MasterChef Junior (2013) s05e16 Episode Script
Finale
Tonight, you have a front row seat for the biggest culinary showdown in all of America.
It's happening right here, right now.
This is the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
( crowd cheering ) First up from Milton, Georgia, 11-year-old Jasmine.
Is this your time now, do you think? Yes, Chef.
I can bake, I can cook, and I deserve to win.
Christina: A strong competitor inside and outside the MasterChef kitchen.
Come on, red team, pull it together.
We got it.
Jasmine delivers consistently brilliant dishes from all around the world.
You have nailed the cook on that.
Whether she's baking flawless French macaroons Wow, you've just raised the bar.
or putting together stunning sushi This is you on a plate.
Jasmine's culinary skill and her sophisticated palate make her talented well beyond her years.
Jasmine.
- Gordon: Red team.
- Yeah! - Blue team, well done.
- Yes! At one stage of the competition, we had to say good-bye to Jasmine.
Promise me you're going to continue cooking.
Yes, Chef.
Tonight, we're giving all six of you another shot.
( cheering ) But in a game-changing comeback challenge Perfect.
- You're back with a vengeance, aren't you? - Yes, Chef.
she blew us away and cooked her way back into the competition.
Jasmine.
- It's yours.
- Thank you.
Jasmine: I went home, but I fought my way back into this competition, and there's really nothing that can stop me but myself.
I'm a force to be reckoned with, and I'm definitely channeling my Jamaican roots - to win that trophy.
- Jasmine! There's only one little thing standing in Jasmine's way her fellow competitor.
From Sugar Hill, Georgia, 11-year-old Justise.
You're going left, home, or right, into the finale.
Where you going? Right.
Gordon: Justise may be tiny, but her impeccable flavors and kitchen skills are mighty.
- Switch.
- Get that shrimp out.
From day one, Justise has been the one to watch.
The winning home cook, Justise.
Congratulations, Justise.
- Justise.
- Yeah! She undoubtedly has the strongest competitive spirit of all this year's junior home cooks.
Shayne, get our veggies on the plate.
All right, guys, get pans hot.
Whatever pan you need, get it on the stove immediately.
Justise always stays true to her roots.
My sister likes different textures, so I did a cauliflower purée and bok choy.
She cooks from her soul, and has impressed us over and over again.
If you told me that an elementary school student made this dish, I wouldn't believe you.
Young lady, that's a near-perfect dish.
Great job.
This is the battle of Js right here.
I mean, we're both 11, both 5th grade, and I might be small, but I'm not afraid to take a challenge and push it even farther than I should.
Jasmine, watch out, because I'm coming for ya.
( cheering ) Congratulations, Jasmine and Justise, for making it this far.
You both surpassed some of the most talented young home cooks in America, and now they are here to cheer you on.
- ( cheering ) - Yay! - You can do it! - Jasmine! Good job! Also here are your wonderful families.
( cheering ) Now the moment of truth has arrived.
It all comes down to this.
But there's one more big thing that takes this finale to a whole new level.
Tonight, Gordon Ramsay and I are not your only judges.
Joining us tonight are two of the biggest names in food on the planet.
Please welcome the legendary Wolfgang Puck ( cheers and applause ) and the iconic Martha Stewart! How are you? Good to see you.
How are you? Now, Wolfgang runs one of the biggest food empires of all time, encompassing nearly 100 restaurants around the world.
Chef Wolfgang Puck, we're clearly all very excited to have you with us.
Well, I'm even more excited.
I have an 11-year-old son, and he would not be able to do what you are doing.
And the one and only Martha Stewart.
Millions of people across the world look to this lady as the ultimate guide of cooking and entertaining.
It's an absolute pleasure having you here.
Well, it's great to be here to see accomplished young people doing amazing things, and I can't wait to taste their food.
Now, you'll each have 10 minutes to go into the MasterChef pantry and shop for everything you need to make us a MasterChef finale-worthy three-course meal.
- You both ready? - Yes, Chef! Your time in the pantry starts now! - Go, Justise! - Let's go, Jasmine! My menu is all about elevated Jamaican cuisine.
Okay, I need scallops.
For my appetizer, I am making a crispy scallop and white fish fritter with a red-pepper peanut sauce - and a green papaya salad.
- Perfect.
For my entrée, I'm cooking a jerk-basted lobster tail with a coconut curry sauce, butter glazed sweet potatoes and peas, - and a finger lime caviar.
- Okay, okay.
And for my dessert, I'm making a sticky rum cake with a pineapple chip.
- Okay.
- All righty, let's see.
For my appetizer, I'm making grilled spot prawns with spice-marinated watermelon and spiced avocado.
Okay.
For my entrée, I have cider-braised pork belly with braised greens, creamy grits, pickled peaches with mustard seeds, cider jus, and crispy onions.
Buttermilk! For my dessert, I am making buttermilk panna cotta with balsamic marinated strawberries - and strawberry meringue.
- Here we go.
My menu is totally Georgia-based, but with, like, a healthy spin on it.
The judges are going to love it.
It's going to really surprise them that I brought comfort food into this, but then I just pushed it up.
- Let's go.
- My God, look at that.
( cheering ) ( sighs ) Oh, my God.
Right, Jasmine, Justise, you both have just 90 minutes to make the best three-course dinner you've ever made in your entire lives.
Are you both ready? Both: Yes, Chef! Your 90 minutes starts - now! Let's go! - ( crowd cheering ) Yeah! Jasmine! This is the match of the century.
I mean, Justise is an awesome competitor, and when she puts her heart into it, there's no stopping her.
Then Jasmine, she's had her bumps, but she's amazing in the kitchen, and I really think that she's in it to win it.
- Jasmine! - Justise! Avani: This is it.
I mean, could this get any more exciting? - Justise! - Go, Jasmine! Gordon: Come on, Jasmine.
Come on, Justise.
- Come on, let's go.
- Shayne: Yeah! Announcer: To become America's next MasterChef Junior, it's elevated Jamaican cuisine versus upscale Southern comfort as the 11-year-olds from Georgia, Jasmine and Justise, battle it out with three-course menus they've created.
Jasmine! Whoo! Jasmine is making a scallop and white fish appetizer with a green papaya salad, a lobster tail in coconut curry entrée, and for dessert, a sticky rum cake with pineapple chips.
Good job.
Deborah: Jasmine going home and coming back into this competition really speaks volumes about her drive.
Jasmine! I think it shows that she's not someone who gives up.
She will do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal.
- Come on, Justise! - Come on, Justise! Announcer: Justise's menu features a grilled spot prawn appetizer with chili-spiced watermelon, a cider-braised pork-belly entrée, and a buttermilk panna cotta with marinated strawberries and meringue for dessert.
Let's go, Justise! Jamaal: Justise may be small, but she is a force to be reckoned with.
Her nickname on the ball field is "Dynamite," and it speaks to Justise's ability to pour 100% of herself into whatever she's doing.
- Justise! - I have no doubt in my mind that Justise is going to win that MasterChef trophy.
- Whoo! - Gordon: This is it, the one cook-off that we've all been waiting for.
Christina: Both of these young ladies have very different styles.
Jasmine has more of that tropical Caribbean flair.
She's got scallop, white fish fritters.
For me, Jasmine's appetizer just sounds a little bit too heavy, a little bit too weighted.
I'm not too sure if that's the way you want to start dinner tonight.
- It all depends on the execution.
- We'll wait and see.
All right, lobster! Christina: For her entrée, Jasmine's going with that more refined lobster tail with the jerk seasoning.
Martha: I like lobster tail, and I think with the jerk taste it might be very delicious.
Gordon: But she's doing that with a coconut curry broth.
That's a lot going on.
Christina: And then the dessert, she's making that pineapple sticky cake.
If you over-mix it, that flour can start to get a little heavy - and the texture of your cake can be ruined.
- Wolfgang: Absolutely.
Gordon: Wow, she's got her work cut out.
