Gordon ramsay: This is "masterchef junior" season eight.
We've brought the best young home cooks from all across america
to the masterchef kitchen.
- Open oven. - Hot behind, hot behind.
Trust me, this season...
That looks like it's just come out of a restaurant.
...The gloves are off.
- Wait, we can't use gloves? - But I'm so tiny.
My bulldog is older than you.
I don't have a good feeling about this.
- We're pulling no punches. - Nice.
You've cooked one of the most difficult proteins anywhere on the planet perfectly.
We are sparing no words.
- That is disgusting. - It had so much potential.
Gordon: It's a shame. Visually, it looks like
it's been dropped on the floor, dumped back in the bowl.
That dish is cold and it's not up to par.
- This is "masterchef." - my life is on the line.
Let's go, guys!
This is the most talented group
of young home cooks ever to grace this kitchen...
Gordon: I know professional chefs three times older than you
who would struggle to cook lamb that beautifully.
This is by far the most delicious dish we've tasted.
The future is bright with young cooks like you in it.
You're starting to cook like an adult in a big way
because this dish looks like it's been cooked in a restaurant.
Fighting for every victory...
- Jack it up! High heat! - ( both shouting )
- let's go, guys! Come on! - Delicious chicken meatballs!
( gasping, cheering )
'tis I, sir yells a lot!
...And pushing their way past every defeat.
Come on then, blue team. I was expecting you
to put food on the plate way better than that.
There's a lot of poor cooking on this dish.
Gordon: If you can't manage your team,
I want you to give the armband to somebody else.
It's scary, 'cause no one wants to lose.
This season, the feathers...
What the heck?
- And fur... - It's a unicorn!
- This is willow. - ...Will fly.
- I'm so afraid right now. - Daphne: Go, go, go!
But only one junior home cook will be crowned champion.
Gordon: What a journey.
Congratulations goes to...
Rev your engines.
- ( screaming ) - whoa.
Our biggest season of "masterchef junior" is about to begin.
We searched all across america
for the best junior home cooks,
and thousands of young hopefuls applied.
Welcome to my kitchen!
I really wanna show the judges that I am here to cook
and I really want to win this competition.
I'm gonna win the next "masterchef junior!"
you wanna cook this until the onions are caramelized.
I wanna cook, I wanna make people happy
like this food makes me happy.
Probably gonna crush the competition.
The 50 most talented cooks
were invited to los angeles with their parents
to compete for a spot
in the biggest cooking competition in the world.
- All right! Hello. What is your name? - My name is cruz.
- My name's molly. - My name's tegan.
I'm gonna be the next masterchef junior champion.
We got this, guys! Come on!
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,
and I'm actually following my dream.
Because I'm a southern girl, I love making everything southern,
so I'm gonna be making cheesy shrimp and grits.
My culinary team of experts tasted and scored every dish.
Today, I made a medium rare filet steak.
Today, I have prepared for you a pan-seared red snapper
- and sautéed asparagus. - Look at that. That's perfect.
- So tell me about your dish. - Today I made my molly burger
- with my secret molly sauce. - All right, and what goes into that molly sauce?
- I can't really tell you. - Can't tell you? Okay.
You did an amazing job with the tuna and the tuna is the star of the dish.
That's always what gordon's gonna wanna see.
I did it, mom.
Just 16 were invited to the masterchef kitchen
to cook for us judges.
And here they are.
Wow! This is amazing.
- Oh, my gosh! - I cannot believe this.
Look at this!
- Season eight. You excited? - I can't wait to see the little ones.
- This is so cool. - Oh, my-- aah!
- ( chattering ) - gordon: Welcome!
- Welcome, guys. - Oh, my gosh!
- Come on down. - My gosh!
I'm one of the top 16 junior home cooks in america
and I beat out thousands of kids to get to this moment.
- This is epic. - Let's go.
I've been cooking for seven years,
so since I was about three years old.
That's pretty impressive, if I do say so myself.
Come and line up, please.
Welcome to "masterchef junior."
congratulations all of you on being here.
- Are you guys pumped or what? - All: Yes!
You guys are the best 16 young home cooks in the entire country.
- Whoo! - Now, I'm sure you've noticed
there are only two judges in front of you.
We clearly need a third judge.
She is a new york times best-selling cookbook author!
- Oh, my gosh. - Whoo!
She's also an emmy award-winning tv personality.
- What? - She looks sweet,
but trust me, she is tough as nails.
Please welcome our newest judge,
the amazing daphne oz!
- Hey! - ( cheering )
I think daphne is gonna be a good judge
because she's a very good cook,
she has a bunch of cookbooks,
and she really knows how to talk with kids.
So, I think she's gonna be amazing.
Daphne, thank you for classing up the joint.
- 'cause we really needed it. - I do what I can.
Welcome to the masterchef junior family.
Thank you, guys, for having me
on the coolest cooking competition on tv.
I've got years of cooking experience,
I've worked with some of the best chefs in the world,
and I've never been more excited
to work with a group of cooks in my entire life.
