MasterChef Junior (2013) s01e06 Episode Script
Junior Edition: Finale (1)
Previously on MasterChef Junior - How about "Yes chef"? - Yes, chef.
A daunting team challenge put the kids in charge of the kitchen at a high-class L.
A.
restaurant Come on, guys, speed up.
Get this on the plate, let's go.
I'm trying to do what you messed up.
That is embarrassing.
Get rid of it.
- Who cooked the fish? - Me, chef.
- Beautifully done.
- Thank you, chef.
And the results were mind-blowing.
Would you like to meet the chefs that cooked your amazing lunch? That's right, MasterChef Junior contestants.
- Tonight - Oh, come on.
the semifinal will answer the age-old question Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I'm freaking out.
The final four compete for a shot in the finale.
Jack is praying to the egg god right now.
Only two can move forward Everybody else is done.
to stay in with a chance of winning $100,000 This is make-it-or-break-it time.
and the title of America's first MasterChef Junior.
Nervous? Being in the top four, it's amazing.
I've gotten from beef Wellington and a layer cake and branzino and ravioli, and I can't even believe that I've made it this far.
I feel like I've grown so much in this competition.
It feels amazing to be in the semifinals.
This is my passion.
This is what I was meant to do.
I can almost see the finish line now.
It's, like, not too far away.
I made top four.
I'm very proud.
And I just cannot wait to see what's next.
- Oh, god.
- Oh, my god.
Good to see you all.
I see the judges and then a haystack and then chickens and then a sign saying "MasterChef" that way, even though it's right there.
What's so funny, Jack? Um Nothing.
- Excited? - Yes, chef.
- Nervous? - A little bit.
I'm freaking out.
Do we have to capture our own chicken and kill it and defeather it? Or what do we have to do? As you can see, we have some extra company today.
These chickens are here to help us answer a very difficult question.
Which two of you four young home cooks will be moving on to the MasterChef Junior finale? So which came first: The chicken or the egg? For you four, it's the egg.
The chicken part of this challenge will come later.
Uh-oh.
We're definitely doing something with an egg and definitely doing something with a chicken.
For this challenge, we want one perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg.
Exactly like this.
Soft-boiled eggs are something that I grew up with.
What you've got there is the nice, firm egg white.
You take the tip of your spoon, you spin that around, and Beautiful.
Mmm.
Tip of the spoon goes in, and you see that wonderful burst of yolk.
Ahh.
Mmm.
That is delicious.
In this challenge, timing is everything.
We don't want a hard-boiled egg.
There's no skill in that.
And we don't want a raw egg.
We want this soft-boiled egg, cooked to perfection.
I've hard-boiled eggs many times.
But honestly, I've never soft-boiled an egg in my life.
Do you think you can do that? - Yes, chef.
- Good.
Okay, guys, head to your stations.
You will have to make a perfect soft-boiled egg, just like the one that Gordon prepared and showed you.
When you think that your egg is perfectly done, you will bring it up here to be judged.
The person with the best soft-boiled egg will get a huge advantage in the upcoming elimination challenge.
You have everything you need to make us that perfect soft-boiled egg: One pot, one slotted spoon, and, of course, a timer.
Do you all have everything that Joe's just listed? - No.
- What are you missing? The timer.
That's right.
- Oh, come on.
- I've removed the timers.
What? The best four young chefs in America tonight, and you want me to leave you with a timer? We're not gonna make it that easy.
That's right.
and our clock isn't working.
What? Like, how are you supposed to make a soft-boiled egg without a timer? Is everybody ready? Yes, chef.
Let's go.
We get one egg, no do-overs, but we don't even have a timer.
That's crazy.
Soft-boiled egg.
Do not underestimate this.
So for me, I try to teach the egg to swim - and get a nice pot of cold water.
- What? Yeah, get 'em covered by about an inch.
And then I slowly bring it up to a boil, about seven minutes in that water.
- Soft-boiled? - Soft-boiled.
- I grew up on these.
- Okay.
A soft-boiled egg is cooked to perfection Rolling boil, gently rolling, four minutes.
But doesn't that cook the outside - and not the inside? - Trust me.
I'm telling you, seriously.
You guys are talking about seven minutes, six minutes.
How do you do it without a timer? Count in your head.
I'm feeling very confident.
Soft-boiled eggs, I've made them a bunch of times.
And, um, I think I can definitely pull this off.
Oh, Dara's in.
All this challenge is, is timing.
I'm just trying to count in my head for about 3 1/2 minutes.
And it's pretty nerve-racking, because I could be going slow or too fast.
It's not an easy thing to do.
To get it cooked, just the white, but not the yolk totally, I thought maybe for about three minutes.
I have no technique for the soft-boiled egg.
I've never cooked one.
I know what it looks like.
I know what it tastes like.
So I'm gonna try for four minutes.
Jack is praying to the egg god right now.
Yeah, looks like he's trying to focus to the Muka Laka Hiki, eggy god.
I don't really get that stressed out when I'm cooking.
I just think about the 100,000 bucks that I wanna win.
And I was just calm and seriously focused on what I was doing.
Troy's taking his egg out.
I'm the first person done.
I take it out, dry it off, put it on the egg stand, and walk it up to the front.
Everybody else is behind me.
they're not even out of the pot.
So hopefully it's good.
Dara's taking hers out.
Alexander's taking his out as well.
Say a prayer.
Jack is not panicking.
He is cool as a cucumber.
He's taking his time.
And he's gonna really make the difference.
My money's on Jack.
Okay, good.
Well done.
Let's start off with Jack.
I was just really hoping that the white was firm, that the egg was runny, and that it was just a perfect soft-boil.
This could be a $100,000 egg.
You feel lucky? - Yes.
- Well, do ya? Yes.
Let's see how it separates from the shell.
It feels a little firm.
I hope that's not an indication that it's gonna be over inside.
All right, Jack, this is what they call the moment of truth.
Oh, no.
I would say that that is over.
This is the moment of truth.
No.
That is over.
Look at that.
I wanted to win and get that advantage really, really bad, because I just wanted to send another message that I'm a strong competitor.
Okay, next up Dara.
How long in your mind did you cook it for, Dara? I was going for 3 1/2 minutes.
Do you think yours is overcooked? I don't think it's spot-on perfect.
Let's see.
We're hoping for some yolk.
Did you ever think that so much could be on the line for one boiled egg? No.
Hard-boiled.
It's a very difficult challenge, obviously.
Okay.
Alexander.
I have no idea what's in that egg.
I don't know if I overcooked it, if I undercooked it.
I basically just went with my gut.
And my gut is telling me I nailed it.
So in your mind, young man, How long did you cook it for? For about 3 1/2 minutes.
- So you counted for 3 1/2 minutes? - I-I did.
Now, what am I expecting to find inside your soft-boiled egg? Perfectly cooked egg white, so that they're firm, and a runny egg yolk.
Here we go.
