MasterChef ™

Daniela: "My name is Daniela. Tonight I presented to you a Chiles en Nogada with a sherry and pomegranate reduction, and I used almonds and pine nuts in the white sauce. It's part of my heritage. I'm half Mexican and half Serbian."

Judges

"Daniela, the colors are stunning. You look at the plate, you just can't wait to dive in." 

"I'm so happy you didn't fry the chiles because a lot of times people take a shortcut, and they'll fry it. And I like the fact that you roasted it. It's gonna add another dimension of flavor. "

"It is packed with flavor. Honestly, it's festive. It's a celebration. It's so fruity and nutty, and it just needs a touch more seasoning. But it is so delicious." 

"I'm not familiar at all with this dish. Actually, this is the first time I've had this, so I didn't know what to expect. I like the different textures in here. You've got the nuts. There's some crunchiness to it. And I think this dish celebrates a lot of different ingredients."  

"It makes me very proud to be Mexican. When I eat this dish, it really is that magical. It's that special."

"Daniela, this is a dish that's really authentic, flavorful, soulful, and I really like it a lot."