Plus, I've got three kids at home and fourth on the way.
So if there's anything I'm an expert at, it's kids and food.
Now, you are truly all the most talented
young home cooks across this country.
And one of you amazing 16
is gonna become america's next masterchef junior.
( cheering )
not only will one of you win that illustrious title,
you could also win the coolest trophy in the entire culinary world.
On top of that, how does $100,000 sound?
- ( cheering ) - oh, my gosh!
Plus, this season we've got our biggest prize package ever.
An amazing, brand-new, complete viking kitchen.
Oh!
The most amazing countertop appliances
- from breville. - What?
- Oh, my god. - A full set of kitchen tools
- and bakeware from oxo. - Wow.
And get this, an amazing trip
to caesars palace in las vegas.
- Oh! - Where you'll even get to dine
in one of my restaurants. Come on! Man!
Daphne: But before we get started,
there's definitely one thing that's missing.
- Any ideas? - Aprons!
- That's right, guys. - Wait.
Where are our aprons?
Bring on the aprons!
- Oh! - ( screaming )
- oh, my god! - Hi, precious. Mwah!
I have been cooking since as long as I can remember with my grandmother.
Oh! This is backwards.
Now to have a masterchef junior apron
with my name on it? It's surreal.
Now that all of you are wearing those snazzy aprons,
- the hard work is about to begin. - Gordon: That's right.
This year is going to be the hardest season ever
of "masterchef junior."
- why? - Why do you do this to us?
- But I'm so tiny. - The gloves are off.
- Wait, we can't use gloves? - What does that mean?
- Where are they going? - Where are you going?
I don't have a good feeling about this.
- What? - What's this? What's this?
Gently, aarón. Don't wake them up.
What? I'm so confused.
I'm, like, kind of scared, 'cause what's in those boxes?
- Who knows? - That's right.
The gloves are off.
For this first challenge tonight
all of you are gonna have to
punch your way through to victory.
- Oh, my gosh. - Yes!
Now you're gonna pick a square,
you're gonna punch your way through
- and find out what's inside. - Okay.
Then you will have to make a dish
that highlights and celebrates
that ingredient that you found.
Yeah!
But be careful when you put your hand inside
because you may find something slimy...
- ( groans ) - oh, no.
- Stinky... - ( gasping )
...Or even alive.
- ( screaming ) - oh, my gosh.
- Oh, no! - No, not alive, not alive.
I don't wanna die.
This is going to be interesting.
( all groaning )
- no! - Andrew, why don't you go first?
- Okay? - Okay, mr. Andrew.
Bye, andrew. Hope you survive.
- All right, come on, you can do it, andrew. - Boy: Punch it.
- ( all groan ) - aarón: Yeah.
- Feel. What is it? - Uh, it feels spiky.
- Both: Spiky? - Ooh.
- It's lychee! - Gordon: Lychees.
Let's do, liya.
- Daphne: Your turn. - Come on.
You got this, liya.
- Ooh! - Liya: Oh, eww!
It's slimy!
- What is it? - Oh, eww, eww.
- Aarón: Oh! Eel! - Yeah.
- Eww! Eww! - Aarón: Yum, yum!
Eww! Eww! Eww! Get off!
Next up, cruz, please.
- Whoo! - Nice!
- It feels slimy. - Gordon: Slimy? Oh, no.
It's an octopus.
No! No, that's messed up!
Why would y'all do that to him?
- Nice! - Ooh!
Something furry.
- Furry. - Furry?
A kiwi!
- Dragon fruit! - It's a dragon fruit.
Daphne: All right, blake, you're up next.
- Number five. - Wait, what is that?
- Is it alive? Is it? - Uh, oh, yeah. It's alive.
- Oh! - Oh!
- Gordon: Oh! - ( gasping )
- crawfish. - Daphne: Crawfish, that's right.
Let's go, a'dan!
- Whoa! - Ooh!
- Gordon: Hand in, describe it. - Aah!
- It's a shell. - Is it like a crab?
- Gordon: It's a lobster. - ( kids scream )
gordon: It's a lobster.
Daphne: It's alive!
Gordon: Oh, my laws.
- I'ma cook you, man. - Yeah!
- Raspberries! - Raspberries!
- Have a little feel. - Nice.
- Squishy. - What?
- Dates! - Aarón and gordon: Dates.
Pomegranates.
- Olives. - They're delicious.
- Okra. - Aarón: Yeah! Good job.
Okay, guys, you will have 60 minutes to make us a dish
highlighting the ingredient that you punched for.
You'll also have access to the masterchef pantry
and an incredible fresh herb garden.
Aarón: Now this is where the hard work truly begins,
because tonight one of you will be eliminated.
That's right. You all are fighting
to keep your spot in this kitchen.
Things just got real. Somebody's going home tonight.
I have to keep my head in the game
and show the judges that I'm gonna be number one.
Your 60 minutes...
Start now!
- Aarón: Let's go, guys! - Daphne: Go! Go! Go!
- Good luck. - Go, go, go, go.