The big question is, Alexander, what's underneath there? Oh, no.
And that, young man, is a hard-boiled egg.
Oh, my god.
Thank you.
There goes that advantage.
I cook soft-boiled eggs at home all the time.
And I can't believe I just performed like that.
I knew this was gonna be a difficult task, but I think what you've achieved so far, from the Wellingtons to the layered cakes to the amazing stuff you've cooked, I thought this one would've been a walk in the park.
So Alexander's egg is hard-boiled.
Jack's is hard-boiled.
And Dara's her egg is nearly soft-boiled, but it's halfway.
And I was the first one out, so maybe I am good.
How long did you cook this for? I was aiming for a four-minute cook.
Egg white nice and firm.
Inside? That, young man, whilst it's not perfect, it is definitely the closest to a soft-boiled egg.
Good job.
- Thank you.
- Well done.
- Smart.
Thank you.
- Thank you, chef.
All four of you, come around, and stand in front of your eggs.
Well done.
Tough challenge.
Congratulations, Troy.
Great job.
Thank you.
I finally won a challenge that I needed to.
And any little advantage you can possibly get at this point is far beyond imagination.
and I need to get Alexander out, right now.
Troy, you are about to receive a game-changing advantage and advantage like we've never, ever given out before.
Ooh.
Now that Troy's got the advantage, I'm shaking in my shoes because he's my biggest competition, and he's gonna throw darts at me like everybody else.
I definitely know that I'm in big trouble right now.
Coming up, will Jack's time one hour - What have you forgotten? - I need sun-dried tomatoes and demi.
and find out which two will move on to the MasterChef Junior finale.
Congratulations.
Troy, you are about to receive a game-changing advantage going into this elimination challenge.
Under these cloches are four different cuts of chicken One cut for each of you to cook us an amazing, restaurant-quality chicken dish.
Now, Troy, you will get to choose which cut of chicken you want to use in your semifinal dish.
You also have a second advantage.
You get to choose which part of the chicken each of your fellow competitors are going to have to cook with.
All right.
My advantage is huge at this point.
Tonight, the stakes are so high.
I am ready to go to the finale.
I got my game face on.
Right.
The first part of the chicken is something that I'm sure all of you have had The chicken breast.
Get it right, and it can be the star of any five-star dish.
I'm hoping that I get the chicken breast.
I think it's the easiest thing to work with.
And I have a lot of ideas of what I could do with it in my head.
The next part of the chicken is a dark meat The chicken thigh.
What's under here is something many people love to eat.
It's the chicken wing.
But we don't want greasy bar food.
we want something that could be served at a restaurant as good as the ones that we own.
Now, for your final part of the chicken, it's something that probably few of you have ever cooked with.
It is a delicious chicken liver.
God, I'm scared.
I do not know how to cook with chicken liver.
Who likes chicken livers? Nobody? No, chef.
Look at that baby.
Definitely one of the most difficult parts of the chicken to cook to perfection.
But if you get this right, not only is it a chef's dream, but it is absolutely delicious.
Okay, Troy, four different parts of the chicken, four competitors standing here.
Only two of you will move to the finale of Junior MasterChef.
It all comes down to this.
Troy, please collect the part of the chicken that you want to cook with tonight.
Wow.
So, Troy, you picked the thigh? It's not the easiest.
It's certainly not the hardest.
If I just cook a good sauce with this, I could go through to the finale.
And now, we want you to come up here, grab a tray, and hand it to the competitor who will have to cook that part of the chicken.
Think about strategy here.
Think about knocking out your strongest competition.
So the livers.
For us, I think this is the hardest.
There was, like, a little voice in my head saying, "Oh, no, he'll give me something good.
You're good friends.
" I'm gonna give the chicken livers to Alexander.
Wow.
Yeah, well, we're not good friends in this competition, apparently.
Sorry, man.
Alexander, what's going through your mind? I've never cooked with it, and I haven't tasted it.
So I'm a little bit nervous to use it.
Troy, behind you young Jack and Dara.
In front of you the chicken breast and the chicken wing.
Important pick this one, 'cause you're picking for both.
The wing.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- Wow.
So I'm giving Jack the breast, because it's probably the easiest one.
And if I get to the finale and Jack is with me, I can beat him.
- Excellent.
- Good job.
I know that Troy thinks of me as the weakest competitor left, but he's definitely not correct.
It's a competition, and I'm here to win.
In your hands, you each hold a part of a chicken, and with it, your MasterChef destiny.
Now, the two people with the best dishes will be moving on to the finale.
So, all of you, please take your chicken parts to your stations.
Your one hour of cook time starts Now.
It's top four of MasterChef.
Giving me the chicken wings, Troy, was a big mistake.
Because I'm pretty sure that this dish is gonna get me into the finals.
Green onions.
- Oh, shallots and garlic.
- Um Does anybody know where the asparagus is? Mushrooms? I need sun-dried tomatoes and demi.
Interesting ingredients.
Jack, you okay? Want some help? No.
One dish away from the first ever MasterChef Junior finale.
It's incredible.
So Troy has an interesting strategy.
Obviously he wants Alexander out of the way.
We know that chicken livers can be turned into the most delicious dish anywhere in the world, I mean, phenomenal.
I would lightly fry those chicken livers, so they're pink in the middle, crisp on the outside, and then do a wonderful chicken liver salad.
For me, I'd try to make a quick chicken liver mousse Poach 'em gently, puree 'em, - a little bit of cream.
- Delicious.
I think that we are going to see some amazing dishes tonight.
I mean, these four young home cooks are really the top of the top, The creme de la creme of what America has to offer young chefs.
it's extraordinary.
I'm gonna make a pan-fried chicken thigh with a romesco sauce and a squash salad.
I'm gonna be make a soy-ginger glazed wing with pickled cucumber, radishes, and carrots.
I've cooked wings a lot.
I'm really confident in this dish.
What I'm making is a goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes stuffed chicken, wrapped in prosciutto with grilled asparagus and oven-roasted potatoes.
Right.
Alexander, I feel for you tonight.
Because you're one of the most talented individuals in this competition, but you've got a target on your back, 'cause everyone wants you out.
So you get dealt that dysfunctional card.
You get the livers, the one that nobody wants The bitter liver that overcooks in seconds.
You've never cooked with livers before? I have not.
Can you turn this into a winning dish to get you into the finale? Um Um, hold on.
I'm sorry.
In my mind, I'm just trying to think of something to do with these chicken livers.
This is my ticket into the finals.
And I only get one shot at this.
Don't you worry.
Listen.
I'll let you catch your breath.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
I'm kinda getting ready to pack my bags.
I know that this is, like, make-it-or-break-it time.
And I think that I'm breaking it right now.
Guys, sadly only two of you can make it to the finale.
That means two of you will be heading home after this.
In the first ever MasterChef Junior semifinals, the final four young home cooks must prepare a restaurant-quality dish using chicken parts given to them by Troy.
So Alexander had the target on his back.
