Season 3 of the American competitive reality television series MasterChef had a two-night premiere on Fox on June 4 and 5, 2012. By the third episode, which aired on June 11, 2012, the judges had tasted all 100 dishes and given white MasterChef aprons to 36 contestants. In the same episode, the judges cut that number down to 18 contestants. The season concluded on September 10, 2012 with the first blind contestant Christine Ha winning the MasterChef title.
Release Date
PremieredMasterChef Season 3 released on June 4, 2012.
Your Progress
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Sign In to Track ProgressSeasons
Auditions (1)
The hopefuls prepare their signature dishes for the judges.
Auditions (2)
The judges critique the food and eliminate contestants.
Auditions: Top 36 Bootcamp (3)
The contestants compete in a ground beef challenge.
Top 18 Compete
The top 18 contestants must create a dish using duck and bananas; the judges challenge the cooks to use unusual ingredients.
Top 16 Compete
The contestants travel to Camp Pendleton, Calif., where they work in teams to prepare a meal for 200 servicemen and women.
Top 15 Compete
The cooks must create a unique dish using unconventional cuts of meat.
Top 14 Compete
The judges split the cooks into teams to prepare breakfast for hotel guests; the members of the losing team must prove they deserve to stay in the competition.
Top 13 Compete
The cooks must prepare a high quality dish using $20 worth of ingredients; during the elimination round the cooks try to recreate their favorite desserts.
Top 12 Compete
The contestants are divided into three teams for a food truck challenge; the challenge losers face a pressure test.
Top 11 Compete
Graham Elliot joins the amateur cooks in a mystery box challenge; two contestants are eliminated.
Top 9 Compete
The cooks must incorporate sea urchin into their creations; the winner of the mystery box challenge assigns the others one of eight different types of fish.
Top 8 Compete
The eight finalists must prepare, cook and serve a hearty meal to 101 cowboys; the challenge losers must prepare six eggs four different ways in only 20 minutes.
Top 7 Compete
Chef Paula Deen selects items for the mystery box challenge, which includes Southern staples and a surprise for the contestants; the challenge winner pairs the remaining contestants, who must prepare a Japanese dish as a team.
Top 6 Compete (1)
Eight previously eliminated contestants return to compete for a chance to rejoin the competition.
Top 6 Compete (2)
The cooks face a mystery box challenge featuring shrimp, with the winner choosing a savory item the hopefuls will have to use in a dessert dish.
Top 6 Compete (3)
The cooks split into two teams to replicate signature dishes at an award-winning restaurant; the contestants must prepare steak three ways.
Top 5 Complete
The cooks select mystery box ingredients that represent who they are; the judges surprise the cooks with a twist; the cooks re-create a dish that Graham Elliot served to the president.
Top 4 Compete
The cooks split into two teams to prepare a meal for the judges and three respected chefs; the cooks on the losing team compete against each other.
Top 3 Compete
The final three contestants are asked to reflect on their culinary experiences and create a dish that embodies their personality and passion; the top two contestants are chosen.
Winner Revealed
The remaining cooks make a final effort to impress the judges; one contestant wins the grand prize.
MasterChef
Season 3
Season 3 of the American competitive reality television series MasterChef had a two-night premiere on Fox on June 4 and 5, 2012. By the third episode, which aired on June 11, 2012, the judges had tasted all 100 dishes and given white MasterChef aprons to 36 contestants. In the same episode, the judges cut that number down to 18 contestants. The season concluded on September 10, 2012 with the first blind contestant Christine Ha winning the MasterChef title.
Release Date
PremieredMasterChef Season 3 released on June 4, 2012.
Your Progress
Track your watching progress by signing in
Sign In to Track ProgressAuditions (1)
The hopefuls prepare their signature dishes for the judges.
Auditions (2)
The judges critique the food and eliminate contestants.
Auditions: Top 36 Bootcamp (3)
The contestants compete in a ground beef challenge.
Top 18 Compete
The top 18 contestants must create a dish using duck and bananas; the judges challenge the cooks to use unusual ingredients.
Top 16 Compete
The contestants travel to Camp Pendleton, Calif., where they work in teams to prepare a meal for 200 servicemen and women.
Top 15 Compete
The cooks must create a unique dish using unconventional cuts of meat.
Top 14 Compete
The judges split the cooks into teams to prepare breakfast for hotel guests; the members of the losing team must prove they deserve to stay in the competition.
Top 13 Compete
The cooks must prepare a high quality dish using $20 worth of ingredients; during the elimination round the cooks try to recreate their favorite desserts.
Top 12 Compete
The contestants are divided into three teams for a food truck challenge; the challenge losers face a pressure test.
Top 11 Compete
Graham Elliot joins the amateur cooks in a mystery box challenge; two contestants are eliminated.
Top 9 Compete
The cooks must incorporate sea urchin into their creations; the winner of the mystery box challenge assigns the others one of eight different types of fish.
Top 8 Compete
The eight finalists must prepare, cook and serve a hearty meal to 101 cowboys; the challenge losers must prepare six eggs four different ways in only 20 minutes.
Top 7 Compete
Chef Paula Deen selects items for the mystery box challenge, which includes Southern staples and a surprise for the contestants; the challenge winner pairs the remaining contestants, who must prepare a Japanese dish as a team.
Top 6 Compete (1)
Eight previously eliminated contestants return to compete for a chance to rejoin the competition.
Top 6 Compete (2)
The cooks face a mystery box challenge featuring shrimp, with the winner choosing a savory item the hopefuls will have to use in a dessert dish.
Top 6 Compete (3)
The cooks split into two teams to replicate signature dishes at an award-winning restaurant; the contestants must prepare steak three ways.
Top 5 Complete
The cooks select mystery box ingredients that represent who they are; the judges surprise the cooks with a twist; the cooks re-create a dish that Graham Elliot served to the president.
Top 4 Compete
The cooks split into two teams to prepare a meal for the judges and three respected chefs; the cooks on the losing team compete against each other.
Top 3 Compete
The final three contestants are asked to reflect on their culinary experiences and create a dish that embodies their personality and passion; the top two contestants are chosen.
Winner Revealed
The remaining cooks make a final effort to impress the judges; one contestant wins the grand prize.