elizabeth Cauvel, Francis Legge, Jaimee Vitolo, Leslie Gilliams and Willie Mike. Pressure Test: Christian, Cutter, Dan and Francis B. had to make six spring rolls with a dipping sauce. Christian had the best spring rolls and advanced. Bottom three: Cutter Brewer, Dan Wu and Francis Biondi. Dan was sent to safety, then Francis B. was eliminated. Eliminated: Francis Biondi.
Episode 8
Top 14 Compete
Mon, Jul 14, 201443 mins
Team Challenge: This Restaurant Takeover took place at Dinah's Family Restaurant in Culver City, California. The judges selected the two team captains themselves from among the cooks who had not previously been team captains: Christine and Willie. The teams would be boys versus girls, with captains as expediters, but both teams could choose a member of the opposite sex to join them. Christian and Victoria were chosen to switch places. Christine's Red Team received more tips with $87 compared to $82 for Willie's Blue Team, winning the challenge. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Ahran Cho, Christian Green, Christine Silverstein, Courtney Lapresi, Elise Mayfield, Elizabeth Cauvel and Jaimee Vitolo. Pressure Test: Willie was given two options: save three members from his team or save himself and let everyone else cook. He chose to compete in the pressure test and save Daniel, Francis, and Victoria. Cutter, Dan, Leslie and Willie had to bake a three-layer red velvet cake. Willie and Leslie advanced leaving Cutter and Dan in the bottom two. Immune: Daniel McGuffey, Francis Legge and Victoria Scroggins. Bottom two: Cutter Brewer and Dan Wu. Dan is eliminated. Eliminated: Dan Wu.
Episode 9
Top 13 Compete
Mon, Jul 21, 201443 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: The contestants are tasked with creating a dish using Alaskan king salmon in sixty minutes. The top three dishes were Christian's, Courtney's, and Elizabeth's. Christian is named the winner of the challenge. Challenge Winner/Immune: Christian Green. Elimination Test: The judges select some of their favorite ingredients, and Christian selects Joe's Italian-themed basket for the other contestants to prepare in another sixty minutes. Christian also get to choose which contestant will only have thirty minutes to cook their dish; he chooses Courtney. The judges named the dishes by Elizabeth and Ahran the best, making them team captains for the next team challenge. Cutter and Elise were named the bottom two. Winners: Ahran Cho and Elizabeth Cauvel. Bottom two: Cutter Brewer and Elise Mayfield. Elise is eliminated. Eliminated: Elise Mayfield.
Episode 10
Top 12 Compete
Mon, Jul 28, 201441 mins
Team Challenge: The top twelve have to create romantic dinners for seventeen couples, including Gordon and his wife Tana. Elizabeth chooses Francis, Jaimee, Victoria, Courtney, and Daniel for the Blue Team, while Ahran takes Willie, Christine, Christian, Leslie, and is left with Cutter for the Red Team. The Blue Team wins with more than 75% of the votes. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Courtney Lapresi, Daniel McGuffey, Elizabeth Cauvel, Francis Legge, Jaimee Vitolo and Victoria Scroggins. Pressure Test The Red Team was required to make nine chocolate truffles with at least three different flavors. Christine and Leslie were named for the bottom. Bottom two: Christine Silverstein and Leslie Gilliams. Christine is eliminated. Eliminated: Christine Silverstein.
Episode 11
Top 11 Compete
Mon, Aug 4, 201441 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: The judges provided the remaining home cooks with two Mystery Boxes: one containing everyday ingredients, and another containing more fancy high-end version of the same ingredients, and the chefs were allowed to pick which box they would use to make their dish. The top three consisted of Elizabeth's, Victoria's, and Leslie's. Leslie's dish won the challenge. Challenge Winner/Immune: Leslie Gilliams. Elimination Test: Leslie got to pick between three different types of stuffed pasta: he chose Graham's caramelle, and the chefs had one hour to make their dish. Leslie also had the advantage of removing one chef's pasta machine and make them use a rolling pin to make their pasta; he chose Daniel. The top two dishes belong to Jaimee and Courtney, making them team captains for next week's Team Challenge, while Daniel, Francis L. and Willie were at the bottom. Winners: Courtney Lapresi and Jaimee Vitolo. Bottom three: Daniel McGuffey, Francis Legge and Willie Mike. Francis L. was eliminated. Eliminated: Francis Legge.
Episode 12
Top 10 Compete
Mon, Aug 11, 201441 mins
For their 6th Team Challenge, the cooks were divided into 2 teams and had 1 hour to make a turkey burger and fish taco for 1000 football players and fans. Tension rises. The players and fans would vote and the losing team will face the pressure test. The pressure test ends with an emotional elimination.
Episode 13
Top 8 Compete
Mon, Aug 18, 201441 mins
Team Challenge: The contestants split into four teams of two (Christian and Courtney, Cutter and Willie, Daniel and Jaimee, and Elizabeth and Leslie). The objective was to take a cut of chicken and create a dish with it. Cutter and Willie got the breast, Courtney and Christian got the thigh, Daniel and Jaimee got the wings, and Elizabeth and Leslie got the oysters. Elizabeth and Leslie had the best dish. Christian and Courtney also advanced. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Elizabeth Cauvel and Leslie Gilliams. Immune: Christian Green and Courtney Lapresi. Pressure Test Part 1: This pressure test was broken down into three smaller tests, with the best performer in each test being sent to safety. All three tests had eggs as the main ingredient, and the first one required the four contestants to poach an egg. Willie advanced. Safe: Willie Mike. Pressure Test Part 2: This part of the test required the contestants to each make an egg yolk ravioli. Cutter managed to make the best ravioli of the three, saving him from elimination. Safe: Cutter Brewer. Bottom two: Daniel McGuffey and Jaimee Vitolo. Pressure Test Part 3: Lastly, Daniel and Jaimee had to make a cheese soufflé. Jaimee had the better soufflé, eliminating Daniel. Eliminated: Daniel McGuffey.
