Final Four-Cook Along with Gordon — At Home with Rebecka

Top Four Cook For The Finale

Standing in the MasterChef kitchen with a lump in my throat and a burning desire to achieve the most, I am ready to make it to the top. The Final Four cooks are gearing up to cook alongside the legendary Chef Gordon Ramsay, who is poised to prepare one of his Michelin-star dishes. Michael, Kamay, Becca, and I are ready for the biggest food fight of our lives. The atmosphere is electric. The pressure is immense, but so is the excitement. We are determined to showcase our best work and prove we deserve to be here.

Tonight’s Task

Pan-seared Salmon with Truffle Gnocchi, Asparagus, Fennel, and Pernod Beurre Blanc, topped with crispy leeks and seaweed. This is no ordinary dish; it’s a true test of our culinary skills and creativity. Gordon sends us to our stations, preset with our ingredients. There will be no running to the pantry tonight; it will just be sheer speed and many prayers! It sounds easy enough, right? NOPE!

Cooking Alongside Chef Ramsay

Cooking alongside Chef Ramsay is both an honor and a challenge. His expertise and passion for perfection push us to excel to new heights. Every step, from searing the salmon to perfecting the beurre blanc, requires precision and focus. Not to mention, Chef Ramsy is a beast in the kitchen when it comes to speed.

Flambé Hell

As we begin to cook, I’m 18 seconds behind Gordon every step of the way. Things are going great. I feel confident. I’m powerful. I know that I’ve got this. When I think I’ve got it. Instead of following Gordon's instructions, I look to my left and see that Becca has flambéd her salmon with the Pernod instead of the sauce. Michael follows suit, and then I do, too. We are all in flambé hell!! Kamay, on the other hand, is sailing along like she's done this a million times.

Damned Pernod

Gordon sees we are all on the flambé crazy train and says to us, "We've flambéd the sauce, not the salmon, right? Insert the F-word here!

Instead of keeping the Pernod sauce I had flambéd with the fish, I threw it in the trash. This is a mistake I will regret later. My new task is to keep up and try to save the protein, as I’ve heard over and over again in the MasterChef kitchen...the protein is the star of the dish. In my mind, I think if I can save the protein, I’ll be fine. Oh, did I mention I added the cream to the fish pan, not the sauce? Another mistake to add to my growing list!

As the clock ticks down, we plate our dishes at lightning speed. Knowing that Becca and Michael have both re-fired their pernod, I feel defeated, but I notice that Michael has burned his fish. Is there still hope?

Top Four Dishes

Missing Pernod vs Burned Fish

I take a deep breath, and I think to myself, this could still go my way. Michael has torched his fish while on the flambé crazy train. Will my saved, perfectly cooked salmon win the day? Let’s see how we do tonight!

Judging Begins

Kamay

The judging begins. Kamay sails through with flying colors. She was on point during the entire challenge and deserved to be at the top tonight! What a fantastic feat for a home cook! Great job, Kamay!

Becca

Becca is next. Gordon says she struggled with her salmon, which is slightly cremated on top, but she didn't give up. Aarón loves the pernod sauce, and Joe says this is a great dish.

Michael

Michael is next. Gordon says the fish is overcooked. Aarón says the sauce is excellent, and the interior of the salmon is a magical bite. I'm shocked; based on the appearance of the fish, Joe says the dish has some redeeming qualities.

Rebecka

I'm last and ready for the worst. I feel hopeful, but I know the sauce is missing the the pernod. Gordon says the salmon is cooked perfectly with crispy skin and is delicious. He's amazed I could get the salmon crispy again after adding the cream to the wrong pan. Then he asked if there was any pernod in the sauce, and I had to say no, none at all. UGH! Aarón says that the gnocchi are great and browned nicely. The problem is my sauce is broken. Joe says my biggest issue is that my sauce was not a sauce but a salad dressing!

Daggers in my heart. If only I had saved that sauce earlier instead of throwing it in the trash, I might have been able to save it, and I could have honestly told Gordon the Pernod was in the dish! I'm resigned to my fate!

Final Three

Kamay takes the honor of best-cooked dish while Becca joins her on the balcony for the Finale showdown. Congratulations! I'm so proud of all of you and wish you the best in the Finale!

Going Home...

Michael and I stand in front of the judges as they deliver their verdicts. Gordon says, "You both had faults in your dishes, and this is a really tough decision. The last person going into the Finale is...Michael!" Gordon tells me that my dish was incomplete without the Pernod, but the salmon was cooked perfectly. He says, "You were always the one to beat in this competition."

Going Home

Farewell, MasterChef Kitchen!

Saying goodbye to the MasterChef Kitchen before the finale is truly bittersweet. Although I would have loved to cook for the MasterChef title, making it to the top four has been incredible, and I am immensely proud of this journey. While it’s tough to leave before the grand finale, I am grateful for the experiences, the friendships, and the growth I’ve had along the way. These are memories I will cherish for a lifetime!

I look forward to the future and can’t wait to share more culinary adventures. Remember, It's never too late to accomplish your dreams!

With love and gratitude, Rebecka Evans

P.S. Did you catch Gordon saying he loves me? I'm taking that to the bank!!