Cydney: Jasmine! Christina: Justise, playing a little bit more to the hometown Southern vibe of Georgia.
Gordon: Love the idea of Justise's spot prawns with the melon and the sort of pesto.
Wolfgang: But if they're not cooked right, then they will be rubbery, and it will be terrible.
Justise, the pork belly! I know, I'm going to release the pressure in a minute.
So Justise's entrée is the pork belly.
I love the sound of that, but the big push on that one is the pressure cooker.
Christina: That belly needs to be tender.
It's a big gamble.
And then the dessert, we've got Justise's buttermilk panna cotta with balsamic marinated strawberry.
You want it to be as dense and as silky and smooth as possible.
Yeah, it's a tough one.
55 minutes to go! Come on! - Speed up.
- Go, Jasmine! - Jasmine.
- Hi! Now, the appetizer, fritters.
How are you going to keep them light and exciting? I'm really just going to make sure that they're nice and crispy and make sure that every flavor that is in my fritters is noticeable.
Now, how are you cooking this lobster? That's a very difficult protein to get right.
I put it in some boiling water - for about five minutes.
- Right.
And then baste it in my homemade jerk seasoning with some butter.
So why so much seafood, Jasmine? I really think that it will show out my Jamaican roots, and I definitely think that I will be able to elevate it enough and just surprise you guys.
- Okay, good luck.
- Yeah, Jasmine! All right, Justise! - How are you? - Very good.
Now, Justise, what made you want to take this menu and bring it back home to Georgia? What I want to do tonight, is I want to show y'all that I can make Georgia food healthier and beautiful.
- Great.
- I love spot prawns, but you know, most of the people overcook it.
You think you're going to master cooking the way I like it? Yes, Chef.
I think it's going to be a pretty good start.
Very confident already.
Now, this entrée, the pork belly, - cooking it in this pressure cooker, - I know.
that worries me because you won't really know how tender it is until you open the lid of that pressure cooker.
I'm basically cooking blind using the pressure cooker, but I think that the pressure cooker - is going to give it lots of juices and flavor.
- Yep.
All right, Justise, you've a lot on the line.
Keep your eye on that clock.
You can do this.
- Yes, Chef.
Thank you.
- All right.
You got it, Justise.
Ladies, we have 35 minutes remaining.
- Come on, girls! - Jasmine! Jasmine! - Let's go, Justise! - Whoo! - Good, yes.
- You got this, Justise.
- Good girl, there you go! - Pork belly's coming out.
Look at that.
It looks quite firm to me.
The pork belly, if you don't cook it right, it becomes rubbish.
- Here we go.
- Come on.
Shayne: This is stressful, 'cause I don't even know what it's going to look like.
- Wow! - ( gasps ) Oh, my-- - Good.
Yes.
- You got this, Justise! Good girl, there ya go! Pork belly's coming out.
Look at that.
The pork belly, if you don't cook it right, it becomes rubbish.
- Here we go.
- Come on.
- Wow! - ( gasps ) - ( woman groans ) - ( scattered applause ) I don't think that Justise's pork is done.
I don't think she left it in there long enough, and it looks very undone.
Justise: This is the finale, so everything is on the line right now.
And now I see that my pork belly is undercooked, and if this is not cooked perfectly, I'm in trouble.
Come on, Justise! I believe in you.
I'm not going to give up right now.
So I've gotta put it in the pan to let it cook longer, and just hope that it gets even color all around and that it's cooked very well.
- Yeah! - Whoo! Good job, Justise.
Gordon: 20 minutes remaining.
- Let's go.
- Come on.
Go, Jasmine! All right, Jasmine, now, dessert, these are kind of like - a play on a pineapple upside-down cake, right? - Yes, Chef.
And how are those cakes looking? - Are they in the oven right now? - Yes, Chef.
- And how long until they come out? - Six minutes.
Wolfgang: And what is this in here? That is my caramel silk for my cakes - when they come out.
- The sauce for your dessert? - Yep.
- Good.
- Nice rum in it, huh? - Yeah.
All right, keep your eye on that prize.
Good luck.
Thank you.
Ladies, 10 minutes to go! Gordon: Let's go! Come on, Justise! - Right, Justise, how are you feeling? - Pretty good.
- So the strawberries are getting balsamic-ed.
- Yes.
So with the balsamic, what are you putting? What's that? This is balsamic and pomegranate because I want to give it, like, a zing.
- I like the pomegranate with the balsamic.
- Oh, nice.
Sometimes balsamic just makes it too strong.
Yeah, but I really want to give it, like, that different kind of flavor in my dessert.
Right, young lady, good luck.
- ( cheering ) - Ladies, four minutes to go.
Let's go, come on.
Go, Jasmine! Make Georgia proud! Journey: Come on, Justise! Justise has just brought the panna cotta out of the blast chiller.
Now will that have set in that time? Wolfgang: If you put too much gelatin in it, it doesn't taste right.
It has to just melt in your mouth.
Afnan: Go, Jasmine! Now, Jasmine has cooked three sticky pineapple cakes.
She's going to have to tip them out in a minute, otherwise they could stick.
Look, she's tipping them out.
Come on.
Come on.
- Come on.
Come on.
- ( gasping ) - Perfect.
- Oh, yeah.
( crowd cheering ) Look at the color of that pineapple.
That's a big weight off your shoulders when that first one comes out.
- Come on, Jasmine! - Justise! Justise! Jasmine, Justise, come on, let's go! - Come on! - Go, Jasmine! Shayne: Let's go, Justise! Amazing with the concentration.
They look like two young, talented head chefs in restaurants.
- Yeah.
- Pretty incredible.
They're 11 years old.
- Amazing.
- Incredible, right? Justise is plating her pork belly.
Yeah, her pork belly is going on those plates.
- She's got more color.
- Ah, looks good, girl! - There's Jasmine's lobster tail.
- Yeah.
( cheers and applause ) 60 seconds remaining! Come on.
Christina: Come on, go! Get 'em, guys! - Let's go! - Let's go.
Finishing touches! You can do this! - Finish strong, Jas.
- Let's go, Justise.
- You've got this, Jasmine.
- Come on, Justise! Yes, it's the race to the finish.
Ten! Judges: Nine, eight, seven! All: Six, five, four! Three, two, one! Gordon: And stop! - ( cheering ) - Gordon: Wow! - You did so good.
- Amazing! - Did you make fresh pasta? - Good job, Justise! Way to go, Jasmine! Gordon: Wow, Jasmine and Justise, please very carefully bring your dishes down to the front.
Justise: Looking at all my dishes, I feel like I made Georgia proud tonight.
I achieved big things, delicious flavors, bold flavors, and I really put me on the plate in each of my dishes.
I definitely think that this menu is sure to wow the judges.
- Well done.
- Go, Jasmine! Jasmine: I stayed true to my Jamaican roots, and I think it really paid off right now.
I think all the plating is beautiful, and I think that they taste really great.
I just hope that I did enough to win this competition.
It's time now to head into the MasterChef restaurant.
Let's get in and start tasting.
- There you go.
Looking good! - All right, Justise! Right, let's start off with Justise, please present your appetizers.
So, Justise, please describe the dish.
We have grilled spot prawns with a basil pesto on top and chili-rubbed watermelon with avocado balls.
To me, the dish looks beautiful.
Presentation, it looks like a summer day in Georgia.
I think I might come on vacation there now, if you all cook like that over there.
Yes.
We'll start with the shrimp.
All right.
You can see-- look how juicy it is.
It's beautifully cooked, and especially by cooking it on the shell first, you didn't dry out the meat, so good job on that.
Let's cut a little piece and put it all together.
To me, the pesto is a little overpowering of the shrimp.
I cannot really taste the delicacy of the shrimp, but I love the spice and the acidity.
It's delicious.
Great job.
- Thank you.
- The pesto.
What's the main flavor? What have you done? Basil and chives.
The actual flavor of the melon and the prawn works well.
It's so juicy.
Love that sort of acidity that you got from the melon.