Oh, my god. We're actually starting.
- Baskets. - Jeez. So much.
Uh, onions.
Okay, flour.
Anchovies.
Yuzu, yuzu.
I'm extremely nervous because I've never cooked with okra.
I've never tasted okra.
Where are the olives?
- Peaches. Peaches - so I don't know what to do.
And I need to make a great dish...
Sugar? Where's the sugar?
...Or else I might be going home.
Let's do this!
( grunts ) I wish I was bigger.
Gordon: Five minutes gone, 55 minutes remaining.
- Let's go. - ( grunts )
all righty. Can't forget this.
- Aah! - So we said gloves are off,
we're set for the toughest season
because we're getting firmer, tougher.
- Okay, mr. Octopus. - Gordon: Tonight is a great example
for these kids to show us what they're made of.
- Perfect. - I'll be really looking forward
to seeing how they take these unique ingredients
and tie them into their personal stories,
give us a little of their background, a little bit of their flair,
- a little of the way they grew up cooking. - Sure.
Yeah, and some of them have a fair amount of experience.
You think about the 11-year-olds and 12-year-olds,
they've been cooking for six years already.
The good news is we're going to get to meet
16 amazing, young talented chefs through their food tonight.
- All righty. - The sad news is
one of them will be leaving this competition shortly.
No gloves.
Gordon: Guys, just over ten minutes gone.
- Okay? Speed up. - Okay.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm fine, I'm fine. Blake, you're fine.
Ooh, it's perfect.
Gotta hurry up.
I've been cooking for about four years.
When I was seven, I was diagnosed with epilepsy
and I couldn't really go out and do all the sports
that normal kids my age were doing.
So, my grandma was spending more time at my house
and then she'd have me help her in the kitchen,
and that's how my love for cooking started.
- Uh, come on. - Okay.
- 48 minutes to go. Freddy. - Yeah?
- So good to meet you, bud. - Hi, nice to meet you, too.
- You got olives from the wall, right? - Yeah.
- Now, remind me, where you from? - Philly.
I love philadelphia, by the way. What's dad's name?
- Fred. - What does he do for a living?
He sharpens knives for restaurants and then--
- what? - Yeah.
And obviously dad's a great chef as well, right?
Actually, no, he's not.
I actually learned from the people he sharpens the knives for
- not him. - What separates you from the competition?
What makes you stand out, freddy?
I can cook all kinds of cuisine
because all different chefs have taught me.
Asian, I'm pretty good at.
- Good. Wow. - I can cook some italian.
- Some american comfort food. - Wow.
- What about british? - Eh.
- Eh? - I can make some fish and chips.
Right, freddy, good luck, young man.
- Thank you. - All right, abir.
- Hi. - Hello. So, you got kiwis. Were you excited about that?
I have never really cooked with kiwis,
- but I really love to eat them. - Mm-hmm.
So, I'm doing a molten chocolate lava cake with a brûléed kiwi.
- Man. - You might stumble on something new.
I don't know that anyone's ever made chocolate cake with kiwi.
Abir, how old are you and where you from, mijo?
I'm ten years old and I'm from san ramon, california.
You're ten years old?
- Yes, I am ten years old. - Aarón: You're a big ten.
Let's ask the real question. What would you do
with $100,000?
I would open an ice cream shop.
Not just with, like, regular flavors,
like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, but, like,
out of this world flavors like passion fruit, cocoa, japanese matcha.
- Love it. Good luck, abir. - All right, good luck, mijo.
Oh, god. Take it off here.
- Liya. How you feeling? - Hi! Good.
Tell us about grabbing the eel. You didn't look nervous.
I was so nervous because I was, like,
oh, you said there's stuff that was gonna be, like, alive.
- And I was like, "uh, please not me." - you don't look squeamish.
- You don't look that type of girl. - Yeah.
I got the eel. Like, that's really hard.
Like, something like looking at you and it's squirming?
It's-- ( groans )
- who got you into cooking? - Well, my mom and my dad mostly
because they own two restaurants.
Both of them are from taiwan,
and sometimes I go and help the chefs over there
to help with the dumplings
- or cook their food. - I love that.
How are you gonna incorporate the eel tonight in the dish?
Well I'm basically making a soy honey barbecue eel...
- Wow. - ...With a rice vermicelli
- and a ginger vinaigrette. - That sounds amazing.
Do you know what I did once?
I swallowed an eel's heart.
- Eww! - Hold on, hold on.
- I'm trying to cook here! - Hold up.
Let me finish. It was delicious.
- Please stop. - No, but it was the most amazing protein.
It's good for you. It's medicinal.
- Really? - So, it makes you younger. Did it make me look younger?
Yeah-- oh, no.
- I don't know! - Keep yourself in the competition.
- Good luck. - Yes. Thank you!
Gordon: Guys, just under 40 minutes to go.
- Come on. Speed up. - ( grunts ) perfect.
This looking good.
I got octopus, and I'm feeling really good about it
because, well, I love cooking seafood and pastas.
