'Masterchef' Top 4 Finalists
A realtor, a stay-at-home dad, a server and a neural engineer battle it out on the season finale.
"Masterchef" Top 4 contestants: Suzy Singh, Adrien Nieto, Jennifer Behm and Christian Collins
August 14, 2011
On Monday, August 15 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the Top 4 enter into their last team challenge where they will present dishes for "Masterchef" judges from around the globe, including France, India and Israel. The losing team will be forced to enter the pressure test, and one cook will be sent home. Then on a two-hour season finale, airing Tuesday, August 16 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the Top 3 will compete head-to-head as judges Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot determine which hopeful truly has the passion, palate and potential to be named America's next "Masterchef" and walk away with the $250,000 grand prize.
The Top 4 finalists reveal their favorite "Masterchef" moments and what they learned from the show:
Jennifer Behm
Age: 34
Occupation: Realtor
Hometown: Wilmington, Delaware
Mystery Box Challenges Won: 3
Team Challenges Won: 2
Favorite "Masterchef" moment: "Making friendships and memories that were life-changing! Winning three mystery box challenges and cooking with Adrien for the international judges panel were all great moments for me!"
What she learned from the show: "I learned not to be afraid because they smell fear! With calculated risk comes great reward. I would taste things in my mind then would create from all the passion I have for cooking, and I think the belief in myself and my love for cooking showed through."
Christian Collins
Age: 31
Occupation: Stay-at-Home Dad
Hometown: Gloucester, Mass.
Mystery Box Challenges Won: 1
Team Challenges Won: 4
Favorite "Masterchef" moment: "Cooking for the mothers was my favorite moment. Converting Gordon's mother into a fish-eater was not only one of my greatest achievements on the show, but the greatest in my culinary career. I get excited every time I think no one else was able to prepare a piece of fish that she liked until me!"
What he learned from the show: "I learned so much from the experience. They put you in so many different situations, and you have to learn to adapt to the challenges and take risks - all under extreme pressure. We all poured our hearts and souls into this, and to make it to the Top 4 is really an unbelievable feeling and achievement."
Adrien Nieto
Age: 28
Occupation: Server
Hometown: Ventura, Calif.
Mystery Box Challenges Won: 2
Team Challenges Won: 3
Favorite "Masterchef" moment: "I coined a saying that we all used, �retrospect and speculation,' because the competition seemed to take us out of the moment, but looking back we faced the competition as a group, so we were absolutely in every moment together! I was happy to be with such beautiful people every moment of "Masterchef," and now they're my awesome friends!"
What he learned from the show: "I learned all about perseverance and never to give up! Nothing is an obstacle you can't find a way around, and winning and losing are only temporary things. There is always something about your dream and if you go after it, you can get it!"
Suzy Singh
Age: 27
Occupation: Neural Engineer
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Mystery Box Challenges Won: 0
Team Challenges Won: 4
Favorite "Masterchef" moment: "Was definitely when I was challenged to make Gordon Ramsay's Michelin-starred dish. The anticipation to do something like this loomed over me all season. I felt very proud that I was at the top for making this dish and moved forward to the Top 4!"
What she learned from the show: "I learned a great deal from the show! The first is to stay humble and grounded through the challenges. Secondly, I found that I excelled under pressure, and the most important lesson I learned was to K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple, Suzy. I have woven this thread of simplicity through other aspects in life, and it has created a great deal of clarity. All three judges were phenomenal mentors, and I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for them!"
"Masterchef" is produced by Reveille and One Potato Two Potato and is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Shine. Shine International handles distribution for the "Masterchef" format. Elisabeth Murdoch, Howard T. Owens, Robin Ashbrook, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Pat Llewellyn, Ben Adler and Liz Cook serve as executive producers.
The Top 4 finalists reveal their favorite "Masterchef" moments and what they learned from the show:
Jennifer Behm
Age: 34
Occupation: Realtor
Hometown: Wilmington, Delaware
Mystery Box Challenges Won: 3
Team Challenges Won: 2
Favorite "Masterchef" moment: "Making friendships and memories that were life-changing! Winning three mystery box challenges and cooking with Adrien for the international judges panel were all great moments for me!"
What she learned from the show: "I learned not to be afraid because they smell fear! With calculated risk comes great reward. I would taste things in my mind then would create from all the passion I have for cooking, and I think the belief in myself and my love for cooking showed through."
Christian Collins
Age: 31
Occupation: Stay-at-Home Dad
Hometown: Gloucester, Mass.
Mystery Box Challenges Won: 1
Team Challenges Won: 4
Favorite "Masterchef" moment: "Cooking for the mothers was my favorite moment. Converting Gordon's mother into a fish-eater was not only one of my greatest achievements on the show, but the greatest in my culinary career. I get excited every time I think no one else was able to prepare a piece of fish that she liked until me!"
What he learned from the show: "I learned so much from the experience. They put you in so many different situations, and you have to learn to adapt to the challenges and take risks - all under extreme pressure. We all poured our hearts and souls into this, and to make it to the Top 4 is really an unbelievable feeling and achievement."
Adrien Nieto
Age: 28
Occupation: Server
Hometown: Ventura, Calif.
Mystery Box Challenges Won: 2
Team Challenges Won: 3
Favorite "Masterchef" moment: "I coined a saying that we all used, �retrospect and speculation,' because the competition seemed to take us out of the moment, but looking back we faced the competition as a group, so we were absolutely in every moment together! I was happy to be with such beautiful people every moment of "Masterchef," and now they're my awesome friends!"
What he learned from the show: "I learned all about perseverance and never to give up! Nothing is an obstacle you can't find a way around, and winning and losing are only temporary things. There is always something about your dream and if you go after it, you can get it!"
Suzy Singh
Age: 27
Occupation: Neural Engineer
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
Mystery Box Challenges Won: 0
Team Challenges Won: 4
Favorite "Masterchef" moment: "Was definitely when I was challenged to make Gordon Ramsay's Michelin-starred dish. The anticipation to do something like this loomed over me all season. I felt very proud that I was at the top for making this dish and moved forward to the Top 4!"
What she learned from the show: "I learned a great deal from the show! The first is to stay humble and grounded through the challenges. Secondly, I found that I excelled under pressure, and the most important lesson I learned was to K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple, Suzy. I have woven this thread of simplicity through other aspects in life, and it has created a great deal of clarity. All three judges were phenomenal mentors, and I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for them!"
"Masterchef" is produced by Reveille and One Potato Two Potato and is based on a format created by Franc Roddam and Shine. Shine International handles distribution for the "Masterchef" format. Elisabeth Murdoch, Howard T. Owens, Robin Ashbrook, Gordon Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Pat Llewellyn, Ben Adler and Liz Cook serve as executive producers.
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