MasterChef recap: Sweet, savory pressure test challenges the home cooks

Home cook Shanika Patterson on MasterChef
Home cook Shanika Patterson on August 9 episode of MasterChef. Image via: Fox

During the opening of the most recent episode of MasterChef, the narrator called it “the hottest challenge of the season.” Notable cooking performances on the night came from Shanika Patterson, Chelsea Sargent, and Ralph Degala

The Mystery Box Challenge was to prepare a deep-fried dish. The star of the dish had to be deep-fried, but the home cooks got to pick anything they wanted to make from the pantry.

The winner would get a huge advantage and escape having to compete in the Pressure Test. Presented as a twist, the three MasterChef judges would also be cooking during the opening challenge.

Mystery Box top three

The judges called up the people they felt were the top three from this challenge. Shanika Patterson made a pancetta and apple risotto cake with kale and potatoes. Ralph Degala made fried chicken adobo with coconut curry rice and fried vermicelli. Chelsea Sargent made goat cheese arancini with beet salad and lemon vinaigrette.

In the end, it was Shanika who won the Mystery Box challenge. She was safe from elimination.

Her advantage was that she could decide whether a home cook had to make a savory dish or a sweet dish. She got to choose it for each person.

MasterChef recap: The Pressure Test

During the Pressure Test, every home cook had to work citrus fruit into their dishes. As for the assignments from Shanika, they are as follows:

Savory baskets were given to Gerron Hurt, Taylor Waltmon, Emily Hallock, Chelsea Sargent, Samantha Daily, and Julia Danno.  Sweet baskets were given to Ralph Degala, Farhan Momin, Cesar Cano, SJ Yun, Ashley Mincey, and Bowen Li.

Ashley shined with her cake and chef Gordon Ramsay stated that he was worried for everyone standing behind her after the stellar performance.

The two weakest dishes of the night were from SJ Yun and Ralph Degala, who really struggled to present good desserts to the judges. It seemed that Shanika had done well in assigning them the sweet baskets.

Time to get to top 12

The August 8 MasterChef recap comes to a close with the latest elimination. The judges decided to send Ralph Degala home. There are now just 12 home cooks left competing for the title this summer.

MasterChef airs Wednesday night at 8/7c on Fox.

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