‘MasterChef’ judge Tiffany Derry: Top 6 must find their ‘voice’ to reach the finale
'MasterChef' judge Tiffany Derry on latest season
With finale spots on the line, judge Tiffany Derry tells FOX Local why the remaining home cooks will need confidence to make it to the finish. (Credit: FOX Entertainment)
LOS ANGELES - The pressure will reach a new level on "MasterChef" Wednesday night as the competition’s Top 6 home cooks leave the familiar kitchen behind and take on the demands of a real restaurant.
In the all-new "Restaurant Takeover" episode, airing Aug. 26 on FOX, the remaining home cooks are divided into teams and will be tasked with taking over a bistro for a packed dinner service.
And with a spot in the finale within reach, there is little room for mistakes.
Tiffany Derry on ‘MasterChef’ season
What they're saying:
"You have home cooks who have never really cooked in a professional setting," judge Tiffany Derry told FOX Local. "This is a very different moment for them. They have to learn to cook at a pace there. There's Gordon Ramsay right there. There's myself and Joe. There's tons of guests in the dining room who are wanting multiple courses. And so this is very big moment for them."
Judge Joe Bastianich, Judge Tiffany Derry and Host/Judge Gordon Ramsay in the "Restaurant Takeover" episode airing Wednesday, August 26. (Credit: Geoff George /FOX. ©2026 FOX Media LLC.)
Derry said viewers can expect the episode to deliver the mix of excitement and tension that has defined the competition as the cooks get closer to the finish line.
"I think you're gonna get it all," the Texas-based chef continued. "You're going to get the fun, the energy, a little drama, the passion."
Dig deeper:
Derry is joined on the judging panel by Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich. She said working alongside the two judges has been one of the highlights of her "MasterChef" experience.
"I absolutely love it," Derry said of working with Ramsay. "I feel like I learn so much in just different areas of life, honestly, working with him."
What's next:
As the competition moves toward its finale, Derry said audiences will see the cooks becoming increasingly confident – not only in their technical abilities, but also in their individual culinary identities.
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"I think what you’re going to see is really the home cooks finding their voice and becoming more confident in their cooking, in their POV," she said.
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That confidence could prove crucial with the finish line now in sight. Derry said the contestants need more than just strong cooking skills to survive the final stages of the competition.
"You need to have a little bit of that, not just ego, but sureness of yourself if you’re going to make it to the finale," she said.
Watch the new "MasterChef" episode on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT on FOX.
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The Source: The information for this story was provided by FOX Entertainment and an interview with judge Tiffany Derry. This story was reported from Los Angeles.