Episode 1 · Audition 1
Auditions #1
Auditions #1 is built around signature audition dish.
Audition 1
Signature audition dish
Cooks presented a signature audition dish to compete for a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Complete season guide
MasterChef (US) Season 3
- Episodes
- 20
- Premiere
- Jun 4, 2012
- Finale
- Sep 10, 2012
- Country
- United States
Complete season breakdown
Every episode and bake
MasterChef US season 3 spans 20 documented competition episodes. This guide follows the actual episode briefs and featured dishes from auditions through the finale.
Episode 2 · Audition 2
Auditions #2
Auditions #2 is built around signature audition dish.
Audition 2
Signature audition dish
Cooks presented a signature audition dish to compete for a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Episode 3 · Audition 3 and Top 36 Boot Camp
Auditions #3/Top 36 Bootcamp
Auditions #3/Top 36 Bootcamp is built around signature audition dish.
Audition 3 and Top 36 Boot Camp
Signature audition dish
Cooks presented a signature audition dish to compete for a place in the MasterChef kitchen.
Episode 4 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top 18 Compete
Top 18 Compete moves from items out of their Mystery Boxes to risotto dish.
Mystery Box Challenge
Items out of their Mystery Boxes
The Mystery Box brief centered on items out of their Mystery Boxes; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Elimination Test
Risotto dish
The elimination brief called for risotto dish; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 5 · Team Challenge
Top 16 Compete
Top 16 Compete moves from top 16 Compete service menu to apple pie.
Team Challenge
Top 16 Compete service menu
Teams handled top 16 Compete service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe.
Pressure Test
Apple pie
The pressure test focused on apple pie, putting technical control ahead of improvisation.
Episode 6 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top 15 Compete
Top 15 Compete moves from dish using offal to every other chef to cook crab dish.
Mystery Box Challenge
Dish using offal
The Mystery Box brief centered on dish using offal; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Elimination Test
Every other chef to cook crab dish
The elimination brief called for every other chef to cook crab dish; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 7 · Team Challenge
Top 14 Compete
Top 14 Compete moves from breakfast for an entire hotel to molten lava cake.
Team Challenge
Breakfast for an entire hotel
Teams handled breakfast for an entire hotel, with the service result deciding who stayed safe.
Pressure Test
Molten lava cake
The pressure test focused on molten lava cake, putting technical control ahead of improvisation.
Episode 8 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top 13 Compete
Top 13 Compete moves from top 13 Compete Mystery Box to judges' favorite desserts.
Mystery Box Challenge
Top 13 Compete Mystery Box
The Mystery Box brief centered on top 13 Compete Mystery Box; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Elimination Test
Judges' favorite desserts
The elimination brief called for judges' favorite desserts; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 9 · Team Challenge
Top 12 Compete
Top 12 Compete moves from top 12 Compete service menu to tortellinis from scratch.
Team Challenge
Top 12 Compete service menu
Teams handled top 12 Compete service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe.
Pressure Test
Tortellinis from scratch
The pressure test focused on tortellinis from scratch, putting technical control ahead of improvisation.
Episode 10 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top 11 Compete
Top 11 Compete moves from with ingredients including a rabbit leg and forbidden rice to deep fryer for herself and the pizza stone for the r dish.
Mystery Box Challenge
With ingredients including a rabbit leg and forbidden rice
The Mystery Box brief centered on with ingredients including a rabbit leg and forbidden rice; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Elimination Test
Deep fryer for herself and the pizza stone for the r dish
The elimination brief called for deep fryer for herself and the pizza stone for the r dish; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 11 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top Nine Compete
Top Nine Compete moves from dish using a live sea urchin to halibut for herself dish.
Mystery Box Challenge
Dish using a live sea urchin
The Mystery Box brief centered on dish using a live sea urchin; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Elimination Test
Halibut for herself dish
The elimination brief called for halibut for herself dish; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 12 · Team Challenge
Top 8 Compete
Top 8 Compete moves from top 8 Compete service menu to eggs four different ways at once.