How's he looking with the livers? Yeah, I mean, Alexander is out of his comfort zone, so he is feeling vulnerable.
I'm not confident with these chicken livers, but I've gotta think of something restaurant quality.
So I think of making a chicken liver pate over a garlic crostini.
So if I can pull this dish off, I'm definitely going to the finals.
But if the judges don't like it, that's it, I'm going home.
Gordon, I can go in the pantry, right? Of course you can, bud.
Yeah, easy.
What have you forgotten? Uh, I don't know if I've forgotten it, just I might need some heavy cream for the sauce.
Some heavy cream.
Is this dish evolving? Because you're nonstop, are you? - Uh, no - You haven't got this dish down yet? No, I-I've got this dish down.
- Right.
Let's go.
- Yep, for sure.
- Oh, one more thing flour.
- One more? Well, why didn't you say it when you went back in there? - I forgot.
- Jack.
What's the flour for? - To thicken it up? - Yeah.
Flour semolina, rich flour, self-rising flour, no.
All-purpose flour.
There you go.
Right, Jack.
- Anything else? - No, chef.
Jack, cooking with you is like running a marathon.
- I know.
- Come on, come on, come on.
Man.
Anything else, Jack? No, chef - Holy mackerel.
- Surprisingly.
Dara Good girl.
I wonder where you got those glasses from.
Right, Jack, the man.
Grilled asparagus, roasted potatoes, roulade of chicken breast, seriously? - Yeah.
- Have you been drinking? - No.
- Nothing? - Uh, well, water.
- Water? That's complicated.
Even the best of chefs can't do a chicken roulade.
Wow, look at that, great sear.
Roll the pan around to your advantage, okay.
Tilt it down, it'll cook the back of it as well.
Are you confident this dish is good enough - to get you into the final? - Yes, chef.
- Where are you going? - I'll be right back.
- I'm getting a pro blade.
- Where are you going, the bathroom? Jack, honestly? - What's going on, Troy? - What's the plan? Nothing much.
What are you making? What are you making? A pan-fried chicken thigh with a romesco sauce.
You have another thigh.
Don't you wanna put on another one, just in case? - Um, no.
- Like an insurance policy? I'm pretty confident in this.
You're confident just to cook one.
- It's looks not as - It looks really good, but, I mean, it is the semifinal.
Gotta give yourself every chance.
You're gonna put it in the oven now? Yes, I will.
How much time do you think it has to cook for? - Maybe ten minutes.
- Good luck, man.
Thank you very much.
Guys, we have Aah.
- Uh, Dara.
- Yeah? - How you feeling? - I'm feeling great, chef.
- Ah, good.
We can get chicken wings anywhere.
How do you know your wings are gonna be as good as a dish to get you into the finale? Well, my wings aren't any spicy or barbecue wings you get at, like, a wing stand.
These are gonna be gourmet asian wings that you get at more gourmet restaurants.
- More market restaurants? - Yes.
- Good luck, Dara.
- Thank you.
Let's go.
Five minutes to go, guys.
Start thinking about plating up.
Wow, that smells incredible.
It does, it really does.
Beautiful, so many great things going on Different countries, different styles.
So Jack pulled out his chicken roulade.
It looks crispy.
is it cooked? It's hard to tell, because there's so much filling.
But the outside is crispy.
The chicken seems cooked.
Guys, a ten-year-old pounding out a chicken breast and stuffing it and doing a roulade, and then wrapping it in prosciutto, Joe.
The young guy's still in elementary school.
That's the magic of the junior MasterChef competition.
come on.
Dara is meticulously putting her plate together.
I haven't heard a word from her today.
So composed.
Extraordinary.
Quiet and just focused, like a laser.
And she had that smirk on her face - when she was given those chicken wings - She knew, she knew.
When Troy handed them out, he thought it was a dysfunctional card.
In her mind, it was one foot in the finale.
Hot.
Ask yourself: is that good enough to get me into the finale? Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
Stop.
Hands in the air.
Well done.
Incredible.
They smell delicious.
They look so appetizing.
Great job.
Let's start off with the man who had the competition in his hands.
Troy, let's go, please.
Wow.
So, Troy, what is that? A pan-fried chicken thigh with romesco sauce and spaghetti squash and zucchini salad.
Visually, it looks beautiful.
I was slightly concerned it was all gonna look slightly beige-y, but you've got that - vibrance from the sauce.
- Thank you.
What's around the outside here? Um, that's herb oil with olive oil, parsley, and a little cilantro in there.
Wow.
- That sauce is so fresh.
- Yes.
So delicious, got that vibrancy.
It's got that richness to it.
And how long did you cook the chicken for? I cooked it about four minutes on each side in the saute pan, and then I put it in the oven and baked it for about seven minutes.
Now, slice that through.
What? Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.
How long did you cook the chicken for? Um, I cooked it about four minutes on each side in the saute pan, and then I put it in the oven and baked it for about seven minutes.
Now, slice that through.
- Oh, dear.
- What? Damn.
Ooh.
Oh, it's raw.
Damn.
I can't even taste the side of it, - Because you can see it's still raw.
- Yes, I know.
- Uh, oh, young man, I'm so disappointed.
- Me too.
A thigh takes a minimum of 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.
A breast is so much easier to cook.
You've done so well in this competition.
I did not expect you to serve me an undercooked chicken.
What a shame.
Damn.
- Your romesco's delicious.
- Thank you.
I have a Spanish restaurant in New York, and it's as good as the romesco - we serve there, fabulous.
- Thank you.
And I love the idea of the dish.
- I just really - yeah, I know.
You missed it, man.
I asked you if you needed to put another one in.
- You should've.
- I should've.
A little bit more cooking time or maybe a second plan, - You could've saved yourself, but - I could've.
Thanks, Troy.
I am so disappointed in myself.
I've done great in this competition.
I've cooked beef Wellingtons, snail chowder, and I've worked a restaurant.
But they couldn't even taste my chicken because it was raw.
Next up, please, Dara.
So, Dara, walk me through what we have exactly.
Soy-ginger glazed wings with pickled cucumber, radish, and carrot.
It's beautiful.
You know, you cleaned the wings down so that they look like little lollipops.
They're gorgeous.
I'll try some pickle action.
The pickle is actually a family recipe.
All right, now I'm gonna try one of these.
Look at that color.
That could be the best thing that I've had this entire show.
It's crunchy, acidic, rich.
Amazing.
Great job.
Thank you.
Wow.
Crunchy, amazing flavors.
Great balance between sweetness and acidity.
More than restaurant quality, that is a restaurant signature dish, my friend.
That is very, very impressive, Dara.
- Good job.
- Thank you.
Alexander, let's go, please.
Describe the dish, please.
Chicken liver pate over garlic crostini with reduced cherry marmalade and a balsamic glaze topped with a bit of bacon.
You got the cheapest and the most unwanted ingredient, tonight.