And it's sort of best of the sea meets the best of the fruits.
What would I change? A few more prawns, huh? Rather than sharing one prawn with Martha Stewart, but shrimp cooked beautifully.
You know, it's a strong effort.
Thank you.
I think it's really great.
Thank you.
The pesto is excellent.
And I like that it's not completely a paste, you know, not too chopped.
I like every flavor.
You did a very good job.
Thank you.
I gotta say, Justise, this is easily the most beautiful dish that you have cooked in this kitchen.
I think the basil was super smart.
I love that pairing of basil and watermelon.
All in all, it's a really stunning appetizer and shows that you're really pushing the boundaries of your culinary perspective.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Good job.
- Thank you.
Jasmine, please, present your appetizers.
My appetizer today is a crispy white fish and scallop fritter with a red-pepper peanut sauce and a jerk-spice green papaya salad.
- Jasmine, visually the colors pop beautifully.
- Thank you.
You've taken a rustic sort of gastro pub dish and elevated it into a restaurant standard.
But, for me, the secret of any fritter is what's inside.
What did you bind this with? Where's the moisture coming from? I binded it with an egg yolk and some flour and panko bread crumbs.
So that's what worried me.
Flour, bread crumbs.
Smoked fish doesn't really cook, so it just goes dry on dry on dry.
I don't want to be tasting a mouthful of sand.
If it's dry in my mouth, you've just completely screwed up your appetizer.
Gordon: Jasmine, it's all about what's in the middle.
I don't want to be tasting a mouthful of sand.
If it's dry in my mouth, you've just completely screwed up your appetizer.
The crispiness on the outside, wonderful.
Thank you.
The seasoning is delicious, spot on.
Loved the salad, that sort of acidity from the papaya.
And then that peanut sauce? Delicious.
My only criticism is that there's so much smoked fish in there you can't identify the scallop, you can't identify anything else.
So it's not dry, but it's pasty.
The dish looks stunning, but just too heavy on the smoked fish, for me.
Thank you.
Bit of sauce.
I don't agree with Gordon at all.
I love the smokiness in it.
I think I love the combination, actually, of the smokiness and the scallops.
I think I wouldn't have thought about that.
Thank you.
The papaya, I love the crunchiness of it.
It's just a little bit too big.
I would make it a little thinner, even, but I am very impressed with the fritter, you know? And whatever Gordon says about his smoked fish, - he's from England.
- Scotland.
Big difference.
Crispy like a fritter should be, lots of flavor.
Thank you.
- And that's yellow pepper on top? - Yes, Chef.
I think that's a very good complement to the rest of the dish.
- It's phenomenal.
- Thank you.
I think that red-pepper peanut sauce at the bottom definitely helps balance out the flavor of the fritter itself.
I wish there was more of it, and I wish it provided a little bit more moisture to the overall dish.
Because I think when you take a bite and you have the perfect ratio of those things, it's quite surprising.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Good job, Jas.
- Thanks.
So far, you're both off to a great start.
Please, ladies, go back into the kitchen and very carefully bring us your entrées.
Yes, Chef.
- ( crowd cheering ) - Way to go, Jasmine! Let's go, Justise! Wow, what a start.
I mean, two completely diverse appetizers.
Jasmine's fritters, personally, for me, fritters a little bit too smoked fishy.
You know, I really liked the addition of the smoked fish.
She fried it really well.
There was no greasiness on the plate.
Christina: Though they were delicious, the eat-ability of Jasmine's papaya salad was a little bit of a struggle.
- It didn't seem to make sense with those fritters.
- Exactly.
Now, Justise's spot prawns, the flavor was there.
- The way she grilled the shrimps.
- - Gordon: The colors! The colors were really like a summer dish.
I mean, you could serve it in any of our restaurants, but I think the basil was too much in it.
Even if you think the pesto was a little strong, it was fresh, and every piece of it was tasty.
Both of these young home cooks brought something original, but you know, guys, there's still - two other courses to come.
- Yeah.
Cydney: You can do it, guys! You can do it, Justise! Jasmine, please present your entrée, thank you.
Mmm.
Today I made a jerk-basted lobster tail with a coconut curry broth, butter glazed sweet potatoes and peas, and a finger lime caviar.
My time in the Caribbean, I think of jerk seasoning, it's on chicken wings and sort of cheap cuts to elevate the blandness of that particular protein.
What were you thinking putting jerk seasoning on one of the most expensive proteins anywhere in the world? I didn't overpower the lobster.
I added it lightly to make sure that you kind of got that hint, but not too much of it, and the natural flavors of the lobster were still there.
And I definitely think that you guys will enjoy it.
Well, it could be your undoing, or it could make history.
Looks like a beautiful plate, but we'll cut into it and see the truth.
Oh, my goodness.
You know what? I think it's cooked well.
Thank you.
I actually like the hint of spices afterward.
You don't get it up front, but after you taste it, you have your spice mixture from Jamaica, which is really very appealing to me.
And you didn't kill the lobster flavor.
And the creaminess of the sauce, the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, - I think make it a perfect balance.
- Thank you.
And no matter what Gordon said to you, once he gonna taste the lobster, - he will agree with me.
- Yes, Chef.
Young lady, what I'm nervous about-- how does that jerk seasoning go with the chili oil is the big one for me.
Young lady I think for the first time in nearly 15 years I'm going to eat my words.
- It's delicious.
- Thank you.
The heat of the oil, it's incredible.
And you've nailed that curry sauce.
What would I change? A little grilled pineapple, something more Caribbean that highlights that sweetness with the heat.
- Well done.
- Thank you.
I think it's delicious.
I think it's elegant.
I think that sauce that you belabored over has really paid off in this dish.
The only thing I really question are the raw tomato halves.
Just do something a little bit more with all of the beautiful, colorful vegetables on the plate to show us just a little bit more technique.
But certainly from an inspiration and idea standpoint, very elegant and very individualistic.
Thank you.
The lobster, it's very tasty, and it tastes like lobster.
It doesn't taste rubbery.
- Thank you.
- Good job.
You all ready have pineapple in your menu, in that beautiful cake that she's made.
- True.
- So no pineapple.
- Okay.
- That would be repetitious.
I get nervous.
Mom always taught me not to point knives at people.
- Oh, I'm so sorry.
- No, don't worry.
- I'm so sorry.
- Gordon! Martha: The sauce, I love.
It's creamy and yet not too thick.
It has a beautiful texture, very tasty.
Thank you.
- Thanks, Jasmine.
- Thank you.
- Good job! - Thank you.
Well, Jasmine set a pretty high bar, Justise.
Please bring your entrées forward.
Today I made for you cider-braised pork belly with wilted greens, pickled peaches, creamy grits, and crispy onion rings.
- Pork belly, it's a tricky one to get right, huh? - Yes, Chef.
I saw a little bit of a look on your face that seemed uncertain.
Were you questioning whether or not that pork belly should come out? Definitely, yes, Chef.
I could have left it in longer, but my instincts just finally said just take it out, cut it in half, sear it, and keep it in the pan so it stays warm and it gets that color.
If it's not cooked perfectly, you could be in really big trouble.
Make it great.
Justise, when I cut into this pork belly and I take a bite, it needs to melt in my mouth.
If it's not cooked perfectly, you could be in really big trouble.
Make it great.
I wish you left it in the pressure cooker longer.
I think the acidity, the sweetness, and the savory nature of the other elements of your dish are able to hold their own, which is nice.
But I'm worried about your pork belly.
Pork belly definitely could use more cooking, but you made beautiful onion rings.
Perfectly crispy and delicious.
It's still delicious.
Just enough salt.
But the pork belly is really the problem.
The pork, it is very juicy.
And the peaches, I think, very, very nice.
- I think it's really great.
- Thank you.
The thing is, look, the pork is juicy, it's not dry.
So this is only minutes away - from absolute, utter perfection.
- Thank you.
Cider, brilliant combination with the pork, love that.