And I don't cook octopus too often,
but my peruvian background is pretty, like, more into, like, the seafood.
And I'm also really excited to show the judges that I can cook octopus.
I'm gonna be making an apricot cobbler.
I don't really like apricots, but I love fashion
and I love this color.
I love to bake,
so I think I got this in the bag.
- Ivy! - Daphne: Hey, there.
- Hi. - Ivy, remind us where you're from and how old you are.
I'm from darien, connecticut, and I am eight years old.
Eight years old! Awesome.
How long have you been cooking, miss ivy?
Since I was little, because when I came home from preschool
my mom and I would always cook stuff
- for my older siblings. - Aarón: Nice.
Now tell me, how do you feel when you're in the masterchef kitchen for the first time?
- Are you nervous? - A little bit.
- I don't wanna go home. - Aarón: And talk to me about your style.
You think dressing up fancy makes your food a little bit fancier?
- Yeah. - Daphne: I think so, too.
All right, sweetie, good luck.
( grunts ) snap off!
( grunting )
finally.
- Oh, come on, pork. - Gordon: A'dan.
First of all, you broke down that lobster like a pro.
- Thank you, chef. - How old are you now?
- I'm ten years old now, chef. - And where you from?
- I'm from atlanta, georgia. - Last time I was in atlanta, georgia,
went catfish noodling. Hold on.
Have you ever caught a live catfish?
- Yes. They are. - They are huge.
- I'm scared of them. - You're not scared.
You can't be scared of catfish when you've just broken down that lobster like that.
Who got you into cooking? Was it mum, dad?
My dad got me into cooking.
And then my grandma and my uncle,
they started showing me more things
- about the southern cuisine. - Love that.
Tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
Today, I'm doing creamy grits
with lobster and pancetta on top.
That's a posh creamy grits and lobster.
You've got 35 minutes to nail it, okay?
- Good luck. - Thank you, chef.
The truth is I was kind of playing it cool
in front of gordon ramsay, but right now I'm really nervous
'cause I never cooked lobster before.
Hopefully, I can do this.
So, I'm really playing, like, a guessing game
- on how long to cook it... - Come on, come on.
...And hoping this is going to be perfect
or I might be going home.
Gordon: We're down to our last 30 minutes.
Come on, guys. Speed up!
- Let's go. - Come on, come on.
I never cooked lobster before, but my dad taught me
seafood is a very delicate food to cook with.
So, I hope I cook this right for the first time,
because my life is on the line.
Come on, grits. Come on, grits.
Got it.
There we go.
- Hey, grayson. Oh, you've got okra. - Hello. Yes.
I am doing pan-seared red snapper,
which is something that me and my dad like to fish for.
- Nice. - With a peach chutney,
and then I'm gonna do crispy fried okra
and I'm gonna do some pickled okra.
Also I'm crusting the fish with lemon verbena
because it adds a floral note to the dish.
And I like french culture, and I'm representing that
because a french botanist discovered lemon verbena in peru.
Okay. So, let me get this right. How old are you?
- I'm 11. - Your vocabulary
and your verbiage for food is very advanced.
- Thank you. - Has this always been something
that you've always wanted to do is be a chef?
Yeah, I've always wanted to be a chef since I was very young.
- Yeah. Not now, but when you were young. - And...
I would like to open a restaurant.
Daphne: Is this something you cook a lot with at home?
No, I've never cooked with okra,
but both of my grandmothers love fried okra.
I think it's really smart and really advanced.
We're gonna have different kinds of textures and tastes from this one ingredient
that you're making the star of your dish.
- Yeah, I'm excited to show you guys my food. - Awesome.
- Daphne: Can't wait to see what you make. - Thank you.
Gordon: 22 minutes to go.
- Oh, I get so behind. - Andrew, how does it feel to be here?
- It feels crazy. - How old are you?
- I am ten years old. - And where are you from?
I am from superior township, michigan.
Now, tell me about the dish. What are you doing?
I'm doing a lychee trifle with a lychee coulis.
Let's have a little taste.
Mmm.
- Wow. Yeah, that tastes good. - Mmm.
And who taught you to cook? Mum, dad?
Uh, my mom mostly.
And when you're not cooking do you enjoy sport?
- Yes, I play hockey. - That's a tough game.
What do you wanna do when you grow up?
Be a full-time professional hockey player
- and have a bakery on the side. - Yes.
- What would you call it? - Puck café.
- Love that. - Concentrate, focus.
- Good luck. - Thank you.
Molly, what's shaking, bacon?
Remind us where you're from and how old you are.
I'm from springfield, missouri, and I'm ten years old.
My dad is the chicken king.
He travels all over the world doing competitive barbecue.
- No way. - What?
Yes. He's the best cook I've ever seen.
That's awesome.
So, since he's the chicken king and we make barbecue sauces
- from scratch all the time at home... - Daphne: I love that.
...I wouldn't have traded chicken wings for anything in the world.
So you were happy. You pulled the gold out of that wall.
- So your dad's won a bunch of barbecue competitions. - Oh, yes.
