Suvechha Sarkar
The competition is intense in season 15 of Fox’s ‘MasterChef: Dynamic Duos’ as the competitors face one nerve-wracking challenge after another. Judges Gordon Ramsay, Tiffany Derry, and Joe Bastianich return to the kitchen, ready to watch the top five duos put their skills and teamwork to the test. In episode 14, titled ‘The Wall,’ the duos face the legendary Wall, which has tripped up even the most talented competitors in past seasons. Each partner must cook in sync without ever seeing what the other is doing. It means that their success depends highly on their verbal communication and trust.
The Top Five Pairs Face the Challenging Wall With an Hour On the Clock
The night officially begins as Gordon welcomes the duos, and Tiffany wastes no time pointing out that they are facing the fearsome Wall tonight. Joe explains that although each duo will be split up, the judges want to see two identical dishes, for which verbal communication is essential. Azu feels that she and Javier have an advantage over the competitors since they have been divorced for 15 years, and yelling at one another is their normal communication. Joe explains that the chefs will receive one hour to cook two dishes that look and taste identical. Each duo will receive only five minutes in the pantry to plan their dish and gather the components. Tiffany chimes in that to make things challenging, the pantry is stocked with a limited number of proteins, essentially making it first-come, first-served.
As the clock begins ticking, the competitors rush to the pantry. Although Julio and Rachel wanted the filet mignon, they are left to grab the venison loin. However, the latter reveals that she is concerned because she has never prepared this protein before. On the other hand, Tina and Aivan have already planned to create a dish that has been passed down through generations. Tina plans to elevate it with a noodles nest instead of rice. Once the five minutes in the pantry come to an end, the duos hurry to their stations on either side of the Wall. They waste no time in beginning to communicate loudly across the Wall about what ingredients they have and what their first steps should be. Amid the chaos, Joe notes that since Jesse and Jessica often cook together at home, they have a reference for their plating, which can be helpful.
Tiffany agrees that although they aren’t married, Jesse and Jessica have been cooking together for eight years, so their instinct will help them. Joe observes that since Zach and Michelle have been married for four years, getting a reference dish related to their life is advantageous. However, Tiffany feels they can often struggle with their emotions, and hopefully, it isn’t going to come between them. Gordon jokes that Tina’s strong voice is drowning Aivan’s words. Tiffany then focuses on Rachel and Julio, who have been married for a couple of years. However, the judge points out that it is yet to be determined if they can perform in sync while cooking separately. On the other hand, Azu and Javier have cooked together before, but not recently. However, Joe notes that they have 25 years of history, which gives them references to dishes.
Critical Mistakes Leave Several Duos Scrambling to Salvage Their Dishes
With 10 minutes already gone, Zach decides to go with his intuition since Michelle fails to hear him over the Wall. As five more minutes pass, Gordon approaches Azu and learns that she forgot to pick up garlic for her dish. By the end, he cautions her to sear her fish properly because it can go dry otherwise. The judge then moves on to Jessica, suggesting she bash the kale and sauté it. She wastes no time in informing Jesse about the same. Joe and Tiffany then approach Rachel and hear that she and Julio are making a wine sauce. Joe promptly advises her to ensure the alcohol is burnt out of the sauce because otherwise it will be a disaster. He also points out that her carrots should already be cooking since there are only 30 minutes left. After the judges leave, Rachel informs Julio about them quickly.
After Gordon gets the idea of the dish Tina and Aivan are cooking from the latter, he wishes her good luck. Once the judges return to their position, Joe informs them that Julio and Rachel have still not put the carrot in the water or the oven, but they are quite large. Gordon notes that Tina and Aivan are not on the same page since the former is doing tiny dice of beef, while the latter is going for big chunky ones. The judges add that Azu and Javier haven’t picked up garlic for their sauce, one of its most critical components. Gordon then approaches Julio with 15 minutes left on the clock, only to find that his sauce is still not cooking. The judge urges him to begin reducing the wine quickly. Rachel feels that Julio doesn’t understand that the clock is ticking and that the wine sauce needs to be reduced.
Rachel is concerned that she and Julio may serve the judges with raw wine as a sauce. As three more minutes pass, Aivan grows a little nervous because Tina is ahead of her, but she hopes to match Tina’s nest. When Joe asks Tina if her partner can match the shape of her nest, she just expresses hope. Gordon arrives at Michelle’s station and tells her that although her and Zach’s dish is complicated, it can be a winner. He also suggests to her that since they are in the final 10 minutes, it is best to ensure she and her partner are in sync with the plating because it needs to be identical. Joe and Tiffany check on Aivan to see if she knows her nests will be the same as Tina’s. Although Aivan says that she hopes it matches, the judges’ reactions indicate skepticism.