Everything else on the plate is faultless.
Love the pickled peaches.
That's you, the attitude.
The spiciness of your food.
It's good.
It's very good.
Anybody watching from Georgia now would be very proud.
- Great job.
Well done.
- Thank you.
Two courses in.
Please, ladies, bring in those delicious desserts.
Let's go.
Oh, my goodness, Jasmine.
( cheering ) So two stunning entrées.
Jasmine gave us that jerk lobster tail and that beautiful spiced coconut broth.
Jasmine, first of all, proved me wrong.
The jerk seasoning was a beautiful blend, and it was cleverly manipulated in a way that it wasn't too overpowering.
I understand where she was going with the vegetables, but all she did was give us vegetables in that broth.
Why not do something more? Sauce was delicious, though.
I thought Jasmine's sauce was right on.
- It wasn't too heavy.
- Yeah.
Christina: Now for Justise's entrée, she gave us that cider-braised pork belly with beautiful Southern-inspired elements.
Justise has got the makings of a perfect dish.
The garnish was stunning.
The grits, the peaches, nailed it.
But I think the pork belly was more undercooked.
The other elements of her plate were very well done.
Jasmine put more focus into the lobster tail, while Justise put more focus into the other elements of the dish.
And, all in all, they're very impressive, you know? Let's have the desserts.
How about the-- Let's get the desserts in here.
( cheers and applause ) - Go, Jasmine! - Let's go, Justise! So here we are, the final course.
Jasmine, please bring your desserts forward.
Jasmine, please describe your dessert.
So today you have a sticky rum cake with coconut whipped cream and guava purée and a pineapple chip.
I also made a caramel sauce out of heavy cream, thyme, and a little bit of rum, and I topped my cake with that to make it nice and sticky.
So is this a cake recipe that you know or did you just make it up on spur of the moment? Whenever my dad goes to visit my grandmother in Florida, she always makes a rum cake, but I wanted to add like, a pineapple upside-down twist on it.
- Mmm! - I want the recipe.
Oh, my God.
Thank you.
You just took the words right out of my mouth.
That, young lady-- delicious, moist.
Rum, just there, in a way that is not overpowering.
What would I change? - A touch more caramel.
- Yes, Chef.
Because it's just-- it is so delicious.
This is something that I'd like to take to my restaurant.
Thank you.
The texture of the cake itself is very nice.
It is light.
It's moist.
Really great.
- Thank you.
- Great job, Jas.
Oh, you ate the whole thing.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
We are not on a diet when it comes to dessert.
I love the combination of the pineapple with the cake, because the acidity of the pineapple makes a good yin and yang with the cake.
This execution is flawless.
Thank you so much.
I think you could open a bakery and have this be the only thing that you sell.
It's that delicious.
Nice job.
- Thank you.
- Good job, Jasmine.
"It was moist.
It was delicious.
It was flavorful.
" Justise, please present your desserts.
Young lady, describe your final course, please.
You have a buttermilk panna cotta with balsamic marinated strawberries and a strawberry-scented meringue.
Are you 100% convinced that the texture is perfect? Yes, Chef.
I am very convinced that the texture is there.
It should look like a spoon of set custard.
- See, he's smiling.
- Yay.
It's a panna cotta set to lighten up any menu across Italy, because it's beautiful.
It's elegant.
Justise, it is perfectly creamy.
- Martha: Yeah.
- Justise: Thank you.
I think it's as good as it gets.
You can go to any Italian restaurant and won't find a better condition than this.
And I like the fact that you marinated the strawberries with a little vinegar, because it gives it this extra dimension of acidity.
I think it's really well done.
- Thank you.
- And the tang is there.
I happen to love anything made with buttermilk, and you have retained the taste of the buttermilk so nicely.
This is a very good panna cotta.
- Thank you.
- Christina: This dessert is stunning.
You've managed to keep it very light and very bright with your acidic notes.
- Thank you.
- It screams you, which I love, and I commend you for it.
I'm incredibly proud of you.
- Out of this world.
- Thank you.
Oh, my God! Ladies, both of you had phenomenal dishes tonight, but tonight's performance makes our job a lot more difficult to decide.
Jasmine, Justise, next time you see us we will know who's going to become America's next MasterChef Junior.
- Thank you.
- Head back into the kitchen.
Thank you.
( cheering ) Oh, my God! - Wow.
What a finish.
- Yeah.
The big question now is who's going to become America's next MasterChef Junior.
Let's start off with Justise's menu.
I think that her spot prawn appetizer was beautiful and elegant.
It was beautifully seasoned and colorful and wonderfully arranged.
Yeah, I mean, Justise started brilliantly.
The big issue was that pork belly.
It needed three or four minutes more.
Well, I'm going to come to Justise's defense.
The first course, it was just right.
The pork was really a plate that I would be very happy with in a restaurant.
I thought after the pork belly, I was a little skeptical, but she redeemed herself totally with the panna cotta.
I think she has exceptional skills.
Martha: I agree.
The tanginess of the buttermilk panna cotta, it was just right.
Her spirit is in her food.
Gordon: Now, Jasmine.
Three stunning courses.
Jasmine, with her fritters and the salad, I think it was delicious, and it came out perfect.
Gordon: You know, for me, too heavy on the smoked fish, but the dish looked beautiful.
I think Jasmine's lobster tail was beautiful.
It tasted delicious, and I like that she brought us back home to something even more personal.
Seasoning, spot on.
Her pineapple upside-down rum cake with that coconut whip was stunning.
It was beautiful.
I have very little to say about it.
For me, cooking in front of Martha Stewart and Wolfgang Puck, they raised the bar.
My heart is beating a thousand times a second.
It is crazy.
I am steps away from the trophy, steps away from the title.
It's right there.
Like, it's under my tongue.
It's neck and neck, but we need a winner.
What are you thinking? Jasmine: This is the biggest moment of my entire life.
I put my heart and soul into these Jamaican dishes, and I definitely know that I did my family, and my heritage, and myself proud today.
So I just hope that I win.
It's rarely that I was this impressed - as by these two young ladies.
- Wow.
They really stunned me.
Wolfgang, I need an answer.
Where are we going? I believe Well, we need a winner.
Let's go tell them.
( cheering ) Wow.
Jasmine and Justise, you both entered this incredible kitchen as two very talented 11-year-olds from Georgia.
But you set yourselves apart with different styles, different interests, different personalities, and with different flairs.
Tonight you both made Georgia very proud.
That's why, right now, we would like both of you to switch places with us.
Come up here, stand in our shoes, please.
Let's go.
( cheering ) Jasmine and Justise, I mean, one of the best performances we've seen in this kitchen so far.
Congratulations to both of you.
You are lovely young women.
You two showed the world how passionate you are.
Bravo! - Thank you.
- Yay.
Amazing.
Right, ladies, only one of you will win a check for $100,000.
Only one of you will hold this! The "MasterChef Junior" trophy.
The winner of "MasterChef Junior" congratulations - Jasmine! - ( screams ) ( cheering ) Yeah! Oh, man.
Well done.
( breathing heavily ) - Amazing.
Congratulations.
- Congratulations.
Oh, my God! I can't believe they called my name.
We're so proud of you.
This is the biggest moment in my entire life.
This is amazing.
Whoever thought that a little girl from Milton, Georgia, would ever be able to win "MasterChef Junior"? All right, huh? Great job.
Justise worked extremely hard in this competition, and I think that now we'll be BFFs in Georgia.
You did so good.
I'm so proud of you, Justise.
Here, hold it.
- Really? - Hold it.
I couldn't have won this competition without you, and that's 100% for sure.
Big hug.
Even though I didn't win, I'm very happy for Jasmine because she definitely deserved it.
She is a strong chef.
She showed that, and I'm really proud of her.
- Jas, you're amazing.
You did such an amazing job.
- Thank you so much.
Winning means that I have a big future ahead of me when it comes to the culinary world, and I hope that I inspire other children to know that they can do anything that they want to do.