Why the board, not the plate? Um, well, I think that the board really complements The rustic feel of the crostini.
It tastes delicious.
What you've got to understand now is that, something that you were afraid of cooking, 'cause you "didn't like" liver, You just opened up a completely different door.
Don't cut yourself off from learning.
Did you taste that? I did.
and I really like it.
See, there you go.
You now like liver.
I'm impressed.
I really am impressed.
Do you want a job tomorrow? I would love that.
We'll fly back to London, and you take over as the junior sous chef of the Savoy Grill.
- Got it? - Absolutely.
You're in.
Great job.
- Thank you.
- Amazing.
This dish is remarkable.
Not only is it beautiful to look at, it is delicious, it's rustic.
It's truly, truly a masterpiece.
I'm gonna eat the rest of this, okay? Okay.
Thank you, chefs.
Okay, last but not least, big Jack.
Let's go, buddy.
I knew that Alexander's and Dara's were very impressive, so I really wanted my dish to impress the judges a lot.
I definitely wanna go all the way and make it to the finale and try to win.
Long island Jack.
Right, young man.
Look at that beauty.
Jack, what is that? Chicken breast roulade stuffed with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped olives, wrapped in prosciutto with grilled asparagus and roasted potatoes.
Visually, it looks beautiful.
Just remind me, again, how old you are.
I'm ten years old.
Wow.
Uh, look, seriously, When we heard you were doing a roulade, one of the most difficult things to accomplish Why are you being so adventurous? I like being very ambitious and unique.
and I like blowing people away with my food.
Uh, Jack, I'm I'm lost for words, young man.
- Thank you, chef.
- I'm lost for words.
The dish is delicious.
The prosciutto is crispy.
The chicken is moist.
Pounding it, rolling it, wrapping it, cooking it, so technical.
If this is what you're like at 10, god help our industry when you're 20.
- Great job, buddy, seriously.
- Thank you, chef.
Well done.
So most kids your age would never even order this on a menu, let alone cook it in a challenge.
- That's awesome.
- Thank you.
It's moist.
It's seasoned.
Because of the acidity of the goat cheese and the tang with that saltiness of the prosciutto, that all works.
I think you nailed it.
This is probably the best thing that you've created so far.
- Good job.
- Thank you, chef.
Ahh.
You have just elevated the standard of the first ever junior MasterChef into areas that we never expected.
This is going to be one of the most difficult decisions we've ever had to make.
Please, give us a moment.
- How do you separate - It's almost How do you separate four talented It's, like, too close to call.
- You did great.
- God.
You did great.
How good was that roulade? The roulade is incredible, but I mean, the chicken livers, hand-chopped.
Chicken liver is, like, another class.
- You did great.
- It's okay.
You did amazing.
The most technical dish roulade.
- Absolutely.
- Really good.
The most visual dish Dara.
Visually.
Right, you know, cleaning those chicken wings.
Incredible.
Dara I think it's you and Jack.
Could you four please join us in the front? There are four incredibly talented, accomplished home cooks standing in front of us.
But only two of you can move on to the junior MasterChef finale.
Troy tried to get me out of this competition, but I think that he failed at that.
The judges loved that I was so ambitious with the roulade.
I want to win.
I feel like all three of us equally did amazing.
And it's so tight, and it's so close.
Do you know any MasterChef Juniors? If you do, go to MasterChefJuniorCasting.
com.
We are in for a treat.
There are four incredibly talented, accomplished home cooks standing in front of us.
But only two of you can move on to the junior MasterChef finale.
I really wanna get into those finals so badly.
It's just another humongous step right to that trophy.
The first person to go through to the junior MasterChef finale Congratulations Alexander.
Well done.
Going from thousands of applying to the top 24 to the top 12, And getting all the way to the top 2? I can't believe that I'm in the final.
You cook like a chef.
You sound like a chef.
You look like Julia Child's lost grandson.
And you have the most amazing connection to food.
And you're just 13.
Congratulations, young man.
Please head on up to the gallery.
- Good job, man.
- Thank you.
- Great job.
- Good job.
Good luck, guys.
High five.
Good luck.
Phenomenal.
Good job, man.
Good luck.
Okay, let me tell you something, whatever the result is, what you've done in this competition has been extraordinary.
You need to continue with your head up high, because you've achieved so much.
Well done, all three of you.
Only one of you can go up and join Alexander in the finale of the first ever MasterChef Junior.
It's a really tight one between me and Jack.
Our comments about our dishes were, like, exactly, like, the same.
I think that I might've topped Dara a little bit.
I'm definitely thinking that I'm going to make it into the finale.
I'm not ready to stop here.
The person moving forward into the grand finale Congratulations Dara.
Oh, my god.
That dish was phenomenal.
Good job.
It oozed finesse.
It showed complexity, but it had restraint beyond belief.
I'm in the finale, and I'm so excited.
I'm so happy.
I've worked for this.
I deserve this.
- Well done.
- Thank you.
Head up to the gallery and join Alexander.
Jack and Troy, you two have been phenomenal.
You're wonderful in the kitchen.
And you both have an amazing future in this industry.
Come and say good-bye.
Come on up, bud.
Good job, okay? Seriously, well done.
Come here, bud.
Hey.
You did an amazing job.
You were brilliant, okay? Come on, buddy, one high five.
Good job, buddy.
I'm really proud about what I accomplished throughout this competition.
Wow.
It's gorgeous.
- Thank you.
- It's very smart.
It's rich.
It's creamy.
Mind-blowing.
Great job.
Pasta's great.
I love the vegetables.
- It's pretty darn awesome.
- Thank you very much.
Good job.
I learned that you have to try hard, you have to focus Order up, chef, chef.
Thank you.
Keep it going.
- Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
And you have to fight to the end.
Dude, that's awesome.
You have not seen the last of me.
My food dream is not gone.
- What a phenomenal journey.
- Thank you.
- Good night, guys.
- Good night.
Come on, Jack.
Great job, guys.
I'm very proud of myself.
Even though I got eliminated, I still feel like a winner.
You cook like a dream, I'm telling you.
You put food on a plate with finesse.
A small young man that packs a very powerful punch.
I definitely had an amazing time here.
I've learned so much about cooking.
One burrata! - Jack, stunning.
- Thank you.
I've become way less shy.
Congratulations, Jack.
Oh, my god! And I've made a lot of great friends.
Yay! I might be sad now, but you're gonna see me back up with that wrestler's spirit, cooking some more amazing things.
And then, there were two.
Well done.
The two of you now face the biggest culinary fight of your lives.
One of you is gonna become America's first ever Junior MasterChef.
Good night.
Great job.
Yeah! Next week on MasterChef Junior It's the unmissable finale It's time for the main event.
As the final two go head-to-head I'm not going home without that trophy.
I'm here to take the title.
in a television first.
There are chefs right now shivering down their spine.
Only one will walk away with $100,000 Oh, my god.
and the title of America's first MasterChef Junior.
