Complete season guide
Complete season breakdown
MasterChef US season 13 spans 20 documented competition episodes. This guide follows the actual episode briefs and featured dishes from auditions through the finale.
Episode 1 · Audition
Regional Auditions - The Northeast is built around signature audition dish.
Audition
Signature audition dish
Home cooks presented signature dishes while competing for a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Episode 2 · Audition
Regional Auditions - The Midwest is built around signature audition dish.
Audition
Signature audition dish
Home cooks presented signature dishes while competing for a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Episode 3 · Audition
Regional Auditions - The West is built around signature audition dish.
Audition
Signature audition dish
Home cooks presented signature dishes while competing for a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Episode 4 · Audition
Regional Auditions - The South is built around signature audition dish.
Audition
Signature audition dish
Home cooks presented signature dishes while competing for a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Episode 5 · Elimination Challenge
State Fair Food is built around state Fair Food elimination challenge.
Elimination Challenge
State Fair Food elimination challenge
The elimination brief called for state Fair Food elimination challenge; the weakest result risked leaving the competition. The source gives the cooks 60 minutes.
Episode 6 · Mystery Box Challenge
Apple Mystery Box is built around apple Mystery Box.
Mystery Box Challenge
Apple Mystery Box
The Mystery Box brief centered on apple Mystery Box; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate. The source gives the cooks one hour.
Episode 7 · Team Challenge
Trial by Fire: Field Challenge is built around trial by Fire service menu.
Team Challenge
Trial by Fire service menu
Teams handled trial by Fire service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe. The source gives the cooks 75 minutes.
Episode 8 · Mystery Box Challenge
Birds of a Feather Mystery Box is built around birds of a Feather Mystery Box.
Mystery Box Challenge
Birds of a Feather Mystery Box
The Mystery Box brief centered on birds of a Feather Mystery Box; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate. The source gives the cooks one hour.
Episode 9 · Elimination Challenge
United Cakes of America is built around united Cakes of America elimination challenge.
Elimination Challenge
United Cakes of America elimination challenge
The elimination brief called for united Cakes of America elimination challenge; the weakest result risked leaving the competition. The source gives the cooks 90 minutes.
Episode 10 · Team Challenge
Dodgers Stadium Field Challenge is built around dodgers Stadium service menu.
Team Challenge
Dodgers Stadium service menu
Teams handled dodgers Stadium service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe.
Episode 11 · Mystery Box Challenge
Military Rations Mystery Box is built around military Rations Mystery Box.
Mystery Box Challenge
Military Rations Mystery Box
The Mystery Box brief centered on military Rations Mystery Box; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Episode 12 · Team Challenge
Tag Team is built around tag Team service menu.
Team Challenge
Tag Team service menu
Teams handled tag Team service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe. The source gives the cooks 75 minutes.
Episode 13 · Mystery Box Challenge
Fish Out of Water Mystery Box is built around fish Out of Water Mystery Box.
Mystery Box Challenge
Fish Out of Water Mystery Box
The Mystery Box brief centered on fish Out of Water Mystery Box; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate. The source gives the cooks 60 minutes.
Episode 14 · Elimination Challenge
Kelsey's Stadium Food is built around kelsey's Stadium Food elimination challenge.
Elimination Challenge
Kelsey's Stadium Food elimination challenge
The elimination brief called for kelsey's Stadium Food elimination challenge; the weakest result risked leaving the competition. The source gives the cooks 60 minutes.
Episode 15 · Elimination Challenge
Patio Grilling Challenge is built around patio Grilling Challenge elimination challenge.
Elimination Challenge
Patio Grilling Challenge elimination challenge
The elimination brief called for patio Grilling Challenge elimination challenge; the weakest result risked leaving the competition. The source gives the cooks one hour.
Episode 16 · Team Challenge
The Wall is built around the Wall service menu.
Team Challenge
The Wall service menu
Teams handled the Wall service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe. The source gives the cooks one hour.
Episode 17 · Team Challenge
Restaurant Takeover - Hell's Kitchen is built around restaurant Takeover - Hell's Kitchen service menu.
Team Challenge
Restaurant Takeover - Hell's Kitchen service menu
Teams handled restaurant Takeover - Hell's Kitchen service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe.
Episode 18 · Elimination Challenge
Semi-Finals: Pasta & Keeping Up with Gordon moves from semi-Finals: Pasta & Keeping Up with Gordon elimination challenge to semi-Finals: Pasta & Keeping Up with Gordon elimination challenge.
Elimination Challenge
Semi-Finals: Pasta & Keeping Up with Gordon elimination challenge
The elimination brief called for semi-Finals: Pasta & Keeping Up with Gordon elimination challenge; the weakest result risked leaving the competition. The source gives the cooks 45 minutes.
Elimination Challenge
Semi-Finals: Pasta & Keeping Up with Gordon elimination challenge
The elimination brief called for semi-Finals: Pasta & Keeping Up with Gordon elimination challenge; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 19 · Finale
Finale Part One moves from three-course finale menu to finale Part One Appetizers.
Finale
Three-course finale menu
The late-stage cook-off centered on three-course finale menu and determined who advanced or won. The source gives the cooks one hour.
Appetizers
Finale Part One Appetizers
The documented challenge centered on finale Part One Appetizers.
Episode 20 · Entree
Finale Part Two moves from finale entree course to finale dessert course.
Entree
Finale entree course
The documented challenge centered on finale entree course.
Dessert
Finale dessert course
The documented challenge centered on finale dessert course.
Final three
Final cook-off menu
The late-stage cook-off centered on final cook-off menu and determined who advanced or won.
Challenge details verified 2026-07-18. en.wikipedia.org.
The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
Grant Gillon
Altoona, Iowa
Everyone recorded for Season 13, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.
| Baker | Age | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Grant Gillon | 32 | Altoona, Iowa |
| Jennifer Maune | 42 | Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Kennedy Underwood | 26 | Denver, Colorado |
| Reagan Sidney | 44 | New Orleans, Louisiana |