I am the next MasterChef Junior! - Whoo! - All right!
It's happening right here, right now.
This is the "MasterChef Junior" finale.
( crowd cheering ) First up from Milton, Georgia, 11-year-old Jasmine.
Is this your time now, do you think? Yes, Chef.
I can bake, I can cook, and I deserve to win.
Christina: A strong competitor inside and outside the MasterChef kitchen.
Come on, red team, pull it together.
We got it.
Jasmine delivers consistently brilliant dishes from all around the world.
You have nailed the cook on that.
Whether she's baking flawless French macaroons Wow, you've just raised the bar.
or putting together stunning sushi This is you on a plate.
Jasmine's culinary skill and her sophisticated palate make her talented well beyond her years.
Jasmine.
- Gordon: Red team.
- Yeah! - Blue team, well done.
- Yes! At one stage of the competition, we had to say good-bye to Jasmine.
Promise me you're going to continue cooking.
Yes, Chef.
Tonight, we're giving all six of you another shot.
( cheering ) But in a game-changing comeback challenge Perfect.
- You're back with a vengeance, aren't you? - Yes, Chef.
she blew us away and cooked her way back into the competition.
Jasmine.
- It's yours.
- Thank you.
Jasmine: I went home, but I fought my way back into this competition, and there's really nothing that can stop me but myself.
I'm a force to be reckoned with, and I'm definitely channeling my Jamaican roots - to win that trophy.
- Jasmine! There's only one little thing standing in Jasmine's way her fellow competitor.
From Sugar Hill, Georgia, 11-year-old Justise.
You're going left, home, or right, into the finale.
Where you going? Right.
Gordon: Justise may be tiny, but her impeccable flavors and kitchen skills are mighty.
- Switch.
- Get that shrimp out.
From day one, Justise has been the one to watch.
The winning home cook, Justise.
Congratulations, Justise.
- Justise.
- Yeah! She undoubtedly has the strongest competitive spirit of all this year's junior home cooks.
Shayne, get our veggies on the plate.
All right, guys, get pans hot.
Whatever pan you need, get it on the stove immediately.
Justise always stays true to her roots.
My sister likes different textures, so I did a cauliflower purée and bok choy.
She cooks from her soul, and has impressed us over and over again.
If you told me that an elementary school student made this dish, I wouldn't believe you.
Young lady, that's a near-perfect dish.
Great job.
This is the battle of Js right here.
I mean, we're both 11, both 5th grade, and I might be small, but I'm not afraid to take a challenge and push it even farther than I should.
Jasmine, watch out, because I'm coming for ya.
( cheering ) Congratulations, Jasmine and Justise, for making it this far.
You both surpassed some of the most talented young home cooks in America, and now they are here to cheer you on.
- ( cheering ) - Yay! - You can do it! - Jasmine! Good job! Also here are your wonderful families.
( cheering ) Now the moment of truth has arrived.
It all comes down to this.
But there's one more big thing that takes this finale to a whole new level.
Tonight, Gordon Ramsay and I are not your only judges.
Joining us tonight are two of the biggest names in food on the planet.
Please welcome the legendary Wolfgang Puck ( cheers and applause ) and the iconic Martha Stewart! How are you? Good to see you.
How are you? Now, Wolfgang runs one of the biggest food empires of all time, encompassing nearly 100 restaurants around the world.
Chef Wolfgang Puck, we're clearly all very excited to have you with us.
Well, I'm even more excited.
I have an 11-year-old son, and he would not be able to do what you are doing.
And the one and only Martha Stewart.
Millions of people across the world look to this lady as the ultimate guide of cooking and entertaining.
It's an absolute pleasure having you here.
Well, it's great to be here to see accomplished young people doing amazing things, and I can't wait to taste their food.
Now, you'll each have 10 minutes to go into the MasterChef pantry and shop for everything you need to make us a MasterChef finale-worthy three-course meal.
- You both ready? - Yes, Chef! Your time in the pantry starts now! - Go, Justise! - Let's go, Jasmine! My menu is all about elevated Jamaican cuisine.
Okay, I need scallops.
For my appetizer, I am making a crispy scallop and white fish fritter with a red-pepper peanut sauce - and a green papaya salad.
- Perfect.
For my entrée, I'm cooking a jerk-basted lobster tail with a coconut curry sauce, butter glazed sweet potatoes and peas, - and a finger lime caviar.
- Okay, okay.
And for my dessert, I'm making a sticky rum cake with a pineapple chip.
- Okay.
- All righty, let's see.
For my appetizer, I'm making grilled spot prawns with spice-marinated watermelon and spiced avocado.
Okay.
For my entrée, I have cider-braised pork belly with braised greens, creamy grits, pickled peaches with mustard seeds, cider jus, and crispy onions.
Buttermilk! For my dessert, I am making buttermilk panna cotta with balsamic marinated strawberries - and strawberry meringue.
- Here we go.
My menu is totally Georgia-based, but with, like, a healthy spin on it.
The judges are going to love it.
It's going to really surprise them that I brought comfort food into this, but then I just pushed it up.
- Let's go.
- My God, look at that.
( cheering ) ( sighs ) Oh, my God.
Right, Jasmine, Justise, you both have just 90 minutes to make the best three-course dinner you've ever made in your entire lives.
Are you both ready? Both: Yes, Chef! Your 90 minutes starts - now! Let's go! - ( crowd cheering ) Yeah! Jasmine! This is the match of the century.
I mean, Justise is an awesome competitor, and when she puts her heart into it, there's no stopping her.
Then Jasmine, she's had her bumps, but she's amazing in the kitchen, and I really think that she's in it to win it.
- Jasmine! - Justise! Avani: This is it.
I mean, could this get any more exciting? - Justise! - Go, Jasmine! Gordon: Come on, Jasmine.
Come on, Justise.
- Come on, let's go.
- Shayne: Yeah! Announcer: To become America's next MasterChef Junior, it's elevated Jamaican cuisine versus upscale Southern comfort as the 11-year-olds from Georgia, Jasmine and Justise, battle it out with three-course menus they've created.
Jasmine! Whoo! Jasmine is making a scallop and white fish appetizer with a green papaya salad, a lobster tail in coconut curry entrée, and for dessert, a sticky rum cake with pineapple chips.
Good job.
Deborah: Jasmine going home and coming back into this competition really speaks volumes about her drive.
Jasmine! I think it shows that she's not someone who gives up.
She will do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal.
- Come on, Justise! - Come on, Justise! Announcer: Justise's menu features a grilled spot prawn appetizer with chili-spiced watermelon, a cider-braised pork-belly entrée, and a buttermilk panna cotta with marinated strawberries and meringue for dessert.
Let's go, Justise! Jamaal: Justise may be small, but she is a force to be reckoned with.
Her nickname on the ball field is "Dynamite," and it speaks to Justise's ability to pour 100% of herself into whatever she's doing.
- Justise! - I have no doubt in my mind that Justise is going to win that MasterChef trophy.
- Whoo! - Gordon: This is it, the one cook-off that we've all been waiting for.
Christina: Both of these young ladies have very different styles.
Jasmine has more of that tropical Caribbean flair.
She's got scallop, white fish fritters.
For me, Jasmine's appetizer just sounds a little bit too heavy, a little bit too weighted.
I'm not too sure if that's the way you want to start dinner tonight.
- It all depends on the execution.
- We'll wait and see.
All right, lobster! Christina: For her entrée, Jasmine's going with that more refined lobster tail with the jerk seasoning.
Martha: I like lobster tail, and I think with the jerk taste it might be very delicious.
Gordon: But she's doing that with a coconut curry broth.
That's a lot going on.
Christina: And then the dessert, she's making that pineapple sticky cake.
If you over-mix it, that flour can start to get a little heavy - and the texture of your cake can be ruined.
- Wolfgang: Absolutely.
Gordon: Wow, she's got her work cut out.
Cydney: Jasmine! Christina: Justise, playing a little bit more to the hometown Southern vibe of Georgia.
