‘MasterChef' recap: Stress-fueled ‘Recipe Telephone' challenge ends with one duo's elimination over ‘badly executed' dish
The all-new "Recipe Telephon" episode of MasterChef: Dynamic Duos aired Wednesday, July 16 (8 p.m. ET/PT) on Fox. See our full recap below.
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The Contestants
See the full list of Season 15 contestants below (with previously eliminated chefs crossed out).
Name
Relationship
Hometown
Adam & Joel
Brothers
Athens, Ga.
Ashley & Ricky
Siblings
Orlando, Fla./Buffalo, N.Y.
Azu & Javier
Divorced Exes
Miami Beach, Fla./Miami
Darce & Courtney
Animal ER Nurses
Chicago
Jessica & Jesse
Long Term Relationship
Boston
Kayla & Ryan Kate
MasterChef Junior Besties
Moriches, N.Y./Grapevine, Texas
Kevin & Trey
Best Friends
New Bern, N.C./Charlotte, N.C.
Rachel & Julio
Married
Naples, Fla.
Timothy & Athena
Newlyweds
Bowie, Md.
Tina & Aivan
Aunt & Niece
Fountain Valley, Calif./Fairplay, Colo.
Tonna & Cait
Mother & Daughter
Brandon, S.D.
Zach & Michelle
Married
Minneapolis
The Challenge
Judges Gordon Ramsay, Tiffany Derry, and Joe Bastianich kick off the intense "Recipe Telephone" challenge by laying out the rules: teamwork will be put to the ultimate test. The challenge begins with one cook from each team starting the dish, spending 30 minutes in the kitchen. Once their time is up, they'll trade places with their partner, who is waiting in the holding room. The catch? There's zero communication. The second cook has to pick up where the first left off and complete the dish — solely relying on culinary clues left behind at the workstation.
Joe emphasizes the stakes, advising the chefs to "set themselves up for success" by carefully leaving strategic hints for their teammates. Every detail matters. The second cook must decipher those clues to finish the dish and carry their team to victory. At the end, the duo that creates the best-tasting dish will receive an extraordinary prize: three unforgettable dinners at the judges' iconic restaurants. The losing duo will be eliminated.
As the challenge begins, the holding room fills with anxious contestants, while their partners dive into the pantry. They need to be both creative and smart, selecting ingredients that will inspire their teammates without overcomplicating the task.
Throughout the cook, Tiffany expresses concern for Zach & Michelle, who she feels may have too many elements going on. She says, "I'm not sure Zach is going to be able to follow Michelle's complicated vision." After the swap, Michelle is so overwhelmed in the holding room that she nearly faints.
The final 30 minutes are pure chaos. Watching flustered contestants try to piece together their partner's vision — or salvage what they can — made this one of the most entertaining challenges yet on MasterChef. By the end of the challenge, some duos appear confident, proudly standing behind their completed dishes, while others look like they're ready to crawl under their workstation in defeat.
Top 3
Jessica & JesseDish: Chargrilled Pork Chop with Maple Glaze, Chipotle Sweet Potato, Broccolini, and PeperonataGordon: "The pork is cooked beautifully. It's hard to believe you've been separated for 30 minutes."Tiffany: "I love that the broccolini has lots of crunch and a little spice. It's great."Joe: "The peperonata is fantastic and that's a hard thing to make."
Rachel & JulioDish: Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Sautéed Asparagus, Chimichurri Sauce, Tostones, Bacon FarofaGordon: "Visually, it's rustic and charming. It looks like you've invited us over for Sunday night dinner at your house."Tiffany: "The chicken is lovely. The asparagus has a lot of flavor as well. You did a really good job."Joe: "All the flavors are great. You're cooking techniques are great. Good job."
Tina & AivanDish: Lobster Garlic Butter Pasta with Lemon Asparagus and Sautéed MushroomsGordon: "This dish is delicious. It needs a touch of acid at the end, but the flavor is really good."Tiffany: "The lobster is perfectly cooked. You have just the right amount of sauce."Joe: "This is a great dish. The lobster is tender and has a lot of flavor."
Winner
The winner of this challenge is Rachel & Julio. They receive three complimentary dinners courtesy of Gordon's, Tiffany's, and Joe's restaurants.
Bottom 3
Tonna & CaitDish: New York Strip Steak with Parsnip Puree, Asparagus, Fennel & Carrot Slaw, and Mushroom Red Wine SauceGordon: "The asparagus are delicious, but the sauce bleeds into the puree so it's all over the place."Tiffany: "The steak is nice, but I would rather it was whole instead of sliced."Joe: "There are three things that are terrible on this plate: the raw fennel and carrots, the mushrooms are not integrated, and if you call that a wine sauce, I call that dumping half a glass of cabernet in your dish."
Zach & MichelleDish: Crispy Skin Salmon with Israeli Couscous, Roasted Vegetables, Wilted Rainbow Chard, and Herb OilGordon: "The salmon is cooked beautifully, but everything else around it should be so much better."Tiffany: "The couscous looks a little dry. With the broth, this would have been a very different dish."Joe: "It's too bad because some of the components of the dish are really good."
Kayla & Ryan KateDish: Filet Mignon with Garlic Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus, Honey-Glazed Carrots, and Chimichurri SauceGordon: "It looks sloppy. The steak is a little overcooked. Everything is just badly executed."Tiffany: "It feels like Kayla had too much to do and Ryan Kate didn't do enough."Joe: "There are a couple of fundamental cooking mistakes here."
Elimination
The fourth duo eliminated from Season 15 of MasterChef is Kayla & Ryan Kate. The MasterChef Junior besties remarked, "We feel really disappointed, but we put our all out there. I'm proud of us for getting everything on the plate. If anything, this competition made our friendship stronger."
Next Week
It's full steam ahead in the second team challenge of the season. The contestants will be cooking for a VIP fine dining experience — on a moving train!
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