- Do you ever go with him? - Oh, yeah. I actually compete in some, too.
- No way! So this is not your first rodeo. - Oh, no.
How you like your barbecue sauce?
I really like it sweet and savory is how I roll.
Both: That's how you roll.
You wanna be a professional chef when you grow up?
Yeah, I wanna be a restaurant owner.
You have a name picked out?
- Molly moves. - All right.
- Molly's making moves. I like it. - Whoo!
- Good luck, molly. - Thank you.
Open oven!
- Hello. - Daphne: Hey, blake.
- Oh, the crawfish king. - Yeah.
So, how old are you, where you from, buddy?
I'm 11 and I'm from darien, illinois.
- So, not local crawfish territory. - Definitely not.
Not what you're making every night for dinner.
I know it's from new orleans, so I hope to impress you.
You know what's right, buddy. So, what else is your dish gonna have?
It is lemon pepper crawfish with a bed of rice pilaf
and a side of wilted spinach.
Who taught you how to cook?
My mom and a ton of cooking classes.
- Really? Online or in person? - Yes.
- In person. - Really?
Online doesn't do anything.
- I love that. - And what's the dream long-term?
To open my own restaurant.
I could just sit back and let my employees do the work.
Oh!
Piece of advice. You gotta get in there and work with them.
- They'll respect you more. - Well, yeah, I'll do that,
but I won't have to do as much work.
- All right, man, you're on it. - Good luck.
Thank you! Okay, garlic butter. Garlic butter.
Gordon: Just over seven and a half minutes to go.
- Come on, let's go! - Blowtorch magic!
- Got it. - Guys, there's some tough ingredients out there.
Lobster, that is one of the most unforgiving proteins
- anywhere on the planet. - Bam. Done.
- Gordon: Octopus, very tricky. - Dang it.
- Mm-hmm. - I mean, really tricky. Eel, super tricky.
- Finally. - Right out of the gate,
we gave 'em a tough challenge,
and these kids can rise to the occasion.
They are so, so accomplished.
- It's crazy watching them cook. - Okay, perfect.
I'm really excited to see what these kids turn out.
- ( sighs ) okay. - Aarón: Let's go.
Just over two minutes.
♪ this is so nerve-wracking, oh, my god ♪
- gordon: Start plating, please! - This looks good.
Taste, taste, taste. Think about your garnishes.
Daphne: These plates should look restaurant quality.
Gorgeous plates, delicious food.
- We can't wait to eat 'em. - ( sighs ) okay.
Gordon: 60 seconds to go, guys.
- Come on, let's go. - Aarón: Let's go, guys. You can do it.
Last minute! Finishing touches, let's go.
Aarón: Think about your presentations, everyone.
Make sure all the elements are there.
- Judges: Ten, nine, eight, - oh, my god.
- Seven, six, five, four, - whoo!
- Three, two, one. - Oh, gosh.
- Gordon: And stop. - Aarón: That's it. Hands in the air.
- Aarón: Well done. - Gordon: Well done.
Ivy: I'm really nervous
because I'm pretty sure that my cobbler is undercooked,
so that could be bad.
Blake: I've cooked something I've never cooked before,
so overall, I feel really good about it.
I'm feeling great about this.
I know that the lava is gonna come out beautifully
and the brûlée tastes amazing.
And I just hope the judges love it as much as I do.
Well done, all of you.
Now it is time for daphne, aarón, and myself
to take a much, much closer look at all your dishes.
Let's go.
So, cruz, what did you poach the octopus in?
White wine, fennel, and water.
Wow. Uh-huh. So you're eight years of age.
How many times have you cooked octopus?
I've cooked it about, like, three, two times.
Right. Wow.
- Hi, molly. - Hey.
- How's the barbecue sauce? - I tasted it.
- I thought it was really good. - Would your dad be proud?
- I know he'll be proud of me. - Thank you.
- How do you feel, blake? - I feel pretty good.
- These crawfish got small. - Yeah.
How long did you cook them for, bud?
Um, three to five minutes.
Okay, thank you.
- Daphne: Abir. - Gordon: What happened?
- The kiwi just didn't-- - damn.
The kiwi has to be the hero, right?
- Yes. - Okay, thank you.
So the judges are going around
and tasting everybody's dish.
Mr. Maclain. Hopefully the flavor
matches up to your snazzy outfit.
- Daphne: Uh-huh. - I hope so.
They're not giving a lot away at all.
They might taste one or two components
and then say, "mmm, that's good," and then walk away.
Eva, how do you feel you did, young lady?
- I think I did good. - I think the idea of you putting
those little raspberry speckles in there is really inviting.
It's actually very beautiful. They look like little jewels.
- Thank you. - You happy with the way they came out?
- Yes. Thank you. - They look great.
Hi, starla. Are you happy?
Yes, I'm very happy about how this came out.
Yeah, it's very crispy, right?
- Oh, yeah. Crispy. - Wow.
You live in the south, so they make
fried chicken quite a bit.