Gordon: Love the idea of Justise's spot prawns with the melon and the sort of pesto.
Wolfgang: But if they're not cooked right, then they will be rubbery, and it will be terrible.
Justise, the pork belly! I know, I'm going to release the pressure in a minute.
So Justise's entrée is the pork belly.
I love the sound of that, but the big push on that one is the pressure cooker.
Christina: That belly needs to be tender.
It's a big gamble.
And then the dessert, we've got Justise's buttermilk panna cotta with balsamic marinated strawberry.
You want it to be as dense and as silky and smooth as possible.
Yeah, it's a tough one.
55 minutes to go! Come on! - Speed up.
- Go, Jasmine! - Jasmine.
- Hi! Now, the appetizer, fritters.
How are you going to keep them light and exciting? I'm really just going to make sure that they're nice and crispy and make sure that every flavor that is in my fritters is noticeable.
Now, how are you cooking this lobster? That's a very difficult protein to get right.
I put it in some boiling water - for about five minutes.
- Right.
And then baste it in my homemade jerk seasoning with some butter.
So why so much seafood, Jasmine? I really think that it will show out my Jamaican roots, and I definitely think that I will be able to elevate it enough and just surprise you guys.
- Okay, good luck.
- Yeah, Jasmine! All right, Justise! - How are you? - Very good.
Now, Justise, what made you want to take this menu and bring it back home to Georgia? What I want to do tonight, is I want to show y'all that I can make Georgia food healthier and beautiful.
- Great.
- I love spot prawns, but you know, most of the people overcook it.
You think you're going to master cooking the way I like it? Yes, Chef.
I think it's going to be a pretty good start.
Very confident already.
Now, this entrée, the pork belly, - cooking it in this pressure cooker, - I know.
that worries me because you won't really know how tender it is until you open the lid of that pressure cooker.
I'm basically cooking blind using the pressure cooker, but I think that the pressure cooker - is going to give it lots of juices and flavor.
- Yep.
All right, Justise, you've a lot on the line.
Keep your eye on that clock.
You can do this.
- Yes, Chef.
Thank you.
- All right.
You got it, Justise.
Ladies, we have 35 minutes remaining.
- Come on, girls! - Jasmine! Jasmine! - Let's go, Justise! - Whoo! - Good, yes.
- You got this, Justise.
- Good girl, there you go! - Pork belly's coming out.
Look at that.
It looks quite firm to me.
The pork belly, if you don't cook it right, it becomes rubbish.
- Here we go.
- Come on.
Shayne: This is stressful, 'cause I don't even know what it's going to look like.
- Wow! - ( gasps ) Oh, my-- - Good.
Yes.
- You got this, Justise! Good girl, there ya go! Pork belly's coming out.
Look at that.
The pork belly, if you don't cook it right, it becomes rubbish.
- Here we go.
- Come on.
- Wow! - ( gasps ) - ( woman groans ) - ( scattered applause ) I don't think that Justise's pork is done.
I don't think she left it in there long enough, and it looks very undone.
Justise: This is the finale, so everything is on the line right now.
And now I see that my pork belly is undercooked, and if this is not cooked perfectly, I'm in trouble.
Come on, Justise! I believe in you.
I'm not going to give up right now.
So I've gotta put it in the pan to let it cook longer, and just hope that it gets even color all around and that it's cooked very well.
- Yeah! - Whoo! Good job, Justise.
Gordon: 20 minutes remaining.
- Let's go.
- Come on.
Go, Jasmine! All right, Jasmine, now, dessert, these are kind of like - a play on a pineapple upside-down cake, right? - Yes, Chef.
And how are those cakes looking? - Are they in the oven right now? - Yes, Chef.
- And how long until they come out? - Six minutes.
Wolfgang: And what is this in here? That is my caramel silk for my cakes - when they come out.
- The sauce for your dessert? - Yep.
- Good.
- Nice rum in it, huh? - Yeah.
All right, keep your eye on that prize.
Good luck.
Thank you.
Ladies, 10 minutes to go! Gordon: Let's go! Come on, Justise! - Right, Justise, how are you feeling? - Pretty good.
- So the strawberries are getting balsamic-ed.
- Yes.
So with the balsamic, what are you putting? What's that? This is balsamic and pomegranate because I want to give it, like, a zing.
- I like the pomegranate with the balsamic.
- Oh, nice.
Sometimes balsamic just makes it too strong.
Yeah, but I really want to give it, like, that different kind of flavor in my dessert.
Right, young lady, good luck.
- ( cheering ) - Ladies, four minutes to go.
Let's go, come on.
Go, Jasmine! Make Georgia proud! Journey: Come on, Justise! Justise has just brought the panna cotta out of the blast chiller.
Now will that have set in that time? Wolfgang: If you put too much gelatin in it, it doesn't taste right.
It has to just melt in your mouth.
Afnan: Go, Jasmine! Now, Jasmine has cooked three sticky pineapple cakes.
She's going to have to tip them out in a minute, otherwise they could stick.
Look, she's tipping them out.
Come on.
Come on.
- Come on.
Come on.
- ( gasping ) - Perfect.
- Oh, yeah.
( crowd cheering ) Look at the color of that pineapple.
That's a big weight off your shoulders when that first one comes out.
- Come on, Jasmine! - Justise! Justise! Jasmine, Justise, come on, let's go! - Come on! - Go, Jasmine! Shayne: Let's go, Justise! Amazing with the concentration.
They look like two young, talented head chefs in restaurants.
- Yeah.
- Pretty incredible.
They're 11 years old.
- Amazing.
- Incredible, right? Justise is plating her pork belly.
Yeah, her pork belly is going on those plates.
- She's got more color.
- Ah, looks good, girl! - There's Jasmine's lobster tail.
- Yeah.
( cheers and applause ) 60 seconds remaining! Come on.
Christina: Come on, go! Get 'em, guys! - Let's go! - Let's go.
Finishing touches! You can do this! - Finish strong, Jas.
- Let's go, Justise.
- You've got this, Jasmine.
- Come on, Justise! Yes, it's the race to the finish.
Ten! Judges: Nine, eight, seven! All: Six, five, four! Three, two, one! Gordon: And stop! - ( cheering ) - Gordon: Wow! - You did so good.
- Amazing! - Did you make fresh pasta? - Good job, Justise! Way to go, Jasmine! Gordon: Wow, Jasmine and Justise, please very carefully bring your dishes down to the front.
Justise: Looking at all my dishes, I feel like I made Georgia proud tonight.
I achieved big things, delicious flavors, bold flavors, and I really put me on the plate in each of my dishes.
I definitely think that this menu is sure to wow the judges.
- Well done.
- Go, Jasmine! Jasmine: I stayed true to my Jamaican roots, and I think it really paid off right now.
I think all the plating is beautiful, and I think that they taste really great.
I just hope that I did enough to win this competition.
It's time now to head into the MasterChef restaurant.
Let's get in and start tasting.
- There you go.
Looking good! - All right, Justise! Right, let's start off with Justise, please present your appetizers.
So, Justise, please describe the dish.
We have grilled spot prawns with a basil pesto on top and chili-rubbed watermelon with avocado balls.
To me, the dish looks beautiful.
Presentation, it looks like a summer day in Georgia.
I think I might come on vacation there now, if you all cook like that over there.
Yes.
We'll start with the shrimp.
All right.
You can see-- look how juicy it is.
It's beautifully cooked, and especially by cooking it on the shell first, you didn't dry out the meat, so good job on that.
Let's cut a little piece and put it all together.
To me, the pesto is a little overpowering of the shrimp.
I cannot really taste the delicacy of the shrimp, but I love the spice and the acidity.
It's delicious.
Great job.
- Thank you.
- The pesto.
What's the main flavor? What have you done? Basil and chives.
The actual flavor of the melon and the prawn works well.
It's so juicy.
Love that sort of acidity that you got from the melon.
And it's sort of best of the sea meets the best of the fruits.
