SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: In the sizzling heat of competition, some chefs were met with fiery challenges on 'MasterChef' Season 13 Episode 7. The episode revolved around the United Tastes of America theme, where the skilled culinary artists had the honor of cooking for over 100 brave firefighters and emergency responders. Divided into two teams, each representing different regions, the pressure was on as the losing team faced the daunting prospect of elimination.
In an epic culinary clash, the South and Midwest united against the West and Northeast. Throughout the intense cook-off, both teams grappled with their fair share of obstacles, leaving even the esteemed Gordon Ramsay fuming. From Ryan's unfortunate mishap of serving raw pork chops to Grant's potato blunder, tensions were high and tempers flared, especially when they ran out of potatoes for plating. However, the most surprising twist came when Ryan was sent home, sparking heated discussions among 'MasterChef' fans who questioned Brynn's leadership skills during the challenge.
'Masterchef' judges send Ryan home for inconsistently cooked pork chops
The episode starts with the chefs surrounded by explosions and cars on fire. The Ventura Fire Department arrives to help, and Gordon announces the season's first field challenge. They must cook a delicious lunch for 101 firefighters and emergency personnel. They'll compete in two teams, with two regions on each team. The winners will be safe from elimination, but someone from the losing team could go home.
Jennifer, the winner of last week's challenge, gets to choose the teams. She pairs up the South with the Midwest to form the Red Team, hoping to benefit from their grilling skills. The Blue Team consists of the Northeast and the West, who have only four contestants each, making it 10 chefs vs 8.
Jennifer led the Red Team, while Brynn headed up the Blue Team. The chefs had 75 minutes to cook before their guests arrived. The judges checked a sample plate for 30 minutes. The Red Team decided to make steak and potatoes, while the Blue Team opted for grilled pork chops. The Blue Team presented their Ancho Rubbed Pork Chop with Avocado Crema, Citrus Slaw, Black Eyed Pea Salad, and Cornbread Muffin. Joe commented that the pork chop was slightly burned and dry, but Gordon saw great potential in the dish, stating that it needed to come together better.
On the other hand, the Red Team served New York Strip with Chimichurri Sauce, Glazed Carrots, Mashed Potato, and Compound Butter. Gordon praised the beautiful cook on the steak but pointed out that the small amount of mashed potato wasn't nearly enough for a firefighter's appetite and, to make matters worse, it was lumpy. Grant was responsible for the mashed potato station, and this outcome did not bode well for him.
The Red Team had a rough start as Gordon noticed their ice-cold carrots. They quickly reheated them before serving the first six plates, but there was still a lot more to do. Joe visited the guests and they seemed to enjoy the Red Team's steak, but the Blue Team's pork was undercooked, which made Gordon furious. Brynn realized the grill was challenging, with strong winds reducing the heat. Instead of blaming Ryan and James, she smartly got everyone to help them, checking temperatures and organizing the pork chops for the next group of lunchers. Meanwhile, Gordon continued to be upset about the mashed potatoes on the Red Team. Grant was angry and embarrassed as the water just wouldn't boil enough to cook the potatoes through, so he used an immersion blender.
During Joe's second visit to the tables, one table voted 4-2 for the steak over the pork chop, and another was split 3-3. With just a few diners left, the Red Team served a few raw steaks, causing Gordon to throw one across the parking lot in frustration. Panic struck the Red Team when they ran out of mashed potatoes, so they improvised and grilled mushrooms, but Gordon was not happy. The lack of mashed potatoes cost them some votes, with the next table voting 5-1 for the pork chop. Finally, the challenge came to an end, and the firefighters would now vote for the best dish. Unfortunately, the Blue Team was too slow and didn't even serve all the diners, leading to a disappointing outcome for them.
From the Blue Team, Gordon called forward Brynn, Ryan, and James. Brynn had been the captain of a team that couldn't even complete dinner service. Meanwhile, Ryan and James were in charge of the grill, and their pork chops were inconsistently cooked. After the judges deliberated, they decided that Ryan would be the home cook going home in 18th place. He pledged to continue cooking and said, "I knew the risk and I didn't deliver, but it's a blessing to have made it this far in the competition."
'Boo! Should've been Brynn'
Fans did not take Ryan's elimination too well. They thought that it should have been Brynn as the home chef lacked leadership skills. One said, "Brynn should’ve went home." While another echoed the same sentiments and said, "Brynn needs to go." Another pointed out, "Brynn just does not get it. Enough with all the excuses A strong leader can lead through the toughest times." Another one said, "Brynn, it's your fault." Another user added, "I feel sorry for Ryan, but I'm glad that he was able to turn his life around in such a big way. I hope things continue to look up for him in the future (and that the rest of the pork chops he grills are all fully cooked)!" Another user said, "Big bummer seeing Ryan go home."
