Caitlin Meade

The Top Six split up in teams for a classic MASTERCHEF challenge – to cook for food critics, writers and chefs at a pop-up restaurant in a Southern California vineyard. Find out which contestants will be eliminated.

In the final challenge in the MASTERCHEF kitchen, the Top Two home cooks will have one last chance to prove to the judges that they deserve the MASTERCHEF title by creating a three-course meal. After evaluating the final dishes, the judges will reveal America’s next MASTERCHEF, and the deserving home cook will walk away with a MASTERCHEF trophy, a book deal and the $250,000 grand prize. Find out whose culinary dreams will turn into a reality.

In the Season Eight premiere episode, 40 of America’s best home cooks travel to Los Angeles to compete in the MASTERCHEF Battle for a White Apron challenge, during which they will face off against each other to try to earn a place in the Top 20. Judging the battle rounds will be Gordon Ramsay, Christina Tosi, and new judge and award-winning chef Aarón Sánchez, who will taste for flavor, creativity and presentation. After each battle, the judges will decide whom they think deserves to make it to the next round and a chance to compete for the coveted title.

In their first mystery box challenge of the season, the Top 20 will have to take 12 of the most popular ingredients found on any American home cook’s shopping list and make the judges a MASTERCHEF-worthy dish. Whoever wins the challenge will have a huge advantage moving forward in the competition.

The Top 19 take it to the sandy shore, where they will compete in their first team challenge of the season. The chefs will have to prepare and cook fresh fish for 101 lifeguards who will then vote on their favorite dish. The losing team will have to compete in a pressure test before the judges send one chef home.

The Top 18 face a mystery box challenge that includes cooking some of the finest shellfish in the world. The winner will receive a huge advantage moving forward, leaving the rest of the chefs to compete in an elimination challenge where they will have to create a Gordon Ramsay classic. It is then up to the judges to decide who will leave the kitchen.