The essential episodes of MasterChef Junior
Watch these 25 in order and you've got MasterChef Junior — each pick states its reason.
- 01
On the new "Junior Edition" of MASTERCHEF, 24 of the best junior home cooks in the country between the ages of eight and 13 will create their tastiest seafood, pasta or dessert dish in the auditions round and present it to the renowned MASTERCHEF judging panel: host and award-winning Chef Gordon Ramsay, restaurateur and winemaker Joe Bastianich (Del Posto, Eataly) and acclaimed chef Graham Elliot (Graham Elliot, Graham Elliot Bistro). 12 kids who impress the judges will continue in the competition and move one step closer to becoming America's youngest MASTERCHEF.
- 02
In the next mystery box challenge, the junior home cooks must create a dish using "food kids hate," including liver, sardines and blue cheese. The winner of the challenge earns a sweet advantage in the next round. Later, in the elimination round, the kids have 90 minutes to create an impressive layer cake with at least three layers. Find out which desserts impressed the judges.
- 03
In the season's first field challenge, the remaining six kids split into two teams to take over the kitchen at a fine-dining restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. The two teams have limited time to prep, cook and serve a three-course meal for a packed room of diners, who are unaware that pint-size cooks are preparing their meal. The judges will determine the winning team based on their performance in the kitchen, as well as the diners' and head chef's feedback. Find out which contestants impress.
- 04
The top four cooks create dishes featuring chicken, with the cooks of two best dishes moving to the final round.
- 05
The two remaining cooks prepare three-course menus; the winner is chosen.
- 06
On the Season Two premiere of MASTERCHEF's "Junior Edition," America's first-ever MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, Alexander Weiss, returns to the kitchen as a special guest. Alexander presents the mystery box challenge, and the 16 junior home cooks will be tasked with preparing impressive dishes using the special guest's favorite ingredients, including pork chop, pork tenderloin, green apples, hazelnuts, Brussel sprouts, filo dough, fingerling potatoes, wild rice, whole grain mustard and artichoke. The winner of the challenge will have a significant advantage and select which of the judges' favorite proteins the remaining contestants will prepare in the elimination round. Later, the 12 junior home cooks with the best dishes will advance in the competition.
- 07
In a flipping awesome pre-challenge, the junior home cooks will race to see who can flip and stack the most pancakes, and the winner will put the judges in a very sticky situation. The judges then task the kids to create their best citrus cream pie. Find out which kids make the most successful cream pies and advance to the next round.
- 08
The kids pair up in a three-legged challenge to create a delicious box of 12 cupcakes. Later, Gordon's mom visits the MASTERCHEF kitchen as a special guest judge, and the remaining junior home cooks will have to prepare their own versions of one of Gordon's favorite dishes growing up. Find out which kids impress the judges and advance to the next round.
- 09
The remaining eight junior home cooks will have 10 minutes to fry as many perfect sunny side-up eggs as possible. Later, the kids dream big and imagine owning and running their own restaurant. With only one hour, they will prepare their signature dishes that will one day anchor their menus. Find out which six junior home cooks advance to the next round.
- 10
The remaining six junior home cooks split into teams and compete in the first-ever "Junior Edition" restaurant. The team that wins the challenge will advance into the semi-finals, while the remaining home cooks will have to face elimination. Find out which four junior home cooks advance to the next round.
- 11
The Top Four junior home cooks are tasked with breaking down an exquisite Alaskan King salmon and cutting as many perfect filets as possible. The winner of the challenge will get an advantage in the next round, when the contestants will have a limited number of ingredients to prepare a restaurant-quality salmon dish using the filets from the previous challenge. The two contestants with the most impressive dishes will earn a coveted spot in the exciting MASTERCHEF JUNIOR finale.
- 12
In the exciting season finale, the two finalists will compete head-to-head and prepare the most important three-course menu of their lives. Find out which talented junior home cook will earn the MASTERCHEF trophy and a $100,000 prize.
- 13
On the all-new "Junior Edition" of MASTERCHEF, America's Top 19 junior home cooks are introduced to their first mystery box challenge, in which they must make a complete restaurant-quality dish using any of the ingredients they are given. The winner of the challenge will have a significant advantage and select which of the judges' favorite pastas the remaining contestants will prepare in the elimination round. Later, the top junior home cooks with the best dishes will advance in the competition.
- 14
Before the next challenge, three of the junior home cooks will face a sweet competition as they race to see who can top all of their pies with whipped meringue first. The winner of the challenge will not only get a major advantage in the next challenge, but also help the judges get a slice of victory. After a fun and messy competition, the judges task the kids with their first team competition, where each pair must create their own sausage dishes.
- 15
The remaining 12 junior home cooks face a giant mystery box challenge that delivers the shock of the season. The pint-sized cooks must prepare restaurant-quality dishes using ingredients that get better with age, and the winner of the challenge will have a significant advantage in the next round. Later in the elimination challenge, the contestants come face-to-face with the most dangerous protein in the history of MASTERCHEF.
- 16
Before the next elimination challenge, the winners from the previous challenge will face off in a MASTERCHEF JUNIOR pantry hunt. The junior home cook who correctly matches the most ingredients in the allotted time will win a significant advantage in the next challenge. Later, the remaining 10 junior home cooks will compete in a fishy tag team pair challenge, during which each pair must successfully complete an elaborate sushi dish.
- 17
In the next mystery box challenge, the eight remaining junior home cooks will create unique banana dishes. The junior home cook who most impresses the judges will win a significant advantage in the next elimination challenge. Later, special guest and Gordon Ramsay's daughter, Matilda Ramsay, will introduce the home cooks to their next elimination challenge dish, a Ramsay family favorite, Salmon en Croute.
- 18
In one of the toughest challenges of the season, the six remaining junior home cooks face the restaurant takeover challenge. The contestants will split into two teams and take over a real Los Angeles restaurant. Find out which team is victorious and who will advance to the Top 4.
- 19
New Kids on the Chopping Block
On the new "Junior Edition" of MASTERCHEF, America's top 24 junior home cooks will enter the kitchen for the first time and jump right into their first mystery box challenge. Each junior home cook is tasked with preparing a signature burger and one side. The winner of the challenge will have a significant advantage and will select the main ingredient that the remaining contestants must use in the season's first elimination round. The junior home cooks with the best dishes will advance in the competition in the all-new "Junior Edition: New Kids on the Chopping Block" Season Four premiere episode of MASTERCHEF airing Friday, Nov. 6 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (JRM-401) (TV-PG).
- 20
Sixteen of the country's finest junior home cooks compete for eight of the Top 20 spots on this season's MASTERCHEF. After being split into four groups, each with a distinct signature dish, the kids get started. Only two contestants from each group will find out if they will succeed in moving on to the next round of challenges.
- 21
After a season's worth of challenges that tested the cooking abilities of young contestants from across the nation, only three junior home cooks remain.
- 22
The top 14 junior home cooks face a difficult mystery box challenge where they must learn to butcher an entire duck and make a dish from it; The cooks are paired up and challenged to create a dozen of the tastiest cupcakes they can make.
- 23
The two finalists must create an entrée and dessert that best represent themselves.
- 24
The stakes and stacks could not be higher as the remaining six chefs compete for the top spot in a team-based pancake challenge. Then, four young chefs must face a frosty fight to the final five, whipping up their own ice cream dishes.
- 25
The three pint-sized finalists are one step away from winning the competition as they complete their main courses and whip up a stunning dessert. With a trophy, $100,000 grand prize and the title of MasterChef Junior champion on the line, the chefs have one final hour to showcase their culinary abilities and impress the judges.
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