The winner is sync, corrections: Ajvngou.
cz
A daunting team challenge put the kids in charge of the kitchen at a high-class L.
A.
restaurant Come on, guys, speed up.
Get this on the plate, let's go.
I'm trying to do what you messed up.
That is embarrassing.
Get rid of it.
- Who cooked the fish? - Me, chef.
- Beautifully done.
- Thank you, chef.
And the results were mind-blowing.
Would you like to meet the chefs that cooked your amazing lunch? That's right, MasterChef Junior contestants.
- Tonight - Oh, come on.
the semifinal will answer the age-old question Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I'm freaking out.
The final four compete for a shot in the finale.
Jack is praying to the egg god right now.
Only two can move forward Everybody else is done.
to stay in with a chance of winning $100,000 This is make-it-or-break-it time.
and the title of America's first MasterChef Junior.
Nervous? Being in the top four, it's amazing.
I've gotten from beef Wellington and a layer cake and branzino and ravioli, and I can't even believe that I've made it this far.
I feel like I've grown so much in this competition.
It feels amazing to be in the semifinals.
This is my passion.
This is what I was meant to do.
I can almost see the finish line now.
It's, like, not too far away.
I made top four.
I'm very proud.
And I just cannot wait to see what's next.
- Oh, god.
- Oh, my god.
Good to see you all.
I see the judges and then a haystack and then chickens and then a sign saying "MasterChef" that way, even though it's right there.
What's so funny, Jack? Um Nothing.
- Excited? - Yes, chef.
- Nervous? - A little bit.
I'm freaking out.
Do we have to capture our own chicken and kill it and defeather it? Or what do we have to do? As you can see, we have some extra company today.
These chickens are here to help us answer a very difficult question.
Which two of you four young home cooks will be moving on to the MasterChef Junior finale? So which came first: The chicken or the egg? For you four, it's the egg.
The chicken part of this challenge will come later.
Uh-oh.
We're definitely doing something with an egg and definitely doing something with a chicken.
For this challenge, we want one perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg.
Exactly like this.
Soft-boiled eggs are something that I grew up with.
What you've got there is the nice, firm egg white.
You take the tip of your spoon, you spin that around, and Beautiful.
Mmm.
Tip of the spoon goes in, and you see that wonderful burst of yolk.
Ahh.
Mmm.
That is delicious.
In this challenge, timing is everything.
We don't want a hard-boiled egg.
There's no skill in that.
And we don't want a raw egg.
We want this soft-boiled egg, cooked to perfection.
I've hard-boiled eggs many times.
But honestly, I've never soft-boiled an egg in my life.
Do you think you can do that? - Yes, chef.
- Good.
Okay, guys, head to your stations.
You will have to make a perfect soft-boiled egg, just like the one that Gordon prepared and showed you.
When you think that your egg is perfectly done, you will bring it up here to be judged.
The person with the best soft-boiled egg will get a huge advantage in the upcoming elimination challenge.
You have everything you need to make us that perfect soft-boiled egg: One pot, one slotted spoon, and, of course, a timer.
Do you all have everything that Joe's just listed? - No.
- What are you missing? The timer.
That's right.
- Oh, come on.
- I've removed the timers.
What? The best four young chefs in America tonight, and you want me to leave you with a timer? We're not gonna make it that easy.
That's right.
and our clock isn't working.
What? Like, how are you supposed to make a soft-boiled egg without a timer? Is everybody ready? Yes, chef.
Let's go.
We get one egg, no do-overs, but we don't even have a timer.
That's crazy.
Soft-boiled egg.
Do not underestimate this.
So for me, I try to teach the egg to swim - and get a nice pot of cold water.
- What? Yeah, get 'em covered by about an inch.
And then I slowly bring it up to a boil, about seven minutes in that water.
- Soft-boiled? - Soft-boiled.
- I grew up on these.
- Okay.
A soft-boiled egg is cooked to perfection Rolling boil, gently rolling, four minutes.
But doesn't that cook the outside - and not the inside? - Trust me.
I'm telling you, seriously.
You guys are talking about seven minutes, six minutes.
How do you do it without a timer? Count in your head.
I'm feeling very confident.
Soft-boiled eggs, I've made them a bunch of times.
And, um, I think I can definitely pull this off.
Oh, Dara's in.
All this challenge is, is timing.
I'm just trying to count in my head for about 3 1/2 minutes.
And it's pretty nerve-racking, because I could be going slow or too fast.
It's not an easy thing to do.
To get it cooked, just the white, but not the yolk totally, I thought maybe for about three minutes.
I have no technique for the soft-boiled egg.
I've never cooked one.
I know what it looks like.
I know what it tastes like.
So I'm gonna try for four minutes.
Jack is praying to the egg god right now.
Yeah, looks like he's trying to focus to the Muka Laka Hiki, eggy god.
I don't really get that stressed out when I'm cooking.
I just think about the 100,000 bucks that I wanna win.
And I was just calm and seriously focused on what I was doing.
Troy's taking his egg out.
I'm the first person done.
I take it out, dry it off, put it on the egg stand, and walk it up to the front.
Everybody else is behind me.
they're not even out of the pot.
So hopefully it's good.
Dara's taking hers out.
Alexander's taking his out as well.
Say a prayer.
Jack is not panicking.
He is cool as a cucumber.
He's taking his time.
And he's gonna really make the difference.
My money's on Jack.
Okay, good.
Well done.
Let's start off with Jack.
I was just really hoping that the white was firm, that the egg was runny, and that it was just a perfect soft-boil.
This could be a $100,000 egg.
You feel lucky? - Yes.
- Well, do ya? Yes.
Let's see how it separates from the shell.
It feels a little firm.
I hope that's not an indication that it's gonna be over inside.
All right, Jack, this is what they call the moment of truth.
Oh, no.
I would say that that is over.
This is the moment of truth.
No.
That is over.
Look at that.
I wanted to win and get that advantage really, really bad, because I just wanted to send another message that I'm a strong competitor.
Okay, next up Dara.
How long in your mind did you cook it for, Dara? I was going for 3 1/2 minutes.
Do you think yours is overcooked? I don't think it's spot-on perfect.
Let's see.
We're hoping for some yolk.
Did you ever think that so much could be on the line for one boiled egg? No.
Hard-boiled.
It's a very difficult challenge, obviously.
Okay.
Alexander.
I have no idea what's in that egg.
I don't know if I overcooked it, if I undercooked it.
I basically just went with my gut.
And my gut is telling me I nailed it.
So in your mind, young man, How long did you cook it for? For about 3 1/2 minutes.
- So you counted for 3 1/2 minutes? - I-I did.
Now, what am I expecting to find inside your soft-boiled egg? Perfectly cooked egg white, so that they're firm, and a runny egg yolk.
Here we go.
The big question is, Alexander, what's underneath there? Oh, no.
And that, young man, is a hard-boiled egg.
Oh, my god.
Thank you.