- I like the way you're representing. - Gordon: Wow.
Aarón: How you feel you did, young lady?
I think I did pretty good.
What happened to the cream? That doesn't look good.
- What happened to that? - Over-whipped a little bit?
- Ivy: Yeah. - Damn. What a shame.
That looks a little bit like cottage cheese.
- Is that soggy on top? Yeah. - Aarón: Yeah.
Andrew, lychee was the hero, right?
Maybe a little bit more color in there, yeah?
Lychees are white, cream is white,
so you want to mix that up a little bit, yeah?
- Okay. - Aarón: A'dan, lobster.
Are you doing a little play on shrimp and grits,
but instead of shrimp, you're using lobster?
- Is that it? - Yes, in a way.
Is there bacon on there, too?
- It's pancetta. - Oh! Hey, throw it out.
- I like that. - Gordon: I'll take it. Good man.
- Amazing dishes, right? And what an amazing array. - Yeah.
- Sweet, savory, great technique. - Yeah.
And the variety of cultures and cuisines we're seeing represented.
But think about how instinctual they are.
They knew the importance of celebrating
the ingredients that they pulled out of that wall.
Picking the three worst is gonna be really, really difficult.
Yeah. It'll come down to those that haven't utilized
that ingredient as a hero across that dish.
- Ready to do this? - Yeah.
- Ready. - Ready?
Now, tonight, you each had to make us a stunning dish
highlighting that incredible ingredient
that punched that wall for.
Some exceptional dishes out there.
Really well done.
But what you picked from that wall
has to be the hero.
Daphne: Now there were a few dishes
that we thought were the best of the evening
and we would love to taste them a bit further.
Gordon: The first dish we'd love to taste again--
this individual came out of their comfort zone
and really created something stunning
from their ingredient.
Please, step forward liya.
Well done.
I am so happy that I got this chance
and that I got to be in the top three.
Now, young lady, please describe the dish.
So, you have a soy sauce honey barbecue eel,
with a rice vermicelli and a ginger vinaigrette.
And tell us what you punched that wall for.
I punched the wall for eel, which I didn't really expect,
and it was slimy and icky and, ugh.
Well, the eel looks authentic,
and I love what you've done with the color.
Because you sort of cooked the eel,
glazed it, cooked and glazed, cooked and glazed.
- Amazing. Shall we? - Daphne: Let's.
Hold on, hold on.
- Oh, my god. - I'm sorry.
It's that good.
Gordon: The noodles are delicious.
- Thank you. - What you've done with that eel is exceptional.
You can definitely cook taiwanese, and it's delicious.
And the simplistic approach of letting the eel shine...
- Thank you. - ...I think it shows a lot about your culture
and where you're from and your travels.
And you made the eel the star.
I felt like we really got a chance
to see your cooking background
and what you love about food and how to plate.
But you made that secret ingredient stand out.
But I have to tell you, the balance of flavor here is delicious.
- Thank you. - What an amazing start.
If that's a sign of what's to come, young lady--
- good job. - Thank you, chef.
Okay, the next dish we want to taste,
this person cooks way beyond their age.
They have incredible plating
that looked like it belonged
in any michelin starred restaurant.
Please, come forward, grayson.
It's, like, really amazing, this moment.
I'm so proud of myself for making this dish
and I think it really represents me on plate.
Daphne: All right, so, grayson, what did you punch for?
So, I punched for okra.
What did you end up making?
Today I've prepared for you
lemon verbena snapper with crispy fried okra,
pickled okra, and marinated okra seeds,
with peach chutney and a yuzu butter sauce.
Grayson, tonight, young man,
I mean, it looks restaurant quality.
- Thank you so much. - Let's hope it tastes
as good as it looks.
Grayson, okra's a very difficult ingredient to master
and to kind of integrate into dishes.
And I think right here what I love is there's a statement
that you're making with the okra
that you weren't afraid of it. It's front and center.
I love the idea of sweetness
working with some of that crunch from the okra.
- Thank you. - Your dish feels professional.
Overall, I think that the dish is balanced.
The butteriness of that yuzu butter
which goes so beautifully with a really light mild fish like the snapper.
- You should be proud of yourself. - Thank you so much.
You know, okra is difficult to elevate.
You've done that, so congrats.
You have an articulated palate.
How long have you been cooking like this?
- About three years seriously. - Three years.
It's a great job. What a start.
- Thank you. Well done. - Wow.
Good job.
The next young home cook's dish
that we would like to taste even further
got one of the most challenging ingredients by far.
And this is definitely one young home cook
that's coming out of their shell.
Please, come forward...
The next young home cook's dish
got one of the most challenging ingredients by far.
And this is definitely one young home cook
that's coming out of their shell.
Please, a'dan, bring up your dish.
First time cooking lobster and in top three?
This is amazing right now.
All right, so, a'dan, please remind us
what you were punching for through that wall.
When I punched the wall, I grabbed lobster.
Were you at all intimidated
that you can feel the claw snapping at you, all that?
The claws weren't snapping 'cause they had rubber bands around them.
