"MasterChef (US)" - Season 3 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ground beef

After the preliminary cook-offs for the judges, one hundred home cooks were whittled down to thirty-six. The lucky few were required to head to the MasterChef boot camp for a final challenge leading them into the MasterChef kitchen. For this challenge, they needed to cook a dish of their choice using ground beef and an extensive pantry of ingredients.

This was designed to bring the thirty-six down to eighteen-- half the original group. With only sixty minutes to wow the judges, half were sent home; twelve immediately and six after further inspection.

Answer: Risotto

For the first Mystery Box, the home cooks were given a duck breast amongst several other ingredients and, when the top three dishes were called to the front, the chefs were shocked to find that they were actually the worst three dishes. In a twist, Samantha was sent home on her very first dish because she served raw duck. Following this, Felix, the winner of the first challenge, was asked to pick from one of the three most intimidating dishes for the Invention Test; she chose Joe's risotto over Graham's clam chowder and Gordon's beef wellington.

Although Tali's risotto (containing gooseberries, cranberries, and cherries among other odd things) was heavily criticized for not being a risotto, it was Dave Mac's submission that got him sent home because he failed to clean the dish's mushrooms.

Answer: Apple pie

After a challenge in which two teams had to serve two hundred U.S. Marines, seven of the eight losing team members had to make apple pies using a pre-allowed amount of ingredients. To everyone's surprise, Frank (who'd never made an apple pie in his life) and Christine (who is blind) made amazing pies, shocking the judges. Michael, who covered his pie in cheddar cheese, was sent home. Following this, the final fifteen were greeted by offal in their Mystery Boxes. Using sheep body parts (including, possibly, a head) they had to make a stellar dish.

Much to the others' dismay, Ryan won and got to select who would be cooking with fresh, live Dungeeness Crabs and who would be using canned crab. Ironically, those he tried to favor ended up floundering while others, including Monti and her canned crab and Christine (still blind!) with her live crab, went on to make amazing dishes. Josh and Christine won while Helene was sent home.

Answer: Chocolate mousse

Waking up at 3:00am for a team challenge, the groups, led by Christine and Josh, had to serve the entirety of a hotel in Los Angeles, working the breakfast orders. Christine's team won, sending Josh's to a Pressure Test involving molten chocolate lava cakes.

While some, including Anna, were praised for making the test look like a demonstration instead of a challenge, Ryan, who'd made himself a rival in the competition, failed to produce a functioning lava cake; he was quickly sent home. The proceeding Mystery Box, to the glee of many, contained a t-bone steak, vegetables, and fruits; they were told to make a dish which would be worth $40 in a restaurant with $15 of ingredients.

While Becky broke free of the box to make a Caramelized Peach in Creme du Peche sauce, it was Tanya's steak dish that wowed the judges, giving her immunity and the ability to choose the desserts everyone needed to cook for the next Invention Test.

Answer: Graham Elliot

Coming out of another Invention Test (this time with Stacey as the winner), the final twelve were sent to Venice Beach to work in teams of four selling different types of cuisine from food trucks. Stacey's team won, selling the most of their Mexican cuisine; Josh's team came in second selling American sliders. Ultimately, David, Monti, Anna, and Tanya were sent to the Pressure Test to make tortellini from scratch. Anna's undercooked pasta sent her home. The next week, during the Mystery Box Challenge, the home cooks had the chance to make a dish alongside a true MasterChef-- Graham Elliot-- to see the possibilities. Ultimately, Becky was the winner when she cooked the rabbit in the box to perfection, finally taking the advantage.

This week, for the Invention Test, Becky chose the appliance she would cook with and the one everyone else would use.

She used a deep-fryer while the others had to cook with a pizza stone (and she left a wok by the wayside). Following this, both Cowboy Mike and Tanya were sent home, leaving nine.

Answer: Paula Deen

Over the course of several episodes, the field of home cooks narrowed. One Elimination Challenge difficult seafood dish involving everything from rockfish to catfish to john dory and, eventually, they completed a Pressure Test involving cooking eggs.

Inevitably the competition eliminated Tali and Josh. In episode thirteen, the final seven cooked for Paula Deen, creating Southern-inspired dishes; Frank won this one with a Chicken Roulade with Pepper Chutney and Spicy Potatoes, taking with the win immunity from the next challenge involving sushi and sashimi. For this one, the other six worked in teams of two, taking turns cooking over the course of an hour to make a sushi platter from memory. Stacey was eliminated in this task.

Answer: Josh

With only six cooks left in the competition, the judges gave a reprieve by giving the previous eight home cooks eliminated from the show the chance to win their way back in. This started when they were asked to create a Mystery Box by choosing one ingredient each.

This culminated in (in this order) portobello mushrooms, pork chops, celery, condensed milk, white wine vinegar, chocolate buttons, a pomegranate, and heavy cream. Six were eliminated though Josh won with a Chocolate Mousse with Pomegranate Reduction Sauce and Candied Lemon Peel and Ryan won with Pan-Seared Pork Chop with Mushroom and Celery Ragu and Pomegranate Gastrique.

These two were then asked to go head-to-head making fruit tarts which would be judged by the other six cooks. Josh ultimately won a spot back into the game (unanimously) with his exotic pineapple and mango tart against Ryan's blood orange and berry option.

Answer: Ostrich egg

Over the course of the competition, the home cooks had to complete Mystery Boxes with a wide array of ingredients ranging from the perfect Southern cuisine items to sea urchins and Santa Barbara spot prawns. In the Mystery Box for the final five, the home cooks were told to make whatever they wanted and fill a box with the ingredients.

They were then told to pass the box to the person in front of them. Monti, receiving Christine's fish sauce, had to ask, "What is fish sauce and why does it taste like death?" The last Mystery Box of the competition was held for the final five.

In place of a Mystery Box for the final three, the home cooks were shown their potential cookbooks and were asked to make whatever they wanted in one hour.

Answer: Anthony Bourdain

After the eliminations of Felix, David, and Monti, the final four were told that they would be working in teams of two to create six servings in a three course meal for the existing judges and Michelin Star winners Guy Savoy (who trained Gordon Ramsey), Daniel Boulud, and Alain Ducasse. Christine and Becky beat Frank and Josh who were forced to enter a final Pressure Test involving three different souffles-- one white cheddar cheese, one raspberry, and one dark chocolate. Josh won the spot in the final three. Ultimately, during the final challenges done by the final three, Becky experienced a difficult day and was eliminated by the judges due to a poor side-dish.

This sent Josh and Christine into the finals.

Answer: Christine

In the final challenge of the season, Christine and Josh faced off in the MasterChef Kitchen to win the title. In two hours, Christine made Thai Papaya Salad with Crab and Mixed Vegetables, Braised Pork Belly with Rice, Crispy Kale and Mitake Mushrooms, and Coconut Lime Sorbet with a Ginger Tuile while Josh created Butter Poached Lobster with Grits and Sweet Potato Purée, Rack of Lamb with Green Curry Sauce, Spring Peas and Carrots, and Bacon Crusted Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bean and Cinnamon Ice Cream. Ultimately, the judges awarded the show's first blind contestant, Vietnamese-born Christine Ha, with the title, the $250,000 grand prize, and her very own cookbook, "Recipes from My Home Kitchen: Asian and American Comfort Food", released in May 2013.