There goes that advantage.
I cook soft-boiled eggs at home all the time.
And I can't believe I just performed like that.
I knew this was gonna be a difficult task, but I think what you've achieved so far, from the Wellingtons to the layered cakes to the amazing stuff you've cooked, I thought this one would've been a walk in the park.
So Alexander's egg is hard-boiled.
Jack's is hard-boiled.
And Dara's her egg is nearly soft-boiled, but it's halfway.
And I was the first one out, so maybe I am good.
How long did you cook this for? I was aiming for a four-minute cook.
Egg white nice and firm.
Inside? That, young man, whilst it's not perfect, it is definitely the closest to a soft-boiled egg.
Good job.
- Thank you.
- Well done.
- Smart.
Thank you.
- Thank you, chef.
All four of you, come around, and stand in front of your eggs.
Well done.
Tough challenge.
Congratulations, Troy.
Great job.
Thank you.
I finally won a challenge that I needed to.
And any little advantage you can possibly get at this point is far beyond imagination.
and I need to get Alexander out, right now.
Troy, you are about to receive a game-changing advantage and advantage like we've never, ever given out before.
Ooh.
Now that Troy's got the advantage, I'm shaking in my shoes because he's my biggest competition, and he's gonna throw darts at me like everybody else.
I definitely know that I'm in big trouble right now.
Coming up, will Jack's time one hour - What have you forgotten? - I need sun-dried tomatoes and demi.
and find out which two will move on to the MasterChef Junior finale.
Congratulations.
Troy, you are about to receive a game-changing advantage going into this elimination challenge.
Under these cloches are four different cuts of chicken One cut for each of you to cook us an amazing, restaurant-quality chicken dish.
Now, Troy, you will get to choose which cut of chicken you want to use in your semifinal dish.
You also have a second advantage.
You get to choose which part of the chicken each of your fellow competitors are going to have to cook with.
All right.
My advantage is huge at this point.
Tonight, the stakes are so high.
I am ready to go to the finale.
I got my game face on.
Right.
The first part of the chicken is something that I'm sure all of you have had The chicken breast.
Get it right, and it can be the star of any five-star dish.
I'm hoping that I get the chicken breast.
I think it's the easiest thing to work with.
And I have a lot of ideas of what I could do with it in my head.
The next part of the chicken is a dark meat The chicken thigh.
What's under here is something many people love to eat.
It's the chicken wing.
But we don't want greasy bar food.
we want something that could be served at a restaurant as good as the ones that we own.
Now, for your final part of the chicken, it's something that probably few of you have ever cooked with.
It is a delicious chicken liver.
God, I'm scared.
I do not know how to cook with chicken liver.
Who likes chicken livers? Nobody? No, chef.
Look at that baby.
Definitely one of the most difficult parts of the chicken to cook to perfection.
But if you get this right, not only is it a chef's dream, but it is absolutely delicious.
Okay, Troy, four different parts of the chicken, four competitors standing here.
Only two of you will move to the finale of Junior MasterChef.
It all comes down to this.
Troy, please collect the part of the chicken that you want to cook with tonight.
Wow.
So, Troy, you picked the thigh? It's not the easiest.
It's certainly not the hardest.
If I just cook a good sauce with this, I could go through to the finale.
And now, we want you to come up here, grab a tray, and hand it to the competitor who will have to cook that part of the chicken.
Think about strategy here.
Think about knocking out your strongest competition.
So the livers.
For us, I think this is the hardest.
There was, like, a little voice in my head saying, "Oh, no, he'll give me something good.
You're good friends.
" I'm gonna give the chicken livers to Alexander.
Wow.
Yeah, well, we're not good friends in this competition, apparently.
Sorry, man.
Alexander, what's going through your mind? I've never cooked with it, and I haven't tasted it.
So I'm a little bit nervous to use it.
Troy, behind you young Jack and Dara.
In front of you the chicken breast and the chicken wing.
Important pick this one, 'cause you're picking for both.
The wing.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- Wow.
So I'm giving Jack the breast, because it's probably the easiest one.
And if I get to the finale and Jack is with me, I can beat him.
- Excellent.
- Good job.
I know that Troy thinks of me as the weakest competitor left, but he's definitely not correct.
It's a competition, and I'm here to win.
In your hands, you each hold a part of a chicken, and with it, your MasterChef destiny.
Now, the two people with the best dishes will be moving on to the finale.
So, all of you, please take your chicken parts to your stations.
Your one hour of cook time starts Now.
It's top four of MasterChef.
Giving me the chicken wings, Troy, was a big mistake.
Because I'm pretty sure that this dish is gonna get me into the finals.
Green onions.
- Oh, shallots and garlic.
- Um Does anybody know where the asparagus is? Mushrooms? I need sun-dried tomatoes and demi.
Interesting ingredients.
Jack, you okay? Want some help? No.
One dish away from the first ever MasterChef Junior finale.
It's incredible.
So Troy has an interesting strategy.
Obviously he wants Alexander out of the way.
We know that chicken livers can be turned into the most delicious dish anywhere in the world, I mean, phenomenal.
I would lightly fry those chicken livers, so they're pink in the middle, crisp on the outside, and then do a wonderful chicken liver salad.
For me, I'd try to make a quick chicken liver mousse Poach 'em gently, puree 'em, - a little bit of cream.
- Delicious.
I think that we are going to see some amazing dishes tonight.
I mean, these four young home cooks are really the top of the top, The creme de la creme of what America has to offer young chefs.
it's extraordinary.
I'm gonna make a pan-fried chicken thigh with a romesco sauce and a squash salad.
I'm gonna be make a soy-ginger glazed wing with pickled cucumber, radishes, and carrots.
I've cooked wings a lot.
I'm really confident in this dish.
What I'm making is a goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes stuffed chicken, wrapped in prosciutto with grilled asparagus and oven-roasted potatoes.
Right.
Alexander, I feel for you tonight.
Because you're one of the most talented individuals in this competition, but you've got a target on your back, 'cause everyone wants you out.
So you get dealt that dysfunctional card.
You get the livers, the one that nobody wants The bitter liver that overcooks in seconds.
You've never cooked with livers before? I have not.
Can you turn this into a winning dish to get you into the finale? Um Um, hold on.
I'm sorry.
In my mind, I'm just trying to think of something to do with these chicken livers.
This is my ticket into the finals.
And I only get one shot at this.
Don't you worry.
Listen.
I'll let you catch your breath.
- Good luck.
- Thank you.
I'm kinda getting ready to pack my bags.
I know that this is, like, make-it-or-break-it time.
And I think that I'm breaking it right now.
Guys, sadly only two of you can make it to the finale.
That means two of you will be heading home after this.
In the first ever MasterChef Junior semifinals, the final four young home cooks must prepare a restaurant-quality dish using chicken parts given to them by Troy.
So Alexander had the target on his back.
How's he looking with the livers? Yeah, I mean, Alexander is out of his comfort zone, so he is feeling vulnerable.