But when I felt the shell, I was awfully scared.
Then I felt a leg, so I was so terrified.
A'dan, please, describe your dish.
Today, I made creamy grits with lobster
and pancetta crumbled on top
with chives chopped up and some parsley.
A'dan, it looks beautiful, and at this age,
and this early in the competition,
you're cooking with such confidence.
Lobster cooked like that on day one looks inviting.
And how did you cook the lobster, a'dan?
I butter poached the lobster.
- Nice. - Daphne: Yes, you did.
That's the right way to do it.
I'm going right for a nice big piece of lobster here.
- Well, you're eating for two. - That's true.
The fact that you cooked the lobster so gently and delicately
shows a lot of consideration and care on your part.
I love the idea of the little pancetta and the herbs
kind of being speckled on top of the grits.
- Great job. - Thank you.
I think the medallions of lobster are so generous.
They pair beautifully with the really crispy tiny crumble
of pancetta that you did.
And those cheesy grits underneath
are a star on any dish,
but I just need a little bit less of them.
But, overall, a really stunning dish.
- Thank you. - Young man, it's delicious.
You cooked one of the most difficult proteins
anywhere on the planet perfectly, let me tell you that.
I don't think you're a fluke.
- Thank you, chef. - Great job.
- Thank you.
- Good job. - Good job.
Congratulations, you three.
Tonight, you had the best dishes
- of the night. Well done. - All: Thank you, chef.
And if this is where you're starting from,
we can't wait to see
what's gonna happen in a few weeks time.
You are all safe from elimination.
- Yes! - That's right.
All three of you, head on upstairs to the balcony.
Thank you.
Liya: I'm safe from elimination tonight
and it feels so good.
And, like, my whole body is just, like, "eee!"
first ones on the balcony.
A'dan: I am on the balcony now.
I am feeling excited!
I'm want to keep this streak going
so I can stay here all the way.
Sadly, as for the rest of you,
the fact of the matter is that one of you will be going home tonight.
Daphne: Now we're gonna call up the three dishes
that we thought needed a little bit more work.
The first dish we'd like to taste even further--
this individual tonight punched for a fruit.
Unfortunately, it was a little bit lacklust
and it wasn't apparent that that was the hero on the plate.
Please, step forward....
Abir.
Abir: So, I'm definitely upset,
but all I have to blame is myself.
I know that my chocolate cake is good.
I just hope that my cake pulls me through in the end.
Let's talk about what you punched through the wall.
So, I punched kiwi.
Kiwi. Were you happy with that?
I've never cooked with it, but I love to eat it.
Let's be honest right now, abir.
Kiwi is one of the toughest fruits in the world
because it's so fibrous
and it's difficult to get right.
- Describe the dish, please. - I made for you today
a molten chocolate lava cake with brûléed kiwi.
Abir, I think your lack of experience
with the kiwi really showed here
because I just think it looks a little bit of a mess.
I think you could've been a little bit more concise with your presentation,
did a little chutney of the kiwi on top
to make it a little bit more presentable.
- Okay. - Gordon: Shall we?
Gordon: So, how long did you cook them for inside?
So, they were in there for 16 minutes.
So, the molten is actually tasty.
- It's nice and liquid in the center. - Thank you.
Unfortunately, that's not the hero tonight. The hero was the kiwi.
I don't understand the idea behind the brûlée,
because it sort of-- it makes the actual kiwi worse.
- It's a tough fruit to get right, okay? - Yes.
But the chocolate you've nailed.
Unfortunately, the fruit is a little bit lacklust.
- Okay. - Abir, you're clearly very talented.
This chocolate cake is delicious.
I love the spice in there. That cinnamon comes through,
the little bit of espresso powder.
The only issue becomes the kiwi has to be the star.
And kiwi and chocolate don't totally meld in this way for me.
I think the chocolate really overwhelms the kiwi.
And I think that's what hopefully this competition is all about,
is learning how to think in your head before you execute,
"are these flavors gonna go together?"
- okay. - Thank you, abir.
Thank you.
The next dish we want to taste,
it's from someone from the east coast.
Please, gracefully walk your way up here, miss ivy.
Ivy: I'm really scared right now
to be one of the bottom three
because I'm a really good cook
and I really don't wanna go home,
'cause I really wanna show the judges that I can cook.
So, what did you end up making?
It's an apricot cobbler,
cinnamon oat crumble,
( sniffling ) and a bavarian cream with toasted almonds.
It was a hard challenge. It was a tough--
you don't even like apricots, and you had to figure out
a whole dessert to do with them.
Now, you had an hour to do it,
that's not a really long time.
Would you do anything differently,
if you were doing it again?
I'd whip the cream for a little bit less.
- Little bit less. - Aarón: Mm-hmm. It's not fluffy and airy.
I think we've all made that mistake.
Gordon: Listen, it smells good.
Let's get that absolutely clear, okay?
We could smell it from up here.
Cobbler needs time in the oven to caramelize on top
and get that nice color on that pastry, okay?