Team Challenge
Top 8 Compete service menu
Teams handled top 8 Compete service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe.
Pressure Test
Eggs four different ways at once
The pressure test focused on eggs four different ways at once, putting technical control ahead of improvisation.
Episode 13 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top 7 Compete
Top 7 Compete moves from top 7 Compete Mystery Box to top 7 Compete elimination challenge.
Mystery Box Challenge
Top 7 Compete Mystery Box
The Mystery Box brief centered on top 7 Compete Mystery Box; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Elimination Test
Top 7 Compete elimination challenge
The elimination brief called for top 7 Compete elimination challenge; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 14 · Special Mystery Box Challenge
Top 6 Compete, Part 1
Top 6 Compete, Part 1 moves from anything this episode to top 6 Compete, Part 1 pressure test.
Special Mystery Box Challenge
Anything this episode
The Mystery Box brief centered on anything this episode; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Special Pressure Test
Top 6 Compete, Part 1 pressure test
The pressure test focused on top 6 Compete, Part 1 pressure test, putting technical control ahead of improvisation.
Episode 15 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top 6 Compete, Part 2
Top 6 Compete, Part 2 moves from dish featuring prawns to corn as the ingredient and was shown three examples dessert.
Mystery Box Challenge
Dish featuring prawns
The Mystery Box brief centered on dish featuring prawns; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Elimination Test
Corn as the ingredient and was shown three examples dessert
The elimination brief called for corn as the ingredient and was shown three examples dessert; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 16 · Team Challenge
Top 6 Compete, Part 3
Top 6 Compete, Part 3 moves from top 6 Compete, Part 3 service menu to three filet mignon steaks: one rare.
Team Challenge
Top 6 Compete, Part 3 service menu
Teams handled top 6 Compete, Part 3 service menu, with the service result deciding who stayed safe.
Pressure Test
Three filet mignon steaks: one rare
The pressure test focused on three filet mignon steaks: one rare, putting technical control ahead of improvisation.
Episode 17 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top 5 Compete
Top 5 Compete moves from top 5 Compete Mystery Box to everyone to make his white tuna dish dish.
Mystery Box Challenge
Top 5 Compete Mystery Box
The Mystery Box brief centered on top 5 Compete Mystery Box; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate.
Elimination Test
Everyone to make his white tuna dish dish
The elimination brief called for everyone to make his white tuna dish dish; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 18 · Team Challenge
Top 4 Compete
Top 4 Compete moves from three course meal in pairs for the judges to three soufflés.
Team Challenge
Three course meal in pairs for the judges
Teams handled three course meal in pairs for the judges, with the service result deciding who stayed safe.
Pressure Test
Three soufflés
The pressure test focused on three soufflés, putting technical control ahead of improvisation.
Episode 19 · Mystery Box Challenge
Top 3 Compete
Top 3 Compete moves from signature entree for their potential cookbook to chicken legs dish.
Mystery Box Challenge
Signature entree for their potential cookbook
The Mystery Box brief centered on signature entree for their potential cookbook; contestants had to turn the revealed constraint into an original plate. The source gives the cooks 60 minutes.
Elimination Test
Chicken legs dish
The elimination brief called for chicken legs dish; the weakest result risked leaving the competition.
Episode 20 · Season Final
Winner Chosen
Winner Chosen moves from three-course finale menu to finale appetizer course.
Season Final
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 two hours.
Appetizer
Finale appetizer course
The documented challenge centered on finale appetizer 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.
Episode guide sources
Challenge details verified 2026-07-18. en.wikipedia.org.
Season result
The winner stays hidden until you choose to reveal it.
Reveal the Season 3 winner
Christine Hà
Houston, Texas
Full cast
Everyone recorded for Season 3, listed alphabetically without result spoilers.
| Baker | Age | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Becky Reams | 27 | Stilwell, Kansas |
| Christine Hà | 32 | Houston, Texas |
| Frank Mirando | 28 | Holbrook, New York |
| Josh Marks | 24 | Jackson, Mississippi |