The Judges Begin Tasting as the Time on the Clock Comes to an End
Gordon expresses his concern regarding Azu and Javier before the other judges, noting that they are entirely out of sync. He is also worried about Julio and Rachel since they still have no reduction in the red wine. He adds that although Michelle and Zach are preparing a complicated dish, and although it’s a good idea, it can be tough to pull off. As the final five minutes tick away, the contestants continue communicating with one another while they finish plating their dish. After the time ends, Rachel observes that it is more complicated than she thought, and she hopes Julio’s dish matches hers because they have lost a lot of time. Similarly, Tina is worried that Aivan may not have the nest similar to hers. Gordon asks the duos to bring their dishes forward for them to be tested. However, all of them are covered for the final reveal.
First up are Jesse and Jessica, and the latter is worried that their dishes are identical because sometimes they cannot convey their message to one another during the cooking. The couple has prepared a pan-seared trout, and as they lift their covers, the judges find the dish to be quite in sync, except for the asparagus placed differently. Gordon observes that Jessica’s purée looks a little heavier, but both dishes look appealing. All the judges praise their preparation equally. Joe adds that the only difference the dishes have is in their aesthetics. He continues that if he tried the dishes while being blind, he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Right after them are Tina and Aivan, who have cooked Vietnamese “shaken beef.” The latter feels unconfident since just doing well isn’t enough in the top five.
As the judges remove the lid from their dish, Gordon remarks that he is underwhelmed. Tiffany notes that the density of their noodles feels different because while Aivan’s is full and fluffy, Tina’s noodles look drier. Gordon compliments that the beef in both dishes is delicious, but it lacks balance since it misses the abundance of protein needed in the dish. While Joe observes that their beef pieces are different, just trying to elevate the dish using the noodles at this stage in the competition isn’t enough. Next up is Zach and Michelle, who have prepared potato and leek-crusted snapper. The judges find their dishes almost identical, and upon tasting them, they each praise them. However, while Gordon remarks that Zach’s asparagus is a little undercooked, Tiffany adds that the difference in the dishes comes from the char. Zach’s plate provides more of the taste of the technique, but Michelle’s dish has more visible char.
Azu and Javier’s Mismatched Dish Leads to Their Emotional Elimination
Next up are Azu and Javier, who have cooked black mojo hamachi. The judges immediately remark that their plates look similar, but there is a noticeable difference: While Azu has chosen to serve the hamachi skin side down, Javier has put it skin side up. Joe points out that Javier’s hamachi is overcooked, but Gordon finds Azu’s protein to be cooked beautifully. However, he adds that the skin has turned rubbery. On the other hand, the judge continues that Javier’s protein is dry, and the duo’s dishes feel disconnected. Tiffany adds that although she loves the mashed potatoes on Javier’s plate, the ones on Azu’s are pretty salty. Joe finds Azu’s dish “aggressively” seasoned, but Javier’s preparation is underseasoned. Lastly, it is the turn for Rachel and Julio, who are concerned about the sauce of their pan-seared venison loin.
Once the lids are lifted, the judges find that Rachel and Julio’s sauces are slightly different. The couple aimed towards a medium rare protein, but only Rachel succeeded in perfecting the temperature, while Julio’s is close to medium. Gordon remarks that the seasoning on both the dishes is perfect, but Rachel’s preparation has more richness in her purée. Joe explains that if he could combine the reduction and the fatness from each of their sauce together, it would be perfect because each of them is missing something. It is finally time for the judges to make their decision. After much consideration, Gordon announces that the two pairs moving on to the Semifinals with their deserving preparations are: Michelle and Zach, and Jesse and Jessica.
Once the two duos take their place on the balcony, Gordon continues that the judges have found one duo whose dish didn’t hit the mark, but the intentions were genuine. It turns out that it is none other than Rachel and Julio, who also move on to the Semifinals. The choice comes down to Tina and Aivan, and Javier and Azu. Unfortunately, Azu and Javier are the ones to get eliminated. The judge notes that although the duo has been divorced, they showed that there is love after divorce through their preparations. He also adds how well they have brought up their son. In their exit interview, Azu expresses that it is a dream to be competing with the thousands who have applied. Javier states that the competition has changed their relationship positively because they are now closer and have respect for one another. Azu is grateful for the amazing opportunity, and one day, she will tell this to their grandsons.
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