And if your cream isn't good, do you know what you should do?
- What? - Don't serve it.
- Just keep it off the plates. - Yeah.
- Gordon: Shall we dig in? - Daphne: Let's.
I think something you did amazingly well was the apricots,
which had the little tartness to them. You played that up.
I don't know if you put lemon juice in there or lemon zest.
There's something really tart and acidic
coming through that I think is really nice
with the sweetness of the cream
and the sweetness of the crumble on top.
I think, first of all, you did a great job.
I think you excelled at something that you're not really familiar with.
The fact that you cooked it down
and got that beautiful kind of jammy consistency
shows a lot of skill.
Ivy, the apricots are definitely the hero. Now, they taste good.
The bit that you need to focus on is that cobbler.
It can't be soggy. Little bit crisp on top.
And less of it.
Therefore, what you do put in the oven
gets crispier quicker, okay?
And when cream is not right, don't serve it.
- Okay? - Okay.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- Keep your head up, ivy. - Good job, ivy.
All right, the final dish that we would like to taste
was a savory dish.
Please, come forward...
All right, the final dish that we would like to taste
was a savory dish.
Please, come forward...
Blake.
Blake: My finished product looks pretty good,
but I've never cooked with crawfish before.
So it's pretty nerve-wracking
because I really don't wanna be going home the first day.
All right, blake, please describe your dish
and what did you punch for?
I punched for crawfish.
And today I've made for you lemon pepper crawfish
with a bed of rice pilaf and wilted spinach.
I live in louisiana, new orleans,
where we harvest crawfish.
And I think just by looking at your crawfish,
they look very overcooked.
I'm not totally familiar with how it's cooked.
So, I kind of thought that was the right way.
Have you eaten good, well-prepared crawfish before?
No, I haven't had it at a restaurant.
So, you did a little lemon pepper, right?
- Yes. - That's a good route to take.
Shellfish or seafood loves lemon and loves tons of pepper.
What you have done is seasoned the spinach properly. What else is in there?
- Just olive oil and salt. - So, the rice is fragrant.
The spinach is cooked beautifully.
Unfortunately, this dish is way off balance
because the hero is the crawfish,
and yet they're not in abundance.
Too much rice, too much spinach.
Crawfish should be cooked for 90 seconds
so they stay nice and pink, they're sweet and juicy.
When they're shriveled up like that and crispy,
it's not the texture we're looking for.
The sort of rule of thumb
with seafood in general is cook it less.
What I really appreciate is the flavor combination of the actual crawfish.
I think the lemon, the butter, the pepper, make sense.
The cooking of the crawfish is just not done well, young man, sadly.
- Thank you, blake. - Thank you, blake.
- Keep your head up, blake. - Thank you.
You three, listen carefully.
Now, tonight, unfortunately, at least one of you
is leaving the competition.
And we three judges right now
need a very serious moment to discuss.
Please, excuse us.
- Wow, tough. - Mmm.
- Yeah. - Very tough.
It's incredibly tough being up for elimination
because no one wants to go home
on the first day of this competition.
The kiwis were lacklust and just thrown on there.
Those apricots, they did taste decent.
- But the most rubbery crawfish. - Aarón: Big miscue.
Daphne: There are parts of it that were so promising.
There is one that I would've sent back
if I'd received that plate in a restaurant.
Everybody cooked great today.
You three, listen very carefully.
No matter what happens tonight,
remember this, you reached the top 16
of the best young chefs anywhere in america.
Okay? This is tough.
You know it's a competition,
and unfortunately, one of you
is gonna be leaving.
The person leaving "masterchef junior"...
And not continuing the competition...
Is...
Blake.
I'm so sorry, young man.
Unfortunately, there's no going back
when such a tiny little crawfish is overcooked.
Abir and ivy, please say good-bye to blake
and head back to your stations.
- Keep your head up, blake. - Good job, blake.
- You made it this far. - You did your best.
Made it to the top 16.
Blake, remember what you've done and achieved.
Top 16.
How cool is it cooking
in the greatest kitchen anywhere in america?
- It's amazing. - You got crawfish.
You'd never eaten crawfish before.
But you learned a lot, and I can't wait to see what you do next.
I love how you're being strong right now and keeping your head up.
That shows a lot about your character.
Blake, promise me you'll keep cooking.
- It's been a pleasure having you here. - Thank you.
- Take care, young man. Good night. - Thank you, blake.
- Blake: I'm pretty bummed
to be going home on the first day.
But I beat out a ton of kids to get here,
and I'm just proud I made it to the top 16.
It was a pretty awesome experience,
and I'll do my best
to keep cooking as much as I can.
- Gordon: Next time... - I smell pizza!
On "masterchef junior"...
We're having ourselves a pizza race.
- And you guys make all the pizzas. - Now!
It's the first team challenge of the season...
If you're not careful, your pizza will burn.
- I need some room, guys! - Put one in! One fell!
...And an elimination they won't see coming.
Your first mystery box challenge.
Cooking blindfolded?
- All: What? - No way.