What would I change? A few more prawns, huh? Rather than sharing one prawn with Martha Stewart, but shrimp cooked beautifully.
You know, it's a strong effort.
Thank you.
I think it's really great.
Thank you.
The pesto is excellent.
And I like that it's not completely a paste, you know, not too chopped.
I like every flavor.
You did a very good job.
Thank you.
I gotta say, Justise, this is easily the most beautiful dish that you have cooked in this kitchen.
I think the basil was super smart.
I love that pairing of basil and watermelon.
All in all, it's a really stunning appetizer and shows that you're really pushing the boundaries of your culinary perspective.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Good job.
- Thank you.
Jasmine, please, present your appetizers.
My appetizer today is a crispy white fish and scallop fritter with a red-pepper peanut sauce and a jerk-spice green papaya salad.
- Jasmine, visually the colors pop beautifully.
- Thank you.
You've taken a rustic sort of gastro pub dish and elevated it into a restaurant standard.
But, for me, the secret of any fritter is what's inside.
What did you bind this with? Where's the moisture coming from? I binded it with an egg yolk and some flour and panko bread crumbs.
So that's what worried me.
Flour, bread crumbs.
Smoked fish doesn't really cook, so it just goes dry on dry on dry.
I don't want to be tasting a mouthful of sand.
If it's dry in my mouth, you've just completely screwed up your appetizer.
Gordon: Jasmine, it's all about what's in the middle.
I don't want to be tasting a mouthful of sand.
If it's dry in my mouth, you've just completely screwed up your appetizer.
The crispiness on the outside, wonderful.
Thank you.
The seasoning is delicious, spot on.
Loved the salad, that sort of acidity from the papaya.
And then that peanut sauce? Delicious.
My only criticism is that there's so much smoked fish in there you can't identify the scallop, you can't identify anything else.
So it's not dry, but it's pasty.
The dish looks stunning, but just too heavy on the smoked fish, for me.
Thank you.
Bit of sauce.
I don't agree with Gordon at all.
I love the smokiness in it.
I think I love the combination, actually, of the smokiness and the scallops.
I think I wouldn't have thought about that.
Thank you.
The papaya, I love the crunchiness of it.
It's just a little bit too big.
I would make it a little thinner, even, but I am very impressed with the fritter, you know? And whatever Gordon says about his smoked fish, - he's from England.
- Scotland.
Big difference.
Crispy like a fritter should be, lots of flavor.
Thank you.
- And that's yellow pepper on top? - Yes, Chef.
I think that's a very good complement to the rest of the dish.
- It's phenomenal.
- Thank you.
I think that red-pepper peanut sauce at the bottom definitely helps balance out the flavor of the fritter itself.
I wish there was more of it, and I wish it provided a little bit more moisture to the overall dish.
Because I think when you take a bite and you have the perfect ratio of those things, it's quite surprising.
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Good job, Jas.
- Thanks.
So far, you're both off to a great start.
Please, ladies, go back into the kitchen and very carefully bring us your entrées.
Yes, Chef.
- ( crowd cheering ) - Way to go, Jasmine! Let's go, Justise! Wow, what a start.
I mean, two completely diverse appetizers.
Jasmine's fritters, personally, for me, fritters a little bit too smoked fishy.
You know, I really liked the addition of the smoked fish.
She fried it really well.
There was no greasiness on the plate.
Christina: Though they were delicious, the eat-ability of Jasmine's papaya salad was a little bit of a struggle.
- It didn't seem to make sense with those fritters.
- Exactly.
Now, Justise's spot prawns, the flavor was there.
- The way she grilled the shrimps.
- - Gordon: The colors! The colors were really like a summer dish.
I mean, you could serve it in any of our restaurants, but I think the basil was too much in it.
Even if you think the pesto was a little strong, it was fresh, and every piece of it was tasty.
Both of these young home cooks brought something original, but you know, guys, there's still - two other courses to come.
- Yeah.
Cydney: You can do it, guys! You can do it, Justise! Jasmine, please present your entrée, thank you.
Mmm.
Today I made a jerk-basted lobster tail with a coconut curry broth, butter glazed sweet potatoes and peas, and a finger lime caviar.
My time in the Caribbean, I think of jerk seasoning, it's on chicken wings and sort of cheap cuts to elevate the blandness of that particular protein.
What were you thinking putting jerk seasoning on one of the most expensive proteins anywhere in the world? I didn't overpower the lobster.
I added it lightly to make sure that you kind of got that hint, but not too much of it, and the natural flavors of the lobster were still there.
And I definitely think that you guys will enjoy it.
Well, it could be your undoing, or it could make history.
Looks like a beautiful plate, but we'll cut into it and see the truth.
Oh, my goodness.
You know what? I think it's cooked well.
Thank you.
I actually like the hint of spices afterward.
You don't get it up front, but after you taste it, you have your spice mixture from Jamaica, which is really very appealing to me.
And you didn't kill the lobster flavor.
And the creaminess of the sauce, the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, - I think make it a perfect balance.
- Thank you.
And no matter what Gordon said to you, once he gonna taste the lobster, - he will agree with me.
- Yes, Chef.
Young lady, what I'm nervous about-- how does that jerk seasoning go with the chili oil is the big one for me.
Young lady I think for the first time in nearly 15 years I'm going to eat my words.
- It's delicious.
- Thank you.
The heat of the oil, it's incredible.
And you've nailed that curry sauce.
What would I change? A little grilled pineapple, something more Caribbean that highlights that sweetness with the heat.
- Well done.
- Thank you.
I think it's delicious.
I think it's elegant.
I think that sauce that you belabored over has really paid off in this dish.
The only thing I really question are the raw tomato halves.
Just do something a little bit more with all of the beautiful, colorful vegetables on the plate to show us just a little bit more technique.
But certainly from an inspiration and idea standpoint, very elegant and very individualistic.
Thank you.
The lobster, it's very tasty, and it tastes like lobster.
It doesn't taste rubbery.
- Thank you.
- Good job.
You all ready have pineapple in your menu, in that beautiful cake that she's made.
- True.
- So no pineapple.
- Okay.
- That would be repetitious.
I get nervous.
Mom always taught me not to point knives at people.
- Oh, I'm so sorry.
- No, don't worry.
- I'm so sorry.
- Gordon! Martha: The sauce, I love.
It's creamy and yet not too thick.
It has a beautiful texture, very tasty.
Thank you.
- Thanks, Jasmine.
- Thank you.
- Good job! - Thank you.
Well, Jasmine set a pretty high bar, Justise.
Please bring your entrées forward.
Today I made for you cider-braised pork belly with wilted greens, pickled peaches, creamy grits, and crispy onion rings.
- Pork belly, it's a tricky one to get right, huh? - Yes, Chef.
I saw a little bit of a look on your face that seemed uncertain.
Were you questioning whether or not that pork belly should come out? Definitely, yes, Chef.
I could have left it in longer, but my instincts just finally said just take it out, cut it in half, sear it, and keep it in the pan so it stays warm and it gets that color.
If it's not cooked perfectly, you could be in really big trouble.
Make it great.
Justise, when I cut into this pork belly and I take a bite, it needs to melt in my mouth.
If it's not cooked perfectly, you could be in really big trouble.
Make it great.
I wish you left it in the pressure cooker longer.
I think the acidity, the sweetness, and the savory nature of the other elements of your dish are able to hold their own, which is nice.
But I'm worried about your pork belly.
Pork belly definitely could use more cooking, but you made beautiful onion rings.
Perfectly crispy and delicious.
It's still delicious.
Just enough salt.
But the pork belly is really the problem.
The pork, it is very juicy.
And the peaches, I think, very, very nice.
- I think it's really great.
- Thank you.
The thing is, look, the pork is juicy, it's not dry.
So this is only minutes away - from absolute, utter perfection.
- Thank you.
Cider, brilliant combination with the pork, love that.
Everything else on the plate is faultless.
Love the pickled peaches.