Episode 14
Top 7 Compete
Mon, Aug 25, 201441 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: The top seven found their Mystery Boxes to be full of apples, but were told the dish they cooked had to be an entrée. The best three dishes were Christian's, Leslie's, and Courtney's. Courtney's dish was declared the winner. Challenge Winner/Immune: Courtney Lapresi. Team Challenge: The contestants were grouped into teams of two for a relay challenge. The teams would be required to prepare five dim sum dishes. Courtney got to pick the teams. She paired Cutter with Elizabeth, Christian with Willie, and Jaimee with Leslie. Jaimee and Leslie were deemed the winners and sent to safety first. Cutter and Elizabeth were also safe. Winners: Jaimee Vitolo and Leslie Gilliams. Immune: Cutter Brewer and Elizabeth Cauvel. Bottom two: Christian Green and Willie Mike. Willie was eliminated. Eliminated: Willie Mike.
Episode 15
Top 6 Compete
Mon, Sep 1, 201441 mins
Team Challenge: The top six will prepare dinner at a restaurant under the supervision of Gordon and Graham, with Gordon expediting. Jaimee captained the Blue Team and chose Christian and Courtney to join her, while Red Team captain Leslie chose Elizabeth and was left with Cutter. The following morning, the Red Team were named winners. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Cutter Brewer, Elizabeth Cauvel and Leslie Gilliams. Pressure Test: Christian, Courtney, and Jaimee had to create a croquembouche in 90 minutes. Courtney had the best dish. Winner: Courtney Lapresi. Bottom two: Christian Green and Jaimee Vitolo. Jaimee was eliminated. Eliminated: Jaimee Vitolo.
Episode 16
Top 5 Compete
Mon, Sep 8, 201441 mins
Mystery Box Challenge: In this challenge, the top five met their loved ones, and were then asked to create and elevate their loved ones' favorite dish. Courtney's, Christian's, and Elizabeth's were named the top three dishes, and Elizabeth won. Challenge Winner/Immune: Elizabeth Cauvel. Elimination Test: Elizabeth got the opportunity to assign an offal protein to each remaining contestant. Elizabeth gave buffalo testicles to Courtney, veal brains to Christian, lamb tongue to Leslie and ox heart to Cutter. Courtney's dish was the winner. Cutter was also deemed safe. Winner: Courtney Lapresi. Bottom two: Christian Green and Leslie Gilliams. Christian was eliminated. Eliminated: Christian Green.
Episode 17
Top 4 Compete
Mon, Sep 8, 2014
Team Challenge: The final four cooks were divided into two pairs. Courtney chose Elizabeth as her teammate on the Red Team, leaving Cutter and Leslie as the Blue Team. Each pair had to choose a box of ingredients from one of their home states. Courtney and Elizabeth chose Pennsylvania, and Leslie and Cutter chose Texas. Each pair then had to make an appetizer and an entrée based on what was in their box. Courtney and Elizabeth were narrowly judged as the winners, leaving Cutter and Leslie going head to head in the pressure test. Team Challenge Winners/Immune: Courtney Lapresi and Elizabeth Cauvel Bottom two: Cutter Brewer and Leslie Gilliams. Pressure Test: Cutter and Leslie were assigned to a California box of ingredients, and the judges introduced three different dishes they would make from those ingredients. The challenge was to replicate all three dishes in ninety minutes, with each judge evaluating who did a better job of replicating it. Leslie defeated Cutter by two dishes to one, eliminating him and advancing to the final three. Eliminated: Cutter Brewer.
Episode 18
Top 3 Compete
Mon, Sep 15, 201441 mins
Individual Challenge: Gordon informed the final three that their final challenge would consist of creating a dish for 50 chefs representing the 50 states in only 90 minutes to secure a spot in the final. The cook with the best dish would directly advance to the final, and the bottom two would compete in the season's final Pressure Test. Six of the seven prior eliminated cooks returned to help out the finalists. Picking at random, Leslie got the help of Ahran and Christian, Courtney got Daniel and Willie, and Elizabeth got Jaimee and Victoria. Elizabeth won with 39 votes out of 50, advancing to the final two. Challenge Winner/Immune: Elizabeth Cauvel. Bottom two: Courtney Lapresi and Leslie Gilliams. Pressure Test: Courtney and Leslie had to make three different cakes from three different regions in America within two hours. The judges deemed Courtney to have the better cakes, advancing her to the final two and eliminating Leslie. Eliminated: Leslie Gilliams.
Episode 19
The Finale
Mon, Sep 15, 201443 mins
Season finale: The top two, Courtney and Elizabeth, had to each create an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. Appetizer: Courtney made a crispy pig's ear with dandelion and fennel salad. Elizabeth made a grilled octopus with chickpea and chorizo salad. Entrée: Courtney made a sumac duck breast with spring vegetables and farro, while Elizabeth made a spiced rack of lamb with red quinoa and carrot purée. Dessert: Courtney made a cherry meringue with salted chocolate and almonds. Elizabeth made a grapefruit and olive oil semolina cake with poached plums and ground pistachio. Final two: Courtney Lapresi and Elizabeth Cauvel. Winner Revealed: Courtney was named the winner of MasterChef US 2014, winning a $250,000 cash prize and a cookbook deal. MasterChef Winner: Courtney Lapresi.