I'm not confident with these chicken livers, but I've gotta think of something restaurant quality.
So I think of making a chicken liver pate over a garlic crostini.
So if I can pull this dish off, I'm definitely going to the finals.
But if the judges don't like it, that's it, I'm going home.
Gordon, I can go in the pantry, right? Of course you can, bud.
Yeah, easy.
What have you forgotten? Uh, I don't know if I've forgotten it, just I might need some heavy cream for the sauce.
Some heavy cream.
Is this dish evolving? Because you're nonstop, are you? - Uh, no - You haven't got this dish down yet? No, I-I've got this dish down.
- Right.
Let's go.
- Yep, for sure.
- Oh, one more thing flour.
- One more? Well, why didn't you say it when you went back in there? - I forgot.
- Jack.
What's the flour for? - To thicken it up? - Yeah.
Flour semolina, rich flour, self-rising flour, no.
All-purpose flour.
There you go.
Right, Jack.
- Anything else? - No, chef.
Jack, cooking with you is like running a marathon.
- I know.
- Come on, come on, come on.
Man.
Anything else, Jack? No, chef - Holy mackerel.
- Surprisingly.
Dara Good girl.
I wonder where you got those glasses from.
Right, Jack, the man.
Grilled asparagus, roasted potatoes, roulade of chicken breast, seriously? - Yeah.
- Have you been drinking? - No.
- Nothing? - Uh, well, water.
- Water? That's complicated.
Even the best of chefs can't do a chicken roulade.
Wow, look at that, great sear.
Roll the pan around to your advantage, okay.
Tilt it down, it'll cook the back of it as well.
Are you confident this dish is good enough - to get you into the final? - Yes, chef.
- Where are you going? - I'll be right back.
- I'm getting a pro blade.
- Where are you going, the bathroom? Jack, honestly? - What's going on, Troy? - What's the plan? Nothing much.
What are you making? What are you making? A pan-fried chicken thigh with a romesco sauce.
You have another thigh.
Don't you wanna put on another one, just in case? - Um, no.
- Like an insurance policy? I'm pretty confident in this.
You're confident just to cook one.
- It's looks not as - It looks really good, but, I mean, it is the semifinal.
Gotta give yourself every chance.
You're gonna put it in the oven now? Yes, I will.
How much time do you think it has to cook for? - Maybe ten minutes.
- Good luck, man.
Thank you very much.
Guys, we have Aah.
- Uh, Dara.
- Yeah? - How you feeling? - I'm feeling great, chef.
- Ah, good.
We can get chicken wings anywhere.
How do you know your wings are gonna be as good as a dish to get you into the finale? Well, my wings aren't any spicy or barbecue wings you get at, like, a wing stand.
These are gonna be gourmet asian wings that you get at more gourmet restaurants.
- More market restaurants? - Yes.
- Good luck, Dara.
- Thank you.
Let's go.
Five minutes to go, guys.
Start thinking about plating up.
Wow, that smells incredible.
It does, it really does.
Beautiful, so many great things going on Different countries, different styles.
So Jack pulled out his chicken roulade.
It looks crispy.
is it cooked? It's hard to tell, because there's so much filling.
But the outside is crispy.
The chicken seems cooked.
Guys, a ten-year-old pounding out a chicken breast and stuffing it and doing a roulade, and then wrapping it in prosciutto, Joe.
The young guy's still in elementary school.
That's the magic of the junior MasterChef competition.
come on.
Dara is meticulously putting her plate together.
I haven't heard a word from her today.
So composed.
Extraordinary.
Quiet and just focused, like a laser.
And she had that smirk on her face - when she was given those chicken wings - She knew, she knew.
When Troy handed them out, he thought it was a dysfunctional card.
In her mind, it was one foot in the finale.
Hot.
Ask yourself: is that good enough to get me into the finale? Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.
Stop.
Hands in the air.
Well done.
Incredible.
They smell delicious.
They look so appetizing.
Great job.
Let's start off with the man who had the competition in his hands.
Troy, let's go, please.
Wow.
So, Troy, what is that? A pan-fried chicken thigh with romesco sauce and spaghetti squash and zucchini salad.
Visually, it looks beautiful.
I was slightly concerned it was all gonna look slightly beige-y, but you've got that - vibrance from the sauce.
- Thank you.
What's around the outside here? Um, that's herb oil with olive oil, parsley, and a little cilantro in there.
Wow.
- That sauce is so fresh.
- Yes.
So delicious, got that vibrancy.
It's got that richness to it.
And how long did you cook the chicken for? I cooked it about four minutes on each side in the saute pan, and then I put it in the oven and baked it for about seven minutes.
Now, slice that through.
What? Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.
How long did you cook the chicken for? Um, I cooked it about four minutes on each side in the saute pan, and then I put it in the oven and baked it for about seven minutes.
Now, slice that through.
- Oh, dear.
- What? Damn.
Ooh.
Oh, it's raw.
Damn.
I can't even taste the side of it, - Because you can see it's still raw.
- Yes, I know.
- Uh, oh, young man, I'm so disappointed.
- Me too.
A thigh takes a minimum of 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.
A breast is so much easier to cook.
You've done so well in this competition.
I did not expect you to serve me an undercooked chicken.
What a shame.
Damn.
- Your romesco's delicious.
- Thank you.
I have a Spanish restaurant in New York, and it's as good as the romesco - we serve there, fabulous.
- Thank you.
And I love the idea of the dish.
- I just really - yeah, I know.
You missed it, man.
I asked you if you needed to put another one in.
- You should've.
- I should've.
A little bit more cooking time or maybe a second plan, - You could've saved yourself, but - I could've.
Thanks, Troy.
I am so disappointed in myself.
I've done great in this competition.
I've cooked beef Wellingtons, snail chowder, and I've worked a restaurant.
But they couldn't even taste my chicken because it was raw.
Next up, please, Dara.
So, Dara, walk me through what we have exactly.
Soy-ginger glazed wings with pickled cucumber, radish, and carrot.
It's beautiful.
You know, you cleaned the wings down so that they look like little lollipops.
They're gorgeous.
I'll try some pickle action.
The pickle is actually a family recipe.
All right, now I'm gonna try one of these.
Look at that color.
That could be the best thing that I've had this entire show.
It's crunchy, acidic, rich.
Amazing.
Great job.
Thank you.
Wow.
Crunchy, amazing flavors.
Great balance between sweetness and acidity.
More than restaurant quality, that is a restaurant signature dish, my friend.
That is very, very impressive, Dara.
- Good job.
- Thank you.
Alexander, let's go, please.
Describe the dish, please.
Chicken liver pate over garlic crostini with reduced cherry marmalade and a balsamic glaze topped with a bit of bacon.
You got the cheapest and the most unwanted ingredient, tonight.
Why the board, not the plate? Um, well, I think that the board really complements The rustic feel of the crostini.
It tastes delicious.
