The latest episode of MasterChef: Dynamic Duos heats up with a Backyard BBQ challenge that tests the culinary skills and teamwork of the remaining contestants.
Backyard BBQ Blowup: Raw Meat, Flared Tempers, and a Red-Hot Pressure Test on ‘MasterChef: Dynamic Duos’
The MasterChef garden is beautifully set for a sunny backyard BBQ, and the Top 6 duos are feeling the pressure.
The Contestants
Here’s the complete list of Season 15 contestants (with previously eliminated chefs marked 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 reveal that 40 top barbecue enthusiasts have been invited to judge tonight’s dishes. The six duos will split into two teams, with last week’s challenge winners, Adam & Joel, selecting the lineup. The Red Team comprises Adam & Joel, Rachel & Julio, and Zach & Michelle, while the Blue Team consists of Azu & Javier, Jessica & Jesse, and Tina & Aivan. The stakes are high: the winning team secures a spot in the Top 5, while the losing team faces the dreaded Pressure Test!
Team captains for tonight’s challenge are Adam & Joel for the Red Team and Tina & Aivan for the Blue Team. The Red Team will cook a bone-in ribeye, while the Blue Team tackles double-bone pork chops. Both teams have just over an hour to plan, prepare, and execute their menus before serving the hungry barbecue-loving guests. The pressure is on as the clock ticks down!
The Taste Test
The Blue Team serves Double Pork Chop with Warm Potato Salad and Grilled Corn. Tiffany calls the combination “weird” and criticizes the two starches served on the side. Gordon and Joe express concerns about the pork being undercooked and bland. The Blue Team must address these issues before the guests arrive. Tina & Aivan decide to infuse their culture into the dish by creating a soy ginger glaze for the pork and replacing the corn with an apple slaw.
The Red Team presents a Spice-Rubbed Ribeye with Avocado Sauce, Warm Potato Salad, and Summer Succotash. Tiffany quickly exclaims, “That doesn’t look like a succotash!” It resembles salsa. The meat and potatoes are both undercooked. After Gordon declares the dish “miles away” from satisfactory, Adam & Joel regroup with their team.
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Dinner Service
Dinner service is chaotic — the Red Team is unprepared when their first four guests arrive. Meanwhile, the Blue Team runs out of glaze for their pork chops after serving fewer than 10 of the 40 needed. Half the team scrambles to make more glaze while Jesse is solely responsible for grilling all the pork chops.
Both teams are feeling the heat in this backyard BBQ showdown — under pressure, each side inadvertently sends out a few plates of raw meat. A quick survey of the diners indicates that the contest is nearly even, with many guests seemingly preferring the Blue Team’s side dishes.
The Winners
In this team challenge, the judges select the winning team based on diner feedback and their observations. Gordon, Tiffany, and Joe declare the Blue Team the winners.
The Losers
The Red Team entered the challenge with confidence, but these three Dynamic Duos are headed straight to the Pressure Test next week. Will Adam & Joel, Rachel & Julio, or Zach & Michelle be eliminated? Tune in next week to find out!
