The auditions for Masterchef season 3 come to a close as our judges, Chef Gordon Ramsay, Chef Graham Elliot, and restaurateur Joe Bastianich select the final few home cooks worthy of the coveted Masterchef apron. There is no time to rest however, as the top 36 home cooks from around the country then begin a grueling ground beef challenge that will determine if they have what it takes to enter the Masterchef kitchen. Each cook has only one hour to prepare and serve a dish using ground beef as the key ingredientpetition awaits, and they will remain in the running for the $250,000 first prize, a book deal and the title of Masterchef.