What you've got to understand now is that, something that you were afraid of cooking, 'cause you "didn't like" liver, You just opened up a completely different door.
Don't cut yourself off from learning.
Did you taste that? I did.
and I really like it.
See, there you go.
You now like liver.
I'm impressed.
I really am impressed.
Do you want a job tomorrow? I would love that.
We'll fly back to London, and you take over as the junior sous chef of the Savoy Grill.
- Got it? - Absolutely.
You're in.
Great job.
- Thank you.
- Amazing.
This dish is remarkable.
Not only is it beautiful to look at, it is delicious, it's rustic.
It's truly, truly a masterpiece.
I'm gonna eat the rest of this, okay? Okay.
Thank you, chefs.
Okay, last but not least, big Jack.
Let's go, buddy.
I knew that Alexander's and Dara's were very impressive, so I really wanted my dish to impress the judges a lot.
I definitely wanna go all the way and make it to the finale and try to win.
Long island Jack.
Right, young man.
Look at that beauty.
Jack, what is that? Chicken breast roulade stuffed with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and chopped olives, wrapped in prosciutto with grilled asparagus and roasted potatoes.
Visually, it looks beautiful.
Just remind me, again, how old you are.
I'm ten years old.
Wow.
Uh, look, seriously, When we heard you were doing a roulade, one of the most difficult things to accomplish Why are you being so adventurous? I like being very ambitious and unique.
and I like blowing people away with my food.
Uh, Jack, I'm I'm lost for words, young man.
- Thank you, chef.
- I'm lost for words.
The dish is delicious.
The prosciutto is crispy.
The chicken is moist.
Pounding it, rolling it, wrapping it, cooking it, so technical.
If this is what you're like at 10, god help our industry when you're 20.
- Great job, buddy, seriously.
- Thank you, chef.
Well done.
So most kids your age would never even order this on a menu, let alone cook it in a challenge.
- That's awesome.
- Thank you.
It's moist.
It's seasoned.
Because of the acidity of the goat cheese and the tang with that saltiness of the prosciutto, that all works.
I think you nailed it.
This is probably the best thing that you've created so far.
- Good job.
- Thank you, chef.
Ahh.
You have just elevated the standard of the first ever junior MasterChef into areas that we never expected.
This is going to be one of the most difficult decisions we've ever had to make.
Please, give us a moment.
- How do you separate - It's almost How do you separate four talented It's, like, too close to call.
- You did great.
- God.
You did great.
How good was that roulade? The roulade is incredible, but I mean, the chicken livers, hand-chopped.
Chicken liver is, like, another class.
- You did great.
- It's okay.
You did amazing.
The most technical dish roulade.
- Absolutely.
- Really good.
The most visual dish Dara.
Visually.
Right, you know, cleaning those chicken wings.
Incredible.
Dara I think it's you and Jack.
Could you four please join us in the front? There are four incredibly talented, accomplished home cooks standing in front of us.
But only two of you can move on to the junior MasterChef finale.
Troy tried to get me out of this competition, but I think that he failed at that.
The judges loved that I was so ambitious with the roulade.
I want to win.
I feel like all three of us equally did amazing.
And it's so tight, and it's so close.
Do you know any MasterChef Juniors? If you do, go to MasterChefJuniorCasting.
com.
We are in for a treat.
There are four incredibly talented, accomplished home cooks standing in front of us.
But only two of you can move on to the junior MasterChef finale.
I really wanna get into those finals so badly.
It's just another humongous step right to that trophy.
The first person to go through to the junior MasterChef finale Congratulations Alexander.
Well done.
Going from thousands of applying to the top 24 to the top 12, And getting all the way to the top 2? I can't believe that I'm in the final.
You cook like a chef.
You sound like a chef.
You look like Julia Child's lost grandson.
And you have the most amazing connection to food.
And you're just 13.
Congratulations, young man.
Please head on up to the gallery.
- Good job, man.
- Thank you.
- Great job.
- Good job.
Good luck, guys.
High five.
Good luck.
Phenomenal.
Good job, man.
Good luck.
Okay, let me tell you something, whatever the result is, what you've done in this competition has been extraordinary.
You need to continue with your head up high, because you've achieved so much.
Well done, all three of you.
Only one of you can go up and join Alexander in the finale of the first ever MasterChef Junior.
It's a really tight one between me and Jack.
Our comments about our dishes were, like, exactly, like, the same.
I think that I might've topped Dara a little bit.
I'm definitely thinking that I'm going to make it into the finale.
I'm not ready to stop here.
The person moving forward into the grand finale Congratulations Dara.
Oh, my god.
That dish was phenomenal.
Good job.
It oozed finesse.
It showed complexity, but it had restraint beyond belief.
I'm in the finale, and I'm so excited.
I'm so happy.
I've worked for this.
I deserve this.
- Well done.
- Thank you.
Head up to the gallery and join Alexander.
Jack and Troy, you two have been phenomenal.
You're wonderful in the kitchen.
And you both have an amazing future in this industry.
Come and say good-bye.
Come on up, bud.
Good job, okay? Seriously, well done.
Come here, bud.
Hey.
You did an amazing job.
You were brilliant, okay? Come on, buddy, one high five.
Good job, buddy.
I'm really proud about what I accomplished throughout this competition.
Wow.
It's gorgeous.
- Thank you.
- It's very smart.
It's rich.
It's creamy.
Mind-blowing.
Great job.
Pasta's great.
I love the vegetables.
- It's pretty darn awesome.
- Thank you very much.
Good job.
I learned that you have to try hard, you have to focus Order up, chef, chef.
Thank you.
Keep it going.
- Yes, chef.
- Let's go.
And you have to fight to the end.
Dude, that's awesome.
You have not seen the last of me.
My food dream is not gone.
- What a phenomenal journey.
- Thank you.
- Good night, guys.
- Good night.
Come on, Jack.
Great job, guys.
I'm very proud of myself.
Even though I got eliminated, I still feel like a winner.
You cook like a dream, I'm telling you.
You put food on a plate with finesse.
A small young man that packs a very powerful punch.
I definitely had an amazing time here.
I've learned so much about cooking.
One burrata! - Jack, stunning.
- Thank you.
I've become way less shy.
Congratulations, Jack.
Oh, my god! And I've made a lot of great friends.
Yay! I might be sad now, but you're gonna see me back up with that wrestler's spirit, cooking some more amazing things.
And then, there were two.
Well done.
The two of you now face the biggest culinary fight of your lives.
One of you is gonna become America's first ever Junior MasterChef.
Good night.
Great job.
Yeah! Next week on MasterChef Junior It's the unmissable finale It's time for the main event.
As the final two go head-to-head I'm not going home without that trophy.
I'm here to take the title.
in a television first.
There are chefs right now shivering down their spine.
Only one will walk away with $100,000 Oh, my god.
and the title of America's first MasterChef Junior.
The winner is sync, corrections: Ajvngou.
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