That's you, the attitude.
The spiciness of your food.
It's good.
It's very good.
Anybody watching from Georgia now would be very proud.
- Great job.
Well done.
- Thank you.
Two courses in.
Please, ladies, bring in those delicious desserts.
Let's go.
Oh, my goodness, Jasmine.
( cheering ) So two stunning entrées.
Jasmine gave us that jerk lobster tail and that beautiful spiced coconut broth.
Jasmine, first of all, proved me wrong.
The jerk seasoning was a beautiful blend, and it was cleverly manipulated in a way that it wasn't too overpowering.
I understand where she was going with the vegetables, but all she did was give us vegetables in that broth.
Why not do something more? Sauce was delicious, though.
I thought Jasmine's sauce was right on.
- It wasn't too heavy.
- Yeah.
Christina: Now for Justise's entrée, she gave us that cider-braised pork belly with beautiful Southern-inspired elements.
Justise has got the makings of a perfect dish.
The garnish was stunning.
The grits, the peaches, nailed it.
But I think the pork belly was more undercooked.
The other elements of her plate were very well done.
Jasmine put more focus into the lobster tail, while Justise put more focus into the other elements of the dish.
And, all in all, they're very impressive, you know? Let's have the desserts.
How about the-- Let's get the desserts in here.
( cheers and applause ) - Go, Jasmine! - Let's go, Justise! So here we are, the final course.
Jasmine, please bring your desserts forward.
Jasmine, please describe your dessert.
So today you have a sticky rum cake with coconut whipped cream and guava purée and a pineapple chip.
I also made a caramel sauce out of heavy cream, thyme, and a little bit of rum, and I topped my cake with that to make it nice and sticky.
So is this a cake recipe that you know or did you just make it up on spur of the moment? Whenever my dad goes to visit my grandmother in Florida, she always makes a rum cake, but I wanted to add like, a pineapple upside-down twist on it.
- Mmm! - I want the recipe.
Oh, my God.
Thank you.
You just took the words right out of my mouth.
That, young lady-- delicious, moist.
Rum, just there, in a way that is not overpowering.
What would I change? - A touch more caramel.
- Yes, Chef.
Because it's just-- it is so delicious.
This is something that I'd like to take to my restaurant.
Thank you.
The texture of the cake itself is very nice.
It is light.
It's moist.
Really great.
- Thank you.
- Great job, Jas.
Oh, you ate the whole thing.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
We are not on a diet when it comes to dessert.
I love the combination of the pineapple with the cake, because the acidity of the pineapple makes a good yin and yang with the cake.
This execution is flawless.
Thank you so much.
I think you could open a bakery and have this be the only thing that you sell.
It's that delicious.
Nice job.
- Thank you.
- Good job, Jasmine.
"It was moist.
It was delicious.
It was flavorful.
" Justise, please present your desserts.
Young lady, describe your final course, please.
You have a buttermilk panna cotta with balsamic marinated strawberries and a strawberry-scented meringue.
Are you 100% convinced that the texture is perfect? Yes, Chef.
I am very convinced that the texture is there.
It should look like a spoon of set custard.
- See, he's smiling.
- Yay.
It's a panna cotta set to lighten up any menu across Italy, because it's beautiful.
It's elegant.
Justise, it is perfectly creamy.
- Martha: Yeah.
- Justise: Thank you.
I think it's as good as it gets.
You can go to any Italian restaurant and won't find a better condition than this.
And I like the fact that you marinated the strawberries with a little vinegar, because it gives it this extra dimension of acidity.
I think it's really well done.
- Thank you.
- And the tang is there.
I happen to love anything made with buttermilk, and you have retained the taste of the buttermilk so nicely.
This is a very good panna cotta.
- Thank you.
- Christina: This dessert is stunning.
You've managed to keep it very light and very bright with your acidic notes.
- Thank you.
- It screams you, which I love, and I commend you for it.
I'm incredibly proud of you.
- Out of this world.
- Thank you.
Oh, my God! Ladies, both of you had phenomenal dishes tonight, but tonight's performance makes our job a lot more difficult to decide.
Jasmine, Justise, next time you see us we will know who's going to become America's next MasterChef Junior.
- Thank you.
- Head back into the kitchen.
Thank you.
( cheering ) Oh, my God! - Wow.
What a finish.
- Yeah.
The big question now is who's going to become America's next MasterChef Junior.
Let's start off with Justise's menu.
I think that her spot prawn appetizer was beautiful and elegant.
It was beautifully seasoned and colorful and wonderfully arranged.
Yeah, I mean, Justise started brilliantly.
The big issue was that pork belly.
It needed three or four minutes more.
Well, I'm going to come to Justise's defense.
The first course, it was just right.
The pork was really a plate that I would be very happy with in a restaurant.
I thought after the pork belly, I was a little skeptical, but she redeemed herself totally with the panna cotta.
I think she has exceptional skills.
Martha: I agree.
The tanginess of the buttermilk panna cotta, it was just right.
Her spirit is in her food.
Gordon: Now, Jasmine.
Three stunning courses.
Jasmine, with her fritters and the salad, I think it was delicious, and it came out perfect.
Gordon: You know, for me, too heavy on the smoked fish, but the dish looked beautiful.
I think Jasmine's lobster tail was beautiful.
It tasted delicious, and I like that she brought us back home to something even more personal.
Seasoning, spot on.
Her pineapple upside-down rum cake with that coconut whip was stunning.
It was beautiful.
I have very little to say about it.
For me, cooking in front of Martha Stewart and Wolfgang Puck, they raised the bar.
My heart is beating a thousand times a second.
It is crazy.
I am steps away from the trophy, steps away from the title.
It's right there.
Like, it's under my tongue.
It's neck and neck, but we need a winner.
What are you thinking? Jasmine: This is the biggest moment of my entire life.
I put my heart and soul into these Jamaican dishes, and I definitely know that I did my family, and my heritage, and myself proud today.
So I just hope that I win.
It's rarely that I was this impressed - as by these two young ladies.
- Wow.
They really stunned me.
Wolfgang, I need an answer.
Where are we going? I believe Well, we need a winner.
Let's go tell them.
( cheering ) Wow.
Jasmine and Justise, you both entered this incredible kitchen as two very talented 11-year-olds from Georgia.
But you set yourselves apart with different styles, different interests, different personalities, and with different flairs.
Tonight you both made Georgia very proud.
That's why, right now, we would like both of you to switch places with us.
Come up here, stand in our shoes, please.
Let's go.
( cheering ) Jasmine and Justise, I mean, one of the best performances we've seen in this kitchen so far.
Congratulations to both of you.
You are lovely young women.
You two showed the world how passionate you are.
Bravo! - Thank you.
- Yay.
Amazing.
Right, ladies, only one of you will win a check for $100,000.
Only one of you will hold this! The "MasterChef Junior" trophy.
The winner of "MasterChef Junior" congratulations - Jasmine! - ( screams ) ( cheering ) Yeah! Oh, man.
Well done.
( breathing heavily ) - Amazing.
Congratulations.
- Congratulations.
Oh, my God! I can't believe they called my name.
We're so proud of you.
This is the biggest moment in my entire life.
This is amazing.
Whoever thought that a little girl from Milton, Georgia, would ever be able to win "MasterChef Junior"? All right, huh? Great job.
Justise worked extremely hard in this competition, and I think that now we'll be BFFs in Georgia.
You did so good.
I'm so proud of you, Justise.
Here, hold it.
- Really? - Hold it.
I couldn't have won this competition without you, and that's 100% for sure.
Big hug.
Even though I didn't win, I'm very happy for Jasmine because she definitely deserved it.
She is a strong chef.
She showed that, and I'm really proud of her.
- Jas, you're amazing.
You did such an amazing job.
- Thank you so much.
Winning means that I have a big future ahead of me when it comes to the culinary world, and I hope that I inspire other children to know that they can do anything that they want to do.
I am the next MasterChef Junior! - Whoo! - All right!