MasterChef: Season 4
Season 4 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of MasterChef Season 3.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 4 Progress Shield
Top 19 Revealed
May 29, 2013
The judges pare down the competition in the final round of auditions; the cooks take on a lamb challenge; the top 19 contestants face a mystery box challenge; the contestants face
Top 19 Compete
May 29, 2013
The top 19 contestants face a mystery box challenge; the contestants face elimination.
Top 18 Compete
Jun 5, 2013
The cooks must create a healthy meal for over 300 school children.
Top 17 Compete
Jun 5, 2013
The cooks must prepare a dish using mystery box ingredients, which include cod; two contestants are sent home.
Top 16 Compete (1)
Jun 12, 2013
The cooks prepare a steak meal for firefighters; the challenge losers cook eggs benedict.
Top 16 Compete (2)
Jun 12, 2013
Four cooks prepare burger dishes at Gordon Ramsay BurGR in Las Vegas.
Top 15 Compete
Jun 19, 2013
A mystery-box challenge involving foreign ingredients takes place; chef Lidia Bastianich judges pasta dishes.
Top 14 Compete
Jun 19, 2013
The contestants prepare a meal for the cast and crew of "Glee." Jane Lynch, Cory Monteith and Matthew Morrison serve as judges.
Top 13 Compete
Jun 26, 2013
The contestants deal with a mystery-box challenge that involves an unusual ingredient and a limited pantry; Season 3 winner Christine Ha surprises the chefs.
Top 11 Compete
Jul 10, 2013
Restaurateur Eva Longoria selects Mexican-inspired ingredients for a mystery box challenge.
Top 10 Compete
Jul 10, 2013
The contestants must prepare fish tacos for hungry surfers; in a pressure test, contestants must prepare a perfect chicken breast three different ways.
Top 9 Compete
Jul 17, 2013
The nine remaining contestants make sausage link dishes using a sausage maker, with the winner choosing the ingredient to be used in the canned versus fresh challenge.
Top 8 Compete
Jul 24, 2013
The cooks compete in an overnight challenge; the losing team faces a spun sugar dessert pressure test.
Top 7 Compete
Jul 31, 2013
The cooks create dishes inspired by loved ones; tag-team sushi challenge.
Top 6 Compete
Aug 7, 2013
Previously eliminated contestants get the chance to get back in the competition by perfectly frying an egg and preparing a salmon dish.
Top 7 Compete Again
Aug 14, 2013
The cooks must prepare a T-bone steak dish; the challenge winner assigns a type of poultry to the other contestants.
Top 6 Compete
Aug 21, 2013
The cooks must re-create popular dishes served at a fine-dining restaurant in downtown Los Angeles; the losing team must prepare a perfect plate of fried calamari with a side of ma
Top 5 Compete (1)
Aug 28, 2013
The judges are joined by their sons, who help critique a mystery box challenge; re-creating a dish.
Top 5 Compete (2)
Aug 28, 2013
Two cooks advance to the finals while the remaining three face a pressure test.
Top 3 Compete
Sep 4, 2013
The remaining three contestants cook more sophisticated versions of the dishes they made in their initial auditions.
Winner Chosen
Sep 11, 2013
The final two cooks prepare three-course meals; the judges choose the winner.