MasterChef recap: Sticky toffee pudding is the tie-breaker, two home cooks sent packing

Samantha Daily during September 12 MasterChef episode
Samantha Daily during September 12 MasterChef episode. Pic credit: FOX

This MasterChef recap covers two episodes, with two more home cooks getting eliminated. The top three would survive to make it to the finale on September 19. This is basically the MasterChef semifinals.

During this episode, the top five first had to face a series of pressure-filled tests using beef. Then, the top four were split into teams of two to prepare meals for mentors of the three MasterChef judges. Those mentors are chefs Daniel Boulud, Jonathan Waxman, and Lidia Bastianich.

The top five home cooks

As determined during the MasterChef September 5 episode, the top five home cooks this season are Gerron Hurt, Ashley Mincey, Bowen Li, Cesar Cano, and Samantha Daily. Those are the five that would be competing during the September 12 episode for a spot in the US Season 9 finale.

Battle of the Beef

For the first episode of the night, the top five home cooks had to take part in a series of challenges. They would prepare a dish, someone would get saved, and then the rest of the home cooks would then moved on to the next round of cooking. By the end of it all, one home cook would be sent home.

In the first two rounds, Gerron Hurt and Cesar Cano gained safety in the beef challenges. Then, it was time for the other three competitors to make some meatballs.

Ashley Mincey survived the meatball challenge, leaving Samantha Daily and Bowen Li to fight it out in an Elimination Challenge. One home cook would make it to the semifinals and the other one would be going home.

Elimination Challenge

Samantha and Bowen were each tasked with cooking three different dishes. The challenge was that they would each be a filet mignon served at a different temperature.

The judges tasted the six filet mignons and Samantha was declared the winner. Bowen Li was eliminated.

Final Team Challenge

The final teams were Ashley Mincey and Cesar Cano on one side and Gerron Hurt and Samantha Daily on the other side. The three MasterChef judges tapped out of the challenge and went upstairs, leaving their mentors (chefs Daniel Boulud, Jonathan Waxman, and Lidia Bastianich) to be the judges of this final Team Challenge.

Ashley and Cesar won the Team Challenge. This meant that Gerron and Samantha faced a Pressure Test.

Pressure Test – Sticky toffee pudding tie-breaker

The task placed in front of Gerron and Samantha was to create a three-course meal. One of them would be deemed the winner, while the other home cook would be sent home.

Through the first two dishes, it was tied between Gerron and Samantha. It all came down to the sticky toffee pudding. Samantha failed to execute it well, despite desserts being her specialty.

Gerron Hurt won the final challenge of the evening, gaining himself safety from the elimination. It was the end of the road for Samantha Daily, though.

To summarize the September 12 MasterChef recap, Bown Li and Samantha Daily were sent home. The final three home cooks for MasterChef USA Season 9 are Ashley Mincey, Cesar Cano, and Gerron Hurt.

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

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