The BEST episodes of MasterChef (US) season 11

#1 - Curtis Stone: Finale (1)

Season 11 - Episode 17 - Aired 9/15/2021

Legendary Chef Curtis Stone returns as a guest judge for the semi-finals when the Top Three battle for a spot in the finale in the appetizer round.

#2 - Michael Cimarusti: Finale (2)

Season 11 - Episode 18 - Aired 9/15/2021

Michelin star chef Michael Cimarusti is the final legend to grace the MasterChef kitchen and it's the finalists last chance to impress with their entrée and dessert dishes. Only one will be crowned the winner and earn the coveted title of MasterChef.

#3 - Emeril Lagasse: Auditions Round 1

Season 11 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/2/2021

Home cooks serve up their signature dishes to judges Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, and Aarón Sánchez, plus guest judge Emeril Lagasse.

#4 - Curtis Stone: Auditions Round 2

Season 11 - Episode 2 - Aired 6/9/2021

The cooks have 45 minutes to impress the judges, including guest judge Curtis Stone.

#5 - Nancy Silverton: Pasta Challenge

Season 11 - Episode 7 - Aired 7/14/2021

With the top 10 at their fingertips and an elimination on the table, Michelin Star chef Nancy Silverton challenges the home cooks with a fresh pasta challenge. The cooks must prove they can master this Italian staple and impress with a pasta dish of their own.

#6 - Paula Deen: Auditions Round 3

Season 11 - Episode 3 - Aired 6/16/2021

In the final audition round of the season Paula Deen is the guest judge.

#7 - Niki Nakayama: Kaiseki

Season 11 - Episode 12 - Aired 8/25/2021

Legendary chef Niki Nakayama gives the cooks a taste of Japan.

#8 - Sherry Yard: Dessert Challenge

Season 11 - Episode 5 - Aired 6/30/2021

Chef Sherry Yard visits the kitchen. With elimination on the line, a dessert challenge puts the spotlight on the home cooks' baking skills for the first time.

#9 - Semi-Final: 3 Chef Showdown (1)

Season 11 - Episode 15 - Aired 9/8/2021

The remaining four semi-finalists are challenged to a "3 Chef Showdown" - a brand-new culinary triathlon that sees the home cooks making three dishes back-to-back - alongside three different Legendary chefs. This is a window into the fast-paced world of a professional chef, with each round's prize being a guaranteed spot in the finale.

#10 - Ludo Lefebvre: Timed Out Mystery Box

Season 11 - Episode 14 - Aired 9/1/2021

Legendary French chef Ludo Lefebvre joins to guest judge a Mystery Box challenge with a twist. The home cooks are challenged to make two elevated French Bistro-style dishes in 75 minutes to guarantee themselves a spot in the semi-finals.

#11 - Michael Mina: Meat Roulette

Season 11 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/7/2021

In the first Mystery Box challenge chef Michael Mina is the guest judge. The cooks must create a beef dish without knowing what cut of beef they will be cooking until the mystery box is opened.

#12 - Chef Morimoto: Monkfish Challenge

Season 11 - Episode 4 - Aired 6/23/2021

Chef Morimoto sets the bar high with his monkfish demonstration, leaving the cooks desperate to impress in their first elimination challenge.

#13 - Semi-Final: 3 Chef Showdown (2)

Season 11 - Episode 16 - Aired 9/8/2021

#14 - Jonathan Waxman: California Mystery Box

Season 11 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/21/2021

The top 10 home cooks take on a Californian Mystery Box Challenge, with Michelin Star Chef Jonathan Waxman as guest judge. It's the highest stakes challenge yet with an elimination no one sees coming.

#15 - Dominique Crenn: The Wall

Season 11 - Episode 11 - Aired 8/25/2021

Dominique Crenn, the only female chef in America to attain three Michelin Stars, visits the MasterChef kitchen with a brand-new team challenge - the cooks must pair up and make the same exact dish... without being able to see one another.

#16 - Roy Choi: Elevated Street Food

Season 11 - Episode 9 - Aired 8/11/2021

The pioneering king of the food truck revolution, Roy Choi, tasks the home cooks with making a street food dish worthy of a Michelin star restaurant.

#17 - Legends Dinner

Season 11 - Episode 13 - Aired 9/1/2021

Four legendary chefs grace the MasterChef kitchen for a one-of-a-kind Chef's Table team challenge that pits boys against girls. It's an intimidating Michelin Star lineup as Val Cantu, Jonathan Yao, Sherry Yard and Tanya Holland take a seat in the MasterChef restaurant, to judge a two-course menu created by the home cooks.

#18 - Cook for Your Legend

Season 11 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/18/2021

Chef Ramsay challenges the home cooks to create a dish for the most important legend yet - their own personal legends. Their personal legends could be someone they look up to, a personal hero, or even a family member who inspires them.